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There's also some great epic rides in the New England area that are quite beautiful. Like taking the Ferry to Provincetown and doing the path that runs down the cape (if you're especially crazy you can ride all the way back to Boston), or the Kancamagus Highway in NH.
I checked mine just for shits (I don't have a bike) and it also didn't even bother showing it. Hooray kansas!
depends on the transit I'd expect. Around here every single bus has a bike rack on the front (literally bolted on to the front of the bus, below the windshield), and the ferries all have bike racks.
Generally it's "don't take during rush hour if you can avoid it" but other than that, having it folded up is no big deal. If a bigger transit system, like BART in CA, you don't even have to fold it non-rush hour as there's spots to stand there with your bike. Buses typically have racks on the front.
Ha. Originally yes, but now it's because the route goes along a river.
The sensation of suddenly pedaling wildly as your tires hits a patch of ice at almost 20 mph and just spin out is one I will never forget. I don't miss ice-biking (or its wetter cousin, snow-biking) one bit.
I'm also planning to get a Cygolite Dash 350 headlight. Yay/Nay? The SweetHome picked it as their best value headlight and it seems like it'll do the trick barring trail riding at night.
The sensation of your bike sliding down on one side, and your foot going down to form a three contact base perfectly is pretty great
Fuck the Midwest and fuck climate change
Plus it is hillier here than where I moved from
I am ... not as fit as I remember being
I like Thule's panniers because the mounting mechanism folds completely into the bag which makes them good for using them as a regular carrier bag.
Velcro ties?
In other news, I'm about to use some of my car-sales money to buy a lightweight Arkel rack and pannier set. It seems fitting.
Someone sell me on a mountain bike!
PSN: SirGrinchX
Oculus Rift: Sir_Grinch
Where are you geographically, what's your budget and what are your goals? Commuting on it would be terrible as you have no idea how much slower they are on roads than road bikes (unless it's short and through a city)
But yeah they are way slower and the tires will wear way faster on pavement. Not worth getting one unless you're actually going to take it off road.
Commuting would be awful on my normal route on a MTB, but there's a canal path to work which I can take (well, I can't on my road bike, I've tried it and it's horrendously rough). It's longer but much more pleasant especially in summer.
I'm in the UK, around the South Leeds area. I'm specifically looking at this bike:
http://www.bikeradar.com/road/gear/category/bikes/mountain-bikes/hardtail/product/review-calibre-two-two-13-47865/
Don't really want to spend in excess of £500 because I don't know how much use I'll get.
My reasoning is that my road bike and commuting has sucked all the fun out of cycling for me, it's a busy route, lots of traffic and other than the fresh air I just don't enjoy it much. I want a bike that I can sling on the back of my car, head out to some country roads and trails and just have fun with, not necessarily as a means to get somewhere, just as a means to have fun.
Problem is I don't know how much I'll get to do that due to family pressures.
PSN: SirGrinchX
Oculus Rift: Sir_Grinch
I would look at 29ers, as 26 is rapidly becoming a dead wheel size for new mountain bikes. It will also roll over stuff easier, potentially removing the need for a suspension fork on your first bike (which would help control cost, as it can always be added later), as well as be a better commuter.
Another option would be to get a wider wheelset (if you can fit it on your bike) and some more gravel/rough oriented tires to make more of a cyclocross bike for expanding the terrain you can hit.
Since it's a bike given to you, odds are good it won't be a perfect fit. If you're new to the style of bike, ask the shop for the best fit you can manage on the cheap. Pay them for their time, but don't sweat the really expensive fit systems. You just want someone's expert opinions on seat height and position by looking at how you sit on the thing and go around the parking lot on it. You might find that it's still a little long or short, but if you get close you can ride it without aching knees or back. You can later decide if it's far enough outside your fit that you want to put some money into it.
I dunno how true it is where you are, but in Australia 29ers are dying. They blew up huge for a couple of years, but now everybody is buying 27.5s.
EDIT: To Mr_Grinch, keep in mind that that particular brand of bike is "exclusive" to a chain of outdoor goods stores, i.e. rebranded cheap Chinese imports.
How about something like this instead: http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/bikes/model/atx.27.5.1/25028/90580/#features or you could even step up to hydralic disc brakes and some other nicer bits and pieces: http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/bikes/model/talon.27.5.4/25031/90577/#features
I am ... not in love with the pannier, for some reason I didn't realise it would sit so high. But then, I wanted something that would take a few groceries as well as my laptop, and fold flat when I wasn't using it, so the options were limited. I'll see how it goes.
Historically I'm not very good at going around corners with an unbalanced rear end, so I might end up getting another one just to even myself out.
also when I stuck my laptop in and tried to shift the bike, I realised my laptop weighs at least double my bicycle alone. Which could explain why I gain at least 5km an hour when I'm not carrying it.
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it's only a macbook pro, my bike is just stupidly light.
Eh, 29ers will be around for a while due to super xc people, 27.5 is mostly taking 26's place as the smaller wheel size available.