I had 100m of elevation gain over a kilometre at my last job so this one is looking p damn sweet I tell you what
ALSO I found out there's a bike shop/repair place right outside my soon-to-be apartment, and it looks pretty good on casual inspection!? I'm way too excited about this.
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.
My mom surprised me with a folding bike for Christmas! Does anyone know the etiquette for taking bikes, foldable or not, on public transit? I've got plans.
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UnbrokenEvaHIGH ON THE WIREBUT I WON'T TRIP ITRegistered Userregular
My mom surprised me with a folding bike for Christmas! Does anyone know the etiquette for taking bikes, foldable or not, on public transit? I've got plans.
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.
My mom surprised me with a folding bike for Christmas! Does anyone know the etiquette for taking bikes, foldable or not, on public transit? I've got plans.
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.
My bike is on its way! Should arrive with the rest of my shit next week. Will the roads remain ice free long enough for me to ride it before April? Who knows!
My mom surprised me with a folding bike for Christmas! Does anyone know the etiquette for taking bikes, foldable or not, on public transit? I've got plans.
In Boston, folding bikes are allowed on all public transportation, at all times, as long as you completely fold it up before entering the station, train, or bus.
My bike is on its way! Should arrive with the rest of my shit next week. Will the roads remain ice free long enough for me to ride it before April? Who knows!
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 needing to buy some additional gear for my bike, does anyone have recommendations for good trunk bags? I'm a ways off from commuting or hauling groceries, so I don't think I need saddlebags. This one is super cheap, which is a plus if I want to risk leaving it on the bike when locked up on occasion.
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.
My bike is on its way! Should arrive with the rest of my shit next week. Will the roads remain ice free long enough for me to ride it before April? Who knows!
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.
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
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ButtersA glass of some milksRegistered Userregular
First mud of 2016 on my mountain bike two weekends ago when it was 65F outside. Tomorrow is a high of 18
I'm needing to buy some additional gear for my bike, does anyone have recommendations for good trunk bags? I'm a ways off from commuting or hauling groceries, so I don't think I need saddlebags. This one is super cheap, which is a plus if I want to risk leaving it on the bike when locked up on occasion.
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.
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.
I bought some extra down lighting for my bike (on a whim, I think it was at a checkout somewhere random, so I wasn't expecting high quality) - and turned out it was intended to be mounted using cable ties. Well I tried that and one of the ties managed to shear through first ride with them on. So now I'm gonna macguyver something together, but I'm not sure what yet ...
I bought some extra down lighting for my bike (on a whim, I think it was at a checkout somewhere random, so I wasn't expecting high quality) - and turned out it was intended to be mounted using cable ties. Well I tried that and one of the ties managed to shear through first ride with them on. So now I'm gonna macguyver something together, but I'm not sure what yet ...
Velcro ties?
+1
ButtersA glass of some milksRegistered Userregular
Ooh, bike thread. Hi! Debating picking up a mountain bike but don't know if I really have chance to get out on it with a little girl and also a wife demanding attention. Just seems like a fun way to cycle, versus my daily commute of about 11 miles on my (flatbar) road bike.
Ooh, bike thread. Hi! Debating picking up a mountain bike but don't know if I really have chance to get out on it with a little girl and also a wife demanding attention. Just seems like a fun way to cycle, versus my daily commute of about 11 miles on my (flatbar) road bike.
Someone sell me on a mountain bike!
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)
0
ButtersA glass of some milksRegistered Userregular
The biggest benefit to me of mountain biking (provided you're actually using it off road) is not having to deal with vehicle traffic. It's so nice.
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.
Ooh, bike thread. Hi! Debating picking up a mountain bike but don't know if I really have chance to get out on it with a little girl and also a wife demanding attention. Just seems like a fun way to cycle, versus my daily commute of about 11 miles on my (flatbar) road bike.
Someone sell me on a mountain bike!
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)
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:
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.
Ooh, bike thread. Hi! Debating picking up a mountain bike but don't know if I really have chance to get out on it with a little girl and also a wife demanding attention. Just seems like a fun way to cycle, versus my daily commute of about 11 miles on my (flatbar) road bike.
Someone sell me on a mountain bike!
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)
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:
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.
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.
Been looking to get a bike for a while and someone at work gave me their's. The catch is it hasn't been used in over a year, but otherwise no problems. I'm thinking about taking it in for a tune up. Any specific things I should be looking out for when it come to bike repair?
If the shop is trustworthy, you'll be fine just handing it over and describing that it sat and you want to go ride around on it. Safety and sanity check is pretty normal. If the shop is less than trustworthy (better to err on this side until you know), limit them to: safety check (brakes not working, fraying cables, dry-rotting tires, loose parts), lube, chain wear check (any good shop will happily show you the chain on a chain check tool), shifter and brake adjustment, and possibly cleaning. After a year of sitting, there's going to be rust spots (esp. on the drivetrain like the chain). Odds are extremely high that many bikes have been ridden a long way with a lot more rust than your bike. If the shop jumps to saying "replace X" (where X isn't a safety-critical part) without first talking to you about your goals and budget, back away. (The favorite trick is to start calling out moderately worn cassettes or rings, ignoring the fact that most people will happily take slightly loose shifting and faster chain wear over replacing an entire gruppo with fat stacks of cash.)
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.
Ooh, bike thread. Hi! Debating picking up a mountain bike but don't know if I really have chance to get out on it with a little girl and also a wife demanding attention. Just seems like a fun way to cycle, versus my daily commute of about 11 miles on my (flatbar) road bike.
Someone sell me on a mountain bike!
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)
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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
Threw new tires on my road bike, and thus far these seem to be constructed from something aside from tissue paper. I've gone over light gravel and road sand and have yet to get a single puncture.
Ooh, bike thread. Hi! Debating picking up a mountain bike but don't know if I really have chance to get out on it with a little girl and also a wife demanding attention. Just seems like a fun way to cycle, versus my daily commute of about 11 miles on my (flatbar) road bike.
Someone sell me on a mountain bike!
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)
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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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UnbrokenEvaHIGH ON THE WIREBUT I WON'T TRIP ITRegistered Userregular
I had my bike out for a bit on the weekend, and was planning to start using for my commute again any time now, but there's 15cm of snow forecast overnight into tomorrow morning, so maybe next week?
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ButtersA glass of some milksRegistered Userregular
29ers have blown up in the states. Every mountain bike shop I've been in the last two years features mostly 29ers. Even their rentals.
Posts
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.