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I Want To Ride My Bicycle [Bike Thread]
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uh what happened? If the tube popped, it's likely because it was installed wrong.
Also see: why not to buy a bike at Target.
I just raised my bike seat up this morning and realized I had been riding too low. I had read that if you can touch your toes or more on the ground sitting in the saddle your seats too low. It helped a lot, now I have to learn how to mount and dismount all over again. Bleh.
Origin ID: Discgolfer27
Untappd ID: Discgolfer1981
if you go looking for a new pump, look for a Silca brand pump. A little more perhaps, but really nice to use.
took out her barrettes and her hair spilled out like rootbeer
the best guide is that you want your leg nearly fully extended at the bottom of the pedal stroke.
took out her barrettes and her hair spilled out like rootbeer
So, if you were a person, just hypothetically, who wanted to carry a laptop/books/notebooks back and forth from school but have them on the rack on the back of your bike, what kind of panniers would you get?
This type: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0009S6SOK/ref=nosim/kkorg-20 or something more complicated? I'm thinking something to put a messenger bag/backpack into.
Origin ID: Discgolfer27
Untappd ID: Discgolfer1981
On the bright side, it could have been my foot impaled instead.
I'm pretty familiar with that region--I ride up to Manchester to visit an old friend fairly often. It's pretty up there!
http://www.dutchbikeseattle.com/html/accessories/FR_08_01.html
Expensive, but so hot.
http://www.velo-orange.com/bapaandba.html
Speaking of Velo Orange, I ordered a brooks challenge bag and sew-on elkhide bar covers. They are gonna look sick with my brooks b-17 special.
took out her barrettes and her hair spilled out like rootbeer
And what's the deal with Brooks saddles anyway? They seem to be the shiznit, everything I've read about them. Is it because they're leather, and carry the normal form fittingness that goes along with leather?
And they also look really nice.
You want something hard. You get used to it over time. What matters is that your seatbones are firmly planted on it, and there isn't a lot of gel junk in it to wedge between your seatbones & put pressure on blood flow.....
You really need to measure your seatbones & then get a seat that fits.
Now, I'm going to admit to skipping the content of this thread and just asking the question here, then going back and reading a bit while I wait for replies....
Essentially my wife and I are moving to a new apartment complex to get us closer to our respective jobs, my jobs is litterally immeadiatly next to a bike path, and mt apartment complex is at the head of the very same trail. The overall distance is about 5 miles, probably closer to 5.5 miles.... Being from Canada and the types of surfaces I typically rode on up there I've always bought mountain bikes with the naturally stock tires, and weight... Going those 5.5 miles takes me about 30 minutes of exhaustion on this bike, I'm trying to either cut down the ride or the exhaustion. The bike is an 18 speed, and I typically ride in 18th. I understand that since biking is not part of my regular regimen that over time will improve the speed a bit, but I'm looking for results now, and better results later....
$500 budget for a new bike if need be... (Cheaper than the Segway I was contemplating looking into hehe)
So, skimming over the first page I notived that lighter bikes make for an easier ride, naturally this makes perfect sense, and that the tires also make a difference, naturally of course as well... So obviously for what I'm planning my current bike just won't be my best choice...
I think Doc was mentioning the fender somewhere, this would actually be good for me being in Florida and not wanting a skunk trail up my back.....
Oh, and what's your take on those "Automatic" bikes that change the gears on their own?
Thoughts, opinions?
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THERE IS NO NEED FOR A NEW BIKE!!
Trust me, you can have yourself a perfectly good bike for under $100 that will do everything that you need it to do.
Personally I like bikes with a long wheel base, steel frame, 700c wheels, and gearing that can get me up and down hills. Which is why I always recommend touring bikes. Yes, they may be slightly heavier, but the difference in weight wont make a big difference unless you're racing against Lance Armstrong.
Why steel? Steel doesnt make piss blood at the end of the day. Aluminum bikes are harsh.
Why a long wheel base? Strength.
Why 700c wheels? It's basically the standard nowadays, and you can find cheap spare wheels in this size easily. Also dont buy wheels new, they're a rip off.
Why gears? Because fix gears sucks unless you're trying to be different by being like everyone else.
So if I was you, I would skim over craigslist and see what you can find.
Also, dont waste your time at a bike shop. Their only purpose in life is to rip you off and they rarely have anything utilitarian. Only go there if this applies to you
http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.com/2008/02/10/61-bicycles/
Of course not all bike shops sucks, the problem is that the majority of them do.
I want you to ignore literally everything this guy has said, especially the bolded part. He's talking completely out of his ass and with very little actual knowledge.
If you read through the thread, there is plenty of good advice, and I think I recall a few people asking questions very similar to yours and getting good answers. Shop for a good bike shop, one that will take care of your bike for a long time and not treat you like crap, first and foremost. Then let them find you a bike that works for your budget and kind of riding.
Auto-shifting bikes are fucking terrible. I mean straight up goddamned awful. Avoid at all costs. They use a flywheel system to keep you in gear, so if you change your pedaling cadence at all, you lose the gear you're in. Not only that - they're crazy expensive for the parts that come on them.
Is the path you're talking about riding on paved or dirt?
yep
if the bike path is paved, then simply switching to a skinner, street style tire will help a lot. A bike shop can help you get the right kind of tire.
If you have already decided on getting something different, then 500 can buy you a pretty decent new commuter bike. Or it could buy you a good used road bike (which is what I would do). If you are looking to mount fenders (and a rack?) make sure the bike has all the braze-ons you'll need.
I'd go to a few bike shops, tell them what you are looking to do, and get advice from them. Take some bikes for test rides, see what you like, and decide from there.
took out her barrettes and her hair spilled out like rootbeer
Well, this is total bullshit.
Touring bikes have longer wheel bases because it makes them more stable and comfortable at lower speeds. This is important when you are riding all day, loaded down with gear. But they can also feel sluggish, especially when unloaded. A shorter wheelbase will make the bike more manuverable, especially at higher speeds. Track bikes have very short wheelbases for this reason.
If you are just commuting, then a true touring bike is probably overkill.
took out her barrettes and her hair spilled out like rootbeer
So, you're also implying that replacing the mountain grade tires with proper street once would make a difference? Though, it would be silly to have a mountain style bike with street tires... Dunno....
Keep it coming kids...
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Holy shit! Sony's new techno toy!
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It's not silly, people do it all the time when converting their mtn bike into a commuter. These aren't the skinny road bike tires, they are still mountain style in diameter (26) but they are thinner and have little or no knobs. This makes them roll smoother, faster, and safer on pavement.
It's a pretty cheap way to make your mountain bike ride a whole lot better on the road.
took out her barrettes and her hair spilled out like rootbeer
Specialized Globe Vienna
Plus, doing that would be a lot cheaper than dropping the money on a new bike. In general, bike prices are going up, so you might be hard pressed to find something for cheap.
Aside from that, Craigslist is a great option. There are always quite a few newish bikes for sale in your price range. You wont get top of the line 2009 models, but you should be able to find some lightweight aluminum bikes that would fit your needs.
Ignore this guy, he's guy is full of it. A bike for under $100? No way will you find a decent bike at that price point, not even craigslist, the only thing you're going to be able to buy are shitty wal-mart bikes.
If your going to commute to work with a bike, you sure as hell don't want it breaking down on you.
Nakatomi2010, google "sheldon brown" his guides helped me loads when I was looking for my first bike.
Also, craigslist is an excellent option if you know what your looking for, I got an upgraded specialized stumpjumper for only $250.
Here's my current bike: http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?spid=32576
Here's amazon's list of wheels in my budget: http://www.amazon.com/s/qid=1217208940/ref=sr_nr_p_36_pr?rs=3405001&rh=n%3A3375251%2Cn%3A3403201%2Cn%3A3404731%2Cn%3A3405001&low-price=20&high-price=300&x=14&y=5
And their list of tires: http://www.amazon.com/Tires-Components-Parts-Sports/b/ref=sc_bm_br_3403201_15_mo_12?ie=UTF8&node=3404981&no=3403201&me=ATVPDKIKX0DER
You aren't going to be able to put 700c road wheels on your mountain bike. So much of those lists are wrong. You need 26" wheels.
Are you going to want to swap your new wheels and your old wheels around all the time? Because maybe it'll be more cost effective to just buy some slicks for the wheels you already have and then just change tires when you need to. That's what I would do anyway. Buying a whole new wheelset for a $400 bike doesn't make much sense IMHO.
As for tire size, look on the tires you already have. You should see a number on the side. There should be 26x2.1" written on it somewhere. The 26 means that it's a 26" diameter tire. The second number is the width, 2.1".
Ususally you can just get another 26" tire in the width you want (in your case, something like 1.5" - 1.9"). But, just to be safe, you need to make sure that your new tire will fit on to your existing rims.
There should also be another number on the tire. Something like xx-559. That's also the tire's size. The xx is the width of the tire and the 559 is rim size. So you'll also need to look for tires that have a rim size of 559 (or whatever your number is, but it's probably 559). Sometimes they list it as ISO diameter.
Like here:
http://www.amazon.com/Panaracer-RiBMo-26x1-50-Aramid-TR2201/dp/B001617Y9M/ref=sr_1_102?ie=UTF8&s=sporting-goods&qid=1217214755&sr=1-102
Finally, avoid wire bead tires and get kevlar bead (folding) instead. Wire bead tires can be a real pain to get on and off, and if you are gonna be swapping tires it'll make things go much smoother if you have kevlars. Kevlars may be a little more, but the reduction in frustration is well worth it when you get a flat.
took out her barrettes and her hair spilled out like rootbeer
he's insane
fix gear are great winter trainers, with an easy gear on them
but that isn't what you are doing, so yes, bike with gears
you can probably just put road tires on your MTB if it doesn't have full suspension crap and it's tall enough to get an efficient pedal stroke
i'm a bit ignorant about mtb shifting/gearing, what do you mean when you say you ride it in "18th"? is that the hardest or easiest gear?
On a road bike, I only ride doubles, and I don't go into my big chain ring unless I'm attacking or chasing or on a wicked descent
I spin & spin in my little front and my 2nd to 3rd smallest in the rear
Anyone reading this, don't be that guy who is in big to big. It's just messy & not very elegant. If you are in a 23 or 25 in the back, and a 53 in the front, you just need to be in your smaller gear & a 17 in the rear, I promise.
YES! GATORSKINS
another convert?
I love them
Vittoria, I think, are crap
I ride with lots of guys in a fast (20 mph) pace group ride, and they all buy vittoria
and they all flat
i'm... 2 flats in 3 years? 1 time I rode over a giant nail, after a tiring century (within site of the finish), and the 2nd one was today, riding 60 miles in a torrential downpour, hitting a GIANT piece of beer bottle I just couldn't see due to how hard it was raining
5 riders & 4 flats, that's a rough day on the bike
sure the gatorskins are heavier
but if they delay you by 1 minute over 60 miles
(which isn't even true, i finish ahead of guys on vittorias all day)
you've still saved 5 minutes because you didn't have to change a tire
you also saved 8 bucks (patch kit, co2, tube, etc) which probably equals more than 1 minute of riding for you
I ride on Armadillos to similar effect.
Update on the quest for a new bike: I now have my sights set on either a Rivendell Atlantis for the Ye Olde School factor, or an Orbea Orca for the omg-carbon-you're-so-light factor. Note, both of these are considerably out of reach financially, but, I can dream...
took out her barrettes and her hair spilled out like rootbeer
Now, I pulled everything apart and it looks like the saddle clamp might be stripped or something. It's a Carbon Felt seatpost that came stock on my F75, and the top of the seatpost has notches that, combined with the notches on the bottom of the clamp, can subtly adjust the angle of the saddle.
My suspicion is that the notches on the clamp are stripped or something, but I worry that it's something worse. Has anyone had anything similar happen, or have any advice?
I hope it's not the seatpost itself, but I wouldn't mind searching for an upgrade.
If I Craigslist this thing, how much can I expect to get?
Depends on the brand, is it a wallmart special?
took out her barrettes and her hair spilled out like rootbeer