heck yeah, my main reason was to make cycling more of an exercise
god, why????
cuz i wanna be a thick-boi with a juicy dumper
presumably a geared bike would be harder though. just never switch to the lower gears. and the added weight would be harder too
i've already maxed out my gears on the old bike and keep wearing out the parts that's why I need a new one. I got a fattire bike as well to make things even harder because let me tell ya i'm not even halfway close to my old gear setting on that thing.
heck yeah, my main reason was to make cycling more of an exercise
god, why????
cuz i wanna be a thick-boi with a juicy dumper
presumably a geared bike would be harder though. just never switch to the lower gears. and the added weight would be harder too
yeah if I really wanted to make life hard for myself I'd just do more hills on increasingly higher gear settings. Which I swear I saw someone doing once, on a dirt bike circuit track, come to think of it - she would come whizzing downhill on low gear and then change up as she turned into the hill.
But also hey whatever works for you, get that fixie you goddamn maniac.
heck yeah, my main reason was to make cycling more of an exercise
god, why????
cuz i wanna be a thick-boi with a juicy dumper
presumably a geared bike would be harder though. just never switch to the lower gears. and the added weight would be harder too
i've already maxed out my gears on the old bike and keep wearing out the parts that's why I need a new one. I got a fattire bike as well to make things even harder because let me tell ya i'm not even halfway close to my old gear setting on that thing.
heck yeah, my main reason was to make cycling more of an exercise
god, why????
cuz i wanna be a thick-boi with a juicy dumper
presumably a geared bike would be harder though. just never switch to the lower gears. and the added weight would be harder too
i've already maxed out my gears on the old bike and keep wearing out the parts that's why I need a new one. I got a fattire bike as well to make things even harder because let me tell ya i'm not even halfway close to my old gear setting on that thing.
I just don't see a fixie being locked into being harder than the hardest gear on a mountain/road bike.
I've never ridden one but it seems like it'd just be somewhere in the middle to suit average riding conditions.
I plan to also do the tapes, cables and cable covers for brakes and shifters. Bike Shop Guy suggests I should take a whack at doing it alone, and I'd like to learn, but... how impossible is swapping brake and shifter cables? Am I gonna really bork it all up?
Make sure you have a good set of wirecutters (or you can use a Dremel with cutting disk) to cut the cables and housing with -- if you wind up with a raggedy end on the cable and it starts coming unravelled, everything will be super annoying to deal with, and if you wind up with crushed/snaggly housing, the cable can drag on it which is also a pain. Might be worth getting some cable ends while you're getting the other parts, though then you need big pliers (or a mole wrench) to squeeze it once it's on.
And watch a video / read something about how to rewrap handlebars, don't do what I did and just go for it "because how hard can it be"? (answer: well, my handlebars are all covered in the end, but they are _ugly_ looking)
One little trick that can help is have a bit of sacrifical inner inserted when you cut the outer. Reduces crushing. Also make sure you have sharp/decent cutters. One of the cases where a cheap tool is not a bargain.
There is also the argument that you're peddling more and more actively the whole time unlike a freewheel, and you're working to slow down as well.
This all goes out the window if you're someone that uses words like cyclist and spandex and carbon, but it's a cheap way to be way more aware of your body and biking and all that than most people.
Rear Admiral ChocoI wanna be an owl, Jerry!Owl York CityRegistered Userregular
Managed to take myself out on a crash on my first ride of the reason for the dumbest reason last week
I have a handlebar mounted mirror that I need to tighten every so often - if I don't I'll do the shoulder peek
I didn't do too much other than making sure my tires were aired up and brakes were working so at some point on my trip making a turn I needed to check behind me, craned my neck around, and ended up turning my bike slightly as I did it so I skidded into the curb at so soft an angle that I was locked against it for probably 3 seconds max before I went down but felt like a minute, just scraping into it all "nonononono!!"
Bashed my knee against the curb pretty good on my way down, a passing car stopped and the driver asked if I was okay, I hurriedly scrambled out "I'm fine!" and got back up, zipped away to finish my ride to work, and then realized the bleeding was a little gnarlier than I thought when I got in, boss freaked out and asked if I was okay - ended up just needing some cleaning but it was a nice bloody mess
Bike's mostly operational, a bit of the metal where the front brake cable rests is snapped off, rear brakes still work fine but the front brake just feels squishy now so I'll be extra not-reliant on that and staying off the main roads til I get that looked after
I do the "look under armpit" if I have to check behind me at speed, because I am also terrible at looking without veering, at least slightly.
also in some ways slow crashes are worse than fast ones because you have time to see it all play out in your future, but generally can't actually do much to mitigate it.
... I have a recent story about that but it's more running related, but anyway - I had a slow running fall, which I at least managed to orchestrate so I ricocheted off two bins and landed in a tree, rather than faceplanting directly.
heck yeah, my main reason was to make cycling more of an exercise
god, why????
cuz i wanna be a thick-boi with a juicy dumper
presumably a geared bike would be harder though. just never switch to the lower gears. and the added weight would be harder too
i've already maxed out my gears on the old bike and keep wearing out the parts that's why I need a new one. I got a fattire bike as well to make things even harder because let me tell ya i'm not even halfway close to my old gear setting on that thing.
I just don't see a fixie being locked into being harder than the hardest gear on a mountain/road bike.
I've never ridden one but it seems like it'd just be somewhere in the middle to suit average riding conditions.
On fixies, if the wheels are spinning, you're pedalling. There is no freewheel to coast at all.
I ride a single speed mountain bike quite a bit and that's bad enough. Nothing like taking major crash risk to avoid braking so you can keep momentum going.
Fixed gear bikes are hella light, cheap, responsive and require hardly any maintenance. They're a lot of fun down town riding in the street and great for non-hilly areas. Also there are a lot of great customization options if you're into that sort of thing and can do most of the maintenance yourself without any specialized tools.
I think it'd be neat to have a minimalist single speed bike as a commuter. Fixed gear has no appeal to me though
Yep, I'm quite in love with my singlespeed mountain bike. Pedal make go, brake make stop. The end.
I can see the appeal of a fixie if it's all flat, as that's just boring town. NH is.... not flat. At least where I am.
+1
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Lost Salientblink twiceif you'd like me to mercy kill youRegistered Userregular
I think it'd be neat to have a minimalist single speed bike as a commuter. Fixed gear has no appeal to me though
I could see a fixie as a commuter too but
I've got two nice bikes and I don't need a third VERY SPECIFIC LIMITED USE bike
Now, if the third bike is a mountain bike kitted out for bikepacking...
Anyway people love what they love and I throw shade at fixies and their devotees with only the most sincere affection (mixed with bafflement)
In unrelated news my front light fell off Shucker while riding the other day and promptly got smashed to pieces by a dumptruck before I could enact a road retrieval, so I popped in to a Specialized shop on my way home from yoga and the guy was very complimentary of my ride! Which was nice and made me feel good about the upgrades I've got in progress. Then I was trying to avoid a bizarre amount of traffic and full-on body bumped the back of a van trying to pull around and also check the oncoming lane so that was embarrassing.
"Sandra has a good solid anti-murderer vibe. My skin felt very secure and sufficiently attached to my body when I met her. Also my organs." HAIL SATAN
I noticed on Sunday that my back brake was really tight, basically perma rubbing against the disc. Wondered if maybe the pad had slipped or something.
Set to today to try and right the issue and nothing worked, I think I only made it worse, nevertheless still did our planned 20km ride because what am I, chicken??
Anyway stopped into the coop on the way home and dude reckoned the cable needed a replacement so $12 later all is good. However I think Strava needs a dumbass hard mode tag. Also @Magic Pink if you want to give yourself a challenge...
I noticed on Sunday that my back brake was really tight, basically perma rubbing against the disc. Wondered if maybe the pad had slipped or something.
Set to today to try and right the issue and nothing worked, I think I only made it worse, nevertheless still did our planned 20km ride because what am I, chicken??
Anyway stopped into the coop on the way home and dude reckoned the cable needed a replacement so $12 later all is good. However I think Strava needs a dumbass hard mode tag. Also @Magic Pink if you want to give yourself a challenge...
Fiddling with disc brakes and trying to get them dialed in just right is the ENTIRE reason why I vowed never to own a bike with disc brakes ever again.
I think it'd be neat to have a minimalist single speed bike as a commuter. Fixed gear has no appeal to me though
I have a custom Redline one-speed commuter tricked out with fenders and shit and I love it. I definitely miss having a job where I could use that to get to work.
Fiddling with disc brakes and trying to get them dialed in just right is the ENTIRE reason why I vowed never to own a bike with disc brakes ever again.
I'm not positive, but I think my bike came home from the shop already having rear disc rub and it makes me so damn angry. Also, I have an extra special F U to disc brakes paired with QR axles. Oh, and mine is a surly so it's also a horizontal dropout with limiter screws to add more fiddling.
Also, I have an extra special F U to disc brakes paired with QR axles.
I finally got tired of my wheels sliding around because of the no-name QRs that came with that bike, and replaced them with some super old but stronger Shimano ones I had in a drawer of parts and things are much better now.
I'm looking into finding a bike for weekend riding on compacted dirt trails
I'm 6'-1" and hovering around 225 lbs. I've been trying to find a bike for under $300. But it looks like even the crappiest bike is like $400+ not including taxes (or a kickstand which strikes me as very odd).
I've been looking at Amazon and Dicks Sports. All my local shops only sell bikes that are over $1200 so they are a no go. Am I missing a place to look?
I'm looking into finding a bike for weekend riding on compacted dirt trails
I'm 6'-1" and hovering around 225 lbs. I've been trying to find a bike for under $300. But it looks like even the crappiest bike is like $400+ not including taxes (or a kickstand which strikes me as very odd).
I've been looking at Amazon and Dicks Sports. All my local shops only sell bikes that are over $1200 so they are a no go. Am I missing a place to look?
If you want any kind of quality under 300 you're going to have to buy used.
The entry point for good new bikes is 400-600 these days.
ButtersA glass of some milksRegistered Userregular
There is plenty below $1200 but yeah you are going to struggle to find anything worthwhile around $300 new. Google "bicycle co-op" in your area and check Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace. If you are lucky there are options for pre-owned equipment from a shop or on consignment.
There is plenty below $1200 but yeah you are going to struggle to find anything worthwhile around $300 new. Google "bicycle co-op" in your area and check Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace. If you are lucky there are options for pre-owned equipment from a shop or on consignment.
I did find a used shop that has a couple Trek bikes for around $400 which doesn't seem too bad
ButtersA glass of some milksRegistered Userregular
Trek is pretty solid and their product line is relatively easy to interpret. Typically every bike style has a few tiers and each tier has three trim levels like a car would. If you google the Trek model you might be able to figure out where it was on the spectrum when it was new.
There is plenty below $1200 but yeah you are going to struggle to find anything worthwhile around $300 new. Google "bicycle co-op" in your area and check Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace. If you are lucky there are options for pre-owned equipment from a shop or on consignment.
I did find a used shop that has a couple Trek bikes for around $400 which doesn't seem too bad
That's about what I paid for my used Jamis last year. Even if they don't come with a kickstand (it isn't in fashion anymore, so the local shoppies told me when buying) the shop should be able to attach one for you no problem.
There is plenty below $1200 but yeah you are going to struggle to find anything worthwhile around $300 new. Google "bicycle co-op" in your area and check Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace. If you are lucky there are options for pre-owned equipment from a shop or on consignment.
I did find a used shop that has a couple Trek bikes for around $400 which doesn't seem too bad
That's about what I paid for my used Jamis last year. Even if they don't come with a kickstand (it isn't in fashion anymore, so the local shoppies told me when buying) the shop should be able to attach one for you no problem.
ButtersA glass of some milksRegistered Userregular
I feel like that's a little steep for what looks like a 12-year old vintage but maybe they put new tires on it or something? I would call and ask about that before you schedule a test ride.
I feel like that's a little steep for what looks like a 12-year old vintage but maybe they put new tires on it or something? I would call and ask about that before you schedule a test ride.
Yeah, there's been stories on the news here (Canada) about someone getting given a 14 month waiting time if they want to buy a bike, or shops getting 400 phone calls a day and just not even trying to answer the phone -- custom builds aren't necessarily any better, they had someone that worked in a bike shop who was all out of left brake levers for some reason so couldn't make complete builds either.
Posts
god, why????
cuz i wanna be a thick-boi with a juicy dumper
presumably a geared bike would be harder though. just never switch to the lower gears. and the added weight would be harder too
I can guarantee you that driving stick does nothing in particular to your dumper.
... also automatic transmissions are garbage inventions from a garbage factory full of garbage but this is a different conversation.
i've already maxed out my gears on the old bike and keep wearing out the parts that's why I need a new one. I got a fattire bike as well to make things even harder because let me tell ya i'm not even halfway close to my old gear setting on that thing.
yeah if I really wanted to make life hard for myself I'd just do more hills on increasingly higher gear settings. Which I swear I saw someone doing once, on a dirt bike circuit track, come to think of it - she would come whizzing downhill on low gear and then change up as she turned into the hill.
But also hey whatever works for you, get that fixie you goddamn maniac.
edit: wrote that before I saw your latest post
I reiterate the maniac, but I salute your power.
I just don't see a fixie being locked into being harder than the hardest gear on a mountain/road bike.
I've never ridden one but it seems like it'd just be somewhere in the middle to suit average riding conditions.
One little trick that can help is have a bit of sacrifical inner inserted when you cut the outer. Reduces crushing. Also make sure you have sharp/decent cutters. One of the cases where a cheap tool is not a bargain.
There is also the argument that you're peddling more and more actively the whole time unlike a freewheel, and you're working to slow down as well.
This all goes out the window if you're someone that uses words like cyclist and spandex and carbon, but it's a cheap way to be way more aware of your body and biking and all that than most people.
I have a handlebar mounted mirror that I need to tighten every so often - if I don't I'll do the shoulder peek
I didn't do too much other than making sure my tires were aired up and brakes were working so at some point on my trip making a turn I needed to check behind me, craned my neck around, and ended up turning my bike slightly as I did it so I skidded into the curb at so soft an angle that I was locked against it for probably 3 seconds max before I went down but felt like a minute, just scraping into it all "nonononono!!"
Bashed my knee against the curb pretty good on my way down, a passing car stopped and the driver asked if I was okay, I hurriedly scrambled out "I'm fine!" and got back up, zipped away to finish my ride to work, and then realized the bleeding was a little gnarlier than I thought when I got in, boss freaked out and asked if I was okay - ended up just needing some cleaning but it was a nice bloody mess
Bike's mostly operational, a bit of the metal where the front brake cable rests is snapped off, rear brakes still work fine but the front brake just feels squishy now so I'll be extra not-reliant on that and staying off the main roads til I get that looked after
also in some ways slow crashes are worse than fast ones because you have time to see it all play out in your future, but generally can't actually do much to mitigate it.
... I have a recent story about that but it's more running related, but anyway - I had a slow running fall, which I at least managed to orchestrate so I ricocheted off two bins and landed in a tree, rather than faceplanting directly.
On fixies, if the wheels are spinning, you're pedalling. There is no freewheel to coast at all.
I ride a single speed mountain bike quite a bit and that's bad enough. Nothing like taking major crash risk to avoid braking so you can keep momentum going.
PSN: Robo_Wizard1
Yep, I'm quite in love with my singlespeed mountain bike. Pedal make go, brake make stop. The end.
I can see the appeal of a fixie if it's all flat, as that's just boring town. NH is.... not flat. At least where I am.
I could see a fixie as a commuter too but
I've got two nice bikes and I don't need a third VERY SPECIFIC LIMITED USE bike
Now, if the third bike is a mountain bike kitted out for bikepacking...
Anyway people love what they love and I throw shade at fixies and their devotees with only the most sincere affection (mixed with bafflement)
In unrelated news my front light fell off Shucker while riding the other day and promptly got smashed to pieces by a dumptruck before I could enact a road retrieval, so I popped in to a Specialized shop on my way home from yoga and the guy was very complimentary of my ride! Which was nice and made me feel good about the upgrades I've got in progress. Then I was trying to avoid a bizarre amount of traffic and full-on body bumped the back of a van trying to pull around and also check the oncoming lane so that was embarrassing.
"Sandra has a good solid anti-murderer vibe. My skin felt very secure and sufficiently attached to my body when I met her. Also my organs." HAIL SATAN
Set to today to try and right the issue and nothing worked, I think I only made it worse, nevertheless still did our planned 20km ride because what am I, chicken??
Anyway stopped into the coop on the way home and dude reckoned the cable needed a replacement so $12 later all is good. However I think Strava needs a dumbass hard mode tag. Also @Magic Pink if you want to give yourself a challenge...
Fiddling with disc brakes and trying to get them dialed in just right is the ENTIRE reason why I vowed never to own a bike with disc brakes ever again.
(also, that is one heck of a gear they're running there. 21x70 according to the thread I found the image in)
I have a custom Redline one-speed commuter tricked out with fenders and shit and I love it. I definitely miss having a job where I could use that to get to work.
I'm not positive, but I think my bike came home from the shop already having rear disc rub and it makes me so damn angry. Also, I have an extra special F U to disc brakes paired with QR axles. Oh, and mine is a surly so it's also a horizontal dropout with limiter screws to add more fiddling.
I finally got tired of my wheels sliding around because of the no-name QRs that came with that bike, and replaced them with some super old but stronger Shimano ones I had in a drawer of parts and things are much better now.
Sheldon Brown has an article on QR skewers here, and here's an article about the physics of disk brakes and quick releases which says that disk brake forces actually could make it more likely for QRs to come loose (in the front at least) which might explain that, though not why my back wheel also tended to move around more than I'd expect.
bikes are different from when I was a kid ....
I'm looking into finding a bike for weekend riding on compacted dirt trails
I'm 6'-1" and hovering around 225 lbs. I've been trying to find a bike for under $300. But it looks like even the crappiest bike is like $400+ not including taxes (or a kickstand which strikes me as very odd).
I've been looking at Amazon and Dicks Sports. All my local shops only sell bikes that are over $1200 so they are a no go. Am I missing a place to look?
If you want any kind of quality under 300 you're going to have to buy used.
The entry point for good new bikes is 400-600 these days.
I did find a used shop that has a couple Trek bikes for around $400 which doesn't seem too bad
That's about what I paid for my used Jamis last year. Even if they don't come with a kickstand (it isn't in fashion anymore, so the local shoppies told me when buying) the shop should be able to attach one for you no problem.
that's something that is so weird to me!
I think it was $600ish
https://www.recyclesbicycleshop.com/inventory/trek-4100-20-frame
kind of ugly color scheme, but beggars and choosers and all that
aahh
see I didn't know it was that old, thank you!