OT Bikes

[Marzzz]

Instead of REI, you may want to check out Performance Bicycle, they have a wide range of choices, are located everywhere, and are a dedicated bike shop. Worth looking at...though even better would be your LBS (Local Bike Shop).

[xKnuckles]

Nice bike!

 

I didn't learn how to ride a bike until May, 2015, when I completed a "how to ride" class taught by WABA (Washington Area Bicycling Association).

 

Thanks Gov! Hearing that there is so done else who didn't learn to ride as a child he cheered me up no end. I always felt a bit of a freak because of that......

 

[mate stubb]

Does somebody want to explain the allure of bikes with no coaster mechanism? I know a couple of bike fanatics who ride these things and crash them regularly trying to avoid pedestrians and stop at the bottom of hills.

[GovernorSilver]

Does somebody want to explain the allure of bikes with no coaster mechanism? I know a couple of bike fanatics who ride these things and crash them regularly trying to avoid pedestrians and stop at the bottom of hills.

 

Do you mean fixed-gear bikes?

[mate stubb]

Does somebody want to explain the allure of bikes with no coaster mechanism? I know a couple of bike fanatics who ride these things and crash them regularly trying to avoid pedestrians and stop at the bottom of hills.

 

Do you mean fixed-gear bikes?

 

Yes.

[GovernorSilver]

Does somebody want to explain the allure of bikes with no coaster mechanism? I know a couple of bike fanatics who ride these things and crash them regularly trying to avoid pedestrians and stop at the bottom of hills.

 

Do you mean fixed-gear bikes?

 

Yes.

 

Ok. I have no use for them myself, but found this article a fun read:

 

http://www.outsideonline.com/1929501/why-i-dont-ride-fixie

[Karl Sutton]

I've been riding a Gary Fisher Big Sur I bought in 1997 all over Vegas, Utah, Colorado & now Tennessee. Last year on a biz trip to Vegas I rented a Santa Cruz Tall Boy - WOW! I had no idea how much bikes had changed in almost 20 years. New GAS for sure.

 

One of my favorite riders in one of my favorite videos;

 

[hatricklov]

Wow, tons more advice... thanks, guys!

 

I'm not really in the mountain bike camp as I don't see myself using it to its full potentialI'm pretty tame. Yeah, go figure this Coloradoan doesn't get up into the mountains as much as I'd like, and while I'm at it gotta say I've only been skiing a couple times in my lifetime. Yeah, I'm that guy.

 

I'm thinking 90% road and 10% mountain in the way of the hybrid I'm after. Or at least just enough mountain to tackle when the concrete city trails/pavement turn to dirt or I need to take a shortcut across some rougher terrain.

 

Instead of REI, you may want to check out Performance Bicycle, they have a wide range of choices, are located everywhere, and are a dedicated bike shop. Worth looking at...though even better would be your LBS (Local Bike Shop).

Hey now, this looks promising... and less than a minute or two away from my local REI. I'd saw them when I was looking, but didn't get much further than their location-specific website. I pretty much chalked them up to being to high-end and expensive for me. Definitely the upper-bounds of my somewhat cheap price range, but I've read good things about the Diamondback models here. I AM an REI member, so that's worth checking out too.

 

Marzzz, but what do you mean when you say my local bike shop would be event better? Better in what way?

 

Does somebody want to explain the allure of bikes with no coaster mechanism? I know a couple of bike fanatics who ride these things and crash them regularly trying to avoid pedestrians and stop at the bottom of hills.

Fixies. I don't get 'em. Worst, stupidest kind of bike ever. Period. Had one when I was kid and my older brother by 10 years dared me to race him. Hopeless.

 

One of my favorite riders in one of my favorite videos;

 

Wow. I thought his best trick was balancing and switching on the railroad tracks, then he topped that by riding a cable no wider than his tires... a freaking cable!!!

 

So here's a question... why don't websites list any straight-up MEN'S bikes? They say either Unisex or Women's. No disrespect to the ladies, I just don't get it.

[Ed A.]

My old faithful:

 

http://archive.trekbikes.com/images/bikes/2006/large/73fxdisc_blackchrome.jpg

 

 

[CEB]

Fixed gear bikes is what they race in velodromes. Racing bikes have a single fixed gear and no brakes. Nothing I would want to ride on the road.

[Marzzz]

Marzzz, but what do you mean when you say my local bike shop would be event better? Better in what way?

A good, dedicated bike shop that is local to your area will be the best bet for helping you select and maintain your bike. Good ones are a lot more personal and can steer you in the right direction, so to speak. As always, beware of the upsell....!

[timwat]

Fixies have the attraction of being the most direct connection between bike and rider. Sometimes touted as the rawest and most true proof of the mettle of the rider. Bike messengers in SF often choose fixies, and that's no joke with the hills, traffic and pavement they have to navigate.

 

I have a fixie. It's a bear to ride because you get no respite. If the bike is moving, you're pedaling. I mounted a front brake, and only dare ride it around my suburban neighborhood - it's an enormous workout, especially compared to my road bike, which is a carbon fiber Giant TCR, all Dura-Ace and such.

[Dave Ferris]

I would go with a single speed before one of those fixed gear bikes. It's safer and simply more fun.

 

I borrowed a Potts 29er SS that was two sizes too big for a few days, and it was incredible on the road. Also SSs lend themselves more to rigid forks on MTBs, which this fellow had in the Potts Type II.

 

I was thinking about going with the rigid and SS with the Potts until I got to the first steep hill of my normal trail that I ride by my house. I simply don't have the chops to climb this trail on a SS. I'm in the lowest gear with my XT 2X10 24/38 a good 70% of the time on this climb.

[video:youtube]

 

a view from the top

[video:youtube]

 

I went up there this morning. The trail head gate is 1.7 miles from my driveway. Kicked my butt as always. 52 minute climb. Started at 6:30 AM . It's perfect before the heat and sun get too intense. So lucky to live in an area like this.

 

[GovernorSilver]

Marzzz, but what do you mean when you say my local bike shop would be event better? Better in what way?

A good, dedicated bike shop that is local to your area will be the best bet for helping you select and maintain your bike. Good ones are a lot more personal and can steer you in the right direction, so to speak. As always, beware of the upsell....!

 

Yeah, a good local bike shop (LBS) is especially great for those who have not been riding bikes for a long time or are new to cycling. If you break something on your bike or even just have a question or two about it, a good LBS will give you the service you need without much of a wait. The one in my neighborhood has done stuff on my bike for me without charging a penny.

 

Some people avoid LBS because they assume the prices will be higher. This isn't always true. LBS's sometimes have sales too.

 

Also, you may have noticed Trek mentioned several times here. It's because Trek is a well-respected brand. And in my area, you can only find Treks at LBS's - not at big chains like REI or Performance Bicycles. Seems to be a similar deal with similarly respected brands like Jamis and Bianchi. You know that $350 Trek FX hybrid I mentioned? That's the price at my closest LBS.

[zaj58]

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa257/misnjoe/bike%20%20wantagh.jpg.. my 2015 S works Tarmac.. Sram red, full carbon... i ride it like i stole it.. about 150-200 miles a week in good weather..

[hatricklov]

I ended up getting a Diamondback Insight 1 for $350 at Performance Bicycles. It seems comparable to the Trek FX. I had read really good reviews of them online. Took the kids out for a ride the same night and felt good about my purchase.

 

http://www.performancebike.com/bikes/Product_10052_10551_1185492_-1___000000

 

I also shopped Bicycle Village just before and they had Trek bikes as well. I thought they were chain since there's 5 in CO, but not sure if they're anywhere else. I'm pretty sure they were $400 and they didn't have much in stock. Not a huge difference in price, but the bike I ended up with just felt right.

[Kawai James]

I went up there this morning. The trail head gate is 1.7 miles from my driveway. Kicked my butt as always. 52 minute climb. Started at 6:30 AM . It's perfect before the heat and sun get too intense. So lucky to live in an area like this.

 

Wow, those views are breathtaking Dave!

[GovernorSilver]

I ended up getting a Diamondback Insight 1 for $350 at Performance Bicycles. It seems comparable to the Trek FX. I had read really good reviews of them online. Took the kids out for a ride the same night and felt good about my purchase.

 

http://www.performancebike.com/bikes/Product_10052_10551_1185492_-1___000000

 

I also shopped Bicycle Village just before and they had Trek bikes as well. I thought they were chain since there's 5 in CO, but not sure if they're anywhere else. I'm pretty sure they were $400 and they didn't have much in stock. Not a huge difference in price, but the bike I ended up with just felt right.

 

My nearest Trek dealer is Spokes Etc. - it's a small chain of 5 stores, all in No. VA. Sounds similar to Bicycle Village. Spokes Etc. is unusual in that they also sell Specialized - apparently rare to see both brands in the same shop.

 

Congrats on your new bike purchase!

[DaveMcM]

Here in the urban burbs around NYC - suburbs with too many dang people, homes, and cars I've been riding this little pleasure....Love it. Made by http://www.electrabike.com/ Model: Townie. It's good to get out from behind the keyboard!

Thanks for the heads up on the Electra brand. I just picked one up. It's the Townie 21D. Road it last night after dark around the neighborhood and it is so much more comfortable than my other bikes. Sitting with a straight back, no pressure on my wrists, it's great.

 

http://i464.photobucket.com/albums/rr1/wdmcmahan/ElectraTownie21D_zpsljsailk5.jpg

[CEB]

Ooops!

 

https://www.yahoo.com/news/pro-mountain-biker-rode-walmart-153448729.html

 

[CEB]

I went for a ride this morning. Conditions were not great so I took my mountain bike. Good thing. One of the connector trails I took to get to main route was over grown. The main route was nice. I saw a plaque dedicating the trail to a guy I used to ride with on club rides. They installed bike service stations at the trailheads. The first four miles were miserable but I settled into the saddle and embraced the pain and it was fine after that.

 

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y70/CEB2/56BD8651-3A3A-40F6-9855-33411360BC10_zpsqcf3vpxu.jpg

 

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y70/CEB2/7D595522-79A7-4E02-BE42-3475DC1E0245_zpsbqrkkzqm.jpg

 

 

 

 

[area51recording]

I suffered a DVT (blood clot) back in april. I was ready to get back riding but my wife nixed street riding with blood thinners on board, as there is too much risk of a wreck with motorists. Since I'm relegated to riding the trails (I mean the paved walking/biking sort, not off road) I wanted something with a more upright riding position. Picked up one of the Trek FX, the 7.2, and for my purposes it's a real nice bike....

[CEB]

The FX are nice bikes. Be careful on the blood thinners. If you are using clipless pedals and been away from riding it is easy to have a brain fart moment. If you are using regular platform pedals that may be a good thing.

[area51recording]

Yeah, no clipless on this bike....I figured the same thing

[felix]

Dunno why this doesn't embed, but I took this on a day that I rode my bike to work.

 

2011 Cannondale CAAD10

 

 

The purchase of this bike was my first return to bike riding since my freshman year of college, and my first foray into actual road cycling. If all goes as planned in this, my 5th year of road cycling, I'll surpass 5,000 miles ridden in 2016.

 

[GovernorSilver]

Ooops!

 

https://www.yahoo.com/news/pro-mountain-biker-rode-walmart-153448729.html

 

Yeah, that's a great video. Saw it on the Radavist website:

http://theradavist.com/

 

I like how your Gary Fisher matches the bike station

 

 

[GovernorSilver]

WMATA's SafeTrack program hit the Metro line I ride to work this past week, so bike commuted two days in a row. It's just a preview of this coming work week, in which I'll be bike commuting 5 days in a row. I now have three moisture-wicking pieces of head gear that I wear under the helmet - an Art Crank cycling cap, Halo headband, and Halo skullcap - to minimize sweat dripping over my eyes. I plan to rotate them. In 90F evening commutes, they get saturated about 2/3 of the ride home. I plan to stop at one of the exercise stations along the trail I ride on, and wring out and hang-dry the head gear while I use the station.

 

I think I'm getting used to riding a full commute in a proper road bike posture. All of the saddles I've tried on the Renegade hurt my undersides when I was riding in a posture that was too upright, so the saddle wasn't supporting the parts of the pelvis it was designed to support. Now I'm working on riding with my hands on the drops and the hooks, to better take advantage of the variety of hand positions offered by drop bars. Riding on the hoods all the time was tiring out my hands.

[eric]

Here in the urban burbs around NYC - suburbs with too many dang people, homes, and cars I've been riding this little pleasure....Love it. Made by http://www.electrabike.com/ Model: Townie. It's good to get out from behind the keyboard!

Thanks for the heads up on the Electra brand. I just picked one up. It's the Townie 21D. Road it last night after dark around the neighborhood and it is so much more comfortable than my other bikes. Sitting with a straight back, no pressure on my wrists, it's great.

 

http://i464.photobucket.com/albums/rr1/wdmcmahan/ElectraTownie21D_zpsljsailk5.jpg

 

I missed this thread. I have the Townie 7D that I bought about 5 years ago and loved it for a few years. I stored it in the garage and kind of forgot about it, as I was getting most of my cardio exercise from running. My daughter is an avid mountain biker and she has a high-dollar Cannondale bike, while making fun of my '92 Trek bike and totally laughing at my "hipster" Townie.

 

I was just about to sell off the old Trek (which was nearly the best that money could buy in '92) as well as the "hipster" Townie to get some kind of new road bike, but I took the Townie on beach vacation this past week and loved it! I had not really ridden it for a few years and it is a cool and comfortable bike!

[CEB]

The latest in Galactic Imperial technology.

 

[video:youtube]

[Dave Ferris]

Bumping this old thread. In these times more people are on their bike more then ever ! Our house sits back and elevated off the street a little. Every time I look out during daylight hours, I see more bicycles, in addition to walkers and runners, then I ever have. It's literally like Grand central station out there. I like it !

 

Along with my running, it seems I'm riding a lot more too. Both the street and the newly opened Verdugo Mountain trails this week. I enclosed a shot of my pride and joy that I got 6 years ago -- a Steve Potts 29er MTB. Even on the street it's fun - less traffic doesn't hurt either- and doesn't feel like a clunky mountain bike. It really flies along, very stealthy feeling.