noob questions

i'm not a bicyclist, no expert at all, but i've been thinking about getting one. since i wouldn't be using it for commuting, just tooling around a 2-3 mile radius, should i just get something basic? a "cruiser" type bike? i have no idea. and price, what's a good price?! no clues over here.

I invariably recommend flatbar road in this circumstance. However before I commit, where do you live, what condition are the streets in, what bike stores do you have and do you have an REI nearby?

i live in los angeles, i would likely be tooling around some neighborhoods that are fairly busy (echo park, silver lake, los feliz, east hollywood). the streets are "okay" and there aren't many hills where i'd be going, just slopes. there are a number of bike stores nearby (mostly small ones), and there are 3 REI stores on the other side of the city.

I would steer clear of cruisers because they are heavy. However it sounds like you could go single speed. I bring up REI as their Novara brand has a good rep around here as being fairly no nonsense, the staff are very nice and low pressure so shopping is pretty easy. Also worth checking what you have in terms of bike coops around you who will give you a bike for free if you put in some volunteer hours and build it yourself or sell you something that has been completely rebuilt for a couple of hundred or less.

Craiglist can be good but you need to know what you are looking for. Check out the local small shops too, they will be able to advise you. New you will be north of $500 for anything getting on for decent probably north of $700, although I have a friend who swears by his $120 POS bike from Walmart which he has done a bunch of loaded touring on (home-made racks), he does spend a lot of time fixing it though.

in the end you have to find something you like to ride. The COOP route is my favourite though.

http://www.bicyclekitchen.com/who.html
http://bikeoven.com/
http://www.bikerowave.org/

Seems LA coops operate a little differently, you have to pay to play. Less focussed on getting new people riding and more on a sort of community workshop kind of a thing.

bicycle kitchen is pretty militant from what i have heard! there are a couple other bike spots in the immediate vicinity of that which have mixed reviews...

i'd be down with spending some $$$ on a cool bike. mostly interested in something that isn't some crazy lance armstrong sporty urban biker thing, something more casual. some of those ones you mentioned look good.

some crazy lance armstrong sporty urban biker thing

what does that mean? contradictory.

noob : /

what you want IS a "sporty urban biker thing" and trek probably makes a perfect entry level one for you

http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/urban/

bike kitchen IS kind of insane, i wouldnt go there as a noob

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2211/2203230755_3355769669.jpg?v=0

hmm those are some good bikes, cutty

if it's just for tooling, not commuting or bein fast, then something ~shaped~ cruiser-y might not be a bad idea. that is, like the bike picture above. big wheels, fattish slicks, wide cruisy bars. setup as a single-speed (that one's got an internally geared hub) it'd be waaaay lighter than a cruiser bike and gas to ride around

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2420/2203168043_5e5934065f.jpg?v=0

what's the bike that's pictured, gbx?

xxxpost!

http://www.odditycentral.com/pics/a-bicycle-for-two.html

that's a surly karate monkey

I mean ~technically~ it's a mountain bike frame, but just search flickr for the myriad ways ppl set them up

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1172/528426882_838f852cf3.jpg?v=0

look at this guy right here

plus it comes in 'chum bucket red' now

this thing is dope! i bet it is fun as hell

http://www.flickr.com/photos/51807048@N00/528426898/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fastboy/382023282/

str8 class

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3449/3354614137_c742630078.jpg?v=0

this is like bike pr0n

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bigdummyberlin/2464700400/

wheeeee

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v233/mchesna/roughdraft.jpg

LA reppin'

j/k that bike is despicable

thing is: KMs are about $450 for the frame/fork. decent wheelset + tires will run close to ...$300? add in everything else and you're over a grand.

surly sells 'em complete for $1200, but they come with knobbly tires an ugly uncomfortable saddle and no moustache bars

I need noob bik for drunk summer roll outs

http://surlybikes.com/1X1_ltd.html

http://surlybikes.com/images/1x1_ltd_lg.jpg

ok what the hell

http://blog.makezine.com/162388357_1e253f8f85.jpg

I really want that rubber chain bike FYI. Good for biking in a suit I hope.

Surly's are awesome, get one of those.

http://www.gorillabicycles.com/web/en/snowwhite/

wtf??

Raleigh One Way

http://www.raleighusa.com/bikes/road/one-way/

Raleigh Clubman

http://www.raleighusa.com/bikes/road/clubman/

yeah get a one way. great bikes. perfect for your needs

The One Way does look ideal. Do you think you'll find yourself going for longer weekend rides at all?

If you do find something you think suitable, come back to the thread and let us know what and we will thumbs up/down as appropriate.

(Having said that, I think bikes with gears still make most sense in almost all situations. It's definitely worth test riding different styles of bikes, from full-on roadie to MTB with slicks and seeing which feels most fun and most suitable. And you can test ride new bikes from reputable shops, too)

http://blog.makezine.com/162388357_1e253f8f85.jpg

wtf is happening at the "BB" there?

US raleigh and UK raleigh are not the same company any more, are they?

Also, this is still beautiful:

http://www.pashley.co.uk/products/guvnor.html

http://www.britishbicycle.com/pashley/guvnor/

US raleigh and UK raleigh are not the same company any more, are they?

I would guess not. They certainly have different product lines.

Is this a good deal for a fixie frame?
http://www.on-one-shop.co.uk/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_Il_Pompino_550.html

How much could I get the rest of the bits for?

That is a good deal. Its a great frame too, well liked in the messenger community. I reckon you could build it out for a couple of hundred.

I bought it. Friend has some spare wheels too, w00t.

wow those are cheap! and yeah, i've heard great things about the pompino

i've got a beat ass old trek that i've never liked very much frankly, i think it's time to get a decent road bike for tooling around. this is looking really great to me:

http://thehubbikecoop.org/itemdetails.cfm?LibId=53457

my question is, would it a better deal to find something similar used and have some work done on it? old 10-speed frames can't be that hard to get a hold of

it might be trickier than you think? mpls bike dorks are pretty on the ball when it comes to picking up nice old used bikes

wld agree here in denver, its got completely crazy to where if it has semi horizontal drops dood thinks its worth $x00.

talking about bare frame

also, i've heard bad things about ReCyles on Hennepin....inflated prices, bad mechanics, unscrupulous

OK... I have held on this one for a while, but here it is. This bike came into the shop a couple months ago, customer had just bought it from Recycle. They said something was wierd in the steering, our intial thought was maybe the headset was loose. Except when we grabbed the front brake and pushed the handlebar forward to check, the front wheel pivoted forward when the handlebar was pushed forward. Thats interesting... We took it in back and removed the fork to find that the steer tube had previously be severed clean off. They had put 2 pins through it, criss crossed and tacked them in. That was the remedy. Terribly, horribly disgustingly unsafe. That is someones face. Here is a link to the photos taked of the fork.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8293134@N08/2968936651/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8293134@N08/2968936525/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8293134@N08/2968936413/

good resource for mpls bike stuff, btw: mplsbikelove.com

omg wtf is all i can type

i know right? not sure if ReCycles did the tacking, but it's clear that, even if they didn't, they either didn't notice it or didn't care.

there's a whole thread on them on the mpls bike forum, most of it O_O wau how r u in business

hm yeah going the custom route right off is probably jumping in at the deep end.

still, that redline looks great, doesn't it? a road-style single speed is probably what i'm after, anyone have any recommendations?

kona paddy wagon: http://www.konaworld.com/09_paddywagon_u.cfm

Surly Steamroller http://www.surlybikes.com/steamroller_comp.html

http://www.myspace.com/fixedgearsareforjerksandlesbians

:O≈≈≈≈≈≈≈

baahahahaha

never actually heard that band's music, mind

but no i'm not interesting in a fixed gear tbh

steamrollers can be singlespeeds! it just depends on what you do with the rear wheel!

!!!

o i c

v v newb

steamrollers can be singlespeed, but I think they only come with a front brake stock. So you'd have to add a rear brake and a cable and a lever. Not such a big deal, but it will cost you a bit.

I've good things about that Redline, and the price is nice. I say go for it. The geometry is kind of slack, but that sounds like what you might like.

If you're looking for a budget option, a lot of people swear by the singlespeed offerings of bikesdirect.com

^I've HEARD good things about that Redline

A slightly more expensive option:

http://www.salsacycles.com/casserollCompSS08.html

It has a semi horizontal dropout so it can be converted to gears at a later stage and I love the super skinny tubing.

Incidentally, you can still get last years surly steamroller, which was a much nattier brown, and it is cheaper.

http://bicyclewarehouse.com/itemdetails.cfm?ID=10948&site=google_base

Here's one: Is buying a Schwinn ten speed off craigslist and making it a single speed and changing out the handlebars a) cost-effective b) the kind of thing I can do in my attic with no bike-maintenance experience c) at all a good idea?

also: Salsa is local!

http://www.salsacromotostem.com/

Here's one: Is buying a Schwinn ten speed off craigslist and making it a single speed and changing out the handlebars a) cost-effective b) the kind of thing I can do in my attic with no bike-maintenance experience c) at all a good idea?

I don't have personal experience with conversions, but everything I've heard suggests that they are seldom that cost-effective, especially nowadays. You're unlikely to find a bargain, quality bike to work with on Craigslist. Prices for vintage road bikes are pretty inflated (or were before the economy headed south). So You'll have to expect to pay probably something like $100-200 just to get a decent bike to work with. Apparently there are still really cheap vintage bikes out there (fewer than there used to be, for sure), but you'll have to prowl Salvation Army shops and yard sales. Even then, you may not strike gold.

Once you get the bike, you'll have to invest in some parts and tools. The bike may need some work to function well, which will cost money. So, I've heard people say that a conversion often costs $200-300 (sometimes more) when it's all said and done.

If you want to learn about bikes and have that feeling of pride/accomplishment, then it makes sense. Otherwise, buy a bike from bikesdirect.com

Seriously, bikesdirect.com is a very good possibility. The bikes are really popular with people on a budget who want a nice bike. It's a solid product at a low price.

Another noob Q: What do you think a shop should or would charge for rebuilding a damanged 3-speed wheel, if the hub were supplied? Including rim, spokes, and labor, and anything else I'm missing...? Answers appreciated b/c right now a shop that I like is fixing to charge me $120 to replace a rear wheel w internally geared hub that wasn't damaged when I took it in -- I intended for them to rebuild it but they say it got damaged in the unlacing...?

if the hub is supplied, it shouldn't cost any more than any other kind of hub. generally $45 for labor, i'd wager, the rest depends on what kind of rim you put on it

A plain old steel rim, I guess. That's what was on there before. What do those run?

ugh don't get a steel rim, laurel, they weigh a billion pounds. plus i'm not sure if you can even get those anymore??

this is going on yr old---what, raleigh?---right? get something appropriately wide, for sure, but you may as well upgrade to modern technology!

plus braking on steel sucks bad. im thinking $25 cheap rim, $20 cheap spokes, $45 labor's about right, all retail. if theres a bit of fiddling required to get the shifting right, add $15 maaaybe. its not outrageous, but not a good deal either imo.

It's going on my 1967 Something or other made entirely of steel already. Plus the shop asst said they had to replace the shifter, too, because it wasn't compatible w the new hub...which means they just threw away my Sturmey-Archer and replaced it w a Shimano.

i am so lost on this thread but i will study it closely and make a wise decision

Actually I prefer the Shimano, but this is all costing more than just rebuilding my wheel, and no one EVER called me to say any problems had come up, or to authorize the new costs.

http://images.burningman.com/gallery/netmoser.10183.jpg

omar just search "gbx" and take all my advice because clearly it is the best

^he is a future doctor

and if there's one thing doctors know about, it's about owning hell of nice bikes and not really being fit enough to ride them properly

wait, that's lawyers

no, i mean, ~~~orthodontists~~~

Okay so apparently a new 3-spd wheel + hub runs around $150. That means the guy offering me $100 for new wheel & shifters is giving me a good deal. He gets to keep my good hub and wait for the correct size of wheel to come through his shop, and then sell it to someone else, so he's probably coming about even. But it works for me.

This is reassuring, b/c the shop is one that I rly like and I like the owners -- they've been helpful and friendly to me over the years, even when I was a dum noob. I would hate to think the level of service was going down, b/c I like recommending them to people.

That sounds like a fair deal all round. I am building my GF a second bike over the summer, for chicago and I was going to go with three speed and maybe build the wheel myself from parts at awesome bike store, kraynicks. Fantastic guy, has a free to use workshop, only pay for the parts and any labour he puts in. Has the most fantastic treasure trove of salvaged parts.

thinking of retiring the old nail and getting a nice practical bike around town - anybody here tried a trek allant?

Not tried one, however the portland and valencia models in the same urban range look a little lighter although trek doesn't put this information on their site who who knows.

where in london can i buy myself a pretty helmet that would fit my head? i mail ordered a "one size fit all" one and of course my head is too ridiculously large for it. finsbury cycle came to the same conclusion (although to be fair they only had 2 helmets for me to try)

i kind of want a skate style one as the shaved hedgehog style ones all look hella lame.

Ken you should try Bikefix on Lamb's Conduit Street, they have this (according to their website anyway):

The classic and popular skate/bmx helmet allows you aggressive riding while you feel absolutely safe. Featured with 13 head-cooling air vents, brushed cotton insulation and exchangeable pads, this is by far the best fitting, most comfortable and safest skate helmet at this price level. L/XL Only. Matt black (other colours and sizes are available to order).
£25.00

http://www.bikefix.co.uk/i/tsg_mattblk.jpg

OMG THAT SOUNDS PERFECT. i want to ride aggressively and my head apparently is XL and it's available in black!!!!!!!!!!!11111

If you have a bigger head than that then Giro make the biggest helmet on the market.

OMG I want one too! Cycling home through elephant and castle last night without one, I genuinely feared death.

ok i got a different make but v. similar looking one from bikefix now. they taunted me though by having an amazing BEIGE one on display but when i asked for one in a box they only had black, but i was happy with a black one anyway.

then i asked for a bag and they only had a bag that would fit the helmet only and not the box, should really have just then taken the beige one but by that stage i was feeling the vibe that they were a bit too 1337 to want to cater for my n00b helmet needs.

i've got an awesome black helmet though so yay!

interestingly enough, the one that fitted me was a medium.. (it's slightly snug but thought it's better to have that than one that's loose???)

save-a-fred

allows you aggressive riding while you feel absolutely safe

Yeah, you may feel absolutely safe, but you aren't.

I don't get the appeal of the BMX helmets. Aren't they substantially hotter? IMHO they look really clunky and awkward.

i agree

they are substantially hotter yes, i guess that's the appeal?

Why did my brand new inner tube burst on inflating, before I reached the recommended 100psi? Thought it might be a pinch flat but it happened right on the inside seam. Just bad luck?

could still be a pinch flat, but check your rim to see if there's any tube killing nasties jutting out, and rim tape and make sure that it's properly set (and replace if worn). i've managed to avoid pinch flats by installing tires having the tubes inflated to about 20psi. a couple people i know also pump the tire up about half way, then deflate, then inflate fully. something about stretching out the tube.

[inspects mental image of wheels] huh I don't think they have any rim tape. That'll be it then.

Is there some kind of machine that will fit inner tubes? Fuck is it difficult and annoying.

are you inflating the tube a bit (then close the nozzle) to fit it on the wheel? then deflate it once it's seated on the rim to get the tire mounted

you mean don't mount the tyre at all before the tube's on? i half mount tire (one rim i mean) then part inflate tube then fit under tire then fit other tyre rim. no deflating. mainly what i did wrong last time was not religously fit it round from the nozzle and i ended up with a bit of tube stickign out, like the whole thing was too long. worked better the second time around. seating the last few inches of the tyre is still a bitch though.

ow my thumbs

no, sounds like you are doing it right.

did you deflate tire when trying to seat? some brands of tire are harder to mount than others. michelin pro 3s for example.

didn't deflate. have now, definitely easier!

you are one step close to no longer being a noob!

one step along the endless road!

I have never been a cycling enthusiast prior to the past few months (save for a summer of downhill mountain biking in Colorado in '96), but am rapidly becoming one, first our of necessity (car went kaput; could stand to lose some weight), but now stemming primarily from a newfound love of road bikes/road bike riding. Srsly, where have skinny tires been all my life?

My first road bike (I'm already dreaming of/making plans for the second), purchased last month, is a pristinely maintained 1976 Flandria racing bike, which has been modified somewhat for more general use. It flies & I love it! I've decided to take it on a several-leg trip in southern Michigan, which I am currently training for by taking progressively longer day trips.

Also, I am gearing up on accessories, which brings me to posit a query: I bought a near-mint 1980s Bell V-1 Pro helmet (with red & blue racing stripes!) at a garage sale recently. The plastic and foam appear to be completely unscathed/untested, but I was wondering if it is wise to entrust my safety to such an old piece of equipment. I love to rock the vintage (nice fit with the bike, too), but if foam degrades over time, or some such thing, perhaps I should keep it for style-exclusive use & keep shopping for something more recent for daily use?

Nice to join you over here ate ILTRMB.

welcome. a vintage bell v-1 pro should be fine since "foam" is actually concrete

(i dunno if safe or not)

i wouldn't

(and welcome!)

We all hope to never actually use our helmets, but if I did need its services, I certainly wouldn't want it to be 25 years old.

Also, the general recommendation is to go and try on a few helmets to find one that fits well and feels comfortable. Heads and helmets both come in a variety of sizes and shapes.

So, I vote no on the used helmet. Helmets now are much better than their forefathers anyways. Lighter, better ventilated, better fitting. I'm all for retro, but helmets seem like a good place to draw the line.

Welcome!

fave bell v1 feature: microscopic sliding ventilation port

this is a rather rough snarky welcome coming from me but WE ARE TRYING TO SAVE YOUR LIFE :)

Looking some more at singlespeeds, and one of the local bike shops had a brand new SE 700c Lager for $600 (no sales tax) that fits well, has all the little things I like, and seems, at least, as light and carry-up-my-stairs-able as I'm going to get in this price range. However, if I go with it, I'm going to have to wait a few weeks until I can afford it. They had the next step down, (forget what it was called) for $300, which I could get pretty soon (soooo nice out) but it seemed a tad too heavy, and not exactly a good long term investment.

Should I wait for the lighter, likely longer lasting bike? And also, are either even a good bike at all, and am I beeing hoodwinked by the salesman's beardo charms?

I've heard VERY VERY bad things about those SE Drafts. The wheels that come with them are apparently terrible. The higher level bikes from them (like that Lager) are supposedly good though.

Okay, so, think I'm down to:

http://bikesdirect.com/products/dawes/sst.htm

vs.

http://www.sebikes.com/Singlespeed/700cLagerWhite.aspx

the later, from a local shop for $600.

I looked at the specs closely... these are almost exactly the same bike, right? Like, the brake configuration is the only difference I could find.

SE bikes don't get a lot of respect and are often considered POS. I don't know if that's a warranted reputation, but that's my perception. It's true though that Bikes Direct bikes often closely correspond to name brand bikes. The BD bikes are built in the same factory in Taiwan using the same tubing and same geometry as some brand name bike. While the frame maybe basically the same, the components might be different and vary somewhat in quality. The skill of the wrenching when putting the bike together can vary a lot too obviously.

Bikes Direct has a decent reputation and their bikes are a good deal, but like any budget enterprise, you assume a certain risk of hassle and problems. you don't get the security of having a shop backing up the product. Most people seem to have good experiences with them based on my reading of bike forums, but it's definitely a budget operation.

If you're willing to spend $600, there are other bikes to consider. Have you considered other options? If you are willing to go up to 700, then lots of possibilities open up.

How about an IRO?

http://www.irocycle.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=153

Also, I think the Fuji Track is the same frame as the SE Lager and is cheaper. It's a good option if you want to buy from a shop and be frugal.

You could also check out Surly Steamroller, Kona Paddy Wagon, and Raleigh Rush Hour. These are more expensive, but you might be able to find a deal on 09's. There are other possibilities too.

Well I shopped around to a lot of local shops, but the single speed options I found very lacking. I'm defitnitely open to any suggestions, my main requirements being a chromoly frame (or I suppose any material that'll keep it that light), bullhorn handlebars, front/back breaks, and a flip-flop hub.

I could go up to $700, but anything over $350 will mean I have to wait another pay cycle to get on a bike, and the weather is just so perfect right now.

Thanks for the advice, btw.

Okay how much time/learning curve is involved in buying parts and assembling w/ the help of a friendly co-op or somesuch? Because jesus christ between the brand loyalty and all the weird bike culture politics buying a complete for less than $1000 from an LBS seems extremely fraught. I've been to 11 shops and the only place I could actually find what I was looking for had a Steamroller that, after the bullhorn and the pedals, would be $810.

fwiw, learning to diy probably won't get you a bike more cheaply (such is the nature of completes), but actually learning the skills necessary to do so probably wouldn't take long. i took a course in chicago that had you dis- and reassemble your bike over the course of eight weeks, once a week. the actual instructive part of that, however, could be greatly compressed, esp if you're working one on one with a knowledgeable friend or something

i really wish i'd assembled my last bike, but the deal i got on the complete was so good that it seemed like i'd be able to customize as needed and still come in cheaply. of course, once i actually ~got~ the thing, and rode it, it has seemed indulgent to swap out serviceable parts w/o them wearing out or whatever. but that might just be a personal tic, you know

ok i got a bike! it's great, and my ass is killing me.

but i need to think maintenance. so a) what should be in an essential tool kit and b) what are the best ways to pick up the basic skills, recommended books? take a class?

Depends on how you prefer to learn, I reckon. There's all the info you'd need on the web - I just checked sheldonbrown.com to remind myself which way to turn the spring-tightening screw on v-brakes. I've never bought a book or taken a class, although I do have friends who are far bike geekier than I'll ever be, which is handy.

As for tools, the handy sized multi tools with a bunch of allen keys and screwdrivers are indispensable. And get a track pump.

goofe---i'm happy to help w/anything you need, as far as minor maintenance and stuff is concerned.

as for a tool kit: get something small enough to either keep attached to the bike (saddlebag) or that you don't mind carrying with you. i ~don't~ do this because my shit's in my messenger bag, but then i end up being that guy with the messenger bag and it's sort of embarrassing.

i'm guessing that, with the bike you've got, you'll need

a 15mm wrench for the bolts on your hubs (unless they're quick-release), this can also double as a pedal wrench
allen keys for seatpost, stem, saddle adjustments
*tire levers*
*tube(s)*
*some kind of small CO2 pump w/charges*
*one of those presta-->schraeder adapters, so you can fill up at the gas station if need be

really you just need stuff to get you home, which usually means a flat kit

it could also mean chain-breaker (cheap, small) and allen keys. i keep my stuff in one of these now: http://reloadbags.com/site_images/ACCESSORIES_protoolrolled400.jpg
http://reloadbags.com/site_images/ACCESSORIES_tn_protoolopened112.jpg

I'm a big fan of Sheldon Brown, the parktool.com site, and my Crank Brothers Multi 19 which has a ridiculous number of allen wrenches plus chain breaker and spoke wrenches and such and stays in my saddle bag. For routine maintenance at home I have a three-prong 4, 5, and 6mm Park allen wrench that I use constantly.

Buy or borrow other weird tools (crank pullers, pedal wrenches, headset wrenches, bottom bracket tools, etc.) as needed.

I noticed the other day that my fixie has allen key bolts on its hubs - is this normal? I haven't had to take one off yet but I am considering changing tyres. I also need to learn how to put the back wheel back on so the chain tension is still good :/

I just kind of... pull it tight, ya know? Not too tight though. Some guy I read says he gets the chain tight ignoring wheel centreing, tightens the right (drive side) nut, then centres and tightens the left nut.

I get a fair bit of chain noise on mine, dunno if this is due to the chain or cogs or my shitty tensioning technique.

think it has allen bolts because yr hubs are nice phil woods, right??

trick i use for putting the wheel back in w/appropriate tension:
-- bike upside down
-- if yr right-handed (as i am), position the bike so that the rear wheel is to the right, and the drivetrain is facing you
-- take yr left hand push the rear wheel as far back as the chain allows, bracing the butt of yr hand against the BB shell
-- you can do that off-center stuff, if you want, but i just center it.
-- tighten down the bolts equally on each side. best way is to alternate back and forth between bolts as you tighten. so, 1/4 turn rt, 1/4 turn left, so on

Brilliant - thanks gbx (yes, they are nice Phil Woods). The guy who built my bike got the spoke tension and chain position spot on - no noise at all, which will no doubt not be the case once I have to make adjustments.

i need to get better at getting my foot in the facking toe clip quickly when i go off a green light...

Anyone wanna recommend me a step by step on how to replace a broken pair of ye olde ten-speed stem-mounted friction shifters with another pair of the same? I hit my local bike shop for the gear just as they were closing (4:30 on a Saturday?) & was pretty much rushed out the door & now I've got this pair of shift levers & a burning desire for some DIY action (yeah, I'm the dude you heard about who replaced his own broken axle last week). This seems a bit more daunting, though, even though this time there probably won't be an unexpected cache of loose ball bearings to spill all over my bedroom floor.

And yes I've already extensively consulted the www, but to no avail. Lots of tips out there on how to upgrade, but not much advice on how to replace outdated technology with more of the same outdated technology. If you know of a hidden trove of such information, please hook a brother up.

happy cycling!

note to self: need to invest in a decent pair of tin-snips.

what i need right now is SHORTS KNOWLEDGE.

internet chatter suggests that pearl izumi and sugoi make good products at lower price-points. other brands are either disputed in quality, or obviously on a high-end tip.

since the chance of me wearing lycra out in the open air with people around is very low, there is also the liner short option. one i found that looks intersting is here: http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524442626847&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302692435&bmUID=1248719495418

suggestions? tips?

I've been happy with my regular cheapo Pearl Izumu shorts. Plus you can just wear them under regular shorts and have the option of wearing them on their own.

Belt drive c/d

C I think. I'm not sure I can see a downside.

i agree pearl izumi is not offensive

Just yes or no for question one, and you can guess:

So I need a freewheel puller or some shit to take my back hub off? Because these wrenches aren't working.

Also, I changed the bearings out on my front wheel and it seems alright. Not as quiet as I'd like it to be while spinning, but better than before. I bought white lithium grease instead of that red grease, though, because Ace didn't have any. Is this grease going to break down faster? Maybe I'll change it out again in a few weeks.

And what do you use to break the old grease up? Some agent plus some kind of extra-bristly pipe cleaner?

Do you use special bearings or are regular one okay? I checked Shimano to see what size to buy, but I just wonder if I need some kind of high performance bearings.

And I'm not sure I even want to fuck with the central hub. Is it so complicated that I should let a bike shop do it? We have a very competitively-priced shop downtown, so maybe it'd be worth it.

Gosh, I was so ridiculous in the garage tonight. Definitely did not look like an old hand at bike repair. At one point when I couldn't find a hose I had my wheel in the shower with me with the massage setting on to get some gunk out of the hub. I tried to get all the tools I thought I'd need at Ace, but I didn't have my bases covered.

So, I tend to go through a lot of tubes & was wondering if it would be worthwhile to invest in tube which claim to be more durable (the Slime brand or others) or if I should just be resigned to having a repair kit on me when I go for rides. Here is the deal: I am a big dude (6.3 @ around 200 lbs. even when I am in great shape) & I ride a road bike. The terrain in my town is pretty rough (even the "bike lanes" & paved trails are riddled w/ cracks, holes & ledges at road/sidewalk intersections). Plus, I'm putting in an average of 15-20 miles a day. Most of my blown tubes are a result of general wear & tear, hitting patchy surfaces at high speeds & such, and not a result of punctures from debris. I end up having to replace about one tube a week. Could I save time/cash by going with "premium" tubes (the ones I get at my local shop are your average $4 basic tubes)?

Check your tyres and rim tape first.

Rim tape: make sure all of the spoke holes are covered, that there aren't any rucks or bumps, or any undue grit sticking to it.

Tyres: make sure there aren't any holes or splits the tube might be getting pinched by. Make sure you are running an appropriate pressure. Make sure your tube is the right size or the tyre size.

What size tyres are you running? it could be the tyres rather than the type of tube. when we first came to Pittsburgh E had 23s (admittedly very old ones) and they kept flatting on the potholed streets around here, we changed her up to some 32s (with kevlar lining ) and we haven't had a problem since.

I tend to think that there is something else going on if you are getting a lot of flats and having examined some dead tubes from this kind of environment a fair few of the holes would not have been fixed by slime. I do like slime although it can be a bit of a pain with presta valves sometimes.

Thanks Ed. I ride 27" rims @ 1.1/8" width tires. Here's the thing though: the only 27s they have at my local shop are 1.1/4" width. They told me it doesn't really make any difference, but maybe they are lying to me? If you are speaking of a different size issue than the general rim size/tire width, you will have to clarify b/c I am not that technically hip yet.

Pretty sure it's not the rims or the tape, though I'll double check. Since I bought the bike, I've replaced both rims & have had the same frequency of occurrence w/ all four.

At the very least, I'm going to look into ordering a stash of 27"x1.1/8" tubes b/c I don't know if I'll be able to find them around here.

1 1/8 and 1 1/4 will be very similar - they're not lying to you. The 1 1/4 will be slightly more comfortable on the bad surfaces.

Are you underinflating the tyres? They should have a min and max inflation on the sidewall. If you're underinflating you'll get a lot of [inch flats which sounds like what might be happening. As you're a bigger chap, make sure you inflate closer to the maximum. If you don't have a pump with a psi gauge, ask your local shop to do it for you and at least pinch the tyre afterwards so you have a ballpark idea of how firm it should be. If you don't already have a floor pump with a gauge, I'd strongly advise you get one.

It's very unlikely stronger tubes will make much of a difference, I don't think. If the problem isn't underinflation, then you could just have tyres that are easily pierced (even if it's not obvious this is what's happening). If so, it might be worth ordering some tyres online, if your local shop doesn't have them - there are plenty that focus on puncture protection, though most of these will be heavier and slower as a result.

The reason Ed suggests the rims or tape is because if you're not suffering pinch flats or puncture flats, then the only realistic third option is a jagged corner of a rim or spoke or valve hole. It is worth checking that your rim tape covers everything, and that your rims don't have any sharp or chipped areas. It's also very possible for a sharp to get inside the tyre and puncture from within, so clean both the inside of the rim and the inside of the tyre before putting the tube and tyre back on.

I am a big fan of these rather than replacing the tube every time.

http://www.parktool.com/images/products/productimages/det_GP-2v2_2005727_24456.jpg

Bam, re your hub questions, sorry I'm late but I have some thoughts. You should prob swap out the White Lightning and get some real grease -- I tried WL once b/c it was the only kind avail at my local hardware store, but it really doesn't have the body of bike grease, and you want a thick paste for the long haul.

To get the old stuff off, a lot of people use Simple Green, or there are other degreasers on the market. You can use WD40, I guess, but it's sneaky because it will kill and cut through old grease and just leave a light film of its own behind but it is NOT enough for things that move a lot, like hubs, or anything really. Prob don't use WD40 as a lubricant anywhere on your bike.

Frankly you can use a dishsoap solution and wash your parts in the sink if you get them really really rinsed afterward and pack them with good grease. Don't drop any bearings down the drain -- helps to do your scrubbing over a sheet pan or piece of tupperware in case you drop anything.

Someone -- Hunter? -- around here likes WL, if I recall. But it seems like not an awesome idea to me.

Pedro's do this great degreaser call orang peelz which seems to be more effective than anything else I have tried. Using WD-40 almost like spray air is pretty effective too.

It's a legit grease with a thick, generous helping of petroleum jelly, just not the usual compound for a hub. It's a grease used for bearings (boats and lawnmowers and things like that). I got some 3-in-1 lube for my chain that's about as viscous as White Lighting. After I did my front wheel, I discovered that my brother has bike grease in a drawer in his garage, which remains unexplained to me since he rarely rides his bike and probably would not fiddle with anything requiring it.

So . . . I have a quick release for the back hub and I stripped the plastic part from the nut and can't tighten it or get it off my axle. I may need a new axle, I dunno, but I definitely need a new nut (and whatever that Shimano part is called to get the back hub off. My records show that it's a freewheel adapter or puller or something).

Thanks for the tips about Simple Green and such! I may end up buying that freewheel adapter and doing the rear hub like I did the front, but I want the crank sqeaky clean now, too, because I have envy of all the speedy road bikers and fixie dudes riding around campus now that school's about to start. This ultimately may force me to pay for labor at a bike store.

(I had to ride the ugliest, heaviest beheamoth of a backup bike to get to school today.)

There are more special tools req'd for getting the bottom bracket apart but maybe on new bikes that's easier. I can't remember, I haven't done any work in a long time. You prob still need a crank-puller at the very least.

Re lube, okay! The WL that I bought once was too thin, and came in a tube. It said it was for stuff like bearings but it was way thinner than the colored paste from the bike shop and I didn't trust it.

I did that once to a quick-release hub. I'd never had one until I inherited a used bike with them, then got a flat, then tried to deal w it on the side of the road and ended up fucking it up. Got rid of the bike soon after, so no idea what the fix was.

xpost to Ed & Mark C: Thanks again for the input. I bought new rims recently & upon investigation, it seems my tires were riding a little closer to the new rims, resulting in some abrasion on the front tire from my brake pad, which must have eventually worn a hole through the tire, so there you go. Replaced tire today & adjusted front brake, so hopefully I will be good to go for the time being (but I ordered a frame pack & a road pump today for whatever complications inevitably lie ahead).

I have an early '70s Peugeot UO-8 (w/ mostly upgraded components), and for some reason, the fixed cup keeps coming loose. I took off the crank and tightened it flush so that it wouldn't turn anymore, but after only 16 miles, it's abt. a half-centimeter out. Other than Loctite, is there a better solution?

i'd like to pimp El Duke Degreaser: made in Chicago, all-organic/biodegradeable, really effective

Was going to post for the first time yesterday on the 'daily bicycle log' thread, wondering how comes people seemed to get so many punctures - I've had my Gary Fisher for eight years now, cycling all over London, and never had one. You can guess what happened this morning then...

Anyway, I'm looking to move on from my battered mountain bike and get something a little lighter. My cousin-in-law gets an amazing deal on Merida bikes (http://www2.merida-bikes.com/en_INT/Bikes.Overview) so I'm going to get something from them. Like I said, I need something lighter (after borrowing a friend's road bike I can't believe what I've been lugging around all these years) but I take the canal path most days and I need something that'll handle broken paving stones, occasional grassy/muddy patches and the odd kerb or two. He's recommending a Cyclo-Cross bike. Any one tried them? In general or Merida specifically? Am I going to end up with punctures/buckled wheels?

A CX bike sounds like a great idea. In an ideal world you'd have either slick tyres or, better still, lighter wheels shod in slick tyres that you could put on when doing longer road rides, while keeping the wider knobblier ones for the towpath.

Merida are fine bikes - they're one of the biggest frame manufacturers in the world - them and Giant, I think? - but they mostly make the frames for other brands. The bikes are solid, well priced and well specced.

Some CX bikes come with rack and mudguard mounts and some don't, so make sure if you do want the option, you make sure they do (there are bodges so it's not the end of the world if not, though).

Here's a 2008 review of a Merida crosser.

I guess while I'm noobying - whither toeclips? Never used them before but the the Merida bikes let you choose the pedals. So do I want straps? Those things that clip into special shoes? Remember I'm a central London rider so it's rare I go more than 100 yards without having to stop.

I have clipless pedals (Crank Bros Eggbeaters) on my roadie and toeclips on my fixie. The only benefit of the latter is that you can wear normal shoes with them (though I've found some shapes of shoes don't really work - and smart shoes would quickly get scuffed I expect).

Clipless pedals - where the shoe attaches in some way via a cleat - are much more efficient and secure than basic flat pedals, with MTB clipless being best suited to commuting use as the shoes all come with recessed cleats so you can walk in them with no problem.

The reason I use Eggbeaters is because they look cool, they're light, they fit MTB shoes, and most importantly, they have a 4-way clip-in mechanism, unlike other systems which either have one-sided or two-sided - so you're always flipping pedals. With the Eggbeaters, you simply press down on the pedal and no matter what orientation it is, you always clip in.

http://www.mtbbritain.co.uk/images/eggbeaters_pedals.jpg

plus you can clip in backwards, great if you miss it the first time.

if you don't mind shelling out on another pair of shoes then clipless pedals are a+++ classic (apart from the stupid name). you can also get dual sided pedals (clip on one side, normal on t'other) if you think you might want to ride in normal shoes sometimes.

I'm a big fan of toeclips, but I've never used clipless. Also I'm sort of a lazy mid-level cyclist with no impulse to be especially modern, fast, or tricksy, so you probably want to listen to the boys more than to me.

But it's nice to be able to switch the pressure off the balls of your feet and pull up, I think. My toes frequently go numb on my platform pedals that don't have clips.

Also I'm cheap, and I've had one bike stolen and one bike vandalized so badly it had to be trashed, so I'm not big on sinking money into any more of 'em.

on no evidence i have the intuitive feeling that clipless pedals might make your bike slightly less theft-prone cos the thief will not want to ride off on it. maybe that's naive.

gbx does have a story of leaving his bike unlocked in the front yard and it being gone the next day...but calling around and finding it had been dropped off at or near a local bikeshop and left for "dead", presumably b/c the thief was unable to ride a fixie with eggbeaters. Not as much fun as you thought, hmm?

I, er, just told the story for him. Sorry.

it had been bailed less than a block from the site of it's theft on BOTH occasions :/ due to the whole brakeless and clipless thing. Probably more the former than the latter that really a Ted as the deterrant tho

Is leaving my bike out in the rain w/out seat post - not all the time, just occasionally - a really bad idea? Have noticed some rust coming out on the post already.

How valuable is your bike? to yourself or in terms of resale. Obv, interior frame rust is not desirable, but if the alternative would be that you need to leave your vintage Brooks saddle attached to your crap Murray on the sidewalk, or otherwise clutter your tiny studio apt w/ a bike you don't really care much about, then perhaps the interior rust is not such a big deal.

Some kind of rudimentary cap would surely be easy to buy/make?

But yeah, you don't want your steel bike rusting from the inside, Tom.

I'll stick a cork in it.

srsly.

gf is looking to buy a bike; seller says this one can go for £120. anyone know if tht's a good deal? is pash still around?
http://glasgow.gumtree.com/glasgow/18/45665518.html

my bike dude says tht's steep and 'u cd be getting any old shit'; the suicide levers are a bad sign

pass

That's too much. That bike isn't worth £20 let alone £120.

haha yup

what's a good cheap set of bike lights? will anything do?

No, because if you get the flea market kind they will break and piss you off. Otherwise, I don't know.

£8

Not an expert, but looks solid. But with shipping, isn't that what you're going to pay at a bike store? The basic ones usually cost about $15 here.

Even at Wal-Mart.

I got lucky once and found a decent one in the hardware section of a Safeway for $5.

shipping's free; doubt I'd find anything cheaper in a shop but I'll have a quick look tomorrow

I got these cute little wrap-around lights that I can attach when needed.

Why do people ride wrong-way in bike lanes? It is very annoying.

Cozen, I have these and they're excellent - worth paying an extra few quid, I assure you.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Smart_Bspoke_LED_1~2_Watt_Light_Set/5360040003/

thanks mark

i am trying to research this but running out of time. i have a short window while in the uk at the end of the month to buy a new bike (i can also have one shipped to my uk address and waiting for me).

i used to ride a edinburgh courier and it was fine, but since then i've been through a couple of beaters. i finally have the funds to spend a little, say £500. this is for occasional commuting, but mostly to get fit, see a little of bavaria, etc. i want a bike suitable for both the road and bike paths, so i guess i want a poseur CX or a hybrid with drops. the trek portland is out of my range, but something like that? kona jake would still be a stretch, but more like it. revolution cross is affordable, but i have no idea what i'm looking at. your thoughts?

(tips for 2009 models on offer are particularly welcome, as i am totally fine with that.)

sure someone else more qualified will be along in a second but bikes I've been looking at in tht price range (which are all highly recommended on bikeradar) are the trek 1.2, 2008 boardman comp, merida road ride 880-24, decathlon b'twin sport 2, or giant scr 3/2

^these are all road bikes w/drops btw

i knew i'd seen you posting some leads but i couldn't find the thread. thanks!

i don't necessarily have a problem with a true road race bike, but i'm a bit out of practice to should perhaps be thinking of something with slightly gentler handling and more comfortable ride.

another of my own noob qns: can someone pls explain to me fixed gear bicycles? what are the benefits to running one of these (esp. in a country w/a hill every 300 yds). the clean lines are beautiful but aren't they a chore? (is tht part of the allure? there's no 'slack', as it were)

I have no interest in getting one of these^ btw I'm just curious of the appeal

the only benefit, imo, is less maintenance and upkeep with gears/derailleur adjustments

the appeal... IT'S ZEN BRO IT'S A LIFESTYLE ETC

fuck a lifestyle imo but it is really fun and feels a lot more intuitive.

meh

personally, having GEARS seems more intuitive to me. but what do i know.

I don't want to start a fight!!!! I just don't understand... hills. they're hard enough w/gears tbh

if your locale is hilly, def don't go fixed

Honestly, I live in a low-moderately hilly city, and hills were a bit difficult for the first couple weeks, then I just stopped noticing.

And cutty and I (from what I understand) have completely different goals with our bikes, so it's totally understandable and doesn't need to be a fight that we're not gonna feel the same way about such things.

I mean I smoke sometimes while riding my bike ffs. I'm not exactly going for optimal performance.

i rode a brakeless fixed gear/track bike for 5 years though

consider me now part of fixed gear anonymous

uh, i made the mistake of vaporizing before my hard workout this AM. never again unless it's an easy ride.

The major benefit of singlespeed/fixed is the total ease of doing everything (from leaving the house, riding, maintenence--it's basically the perfect bike if you don't want to think about anything except for getting from Point A to Point B) except getting up really steep hills.

i'll rep for shimano internal hub if you want gears with low maintenance. and dont care about weight/drivetrain efficiency.

i dream of a CX bike with some magical ultralight rohloff hub and a decent shifter

i dream of rohloff hub that is not twice as expensive as my bike.

anybody looking to find cheap bike stuff should come to denver veloswap in 3 weeks. ive not been for a few years, but i think im gonna look for a mtb this year.

I think I'm going to bid on that merida I was watching on ebay :D

Is this blog as idiotic as I think it is?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/green-living-blog/2009/oct/01/riding-buses

i was an "urban cyclist" from the age of 12. it's not some big fucken exciting thing. have never experienced slipstream though so maybe i have been missing out on something that sounds dangerous and smelly.

Fixed gear bikes are good training as you can't just reduce effort by changing gears whenever you fancy it. You're stuck with hills, moving away from traffic lights, and always pedalling whether you like it or not, which builds muscle strength and aids fitness.

^^^ i can get behind that. i think my time spent on a track bike before i ever was on a road bike really helped my pedal stroke and strength.

ditto: i haven't ridden fixed for months now, but when i was all fixed all the time i was ~strong

also, they are great for hill-climbing (vs SS freewheel)

really? i guess cos your forward motion pushes the pedals on the upstroke, or something?

depending on the gearing, i would have to disagree with gbx (with mad respect of course) that fixed gears are great for hill-climbing.

maybe a "hill" that's like a quarter mile long, but for any real climbing you need to have some gears.

i think gbx meant fixed is good for climbing compared to S/S, not compared to gears?

^^^ this is what i meant!

cf super-specialized $$$$ longs peak carbon climbing bike that's like a 10lb carbon fixed gear

http://www.rbaction.net/fly.aspx?layout=content&taxid=96&cid=165

so is the advantage of fixed vs. S/S that you can't coast which, assuming you can handle it, encourages more efficient climbing cadence? or is that the girls in the stripy tops and the 60s glasses want to go to town with you more?

oh a link

it's a more efficient cadence, maybe, but also it just feels like the bike is "helping."

i dont think it's efficient. it's not easier, and you probably waste more energy. it just makes you stronger to climb hills on a fixed gear.

strength building workout on the road bike would entail low RPM (30-40RPMs) hill climbing. a fixed gear forces you to do this.

thats just like yr opinion, ~man

xp

however, whether you're on a road bike OR a fixed gear, you aren't coasting up a hill at all. you'll just stop.

it's not an opinion. it's fact. climbing efficiency is achieved by high RPM cadence, slow twitch muscles.

when you slog it in a high gear, low cadence (probably out of the saddle) you are using fast twitch muscles, not efficient in the long run

i am talking about the drivetrain, tho, not the cadence. that bike i linked is fixed for a reason, and i don't think it's just to drop a few more grams. climbing actually 'feels' easier to me on a fixed than on a similarly geared freewheel, but maybe that's all in MY BRANE

i think it's in your brain

the drivetrain is affected by your cadence is it not?

that thing is probably geared close to a granny gear. if you rode that on a descent you'd spin like hell.

i just meant the physical nature of the drivetrain (direct) had the effect of making climbing feel easier, like if you wanna rest a bit the pedals keep you going. this is a good thing when u trying to get something asap imo, it never feels sloggy. cadence is just what you do with the drivetrain

w/e at this point, anyhow

xp yes duh u guys it is a $14,000 HILL CLIMBING BIKE with like a string as a brake lever

my advice about fixed gears:

it's a very basic simple machine ideal for a fixed course (hey, a velodrome) but has some benefits for flat urban light commuting (minimal, light, low-maintenance).

BUT if you also want to ride for fitness (1 to 4+ hours over varied terrain), i would suggest getting a road bike as the benefits multiply massively with gears.

yes, i have had great fun on my uno but the limitations are already starting to bother me.

now that it's wet and shitty out, tho, i'm beginning to remember why fixed was nice in bad weather

yeah that is a good point, positraction is supreme (esp when encountering metal in your commute: plating, grates, light rails, etc)

road plates = the devil

tell me about UK mail order bike retailers. i know of wiggle, ribble, edinburgh cycles. what am i missing.

normally i would just go to my local, take my time, get properly fitted, etc. (there are a bunch in oxford and j.e. james, the big sheffield indie by my parents), but that is not an option here.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/
http://www.merlincycles.co.uk/
http://www.leisurelakesbikes.com/

Caek - I bought a bike through Wiggle last year and had no problems. Although, having said that, I got the bike serviced (by a decent local bike shop) after I'd done about 100 miles and they said that it hadn't been set up very well, so I'd make sure you get it properly looked at and adjusted. I've also just ordered another bike from Ribble (about an hour ago), so I can tell you how that goes (in a month or so).

thanks guys. am i right in thinking you have to go to a store to get a trek bike?

there is a v. glamorous-looking one near me http://www.trekbicyclestore.com/munich/, but no way am i paying € prices.

http://www.evanscycles.com/ do Treks

oh hi there: http://www.evanscycles.com/help/international-delivery#collection_point

p.s. thanks nick!

You should find an appropriate stateside conference to attend.

I'm not sure I can come up with an excuse until the new year.

Even then, are there any airlines that take bikes free other than BA? How much is it if you do have to pay for it?

A LOT

lol BA

jeremy powers has ideas about how to travel with bikes. be an airport ninja:

http://beta.velonews.com/article/98887/j-pow-s-journal-the-way-of-the-airport-ninja

BA discontinued the free piece of sports equipment recently, but I think it is only as an additional item, I think you can still have it as part of your standard allowance which is two pieces from the states.

yeah, i can get by on hand luggage for everything else anyway so that's cool. but nobody else has anything like this, right?

no other airlines allow you to carry bikes as part of your allowance, i mean

I think that if you can fit the size and weight criteria then it is OK, but I think the bike box is pushing those limits and whereas a few years back they would have let this slide its now rigidly enforced.

oh hai http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/en/gb/passengerinformation/baggage/sports/cycling.jsp

ed, you ride a paddy wagon, right? i had pretty much ruled them out (and the 09 has horrible dorky powdered rims), but they are on offer at evans, which is where i will likely need to go because of their gatwick connect. would you recommend it for a relative noob commuter in a flat area?

I have a cross check. Gf has a jake frame with a load of other stuff on it. Someone parks a paddy waggon next to me at school and it looks fine apart from the hipster yellow deep section rims. Kona seem to make dependably solid stuff.

Hey you guys - is there any easy way (i.e. without removing it) to tell the size of a bottom bracket? Mine is 68mm x ???mm and I have no idea how to find this out, which I need to quite urgently. I've tried searching the web for it (it's a 2008 Focus Cayo Expert) with no joy. Advice appreciated!

pay day came and i'm going to the fancy pants trek store and a big retail park place today. probably not buying today, but v soon. good times.

does anyone have any comments on this thing btw: http://www.bike-discount.de/shop/k94/a14313/rps-60-limited.html

the trek store was wow. they kind of lolled when i asked to see the 1.2 (they don't keep stop of such cheap bikes in a place like this: http://www.trekbicyclestore.com/cs_images/stores/munich/home/large/home2.jpg).

but they can get it in if i want it. they can't get the 2010 until january, but they are going to phone round and see if they can find 2009 or even earlier models, perhaps of the 1.7 (which I think is now the 2.3).

they were really nice considering i didn't have €3000 in my pocket. i spent like an hour there with the manager, who spoke really good english, and fitted me properly using their magical electronic video fitting machine. apparently the top of my breastbone is 147.36cm from the ground.

i found the 2008 1.2 (compact crank) at the big retail park place for €555 (RRP of the 2010 version here is €750, so that's not bad). i am kind of one the fence about that. it's only 8-speed at the back (2009/10 are 9-speed), which apparently makes upgrades expensive (it's an all or nothing thing when you start with 8-speed? does that sound right?), and i guess even in a flat place like munich i would want the triple crank with just 8 at the back. i didn't get as good a vibe about the store either. it was bedlam and i couldn't find anyone to ask if they had my frame. on the other hand, i really don't want to wait until january.

keep stock

i guess upgrades would be expensive because 9-spd is now the standard? so like if you wanted to get a nicer rear derailleur it wouldn't work with an 8spd cassette

yeah, that is my understanding.

Caek, that Radon looks excellent. I don't know the make but the spec is pretty good, way better than you'd get on all but the most discounted/second hand Treks.

Thanks. It's a German make, I get the impression kind of like their Raleigh.

Ah cool. Well, if you bring it back to the UK at any point it'll seem exotic! Also, I have a German bike (a Focus - strongly advise you look into them, as their aluminium models are probably in your price range) and it's a fantastic and excellent value piece of kit.

what was your first road bike, mark?

First ever? A Motobecane back in the mid 80s, then a Holdsworth in 1989 or so which is still in my shed and which I rode on and off until 2005 when I got my Trek. I bought the Focus on C2W in 2008.

YOu should rehab that holdsworth as a winter project.

Keeping the bikes that I ride road-worthy seems to give me enough to worry about! (was truing a wheel before work today)

Also I can't get into my shed as the door is jammed shut :)

that is a criminal waste of a shed

sheds are a privilege imo

Well I own it, so I guess if I want a useless shed that's my right :) But yeah, I would like to get it sorted. Wonder where my drill is...

I would come and fix your shed, if I were in london. Nothing more manly than a fixing a shed.

o_O

caek, do decathlon have a store in Munich as their road bikes seem to review quite nicely and are well specced for the price it seems?

I just posted on the other thread - decathlon are opening a store here next month... what do ppl make of their b'twin sport 1 and 2?

sport 1
sport 2

by the looks of it, decathlon are in germany, but they don't carry the bikes and the nearest store is a train ride away : (

second opinions on the radon v welcome

Both have compact triple chainsets but only the 2 makes it onto the bottom rung of the shimano, the 2 also has carbon seat stays which seems pretty incredible at the price which should make it a smidge lighter and much stiffer at the back end.

The sport 2 looks like a pretty solid entry level road bike. The sport 1 looks a little too cheap to me.

Bike radar really liked the comp 3

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/bikes/road/product/b-twin-comp-3-32122

It is remarkable that they can turn out a Ti/Carbon Ultegra bike for less than £1800.

thanks ed, I'd imagine there might be some discount to be had over their opening weekend so I'll definitely go have a look

I think in that 500quid sort of price bracket the bikes are all much of a muchness, chinese made frame, bottom end shimano, however, bikeradar make a good point about decathlon's buying power.

trek also have the 1.1 coming out soon, caek, just to complicate things further

yeah, but i don't really want to wait until january. i'm calling the trek shop tomorrow to see if there have access to anything in germany in a 58, and if not i think i'm going to get the radon.

I hear that

and some winter tires. snow in munich tomorrow!

http://students.cup.edu/sac9223/Jerry_Seinfeld.jpg

At least you are in the home of schwalbe.

am gunna buy this, I think
http://glasgow.gumtree.com/glasgow/90/47250790.html

payday tomorrow, at which point i drop bank on the radon. good times.

wow, thats a great deal coz.

Cozen, I assume you've found out what size it is? I'd totally avoid getting a bike that wasn't at the very most one size removed from your ideal. My Cayo is a 58cm - a 57cm would have been ideal (had they existed) and it's made a difference to both comfort and how I've had to set it up.

I'm going to go view it (if the guy ever gets back to me; my parents live in the neighbouring town) so I'll get to see if it fits

what height are you, mark?

serious blizzard here. not feeling good about riding in weather this.

how do i shot winter cycling in countries with real winters?

it is the best!

it is awesome (ha, Mark C)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3506/3207307598_96c2040137.jpg

6 foot, coz, 34" inside leg.

light, fast, chews hills; motherfucking road bike GET :D:D:D
http://img.skitch.com/20091016-byfaex5itab9a3nhhthi2gxmqf.jpg

got it for £350 in the end; felt a bit churlish haggling over a bike I've seen run double tht on ebay but I'm scottish so whatevs

nice

Nice work Coz. What's the full spec? I reckon use that extra £50 to have a pro service as it could be quite knackered if it's been ridden even reasonably hard over the last 4 years. I've done 3500 miles on my Cayo and it shows.

Here's my Cayo, on the day I got it:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3263/2568056649_5fce8b857e.jpg

frame's a 55, fit is fine and spec is standard: carbon frame, 105 brakes and front derailleur, ultegra shifters and rear derailleur, mavic aksium wheelset. bike looks to be in great condition to my untrained eye and it certainly ran v.well for the 40miles I rode yesterday but will def have a mechanic give it a once over

lots of badges tho ha

I hate headsets. Probably done less than 200m on my fixie and already the lower bearings are rusted up. Tried to clean them but steering is still decidedly unsmooth. Think I'll have to get a new one. ?

how u guys feel about this kona:

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Kona_Kapu_2009/5360039348/

looks like pretty good spec... or am i missing something?

haha, the brakes i missed. duh.

I'm sure that must be a typo. I'm not aware that Shimano have made 600 brakes for years, could be 6600 or 6700.

So i rode my bike w/sticky headset, looked down after a couple of miles and my handlebars were wonky, realised i'd forgotten to tighten the stem bolts, lol.

noob questions

i) how to choose new seat?
ii) wht is etiquette if someone smokes u and u kno u cd smoke them back?
iii) is there a proper way to advance down the gears, i.e., when going up a hill I shift down all the way till I'm on the easiest gear but then want to shift down a big gear which would mean I'd be in the easiest gear on the front and back... is it ok to dial in a few shift ups on the rear derailleur at the same time as dialling in the shift down on the front? I am dumm I kno

iv) when to join club and what are the benefits? I'd like riding partners, I know that
v) I need clipless pedals don't I?

good qs

i) this is hard. some say to test before you buy, but unless you've broken in a saddle and given your body to get used to it as well, there's no real way perfect way to choose one. i like fizik, generally. i don't like selle italia. that's all i've tried.

ii) how do you know you can smoke them? if the guy looks back at you to see if you are chasing him, you better try and smoke them back.

iii) don't do it at the same time. do the rear derailleur first.

iv) benefits are new riding partners, friends, dates?, community, etc

v) yes

given your body *time to get used to it as well

i) mine is a selle italia, I think, and I've done 100 miles in it w/bibs and my sitbones are sore after each ride, don't know if that's because the rides are 2+ hours or just because it's a bad fit. will look into another

ii) some old dude smoked me cos I was sauntering along at a nice leisurely pace enjoying the sunshine so I rode on his wheel for a few miles and cd've easily smoked him bt I thought tht might be perceived as petty so I pulled in and took a break

iii) noted

iv) ok, got to find one then, there are a few round here

v) guh

Oh god, not only did you get scalped by and old dude, but you then drafted him and didn't even get by. Hang your head in shame young man.

I cd've took him, old man

cd've shd've wd've

ddn't

http://www.mid-lifecycle.com/graphics/grandpa.jpg

:*(

anyway - new qn - commuting by bike: c or d? and how far is too far? (I appreciate tht is a difficult question and depends on yr fitness etc)

c, and over 10 miles is getting a bit far.

16 miles in a nice straight line. sounds like that'd be ok for the occasional but not the everyday

Classic. I do 365 days a year basically, five miles each way.

Sixteen would be a pain in the winter, but I imagine the UK would be much more tolerable

you commute to work on christmas? new year's eve? thanksgiving?!

i meant new years day duhrrrr

u know what I mean u horrible Nazi

also I don't have a job!!!

yeah u don't commute on weekends either i'm sure!@ LIES!

biking to work

this is really interesting I thought
http://www.cyclingtipsblog.com/2009/10/when-the-paceline-stalls/

but I only half understand - can someone explain why it's easier to ride behind someone/as part of a group than to lead the pack? it can't only be less wind resistance is it?

I found a club btw, going to go along to their next sunday ride

it's less wind resistance

Less wind resistance by a massive margin, too.

interesting, thanks

OK um lol how do u even clip into spds?! practice?

Yeah, that's it basically. You'll fall over a couple of times. I think setting the tension on the pedal as low as possible helps, but I'm starting to think this might make it worse because there's more movement before it unclips. Anyway I find unclipping a lot harder and stressful than clipping in.

Also this thread Clipless pedals question(s)

ha figured as much; stood the bike up in the kitchen and tried to clip in - couldn't even get one foot in. just as well really; if I'd got in I'd probably never have got out and that'd have ruined my NYE

Clipping in should be pretty straightforward though, you just feel where the clip is and press down and it should clip in. But yeah, practice is it really.

Don't do what I did and try clipping in with the cleat not totally secure in the shoe because that's a complete pain to sort out.

clipping in took me forever to do the 1st time; clipping out was pretty intuitive (just twist your heel). once you're in, it's not difficult to pop back out - it's figuring out how to center your cleat over the jaws on the pedal and then push down/forward at the right angle that can be tricky.

i just got my first bike since highschool (15+yrs) for xmas. 3speed internal hub. only concern is the coaster break which is just a lil weird. but hasn't been that much of a prob. been riding a bunch around town. pretty stoked.
http://www.swobo.com/catalog/product_info_b.php?cPath=201_207

no real question, just i'm a noob. sup

er, brake. i've got a few friends that work for the company, so felt nice contributing somehow

SUP NOOB!

ONE OF US

hey, uh, I'm trying to buy a bike & I just got a line on a frame in my size made by Torelli (2005 Cortona) partially outfitted w/ an Ultegra r. der. & some other decent-sounding stuff. Now I need to figure out if this would be worth the investment, given that I would have to come up w/ several parts on my own. This is going to require some research.

Anyone have any thoughts on Torelli frames? Since I wouldn't be able to test ride it before I buy it, I would prob just use it for a few months & then resell it & get something else, so if they are not particularly sought after or something, that would be nice to know.

Also, the bike is set up to be ridden as a nine-speed, tho I could buy a few different things & switch it to a ten-speed from the outset. If I end up buying it, I'd prefer to keep it as a nine-speed for the season & worry about other possibilities later on. Since I'll just be concentrating on general distance/endurance riding this year, will keeping this as a nine-speed limit me in any significant way?

I would prob just use it for a few months & then resell it - I mean that I would do this if I don't end up liking it for whatever reason, tho chances are it will be fine for my immediate needs & I'll just end up using it.

Not sure what your geographical sitch is but buying a frame that you haven't ridden is pretty @_@, I tested over a dozen frames (10-50 miles per test) before choosing my current ride.

Jussayin/one rider's opinion.

I'm in Toledo, OH currently & have been observing the rust-belt used markets. I just did a bit of research & found out that there is a Torelli dealer in Dayton, so maybe i could take an afternoon & test-ride something, if they have a similar version of the frame.

In general, buying a used bike is turning out to be quite a hassle, tho at least the research involved has been educational.

i thot i posted an answer to this query before, but anyway-- 9 is fine.

torellis rep is ok, those frames look like std mid level alu. they are sorta steep geometry wise, like 74 deg s/t all sizes from what i could tell.

I take it it's easy enough to change the handlebars on a bike from one type to another?

threadless stem: yeah
threaded: lol

beware bar/stem diameter differences.

"old" (~pre-2002) road bars and stems- 26 mm (except for really old cinelli which were 26.4 i think)
"old" mountain bars/stems- 25.4 mm
new standard- 31.8? i think

also if you put mountain bars on a road bike you will usually need about 2 or 3 cm longer stem and vice versa

also beware differences in gear and brake lever clamps.

and if you're changing from a flat bar to a riser bar on a mountain bike, you may need longer brake/shift cables.

noob answer: changing anything on a bike is never easy enough.

I started riding my bike (part way) to work this month - most of my ride is along a paved bike trail, but 1/3rd is on a busy road. I think I need a rear view mirror. Helmet mount? I don't know. The ones that go in the ends of the handlebars have some kind of familiarity factor so I am leaning toward those.

Just as long as you don't let a mirror become and excuse for not shoulder checking when you should!

The guys who signed me up for this challenge looked very skeptical that I would need one, said I should just practice looking back w/o veering.

yeah, mirrors don't seem that useful to me, tbh---they shake and vibrate like mad, and aren't nearly as reliable as just turning your head.

Emma and I are thinking about getting bikes via the Cyclescheme thing (while we still can). We would be riding to work sometimes, which is about 2-3 miles, mainly along roads, pretty flat. But we also live near a glorious, many mile long towpath that goes alongside a beautiful canal / river. And we're in Devon, which may not have the biggest or steepest hills ever, but which has a LOT of hills, so we'd need geared bikes.

From what I know, which isn't much, I'm thinking we want hybrid bikes. Emma wants something that looks like Mary Poppins would ride it, I suspect. I would like something more modern. I don't want a big heavy sturdy mountain bike, but i don't want a skinny terrifying fastasfuck road bike either.

This place - http://www.bikesheduk.com/ - is very close by, and reputedly very good indeed. We had a nose round at the weekend and it certainly looked impressive.

I'd be willing to go maybe £800 between us, especially through the Cyclescheme (salary exchange thing through working at the uni).

Advice very welcome!

Pootling along the river to eat picnics and take photographs is the ideal use for these bikes, to be brutally honest.

Something with a basket on the front to put Cosmo in, maybe.

i would steer clear of hybrids - their suspension is usually not really great quality. if you're just going on gravel paths you'd both be fine with no suspension and fatter tyres to compensate.

giants are usually well-specced for their price point, maybe investigate a CRX flat-bar for yrself? not sure what's good in ladybike land tbh!

Nick, get Emma some cute-as-chips dutch-style number, and get yourself a cyclocross bike.

Specialized Sirrus(M)/Vita(F) look good in this regard. Wholeheartedly agree with haitch on the suspension thing. Giant Rapid series looks nice and I liked the Giant I test rode.

Also on that list, if they do Orbea's fitness range the Orbea Aos and Bios look great.

On the weekend I went for a 20-mile ride on pretty rocky towpaths by the Thames. One of our party rode a 23mm-wheel fixie, and while he was bumped around a fair bit he didn't fall off or puncture.

noob qn: what is it with the rims on some bikes, e.g. the moots psychlo-x on the bike lust thread? do they add rigidity? are they for aerodynamic reasons?

you are talking about the Mavic Carbone series...

well #1 they are carbon: very light composite material
#2 they have a deep 50-60mm rim flange which is more aero... can be faster in certain situations (low-wind, high speed)

they are not necessarily stronger or more rigid... their true benefit is in the weight savings and the aero benefit.

i think most deeps are more rigid which may help with lower spoke counts

if you can afford to burn through a bunch of 'em, all carbon deep tubies are supposedly good for cx/mud performance.

back in the days of spinergy revx i had some teammates who loved them for cx because they were actually very soft radially (basically 4 spokes) and absorbed shock pretty well.

also heard that deep profile sheds mud better than box profile

Got a quote on a £400 Marin Larkspur, whatever that means. I rode it and it was good, though. Emma got a quote on a Trek Allant which is very cute.

Why do you want such a heavy bike with all those hills?

And I guess you don't want his and hers bikes, but the Trek Allant for chaps is very pretty and has a handy rack if you're set on getting a hybrid.

really tempted to trade up my town bike for something lighter and sexier

Mine was way lighter than the Allant for boys, I thought!

Instead of my usual routine of riding a consistent but difficult pace (I'd say 85% of max effort) on my 15 mile commute home, last few days I've been spinning easier on the flats and then doing max effort sprints up the climbs (5 locations along PCH where it rises about 150 feet over 1/2 mile), not for any strict reason, just for fun, to switch up the routine. Anyway, I find that going up the slight hills while out of the saddle like that I skip out my rear wheel quite a bit. I'm mostly on the hoods, and leaned over pretty far over the bars. I'm guessing this is the reason? If I want to sprint like this should I stand straighter up? Could it be a bike geometery issue? I'm 6'1" and ride a size ML Giant TCR (effective top tube 57cm). I put a 130mm stem on recently to put myself into a little more leaned-over position, so I'm hanging a little further over the front wheel than I was before.

Anyway, is this a common thing? What to do to avoid it?

Used to do this on loose-surface mtb climbs, solution is basically don't lean so far forward.

It does just sound like a weight distribution thing to me, assuming your rear tyre is in good condition and the road surface hasn't been wet. Seems it could also be quite dangerous to have the front wheel so loaded as you'd wipe out completely if you hit an oil spill or nasty pothole.

Also, I wonder if your pedal stroke is in part the issue? If you are pushing down on one pedal or other 100% of the time, you should have enough downforce for the back wheel not to skip. If you're effectively unweighting the pedals during your stroke, then that will also help the back end skip. Maybe.

how do you keep your water cold on warm days?

wrap in a wet towel -> evaporation -> inside = cold

perhaps a sock wd be better?

doesn't sound like it'd look PRO tho

same principle: http://www.maxchill.com/Home.html

freeze water bottles overnight (with water inside)

^tried that but it didn't work for me; 30mins in they had melted and by an 1hr in they were beginning to get warm : /

noob questions:
(i) how do I tell what cassette/gearing I have - I think it's 12x27 but I can't be sure
(ii) how do I tell what size (measurement?) of tyres I have (and thus need for replacements and replacement tubes)?
(iii) when clipped in am I supposed to be pulling on the upstroke along w/pushing on the down?

i) count or look for the writing on the cogs, if you can't see the writing your cogs are too dirty, clean them, filthmonger.

ii) again should be embossed on the sidewall of the tire but it is also the approximate inflated diameter of the fat bit of the tyre

iii) yes but it fast becomes second nature, i wouldn't force it especially as your muscles may be under-developed. You'll know you're getting it when you ride all day and the things that hurt are your hamstrings.

is 12x27 an old man's gearing?

I find the little rind p.useless and the hardest gear on the biggest ring doesn't give me enough tension when going all-out

ring*

What are your front rings and what sort of cadence are you riding at?

now you're getting technical!

(dunno :))

12x27 with a standard crank (53x39) = fit rider looking for a bailout up steep climbs
12x27 with a compact crank (50x34) = perfect for beginners, but don't be mistaken: even some pro guys will go compact with a 27 if there are significant mtn passes to be ridden on a particular stage.

yeah, I think it's a compact (how do I know if it is?) I should take my bike to a mechanic and get him to talk me through it I guess

the amount of teeth should be written on the chainrings

and as Ed mentioned upthread... you can count the teeth ffs! :-P

counting is hard

noob question: how do I count?

(ty for humouring a noob dudes)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crankset#Chainrings

all those metal bits emanating outward from the metal ring are "teeth". the amount of teeth on your chainring versus the amount on your rear cog (a cluster of which is referred to as a cassette) will determine your gear inch ratio, ie, how much work required to turn the pedals.

ok now you're just taking the piss

h8 u

:)

:) I'm grateful for the help, ty

When trying to count the teeth you could place a finger or thumb on each tooth as you work your way round. You have a total of five of these on each hand. Given that all your cogs and rings will have more than ten teeth, and that you only have two hands*, you will need to enlist the help of at least one other person for this exercise, perhaps even five additional people. Once all the teeth have a digit resting on them simply count the number of whole hands involved and multiply by five. Add on the number of fingers used from the incomplete hand (if there is one) and hey presto, you have your teeth number. Ensure you and your five companions wash your hands thoroughly afterwards.

*I assume

I thought this was a safe zone :__(
http://www.genderworkchicago.org/yahoo_site_admin/assets/images/safe_zone.320201324_std.JPG

see but I actually do have two hands but ~no fingers~

how do I shot

don't worry you are still in the nest

it's jsut that while the old man is gone mean low cat bullies think they can just go around out PROing the n00bs

I miss the Hunt3r. :-(

I h8 the rest of u, well... except for all of you.

yeah he is the only way I know about cycling in the 90s

heard he owned one of the very first anodized skewers

high fived tinker juarez at a trade show

crashed a prototype y-33 in moab

had beers the night before the actual YETI gave up the bike game and rejoined his people in the mountains of the himalaya

listening to music while on bike: y/n?

emphatically no, I enjoy being not dead.

what about podcasts

enh, i'm 50-50 on the music thing. when i was taking classes, i could do 90% of my commute on the greenway, where jamming tunes just isn't an issue at all.

now i've got a) those squishy sound canceling headphones and b) a commute thru downtown, so no dice

i tried this only once and i immediately felt like my balance was off and couldn't do it -- some kind of inner ear, reg'lar ear connection problem maybe?

can't beat the dulcet tones of m.bragg on in our time as you cruise along I find
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/img/presenters/melvyn_bragg.jpg

on cyclist-only closed circuits it's questionably of merit, but impairing your senses anywhere with auto traffic is not a good idea imo.

i did a hillclimb a week ago and there was a gal with a music system with speakers on her rig, thought it was kinda cute.

I always feel kinda envious of people who can listen to music when they're riding, but I really can't dare myself to even try it. If I'm ever off the bike for commuting for more than a day at a time it's the extra hour or so of listening and reading that makes it harder to get back on the saddle.

saw some old man beardo with a custom rigged helmet w/two small speakers projecting sound into the helmet from the outside. not very aero, but he could still listen to music w/o impairing his senses

I am SO aware of the conscious and subconscious help my ears give me when commuting in London that I would feel extremely uneasy if I took away even part of that ability. Lots of people swear it doesn't cause any problems but I just can't believe them.

I also like the bike for a chance to think, and to take in sights and sounds (even if most of them are of traffic). It never occurs to me that I'd enjoy my ride more with music; when I'm in a car driving it's somehow a much less immersive experience, and there's a place for music to add to the experience that just isn't there on a bike. I guess I'm saying I'm never *bored* on a bike in a way that music would fix.

I think trying to ride w/ headphones would be kind of nerve-wracking for me. Even on the country roads that I do most of my riding on, I know I would find myself constantly looking over my shoulder to make sure there wasn't some garbage truck barreling toward me or something.

don't commute w/ headphones, but i find them quite necessary for long, solo, soul-searching rides

was given a bike for my birthday a couple of years ago. i like it - it's a little heavy - but i don't know where the frame is from. no markings at all, matte black, except for a little sticker that says "Bulletproof". googling is no help. is this a brand or what? was wondering if it's good enough to keep and add parts to or whether i should think about starting with something better. (note: i am a total noob, so don't think i can justify a frame over £300)

I guess I'm saying I'm never *bored* on a bike in a way that music would fix

Yeah, agreed. If I thought riding a bike was boring, I wouldn't be riding a bike in my free time. I'm on the bike for the fun of it - it's not like I need music to make it bearable. Whereas most people don't drive cars just for the fun of driving.

i almost always ride with headphones in, including city riding... i find that i can hear road noise well enough to be safe, as long as i'm not blasting the music. but reading the pretty much 100% attitude against riding w/headphones, maybe i should reconsider because i'm being unsafe? i'm not going to challop and say that it doesn't affect my ability to hear road noise at all, just that i can still hear cars pulling around me, honking, etc.

I guess all you can do is do a direct comparison and see if the difference is noticeable/positive.

The things I would worry about not being able to hear are, say, the difference between a car and a scooter engine behind me, the difference between a car coasting and revving, whether a car's approaching along an as yet unseen side road, the noises that tell me what the van I just filtered past is going to do next, that kind of thing. I am sure I'd be shoulder checking a lot more, which may be a good thing, who knows.

so... I am thinking of doing a 90k charity ride in September but I'm not sure how feasible it is. would appreciate advice from seasoned ILTRMBors...

It's the Tour de Picnic which involves cycling from Dublin (starting at 10am) to the Electric Picnic, which is the best major music festival in Ireland (Roxy Music / Leftfield / Massive Attack / LCD Soundsystem headlining this year). Your bags and tents are brought down separately and if you raise €500 (for a kids' hospital) your ticket is paid for.

Sounds pretty tempting but I have no idea if I'm up to it... I cycle pretty much every day to/from the city centre (only about 3 miles each way). I'm fitter than I have been in a good while, last month I ran my first ever 10k in just under 50 minutes. My bike is a cheap but reliable traditional dudes' bike and may also be inferior to the challenge. I wouldn't be buying a new bike for this tho...

is it doable? (there's also the question of raising that much money!!). any tips on training / gear / etc would also be much appreciated!

90k should be very doable for anyone with moderate fitness, by way of comparison we took complete novices on our 5 day DC to pittsburgh ride and they coped just fine, and that was longer every day, off road and carrying all ones own stuff. Most people can quite happily average a little over 15km/h for hours without batting an eyelid. That's 6 hours in the saddle at the very worst and 8 once you stop for lunch and along the way.

Given your gear is taken for you, all you should need is water bottles, 2 if your bike will take them, a pump, spare tube and tyre levers. get a small underseat bag or handlebar bag for these. Don't forget to eat and drink often, pack lots of bananas, chocolate, trail mix etc. YOu'll need a waterproof, and padded shorts is probably a good idea. You'll also have a better time if you grease areas likely to chafe, there are professional bum grease products but vaseline or nappy rash cream work almost as well. ALthough you don't need it a cycling jersey is nice to have, if only for the useful pockets on the back.

Oh, a cheapo bike computer is nice, you can use it to pace yourself, given your recent running exploits you should probably have no problems at an 18 km/h average or even higher. Get one and go an knock off 30km, you should have no problems.

The bottom bracket on a bike I was hoping to sell is wobbly. Front hub is wobbly too. This is after it was sitting in a room being unridden for a year :/ anyway how do i shot wobbly bracket/hub? New bracket and hub called for? That would be annoying, don't want to have to spend cash to fix a bike I want to sell.

overhauling a bottom bracket is maybe the most dreadful bike mechanic maneuvers apparently.

good luck!

might just wheel it into my lbs and ask for a quote

my previous record at bottom bracket overhauls is not great (count=1, result=stripped thread)

if you're selling it, just put in the cheapest bb you can find... it will cost you less than having a shop overhaul it, and it will save you a whole lot of headache trying to do it yourself. you can probably just tighten the hub cones to take the wobble out of the hub.

^ i did this, thx. well, got lbs to do the bb. yet to sell bike.

when you *cannot* fit yr tyres back over the rim, what do you do? is there a tool? tyre levers don't seem to be any help. fortunately this time my flatmate helped me out with his climber's thumbs but he is shortly to return to australia.

old tyres you can't get back on, or new ones? had trouble trying to fit a new pair on my good wheels when i got them, but not really since.

not brand new but not old, only the first time i've tried to refit them.

I got one of these VAR tyre tools which is supposed to help you get the tyre over the rim:
http://www.cyclebasket.com/products.php?plid=m5b93s281p92&rs=gb
It doesn't always help, though, to be honest.

My brother's got some kind of telescopic tyre lever which he claims is really useful. I'm not sure how it works, but I guess one end ataches to the hub or something.

I have that telescopic lever and I don't find it very useful (I've gone back to my trusty old-school levers). It's a nice idea as you can just revolve it around the hub to take off or put on the tyre, but it still needs the force applied like a normal lever, except in this case you don't have a second lever to help you out. Also, because it is long and telescopy it feels more fragile.

I dreamt about tires last night!

Probably because I'm still waiting for the shop to get those Panaracers in a week later, grr.

new mac or new bike?

I just bought a new bike, so you'd better buy a new mac.

pics

Haven't got it yet, but it's to replace my stolen Felt MTB:

http://2009.feltracing.com/09/images/catalog/large/9010.png

Flat spots in wheels: can they be fixed? Sheldon brown says yay, two LBSs say nay. Both my mtb wheels are afflicted ;_;

Flat spots on the rims, you mean? From having under-inflated tyres perhaps ;)

is this bike ok for me to use for three months around bristol and then sell? if y, is it worth the asking price?

http://bristol.gumtree.com/bristol/63/71415163.html

depends where you need to go and how strong you are feeling. 39-28 up to clifton every day will grow you some legs. This is possibly why he's selling it. I wouldn't pay much more than 100 quid for it.

thanks. i have a reasonably pedestrian route from bishopston to the uni, i.e. not quite up to clifton, and over a longer distance/lower grade. just sent a cheeky lowball offer though. will let you know.

lowball denied.

this would obv. be fine, but is it worth £475? and will i be able to sell it for >300 after daily use in a few months? http://bristol.gumtree.com/bristol/24/70210224.html

It's not worth £475. Even if it is like brand new (and if it has been used only once why's it been serviced?) then that's a steep price. But, if you take care of it then yes, it should be worth £300+ in 3 months. But I don't like buying from liars.

Also 53.5 is described as "M/L" and you're quite tall, aren't you? On a sizing guide I found it suggests this is for 5'9" to 6".

Ah, to be fair Giant's own sizing guide says 5'10" to 6'1".

http://archive.giant-bicycles.com/us/050.000.000/050.600.100.asp

I'm 5'10" so it should be fine, but yes that service is a bit fishy. He's told me in detail what they did in that service, I know the place that did it and it all sounds reasonable, but not for a bike that's been used once. Other people are viewing tonight and tomorrow, so I will wait to see where the bidding stands. I have a number in mind.

Good thinking (and sorry, I had it in my head you were 6'3" or something). If the bike's relatively new and has had a bona fide service, then why bullshit about it?

Anyone know how much getting a bottom bracket either serviced or replaced might cost? If the latter, then something cheap and functional as it's a bike I need to sell.

increase in punctures recently...

i've checked around the wheel and in the tyre and there aren't any sharp bits or anything. my tyres are fairly buggered from glass and stuff.

what's a good tyre / tube combo for these harsh london roads?

dont sweat the tubes, imo

i used soma everwears when i lived in chicago and they worked great (i was also on a brakeless track bike and did a lot of skidding). heavy-ish, tho, but i'm guessing that isn't really an issue

Schwalbe Marathons have a good rep round here, I run them and they are heavy but pretty indestructible. As for tubes, I ran slimed ones for a while but not really sure if they are worth it if you put money into tyres.

Another top tip. Check your Rim tape hasn't rucked up, folded or exposed spoke holes as that will kill tubes pretty quickly.

Anyone know how much getting a bottom bracket either serviced or replaced might cost?

i had this done a while ago, for a bike i needed to sell (and haven't done yet). think it was about £40-50 for cheapest bb + labour?

whoah pricey!

cartridge BBs are hella cheap, and if yr repacking loose bearings that seems like a ton of money for labor

20% VAT. london pricing, it's why I own my own tools.

VAT is impossible for me to understand

also, any london people have a favourite LBS that'll do a full clean / servive jobby on my bike? feel like it's taken quite a battering over the last few months.

VAT is just a national sales tax, gbx

right, but isn't it structured in some complicated way? liiiiike at several points along the supply chain, whereas a US state's sales tax is only applied at the final point of sale? i dunno.

actually it wasn't the cheapest bb i got, forget the details but 'cause of the bike he had to get a pricier one (and nah i wasn't being fleeced, they're pretty decent, would recommend for full service etc...)

http://www.londonbicycle.com/repairs.html

right, but isn't it structured in some complicated way? liiiiike at several points along the supply chain, whereas a US state's sales tax is only applied at the final point of sale? i dunno.

no, it's just a sales tax.

oh. huh.

noob VAT questions

I never have to worry, cuz I always get mine back upon departure... B-)

it's not just a sales tax, although the effect is much the same. It is a tax on the value added at each point on the supply chain. When you file your quarterly VAT return you pay the VAT you charged your customers less the VAT your supplier charged you.

However, as a consumer you just see the price, inclusive of the 20% VAT and what you pay is functionally the same as if you paid a 20% US style sales tax.

It is very annoying that, as a non resident british subject, I can't claim the VAT back on departure.

aha!!

tire recommendation: i LOOOVE my vittoria randonneurs 700x32, it is the first puncture resistant tire that i think actually does something other than add weight. xpost

I have some Schwalbe Durano Pluses - light and racy (to a point) but with extra puncture protection. Only done a few hundred miles on them to date but none so far.

Apologies - they're Stelvio Pluses (the rest of the post still applies).

any idea what this is likely to go for: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150559531383. i mean are we talking £300 or £900?

I'm going to say above £600 possibly nearer £900.

on the one hand, its probly "worth" 800 to 900 really, but irl i don't know what the market is for nice shit (assuming its not clapped out) on a scrubby (though entirely satifactory) frame. seems like surly should make an effort to source a steel fork that isnt a boat anchor, really.

or, what Ed wrote.

haha, ok

50/34 x 13/29 = fat mantis friendly.

bought a 2010 secteur triple on sale at the LBS at £399 from £549. should get me through to the summer relocation without further devaluation. first road bike in 10+ years, and certainly the first non-beater.

that surly went for £600 in the end btw.

cycling from bristol to bath and back (~30 miles) tomorrow via lunch on friend's canal barge. luv my bike.

sure, i wasn't wearing cycling shorts, i've not been on a bike for ~1 yr, and i was used to a slightly more padded saddle when i was cycling around town regularly, but should i really be this saddle sore after 30 miles? could it be a setup problem?

no chamois + 2hrs? + sweat + friction + no riding for a year = no surprise to me duder.

yeah i guess. saddle set up feels ok.

feel like someone took a tenderizer to my bum.

there is a thread for this feeling iirc

right now its the US politics thread afaict

Sounds right caek - a few more miles/weeks and you'll be fine.

my bum is better!

Hurrah!

Well that's pretty subjective.

got a problem with my front derailleur: small ring seems ok, but with the left shifter under full tension (i.e. trying to change into the big ring), the chain rubs against the inside of the derailleur cage with the chain stuck on the middle ring (this is on the smallest rear cog). i've already got the adjustment screw as loose as possible, so the cage is free to more as far as possible away from the frame. is this a cable tension issue? or is it a problem with the alignment of the derailleur mechanism? new bike, done maybe 100 miles.

on a possibly related issue, is it normal to service a new bike after it's had a chance to settle down

My guess is you have probably had a little cable stretch and a little slippage through the retaining screw. It's not uncommon with a new bike. You'll have to set it up again which is pretty simple, give me a moment and I'll find a how-to.

http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/front-derailleur-adjustments
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/derailer-adjustment.html

is the cage mech contacting the limit screw? if not, then it is cable adjustment. if yes, it is an alignment/derailler swing capacity issue.

another way to test this is can you manually pull on the front derailler cable and cause the cage to swing further? if yes, it is cable adjustment.

this can happen if the derailler pinch bolt was not tightened enough and the cable has slipped.
xpost

my city bike has those suntour symmetric shifters described on the sheldon brown page. they suck.

i don't understand this: "is the cage mech contacting the limit screw?" could you elaborate?

not quickly. if the shifting used to work, and now it doesnt, and you haven't crashed or banged the mech, it's almost surely a cable adjust.

is it normal to service a new bike after it's had a chance to settle down?

Yes, they usually say give it 100 miles or so to stretch the cables and then get everything adjusted/checked

Did you adjust the limit screw? That was your first error. This sounds entirely like cable stretch and is incredibly easy to fix, but if you've buggered about with the limit screw then either try to return it to how it was or get an expert to sort it.

And yes, it is normal and sensible to have your bike serviced after a few weeks' riding. Ideally this'll be a freebie from the shop where you bought it.

the limit screws are back where they were afaict, and it is certainly no worse.

i am go away for three weeks on monday, so i will get it serviced when i get back. two rings are usable in the meantime.

(sorry my last post reads really sniffy!)

haha no problem!

I'm a total noob looking to buy a bike, and trying to decide between a road, hybrid, or touring style. I am looking to do longer rides on paved surfaces, in a hilly area (bay area). Friend of my swears by his Surly Crosscheck because of how rugged it is. I rode it once and loved it, but it strikes me as maybe being too heavy.

don't do like i did and buy a hybrid if you think you'll be at all interested in cycling more than in the city. i got the bug real quick.

going to buy a pompino

i got one. is nice.

yes hello. i would like to buy a bike for purposes of recreational riding on various paved trails in the area as well as possibly commuting to work on days when it is not ridiculously hot. i am guessing some kind of light weight, hybrid thing would work. but i know NOTHING about bikes, pricing, shopping for them, how to pick out what's good, etc. halp!

for reference: this store is across the street and the people who work there are reportedly very good/helpful, though it is also rumored to be quite pricey. at any rate, i could certainly hop over for being measured or browsing different types of recommended bikes.

can anyone recommend a place in chicago to check out bikes? i am broke. maybe a coop or something

i had a bike that was like a psuedo-mountain bike made for cruising around urban areas, so like some of the bikes posted at the beginning of the thread, and i sorta suspected that ppl had recommended those to me so their bikes look better. im probably crazy, but it seemed like most of my friends had bikes w/ thinner looking skeletons that traversed ground much more quickly. sorta felt like these bikes were recommended to me so they could feel like pros, lol. i do still have the frame from this old bike (the rest of it -- pedals, tire etc -- were destroyed by bike pirates when i left the bike out too long)

Theresa, I really like the two bike stores by the key bridge. The one nearer the bridge is a little less serious roadie store but the people in both of them seem really nice. REI is good too, especially if they have a 20% coupon deal on (plus you get 10% back at the end of the year for being a member). About 50% of the people I know have REI own brand bikes, Novarra.

Worth going to a store and talking to someone about fit. I notice from the website of one of the stores I mentioned above (http://revolutioncycles.com/) that they have a "ladies night" where they'll feed you wine and sell you a bike.

I would recommend a "flat bar road" or hybrid bike unless you find you like drop handlebars. I'd err away from a heavier step through frame with an upright position. You could go singlespeed in DC although I think gears are preferable, IME some of the trails kickup a little and you might not find doing rides like the one along the C&O canal trail to great falls quite so enjoyable. (that said my friend did DC to pittsburgh on a singlespeed in 4 days last year so what do I know)

Or you could just spend a big pile of money and emulate Mrs Hincapie

http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?llr=xi78s9bab&v=0018sxp1v_8zeOW5m-5MUKBTbVs_SxLnXD9sgGh8LICdJdlHUujENS1AmAo-d-EoyzxbH_BkNdNfIIBOO8kbGlPD-PH6Bis81ymv3A4kbJGO6m9vSoccaVCSLjr2qN-KfMwOCaJZ8puwKQ%3D

def don't want a singlespeed (btw i don't live in dc proper - not sure if that makes a difference for you recommendation). for my future commute, part of it would be on the mt. vernon trail, and part on old town alexandria roads.

how does pricing work?

check out a civia

how does pricing work?

― tehresa, Sunday, 12 June 2011 17:50 (Yesterday) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

you go in trying to spend 3-500 and try not to spend 1500

Revolution seem to be several branches across the DC metro area. I'd stick with my recommendations bike wise.

maybe i should rephrase. what is a good price range for a decent bike for a beginner who doesn't want to spend mad $ but is willing to spend enough to not have a pos?

A couple of years ago my wife, a friend in Chicago (with advice from her friend who owns a bike shop), and a friend in Minneapolis (with advice from her bike nerd boyfriend and his pro bike team mechanic brother) all ended up independently getting Kona Dews for their city riding / commuting type bikes. They seem to be solid, decent enough components-wise, and priced pretty reasonably at around $400 or so for the lowest end models.

Since then some other people I know have gotten other Dew variants for the not a road bike but not a mountain bike niche and everyone seems to be happy with them.

Kona Dew is not a bad choice. You should be able to find something good for around $500 (Dew is RRP $429)

hey tza - here's my advice:
1) get a hybrid bike with a rigid fork (not a suspension fork) - suspension on bikes at that price range is overly heavy and doesn't suspend all that much anyway. spend between $350 - $550 and get a bike from one of the big names (trek, giant, specialized, etc). the civia bikes that gbx recommended are very nice as well - not sure how they compare price-wise, though. most bikes under $500 are made in one of only a handful of chinese factories, so how the bike feels to you when you test ride it is more important than any specific parts, or any reviews you find online.

2) all the big name bikes enforce minimum advertised price, meaning that you won't get ripped off from one dealer to the next, or at least not that much. also, it's not just about the bottom line: it's worth $50 extra to go to a shop where the people are helpful and nice and will adjust your brakes or shifting on the spot, as opposed to a shop where the prices are rock bottom, but the salespeople are dicks and tell you that even simple service work requires you to leave the bike for 3 days. see if shops have any deals on accessories (some shops offer 20% off accessories with a new bike purchase, for instance).

3) if you can, and this is a former shop employee speaking, support a local independent bike shop rather than REI. obviously if they're rude or condescending to you, than forget it, but independent shops are getting squeezed by big box stores on one end, chain bike stores on one end, and REI on one end (3 ends?!). novara (REI-brand) bikes are on the level of trek et al at that price range, so if you find the best bike and the best service there, then go for it - but at least give the bike shop a chance.

good luck!

1) get a hybrid bike with a rigid fork (not a suspension fork)

Agree on the LBS thing, too.

thanks for all this info, dudes! I haven't had time to even start looking yet but sooooon!

Not really got any noob questions, just a declaration of noobiness: decided to get a bike. just been eyeing people jealously lately as they ride by on a clement morning. unfortunately i have a lot of outgoings just now with holidays etc. so might be a while until i can fork out the money, by which time i may have missed the summer, well what passes for a summer here. ah well.

oh yeah, and i think i'll probably get a fixie. don't hate me because i'm a hipster.

put a bird on it

sorry, i meant brake. put a brake on it

and a bird

haha, i will, and if i go out in heavy traffic i will also don a helmet.

no ipods either.

Jim, srsly: so many people own bikes but never ride them. Ask around your similarly-sized mates and see if any have a bike they don't use they'd be hapy to lend - you can promise to return it to them fully servcied and rideable, say.

good idea, but in my case i'm not sure it will be much use, i know some people who have bikes, which they ride and can't lend, and i know some other people who have horrendous mountain bikes they rode when they were teenagers in the 90s sitting in their garages, who are generally at least a few inches shorter than me.

feeling pretty annoyed that we gave away my grandad's old road bike a couple of years after he died, was a flying scot.

not annoyed, annoyed at myself for not taking an interest at the time, i know some worthy dude got good use out of it.

Me again. Have paid off my Marin hybrid, having accidentally ridden about 1800 miles on it in the last 12 months. Commute is only a few miles a day but often go out for an hour in the evening or several hours on a weekend.

Now I can get another bike via same salary-exchange Cyclescheme. Am thinking I want to go faster, for longer, mainly on roads, but want flexibility to hit a tow-path and mount a pannier or two (not for weeklong touring, for example, but maybe with camera gear etc) when I want. Wife will allow me to go to about £700; anymore than that and I doubt I'd have a wife anymore. Will be keeping the Marin for pootling around and nipping into town sans cleats (got 2-sided pedals with a flat side)

Have bought and loved SPD pedals and shoes, no problem with them at all. Also fixed bar-ends to the Marin for more flexible hand positioning / help up hills. Don't really like hills but sometimes can't avoid an 850 foot ascent; tend to stick to undulations. Really like the idea of drop-bars. To the point that I'd say they were essential. Likewise double-sided SPDs so I can clip-in faster and not be flipping pedals round and round at traffic lights.

Said all this to the guy in the bike shop, and said I'd been thinking about light tourers. He recommended a tricross; looked at several, tested a couple for a mile on city roads, liked a Specialized Tricross best.

Advice?

Aren't Tricrosses really heavy? Can't deny they're functional, though.

I'd go for the raciest bike you can find that can still fit panniers and mudguards. The Genesis Croix de Fer is a cross bike that is prettier and a lot more appealing than the Tricross, but probably dearer (you realise £700 becomes £1000 when you take into account the tax benefits, right?) - I'd get one if I was in that market.

The Specialized Tricross has an aluminum frame, carbon forks and seat post, and was way lighter than the tourers. A couple of the other tricross bikes in the shop were much heavier. I reckon it was quite a bit lighter than my Marin.

And the £700 is definitely my tax-benefit-inclusive limit...

Tricross is the Spesh brand name fyi - cyclocross or just cross (or cx) is the type of bike.

Fair dos - Tricross owners do seem, anecdotally, to love their bikes, so I'm sure it'd be a great purchase.

Aha re; cyclocross. Guy in shop used it the way people might use 'hoover'.

Haha! Spesh will be pleased. Which reminds me, I see they've opened a new concept store in Covent Garden - Tempted to pop over there one lunch break.

ok so now i have money. and my new office has a gym w/ locker room!
now i must hunker down and figure out what bike to buy because parking is expensive!

nick i got a specialized crux recently to race cyclocross on - it's like a less sensible tricross. no rack and guard mounts, double crankset rather than the triple that the tricrosses have got these days, frame angles are a bit different to make the handling livelier. anyway i like it enough that i'm probably going to sell my road bike. the tricross sounds like it'd be right up your alley.

you should also look at more versatile roadies that will probably offer better braking with road calipers than the tricross' cantis, can take rack and guards, but still have a relaxed position - giant defy (aluminium) or kona honky tonk (steel) come to mind.

Hi Nick, ride me

bloomspot is running this deal today and it's making me angry at cute hipsters who don't wear helmets.

They are beautiful. However, I'm not sure the gearing would deal with Devon hills - we did Peak Hill out of Sidmouth today which is 550ft in half a mile...

Just seen a Tricross Sport kitted out with rack, fenders, and Brooks Flyer at one of the bike stations on campus. I want one, but a little more minimal. Oh yes.

I have ordered one.

i rode this and the 7.5 the other day. 7.5 obviously nicer, and way out of my price range! i think the 7.2 would be fine for my purposes, but dadrza thinks i could do better for the price (it was $529 at my local shop) and thought i should have something with a better derailluer. anyone know of anything comparable?

i am getting antsy to pedal to work now (parking is $6/day!).

i went a-shoppin' with a lady friend of mine on the weekend who's after a bike - she looked at a 7.something at the trek store, but didn't test ride. "i want a ladies' bike, it has to be pretty!"

tza that rear derailleur is the base model shimano one, you'd probably go up to ...probably deore XT as the next step, i think. that's pretty solid gear. maybe see if the shop could do an upgrade deal, they can be flexible with this stuff to make a sale sometimes.

there is a 7.3 that has a deore but it's also another $100+ dollars, and i don't really want to spend that much. dude didn't seem overly eager to wheel and deal... also i think the 7.3 doesn't come in 17", only 17.5, which would probably be too big for me. sigh. this is hard!

the margin on bikes in that price range is pretty thin, so most shops won't bend over backwards to make the sale for you. honestly, i wouldn't worry about the derailleur - you likely wouldn't notice a difference even if you put on a top-of-the-line model, unless you replaced the shifters, cassette, chainrings, and so on. getting hung up on one component doesn't make sense unless you're spending top dollar and have really specific preferences. if the 7.2 fx wsd fits you, i say buy it.

right i mean i think that was just one of his concerns, only one that i remember at the moment!
i did google a bit and the bike gets good reviews from people who own it and use it for commuting. honestly i doubt that i would really notice a difference in any of these parts because i don't know anything about bikes! i know the $999 bike felt a lot nicer/smoother to ride but i also wondered if that was psychological.

was the $999 exactly the same frame size and shape? cuz if not, maybe it just fit better. fit is it!

the 7.5 has a carbon fork.

but both were 17"... not sure if the shape was ~exactly~ the same.

may not have been psychological - a bike at 2x the price will have better bearings pretty much everywhere, which will make it feel smoother. or, it could have just had less tread on the tires!

what y'all think of this? dad sez much better components than the fx 7.2

except he says i'd need to get a 12-27 tooth cassette and wider tires.
this is hard. and confusing!

it's a nice bike for $600, no doubt about it. it's definitely more of a budget road bike (with flat bars, obv) than a fitness bike - narrow tires, higher gearing (both on the chainrings and cassette), and most likely a more aggressive riding position. carbon fork is very nice, probably the most significant upgrade over the trek... but your dad is right that the components are nicer across-the-board.

definitely worth a test ride - the biggest difference is if you want a bike that skews more toward straight-up road, or if you want a more mellow around-town/fitness bike. other tidbits (to add to your confusion) - trek will likely have better resale value, and service departments may look down on you when you wheel in a scattante, since it's a performance house brand, and most shops detest performance. but neither of those are reasons not to buy it if it is a better fit/feel for you.

long story short, comparing the two is less about individual differences and more about the kind of bike you want to ride. if one feels better than the other, buy it and don't worry about the components/dad [/broken record].

i dunno about needing a 27 toother at the back, would only come in useful if you were going up pretty steep hills while either touring or carrying a heap of shopping!

haha he came back and emailed me later pretty much what ytth said about it being a budget road bike. hmm. also a lot more links to look at. argh.

That's really it - you'd be exchanging low-speed comfort for better speed and acceleration. I'd totally prefer the latter but then at the moment I'm commuting on a carbon fibre racing bike.

What do you mean exactly by "it's a performance house brand, and most shops detest performance", Jordan?

i dunno about needing a 27 toother at the back, would only come in useful if you were going up pretty steep hills while either touring or carrying a heap of shopping!

― Omega-3 fatty acid house (haitch), Wednesday, 20 July 2011 23:06 (9 hours ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

Not necessary in DC IMO.

Performance Bici is ofcourse a big nasty chain.

Ah, so it's like Pinnacle/Evans?

if pinnacle/evans employs the practice of calling shop owners and saying "either sell your shop to us at a ridiculously low price, or we will open one of our own stores next door"

yikes that makes me definitely not want to buy a bike there

i should qualify that that happened to the owner of the shop i worked for (not in so many words, but there was a shiny new performance in pasadena a few months after he wouldn't sell to them), so i extrapolated that they made a general practice of it. can't confirm it with evidence, though.

doesn't seem like too far a leap

http://cgi.ebay.com/SURLY-LONG-HAUL-TRUCKER-LHT-BICYCLE-BIKE-42-cm-/200631042390?pt=Road_Bikes&hash=item2eb68ac156#ht_500wt_1188

got an hour left...yr fam is in SC, right???

prolly too tiny

anyway, main point here: eBay has some tremendous deals, where you can get a lot of bike for like 50% of retail

$750 is not my price range! hah.

i am so stressed over this now because i feel like if i don't get what my dad wants he'll never let me hear the end of it. he now thinks trek 7.3 fx is far superior to the 7.2. it is also $150 more. sigh.

Have your dad buy the bike for you ...

i just looked over the 7.2 vs the 7.3, and i don't see it. if anything, the 7.3 is going to ride more harshly, because it has an aluminum fork (vs steel) and tires with kevlar in the casing. (the advantages to those are lighter weight and less flat tires, respectively). but upgrading a bike model because of nicer tires is dumb, since you can always replace the tires when yours wear out, and it's certainly not worth $150 to go up to the aluminum fork. it's still 8-speed, and a deore vs. an alivio rear derailleur is not even worth considering.

imo, where you really start to see the quality jump is at the 7.5 (carbon fork, 9-speed drivetrain, etc) - but, that's almost $1000. if the 7.3 is out of your price range, i'd forget it - it's a nice bike, but there's nothing you're getting on it that you will specifically miss if you get the 7.2.

hm interesting. he went and rode them both yesterday and said the 7.3 shifts better and brakes worked more smoothly. psychological? who knows.

i am so at a loss. and yeah, the 7.5 is nice but i am not spending $999.

could just as easily be chalked up to the person who built it

^^^ this.

pro tip, regardless of what you get: ~know your mechanic~

I work on some stuff at home but am basically stupid. Find out who the reputable shops are in yr area (message boards are good for this, but I can prob find out who's good in DC if you want) and pick one and stick with it. Local indy shops reward loyalty ime, and having a wrench you can trust is invaluable. a well-tuned w/e bike >>>> janky fancy bike, 94/7

I know my sis has had her bike tuned up from this place several times and seems happy with them. Ed recommended another store too.

zomg I bought one! 7.2. I have 14 days to return in case dad freaks. I rode both and for some reason the 7.2 felt better to me, aside from the grips. Yay.

btw i had to constantly remind myself that i am a grown woman and can make my own decisions regarding purchases. sigh. i am excited!

congrats! you will enjoy it, and you can spend the extra $150 on something you really want, instead of something you've been told to want.

yes :)

we went out for a quick ride that turned into 15 mi and it did pretty well!

radical!

way to go tehresa! hope you get lots of use and pleasure from yr bike

racks to transport crap on your bike: are there types to avoid, types that are great, etc.?

if yr talking commuting/groceries, get a rear rack and some panniers

cargo (cases of beer, puppies) get a flat front

The rack will say on it how much weight it can take; remember to check this out and consider how much you'll need to carry.

are there particular brands that are recommended?

the very best are old man mountain, but most brands are acceptable. Avoid anything that is not welded, some flat pack racks can be very bad.

Tubus Rack plus ortlieb panniers is a great combo.

How do I shot lining up the axis of my stem with the front wheel. It always seems to come out a degree or two off-axis. No performance hindrance, but totally maddening.

is all in the knees dude, and using yr nose as a plumbline. (i just spent too long putting Aidan's first pedal bike together)

theresa, I got a good recommend on another DC LBS

http://www.bicyclespacewdc.com/

thanks, ed. ugh still so many supplies I need to get (air pump, rack, spare tube, etc.) but I am enjoying riding to work!

why do they make brake disc screw heads out of butter

... have stripped or nearly stripped the heads of 4 out of 12 screws while trying to change discs. first one i sawed a cut into the head so i could use a regular screwdriver, this actually worked but i did bad things to the disc in the process, despite trying to protect it. the next three - ¯\(º_o)/¯

what is that stuff you can spray on screws to get them out and does it work?

liquid wrench

WD-40 works too. YOu should also get some screw extractors, they cut into the screw and then grab on. these work well:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Boa-Grabit-Damaged-Screw-Remover/dp/B00096JDL2

just had to replace the inner tube on my back wheel as there was a hole right at the base of the valve - was i right to assume that i couldn't have fixed that with just a puncture kit? also, is there any use for the old inner tube? do they recycle?

No chance of fixing a hole there. Not sure about recyclability of tubes either. You can make an awful lot of rubber bands out of one, though.

Em has expressed the desire for a more practical, lighter, faster bicycle than her current one, so that she can come out with me for some exercise rides.

Her current bike is a very fetching Trek Allant:

<img src=http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4153/5111422482_950ddfd43c.jpg>;

which we've added a very nice wicker basket and a beautiful Brooks saddle to recently, but it's now somewhat cumbersome and much more appropriate for pootling along the river or to the shops on than for eatin up the miles with.

I'm thinking something like a Specialized Vita (http://www.specialized.com/gb/gb/bc/SBCBkFamily.jsp?sid=11Vita&scid=1002&scname=Transport%2FFitness) might be the kind of thing she's after, BUT I'm pretty sure she'd hate the look of it - she'd be much more amenable to something tubular-steel-looking, old-school, minimal, and a bit classicist.

Any ideas?

Em has expressed the desire for a more practical, lighter, faster bicycle than her current one, so that she can come out with me for some exercise rides.

Her current bike is a very fetching Trek Allant:

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4153/5111422482_950ddfd43c.jpg;

which we've added a very nice wicker basket and a beautiful Brooks saddle to recently, but it's now somewhat cumbersome and much more appropriate for pootling along the river or to the shops on than for eatin up the miles with.

I'm thinking something like a Specialized Vita (http://www.specialized.com/gb/gb/bc/SBCBkFamily.jsp?sid=11Vita&scid=1002&scname=Transport%2FFitness) might be the kind of thing she's after, BUT I'm pretty sure she'd hate the look of it - she'd be much more amenable to something tubular-steel-looking, old-school, minimal, and a bit classicist.

Any ideas?

That spesh is right OTM functionality wise, looks like a derivation of the Roubaix frame so should be comfy but it sure is fugly. Might be worth doing an fit calculator to see what sort of mens bikes she might fit, so much more choice there. Women seem to be particularly ill served in the flat bar road market. There's stuff like the Trek 7.2 that Theresa just bought but that's probably at the heavier end of what you want.

Is she averse to drops because there is a bit more choice? Albeit with slightly patronising names, hello BMC Sparkle.

She'd probably be alright with drops, actually.

I don't think the Vita is ugly at all!

Charge have got a new women's mixte bike that's quite pretty - let me see if I can find it. I like mixte stylings.

Ah, it's single speed, shame. Still, pretty: http://www.leisurelakesbikes.com/images/ProductImages/fullsize/Bikes/Others/11%20charge%20hob.jpg

Also, I saw one being ridden the other day and was really impressed by it before I even knew what it was. Now, same bike, hub gear, that would be pretty awesome.

She'd probably love that - I think she secretly lusts a fixie.

Charge Mixer and Tap look great, high crossbar, though, Alfine or Nexus Hub gears and really clean looking. I like their drop bar road bikes, nothing women specific but the seem to have a variety of geometries so something may work.

Interestingly charge have a Hob with a 3 speed sturmey archer on their website which might work.

Spoke to her last night (she's away in MCR at a conference this week) and she wants drops.

How much do you have to spend (if it is not a personal question)?

ayo

looking to buy a hybrid most likely. with gears, even though i live in brooklyn.

are there any particular brands that one would recommend embracing or avoiding? i doubt that my demands on the bike will come anywhere near its limits, but i figured i'd ask.

I loved my Marin hybrid. Less enamoured now I e got the Tricross but it's still a great commuter. It's a Larkspur.

my dad and I are going go a cycle tour through europe; don't know anything about touring bikes. don't want to spend more than £400. am I best trawling the CTC forum for a dawes galaxy or would something like this do the job?

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/riverside-5-mens-id_8156686.html#more_infos

I'd try and find something without front suspension, unnecessary extra weight.

Can you use cyclescheme to extend the budget a little?

OK here goes.

I am a total bike noob. I have barely ridden one in the last 15-20 years. Looking to get a cheap, reliable safe bike for my commute. This is Eastside Los Angeles, an emerging bike-friendly part of what must be one of the least bikeable cities anywhere. But luckily my commute is only about 10-15 minutes and can be achieved by avoiding major roads, etc. So what kind of bike and other gear am I looking for? Also how do y'all carry your stuff on you without looking like a complete tool? Are there "bike bags" or what

THANK YOU

Excited about new bike adventures,
AdamRL

Is it flat? Are you technical / mechanical? How much stuff do you need to carry? What's your budget? Can you imagine yourself getting drawn into either the exercise rush or the cultural accoutrements?

You're probably looking for a flatbar hybrid bike with rear rack and panniers (saddle-bags), but, if it's flat, you might want a single-speed or fixed-gear bike, which is easier to maintain, a little cheaper, and cooler too. If you decide you don't want a rack and panniers, there are so many cool messenger bags and stuff it's crazy.

Unless it's really hilly it honestly sounds like you could do it on anything you like. I'd get a cheap secondhand (or even better, borrowed), well, bike, make sure it's serviceable and then just ride. If you like it, I promise you'll be back asking how to make the most out of cycling.

The only thing to be concerned about at this stage, other than its roadworthiness, is that it's more or less the right size for you and the saddle's the right height.