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Bicycle age

Bike GAF,
I'm looking for an all purpose bike bag for my s.o.
Do you have any suggestions? What should I be aware of?

Currently I'm looking at these Vaude Bags @Amazon


What would be awesome if the bag can be fitted and removed without having to remove the basket.
 

RSTEIN

Comics, serious business!
GT was the first mtb I owned and I still think they're the best value out there. Speaking of which, any US gafers recommend a front shock mtb for fast trail riding? Nothing mental.

Check out the X-Caliber line from Trek. They have lots of options/configurations for every budget. Their frames are great and shared across the platform (which they call Alpha Gold Aluminum & utilizes their proprietary G2 geometry). So even if you don't get the $1,750 model that comes equipped with a Reba fork and X7 drivetrain, you're still getting the same awesome frame which you can upgrade over the years as components break/wear out.

I have a G2 frame and love it.
 
3syyhDQ.png


ran into these guys on my ride this morning. There's another one on the other side of the fence, can't really see him/her. I could have gotten a closer shot but when I was passing them they were in full-on defensive mode and I didn't need to have a swarm of raccoons on me first thing Monday morning.
 

thomaser

Member
ran into these guys on my ride this morning.

Meeting animals while riding is fun, but I don't know if I'd like to encounter a bunch of racoons. Was on a mountain yesterday, and rode through a big gang of cows. Said good day to them. They didn't answer, just stared at me. Their droppings were starkly green, by the way, and they were everywhere. I think I dodged all of them. A hundred meters up the road there was a bunch of sheep. I said good day to one of them too, and the silly thing was legit shook, reared up on its hindlegs and bolted. Then all the others ran too. Stupid sheep, I just tried to be nice.
 

Stinkles

Clothed, sober, cooperative
3syyhDQ.png


ran into these guys on my ride this morning. There's another one on the other side of the fence, can't really see him/her. I could have gotten a closer shot but when I was passing them they were in full-on defensive mode and I didn't need to have a swarm of raccoons on me first thing Monday morning.

LOL that looks like my neighborhood and our local gang of racoons.
 
Has anyone here ever run over a rabbit? Damn things are everywhere here, running across and alongside the trails.

No, but I've had a squirrel run into my wheel before.


A couple of panos of my last ride, not the best views

untitled_panorama2c0uu1.jpg


untitled_panorama1tiuk7.jpg


A 22yr old female rider had died on the descent to the right of this picture due to brake failure

p1010102a0ulp.jpg



Must have been a horrible end, no brakes after going down there straight into a dry stone wall :(
 

Mascot

Member
No, but I've had a squirrel run into my wheel before.


A couple of panos of my last ride, not the best views

untitled_panorama2c0uu1.jpg


untitled_panorama1tiuk7.jpg


A 22yr old female rider had died on the descent to the right of this picture due to brake failure

p1010102a0ulp.jpg



Must have been a horrible end, no brakes after going down there straight into a dry stone wall :(

Where is that? Yorkshire? Pennines? Incredible landscape.
 

kottila

Member
No, but I've had a squirrel run into my wheel before.


A couple of panos of my last ride, not the best views

A 22yr old female rider had died on the descent to the right of this picture due to brake failure

Must have been a horrible end, no brakes after going down there straight into a dry stone wall :(

How do you lose both brakes at once, soinds terrifying (coming from the guy who frequently forgets to close the brake quick releases).

I like cows more than sheep, the cows just stand there lookig menacing while the sheep will suddenly run straight towards you. A friend of mine was almost hit by one going 60kph downhill with a car coming towards him in the other lane. I was certain he was going to die, but luckily he managed to narrowly avoid both him and the car
 

Watevaman

Member
Didn't have brakes on my BMX bike for the longest time, so I pretty much used my shoe on the frame back there and stuck it on the tire to slow me down. Worked well with some shoes, but others started melting almost immediately.
 

Quote

Member
I'm heading out to Ocala FL in about an hour and tomorrow I'm going to ride Santos trails. I'm really nervous since there is a lot of difficult features. Luckily I'm good at walking things I'm not comfortable with.

Apparently some well known indoor bike park owner sold his venture to Trek and purchased Santos and is building it up to a great trail.

vr0wYRC.jpg

omqpiwI.jpg
 
I'm assuming it never rains there? Those boards don't look grit painted or meshed, which means someone will probably break a leg the first day it gets a bit slippy.

I'm also envisaging plenty of people going right into that support pole right at the end there when they come off too fast. :D
 

WedgeX

Banned
My hands have been absolutely killing me after my last two rides. And neither was particularly long, just 12 miles and 26 miles. But my hands. Got dang. It feels like someone smashed them with a hammer. Particularly between my thumb and pointer, but the rest of each hand feels banged up. Any reason why this would suddenly begin? Have ridden those mileages and further many times in the past and no problems.
 

Mascot

Member
Oh yes, it's an expensive sport, that's for sure.

I disagree - it can be as expensive or as cheap as you want it to be.
I have a friend who comes out mountain biking with me occasionally on his cheap-ass steel bike wearing trainers, gym shorts, £2 safety specs, an old rugby top and a £25 helmet. Rather annoyingly he seems to have as much fun as I do for a good grand less.

He's also getting fitter mile-for-mile by pedalling that heavy old donkey around.
 

waypoetic

Banned
Sure, if you go about it that way...

Enthusiasts like to wear nice kits, preferably one that matches their bike. Don't forget the SPD shoes!
Road bikers want a nice, aero helmet that has the features they find most important and the dudes who bomb through forests (Enduro/downhill) wants a full face helmet and maayybee a neck brace + spine protector.

I mean, yeah, I've seen guys in their 40's with a cheapish bike, jogging clothes and a mountain bike helmet and Nike airs on.
 

thomaser

Member
Four days until my first competition ride! I went through the course for the second time on Sunday and for the third time today (with a buddy), so now I know the way down pat. Gonna take it easy until the race. I've gotten times of around 2 hours 40 minutes each time I've done the course, but hope to shave off maybe 20 minutes on Sunday, which would leave me 40-50 minutes behind the winners. Anything less than an hour behind, and I'll be really pleased.

Anyone here experienced with mtb-races? I'm kinda nervous about doing the fiddly technical parts with so many others breathing down my neck. I'll probably just step aside and let them pass, like the timid little flower I am...

Edit: Photo, taken from the highest point on the course.
14910359705_a190b22022_z.jpg
 

Ecto311

Member
I disagree - it can be as expensive or as cheap as you want it to be.
I have a friend who comes out mountain biking with me occasionally on his cheap-ass steel bike wearing trainers, gym shorts, £2 safety specs, an old rugby top and a £25 helmet. Rather annoyingly he seems to have as much fun as I do for a good grand less.

He's also getting fitter mile-for-mile by pedaling that heavy old donkey around.

I am just getting into the sport and spent less than $100 for everything. Got a craigslist bike, helmet on sale since the season is changing and most everything else I already had.

There is always someone in any hobby that says its expensive just because they made it that way. When I was getting into paintball 5 years ago my wife was thinking it would be cheaper than it was. It was only high dollar since we got more than Tippmann guns. Could have had as much if not more fun with just the basic guns and gear.

The only time a hobby should get expensive is when you decide that it is worth it. For me mountain biking at this point is not worth more than what I have already got into it. My bike is solid and works well for me. Maybe I'll get some grips for it.

Sure, if you go about it that way...

Enthusiasts like to wear nice kits, preferably one that matches their bike. Don't forget the SPD shoes!
Road bikers want a nice, aero helmet that has the features they find most important and the dudes who bomb through forests (Enduro/downhill) wants a full face helmet and maayybee a neck brace + spine protector.

I mean, yeah, I've seen guys in their 40's with a cheapish bike, jogging clothes and a mountain bike helmet and Nike airs on.

What does 40's have to do with it? Being old means being cheap too or that hes not an "Enthusiast" ?
 

waypoetic

Banned
What does 40's have to do with it? Being old means being cheap too or that hes not an "Enthusiast" ?

I've seen guys in their twenties with the same outfit, so age had nothing to do with it really - all though, guys and girls between 20-35 are the ones rocking serious kits while the older ones don't bother as much with it.

You can debate their enthusiasm; is it all for show - can they even last a four hour ride? Maybe, maybe not. But when you're wearing Nike's I'm pretty sure that you have no idea how things "work" so to speak.
 

Watevaman

Member
Know what I did my first 80 mile ride on? a single speed BMX bike with a plastic seat, Vans sneakers, wearing basketball shorts and a cotton t-shirt

I also wear similar shit when I'm on the local singletrack, just add a camelpak.

Who gives a shit what people wear or how they "act"? If you're honestly worried about it, or think that it means they're less knowledgeable then that's childish.

edit: I don't mean to bitch, but I don't like it when people judge others if they aren't going all out
 

Jobiensis

Member
edit: I don't mean to bitch, but I don't like it when people judge others if they aren't going all out

I agree with you.

More people need to be riding, and the high school cliques don't help. However, I still reserve the right to make fun of mountain bikers, but that is ok since some of my best friends are mountain bikers. ;)
 
Anyone here have experience with powder coating their bike? My frame is from 2000 and is pretty beat up. I've only owned it for a little over a year so it's not all me but it definitely needs some TLC. There are some spots where there's no paint at all and I'm worried the steel that is rusting there will get worse. Or maybe it's too late. At any rate, looking for suggestions. Thanks.
 

Mascot

Member
Anyone here have experience with powder coating their bike? My frame is from 2000 and is pretty beat up. I've only owned it for a little over a year so it's not all me but it definitely needs some TLC. There are some spots where there's no paint at all and I'm worried the steel that is rusting there will get worse. Or maybe it's too late. At any rate, looking for suggestions. Thanks.

Powder coating is porous, so if your frame is ungalvanised steel then it'll eventually rust through the coating. I think you need another solution. I'm not sure what frame manufacturers do with steel frames - try finding an independent frame maker and give them a ring.
 

Ecto311

Member
Anyone here have experience with powder coating their bike? My frame is from 2000 and is pretty beat up. I've only owned it for a little over a year so it's not all me but it definitely needs some TLC. There are some spots where there's no paint at all and I'm worried the steel that is rusting there will get worse. Or maybe it's too late. At any rate, looking for suggestions. Thanks.

I just painted my aluminum trek frame. The paint looked like it had some kind of chemical on it and I thought I would just make it black. Painted with primer then paint but the clear coat on flat black looked really bad. I found someone on reddit recommending Plasti-dip. So I gave it a shot over the clear coat and it looks awesome (I think). After a day or so it holds up really well so dont ride it right away if you go that route. Also if you dont like it you can peel it off. Or so the site says. The downside to me is the grip that it adds. Unlike paint you cant just slide your hand on it, it's like a rubber coating.
 

thomaser

Member
Cleaned the bike today for the upcoming event, and when I went to ride it the front gear suddenly won't shift to the biggest chainring :-( That is, sometimes it will, other times it won't. I had the gears professionally adjusted earlier this week too, so this is weird. Everything worked perfectly two days ago. I still don't know how to fix these things. Could it be that the wire is too taut?
 

thomaser

Member
http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/article/how-to-adjust-a-front-derailleur-36198/

One thing they don't tell you to check in a lot of vids / articles is that the derailleur is in line with the chain. Mine got twisted once and I found myself with a similar situation to what you describe (shifting depended on where the chain was on the rear cassette).

Well, it was actually twisted a little, but that was taken care of on Monday by a mechanic. Everything was fine when I had a long ride on Wednesday. The only thing that happened between then and now is that I washed the tires, lubed the wires and cleaned the two little wheels on the rear derailleur, and those shouldn't affect the front at all?

But thanks for the video, it's by far the best I have seen on the subject! Should be very helpful later. Tomorrow I'm going to visit the bike-shop again and let them do it.
 
No, nothing there that would affect it. Chances are that the cable wasn't tightened enough (the bolt) and it slipped a bit. That or you got some extremely sudden cable stretch... but that seems unlikely.
 

purg3

slept with Malkin
Picked up my first 29er (hardtail) today to replace my 5yr old trek 4300. Took it for a test ride and loved it. Ended up getting a Trek X Caliber 5. Can't wait to hit the trails tomorrow morning. Will post some pics tomorrow.
 
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