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[kevo_huevo]

advice

thanks. i wouldn't really be doing commuting, more like entry-level fitness; biking 10+ miles on the weekends, or just riding around for an hour or two. We have a good mixture of paved pathways off-street and smooth dirt trails in my city, only a few short hills in my immediate area.

suggestions i've read about would be the trek 7.1 fx, specialized crosstrail, or possibly a 29er, which i know nothing about.

 

[thezerofire]

hi guys, i was reading another thread (http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=484315) and people were recommending a hybrid or comfort bicycle.

i don't have a bike but it looks like uc irvine has a reclamation program (http://bike.uci.edu/services/recycle.cfm) once a month. hopefully i can get one for cheap in the next few months. the city is really commuter friendly with 40+ miles of paved bikeways free of road traffic essentially.

are comfort or hybrid bicycles one in the same? i have lower back issues, so i would prefer something with a more upright riding stance. if i can't find anything on the cheap, this would be my local shop (http://jaxbicycles.com/). i would probably ride 1-2 a week for a couple hours, so i wouldnt be looking to invest too much money into the bike and/or accessories.

UCI does, but I can almost guarantee you all the bikes will be awful old heavy rusted out mountain bikes. I've been before, there was nothing good.

On the other hand, my roommate last year got a pretty quality bike (for being reclaimed), but most of the time you won't find anything

 

[ruxtpin]

I just noticed this thread. I'm a big runner and would like to get into some triathlons in the future. Could I get a decent tri bike for around $800? I know prices can go sky-high, but I don't wanna' spend more than I need to just starting off.

 

[kevo_huevo]

UCI does, but I can almost guarantee you all the bikes will be awful old heavy rusted out mountain bikes. I've been before, there was nothing good.

On the other hand, my roommate last year got a pretty quality bike (for being reclaimed), but most of the time you won't find anything

dang. i got my hopes up from the website pics too. i figured the selection would be best at the end of summer, which would be around 90 days after end of spring quarter.

 

[thezerofire]

dang. i got my hopes up from the website pics too. i figured the selection would be best at the end of summer, which would be around 90 days after end of spring quarter.

that is actually a very good point. go check it out, there is probably going to be better bikes than usual

 

[SnakeswithLasers]

For standover on a road bike, it 'should' basically be inseam + 1 inch, right?

 

[Valkyr Junkie]

I just noticed this thread. I'm a big runner and would like to get into some triathlons in the future. Could I get a decent tri bike for around $800? I know prices can go sky-high, but I don't wanna' spend more than I need to just starting off.

Absolutely, $800 will get you a really decent road bike, especially if you get a 20-30% discount on a previous model year. If you're talking about getting into sprint triathlons, you'll see a surprising amount of people doing them on hybrids, cheapo mountain bikes, and even beach cruisers.

 

[killertofu]

Cut my own bull horns. Not too bad.

 

[davidnic]

Great Job mate, you get even tell you did them yourself some this pic. As long as there are the same length. Even 2mm with annoy me haha

 

[Valkyr Junkie]

LOL, my LBS interrupted the Olympics
http://deadspin.com/5931689/nbc-spo...ts-to-commercial-right-before-a-critical-goal

 

[Stinkles]

What would you exactly be using it for? If you're going to use it doing groceries, commute and stuff like that I'd recommend something that in the Netherlands we call a "city bike". Usually kinda slow and heavy, but extremely comfortable and practical.

These are bikes like this:

One of the best things about these bikes is that they encourage a more laid back riding style which won't make you sweat so you can wear your normal clothes or even a suit on it without problems. They're also relatively low maintenance and if it has a decent luggage rack you can give someone a lift if needed.

Also, with a limited budget you should get something second hand.

I love the way these look, but they really are cumbersome and inflexible. Netherlands is one of the flattest places in the world and has fantastic road surfaces and bike paths. In the US this would basically be a trendy beach cruiser and wouldn't work for a lot of our hilly conditions and more importantly, wouldn't work as a fitness or sports bike. Our bike usage here is definitely a blend of commuting, recreation and sport, but very few cities have infrastructure for bikes and the ones that do pretty much have paint that says BIKES BITCH and that's about it.

 

[purg3]

For standover on a road bike, it 'should' basically be inseam + 1 inch, right?

Yeah, should be about 1 inch from your crotch to the top tube for a road bike, mountain bike is usually 2+ inches.

 

[SnakeswithLasers]

Went to the LBS today and test-rode the Trek 1.2. It was my first time on a road bike and it was pretty nuts. Only went about 2 miles and holy crap, my ass hurts. It was a good experience, but it's going to take me a while to understand how to steer--strangely responsive. Thinking about picking it up this weekend, but I'm also still thinking about just waiting for something on craigslist to pop up, now that I know my size.

 

[perryfarrell]

For standover on a road bike, it 'should' basically be inseam + 1 inch, right?

No, that's not quite correct. The height of the top tube depends on the type of frame. Some are straight, some are sloping. It does NOT indicate the size of the frame.

Basically for a road bike, you'll want to take some measurements and then input them into a calculator like this one: http://www.competitivecyclist.com/za/CCY?PAGE=FIT_CALCULATOR_INTRO

There's lots of adjustment you can do once you have your frame. For leg extension, you raise the seatpost & move the saddle backwards or forwards. For horizontal measurements, you choose the right size stem (& move saddle backwards or fowards). For amount of drop, you raise or drop the handlebars.

So get the right size by using a calculator, and then adjust & finetune as needed.

 

[purg3]

Went to the LBS today and test-rode the Trek 1.2. It was my first time on a road bike and it was pretty nuts. Only went about 2 miles and holy crap, my ass hurts. It was a good experience, but it's going to take me a while to understand how to steer--strangely responsive. Thinking about picking it up this weekend, but I'm also still thinking about just waiting for something on craigslist to pop up, now that I know my size.

haha, you get used to it quick. It also helps to get some cycling shorts with the sewn in padding. Getting a road bike was one of the best investments I've made, so much fun just going on crazy long rides. It also really improved my cardio to a noticeable degree. Although I've been doing a lot more mtb/xc riding lately so it's been a bit neglected this summer.

 

[Stinkles]

What would you exactly be using it for? If you're going to use it doing groceries, commute and stuff like that I'd recommend something that in the Netherlands we call a "city bike". Usually kinda slow and heavy, but extremely comfortable and practical.

These are bikes like this:

One of the best things about these bikes is that they encourage a more laid back riding style which won't make you sweat so you can wear your normal clothes or even a suit on it without problems. They're also relatively low maintenance and if it has a decent luggage rack you can give someone a lift if needed.

Also, with a limited budget you should get something second hand.

Oddly enough, I am in the Netherlands rig this second.

 

[Guileless]

Went to the LBS today and test-rode the Trek 1.2. It was my first time on a road bike and it was pretty nuts. Only went about 2 miles and holy crap, my ass hurts. It was a good experience, but it's going to take me a while to understand how to steer--strangely responsive. Thinking about picking it up this weekend, but I'm also still thinking about just waiting for something on craigslist to pop up, now that I know my size.

Your ass will adjust gradually, but it is a shock at first. You can spend extra and get a more comfortable seat than the stock Bontrager on the 1.2.

 

[Quote]

So I want to pick up some MTB clipless shoes. Anyone have any recommendations on a pair that have a carbon sole and on the cheaper side? I'd love to pay less than $200. It's worth it to save a bit more for carbon over synthetic, right?

 

[DTKT]

Anyone has experience with disk brakes?

I just bought a Trek 8.4 DS and it's been awesome. It's just that the rear disks tends to squeal when I break hard.

 

[ameratsu]

Did my 2nd ever metric century today as part of a group. 102km, took 3 hours 45 mins. Average speed of about 27 kph. That's slow but I'm improving -- especially considering my first 100km was the same ride last sunday. The 100km section is in a local valley consisting of lots of rolling hills and four decent hill climbs. I feel a lot better post-ride than I did last week, so here's to incremental improvement!

 

[The_Inquisitor]

Hi bike GAF. My friends have gotten it into my friend I should do some triathlons.

HOWEVER, before I invest the money in a road bike, I will race using my older mountain bike the first time. Assuming I do, I need some help picking a decent road bike (willing to go above 1k, not going to get something I feel I need to upgrade in 1-2 years).

What exactly should I be looking for at the local shops? I also read that people like to use computers. Is there a version where I could just mount my iPhone and use that? This is very open ended, so I will answer an questions. Thank you bike GAF!

 

[Jobiensis]

Anyone has experience with disk brakes?

I just bought a Trek 8.4 DS and it's been awesome. It's just that the rear disks tends to squeal when I break hard.

Try cleaning the disc with rubbing alcohol, that often helps.

 

[muu]

Got through my first 400K brevet this weekend. ~19K feet of climbing, Temp near 95degrees at the peak, 9 started and 4 of us finished. Got rice balls from my parents which were great but gave me some stomach cramping (thankfully I eat in small portions every hour during these rides), and found out that lactaid pills do jack shit for me when I'm exhausted. It was a good experience though, views were gorgeous and the next 600K with its only slightly more hills should be much easier to complete.

Hi bike GAF. My friends have gotten it into my friend I should do some triathlons.

HOWEVER, before I invest the money in a road bike, I will race using my older mountain bike the first time. Assuming I do, I need some help picking a decent road bike (willing to go above 1k, not going to get something I feel I need to upgrade in 1-2 years).

What exactly should I be looking for at the local shops? I also read that people like to use computers. Is there a version where I could just mount my iPhone and use that? This is very open ended, so I will answer an questions. Thank you bike GAF!

yes there are iphone mounts. Long as you can keep your phone battery happy it'll do just as well or better a job as a cycling computer than a dedicated solution.

IMO you're gonna leave yourself exposed to feeling the need to upgrade if you're at around the 1K mark: you spent enough to feel committed to the thing, but there'll be enough shortcomings that you'd be compelled to upgrade. You may want to try spending a little more and get the lowest-end carbon bike when they go on clearance to make room for next yr's stock, that'll keep you from doubting whether you should have gone carbon instead of aluminum, and if you get at least Tiagra parts (or equivalent competitor's components) the only thing you're missing out on is slightly better shift feel and maybe a water bottle's worth of weight.

 

[Konosuke]

Hey GAF, I'm looking for a bike for my daily commute and for the occasional offroad fun. I believe that the XC ones are type I'm looking for.

There is a local brand called Quer that has some affordable bikes, but since I've never heard of them I'm weary of the strength of the frame.

This one is 539€ Specs

This one is 399€ Specs

This one is 510€ Specs

But Ive also seen some Cube and Specialized bikes, but I was told that these have worse equipment.

This one is 689€ Specs

This one is 549€ Specs

This one by Trek is also appealing.

599€ Specs

Should I pony up the extra money? This is my first real investment in a bike.

 

[Fusion Pizza]

Hey Bike-GAF

I recently ( few weeks ago) bought this trek, a seven two FX 2012, mines in gray and red though, dont have a decent picture, so stock photo for now.

It's an awesome ride, perfect for the city, I've been riding almost every day and I can honestly say this was the best thing I've done since moving here, I can get anywhere in the city now between muni/bart and my bike. All the girls on bikes are very nice too ^_^.

 

[Oppo]

Just rode a bunch of the Petit Train du Nord bike path this week, in Quebec. 230+ KM of ridiculously nice scenery, dotted with bike shops and B&Bs along the way. HIGHLY recommended if you can get there.

 

[Oxigen_Waste]

This thread makes me cringe a bit.

As someone who used to do 50 miles per biking run at least 4 times a week up 'till 2 years ago (at which point I stopped and now do 2 or 3 30 mile runs per month and consequently have gained alot of weight and am now a fat ass), I do believe I have the right to say you guys worry way too much about the bikes themselves. I've had the same 100$ bike for 7 years now, it's just some plain no brand and very simple mountain bike and it does just absolutely fine, to this day...

 

[outunderthestars]

Got through my first 400K brevet this weekend. ~19K feet of climbing, Temp near 95degrees at the peak, 9 started and 4 of us finished. Got rice balls from my parents which were great but gave me some stomach cramping (thankfully I eat in small portions every hour during these rides), and found out that lactaid pills do jack shit for me when I'm exhausted. It was a good experience though, views were gorgeous and the next 600K with its only slightly more hills should be much easier to complete.

Congrats on your visit 400K brevet! I thought I was the only rando nerd on here.

 

[ameratsu]

This thread makes me cringe a bit.

As someone who used to do 50 miles per biking run at least 4 times a week up 'till 2 years ago (at which point I stopped and now do 2 or 3 30 mile runs per month and consequently have gained alot of weight and am now a fat ass), I do believe I have the right to say you guys worry way too much about the bikes themselves. I've had the same 100$ bike for 7 years now, it's just some plain no brand and very simple mountain bike and it does just absolutely fine, to this day...

While I can't comment on your situation, I used to ride a cheapo dual suspension mountain bike. Apart from the fact that the shifters were pure trash, the knobby tires made riding on asphalt a slow and painful experience. Fighting a head wind on that thing was just bad. Everything about that bike sucked, even right after a tune up. It discouraged me from riding because of how awful it was for even a short ride to work. Oh and the wheels were always out of round.

Compared to the old-school road bike I purchased, it is just night and day. While I agree more generally that maybe people do get a little obsessive by over-researching different bike models, this brand vs. that brand, it's worth spending what you can afford on something you use multiple times per week. Maybe you want to ride a crappy bike for 50+ mile rides at a time multiple times a week, I sure as hell don't.

 

[Oxigen_Waste]

While I can't comment on your situation, I used to ride a cheapo dual suspension mountain bike. Apart from the fact that the shifters were pure trash, the knobby tires made riding on asphalt a slow and painful experience. Fighting a head wind on that thing was just bad. Everything about that bike sucked, even right after a tune up. It discouraged me from riding because of how awful it was for even a short ride to work. Oh and the wheels were always out of round.

Compared to the old-school road bike I purchased, it is just night and day. While I agree more generally that maybe people do get a little obsessive by over-researching different bike models, this brand vs. that brand, it's worth spending what you can afford on something you use multiple times per week. Maybe you want to ride a crappy bike for 50+ mile rides at a time multiple times a week, I sure as hell don't.

The thing is, it's not crappy at all. Except for the seat, which I changed as soon as I bought it, it's never caused me a single drop of grief. It doesnt wow me, but if I forget about the fact I'm riding it, then it clearly is doing it's job, right?

And of course, I'm not knocking people for looking into which bike is best for their needs within their budget, what made me cringe was the amount of obsessive research people put into something as simple as buying a bycicle... -.-

 

[Stinkles]

This thread makes me cringe a bit.

As someone who used to do 50 miles per biking run at least 4 times a week up 'till 2 years ago (at which point I stopped and now do 2 or 3 30 mile runs per month and consequently have gained alot of weight and am now a fat ass), I do believe I have the right to say you guys worry way too much about the bikes themselves. I've had the same 100$ bike for 7 years now, it's just some plain no brand and very simple mountain bike and it does just absolutely fine, to this day...

I was 215 pounds three months ago. Now I'm 175. Get on your bike more. And I'm very old.

 

[Quote]

Anyone here have experience with tubeless? I'm thinking about getting Stan's Kit but I'm not sure which one I need for my 29er (2012 Scott Aspect for reference). I think I need the XC? I've e-mail them and hopefully they'll get back to me during the week.

The thing is, it's not crappy at all. Except for the seat, which I changed as soon as I bought it, it's never caused me a single drop of grief. It doesnt wow me, but if I forget about the fact I'm riding it, then it clearly is doing it's job, right?

And of course, I'm not knocking people for looking into which bike is best for their needs within their budget, what made me cringe was the amount of obsessive research people put into something as simple as buying a bycicle... -.-

Good for you, I'm glad you're getting out there and riding.

 

[Oxigen_Waste]

I was 215 pounds three months ago. Now I'm 175. Get on your bike more. And I'm very old.

Ahah, I was 175 2 years ago (which is my ideal weight, I'm a big guy), now I'm 230. =D I do need to get back on the bike... But the good thing about sports is that you loose weight much faster than you put it on, when you love what you're doing and do it often (which is the case, love cycling...).

I guess I've just been lazy. In a happy relationship for almost 4 years, pretty much being happy with myself all around made me lazy, ahah =D

 

[Slayer-33]

Hey GAF, I'm looking for a bike for my daily commute and for the occasional offroad fun. I believe that the XC ones are type I'm looking for.

There is a local brand called Quer that has some affordable bikes, but since I've never heard of them I'm weary of the strength of the frame.



But Ive also seen some Cube and Specialized bikes, but I was told that these have worse equipment.




This one by Trek is also appealing.


Should I pony up the extra money? This is my first real investment in a bike.

That white cube bike is gorgeous lol

 

[Fusion Pizza]

I am gonna get some biking gloves soon, showers hurt like a sonovabitch.

 

[outunderthestars]

Hey Bike-GAF

I recently ( few weeks ago) bought this trek, a seven two FX 2012, mines in gray and red though, dont have a decent picture, so stock photo for now.

It's an awesome ride, perfect for the city, I've been riding almost every day and I can honestly say this was the best thing I've done since moving here, I can get anywhere in the city now between muni/bart and my bike. All the girls on bikes are very nice too ^_^.

The Trek FX line has the best flat bar geometry of any bike I have ever seen. I had a frame builder create a steel framed version and adore it.

 

[Fusion Pizza]

The Trek FX line has the best flat bar geometry of any bike I have ever seen. I had a frame builder create a steel framed version and adore it.

Yeah I absolutely LOVE this bike, its tough and light, I'm getting in great shape riding around the city on it.

 

[HIGH DEF JEFF]

I am gonna get some biking gloves soon, showers hurt like a sonovabitch.

What do wrap your bars in? Sandpaper?

 

[Fusion Pizza]

What do wrap your bars in? Sandpaper?

Nah, that was from flipping over my the handle bars and breaking my fall/tucking rolling in golden gate park yesterday. I blame all the insanely hot hipster chicks distracting me from the pothole on the trail.

 

[Lasthope106]

http://i.imgur.com/jrJAa.jpg[IMG]

I am gonna get some biking gloves soon, showers hurt like a sonovabitch.[/QUOTE]

Jebus man. WTF. How long was the ride that caused you that?

[quote="outunderthestars, post: 40941968"]The Trek FX line has the best flat bar geometry of any bike I have ever seen. I had a frame builder create a steel framed version and adore it.[/QUOTE]

I love my 7.3 FX. Will probably end up putting more than 1000 miles on it before the summer is over.

 

[Fusion Pizza]

Jebus man. WTF. How long was the ride that caused you that?

Flipped over the handlebars, tucked and rolled but still scraped up my hand and knee.

 

[outunderthestars]

Yeah I absolutely LOVE this bike, its tough and light, I'm getting in great shape riding around the city on it.

Have you put fenders on it yet?

Just thought I'd post a couple pics of the bike I am putting the most miles on these days

 

[Fusion Pizza]

Have you put fenders on it yet?

Just thought I'd post a couple pics of the bike I am putting the most miles on these days

Not yet, I'm saving all my accessories for x-mas birthday, I'm usually really hard to shop for so this is a good thing for my folks.

 

[Slayer-33]

Nah, that was from flipping over my the handle bars and breaking my fall/tucking rolling in golden gate park yesterday. I blame all the insanely hot hipster chicks distracting me from the pothole on the trail.

Damn I can only imagine how hot they are out there in cali lol...

 

[Fusion Pizza]

Damn I can only imagine how hot they are out there in cali lol...

It's outside lands this weekend as well, so theres people from all over. ^__^

 

[GamePnoy74]

I blame all the insanely hot hipster chicks distracting me

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aj9c4zlfn58

 

[Fusion Pizza]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aj9c4zlfn58

XD

 

[Discusguy]

I just ordered a new touring/ trekking 48/36/26 crank for my mtb. Right now I have 44/34/24 crank. I'm pretty excited and I hope it'll be an easy enough install since its all going into a shimano drivetrain system. Has any gaffer done this upgrade on their mtb?

I just did my 1st triathlon 2 weeks ago. During the bike part of the race I averaged 18mph for a 14mile ride on my full suspension bike. I know I need a road bike to get really good times but I just don't want to settle for any road bike. I'm just going to try to get the most out of my Camber and save for the bike I want. I really want the low end Specialized Venge.

 

[Psychotext]

Didn't know there was a cycling GAF. Awesome.

Am off on a three day (MTB) blast around Wales soon. Really looking forward to it!

 

[Psychotext]

New Invention: Invisible Bike Helmet