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Bicycle age

Stinkles

Clothed, sober, cooperative
Thing is, with the way the mobiky folds I feel like it would be a pretty good bike if I have to go into cramped spaces.

MobikyGenius.jpg


I'll look into other options though.

I bought a Dahon Speed UNO for vacations and business trips. It has a coaster brake and takes a bit of getting used to, but it is incredibly simple and easy to transport. You can comfortably cycle about ten miles. And it's pretty sturdy so I feel good about hopping curbs and dirt paths.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004YHZ9QK/?tag=neogaf0e-20


And it looks more like a BMX than a normal folding bike.

xq8V3.jpg
 

Oppo

Member
You don't decal your bulge by ergonomically folding your wang into stylish designs?

ugh, mountain bikers

*snort*

I get freaky looks from both groups when I'm cruising around on my ebike actually... it looks like a weird cannondale mtn bike with giant tubes, but I can ride it at 35KPH uphill on a steep grade. they think I'm from the future.
 

relik

Neo Member
Hello all. New to GAF. Nice to see a cycling topic.

Anyone else ride Canyon? I use a Nerve AM 9.0 (2012) for the weekend thrash about the hills. Unbelievable spec for the price.

Currently using a Boardman CX Team for the commute / city ride.
 

tirant

Member
I don't understand how any cyclist can take issue with mountain bikes. They're far more versatile than any other type of bike and the benefits of that are readily apparent.

There's nothing better than getting off the beaten path.

It's not an issue. But they are horrible bikes for urban environment.

I own both a city bike and a mountain bike. I don't see any reason to ride the second as an everyday bike. And the mountain bike was at least 10 times more expensive than my city bike.
 
It's not an issue. But they are horrible bikes for urban environment.

Is that even relevant? I don't think anyone here has suggested using a mountain bike for anything other than its intended purpose. Hell, I'd say that in a lot of cases cyclocross bikes are recommended even where a mountain bike might otherwise be a good fit (simply because there's a chance there will be some road use).

There's no questioning the fact that they're the most versatile overall though. Though they're obviously not the best in a lot of circumstances.


I don't understand these crazy folks that've already ridden 2000 miles this year.

It's called putting strava on when you're in your car. ;) That said, I don't see anyone there with 2,000 miles.

If I wasn't injured I've be over 1,000 miles on the trainer easy by now, and trainer rides apparently count for that challenge.
 

Jobiensis

Member
People in Florida have an advantage on milage challenges. 10,000 ft of climbing in 2,000 miles. I give them points for perseverance, that has to be incredibly boring.

The guy from Washington DC gets massive props, makes me almost feel bad bitching about riding in the 30F temps.
 

SmokyDave

Member
It's not an issue. But they are horrible bikes for urban environment.
Nah, they're not. They're less efficient if you're going straight from A to B along smooth roads but miles better if you want to have fun on the way.

Their suitability depends entirely on how you ride. I never grew out of the 'wheelie around looking for steps to jump down' phase.
 

SmokyDave

Member
I'm crap at wheelies and manuals... I always mean to learn them or practice them but when I'm out it's always just about the ride.
Eh, it's dead easy. Throw your weight back, find the sweet spot, feather the back brake to stay there. If you use SPDs, don't clip in!

Practise 'em some time. Not only is it fun, it can come in handy on the trails.
 
I'm moving in a couple weeks and need a fairly cheap but reliable bike for transportation around town. Preferably one that looks ace. Like with curled handles n junk. Any advice?
 

Oppo

Member
It's not an issue. But they are horrible bikes for urban environment.

I own both a city bike and a mountain bike. I don't see any reason to ride the second as an everyday bike. And the mountain bike was at least 10 times more expensive than my city bike.

I don't know, maybe it's just Toronto's fucked up road gutters (I.e. bike lanes) or the streetcar tracks, but I prefer the mtn. bike in town, even if it is more work to push around... Also for cutting across grass or bad terrain when you inevitably hit construction. Did I also mention that it's winter :)

A road bike on a smooth highway is indeed godly but sadly I don't get to do that very often.
 

SmokyDave

Member
Fixed for safety.
Heh, very true.

I had a brief dalliance with SPDs back in the 90's on my GT Karakoram. They were great for putting the hammer down but I always felt nervous when cornering and once or twice I came to a stop and then slowly toppled over. I went back to toeclips until I bought my first decent pair of flats and was converted forever.
 

Stinkles

Clothed, sober, cooperative
Heh, very true.

I had a brief dalliance with SPDs back in the 90's on my GT Karakoram. They were great for putting the hammer down but I always felt nervous when cornering and once or twice I came to a stop and then slowly toppled over. I went back to toeclips until I bought my first decent pair of flats and was converted forever.

I once rode a fifty mile training ride from Diamond Heights in San Francisco, to the top of Mount Tamalpais and back. First time in SPDs. Felt amazing. Really felt the "lift" benefit. Got back to my garage, slowed to a halt, forgot how to unclip and ate it super fucking hard in my own driveway. Currently use the double sided pedals with SPDs on one side, normal teeth/pedal on the other. Best of both worlds.
 
I don't have flat pedals any more so that's not an option at the moment. :p

I could try with my cleat floating around on the top of the SPD... but I'd die.

That aside... everyone does that falling over thing at least once (per year). I did it last on the top of a reservoir because I'd left my pedals tensioned up to the max (which is how I use them on the trainer). Nearly died, not funny. lol
 

bkw

Member
Anyone have recommendations for what light(s) to get for riding in the city at night? I'm on generally well lit streets, but sometimes it's hard to see the road surface, especially when it rains. I also go through a small section of alley and very small park. Ride a hybrid if that makes any difference.

Leaning towards rechargeable units. What the difference between the all-in-one units and the ones with an external battery pack and a cable between it and the light? How many lumens might I need? I currently have a blinker in the front and rear, but they're definitely see-me lights. (Haven't gotten off my bike to check, but I certainly hope they're effective...) The front is a "one-watt", but no lumens rating.
 

Jobiensis

Member
You can generally get more powerful lights and longer life with a separate battery pack.

I previously had a Cygolite Pace 350, it was really bright but the battery pack wore off the paint on my bike. Now I'm using a NiteRider Lumina 650. It doesn't last as long, but it is long enough for my night commutes.

Even though the NiteRider light is brighter, the old Pace had better spread of light and I feel it was superior. Both of them work well at lighting the road, and the Pace was used on many 35mph descents.
 
In honour of this thread I've just ordered a cheap arse pair of Vans to use with some cheap arse flats that I'll order tomorrow. Obviously will be a while til I get to use them though. :(

If I get on with it then I'll get some five tens and some superstars and swap them in when I'm on a particularly scary run.
 

muu

Member
The new Expilion 700s are pretty good too. I have the 300/400 as well, and the main difference is that the 700(and probably 600) have a more dispersed beam. The center is bright, but you also get to avoid the ditch 2ft away. Runtime's a bit of a problem, but with 2:20 on high it's got just enough juice to run on both ends of the commute. Now I run 700 on handlebar, 300/400 with helmet mount.
 
I bought a Dahon Speed UNO for vacations and business trips. It has a coaster brake and takes a bit of getting used to, but it is incredibly simple and easy to transport. You can comfortably cycle about ten miles. And it's pretty sturdy so I feel good about hopping curbs and dirt paths.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004YHZ9QK/?tag=neogaf0e-20


And it looks more like a BMX than a normal folding bike.

xq8V3.jpg
hm, if only you could convert it to a fixed gear...
 

Stinkles

Clothed, sober, cooperative
hm, if only you could convert it to a fixed gear...

No gearing obviously. Not a flexible bike by any stretch of the imagination, but good in any scenario a tourist might ride while visiting a town. There are other geared bikes in this series with normal brakes too. They also make a 'marine' variant to store on boats and yachts.
 

vidcons

Banned
Crashed on the team ride today. I was just being an idiot, of course. Road dips into gravel at the side and I was moving to the back of the group, looked to my left to see who was there and just slid off the side. Could have just rode down incline and been fine but noooo, I had to have that moment of clarity and try to turn back onto the road, losing all traction and slamming myself into the ground.

Had that moment in my head where I was like "Welp, I fucked up, this is going to suck *slam*"

This happened to be at the beginning of the team ride with all the A's and B's who were out to kill everyone in their draft. Still finished after skipping over the last climb.

What I'm trying to say is... I tore my brand new team jersey. At least the custom store is open for another day. fuck me
 
No gearing obviously. Not a flexible bike by any stretch of the imagination, but good in any scenario a tourist might ride while visiting a town. There are other geared bikes in this series with normal brakes too. They also make a 'marine' variant to store on boats and yachts.
I can't tell by the picture, is it belt-driven? If not it seems like there shouldn't be too much of an issue of swapping out the back cog and coaster brake if not but that's all hypothetical
 

Jobiensis

Member
Sucks about the jersey, I presume you and the bike are OK at least.

I forgot my helmet this morning. Beautiful day and I'll just have to work instead of my planned lunch ride. Now I have to figure out how to squeeze another hour in the later days of the week.
 

entremet

Member
I want to start getting into racing. What's a good starter road bike, I know some can cost as much as cars, but I'm looking for a more affordable starter road bike.
 

vidcons

Banned
Sucks about the jersey, I presume you and the bike are OK at least.
Left side is banged up and some good paint was stripped off the bike. There might be some damage to the ~integrity of the carbon fiber~

So, depending on repair costs, I may be in the market for a new frame.

Wheel rims also got jagged a little, but I'm guessing the sharp cuts can be sanded/buffed out so I don't shred brake pads.
I want to start getting into racing. What's a good starter road bike, I know some can cost as much as cars, but I'm looking for a more affordable starter road bike.

CAAD 10
Allez
 

Discusguy

Member
You could get a really nice Fuji altimera for the price of the allez and cadd10. I was looking for beginner bikes too for triathlons but wanted something I could di group rides in also. I ended up getting Fuji gran fondo. Love that bike.

You need to test ride those bike if you can at least get a feel for them in the parking lot.
 

Jobiensis

Member
I would say that you should spend some time finding a good bike shop. As long as you are sticking with the major manufacturers the bikes in the same price bracket will be for the most part comparable (as long as frame material is the same), so it may be more important to get a brand that the bike shop you like carries. Then you talk to the bike shop and see what might fit your style and budget best.


I have a CAAD10, and love it. I rented an Allez and it was a pretty nice bike, and I could see how some would prefer its ride (I don't).
 
It's been cold hovering around freezing, so I had to get some new gloves and I also found some new shoes! My old Northwave team shoes lasted 12 years but are ready to explode, so it was time.

IMAG0650.jpg
 

Jzero

Member
I'm not joking. That cable would do nothing vs a semi decent set of bolt cutters.

Something like that would be fine for leaving outside the shops for 10 minutes... but you wouldn't want it for leaving your bike in a public place all day. Not when better alternatives like this exist:

http://tigrlock.com/

tigr_titanium_bicycleg4djs.jpg

120302-tigr-lock-006esffns.jpg
Yea but holy shit at that price tag. I would probably invest in one of these if i had an expensive bike though.
 
You should see the chain I use for mine. You'd more commonly see it hanging from a cruise liner attached to an anchor. :D

Sure as shit wouldn't carry it with me though! (It's only for when I travel and can keep the chain in the car)
 
Not really much in the way of choice when you're staying at a B&B, unless you find one that'll let you take it into your room (good luck with that!). Most of the places I stayed had a place for the bikes out back, but I still wouldn't leave it there without an anchor.

But no, I couldn't leave my bikes in a courtyard somewhere. I'd have to buy a clunker I didn't care about losing.
 
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