For real riding I have a Santa Cruise Superlight. Older model in the clear annodized finish. It's awesome and probably worth more than my car. Because of that for cruising around town I also have a older Giant mt bike I've had since college. Its comparable to a trek 7000, but since it's not a trek nobody bothers stealing it with the cheapo lock I use.
Oh, and for commuting I used to have a road bike but given the freeze/thaw pothole routine up here in the snow belt I'm on fat tires year round. Used to have a trek 1000 that I bent the rim on going through a pothole and ended up walking it the remaining 2.5 miles.
Now I can cut through the single track trails on the way home from the office...when weather permits.
Couple of questions from one of your resident amateurs:
1) Does anyone have any suggestions regarding biking attire as the weather cools? It's been a little cloudy and misty here lately and as much as I love biking, I think going from outside to inside is getting me sick every week, especially when I show up a bit sweaty from my ride. Are there any jackets or particular strategies that you recommend?
2) How often do you replace your tires? I stopped by the bike shop yesterday and was told I would need to replace mine soon. I haven't hit 300 miles on my hybrid yet. Just curious.....
i just went to the bike shop today at lunch to test drive the two bikes that i'm trying to decide between... i think that the trek 7.3fx is going to be my choice... i'm really looking forward to trading in my car commute for the new bike...
WonderK - go with ANYTHING made by Gore Bike Wear. Or any other clothing company that uses Gore Tex. No substitutes, just Gore Tex. It's amazing fabric. It'll wick your sweat for the most part and keep you from getting all sweaty when it is humid out.
I replace my front tire when the tread's worn out. Depends on tpi and mileage, but it's nice to have grip!
^ nice! the track team I ride for is in the process of building a goldsprints setup. I have a pair of Kreitler rollers I picked up for cheap on Craigslist that I'm going to get up and running soon, the lack of riding in the winter is killing me.
The London racing is organised by a bunch of ex-messengers called Rollapaluza. They have turned it into a nice little events business, doing events for corporate/team building types as well as the grimy London circuit riders. Nice.
I'm feeling GREAT today!!! After a longer-than-pleasant hiatus from my bike while it rained day after day, and occasionally snowed, I'm back in motion! I did just a couple mile sprint yesterday because my legs were itchy, even though it looked like it would pour any moment. Then today, thank god, the sun finally came out, so I went for a nice long ride. I'm happy now.
PsyArch:
so I just tried rollers for the first time, the first couple attempts were pretty stressful, but once I got the hang of things it was no problem. granted I'm still doing them in a doorway so I don't die, but still...
got the official word that I'm on a team for the road season, which means I have to start riding a lot more than my usual commute and playing around the city. we're supposed to get a foot of snow tonight here in Boston so we'll see how that all plays out.
PHo, road racing! very cool. My competitive urge only appears in 22second bursts which makes the extended efforts of road racing well beyond me. Good luck.
Your rollers are like training/warm-up rollers then? That was what Rollapaluza used to use. Many drunken accidents. Now they have the front fork mounted and unless you try pedalling backwards the forces all add up to keep the rear wheel on the roller (which has the speedo cable going to the clock).
If you speak German you might be able to get a hi-res version from these people. I came across the image on Buffalo Bill's Moving Target site. He might have the bicycle messengerism connection to Velozueri.
not sure how effective it'll be, but nice to know they are thinking of us...
but seriously, they should just outright say that bicyclists shouldn't be required to stop at a stop sign, i can't believe motorists complain about that... just too much energy for nothin
bumping this, because the new car thread got me thinking of other modes of transportation, plus i finally got this bike tuned up and ready for the warmer nyc weather:
dad's old 1979 (i believe) trek I found sitting in the basement he was willing to part with. still rides great.
phuyaka: get some toe cages and straps if you're planning on really riding the bike, it'll make a world of a difference. Velo Orange has some really nice leather-tipped ones if you want to go for the classic look, otherwise get some double-gated mountain bike style ones, a lot of people find they're easier to get used to with sneakers.
Pixel... yes it is a selle san marco, and older then the bike (mid 70s i think) that he had kept on a few bikes prior to this one, amazingly comfortable and raw hide finish.
good call on the Velvo straps, going to pick up some of the leather tip ones. All i had to replace so far were the tires and tubes (old ones looked like beef jerky after 30 years in a basement), the gold tape and TTT's were all his setup. I'm surprised it's in such good shape; he had it when he was living in Boston and got hit by two cars in it's lifetime and the frame is almost perfect. definitely a good inheritance. he also has an eddy merckx from around the same time that he still rides which looks unbelievable nice. i'll be keeping my eye on that one...
looking forward to some distance rides this summer, i'll have to come back north and do that manchester-rockport ride i was telling you about earlier.
For day-to-day life getting around the city, I just drive a crappy old bike. The only criterium I have for selecting these bikes is that they don't have too many parts that can break down, and that I don't mind too much when it gets stolen. Since that tends to happen a lot around here.
For sporting pleasure, I have an early eighties Gazelle Mont Ventoux, with a Weinmann group. Nothing too fancy, but I love the bike.
Pixel (or others) have you ever used those MKS half clips? it seems like they're just effective as the fulls but less restrictive, I just want to make sure it's something comfortable for every day riding in sneakers as well as for long distance...
well, a crappy 10-speed might be what I'll trade my hybrid in for soonish. I find that I want something lighter, and with a lower/longer riding position, both for the purpose of dragging my ass up all these hills and because now that I'm more comfortable on the road I'll admit that the "head's up" riding position bothers my back after a few miles.
Thanks for dropping some lingo Pixel- I'd seen toeclips like that before, and heard that they were more comfortable to pull out of than normal ones, but had no clue what the heck they were called!
phuyaka:
half clips would be fine if you're looking to just putt around town. I had them on one of my bikes when it was a single speed and enjoyed them, although they're not at 'solid' feeling as full cages w/ straps. cages with straps transfer more energy on the pull because of the engagement with the top of the foot and the strap along the instep. the half clips will really help you with getting proper foot positioning on the pedal though, which is a strong step in the right direction.
I put a road bike on layaway today... it's a custom build from a Giant frame, I'd say 55ish cm but with a forward protruding headset, so it manages to be a long enough riding position for comfort without the standover height being too high for me. Going to change out the toeclips for some of the MKS half-clips discussed above. It's powder coated blue, no decals whatsoever, black bar tape. But I might decide to retape the handlebars in yellow or orange for an extra bit of happiness later on. It's superlight, which makes me so very happy.
Anyway, I've got 60 days to pay up and collect it, so I've got to put my old bike on craigslist so that I can afford to do so!
PHo, good luck in the crit. Have a read of BikesnobNYC's piece on pass/fail racing, if you haven't already\
I'm not in the Rapha squad by some considerable margin. I haven't the lungs or the legs for professional racing. A hang-over, a good hang-over, from my years as a bicycle messenger are friends who work there.
I believe Rapha are making good headway in the US, as a brand. How;s the race team doing?
the team is doing well, Saturday is my first anything of the season and I'll be spinning (or mashing!) my ass off just to work as a team with the guys I'm heading out there with. my schedule at the school is going to change, so I'll be able to get more involved with training rides and races. lately its been solo rides and time on the trainer and rollers when I can fit it in.
the road bike is almost done with this season's upgrades and the track bike is just getting started - I'll have to post some pics when they're done.
Good luck Pixelwhore. I've been toying around with the idea of starting to race, but still not quite sure. More distance that Crit for me tho. Been logging in the miles......I missed my turn during a training ride the other day (11 mile climb up a nasty hill) and upon seeing that I did, I just did a 75mile loop. It' it was fricken nasty hot here in LA.
bicycles
For real riding I have a Santa Cruise Superlight. Older model in the clear annodized finish. It's awesome and probably worth more than my car. Because of that for cruising around town I also have a older Giant mt bike I've had since college. Its comparable to a trek 7000, but since it's not a trek nobody bothers stealing it with the cheapo lock I use.
Oh, and for commuting I used to have a road bike but given the freeze/thaw pothole routine up here in the snow belt I'm on fat tires year round. Used to have a trek 1000 that I bent the rim on going through a pothole and ended up walking it the remaining 2.5 miles.
Now I can cut through the single track trails on the way home from the office...when weather permits.
3" phatty 120 PSI tires are nice with 5 ply tubes
Couple of questions from one of your resident amateurs:
1) Does anyone have any suggestions regarding biking attire as the weather cools? It's been a little cloudy and misty here lately and as much as I love biking, I think going from outside to inside is getting me sick every week, especially when I show up a bit sweaty from my ride. Are there any jackets or particular strategies that you recommend?
2) How often do you replace your tires? I stopped by the bike shop yesterday and was told I would need to replace mine soon. I haven't hit 300 miles on my hybrid yet. Just curious.....
i just went to the bike shop today at lunch to test drive the two bikes that i'm trying to decide between... i think that the trek 7.3fx is going to be my choice... i'm really looking forward to trading in my car commute for the new bike...
when i ride a bike in cold weather i use a full face respirator, so i can breath easy and have no wind chill
and an idea about attire maybe surfer body suits for extra insulation?
... because my hybrid goes near 50
WonderK - go with ANYTHING made by Gore Bike Wear. Or any other clothing company that uses Gore Tex. No substitutes, just Gore Tex. It's amazing fabric. It'll wick your sweat for the most part and keep you from getting all sweaty when it is humid out.
I replace my front tire when the tread's worn out. Depends on tpi and mileage, but it's nice to have grip!
Bike-a-paloozza
Cyclists hold up their bicycles during a 'Critical Mass' demonstration on the European Car Free Day in Budapest, Hungary
i dont know much about bikes so I ask...
are there any not-to-pricy companies out there that dont make there bikes in China?
Trek Navigator...the name is loser-ish but its great for campus.
http://www.adafruit.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=5
London RollerRace
Two track bikes mounted on rollers for head to head racing. This is awesome. Come get it.
It looks a bit like this:
Go hipsters go!
I'm mean.
I just got a Salsa Ala Carte frame. 2006 Tang Orange.
Woo!
PsyArch goes racing:
And advertises Rapha:
^ nice! the track team I ride for is in the process of building a goldsprints setup. I have a pair of Kreitler rollers I picked up for cheap on Craigslist that I'm going to get up and running soon, the lack of riding in the winter is killing me.
The London racing is organised by a bunch of ex-messengers called Rollapaluza. They have turned it into a nice little events business, doing events for corporate/team building types as well as the grimy London circuit riders. Nice.
I'm feeling GREAT today!!! After a longer-than-pleasant hiatus from my bike while it rained day after day, and occasionally snowed, I'm back in motion! I did just a couple mile sprint yesterday because my legs were itchy, even though it looked like it would pour any moment. Then today, thank god, the sun finally came out, so I went for a nice long ride. I'm happy now.
...my ride around central pa...
What happens when RISD kids start making bikes, some very sweet paint jobs on display
Circle A
Circle A is the jam and the people there are super-cool.
Oh yeah, everyone should turn to page 10 of the latest Urban Velo issue and see if anyone (not me) looks familiar...
Yay John Prolly!
BTW, he responded to a question I asked ages ago and I never said thanks. So, thanks JP!
PsyArch:
so I just tried rollers for the first time, the first couple attempts were pretty stressful, but once I got the hang of things it was no problem. granted I'm still doing them in a doorway so I don't die, but still...
got the official word that I'm on a team for the road season, which means I have to start riding a lot more than my usual commute and playing around the city. we're supposed to get a foot of snow tonight here in Boston so we'll see how that all plays out.
PHo, road racing! very cool. My competitive urge only appears in 22second bursts which makes the extended efforts of road racing well beyond me. Good luck.
Your rollers are like training/warm-up rollers then? That was what Rollapaluza used to use. Many drunken accidents. Now they have the front fork mounted and unless you try pedalling backwards the forces all add up to keep the rear wheel on the roller (which has the speedo cable going to the clock).
oh crap that poster is hot! you know if theres a way to score a print?
If you speak German you might be able to get a hi-res version from these people. I came across the image on Buffalo Bill's Moving Target site. He might have the bicycle messengerism connection to Velozueri.
i was waiting for this thread to resurface, as the ice has melted and i've started commuting by bike again...
...also, they passed some new laws in chicago to protect bicyclists...
http://redeye.chicagotribune.com/chi-chicago-bicycle-law-webmar13,0,2580181.story
not sure how effective it'll be, but nice to know they are thinking of us...
but seriously, they should just outright say that bicyclists shouldn't be required to stop at a stop sign, i can't believe motorists complain about that... just too much energy for nothin
bumping this, because the new car thread got me thinking of other modes of transportation, plus i finally got this bike tuned up and ready for the warmer nyc weather:
dad's old 1979 (i believe) trek I found sitting in the basement he was willing to part with. still rides great.
phuyaka: that a really gorgeous ride, congrats! is that a Selle San Marco Concor saddle on there?
PsyArch: thanks for making my day
Sweet Trek. Good bump plan.
phuyaka: get some toe cages and straps if you're planning on really riding the bike, it'll make a world of a difference. Velo Orange has some really nice leather-tipped ones if you want to go for the classic look, otherwise get some double-gated mountain bike style ones, a lot of people find they're easier to get used to with sneakers.
Pixel... yes it is a selle san marco, and older then the bike (mid 70s i think) that he had kept on a few bikes prior to this one, amazingly comfortable and raw hide finish.
good call on the Velvo straps, going to pick up some of the leather tip ones. All i had to replace so far were the tires and tubes (old ones looked like beef jerky after 30 years in a basement), the gold tape and TTT's were all his setup. I'm surprised it's in such good shape; he had it when he was living in Boston and got hit by two cars in it's lifetime and the frame is almost perfect. definitely a good inheritance. he also has an eddy merckx from around the same time that he still rides which looks unbelievable nice. i'll be keeping my eye on that one...
looking forward to some distance rides this summer, i'll have to come back north and do that manchester-rockport ride i was telling you about earlier.
For day-to-day life getting around the city, I just drive a crappy old bike. The only criterium I have for selecting these bikes is that they don't have too many parts that can break down, and that I don't mind too much when it gets stolen. Since that tends to happen a lot around here.
For sporting pleasure, I have an early eighties Gazelle Mont Ventoux, with a Weinmann group. Nothing too fancy, but I love the bike.
Pixel (or others) have you ever used those MKS half clips? it seems like they're just effective as the fulls but less restrictive, I just want to make sure it's something comfortable for every day riding in sneakers as well as for long distance...
well, a crappy 10-speed might be what I'll trade my hybrid in for soonish. I find that I want something lighter, and with a lower/longer riding position, both for the purpose of dragging my ass up all these hills and because now that I'm more comfortable on the road I'll admit that the "head's up" riding position bothers my back after a few miles.
Thanks for dropping some lingo Pixel- I'd seen toeclips like that before, and heard that they were more comfortable to pull out of than normal ones, but had no clue what the heck they were called!
phuyaka:
half clips would be fine if you're looking to just putt around town. I had them on one of my bikes when it was a single speed and enjoyed them, although they're not at 'solid' feeling as full cages w/ straps. cages with straps transfer more energy on the pull because of the engagement with the top of the foot and the strap along the instep. the half clips will really help you with getting proper foot positioning on the pedal though, which is a strong step in the right direction.
rationalist:
no problem!
I put a road bike on layaway today... it's a custom build from a Giant frame, I'd say 55ish cm but with a forward protruding headset, so it manages to be a long enough riding position for comfort without the standover height being too high for me. Going to change out the toeclips for some of the MKS half-clips discussed above. It's powder coated blue, no decals whatsoever, black bar tape. But I might decide to retape the handlebars in yellow or orange for an extra bit of happiness later on. It's superlight, which makes me so very happy.
Anyway, I've got 60 days to pay up and collect it, so I've got to put my old bike on craigslist so that I can afford to do so!
bought gas for the first time in 2008 today! That stuff is PRICEY!!!!
In other news, I survived the first (& easiest) race of the year on sunday...
I've got my first criterium of the season on Saturday, quite nervous.
^ are you part of the Rapha squad out there? my good buddy is on it over here, Jeremy from Embrocation
PHo, good luck in the crit. Have a read of BikesnobNYC's piece on pass/fail racing, if you haven't already\
I'm not in the Rapha squad by some considerable margin. I haven't the lungs or the legs for professional racing. A hang-over, a good hang-over, from my years as a bicycle messenger are friends who work there.
I believe Rapha are making good headway in the US, as a brand. How;s the race team doing?
PA:
yeah, I read the BSNYC piece, I'm a fan.
the team is doing well, Saturday is my first anything of the season and I'll be spinning (or mashing!) my ass off just to work as a team with the guys I'm heading out there with. my schedule at the school is going to change, so I'll be able to get more involved with training rides and races. lately its been solo rides and time on the trainer and rollers when I can fit it in.
the road bike is almost done with this season's upgrades and the track bike is just getting started - I'll have to post some pics when they're done.
well, in the meantime, you can check out my new ride...
BTW, Pixel, re: those MKS half-clips, are they more effective than just taking the strap off of regular toeclips?
Good luck Pixelwhore. I've been toying around with the idea of starting to race, but still not quite sure. More distance that Crit for me tho. Been logging in the miles......I missed my turn during a training ride the other day (11 mile climb up a nasty hill) and upon seeing that I did, I just did a 75mile loop. It' it was fricken nasty hot here in LA.
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