The Bicycle / Biking Gear Thread

So after weeks of dicking about not being able to index my rear gears properly I finally managed to get it to a shop.

Turns out the chain is slightly too short for the drivetrain (not something I'd ever have noticed) - 10 minute fix, £5 to do so and as long as I don't use the extremities of front and rear cogs, it's not really going to be a problem.

Tried to sell me on a Shimano groupset instead of the Campag I've got on it just now. Maybe down the line but now I'm just glad I can ride it again. Just in time for a pub in town to open a walk / cycle up hatch for some refreshing lager beers :embarrassed:
 
Kind of a nice observation (I think) after a flat.

Had a pinch flat today, didn't see a 2X2" foot long piece of wood in the bike lane just after I had passed another cyclist (it was in the shadows and I was in the sun), saw it at the last second but couldn't avoid it. First reaction...that's not good...10 sec later nothing maybe I got lucky, 20 seconds after that...a pinch flat. Oh well that's what the spare tube is for. The nice part was I would say about at least 50% of the folks that rode past me either called out to see if I needed help or slow and asked to make sure I had everything I needed. That was really nice I thought and more that would have done that a year ago methinks. :thu:
 
I need a dirt bike. Or, actually, I don't really know what kind of bike I need. But I need one to ride the dirt roads in my neighborhood.

I looked at MTB's, and various other stuff, and ..... holy shit, the number of choices. I don't want suspension (not too much single track, and if I get into that shit I will just get a nicer MTB). No, I want a $500 or so bike so I can do 5 mile rambles in my hood on dirt roads.

What do I need?
 
Danhedonia said:
I need a dirt bike. Or, actually, I don't really know what kind of bike I need. But I need one to ride the dirt roads in my neighborhood.

I looked at MTB's, and various other stuff, and ..... holy shit, the number of choices. I don't want suspension (not too much single track, and if I get into that shit I will just get a nicer MTB). No, I want a $500 or so bike so I can do 5 mile rambles in my hood on dirt roads.

What do I need?
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Used hard tail mountain bike will be fine. Trek, Specialized, Giant, something like that. That is what I would do. Switch out tires to your taste after you wear out whatever is one there.
 
@sunvalleylaw Thanks. I think that's what I'm looking at. I imagine that 'hardtail' means no springy shock absorber thingies? You're right, I don't need those.

I've been frustrated with the local used market, but that's an old story. I was kinda hoping that maybe there was something reasonably priced on bikesdirect or something that I could access new at that price range.
 
Danhedonia said:
@sunvalleylaw Thanks. I think that's what I'm looking at. I imagine that 'hardtail' means no springy shock absorber thingies? You're right, I don't need those.

I've been frustrated with the local used market, but that's an old story. I was kinda hoping that maybe there was something reasonably priced on bikesdirect or something that I could access new at that price range.
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Well, yah, you can do that. I am not a huge fan of the bikes, as they come equipped with pretty entry level components, and sometimes the frames themselves seem a little wonky from a geometry perspective. But I have friends that use their stuff for all their biking.

Here is one in that price range that seems like it should work for pedaling around on and off pavement around the neighborhood.
http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/raleigh-bicycles/raleigh-talus-4-mountainbikes.htm
 
Here is a quick search I did on PinkBike for hardtails up to $600 in size medium and large Some options there, mebbe. But not local, so yeah. And all old. I get what you are saying about it being frustrated to shop used. Especially for a low dollar price. Local buy would be nice for used.

https://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/li...26,28,29,23,27,34,35,36,30,31,47&reartravel=1

https://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/2750859/ This is a cool old Specialized, and pics make it seem in really good shape, but it is old, rim brakes, etc. Mebbe for what you want, the bikes direct bike could be just fine.
 
My road bike is carbon and has Dura-Ace components. But I'm slow to adopt new technology. I am not moving to disc brakes on my road bike any time soon. It's an answer to a non-existent problem. I've climbed out of Death Valley and descended into the next valley at 70mph on my old aluminum road bike back in the day and during the California state road climbing championship (back in 2001). Didn't have any issue with rim brakes. I have disc brakes on my mountain bike and find that even with the setting where I have a lot of play, when I'm bombing down fireroads at 40+mph I find that they want to lock up really easily. Not good on loose dirt and gravel.

So now my old Ksyrium rear wheel got a crack at one of the spoke nipples. I've been wanting to switch to carbon wheels, but there have been issues for a few years with rim brakes (OK, this is probably really old news). Guys on my old Saturday group ride have told me you need aero carbon wheels to keep up with the fast group nowadays. Friends have told me you notice the difference immediately with deep rims of at least 50-60mm. So I went on competitive cycle.com and ordered a cheap set of HED carbon wheels and had them shipped. Then I read further and realize that I bought the old-school (still new to me) carbon attached to aluminum rim wheels, which is basically a carbon fiber fairing. And the spoke nipples are underneath the fairing and only available to adjust from the inside of the rim (where the rim tape would be). So I cancel my order as they're shipped to my house, get an RMA number and label to ship them back. I never opened the box. In fact wheels are so light nowadays the box really felt like an empty box.

So finally I find new Mavic Ksyrium carbon wheels. I feel good because of the strength of Ksyriums I've owned in the past (being 6'2" and weighing always somewhere above 190, 185 racing weight). Supposedly they've perfected the braking surface to prevent overheating and the rims take tubeless tires (which I've had some issues with on my mountain bike but open to trying on my road bike). Should arrive tomorrow.

I'm also moving up to 25 width tires for the first time after having ridden 23s my entire road cycling life.

Can anyone else relate to this resistance to change and the difficulty just buying the wheels you've always liked nowadays. The old stuff is slowly disappearing and you have to move to the new technologies. I know that buying new carbon wheels for rim brakes will have a limited life as disc brake bikes will probably soon become the only ones available. I hope not. Rim brakes are really superior for road bikes in every way. Especially if you live in a state that rarely gets rain.
 
My kind of townie.
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I'm not a fan of deep carbon wheels other than for a TT/tri bike. Larger than 40mm rims tend to be a bit heavy and slow to accelerate unless you spend $4K+.

I can't even remember riding 23's, it's been so long. I do remember when we rode 20mm tires in the early 90's. For fast road rides, 25mm is the sweet spot for me. With my current health deterioration, I doubt I'll ever be fast again.

Regardless of brake type, my next wheels will be from Spinergy. They are affordable ($600 to $1200 per set for most models), light, super strong and the most comfortable spokes you'll ever ride on.
https://www.spinergy.com/store/category/bicycle/type/road
 
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Wow...if you aren't a racer I have no idea why you would need to spend that kind of coin other than to say you did.
 
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nuke_diver said:
Wow...if you aren't a racer I have no idea why you would need to spend that kind of coin other than to say you did.
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Yep.
It's kinda' like doctors that collect guitars they can barely play. I've seen only one set of Lightweight wheels in person, owned by a riding buddy that owns a successful restaurant and all 4 of his road bikes easily cost over 10K.
 
Tig said:
I'm not a fan of deep carbon wheels other than for a TT/tri bike. Larger than 40mm rims tend to be a bit heavy and slow to accelerate unless you spend $4K+.

I can't even remember riding 23's, it's been so long. I do remember when we rode 20mm tires in the early 90's. For fast road rides, 25mm is the sweet spot for me. With my current health deterioration, I doubt I'll ever be fast again.

Regardless of brake type, my next wheels will be from Spinergy. They are affordable ($600 to $1200 per set for most models), light, super strong and the most comfortable spokes you'll ever ride on.
https://www.spinergy.com/store/category/bicycle/type/road
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The Ksyrium Pro carbon wheelset (tubeless) is about $1300 on competitive cyclist right now. Huge savings (40% off)
 
Tig said:
Yep.
It's kinda' like doctors that collect guitars they can barely play. I've seen only one set of Lightweight wheels in person, owned by a riding buddy that owns a successful restaurant and all 4 of his road bikes easily cost over 10K.
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2 of our 3 cars aren't worth that much :rotflmao:combined
 
I'm fat (5-10, 215) and have "nice" things. I can tell you why: they're more pleasant to ride. I used to laugh at people who "didn't use" their BMW's power, until one time when I absolutely had to drive one at the speed limit for a while. It was still a very pleasant experience, more pleasant than a Toyota that's for sure.

My Giant TCR-1 came as the answer to a Craigslist Prayer. $650, with another $2-3K of stuff thrown in. The seller was sick and would never ride again - I was the 'placement home.'

Immediately my average ride speed went up a MPH. When that's a movement from 17 to 18, and you're fat, it's nice. I also just love being on the bike, which of course yields all kinds of benefits.

@rickenvox Yeah, I identify. (I wasn't always fat, but have ridden road bikes most of my life from 12 years old). All of what you wrote resonates - but there are advances, and I remind myself that I laughed at people with smartwatches until I bought one, and love what it can do.

As for tire width, I'm an old guy who was raised on 1" tires (NOT EVEN A METRIC MEASUREMENT DO YOU REALIZE HOW OLD THAT MAKES ME?????) and I'll give up 23s when you pry them from my cold, dead fingers. I also inflate them to 130PSI for comfort, motherfucker, not just my weight and can't imagine backing off on that, either.

In other words, you gotta compromise with yourself on shit, try to keep an open mind but also respect when you know what you like.
 
So, I figured out the bike I want: a Specialized Rock Hopper, size XL. I got to ride one, and was all smiles.

But America is going through an epic bike shortage, so I can't even buy one.
 
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