Post: #51

For those who like "rags to riches" stories. Here's one, dude lost 320 pounds riding a bike. He used to weight 500 pounds, he's now at 184.

http://www.bicycling.com/training-nutrit...iding-bike

Plus, he moved with his whole family from New Jersey to Minneapolis...then to Portland, Oregon to continue riding.

Moving your whole family to pursue your goals? Alpha?

Post: #52

Chicago has done monumental work to construct new bike lanes all over the city. If anyone ever visits, (and you don't have your bike handy) I would definitely recommend that you take advantage of the bike sharing program, Divvy, and head out on the bike path that goes all along the lakefront. It's about 20 miles long and offers some spectacular views of the city.

The mayor has talked about making Chicago the most bike friendly city in the nation, and I hope that he lives up to that goal. It's really made an enormous difference in how much less I use my car not to mention it's a great cardio workout. Not to mention you get some great beach "scenery" while riding.

Post: #53

Been biking a lot around town lately.

I will say...girls are eyefucking the fuck out of me when I'm on that bike.

I haven't figured out a way to stop and get them when catching them in the act, but I do notice a lot of stares.

Anyone ever pick up a girl while out on a bike?

Once I pulled up to a stop light and flirted with a girl for a bit and got her number...but thats my only bike-game. Paltry.

There is some potential here.

Post: #54

Is this our official bike thread now?

Post: #55

(07-13-2014 05:47 PM)el mechanico Wrote:  Is this our official bike thread now?

It wouldn't hurt to have a good thread on biking. It's good for the health.

Post: #56

(07-13-2014 05:47 PM)el mechanico Wrote:  Is this our official bike thread now?

It should be.

In other news, just did 50 miles in 4.5 hours in the last 15 hours.

It sounds weird, let me break it down. Rode for 2.5 hours, slept for 8, did some random shit for 3.5, rode another 2 hours. My legs are tired and my ass is uber sore.

Fat tires are time-trial killers, I saw this dude with pizza cutters and he was flying like a kite.

Post: #57

I plan to bike through the winter using super warm biking gloves plus regular winter gear (coat, scarf...).

I hear good things about the Castelli Estremo gloves. They can cost about $100 or so, maybe more, maybe less.

Keep my good shoes in my bag and wear gym shoes while riding to avoid winter mud and slush. Change when I get to my destination.

As an update. I started biking everywhere in April. Haven't driven or taken public transportation hardly at all. I am in great shape and very tan.

Post: #58

I just picked up a bike for commuting, errands, and the occasional distance joy ride. It's a hybrid as I didn't feel like dropping a grand on a road bike since I haven't ridden a bike in about 20 years. At least make sure I will do it consistently before I upgrade.

Honestly, I am surprised at how much I am enjoying it.

Post: #59

I am part of a cycling club and I cycle about 3 days per week. About 35 miles per ride, averaging 16mph and about 500 to 1000ft elevation. Cycling will lean you up REALLY good. It is a great place to network. It will also make your legs vascular as hell. There are plenty of women who are in to cycling or just riding bikes. Even if they don't have a bike, they want one. When you tell a woman you're about to ride 40 miles, they look at you a certain way...... A GOOD WAY.

Post: #60

Fabulus, what kind of cycling club did you join? How did you find it?

Do you know where I could meet girls who are into cycling?

Post: #61

Google cycling in your city. My group is about 1400 members at all different skill levels. Just find a group. They are full of women. Or just start riding in a busy park and start gaming girls on bikes.

Post: #62

(09-01-2014 10:33 AM)fabulas Wrote:  Google cycling in your city. My group is about 1400 members at all different skill levels. Just find a group. They are full of women. Or just start riding in a busy park and start gaming girls on bikes.

There's also a huge number of app out there now where you can track your routes , time, calories and elevation for best routes around your city.

Post: #63

(09-01-2014 12:40 PM)lovejoy Wrote:  

(09-01-2014 10:33 AM)fabulas Wrote:  Google cycling in your city. My group is about 1400 members at all different skill levels. Just find a group. They are full of women. Or just start riding in a busy park and start gaming girls on bikes.

There's also a huge number of app out there now where you can track your routes , time, calories and elevation for best routes around your city.

What's the app?

Endomodo doesn't have many routes or trails.

Post: #64

I've been biking casually for a little while now, but I recently replaced my "couch on wheels" bicycle, a big heavy beach cruiser, with a hybrid. Here's how I recommend getting a decent bike:

How To Get A Decent Bike
1. Identify several bike models that you'd be comfortable riding. For me, that was a hybrid. This roundup review has a good selection. Felt also produced a now discontinued hybrid, called the Verza.

2. Download the unofficial Craigslist app and create a search that captures all the bikes you want. A typical search might be (Sirrus Specialized) | (Jamis Coda) | (Trek 7*) . That search turns up any one of those three bikes, and the Trek one turns up Trek 7.2, 7.3 or 7.4 bikes - the asterisk just means return results with any characters after that 7. You can have the CL app notify you when there are new results, or just check it manually.

3. Download or check the website of the Bicycle Blue Book to get roughly how much you should pay for a bike.

4. Contact the sellers with roughly at or below market rates. If you see something a little above market, you can try bargaining him down or pointing him to the blue book (I didn't need to do this). If everything checks out, bring cash, meet up, take the bike for a spin, check the parts (use a checklist, like http://www.cyclorama.net/viewArticle.php?id=342 ) and buy the bike. Look out for suspicious listings and avoid them.

I found a bike that was 1-2 years old, retailed for just over $600, for $250 plus some extra gear. I didn't even bargain with the guy, because the price was already $50+ below blue book and the guy was super nice. When I bought it, it was the most promising listing, from several days of listings in a major city. So don't feel compelled to make a choice among the existing listings, wait a little bit. The more specific your search - like say, you only wanted the Sirrus Specialized, the longer you'll have to wait. There are always people who are desperate to get rid of their bike at bargain rate prices, so there's no reason to pay more than blue book - or so my experience suggests. Just move quickly.

In general, I think you can get bikes only 1-2 years old in great condition for about half their retail price. While you can easily go older and cheaper, that will require some deeper knowledge of bike brands and components that you may not have - I don't. If you want to get a different bike down the road, you won't suffer that immediate 50% loss from buying new. Plus bikes are one of those things that many people buy and end up not using them, so you really can get a like new bike for half price. The downside is your selection among used bikes is not as great.

What is your take on the best bike for urban commuting? Aside from fixies, which are a special case. I've seen a lot of people suggest hybrids, especially the steel Jamis Coda, but I also wonder about adapting a road bike, say with fatter wheels, or even a cyclocross.

Initially, the more prone posture of the hybrid freaked me out a little bit, but I quickly adjusted.

Post: #65

(02-15-2015 08:52 PM)Basil Ransom Wrote:  I've been biking casually for a little while now, but I recently replaced my "couch on wheels" bicycle, a big heavy beach cruiser, with a hybrid. Here's how I recommend getting a decent bike:

How To Get A Decent Bike
1. Identify several bike models that you'd be comfortable riding. For me, that was a hybrid. This roundup review has a good selection. Felt also produced a now discontinued hybrid, called the Verza.

2. Download the unofficial Craigslist app and create a search that captures all the bikes you want. A typical search might be (Sirrus Specialized) | (Jamis Coda) | (Trek 7*) . That search turns up any one of those three bikes, and the Trek one turns up Trek 7.2, 7.3 or 7.4 bikes - the asterisk just means return results with any characters after that 7. You can have the CL app notify you when there are new results, or just check it manually.

3. Download or check the website of the Bicycle Blue Book to get roughly how much you should pay for a bike.

4. Contact the sellers with roughly at or below market rates. If you see something a little above market, you can try bargaining him down or pointing him to the blue book (I didn't need to do this). If everything checks out, bring cash, meet up, take the bike for a spin, check the parts (use a checklist, like http://www.cyclorama.net/viewArticle.php?id=342 ) and buy the bike. Look out for suspicious listings and avoid them.

I found a bike that was 1-2 years old, retailed for just over $600, for $250 plus some extra gear. I didn't even bargain with the guy, because the price was already $50+ below blue book and the guy was super nice. When I bought it, it was the most promising listing, from several days of listings in a major city. So don't feel compelled to make a choice among the existing listings, wait a little bit. The more specific your search - like say, you only wanted the Sirrus Specialized, the longer you'll have to wait. There are always people who are desperate to get rid of their bike at bargain rate prices, so there's no reason to pay more than blue book - or so my experience suggests. Just move quickly.

In general, I think you can get bikes only 1-2 years old in great condition for about half their retail price. While you can easily go older and cheaper, that will require some deeper knowledge of bike brands and components that you may not have - I don't. If you want to get a different bike down the road, you won't suffer that immediate 50% loss from buying new. Plus bikes are one of those things that many people buy and end up not using them, so you really can get a like new bike for half price. The downside is your selection among used bikes is not as great.

What is your take on the best bike for urban commuting? Aside from fixies, which are a special case. I've seen a lot of people suggest hybrids, especially the steel Jamis Coda, but I also wonder about adapting a road bike, say with fatter wheels, or even a cyclocross.

Initially, the more prone posture of the hybrid freaked me out a little bit, but I quickly adjusted.

Solid advice.

I wish I would have done more research when buying my bike. I was just in a pinch and needed one to get to class on time.

It's been only about a year and a half since I got my bike and it is already pretty beat up. I ride it all through the winter though and the road salt destroys some of the parts.

I snapped a chain and had to replace the rear hub. I also snapped the handlebars hopping over a curb.

I will probably upgrade once I move out west.

Post: #66

(02-15-2015 08:52 PM)Basil Ransom Wrote:  What is your take on the best bike for urban commuting? Aside from fixies, which are a special case. I've seen a lot of people suggest hybrids, especially the steel Jamis Coda, but I also wonder about adapting a road bike, say with fatter wheels, or even a cyclocross.

That depends. I'll give my take and toss out some ideas.

I bought a folding bike last year and it has worked out great. I would arrive to work and fold it up, and toss it into the corner. On the road, I went at about the same speed as I do on my road bike.

However, after a while I started to find that it wasn't really necessary to have a folding bike, because most places that I commuted to had plenty of space for storing a full-size bike. So, I stopped using my folding bike.

I think that a folding bike would be best for someone who really doesn't have space in the places that he visits to store a full-size bike. Or, someone who is taking a commuter train, and needs to store his bike. But, if it were me I might just stand up with my bike on the train.

I don't think that a road bike is ideal for biking in urban settings, either. Because you are always starting and stopping, and any advantages in speed that a road bike brings are nullified by stop lights, stop signs, etc. (though I usually coast through those after checking that it's safe to do so).

Since I don't have one, I can't say definiteively, but probably a hybrid bike would be best for cities.

Post: #67

I did some research last night, and turned up something very interesting.

The conventional wisdom in cycling is that thin tires are faster. Road bikes have thin tires. Wider tires, the thinking goes, are slower, but are more comfortable and less susceptible to crashes from hitting road debris, and also get punctures less. Now, many are claiming that wider tires (up to 42 mm, vs 25 mm road bikes) are not in fact any slower. Due to their added heft, acceleration on wider tires is slower, but they are just as fast as thinner tires on pavement, and even faster on rougher roads. The important thing is to get wide tires that are supple and actually let you go fast - so not just any 42 mm tire will do. He also favors most 27.5" wheels with 42 mm tires.

Reading that, I'd love to try out a bike with the sorts of 42 mm tires he advocates, and more generally, a steel road bike kitted out with the 42 mm tires he sells. Steel frame + wide tires = comfort. Performance tires + road bike = speed. Drop bars -> more positions for hands to reduce wrist pain (which I just got from a 20+ mile ride). Most road bike frames will not accommodate a 42 mm tire though.

Jan Heine at Bicycling Quarterly has written about this: https://janheine.wordpress.com/2014/01/0...ast-tires/

Post: #68

To answer Basil's question:

I started to ride my bike to my new gig, 40 minutes but I can excercise and clear my mind. Not to mention I deal with bumper to bumper traffic for 25 minutes or tolls. Should save me around 150 a month, a random non-calculated estimate. It's easy and takes less time to take it to the store or gym instead of turning on my car, going around my apartment complex, and parking.

In regards to fat tires. I got some big apple 2.3 tires on a 29er, it's a slow start but once I'm rolling it's all gravy. The max speed has been 22 MPH. Any bump is rarely felt and tight turns on wet roads are easy unlike skinny tires. Even then, the MTB tires are better in rain than slick road tires but changing tires every time it rains is too time consuming.

The question is:

Do y'all use Strava?

PM me for my Strava ID, I wanted to embed it but it shows an approximate area of where I live.

Post: #69

Which one is going to be the bike thread already?

Post: #70

Well, since the other thread says "pro cycling" then we'll leave that one for the tour-de-france and the like guys.

Everything else should be a perfect fit here. It would be great if the mods could change the title to "The biking (bicycle) thread" or something.

Post: #71

I've had an Opus Road bike for about 8 years now. When I get a new one I'll buy a carbon fiber one in the 3-5k range. These things literally last forever so you might as well get the best quality. My dad has had a canondale for about 15 years now and it's still going strong. Since I've got a road bike I can't ever imagine going back to using a moutain bike. I used a mountain bike once after getting a road bike and couldn't believe how big, slow and clumsy it felt.

Post: #72

Biking in my city:

Post: #73

I strangely enough developed a folding bike fetish. I ended up getting an Airminal Joey from the UK and it's pretty cool.

I collect stuff but tend to buy original time capsule stuff then won't ride them. I have an old Klein Attiude that's in never outside condition sitting in my office that I won't get wet. Ugh I have a long list but don't want to become a slave to my stuff or explain why I have them while in plain view.

Right now I'm looking for a old Motobecane or Dawes frame in brand new or nos to build a street cruiser out of. Do you guys lace or build wheels? Profile hubs is real close to me they made a three speed that they discontinued I'm searching relentless for to build a Titanium Carver ultra light cruiser if anyone comes across one $

Post: #74

What are your guys thoughts on a cyclocross bike for all around city riding and longer rides?
I like road bikes too but don't see myself getting decked out in spandex and getting too serious about it.
I also don't plan to go on trails.

Post: #75

(03-14-2015 10:46 PM)The_CEO Wrote:  What are your guys thoughts on a cyclocross bike for all around city riding and longer rides?
I like road bikes too but don't see myself getting decked out in spandex and getting too serious about it.
I also don't plan to go on trails.

I wish I would have gone that route. I beat on my bike pretty hard and the road bike tires have given me all kinds of problems.

On a side note I found a bike store in my city that had a selection of used parts and finally scored a new pair of handlebars after I snapped my old ones.