cycling question for chess9 or any other knowledgeable person

[timokabo]

Originally Posted by watermantra

Kudos on getting back on the bike after your accident. I know tons of guys who are still gun shy after their collisions with cars.

Visit your local bike shop and talk to the shop guys about building a good rear wheel for you. They can use tandem spokes and 36 spoke rims and build a bulletproof wheel for you. The Shimano SIS just indicates that the derailleurs are compatible with index shifting. Downtube shifters will be the cheapest option for you. (This is a road frame, right? If not, you might have to get special mountain shifters, especially if the bike has less than eight speeds in the rear) You won't be able to get disc brakes on this old frame, because it won't have the dropouts (points of mounting) for it. Just have the brakes tuned up well, and replace the pads. You'll be fine. I'd expect to spend a bit more than $200, but it can be done. Good luck!

-just read that the front wheel already has a disk on it. You may be able to put a disc on the rear, after all...

yeah it is long due for me to start riding again. i put on almost 100 pounds since then and have shed 40 of it so far. i did vist the bike shop today and they are in process of building me a bullet proff doubled walled wheel as we speak with 36 spokes. it is a mountain bike also but i dont think ill be doing much to crank set at current time,since once i lose another 30-40 pounds ill be off buying a road bike . i decided ill just replace the brake pads in rear during tune up.thanks for info and 150-200 bucks is much better than spending over 450 to get a decent bike to shed some pounds.

dominic (timokabo)

[watermantra]

Originally Posted by timokabo

yeah it is long due for me to start riding again. i put on almost 100 pounds since then and have shed 40 of it so far. i did vist the bike shop today and they are in process of building me a bullet proff doubled walled wheel as we speak with 36 spokes. it is a mountain bike also but i dont think ill be doing much to crank set at current time,since once i lose another 30-40 pounds ill be off buying a road bike . i decided ill just replace the brake pads in rear during tune up.thanks for info and 150-200 bucks is much better than spending over 450 to get a decent bike to shed some pounds.

dominic (timokabo)

Great! Happy riding!

[Il Mostro]

At your size you should also take a look at oversized aluminum frames -- Klein and Cannondale come to mind.

[Il Mostro]

At your size you might also consider an oversized aluminum frame -- Klein and Cannondale come to mind.

[timokabo]

Originally Posted by Il Mostro

At your size you might also consider an oversized aluminum frame -- Klein and Cannondale come to mind.

steel is a stronger metal than aluminum,my main goal is getting the bullet proof rear wheel

[Il Mostro]

Originally Posted by timokabo

steel is a stronger metal than aluminum,my main goal is getting the bullet proof rear wheel

The increased diameter of aluminum frames create a stronger frame. With steel frames, there are ways to increase the strength of seamless tubing by making it thicker at the lugs or welds, or with spiral reinforcement (i.e. Columbus SLX) but the limiting factor is the strength to weight ratio. The other problem is the ride quality; heavy steel loses the whole magic of a good steel frame and gets progressively more uncomfortable as the steel gets thicker. OS Ti works even better but is cost prohibitive given what I think are budget considerations (look at Merlin if you want). OS aluminum is lighter than a comparably strong steel frame, rides great and has a real-world cost.

I know a bit about this having raced competitively for over 30 years at a fairly high level on everything from road, cyclocross to mountain bikes. Big guys love Cannondale & Klein or any other good OS aluminum frame.

[Max Winther]

Originally Posted by timokabo

ok i used that last one as a base to go off of. how about these bikes .
http://americancycleandfitness.com/i...ls.cfm?id=3959
Solid bike, could use better brakes and drivetrain though.
http://americancycleandfitness.com/i...ls.cfm?id=4080
This is a Dirt Jumping bike. Big, knobby tires will be no fun uphill on pavement. The geometry is more suited to off roading and jumping. Stay away from this one.

http://americancycleandfitness.com/i...ls.cfm?id=3952
This is a nice bike. The fork locks out, which means you can make it to where it doesn't move at all. This is useful for big climbs so that all of your pedaling can be used effeciently. Nicer brakes than the Wahoo. Better drivetrain too with more range and stouter components. You may want to get some skinnier, more road suited tires though. Aside from that, this is a really good bike for you.
http://americancycleandfitness.com/i...ls.cfm?id=3951
This is the same as the Wahoo, but with better wheels, disc brakes, and worse pedals. Not worth the price, IMO.
http://americancycleandfitness.com/i...ls.cfm?id=3992
For almost the same price as the Marlin, you get a worse fork, worse drivetrain, worse hubs, and a little better tires. Not a bad bike, but not worth the price.

thanks again for helping me

See the bolded responses in the quote above. If you have access to this store, I would test ride the marlin and the wahoo disc. Ask the salesman if there are any bikes with similar specs as these 2 and test them out too. Hope I could help.

[Max Winther]

^^^ did not read that you were going to upgrade a steel frame you have instead of buying a new one. probably a good decision.

[timokabo]

Originally Posted by Max Winther

^^^ did not read that you were going to upgrade a steel frame you have instead of buying a new one. probably a good decision.

yeah i think it is wiser to upgrade, since this will be my weight loss/beater bike. next winter im going to hunt for a nice road bike,since ive seen some nice ones on **** and craigslist but think i can get them cheaper in the fall/winter

[Max Winther]

Good call. No sense beating on a new bike when your trying to lose weight. I would try to go used when you do want to get a new bike. You can find a 2-3 year old bike with better components than a new bike for the same price. Course you do lose the warranty or free tune ups and whatnot, but with some of the money you save, you can pay for annual tune ups and the occasional broken part.

[ojingoh]

Aye well done, CrMo Steel is strong stuff. You're smart for spending money on a bomber real wheel, that's where most of em break and with suspension forks you rarely see tacoed front wheels anymore.

The best tip anyone ever gave me about bieng a serious cyclist is to match tire to activity. If you got the funds I'd recommend more than one set of tires, even another set of wheels for those tires. For street riding, there is no reason at all you should be rocking a set of knobbies. your speed will suck, your cornering will be downright dangerous. Get a smooth slick tire, preferrably one you can pump up to more that 65 psi.

[ojingoh]

oh yeah one other thing: get this book:
Big Blue Book of Bicycle Repair
Do your own tuneups and wheel truing. It's pretty easy to keep your bike in running order. I know a ton of guys (racers especially) that have no clue how to toe in brakes -- on a $5k bike.

[timokabo]

Originally Posted by ojingoh

Aye well done, CrMo Steel is strong stuff. You're smart for spending money on a bomber real wheel, that's where most of em break and with suspension forks you rarely see tacoed front wheels anymore.

The best tip anyone ever gave me about bieng a serious cyclist is to match tire to activity. If you got the funds I'd recommend more than one set of tires, even another set of wheels for those tires. For street riding, there is no reason at all you should be rocking a set of knobbies. your speed will suck, your cornering will be downright dangerous. Get a smooth slick tire, preferrably one you can pump up to more that 65 psi.

i got the tire thing covered for my area. its a cross between a knobby and slick since there are bumpy country type rodes mixed with some super smooth newer roads in my area. also ill deffently be picking up a maintnece book since its ludicris to pay a shop 30-50 bucks for a tune up when most of the time you can do it for less than 5 bucks. it also will be good to know how to true a wheel.

[timokabo]

Originally Posted by Max Winther

Good call. No sense beating on a new bike when your trying to lose weight. I would try to go used when you do want to get a new bike. You can find a 2-3 year old bike with better components than a new bike for the same price. Course you do lose the warranty or free tune ups and whatnot, but with some of the money you save, you can pay for annual tune ups and the occasional broken part.

great minds think alike. i would never ever buy a new road bike. im also going ot learn how to do my own maintence so i would not have to pay a ton of money to get tune ups at lbs.i also have an old schwinn la tour and varsity in my garage that i might fix up for my road bike.

[ojingoh]

If you're sticking to the roads though, don't get knobbies. get a true slick for 26" rims, something you can pump up to 100psi -- the stiffness of the air protects your tire rim. You use low pressure on MTB tires for one reason: digging dirt with the knobs. In all other ways higher pressure is better for your bike's handling and tires.

I use these on my MTB when i want a slick: Specialized Fat Boy
and Michelin Krylons on my 'cross bike.

Bike Tires Direct btw is the Tennis Warehouse of bike parts.

[timokabo]

Originally Posted by ojingoh

If you're sticking to the roads though, don't get knobbies. get a true slick for 26" rims, something you can pump up to 100psi -- the stiffness of the air protects your tire rim. You use low pressure on MTB tires for one reason: digging dirt with the knobs. In all other ways higher pressure is better for your bike's handling and tires.

I use these on my MTB when i want a slick: Specialized Fat Boy
and Michelin Krylons on my 'cross bike.

Bike Tires Direct btw is the Tennis Warehouse of bike parts.

thanks for link and ill have to look into those type of tires. the max psi my tires can do is 70

[timokabo]

i was at bike shop and i used there indoor road cycling machine/trainer and i think i found my new sport. i know for sure ill be buying a road bike in the near future(when i lose 30 more lbs).i was riding on some cannandale racing bike. i was able to do 60 km in just under 55 mins,is that good? also ill most likely be buying used on this one,any recomendations for specific componeents i should be looking for?


thanks again,

dominic(timokabo)

[chess9]

Originally Posted by timokabo

i was at bike shop and i used there indoor road cycling machine/trainer and i think i found my new sport. i know for sure ill be buying a road bike in the near future(when i lose 30 more lbs).i was riding on some cannandale racing bike. i was able to do 60 km in just under 55 mins,is that good? also ill most likely be buying used on this one,any recomendations for specific componeents i should be looking for?


thanks again,

dominic(timokabo)

That's not only great, it's almost impossible! What was being used to measure your distance?

-Robert

[timokabo]

Originally Posted by chess9

That's not only great, it's almost impossible! What was being used to measure your distance?

-Robert

thats what i thought since 60 km is just under 40 miles.they had some computer thing hooked up to wheel. since when i biked at gym on there machine fastest i ever did consistantly was 35k/an hr.

even with the screwed up reading i still enjoyed riding, so i am deffently on the hunt for a steal on a road bike.

[Nellie]

Try a nice cross bike like this one:

http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/.../cafe_noir.htm

do not worry about weight - Stick with a steel frame. Get traditional spoked wheel (the more the better)