Biking anyone?

[LeeD]

Always a brilliant idea to spend upwards of 4,000 on a light set of wheels for a 110 buck bike ...

[Eph]

I'm going to Highland Bike Park in NH this weekend for my birthday for some downhill mountain biking! I am so excited!

[LeeD]

Is that a ski resort making some money for the summer?
What bike do you ride? Are you renting it? What's the cost?
Lots of my windsurfing friends were sponsored downhillers, so rode NorthStar, DonnerSkiRanch, Squaw, and Kirkwood ski resorts.

[stringertom]

I'm new to this thread so just saying "hi"! I bike every day for a living on a biketaxi in Orlando. It's sometimes extreme biking (50-60 miles with a trailer and hopefully two or more passengers). Best thing I've ever done for my health...dropped 30 lbs. And rid myself of nagging leg issues. Come see me if you travel here!

[LeeD]

Wow, a pro biker!
I get tired after 37 miles, wimp I am.

[LanEvo]

Originally Posted by LeeD

Always a brilliant idea to spend upwards of 4,000 on a light set of wheels for a 110 buck bike ...

I said I want to spend around $50, any suggestions?

[LeeD]

OK, I'll bite.
Just pump up your tires to 60 lbs., best you can do.
A wheelset is hubs, spokes, rim, put together. A new one goes from 200 to 4,000 dollars. Midnight auto parts might be cheaper.
A tire is around $25 for cheapos.
How much did you want to spend?

[Eph]

Originally Posted by LeeD

Is that a ski resort making some money for the summer?
What bike do you ride? Are you renting it? What's the cost?
Lots of my windsurfing friends were sponsored downhillers, so rode NorthStar, DonnerSkiRanch, Squaw, and Kirkwood ski resorts.

I have a Turner 5. Spot, in blue. See here: http://www.turnerbikes.com/turner-bike-models/fivespot I also have a Cannondale CAAD5 hybrid bike that I use to get around town.

They rent good downhill bikes for $100. It costs $38 for the lift pass for the day-- not a bad price at all!

Actually, this place only does mountain biking, surprisingly enough. it is supposed to be very nice. Here's a cool video showing one of the (presumable advanced) trails: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryVSu2TaE2g

[SlapShot]

Originally Posted by LanEvo

I said I want to spend around $50, any suggestions?

Put your $50 in your pocket. You won't find decent wheels for $50. I'd be surprised if you found any wheels for $50.

[fundrazer]

Necrobump!

I got my first pair of road shoes today! I went with a pair of Specialized Comp shoes in Wide. One of the only shoes I've seen to be offered in wide, but these fit very well so far. Now I'm just waiting for my pedals to come overseas from Ribble. Then I'll finally be going cliplesss! Well, I'll get comfortable clipping in and out before going on the road, haha. For pedals I went with Look Keo Max 2's.

[LeeD]

I've been on SPD"s since the early '90's, but still don't believe it's the all around best choice. The best choice for sport rides, yes, but maybe not for everything.
Just relax your ankles, step out heel first. If you stiffen up your calf muscles, you will be trying to pull the balls of your feet straight sideways, a total non release leading to a slow motion LaughIn topple over.

[vive le beau jeu !]

Originally Posted by vive le beau jeu !

great thread !
i love biking too.



i do mainly mountain bike, although i'm not really into crazy dangerous downhill stuff but rather use it to get lost in the nature, do some exploration and picturesque climbs (the madrid sierra, where i've been living for the past few years, is really great for that).

i don't have much experience in road bike (only did 2 passes in the alps... something 10 years ago !), but i will get some more soon as i have a bike trip of several days planned in 3 weeks, finishing in the alps.

i now have a bit of experience in road bike !

the well-deserved col du Galibier:


the lunar landscape of the Casse Deserte, close to the col d'Izoard:


the col Agnel (the italian side wasn't a piece of cake !):


this Vitus bike was lent to me (as i don't have a road bike) and it was really a good one, even if the size of the frame was probably a little bit small for me...
also, first experience with clip-in pedals, which turned out to be fine... after some adjustment period !

it was a great experience... and certainly not the last !!!

only 2 points that i need to investigate before a future trip: a more comfortable saddle (ouch !) and the shape of handlebar for going downhill in the passes (for climbing it was ok). not being used to road bikes, i found it (the position of the arms/hands for braking) really uncomfortable compared to my straight mountain bike handlebar, even after riding more than 500 km... i guess there are other possibilities than the "classical" shape, right ?... some suggestions, maybe ?...

[fundrazer]

The drop style handlebars are standard on all road bikes. Comfort/hybrid bikes will usually have the flat bar style.

I think the best technique for descending is to ride with your hands in the drops (where the bars curl down). You can make very subtle adjustments to your direction, and you can also very easily apply the brakes forcefully if you have to.

[LeeD]

Frame your road is correctly sized for a pro level rider.
You are not.
Most rec and touring riders like higher handlebars, at least even with their saddle heights. Your has the requisite 3" lower bars than saddle ratio....for racers.
I disagree with riding the drops downhill. They're for reduced aero drag, great for going 40+ downhill, something you shouldn't do on public and uncontrolled roads. Use the hoods.
My friends are bike touring the Swiss, Italian, and French Alps this whole month, camping and self sufficient. They do this every late summer for the last 7 years. She's a hardcore rider from Switzerland. In late July, they rode the 5 passes around Markleville (SLakeTahoe) in 2 days.

[SuperDuy]

I did 16 miles a week ago on a cheap rented mountain bike. First time I ever rode a bike up so many hills.

might do this trail soon

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exGQ8WtUPpM

[LeeD]

Hey Duy, how's it hangin?
Aren't you up around Vancouver area? Like the best mountain riding in the world? Watch out for bears and wolves, though.
Where I'm living now, still SanPablo, I got a 16 mile dirt loop that goes up to InspirationPoint, about 900' elevation, then back along the ridge towards home.
My g/f rides a cyclocross bike, me an old FisherHooKooEKoo.
She likes her 14lbs road bike more, but on the road, of course.

[fundrazer]

Well, my Look Keo Max 2's came in the mail today. Installed em on my bike maybe 45 minutes ago and went cruising around in the driveway. A little bit nerve wracking so far... I've gotten used to clipping out of the pedal (fell down once though ), but my biggest problem so far is clipping in comfortably. I think I just need to get used to remembering that the cleat is basically under the balls of the foot.

[LeeD]

Yeah, hadn't ridden my clip bike in almost 3 months. We windsurf in the summer, and I play tennis.
Yesterday took it out for a 12 mile'er to OaklandBART, rode over to Embarkadero on BART, rode the bike to St.FrancisYacht (maybe 3 miles, easy), watched the final Fleet Race, rode to WiseSurfboards (another 5 or so), back to eat at Cal/Filmore, back to BART, for a 8 miler back home for a total of around 37.
Just remember to pull your heel out first.
My butt was sore, but everything else fine. Wore padded riding pants, but that's too many miles for an untrained butt.

[Tennis_Hands]

Originally Posted by Andreas1965

You MUST ride on the road.

I must disagree with that.

If there is a bike lane, one should use that and not try to occupy precious space on the road. Especially in the cities, where there are designated areas for the bikers, it is nothing short of self-serving to do that, when everybody is stuck in traffic jams all the time.

Originally Posted by Andreas1965

the fact that car drivers take over with minimum clearance, the fact that car drivers threaten you, insult you and many worse things shouldn't stop you using the road! As long as bikers hide themselves in bike lanes or sidewalks the car drivers believe they live in a bike-free world. The road doesn't belong only to cars.

There are bad drivers and there are good drivers. You should not lump them all in one category.

The truth is, that you notice the ones, that cause you problems, but do not notice the vast majority, that waits patiently behind you, regardless of the fact, that you are causing them to go slower, when they are already having time shortages on their way to some important meeting or after a long day in the office on their way home.

[quote=Andreas1965;6625842] Be proud and self confident! Use your space, don't ride with a distance under 100 cm to the sidewalk! As long as there is someone honking, he at least has seen you!! on a bike lane you are invisible for the cars. that's why all these horrible accidents happen. Car makes a right turn, crosses bike lane... BAM!

The bolded part is one very good advice.

The rest and especially the part with the invicibility doesn't make sense. Why should a driver see you, when you are on a bike lane? You are not on his way (unless you are on a crossroad, where bikers are supposed to be careful, just like everybody else).

The BAM cases are, most often than not, bikers' fault. A driver, that is doing a right turn cannot know, whether there is a biker, coming at speed and crossing without looking ( much like live torpedo)

Originally Posted by Andreas1965

I know what I'm talking about, 35 years experience in road biking, more than 20 years of them as a racer.

Racing has nothing to do with safety on the road (unless you are talking about racing situation, like mass sprint or something like that). Actually, the opposite is often true, as many riders (pro or aspiring) are overly sensitive to their "situation" on the road, due to the sheer volume of problems with drivers on the road, they are witnessing, and react in a manner, that is questionable at best.

I am more than 35 years into biking as a commuter, roadie, CX and ( in the last 10 or so years) a MTBer. Also a driver.

[LeeD]

We all drive cars.
Do we want bikers hogging a whole lane riding 2 abreast, yakking like women?
Do we want bikers hogging two whole lanes, 4 abreast, yakking like.....
Do onto other's as you would have them do onto you.
Ride to the right, as far as safe, to allow faster traffic by...when it's safe.