Cyclist advice and talk, ey?

[LethalWolfe]

Short update here. I did a 52 mile ride two weekends ago and a 60 mile ride last weekend. Tomorrow probably a shorter ride (2hrs going up/down hills) 'cause I don't fancy long rides in the rain.


Lethal

 

[Surely]

Cool. A cycling thread.

I bought a fitness hybrid about a month ago. It's my first bike since I was a kid. I found it on craigslist- a 2008 Trek 7.3 FX- practically brand new.

So far, I've been using it for my commute to work and school. I haven't had too many opportunities for long rides in the past month- every time I've had a day free for a long ride, it's rained. The longest ride I've been able to go on has been a 10 mile ride.

Great bike.

Here's a picture I took while stopped during the 10 mile ride:

 

[LethalWolfe]

Yeah, the weather the past couple of weeks hasn't been too great for cycling in LA. My ride yesterday was chilly, wet, and windy.


Lethal

 

[Surely]

Yeah, the weather the past couple of weeks hasn't been too great for cycling in LA. My ride yesterday was chilly, wet, and windy.


Lethal

Tell me about it...... I'm not enjoying this cold/wet weather, but it sure beats the Toronto winters I used to experience.

Any good bike shop suggestions? I've been to Helen's (both in Westwood and Santa Monica), but I find their prices to be quite high compared to other shops. I've also been to Wheel World in Culver City- their prices were fair and the staff was helpful.

I want to find some accessories.....

 

[LethalWolfe]

While not as cold as Toronto I grew up in the Midwest so I'm used to snow on the ground as well. Sunday I got caught in the rain for around an hour but it wasn't too bad.

Besides Helens and Wheel World there is Cynergy Cycles which is a Specalized brand shop a few blocks away from Helens in Santa Monica, Beverly Hills Bike Shop which is a great little shop that I can't recommend enough, Performance Bike in SM, and REI which has a surprisingly decent selection of parts and accessories. What kind of accessories are you looking for?


Lethal

 

[Surely]

While not as cold as Toronto I grew up in the Midwest so I'm used to snow on the ground as well. Sunday I got caught in the rain for around an hour but it wasn't too bad.

Besides Helens and Wheel World there is Cynergy Cycles which is a Specalized brand shop a few blocks away from Helens in Santa Monica, Beverly Hills Bike Shop which is a great little shop that I can't recommend enough, Performance Bike in SM, and REI which has a surprisingly decent selection of parts and accessories. What kind of accessories are you looking for?


Lethal

I lived in Chicago for 4 years, and the winter in Chicago is practically the same as Toronto. Cold and brutal. Suffice it to say I'm happy to be living in LA, and really can't complain about the weather here.

I forgot that I've been to Cynergy Cycles. I couldn't get anyone to acknowledge my presence there, so I won't be going back.

I've been to REI as well. I guess I didn't think of it as a cycle shop, but they do have a wide selection of cycling stuff. Great store. Similar to Mountain Equipment Co-op in Canada, but not as big or as good.

Accessories I want..... a water bottle holder, locking skewers for my wheels, a new helmet, and a simple computer to track my distance. I already have night-lights, a pump, and a lock (Kryptonite Evolution Mini and a Kryptoflex cable).

 

[hank-b]

Nice thread.

I get my back wheel out by putting it on the smallest cog, and by brute force.

I'm on the market for a new bike soon - gonna use my works 'cycle to work' scheme to get one. Was thinking of getting a Chris Boardman.

However am afraid that it looks too nice and that it'd get nicked. ANyone know of any good bikes that look a bit crap?

I'm also in the market for a new bike (as soon as my employer signs up to the cycle2work thing...) - I currently commute into London on a 30-year-old Holdsworth with flat bars. I'm getting sorely tempted by the flat-bar 'Urban' bikes here: http://www.condorcycles.com/

- HB

 

[Ugg]

Well, as a reward for 2.5 weeks of no smoking and as a hopeful solution for my neck pain, I added a new steed to the stable today.

I looked at any number of $2,000 hand made bikes, super heavy and also super expensive dutch/danish bikes and the Trek is what I decided was the best fit for me. The only bike that I didn't get to check out was the Electra Amsterdam Sport 9D.

It was extremely windy here today and yet I managed to ride about 12 miles with little or no real difficulties. I like the upright sitting position. It makes it a lot harder for drivers to ignore me!

 

[Surely]

Hey Lethal:

I finally got a chance to go to Beverly Hills Bike Shop. Great little shop. The owner is an ex-Montrealer and lived in Toronto, so it was nice to talk a little hockey.....

An amazing thing that store does is that they offer free lifetime tune-ups if you buy a bike there. Whenever you need it. One of the guys working there told me that there are people that bought bikes there 18 years ago and still bring them in for tune-ups. 😱 Amazing.

I bought my wife a bike while we were there- the owner swapped out the tires at no charge (mountain to road), and upgraded the seat for the difference between the cost of the two seats.

I also picked up a couple of Bontrager water bottle holders for our bikes for 6 bucks each.

I ended up ordering a lock for her on Amazon- it's hard to beat their prices.

I'm excited to go biking all weekend. The weather is supposed to be awesome!! 😎

 

[LethalWolfe]

Yeah, I love that bike shop. Very "neighborhood" feel to it and they really try to take care of their customers. I did a charity ride last weekend (150 miles over two days) and I'm ready to get back in the saddle again this weekend for some more leisurely 20-30 mile rides. The wind got pretty stiff today but hopefully that won't carry over into the weekend.


Lethal

 

[.Andy]

Well, as a reward for 2.5 weeks of no smoking and as a hopeful solution for my neck pain, I added a new steed to the stable today.

I looked at any number of $2,000 hand made bikes, super heavy and also super expensive dutch/danish bikes and the Trek is what I decided was the best fit for me. The only bike that I didn't get to check out was the Electra Amsterdam Sport 9D.

It was extremely windy here today and yet I managed to ride about 12 miles with little or no real difficulties. I like the upright sitting position. It makes it a lot harder for drivers to ignore me!

That looks beautiful Ugg. Congratultions 🙂!

 

[Ugg]

That looks beautiful Ugg. Congratultions 🙂!

Thanks! It took me a long time to accept the fact that an upright bicycle was ok to be seen riding! I think it's some kind of middle aged thing😀 There is a loss of power and the wind resistance is greater but since the Trek Allant has an aluminum frame, it's fairly easy to pedal around. I was just at the farmer's market this morning and the woman next to me had a Batavus. My god, those things are heavy!

 

[takao]

congratulation ugg for the nice ride .. the only thing missed would be nice leather handles for going with the saddle 😉


on related note i just saw today an abandoned vintage racing bike (stripped of wheels already) completely rust free with campagnolo parts sitting around still secured by a super thin lock... great i should finally get around buying a bolt cutter for picking up such stuff

 

[Ugg]

congratulation ugg for the nice ride .. the only thing missed would be nice leather handles for going with the saddle 😉


on related note i just saw today an abandoned vintage racing bike (stripped of wheels already) completely rust free with campagnolo parts sitting around still secured by a super thin lock... great i should finally get around buying a bolt cutter for picking up such stuff

And the reason for not having leather handles along with a brass bell and other bicycle bling is in your second paragraph! I like nice bikes, but if they're too nice, the bolt cutter brigade will take it from me!

 

[hmmfe]

Right on! A cycling thread...

I was going to start a new thread later today to show off my new purchase but I'll post it here later today. I'll be picking it up this afternoon. This is my first custom. I visited it yesterday and I am very happy with the looks. I'll just have to see if it rides well.

As far as rides this year, I missed the signup deadline for Ride the Rockies this year. But, I will be doing the Courage Classic here in CO, the Elephant Rock ride, and perhaps the MS150.

For anyone interested, my new ride is a Waterford complete with the new Campy Chorus 11sp groupo, Brooks Pro saddle, Nitto bar and post, a surprisingly nice Velo-Orange stem (only one I could find - wanted a Nitto but could not find one with the correct angle and length), Campy Scirocco wheelset, and Conti 4000 tires. Pics to follow...

 

[LethalWolfe]

Thanks! It took me a long time to accept the fact that an upright bicycle was ok to be seen riding! I think it's some kind of middle aged thing😀

I see tons of people of all ages riding 'upright' bikes so don't think yer an old-fogie or anything like that. 😉


Lethal

 

[A Mac Gamer]

I am planning on buying an entry level road bike this spring, and I was wondering if anyone had any advice on which ones are good values. Right now I am looking at the Trek 1.5. My budget is $1000 for the bike, but I can spend a little more than that for things such as immediate upgrades and such.

I haven't gone on a test ride yet, just looked around online.. and the 1.5 was reviewed very well.

Oh, and I am pretty new to road bikes, so I don't know exactly what components are good and not so good.

Any input would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[OllyW]

I've just started riding again (apart from commuting) after having my first winter off for over 10 years.

I'm just riding the single speeder around the country lanes at the moment, but I've taken advantage of the spring weather and after 3 weeks I've managed to get in my first 40 mile ride.

Here's an iPhone pic of my bike from a couple of weeks ago....

 

[hmmfe]

I am planning on buying an entry level road bike this spring, and I was wondering if anyone had any advice on which ones are good values. Right now I am looking at the Trek 1.5. My budget is $1000 for the bike, but I can spend a little more than that for things such as immediate upgrades and such.

I haven't gone on a test ride yet, just looked around online.. and the 1.5 was reviewed very well.

Oh, and I am pretty new to road bikes, so I don't know exactly what components are good and not so good.

Any input would be appreciated. Thanks!

The best advice I could give you is find every LBS (local bike shop) around and test ride as many bikes as possible. In the $1,000.00 range, most bikes will have about the same components. What will really matter is the frame geometry. All of the usual suspect have very nice bikes for $1K. If you end up riding more than recreationally, then you would always upgrade later.

Also, you can usually find new bikes that are a model year or two old. These often are great buys and you get more for your $$. This is the start of the cycling season so deals are going to become more scarce. In the end, find something that feels good and don't worry too much about the components (they are easily upgradable and in your price range they'll all be pretty much comparable). Above all, start a relationship with a bike shop that seems friendly and has a decent selection of brands.

 

[Ugg]

I see tons of people of all ages riding 'upright' bikes so don't think yer an old-fogie or anything like that. 😉


Lethal

I'm just bemoaning my lost youth! There are lots of people around here riding uprights so it's not an image issue really. It is way more comfortable too.

I am planning on buying an entry level road bike this spring, and I was wondering if anyone had any advice on which ones are good values. Right now I am looking at the Trek 1.5. My budget is $1000 for the bike, but I can spend a little more than that for things such as immediate upgrades and such.

I haven't gone on a test ride yet, just looked around online.. and the 1.5 was reviewed very well.

Oh, and I am pretty new to road bikes, so I don't know exactly what components are good and not so good.

Any input would be appreciated. Thanks!

I have a four year old Trek 1500 which is essentially the same as the 1.5 and I love it. As hmmfe says, it's essentially an entry level bike.

There are a lot of good deals on craigslist this year, if you're willing to take a chance. If you spend 1k on a used bike though, take someone with you who knows about bikes or insist that it be taken to a reputable LBS for a thorough checkup.

 

[A Mac Gamer]

Thanks for the advice you guys. I think this weekend I'll go to a couple local bike shops and talk with the staff, and maybe start testing a few out while I am there.

 

[hmmfe]

So, here is the first pic of my new bike... Just rode it back from the bike shop. Don't mind the silly spacers as they are just for fine tuning the bar height, etc. Although I only have 10 in the saddle so far, it was a great ride. Weather should be relatively good this week so I hope to get some real miles in.

 

[hmmfe]

I've just started riding again (apart from commuting) after having my first winter off for over 10 years.

I'm just riding the single speeder around the country lanes at the moment, but I've taken advantage of the spring weather and after 3 weeks I've managed to get in my first 40 mile ride.

Here's an iPhone pic of my bike from a couple of weeks ago....

View attachment 165898

That looks like a sweet ride. I am not familiar with the brand - off to go look at some bike pr0n...

 

[hmmfe]

I'm just bemoaning my lost youth! There are lots of people around here riding uprights so it's not an image issue really. It is way more comfortable too.

Seems like there are a few old fart cyclists here. As the saying goes...it is not about the bike.

I am in the market for a porteur-style bike but something still fairly light. Your bike seems like a good balance - can you give a brief ride report? Right now I'm looking at a Masi single speed but might do a build up from a Surly frame unless I can find a good ebay/craigslist frame.

 

[Ugg]

Seems like there are a few old fart cyclists here. As the saying goes...it is not about the bike.

I am in the market for a porteur-style bike but something still fairly light. Your bike seems like a good balance - can you give a brief ride report? Right now I'm looking at a Masi single speed but might do a build up from a Surly frame unless I can find a good ebay/craigslist frame.

The #1 reason I chose the Trek Allant was its light weight. I don't know the exact weight, but it is quite light and there isn't any extra "Frou" to add weight. Actually, speaking of porteur-style, the women's version of the Allant has a front mini rack but the men's doesn't. I've been looking all weekend for a reasonable priced, small rack but haven't found anything yet. Maybe I can talk the bike shop into selling me one off the women's bikes!

The ride is extremely comfortable, the tires are wide enough to provide some cushioning but not the monstrosities found on "cruiser" style bikes. I also like the handlebars, there's just enough sweep to them for comfort but not so much that they feel cramped. Nor are they they uncomfortable Texas Longhorn style found on cruisers. I did raise the stem to its maximum height and the seat is as low as I can tolerate and with the slanted cross tube, the handlebars are higher than the seat which is something that I require for the maximum upright ride. The old style stem allows much more flexibility in adjusting the height of the handlebars.

I looked at KHS bicycles and found the ride to be extremely comfortable but the bikes had 3 issues I couldn't tolerate. One was the grip shifters, two was the front suspension fork (what's the point of a front shock when 99% of your weight, on a comfort style bike at least, is on the seat????) and three, the too wide seat. The seat was extremely comfy, but every time I leaned forward or stood up to pedal, the wide seat cut into the backs of my thighs. The Trek seat is really ideal for a range of pedaling styles.

The shifting is extremely smooth and although I thought the bike was overgeared at first, I do actually use the full range of gears. The rack is sturdy and the paddle type handgrips are really, really comfortable.

Trek didn't try to reinvent the bicycle with the Allant, they simply incorporated the best of the old style uprights, made everything lighter and gave it a classy paint job. Its price of $489 is reasonable. It came with Schrader valve stems but they switched them out for Presta.