Yeah, I know...that's not a thing. Welp, it is today. We haven't had a cycling post in here in a good minute and in honor of one of my FAVORITE times of the year, The Tour de France, I thought I'd make one. One month, 21 stages, crashes, mechanical failures, sprint finishes, riders dropping out, teams imploding...just great drama. I love it. Shoutout to this man: https://twitter.com/lawsoncraddock?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

Bruh crashed on Saturday...the first fucking day of the Tour. The result was a busted eye and a fractured clavicle. He got back on the bike and finished the stage: https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Houston-s-Lawson-Craddock-crashes-at-Tour-de-13056936.php

Being a Houston dude, he has pledged to donate to the Hurricane Harvey relief for every stage he can complete...and challenged others to do the same. He prolly finished Stage 1 on pure adrenaline, but after he woke up on that next morning, dude had to be in agony. He's currently riding in Stage 5 as I type this. I don't see it being humanly possible for him to finish the Tour. Certainly would be amazing, if he did. I can't even imagine how uncomfortable it is to support himself on the bars with that fracture. It's virtually impossible for him to get up and pedal, which means he has to stay in the saddle the entire time. Imagine riding 120 miles in the saddle the whole time, LOL...that's mind-boggling.

So...what's good? Y'all riding? New bikes? Repairs on old joints? Stories? Querstions? (c)my mother

i will likely be forced to commute by bike again...
losing parking at the job for the next 7 years!

Will be looking into finally building up a Big Dummy with an e-assist motor OR going to Bike_Friday for a custom build to haul baby#2 home with me on the afternoon commutes.

Going to be tricky now that the DMV is littered with dockless bikes & scooters and knuckleheads that don't know how to ride them safely.

"Get ready....for your blessing....."

.

to close...so they taking ERRRRYBODY'S parking so there are no hurt feelings ....

The parking I got was immensely discounted to the tune of $86/month....
NOWHERE in DC is that even close to being available....
and so...I shall ride again.

coming in is easy breezy downhill....
going home is the complete opposite though :(

"Get ready....for your blessing....."

which are the motherfuckin' truth.

I'm going to need to either get an Xtracycle kit for my hybrid bike, get a Burley trailer, or go to the full long tail (thinking Radwagon) by this time next year -- kid 2 is going to be joining his brother at the same school next year, so getting them there in the same bike would be super advantageous.

Basically took the summer off bike commuting due to having to shift the oldest to different camps around the district, but have gotten back into it now that he's back at school. Oddly where I've run into scooters the most are on the MBT; they haven't been too big of a deal around Farragut Square or elsewhere downtown.

>which are the motherfuckin' truth.

I never tried the Jump bikes. They at least LOOK sturdy. I fear that scooters are pushing them out too ultimately. Now i'd rather have the bikes than the scooters!

>I'm going to need to either get an Xtracycle kit for my hybrid
>bike, get a Burley trailer, or go to the full long tail
>(thinking Radwagon) by this time next year -- kid 2 is going
>to be joining his brother at the same school next year, so
>getting them there in the same bike would be super
>advantageous.

I looked into the Xtracycle Leap too...but I couldn't shake the feeling of it being rigid (pause) enough. By the time I added up the accessories it was pushing near $1K too. I do have a Chariot Chanook 1 (prior to them being bought out by Thule). And it's great...but heavy. REAL heavy when hitched to the bike I used for hauling the kid. I'm only going to be hauling 1 now that the oldest is in kindergarten, so i'm not sure if investing in the long tail is the optimal move.

ALSO...check out Yuba Mundo Lux. They're a contender...but I just like the look of the Surly Big Dummy better. The Benno Boost is calling me though. It's the size of a regular bike, wheel size of a fat BMX, cargo capacity of a cargo bike...plus it's different than anything on the road i've seen...which has its own appeal to me.

"Get ready....for your blessing....."

But we don't have a rack outside the work building, and I'm not feeling leaving it (even locked up) at the train station all day. Gonna see if I can put it in one of the storage closets or something.

Fell kinda dumb asking my wife to get me from the train station when I dont feel like walking the mile home from the train after work.




*************************************

Fuck aliens

-Warriorpoet415




http://soundcloud.com/rayandersonjr

"Get ready....for your blessing....."

Just a regular mountain bike from Dicks, lol



*************************************

Fuck aliens

-Warriorpoet415




http://soundcloud.com/rayandersonjr

those little wheels are so lame lol

I had Pinheads installed when I got my bike (https://www.amazon.com/Pinhead-Bicycle-Locking-Skewer-Piece/dp/B001Y9X328) and a Kryptonite New York lock. If I don't feel like the whole commute, I run the U lock around the bike rack pole and through both the back wheel and the downtube just above the pedals. You don't have to lock it tighter than Fort Knox -- just tighter than the other bikes there.

https://www.rei.com/product/121596/co-op-cycles-cty-11-bike

Just walking in there was overwhelming
I was like "I just want a bike, not trying to be Lance Armstrong"
It rides smooth, very light
Been going back and forth on the metro branch trail, the national mall (playing frogger with the tourists), and the Mt. Vernon trail

on making repairs/adjustments to your bike?

fee after that, forgot how much

----------

IG @h_n_z

pretty sure you know that, though.

----------

IG @h_n_z

.

and i'm on the road bike.

its the only way - err, kinda I mean, you could wear full on padded mountain style shorts but for long rides you dont want anything in the way

Under running shorts?

If your outfit looks like you are only missing a number pinned to your back I'm def laughing at you lol


----------

IG @h_n_z

check it out

this is a saddle, also known as a "bike seat": https://cdnmos-bikeradar.global.ssl.fastly.net/images/bikes-and-gear/components/saddles/specialized_oura_pro_womens_saddle-1472636567215-1g7vvu7c013d3-630-354.jpg

this is the chamois the part in cycling shorts that is under your ass:
http://cdn.road.cc/sites/default/files/cropped/preview_500/images/X-BIONIC%20The%20Trick%20Biking%20Pants/X-BIONIC%20The%20Trick%20Biking%20Pants%20-%20pad.jpg

see how they mirror each other? the chamois or padding is there to keep you riding for miles and miles.

an actual cycling saddle is not really a seat as much as a perch for your seat bones. check it: http://cdn.road.cc/sites/default/files/bontrager-biodynamic-saddle-posture-comparisons.jpg


So, there is such a thing as baggy cycling shorts where the outer layer is baggy and the inner layer is a skin tight lyrca style short.
see: https://mk0theadventuregfnyq.kinstacdn.com/wp-content/uploads/41rUMUCRszL.jpg

which I do wear when I go mountain biking
but for pure road riding I would not prefer to have a ton of fabric flapping about.

There is a bit of a happy medium however where companies are making commuter geared stuff where its a combination of padding and shorts without all the fabric like: https://bikerumor.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Pearl-Izumi-Rev-short-riding-1.jpg


by the way, there is a lot of road style stuff out there and a lot of it is not just Tour looking. Rapha makes fantastic shit.

But the shpants you posted nobody should ever wear

Why cant you wear nike training or running shorts that arent baggy over the saddle?

Yeah i get the whole slowing down thing but theres shorts that dont let too mich air get in where you are parachuting up like you are in water.

Lol ionno do what you wanna do if it helps with your times or goals i just think it looks funny? Lol cant we say yea its a neccessity for you guys but looks ridiculous? Haha



----------

IG @h_n_z

And when you're riding a bike, you're riding a bike, not walking around mid town going to museums.

why wear shorts when you ball?
why wear a suit to work?
why wear pajamas when you sleep?

etc

.

Baggy shorts/pants/shirts catch the wind and slow you down. It's why track runners wear skin-tight, barely-there gear too. The bike gear also wicks moisture while keeping the sun off your back.

..some of which looks like regular clothing.

kits are for specific events/tours.


*skatin' the rings of saturn*


..and miles to go before i sleep...

In October. I've done it in the past on a KHS road bike not an expensive bike, but I prefer flat bar instead of curved handle bars. But for the distance I'm wondering if I should just stick to a road bike or get a hybrid, what do you guys think?

50 miles a day, that is. I personally prefer road bars because I have three different positions I can get into as the miles add up.

..before making your final decision.

a proper fit (riding position) makes all the difference on long distance routes (esp routes with significant inclines/declines).


*skatin' the rings of saturn*


..and miles to go before i sleep...

And ride up Torrey Pines, may have to stick to a road

last summer my homeboy, who had just purchased a road bike, invited me out to the trail with him and his neighbor.
I broke out my 10 year old mountain. Shit needed air in the tire, it was heavy as fuck, hadn't been tuned up ever. We rode 12 miles and that shit seemed like FOREVER.

the next week, I purchased a road bike. A Schwinn. It was 70 percent off at JCPenney. Road it a few times last summer.

Me and my boy rode 28 miles on memorial day weekend. I had plans of a 50 miler this summer but I haven't ridden since mem day weekend, and that ride was difficult as is.

few rides. You could definitely hit that 50 with some work-up time.

..This time of year is extremely busy for me, but I try my best to keep up with the stages.

Trying to keep up with live sports and remain active during the summer is a serious challenge.

It’s been in a portable storage pod for almost 2 weeks. The new neighborhood is full of trails that I used to go out of the way on my commute to ride, so I’m excited to introduce them to my kids who are stronger than ever on two wheels.

Kev

now that that 10k run is behind me, I hope to ride this weekend.

I normally do like 25 or so miles from Decatur to piedmont park and back. its a fun ride there, but no matter what route I take home, its pretty much inclines all the way.

got a good bike speaker on my mountain bike. need to double check a few things in lieu of a tune up. I should be good to this weekend.

I bike north of 20 miles a week and it's lovely. Getting used to climbing and going about my business. Main thing I love about this bike is the weight. It's really light and unassuming.

I wearing tights, shorts, and a black shirt.

Cycling is low-key peaceful and is fundamentally different than what I thought it'd be. It's easy to do it and unwind from a long day. Main focus on doing this is endurance and keeping myself in shape. It would be nice to do an endurance run so I'm working my way there.

what is the opinion on these lights?
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N2HZV9U/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

best water bottle? best bottle cage?
are there fixie heads in here?

I don't do a lot of night riding. Sometimes I leave the house and when I come back it's just past dark. The park I ride in in the mornings is about a 4 mile trail around the lake. There's some sections that are heavily covered by trees and even with the sun out, it's fairly dark through there. I keep my lights on...flashing...the entire time, front and rear. I use some pretty basic, carbon fiber bottle cages and 2 Camelbak bottles.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Origin8-Speed-Wing-II-3K-carbon-fiber-Bottle-Cage-Clear-coated-carbon-20g/202348522592?epid=1700056649&hash=item2f1ce96c60%3Ag%3AMyYAAOSwESZbLYg2&_sacat=0&_nkw=origin+8+bottle+cage&_from=R40&rt=nc&_trksid=m570.l1313

i recently bought this as a backlight but i yet have to install it. like to keep it as simple as possible :)


https://supernova-lights.com/produkte/ruecklichter/airstream-tail-light-2/

http://velosurance.com

I misspoke earlier my bike is a Cannondale 600 is pristine condition that I haggled down to $225. Naturally I need insurance on it and need more info on a reputable company.

I ran into a few issues cycling that I need help with:

I slow down because my shoes cannot keep up with my pedaling speed.

Going Aero is the shit but my needs touch elbows. Is this normal? My seat is as high as it can be.

Ran into an issue of my nuts hurting during rides. Is there an easy way to fix this? Feels like I'm getting kicked in the nuts constantly and it hurts.

What are yall doing for security?

Seat all the way up & knees hitting your elbows is not a good thing.

If the seats hitting your nuts then it's either tilted up in the front too high, not narrow enough or too large...or all three possibly.

I'm not following you regarding shoes not keeping up with your peddling speed.

"Get ready....for your blessing....."

if it's the former, you can go have a fit done to get the best you can out of the bike you have. If you're all the way down in an aero position, your knees shouldn't be coming that close to your elbows. As far as the nut pain...sounds like your saddle may be nosed up or you're too far forward on the saddle. Your perenium is taking a beating...that can be a function of anything from a bad bike fit, to a saddle that's not for you. Man, I would STRONGLY recommend having a fit done. There are different levels of fits. The best ones have you bring in your shoes. You clip in and they take video of your pedal stroke from all angles. They do a ton of measurements and try to get you in the best position within the bike's limitations. Most even adjust your cleats properly.

I can't say if it's a scam, because I haven't had to file a claim. I have a pretty expensive bike, that I built, so I wanted to get it insured beyond how my homeowner's insurance would. It's pretty comprehensive...covering the bike, components, race fees if you have a loss and can't show, breakdowns...etc. I even have a little roadside assistance card I keep in my saddle bag in case I have a mechanical.

If you have how are they?

went through 3 tubes for the rear tire.

after the 3 one, I found a tiny piece of metal in the tire. it was only inside the tire. wasn't visible on the outside. not sure how this even happened.

anyway, guess I'll be buying tires soon. and tubes.

any suggestions on mountain bike tires?

https://www.bikenashbar.com/SearchDisplay?advancedSearch=&pageView=grid&searchTermScope=&categoryId=205034&beginIndex=0&pageSize=24&categoryFacetHierarchyPath=205034&searchType=&maxPrice=&resultCatEntryType=2&searchTerm=tires&sType=SimpleSearch&filterTerm=&manufacturer=&top_category=&catalogId=10052&langId=-1&showResultsPage=true&storeId=10053&urlLangId=-1&metaData=&minPrice=#facet:&productBeginIndex:0&facetLimit:&orderBy:&pageView:grid&minPrice:&maxPrice:&pageSize:&

Continental & Vittoria tires are prime.

*take time to sweep the inside of a tire during a tube replacement.

as always, ride safe & swift.



*skatin' the rings of saturn*


..and miles to go before i sleep...

seems like the options are limited for 2.1 width.

is there much issue with getting wider or slimmer tires than the orginals? or is it all just preference?

>seems like the options are limited for 2.1 width.
>
>is there much issue with getting wider or slimmer tires than
>the orginals? or is it all just preference?

there are options available to the left boarder of the page. the type of rims you have determine the tire specs.


*skatin' the rings of saturn*


..and miles to go before i sleep...

thank you sir.

I have a chromoly specialized frame now that I use on a city bike.

if you get a klien make sure it's pearlescent purple

if you get an old c'dale make sure it's green.

personally I'm a fan of old treks

BRUH.

back when GT was still an independent private owned bike company
it's the loudest red/orange/pink you've ever seen

"Get ready....for your blessing....."

My landlord was an old hippie and he watched dude walk from the side alley with my bike, but he was so high on hash and weed that it took him 5 minutes to walk to my room (on the first floor of the house) and another 5 to tell me it was stolen.

I more than likely cracked it last Saturday and my local bike shop discovered it Sunday. I initially went into the shop that same Saturday I more than likely cracked it because I had problems shifting my front gears. One of the mechanics tightened the wires and sent me out on the road. I still had the same issues shifting the front gears and returned the following Sunday to get new gears as I thought that was the issue. In cleaning the bike down one of the mechanics discovered by frame right by where the front gear is located completely cracked. Fortunately I'm getting somewhat of a deal in terms of getting a whole new bike from the same shop, so I'm not sweating the dollars involved. I'm mainly hurting from not being able to ride for almost a week now since I'm so accustomed to riding.

Anyone else here suffered from cracking their bicycle frames? And I'm not counting anything that happened as result of crashes and such.

Wow. Don't think I've ever seen that. What material is your frame. I wonder if you shifted just as you were applying torque and the frame was already weakened, somehow. I have seen the derailleur mount rip clean off the bike under a hard shift. Never seen a direct mount pull out of the frame, though.

and the crack is where the bottom of the seat tube meets the bottom on the frame of the bike, if that makes sense. The front derailleur wasn't separated from the bike at all. I'm guessing the snap could have happened when I shifted to late as I was going uphill somewhere since that would apply a ton of force on the bike.

I've known a couple of people who had carbon fiber frames repaired. I would have guessed the shop would have told you if repairing that was an option.

..mostly because of the variance found in stance/comfort/tech for cleat/pedal specifications.



*skatin' the rings of saturn*


..and miles to go before i sleep...

https://www.adidasoutdoor.com/FT07.html

510s are the most amazing shoes if you arent trying to do clipless

Was my first longer ride since riding 50 in March and then a short 16 before a brick run in June, I've been slacking this year.

It'll be my first and last time doing that event. So unorganized given the scale of the course and folks that even were equipped with GPS computing trackers got lost multiple times on the course. I had one section of the course where I got lost near Van Courtland Park that kind of had me on edge given that I'm not familiar with the Bronx at all and it was in a section of the park that was very very secluded. One positive aspect to the event was exploring the disastrous pock-marked streets of the Bronx. I feel sorry for the cyclists in that boro that have to suffer with what appear to be deplorable cycling environments.

I have to admit that if the weather were a bit better (it was drizzling off and on all day yesterday and the wind was a bit strong at times as well), my outlook on the event might have been better. I can't honestly say I look forward to signing up for next year's run though. Props to the folks to do that event on a re-occuring basis with the knowledge the planning for the routes isn't the sharpest.

I am fortunate I didn't get a flat through the event as I saw cyclists with much more experience under their belts get flat tires.

>I have to admit that if the weather were a bit better (it was
>drizzling off and on all day yesterday and the wind was a bit
>strong at times as well), my outlook on the event might have
>been better. I can't honestly say I look forward to signing up
>for next year's run though. Props to the folks to do that
>event on a re-occuring basis with the knowledge the planning
>for the routes isn't the sharpest.

weather is always a factor for cycling events (esp nyc). as such, knowing your route and what to expect makes a huge difference.

that said, how did your bike/gear fare under those conditions?


*skatin' the rings of saturn*


..and miles to go before i sleep...

so it held up pretty well. I have a 2019 Giant Escape City Disc bicycle (https://tinyurl.com/y726lt73). The disc brakes and preinstalled fenders were lifesavers in the terrible constant downpour on Sunday. The tires I used were pretty much brand new Gatorskin tires that I had to install the day before because the Marathon tires I bought previously had a defect in them according to an inspection I had the fine folks at my local bike shop do the day before the event. I was disappointed because I prefer the treading in the Marathon tires compared to how slick the Gatorskin tires are, but I can't be too mad at the Gatorskins since they help up so well for me on Sunday. It was complete luck that I happened to have the Gatorskins as I intended to use them on the old bicycle I had and they were pretty much laying around.

The main thing is that I have to clean the chains since I notice a little bit of rust building up. I'll take care of that this weekend since it appears the rain will finally stop then.

If you're curious why I have such a new bike, I mentioned in a prior thread that the frame in my prior bike cracked on me about a month or so ago.

every long ride I have ever done in NYC involved going across the GW bridge and up to NYAC if i wanted to do a centry

longest I have ever done by myself in the city is 60 miles

>every long ride I have ever done in NYC involved going across
>the GW bridge and up to NYAC if i wanted to do a centry
>
>longest I have ever done by myself in the city is 60 miles

https://tinyurl.com/ycq3evd8

thanks for sharing this.

#fall2018goals

According to folks I talked to during the event, the course changes a little bit every year.

Also, one frustrating aspect to the event is that course I showed you wasn't available until about 3-4 days before the event, which doesn't leave you with the most amount of time to preview what you have ahead of you, at least that's the case for me since I have a 9-5 to deal with.

If you happen to do the event in 2019, major props to you. Hopefully you have a GPS biking device handy as you'll need all the help you can get to avoid getting lost.

after a ton of research and learning some good info, I got a Giant Fathom 1. bikes are way diff than when I bought a few year ago, lol.

https://www.giant-bicycles.com/us/fathom-1

came with air shocks, tubeless tires, and a dropper post. I also like the internal wiring.

Since it was a 2018, it was 150 off the regular price.

was considering this Kona,

http://www.konaworld.com/mahuna.cfm, but it didn't have all the things that Giant had.

..sounds like a solid set up.


*skatin' the rings of saturn*


..and miles to go before i sleep...

in talking with the shop guy, it didn't seem like it would break the bank on maintenance.

the shocks would likely need the most attention. matter of fact, I need to buy a pump for it.

maybe every few years get the forks redone at the shop

otherwise all the maintenance you can do yourself and of course if you have a bike stand its even easier

if you are not prepared to deal with a tubeless set up this will be your biggest headache

i highly recommend you come up with a compressed air solution so you dont have take it anywhere to set the bead

also need to research this tubeless deal. never had this before.

thanks.

if you are riding regularly its no big deal just remember they do/can slowly leak so youll want to keep an eye on your tire pressure


pros


run at much lower pressure, feels like your holding onto the ground

youll probably never get a flat tire again, ive smashed my wheels on all kinds of roots rocks and other gnarly things and never had a flat


cons

they work like car tires, so you need to set the "bead" when inflating them/putting them on the rim

they use "goo" or sealent which can get very messy and can build up in the tire over time which isnt necessarily a bad thing until you try to add more sealent


since you are running at a lower pressure it takes more effort to go faster so youll notice that right away typically

>if you are riding regularly its no big deal just remember
>they do/can slowly leak so youll want to keep an eye on your
>tire pressure

since I don't really ride in winter.
>
>
>pros
>
>
>run at much lower pressure, feels like your holding onto the
>ground

I've noticed its much easier riding that my previous bike. even with just going through grass or areas with no sidewalk.
>
>youll probably never get a flat tire again, ive smashed my
>wheels on all kinds of roots rocks and other gnarly things and
>never had a flat

that was the reason I wanted it. I ran into a rash of flats on my old bike. besides age, it was partly the reason to get a new bike.
>
>
>cons
>
>they work like car tires, so you need to set the "bead" when
>inflating them/putting them on the rim
>
>they use "goo" or sealent which can get very messy and can
>build up in the tire over time which isnt necessarily a bad
>thing until you try to add more sealent

I need to buy sealant just in case. if I get lazy, I might see how much it cost for the shop to do it.
>
>
>since you are running at a lower pressure it takes more effort
>to go faster so youll notice that right away typically

good stuff. thanks mayne.
>

i would take my bike to the bike shop to have the bead set/sealent put in

sometimes they would just charge me the supplies (the sealent) sometimes they would charge me like 5 bucks for the work + sealent

*edit


and your welcome! tubeless tires are probably one of the coolest "new" tech for me

1x setups used to be really spendy, I like that its something you can cop for no cash these days

it helped that the new models were out so they needed to get rid of the 2018s. I actually tested the 2019 too. the shop guy said the 2018 had better components.

I was also looking at a trek rosco 8, but they were all gone.
https://www.mbr.co.uk/reviews/hardtail/trek-roscoe. really wanted it because that orange is so dope.

even with the good price, it was more than what I intended to spend. so I got a new credit card with 200 cash back after 3 months. I feel like I won something, lol.

I just don't ride my mountain joint, enough. I dropped a stack on my Fuji Nevada 29er a year or so ago...it barely gets action.

I'm hoping to hit some trails, which I've never really done. my last bike was also a 'mountain' bike. I didn't really do off-road with it.

https://www.giant-bicycles.com/us/bikes-toughroad-eplus-gx-2019

Is this a worth while purchase folks? I reside in NYC, which means I'll probably use these for three to four months. Are these worth the investment? I'm thinking about getting Marathon Studded tires; are these good? If not, what are better studded tires?

These will be for my normal hybrid getting from point A to point B bike just so folks know; not a rugged mountain bicycle at all.

..it gets cold in nyc, but fortunately we don't see much snow.

those knobby tires certainly won't hurt.


*skatin' the rings of saturn*


..and miles to go before i sleep...

I'm assuming you lessen the psi in the tires when the roads get slick, right? I'm mainly concerned with the streets are filled with slush and more importantly ice.

..they have so many options available.

I ride Gatorskins, but swap for more durable/traction options of Grand Prix
4-Seasons & Continental Ultras whenever we have an accumulation of 2 inches or more. *I have a secondary wheel set for each bike, so swapping out for weather can be done in a matter of minutes.




*skatin' the rings of saturn*


..and miles to go before i sleep...

about three or so weeks ago and I've been riding on them since ( https://www.biketiresdirect.com/product/schwalbe-marathon-winter-plus-700c-tire-hs-396?sg=500 ). I plan to ride them snow or no snow for the duration of the winter since I don't want to go through the whole trouble of taking them off and putting them on only when there's snow on the ground. The studs are audibly present whenever I ride and it took a while to get used to the added resistance, but it's all good now. The studs give me some added confidence for any riding that involves snow/ice on the pavement.

I just hope I don't wear the studs down too much during my non-snow riding days this summer. I suppose time will tell in that regard.

>about three or so weeks ago and I've been riding on them
>since (
>https://www.biketiresdirect.com/product/schwalbe-marathon-winter-plus-700c-tire-hs-396?sg=500
>). I plan to ride them snow or no snow for the duration of the
>winter since I don't want to go through the whole trouble of
>taking them off and putting them on only when there's snow on
>the ground. The studs are audibly present whenever I ride and
>it took a while to get used to the added resistance, but it's
>all good now. The studs give me some added confidence for any
>riding that involves snow/ice on the pavement.

You copped the gold standard.

*Inclement weather is why I keep a separate wheel set for each bike I own (not just tires) to be swapped out altogether, depending on the forecast.

>I just hope I don't wear the studs down too much during my
>non-snow riding days this summer. I suppose time will tell in
>that regard.

That would be first in my list of questions about reliable usage daily during winter.


*skatin' the rings of saturn*


..and miles to go before i sleep...

I'll start:
https://www.pic-upload.de/view-36007310/Bildschirmfoto2018-09-24um18.26.12.png.html

https://www.instagram.com/p/qQLQzEoonF/?taken-by=hoodlogic
https://www.instagram.com/p/BGQWcYwIomH/?taken-by=hoodlogic
https://www.instagram.com/p/3KHrKQoovK/?taken-by=hoodlogic

Two don't have pedals. IDC. I gotta pull the bicycles out for a group pic before it gets cold.

http://i.imgur.com/kuid428.jpg


*skatin' the rings of saturn*


..and miles to go before i sleep...

https://www.instagram.com/p/B368kWqhBGy/

"Get ready....for your blessing....."

*skatin' the rings of saturn*


..and miles to go before i sleep...

Stay tuned.

This IS the future of biking & sustainable transportation IMO. Hopefully local jurisdictions get on board and stop stifling the evolution. I'm not a fan of throttled e-bikes at all...but i'm 110% behind the pedal assist e-bike movement.
I transitioned from riding for sport/recreation/exercise years ago...

..The only people I see using eBikes in NYC are delivery couriers (makes perfect sense).

I get the convenience, assistance, and efficiency, but I still can't reconcile the maintenance and weight.

What's daily life like for an eBike owner?


*skatin' the rings of saturn*


..and miles to go before i sleep...

because her daycare is at my job...I commute by bike year round because it's the most efficient/convenient/cost effective way. Even before the ebike...

>..The only people I see using eBikes in NYC are delivery
>couriers (makes perfect sense).

It's important to differentiate between the types. There are pedal assist and full electric with a throttle and everything. I'm on the pedal assist bendwagon....because I view it as simply a more efficient gearing mechanism and natural evolution of the bicycle. You still gotta pedal...you'll still work up a sweat (if you want to) and it's still bicycling..as opposed to motoring.

>I get the convenience, assistance, and efficiency, but I still
>can't reconcile the maintenance and weight.

My bike is around 60lbs unloaded....add in the child seat (Yepp) and my ortleib bags and my daughter and i'm pushing a full load of around 100lbs. The efficiency is primarily in the commute time coming home for me...which is all uphill. The e-bike cut my commute home in half allowing the whole process to align better with my older daughters school let out time and my wife's work schedule...basically I can get home in time to NOT have to pay for after-care for the older kid and my wife doesn't have to adjust her work schedule to part time hours.

>What's daily life like for an eBike owner?

A lot more efficient and enjoyable for the most part. Maintenance is no more or less than my not e-assist bikes. I've got hydraulic disc brakes which is actually really really nice. Biggest annoyance is actually from other bikers....a lot of them look at biking as a competition or a race... i'm just trying to get from point A to point B as efficient and pleasant as possible....but they always want to test me...

Pedal assistance on my bike tops out at 20mph btw....

here's a link https://www.bennobikes.com/e-bikes/boost/


>*skatin' the rings of saturn*
>
>
>..and miles to go before i sleep...

..It sounds like you've found the balance.



*skatin' the rings of saturn*


..and miles to go before i sleep...

I had the last time I did it, I just signed up for another century ride here in NYC. I was suckered into it because it appears to be the last one done by TransAlt, which is a fairly big cycling advocacy group. It would be cool if the organization gave out medals or something special for the century ride finishers, but I don't think I can count on that occurring. I at least hope the shirts for this time around are fairly special.

I'm at least hoping the weather will be much better than it was when I did it last year.

i have a rei carema pro:
https://images.app.goo.gl/u6E8Yu8acYbF1Ehu7

- thorough washing and degreasing/greasing
- replaced brake pads, handlebar tape
- bought some gator skins...too tough to get on, so I had to take them
to rei

need to get a new lock and seat

The improved weather really made this a much more enjoyable trip. The Bronx run for this was much improved compared to last year's route and I got to see some gorgeous areas of the Bronx. I had no clue the Bronx had golf courses. And it appears I have to eat my words in regards to not getting a medal as TransAlt gave medals out to folks that complete the tour, regardless of the distance traveled. I wonder why this is the last Century Ride. I need to find more suitable ride events other than the 40 mile Five Boro ride to fill that void.

Have to get my bike checked out as it did act up on me a bit, but nothing too major. Anyone else her take that plunge yesterday?

..registration opens this month.

Its the best way to see the Bronx.


*skatin' the rings of saturn*


..and miles to go before i sleep...

I've read about that in the past; pretty certain I'm going to have to ride with my bike on the Subway to and from that event as biking to the Bronx straight from Brooklyn isn't the easiest task, at least for me.

I think TransAlt does a Tour De Staten Island as well, but I dunno if I want to dedicate a whole Sunday for that event. Are the sights in Staten Island worthy of the time?

..no shame in that (plenty of people do it).

The ride to/from the tour is part of the journey for me, so I include it in my calculated mileage for the day (about 75 miles round trip).

*I don't think the route for the Tour De Staten Island is safe. They don't have enough route support and I've seen too many accidents.


*skatin' the rings of saturn*


..and miles to go before i sleep...

bib pickup locations? I'm hoping the spots aren't only reserved for the Bronx, but I suppose it makes sense for it to be Bronx only location since the event is organized by a local Bronx organization if I'm not mistaken.

..bib pick-up/info is in Bx the morning of.


*skatin' the rings of saturn*


..and miles to go before i sleep...

on the fact it was cancelled? Curious to see if the weather will be as bad as the cancellation email intimated.

..like I said before, the Tour de Bronx has the steepest inclines/declines of all NYC cycling tours.

I like testing the limits of my gear, but they made the right call.


*skatin' the rings of saturn*


..and miles to go before i sleep...

I was on my way home, had just gotten back onto the protected trail and my pannier bag (timbuk2 lightweight pannier - with the velcro fasteners, not clips) shifted and caught in my rear wheel. I had managed to brake a little bit before bailing, and my right hand and left knee got the worst of it. Like a silver dollar-sized abrasion through a layer of skin just below the kneecap. Nobody said a word when I walked in the CVS to get some supplies and clean up though. Which is . . . off-putting.

Had to reset my headset over the weekend as the fall pushed the handlebars all the way around and then some. And damn if I wasn't bombing around today heading to the dentist's office.

Also, now that we have both kids at the same school, it's quite freeing to not have the child seat on the back (using a burley-style Xterra trailer that mounts to a hitch on the axle) for the post-dropoff commute.

notice or say anything about your pain.

I got hurt on my bike a couple years ago. pedal went into my ankle as I was making my way home. big ass gash, bleeding like crazy.

had to make my way to the QuikTrip for napkins so my shoe wouldn't get soaked. limping around, visibly bleeding. nobody said a word. shit was weird.

went to urgent care the next day. they put stables in my ankle. worst pain ever. I nearly passed out.

hopefully, you'll be good soon.

It was in the store that it was weird.

I dumped my bike, but I actually didn't fall because I was doing all I could to stay up right. that's how my ankle and pedal had an abusive relationship lol.

but there were 2 dudes in front of me who asked if I was ok. I was standing/walking, eyeballing the stupid bike. I thought I was better than I was. then the pain hit.

Did 61 today, 16.6 mph
MS 150

First weekend of August, I hadn't ridden more than 15 miles

I'm not sure I'll do one again with those kind of hills, it was brutal

..finding new challenges is one of the keys to being actively involved in cycling.



*skatin' the rings of saturn*


..and miles to go before i sleep...

He’s not happy about that. He offered to team up yesterday. But when I wasn’t close to getting those times he was all about talking that shit.

Yesterday I did the Ciclavia heart of LA route. 6 miles of open streets thru Macarthur Park, Downtown, Chinatown, and Boyle Heights. Seeing all these people on bikes, scooters, skateboards, and even just walking or running without a car in sight is a beautiful thing. I went riding with my gf, who is a newbie and is rightfully terrified of riding in LA traffic. It was nice for her to get some miles and hill practice without worrying about cars.

The next one is in the valley and tbh, the route looks boring af. Ah well, they can't all be winners and I'm still gonna do my best to make it.

i rode with some friends for the first time in a long time and had a blast. one of us had a serious sound system in a carriage being towed and we had the thump going for miles through LA and peeps were dancing, head-nodding, smiling and loving it!
i loved the downtown to venice beach route hella years back.

There's a section of steep trail at the start of my commute to bring the little guys to school that I kept skidding out on and having to walk the bike and trailer 20 feet on; I used that as justification to change to a more aggressive set of tires. I had a Duro touring front, Schwalbe Marathon rear tire that both worked fine, but the ride felt a little sluggish on top of my traction issues (was lugging an Xterra convertible trailer with two 35 pound little humans besides myself, leaving the trailer locked at school and continuing on to work from there). I got a pair of Schwalbe CX Pros (https://www.biketiresdirect.com/product/schwalbe-cx-pro-700c-tire-hs-269?fltr=3755). MAN. So the tire's only 2mm narrower than the width of the tourers, but with aggressive tread pattern, and so with the reduced rolling resistance I've been about 10 minutes quicker on my commute, and able to stay in the larger chainrings longer. It's amazing what such a small change can do for your ride.

Going to my ass kicked by a bunch of college kids but it should be fun
5k run
16 mile ride
1.5 mile run

All hills

Did the course Sunday. It’ll hurt. So much energy expended.

"Get ready....for your blessing....."
"Bury me by my Grand-Grand and when you can come follow me"

I'm not in good enough shape tho lol

Went with the Schwinn Piston from Target; I wanted to make sure he had a bike with a handbrake, to get used to using those, and every review I saw had the geometry being second only to the woom for riding comfort. He hasn't seen it yet, but he's been angling for that over his balance bike.

..One of my nephews loved his 1st bike until he realized he was the only one rocking training wheels.

He promptly refused to ride anymore unless the training wheels were removed (he was only 2 yrs old LOL). We thought he was being a bit extra, but he learned to ride without them within an hour (stopping took a little longer to master lol).

He's now 4 yrs old, already mastered electric and gas powered dirt bikes (with gears), and is currently looking forward to motocross training next summer.

These children are going places.


*skatin' the rings of saturn*


..and miles to go before i sleep...

Bought a beater Schwinn cruiser with sketchy tires and worse coaster braking for a six pack of local kolsch. (https://www.instagram.com/p/B4YfSXFBSyR/)

I've hit it a repaint, changed to drop bars, switched in a lightweight 1x crankset, spread the rear frame to accommodate a 7 speed cassette, and found long enough brakes to work with the frame (here it is before I fixed the shifter https://www.instagram.com/p/B5MbYnthln9/). Still working to dial in the ride but I'm excited to ride this.

Any riders here have any experience with Gates Carbon Belt driven bikes? I don't think I'm the type to get a second bike, but I am very curious how well these type of bikes operate. It would be cool to ride a bicycle without having to worry about drivechain maintenance when the weather gets too wet.

Carbon Belt Drive

Pros:

• No Rust (no lubrication needed)
• Less slippage, fine-tuning throughout the season

Cons:

• More Expensive (Frame fitting, parts, labor, etc.)
• Internal Hub (requires Mechanic/Tools or replacement)

*The claim for less maintenance is only because you'll likely replace the hub (instead of performing repairs). Considering that, you're looking @ a a couple hundred in parts & labor each time.

This is also why I prefer single speed/fixed gear cycling. I was born with all the gears I need for cycling without an additional motor (lol).



*skatin' the rings of saturn*


..and miles to go before i sleep...

>Carbon Belt Drive
>
>Pros:
>
>• No Rust (no lubrication needed)
>• Less slippage, fine-tuning throughout the season
>
>Cons:
>
>• More Expensive (Frame fitting, parts, labor, etc.)
>• Internal Hub (requires Mechanic/Tools or replacement)
>
>*The claim for less maintenance is only because you'll likely
>replace the hub (instead of performing repairs). Considering
>that, you're looking @ a a couple hundred in parts & labor
>each time.
I haven't experienced any issues in over 5 years of ownership and use. The high cost of entry for IGH is more of a Con than the actual performance and maintenance IMO.

>This is also why I prefer single speed/fixed gear cycling. I
>was born with all the gears I need for cycling without an
>additional motor (lol).

I wouldn't wish fixed gear on my worst enemy LOL.... My single speed bike is probably the least useful bike in my collection. The only time I use it is for ridding around with my oldest daughter while she rides her bike. AKA...when I know I won't be tackling any hills....up OR down..



"Get ready....for your blessing....."
"Bury me by my Grand-Grand and when you can come follow me"

..I can't imagine someone investing in IGH unless they're an active cyclist each season (ie: high mileage).



*skatin' the rings of saturn*


..and miles to go before i sleep...

>..I can't imagine someone investing in IGH unless they're an
>active cyclist each season (ie: high mileage).

Now I am intrigued since I ride six out of the seven days of the week during all four seasons. On an annual basis I have to get my cassettes and drivechains replaced due to heavy usage.

Back to what you typed in the response above; were you saying the Internal Gear Hub will need to get repaired eventually and thus where the high costs will be a factor? Or where you saying the Internal Gear Hub initially costs a ton just to purchase first hand and repairs down the road aren't necessary?

..as you appear to fit the profile for their targeted consumer.

The hub will be a bit more expensive (parts & labor on replacement), but that's about it.


*skatin' the rings of saturn*


..and miles to go before i sleep...

I'm not looking to build the bike from the ground up myself. I have my eyes on the Brilliant Bike Co. L Train ( https://www.brilliant.co/collections/bicycles/products/l-train?variant=35671021906 ), but I'm going to talk to someone from my local bike shop to see what he says about Carbon Gear bikes in general. The store in question doesn't sell any, so I'm hoping I'll get objectively good advice despite won't see a red cent from me coping that bike in question.

as well...
Especially to take full advantage of the all season enhancements/capabilities you're gaining from the belt drive and IGH.

"Get ready....for your blessing....."
"Bury me by my Grand-Grand and when you can come follow me"

>as well...
>Especially to take full advantage of the all season
>enhancements/capabilities you're gaining from the belt drive
>and IGH.


I hear you about disc brakes as this is the bike I currently have ( https://www.giant-bicycles.com/us/escape-2-disc-city ). I love how responsive the breaks are and I don't have to worry about the intermittent squeaking noises that crops up whenever there's moisture around with rim brakes.

The only commuter carbon gear bike with disc brakes I know about is this ( https://www.prioritybicycles.com/products/continuumonyx ). I don't know if I'm ready to spend over a thousand dollars for a commuter bike, as stellar as that bike looks.

and assemble for you. LBS all have access to the same vendors unless they're a branded bike shop. At least it used to be that way......

"Get ready....for your blessing....."
"Bury me by my Grand-Grand and when you can come follow me"

..similar to one of my rides - Raleigh Rush Hour (Ghost): https://www.gracebicycles.com/product/raleigh-rush-hour-flatbar-75091-1.htm

The L Train being more cruiser than road bike, but you get the point.

I often wonder what it would be like to add a flip flop internal hub, similar to this (Fixie Inc Peacemaker): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OVInDmbQg4

One of these days, I'm gonna pull the trigger.




*skatin' the rings of saturn*


..and miles to go before i sleep...

To replace the one normally organized by Transportation Alternatives.

For more information, the URL is www.ipedalnyc.com. One nice difference that I see ready is that the road markings will differ compared to ones used in the past, which will be a huge help.

I'm also curious if the organizer will be able to start the Manhattan leg from somewhere other than Central Park. I wonder where that'll be; the only other spot I can think of is Union Square, but I'm sure there are other spots that can be used.

Riding in LA has been a dream these last few months. Clean air and no traffic 😌. And lots of people have been getting back into bicycling, as the empty stock and long service wait times at bike shops will show. I hope traffic never comes back.

How have the OKCyclists been coping? Any new routes, gear, and/or accomplishments?

Stay safe and ride good 🤘

everyone into bikers it seems....
For the most part...I guess that's good...but I'm really missing my space and open roads & paths that I used to enjoy commuting back and forth.
My commute in is fairly empty...but coming home it's like riding through a 6 mile long playground.

Although cars are gradually coming back. For now, car traffic is still relatively light. I do the vast majority of my riding in the morning. Since lockdown, I ride about 15-30 miles in the morning then WFH the rest of the day. I rode yesterday evening and saw a ton of bicyclists on Sunset Blvd, so I guess they all come out then, lol. I don't mind, the more the merrier.

DC made me hate seasonality. Nobody wanted to do shit when it was cold. EVERYONE wanted to do the same shit when it was better weather.

winter traffic now...so that's been a welcome relief.



"Get ready....for your blessing....."
"Bury me by my Grand-Grand and when you can come follow me"

Riding the mean streets of NYC during this pandemic can be awe-inspiring and heartbreaking at the same time. Clearly enjoying fewer motorist on the road. Also encouraging to see so many people investing in cycling as an alternative. I wish NYC would use this opportunity to re-educate people on cycling awareness/etiquette, but I'm not complaining.

I'm in the middle of my next custom build (based on Aventon Ultro custom frame set), but the drought regarding certain parts is frustrating (I've restarted this new build twice already). Hopefully I can get this bike on the road before the end of summer.

Last friday we lead the charge for the Knight Ryders (Brooklyn) Juneteenth ride to represent BLM protest. What started out as a call for a few hundred cyclist to bomb the streets of NYC in protest, quickly grew into a few thousand riders steady mobbin'! © Cube

As always, ride safe & swift.




*skatin' the rings of saturn*


..and miles to go before i sleep...

We also had BLM rides and continue to have them. And a lot of the bicycle IG accounts that I follow have been linking to good causes and organizing rides and fund raisers. It's pretty inspiring stuff. I hope it sticks! It would be a silver lining to all this grim shit that we've been witnessing.

Good luck on your build!

I picked it up from a giveaway pile 3 or 4 years ago and tossed it in the shed. Damn near forgot about it until a couple of weeks ago when I had to get some gardening equipment out and saw a mouse scurry under the front wheel.

Got it striped down to just the frame and handlebars on Father's Day. Sourcing parts hasn't been too difficult, but I don't need too much. Once I got it stripped down and cleaned, my wife was like "Are you gonna paint it?".... smh... I sure wasn't INTENDING to lol.....

..lol.

Those are beautiful frames, though. If you can restore it, its worth it.


*skatin' the rings of saturn*


..and miles to go before i sleep...

Almost would rather embrace the patina....
You ever painted a frame yourself??
Advice?



"Get ready....for your blessing....."
"Bury me by my Grand-Grand and when you can come follow me"

..mostly because they don't make frames like that anymore.

I haven't painted one DIY, but I have had one restored by a professional.





*skatin' the rings of saturn*


..and miles to go before i sleep...

..but I got a great deal at the time and the frame was worth it.

Unfortunately that bike was stolen 2 years later.




*skatin' the rings of saturn*


..and miles to go before i sleep...

Another $200 would put it beyond what it sold for brand new in the 80's (even factoring in inflation).....

tough call...

Thanks for the insight though!


"Get ready....for your blessing....."
"Bury me by my Grand-Grand and when you can come follow me"

..I would only do that as a passion project to restore.


*skatin' the rings of saturn*


..and miles to go before i sleep...

Anyone have any experience with this shop? I'm in the market for a simple single speed bike due to my current bicycle being out of commission. Did some brief web searching and I didn't know this store was black-owned, which is cool. Just curious if anyone here has first hand experience with them.

..L&L Cycles is your answer. 58 New York Ave (the corner of Atlantic & New York ave).

Luke (the owner) is the best bike mechanic in the tri-state area. I've built 5 different beast for the road and I can't imagine doing so without him. The shop is small, isn't fancy at all, but his knowledge & experience with bikes is unparalleled.

I've heard good things about Dixon's (been around for over 50 yrs, family owned, etc), but I haven't used their shop. Be sure to review your experience, should you decide to roll with them.




*skatin' the rings of saturn*


..and miles to go before i sleep...

I'll check them out tomorrow.

I called Dixon's after I made that post and they said new they are have no bikes in stock and won't get anymore until early February. I can't fault them on this since COVID has made it hard for bike shops in general to keep bikes and bike parts in decent stock. Hopefully I'll be able to find a bike before then, but if I don't I'll go back.

I'll be pleasantly surprised if L&L Cycles will have a bike for me with the COVID depleated stock in mind, but I'll go there tomorrow regardless.

It's a shame neither Dixon's nor L & L have much of an imprint online so that it's easier to get information about them.

.

plus, you get to pick your own components.

..I don't care what bike/brand you rock with, if you buy off the rack you're almost guaranteed to make upgrades somewhere in the next 6 months/1st year.

If you already know what you want in a bike, why wasted time searching for a bike that comes close when you can have exactly what you want for less?


*skatin' the rings of saturn*


..and miles to go before i sleep...

In addition, I've read that with international shipping restrictions due to COVID, it's not that easy for shop to keep items in stock. I would imagine I would have the same problem trying to purchase items needed to build a bike from scratch.

..Winter is brutal enough on most LBS for the northeast, but the slow crawl for bikes/parts during these Covid times led to a lot of shops taking a break this winter (understandable).

Rest assured, he'll be up and running in a month.



*skatin' the rings of saturn*


..and miles to go before i sleep...

when I tried to call the number I saw on Yelp and I got no answer and the Google Maps listing for the address for the store showed that the location was temporarily closed, so I didn't bother going on Saturday.

I ended up buying a cheap one speed from Ride Brooklyn. It gets the job done, but I don't truly like the bike. I almost don't want to put on better tires and feel like riding the stock tires I'm so disgusted with the bike. I should have a small amount of gratitude since finding bikes isn't exactly the easiest in NYC because of all the problems COVID introduced.

I might buy another one speed from Dixon's Bike Shop next month.

>
https://www.fyxation.com/collections/pixel/products/matte-black-pixel

With your primary bike though???
We should work on getting that fixed for you... can’t be THAT difficult can it?

My other local bike shop is getting another frame shipped to them. Once they get the replacement frame, they will strip the components from the cracked bike frame to the replacement frame.

was it carbon fiber or something?

I'm not all mountain, enduro or downhill. At an extreme I would be trail but I am really into the idea of a full suspension XC bike. Hardtail is...I'm a bit shook with the idea of it, but veterans do say the only way to become a trail master is to learn how to handle a hardtail in rocky terrain.