This is a Bike Thread

KeithAM do you ride brakeless? How long does it take to get good with that? I ride mtn bikes mostly. I like the simplicity of ss and the ease of repair on the trails. my fixie though I am thinkin bout goin brakeless.
 
Many fixed gear riders go without brakes on the road. A lot of the local bike messengers are brakeless. Many, however, have at least one (front) brake

I only ever went brakeless when I raced on a track and rode my track bike about 10 miles each way to and from the track. That was only when I was a teenager and felt invulerable.

I strongly favor having a brake. I know bikes look cool stripped down without brakes, but it's just safer to have one.

.
 
We brought a student's fixed-gear into the station; he'd left it unlocked and unattended. (kids....) The guys asked me (being "the bike guy") "How do you ride that thing?"

I must admit that at my age and the state of my knees, the idea of a fixed-gear is not high on my list. Oh, the mechanical simplicity is nice, but I'm a mechanic who does not find bike maintenance and adjustment difficult.
I want all the gears I can get, thanks, and powerful stoppers as well.
 
I can't believe I only just found this thread. I really gotta spend more time on recon in this site.

Knives are my second material passion, bicycles are my first. I own a bike shop on Vancouver Island, www.sookebikes.com, and ride to work everyday, and also on the trails a couple times a week. In fact, I bailed on tonight's ride due to lung butter. I also spend lots of time building trails and keeping them up, so that's where I get to use my knives.

I found a picture of my bike...but the file's too big dammit.
Oh well, great thread! Nice to find out who my two wheeled, knutty brethren are.
 
Here is my Mongoose Dx 3.3 "Mountain" bike. Bought it new in 2000 for like $199 on mark down- it is a 1999 model. It's a short frame model. 21 speed, Shimano Rapid Fire type Shifting system (adjusting the rear derailer is a royal pain), but I really like the gear ratios and rapid shifting ability- just use my trigger finger and thumb. I'm not a big fan of shocks, even in the front (and especailly not in the rear). It sees a lot of onroad action and it's share of off road action. I need to change the seat cushion (the factory seat is shit, it helped for the past 8 years, but really needs to be replaced). I'm probably going to put on a dedicated gel cushion seat. Screw the lash down cushions. This year, I'm going to through on some steel pedals, since the plastic ones are starting to get chewed up (and the coolness factor) I'm also going to replace the rear brake cable, since it is starting to fray where it is attached to the brake. I absolutely love the matte black frame color.

Here is some pics:

p1030130il5.jpg


p1030133ix1.jpg
 
Here is my Cycles Chitane road bike. 1970's vintage, bought it used around the same time as the Mongoose for $50 from a local bike repair place. 12 speed, excellent brakes, very nice, aluminum rims. Came with the little rack, which has come in useful a couple of times. It's good for longer trips on more leval road surfaces. The gear ratio is higher than I would like, but it is liveable. IIRC, the rims are metric, and are about 27" (I need to check the tire- it's been a while since I bought one). The other downside is that it uses the European syle valves, so I need to carry an adapter when I ride thise one. Very smooth riding. Haven't ridden this one in over a year.

ETA- the leather racing seat is Japanese made, 1970's vintage, Japanese made. It is not the original factory seat, which...errr...I didn't really care for.

p1030136bj6.jpg


p1030137dv1.jpg
 
I've rebuilt a number of these 70s-vintage roadsters; it's amazing how well they hold up. We normally have a bunch of Pugeots and Motobecanes floating around the university.

I rebuilt and sold a very nice Japanese roadster last year, a Miyata "Pro". Tange double-butted chrome-moly frame, high-end Suntour components; and still in good enough shape that all I needed to do was rebuild the wheel bearings and do some TLC.
 
This is my 2003 Galileo. Bought it in 2004 as a leftover and saved a bundle.
Record carbon shifters and the rest is Chorus components. It is the last year of
the full aluminum frame available in the States. Rear stays went carbon fiber the
next model year.

picture.JPG


picture.JPG
 
Just acquired a new bike. Mountain biking and commuting until a few years ago when I got knee trouble. Riding faded away when my knee blew up every weekend. It's mostly fixed now so I am back into commuting. Fancied a Cannondale bad Boy but pricey. Ended up buying a Specialized Globe Comp - flat bars, 700C and 8-speed hub gears. Fenders, rack, Brooks saddle. Love it. May hit some longer rides in the summer.
 
I have always maintained that those "comfort" bikes; (also known as hybrids, and a few other names as well currently) are just right for a large majority of riders.

They are comfortable, easy to maintain, and quite efficient for the sorts of short-haul commuting and family "fun" riding done by the vast majority of people.
All the time I see well-equipped riders flogging a full-bore mountain bike on the street, often with the original knobby tires. They'd likely be much happier on a hybrid, and they generally cost less as well.

Or, someone with a roadster who has little idea of how to ride it. Often you'll see folks with their hands spot-welded to the "drop" portion of the bars, apparently under the impression that if they're there, you must use them.
They'd be far more comfortable using the "hoods" (the brake/shifter hoods) that are the proper hand position for most riding.

I end up setting up most all of our police patrol bikes so they are much more like "comfort" bikes than aggressive mountain bikes. Cushier saddles, higher handlebars, etc.
 
A lifetime ago I raced USCF for ten years and competed as a Cat 3. I haven't been able to give up the addiction of riding even though I've cut way back on milage and the purchase of new bikes. I have two Cannondales with Shimano and Campy plus a Specialized MB set up as a single speed for rides with the wife or trips to the store for milk,etc. Actually, knifemaking put an end to new bikes because there is always new equipment I need more than a new bike.
 
I'm on an '07 Specialized Tricross cyclocross 58cm. I don't cyclocross but I wanted a near road bike for commuting that was a little bit tougher than a typical road bike. Plus, I needed something to accommodate fenders and a rack (though I don't actually have a rack now, someday maybe). It's a perfect bike for what I need. I have some Planet Bike Freddy clip-on/clip-off fenders. The bike has a smooth ride, is relatively light (compared to a MTB) and is fast enough for me.

I also have some forte pedals that are platform on one side and clipless on the other so that I can still clip in when I want to. However, I don't wear cleats to work.
 
I ride a Redline 925. It is currently set up as a fixed gear. It has a flip flop hub so I could turn the back wheel around and go from fixed to a freewheel single speed. The bike is phenomenal.
 
mwerner said:
I've rebuilt a number of these 70s-vintage roadsters; it's amazing how well they hold up. We normally have a bunch of Pugeots and Motobecanes floating around the university.

I rebuilt and sold a very nice Japanese roadster last year, a Miyata "Pro". Tange double-butted chrome-moly frame, high-end Suntour components; and still in good enough shape that all I needed to do was rebuild the wheel bearings and do some TLC.
Click to expand...


I' m sure he meant Gitane. :) Multiple winners of the Tour de France and World Pro Road Championships - Hinault, Fignon, Le Mond, Longo, etc.

The Pro Miyata was my first quality road frame decked out piece by piece with Suntour Superbe road components. Heavy bike. But a strong one at that!
 
I don't have a really nice bike yet, but someday!

I ride a Mongoose Blackcomb on trails. It's a brick, weighing in at a whopping 38 lbs. But I really don't mind the resistance, as I'm not doing anything crazy yet. I've ridden everything from riverbeds to sand to some pretty steep uphills on it.

img5851kg7.jpg


I need to get around to replacing the cheap metal pedals. They bite the heck out of my leg every time I take a dive off the bike--which, learning to ride in sand is pretty often.


I have a self-restored '71 Peugeot I ride on the street:

img5850xp7.jpg


LOVE the bike. Only a 12-speed, but shifts smooth as glass, and just glides.
 
pinarelloonly said:
This is my 2003 Galileo. Bought it in 2004 as a leftover and saved a bundle.
Record carbon shifters and the rest is Chorus components. It is the last year of
the full aluminum frame available in the States. Rear stays went carbon fiber the
next model year.
Click to expand...

That's a very nice bike. I'm glad to see it has Campy on it. :thumbup:



enderwiggin said:
I have a self-restored '71 Peugeot I ride on the street:

LOVE the bike. Only a 12-speed, but shifts smooth as glass, and just glides.
Click to expand...

Just an FYI....that Peugeot isn't from '71, perhaps that was a typo. I'd guess it could be a '91 though, it looks right for that era. It's a nice bike, you don't see a lot of European MTBs over here.
 
KeithAM said:
This is a Raleigh DL-1 Tourist
Click to expand...

Nice bikes all of them but the Raleigh took me back to my youth. I spent summers at my grandmother's in Edinburgh (Scotland) and rode all over the place on one of those. Was my grandfather's bike. Took a teenager on all sorts of adventures :). Like the relaxed seat tube angle. Has been reinvented as foot forward style.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top