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Biking '10 part 2
- Thread starter Ziltoid
- Start date
When you get stronger, you simply push yourself to the point where you think you might throw up. It never gets easier, just faster.
I'll spelling nazi you! It's spelt Quarq not Quark
Ooops. That and Sadowski get me from time to time.
Maybe you guys can help me with this. I was at the street market the other week and picked up a vintage bianchi (circa ~1970) for $50. It needs new tires, but they have a very strange wheel. The wheel has almost no walls at all. How in the world am i supposed to mount a tire to a wheel with no walls? The tire that is on there right now does not have a separate tube or tire, but is combined. Very weird.
Not only pros.
Hard to believe that tires used to be like that all around. Definitely not a convenient and quick to change as a clincher, but they're a fast and responsive tire.
A local shop has a mid 80's Bianchi with Suntour components. It's even my size and never sold. If'n my wife wouldn't kill me, I'd get it for the sake of having a decent classic.
Hard to believe that tires used to be like that all around. Definitely not a convenient and quick to change as a clincher, but they're a fast and responsive tire.
A local shop has a mid 80's Bianchi with Suntour components. It's even my size and never sold. If'n my wife wouldn't kill me, I'd get it for the sake of having a decent classic.
Oh good Lord...you may just have picked up a real sleeper there. Which frame is it?
Hot-rod clinchers have only been around for about 15-20 or so years, and the early ones were pretty sucky at that. And I can still swap out a hole'd sewup in about half the time it takes me to swap out a hole'd tube...when I ride sewups, that is, which isn't often any more. The Vittoria Open CX's are so close the the tubular version that it's not worth the hassle anymore. IMO.
Not sure if anyone cares but the Leadville Trail 100 came and went this weekend and once again, it proved to be a "rodies" course. Levi Leipheimer came in first and beat Lance's record from last year (with a flat). JHK came in second (also beat LAs record), Todd Wells came in 3rd, Dave Weins 4th and Jeremiah Bishop 5th.
Somewhere in the race Wells rear ended Levi and and busted his front wheel. The legend of Ned Overend took off his front wheel and gave it to him an rode the busted wheel to the next station. The dude still managed to finish in the top 50 at 55 years old. Class act.
Somewhere in the race Wells rear ended Levi and and busted his front wheel. The legend of Ned Overend took off his front wheel and gave it to him an rode the busted wheel to the next station. The dude still managed to finish in the top 50 at 55 years old. Class act.
I want to start riding seriously again, but need a "comfortable" bike, i.e. not squirrely or twitchy (and not an old man upright hybrid bike). My favorite bike was a Cannondale ST400 touring bike. I've been looking at touring bikes and am leaning that way, but someone suggested I look a Cyclocross bikes. What I've seen is interesting (Surly Cross Check, Kona Jake/Jake the Snake, Gary Fisher Lane). Now I'm not sure which way to go. Any suggestions?
Being not terribly technical with lots of climbing and long distance, I'm not terribly surprised with the results. As a Levi fan, kinda bummed he won't get much exposure despite crushing Lance's record.
geeza, I'd say ride as many of thse & similar bikes as you can; a cross bike is very likely IMO to be just the ticket for your needs. Factor in warranty, shop service & how close they are to you for maintenence reasons, and get riding!
On that note, Wednesday, my kids start school again- this year, all three will be out of my so-called hair until noon EVERY DAY of the WEEK.
My old-guy pro career starts tomorrow...
On that note, Wednesday, my kids start school again- this year, all three will be out of my so-called hair until noon EVERY DAY of the WEEK.
My old-guy pro career starts tomorrow...
Frame-geometry-wise, 'cross frames are gonna be similar to for-real touring frames, for the most part. The 'cross frame, especially ones that are designed as race bikes, will most likely have shorter chainstays that the tourer tho, which means a shorter overall wheelbase.
Anyway, from the frames you listed...I really like the Surley (but I like what Surley does in general), and second would be the Jake - note however that the Jake is designed as a race bike, and I refer you to the above. Can you test-ride either of them?
- edit - Yeah, Levi deserves more press in general on that win, which IMO is mildly epic!
Anyway, from the frames you listed...I really like the Surley (but I like what Surley does in general), and second would be the Jake - note however that the Jake is designed as a race bike, and I refer you to the above. Can you test-ride either of them?
- edit - Yeah, Levi deserves more press in general on that win, which IMO is mildly epic!
Touring bikes are an option and probably the more versatile combo, but kinda depends on if you plan on touring and need that sort of gear ratio (triple).
CX bikes are probably the most versatile bikes, but the better off road capabilities tend to slightly hinder on road riding (in the form of resistance).
If you're just looking for a road bike, most companies make bikes that fall into the category of road comfort. The geometry is a bit more relaxed and handling isn't as twitchy for sure.
I tend to keep myself only familiar with Bianchi, but almost every company will make something that falls into the category of sport comfort. These are often fairly similar to regular road bikes in terms of components and frames. My main road bike is part of the old C2C series, which has been replaced by the Via Narone series. Still, there are plenty of other brands and I'm pretty sure almost everyone makes something similar to stay competitive.
If you look for a comfort road bike, there are a few designed for double centuries and such where they are a bit more relaxed.
The 2 that always come to mind are Specialized Rubiax and the Salsa Pistola. Both slightly less twitchy than say The Spez Tarmac and Salsa Podio which are the true racers from the same brand.
On the original bikes you mentioned, the Surly Crosscheck has a very short headtube so a lot of people find them uncomfortable. Seen lots of them with 25deg stems to counter this effect.
I suggest a Surly Long Haul trucker or Salsa Vaya if you want a steel frame. The konas are cool but they are alu frames. Make sure you pick the right material for you. I personally prefer steel.
My "road bike" is a salsa vaya - Heck of a bike, super confortable, and you can pile up some serious miles on it:
That was high on my list until I found out that, in my size (54) you can only put 26" wheels on. 27/700c's aren't available until you hit 56 and above.
QBP (owner of Salsa/Surly) is notorious for doing that - I believe the Vaya will have the same issue as the LHT.
I'm fat - I love them
It is *almost* too much brake for the bike. You occasionally notice a bit of fork shudder in the front when doing serious braking. They have served me well in the gravel roads I ride since it's parallel to horse trails so you occasionally have a pony jump out of nowhere on the shared sections.
The problem with discs and road bikes (or rather, drop STI levers) is that you really have one true viable option on the break. The Avid BB5/7 road.
The good news is that the BB5/7 is probably the best cable actuated disc brake out there.
Personally, I will probably never have a bike again with rim brakes unless I get a true road racer (which I don't forsee). More and more cx bikes are coming with disc tabs as well so I hope more options come out soon in the area of drop lever disc brakes.
re: Rims - Then certainly check out the Vaya if you don't mind a bit of heft on your bike (about 25lbs on the stock build).
Most bike company have their "relaxed" like spade said, I'm just here to give some ex: Giant->defy, Specialized->roubaix, Connondale->synapse, felt Z series, etc
edit: more ex's
