Double Bass DB bicycle thread

[unbrokenchain]

...because there seem to be enough of us around here who love and/or rely on bikes, and I couldn't find much of a bike thread in the off-topic. It's a place to post pics of your ride(s) and maps of your favorite routes. Doesn't matter if it's a beach cruiser that gets taken out once a year on vacation, carbon fiber racing machine, or if it's your everyday all-weather commuter, let's see it!

I have three:
Road commuter, occasional racer. The Blue Ridge Parkway is closed to cars for almost half the year at the higher elevations, so as long as there isn't snow and ice, this one makes quick work of paved distance.


This one allows me to keep up with my dog in the woods... I am extremely fortunate to have lots of public land that I can access without getting in a car. Some of it is steep. I'm the guy burning up the climbs past all the guys walking their bikes, and then they all fly by me on the downhills with their newfangled dual suspensions. I go slow most the time, I like being in the forest and don't want it to rush by. And ̶i̶f̶ when I fall, I prefer to be going slow. Disc brakes are where it's at!


I keep this guy around because it's what I learned to mtb on, and it's surprisingly capable if pretty outdated. Trying to go downhill fast results in loss of vision from the handlebar jitters, but it climbs like a goat. More of a "just in case" bike, but it still sees the trail from time to time.


A few of my favorite local rides:
Invalid Link Removed- this one is basically in my backyard.. steep climb and intense downhill singletrack, and then climb back up the mountain on a gentle, paved greenway.

Invalid Link Removed - up a former railroad grade, past the parkway, up to the highest peak in the eastern US. Yeah the last part is paved, but it's still a bruiser! 4-5 hours up, 1.5 hours down..

Invalid Link Removed - I know a guy who used to do this ride in an afternoon, no joke. I need to stop and camp at least once, better enjoyed over a whole weekend imo.

 

[Reiska]

Cool thread!!! I love the old school steel roadie, very classy and propably truly comfortable flight on that one. What`s with the seats, they`re positioned for climbing?

I like relaxed riding too, in the city and on the trails. Climbing is where it`s at, I`m not much of a downhill rider. Some easy technical trails I like, and find them pretty close from where I live. Playing bass with non-broken bones or injuries is what I`m after, but falling down every now and then is part of the deal. You just kinda have to pick the right spot for it

I`ll post some pics from my stable someday soon!

edit: You have some serious surroundings for riding over there, wow!!!

 

[carl h.]

There's a good thread on the other side if you dare to cross over.
basscyclist thread picture thread

 

[unbrokenchain]

What`s with the seats, they`re positioned for climbing?...

More so that the unavoidable bumps go to a more forgiving part of the body Just what I'm used to I guess.

There's a good thread on the other side if you dare to cross over.
basscyclist thread picture thread

Never! Kidding, that's an excellent thread. But this one's specifically for DB players... bonus points to those who manage to transport their upright via pedal power.

 

[Reiska]

dont understand the negativity on here, she is what she is, which is great, if you don’t like it that much why bash it!

More so that the unavoidable bumps go to a more forgiving part of the body Just what I'm used to I guess.


Never! Kidding, that's an excellent thread. But this one's specifically for DB players... bonus points to those who manage to transport their upright via pedal power.

You know, I got 2 fixed rides, legs of steel, brain of concrete and balls of... Sorry, had to do that.

You might get some extra power transfer from a leveled seat Just have to get used to it, you using padded shorts / trousers? That said, don`t know who`s winning XC today but a couple of years ago the world champion had his seat just like that. I recall that it was tilted for climbing ergonomics.

 

[jezyorkshire]

How did a quote of mine from a different post get on here lol ! ?

 

[birgebass]

Oh boy, now I can be jealous of all your sweet bikes, too

 

[oldNewbie]

OK I'll play. Year round commuter in south central WI. Road rides in season in the vicinity although our lab does various rides through the warm weather , like this beautiful ride near the Mississippi :
MapMyRide

If the lake freezes before much snow falls, I'll ride to work [edit: on the lake] once , and remember why bike riding on a frozen lake isn't too smart ( hint : if you hit a pressure crack at any angle of incidence not 90deg , and if it's just more than a little bitty thing, you'll be sorry) .



Three bikes :
The two road bikes stay in the basement , switching off on trainer duty


and the salt-and-ice bike . Garage sale item - the "nice" one somebody got to 'get in shape' and never used it, for <$100 have a stable sled which will get eaten by salt and sand in a couple seasons, but spare the good bikes.
[edit:And leave the winter studded tires on the wheels. When I put the last one on the curb in the spring , frozen brakes, shot bearings, chain one piece of rust, it still only lasted about an hour. ]

 

[Jim Dombrowski]

I worked in a bike shop in Milwaukee many years ago, and one hard core winter commuter was experimenting with running screws through the tires ( from the inside) with a heavy layer of something between the inner tube and tire, so he could have traction on ice.

I’m now living in Colorado Springs and have an old Trek mountain bike and a nice Tomassini road bike.

 

[oldNewbie]

I worked in a bike shop in Milwaukee many years ago, and one hard core winter commuter was experimenting with running screws through the tires ( from the inside) with a heavy layer of something between the inner tube and tire, so he could have traction on ice.

Yep and DIYers these days with disc brakes put nylon cable ties around their tires. At least for a couple days. I see one or two of those at the beginning of each season , but not by January.

Fortunately these days several manufacturers make good studded tires that actually work on ice , rideable on pavement and get through a couple inches of snow.
Fat bike riders get through deeper snow but if you sink in to the bottom bracket , it’s hard to pedal !

 

[Reiska]

Both of my bikes wear the same knobby tires troughout the year, despite the weather. On snow, ice and trails I just drop the pressures down, riding technique takes care of the rest. That said, I`m not even trying to go fast anywhere but when climbing. If I was commuting thru the dark season of early winter I`d prolly have a studded tire on the front, though.

 

[Matthijs]

I do use my bike now and then for transporting my DB. I live in Amsterdam and prefer the bike in the city center. It is always stressfull though because tourists tend to jump right in front of you.

if you ever come to Amsterdam and get yelled at by this 50-something bearded man with a DB hanging from the side of his bike, I’m truly sorry. (But get out of my way just the same).

 

[Inky13]

I sold my old broken Specialized last fall so I have to get something this spring. My budget is something between free and give away. .

 

[unbrokenchain]

Oh boy, now I can be jealous of all your sweet bikes, too

Doesn’t take much to impress eh? My bikes are basically garage sale specials, except the mountain bike, if that one were a bass it’d be a Shen sb80, the cheapest thing worth cleaning and upgrading..

I do use my bike now and then for transporting my DB. I live in Amsterdam and prefer the bike in the city center. It is always stressfull though because tourists tend to jump right in front of you.

if you ever come to Amsterdam and get yelled at by this 50-something bearded man with a DB hanging from the side of his bike, I’m truly sorry. (But get out of my way just the same).

I want to come to Amsterdam just to see that! Awesome.

All you winter riders have my utmost respect. My work day starts at 3am and I’ve been driving when it’s below 25F or so.. no good excuses

 

[overit]

I grew up riding the woods and low altitude in NJ coming from freestyle/BMX as a kid. Eventually got into jumps and then a downhill bike at Mountain Creek. I moved out to Nevada and the mountains here are much taller and the landscape gnarlier. I moved with a rigid fat bike and a downhill bike. I ended up selling both and ride this, a Canfield Bros. Riot. Handles all the trails that I like out here:
Sloan Canyon
Bootleg Canyon
Blue Diamond

 

[unbrokenchain]

Aww man that looks amazing!!!

I’m now living in Colorado Springs and have an old Trek mountain bike and a nice Tomassini road bike.

I’d venture a guess that there are some downright incredible rides in that area.. are you mostly on the road or off when you ride?

 

[birgebass]

Doesn’t take much to impress eh? My bikes are basically garage sale specials, except the mountain bike, if that one were a bass it’d be a Shen sb80, the cheapest thing worth cleaning and upgrading.

I love the garage sale specials. I especially love fixing up old bikes and making them ride. It's more fun that way. Bonus points when you pass guys on their full carbon rides.

My main sled is a 2017 Marin Pine Mountain. Steel hardtail with 2.6 inch tires. It is a blast. I also have a Surly Straggler, which I absolutely love, and sometimes have a fixed gear bike setup.

 

[unbrokenchain]

Bonus points when you pass guys on their full carbon rides.

One of my favorite parts about the old garage sale bikes! They generally work great if you care for them, bearings are re-packable and parts dirt cheap. I did a 60 mile race in October, and there were a ton of people literally making fun of me at the start on my steel bike in jean shorts and skate shoes, with a backpack . Nobody said a word as I passed them on the climbs.. I got something like 50th out of ~350 people, but I was also late to the starting line and so behind the masses . One of the things that impressed me most was that there were only 3 or 4 people finishing before me who were younger than me (I'm 35). There were folks in their late 70s and 80s hauling fast.. folks who can do that should get free helium-filled carbon fiber bikes.. But it gives me hope that maybe I might enjoy riding for a good long while.

 

[unbrokenchain]

If the lake freezes before much snow falls, I'll ride to work [edit: on the lake] once , and remember why bike riding on a frozen lake isn't too smart ( hint : if you hit a pressure crack at any angle of incidence not 90deg , and if it's just more than a little bitty thing, you'll be sorry) .

Dude. On the lake? Ok. New level.

 

[matthewbrown]

I have an old steel-frame Specialized Allez from the 90's. Also from the 90's is the Gary Fisher Nirvana shown here, which I use to commute.