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Bicycle ERA |OT| This Is Why
- Thread starter Jill Sandwich
- Start date
So this 4-day weekend, I decided to do a bike tour along the ViaRhona from Geneva to Lyon. I rode on a late 90s-era Decathlon mountain bike that's been Frankensteined into a touring bike carrying food, clothes, water, a sleeping bag and a tent.
The 1st day got off to a late start and was rough with all the climbing to do (my bike ain't exactly light!):
The second went too smoothly (I finished way too early) and arrived at the camping site where I'd reserved a spot to pitch my tent for the night:
And so..fresh from my smooth second day... I gave it all I had on the 3rd and final day and just pedaled, only taking one real stop to eat lunch:
It was a really incredible experience and if you haven't done any touring before, you should give it a try. It's a really intimate way to experience a country.
(PS: I can't seem to figure out how to embed Strava rides in Resetera??)
The 1st day got off to a late start and was rough with all the climbing to do (my bike ain't exactly light!):
The second went too smoothly (I finished way too early) and arrived at the camping site where I'd reserved a spot to pitch my tent for the night:
And so..fresh from my smooth second day... I gave it all I had on the 3rd and final day and just pedaled, only taking one real stop to eat lunch:
It was a really incredible experience and if you haven't done any touring before, you should give it a try. It's a really intimate way to experience a country.
(PS: I can't seem to figure out how to embed Strava rides in Resetera??)
The dumb things you think about when you've already burnt so much money on your new bike: Should I buy the carbon bottle cages?
Nicely done!
Nicely done!
Amazing
This Bianchi special edition ( dedicated to Pantani ) is insane. I wish i had the money to buy it...
Supposedly having surgery this week. Don't yet know the exact details of what they want to do though.
Make sure you're well informed beforehand and tell your doctor you're a highly active individual and that it is important to you to get back to your own level of functioning.
There are various approaches with hip surgery, each with varying effects on hip flexibility.
Yeah, I just had the surgeons in here and they're well aware.
Problem is, they've just found a clot in my leg which complicates things severely. No idea if surgery still going ahead tomorrow or not.
Problem is, they've just found a clot in my leg which complicates things severely. No idea if surgery still going ahead tomorrow or not.
That looks like a really fun time! I'd love to try multiple day events some time. However with a 2 year old daughter I dont see it happening right now. Soon!
Dunno how to embed strava either. I take the complicated road and upload to tinypic to host.
I know almost nothing about bikes, my previous one is about 20 years old (cheapish mountain bike). So two questions:
Are hybrid bikes worth it for someone who will use it to go to work and sometimes do some 1-2 hours session on weekends ?
If so, which ones do you recommand ?
Are hybrid bikes worth it for someone who will use it to go to work and sometimes do some 1-2 hours session on weekends ?
If so, which ones do you recommand ?
I have a 4 year old and my wife is fine keeping her alone for a couple of days. But everyone's situation is different!
It all depends on the terrain you'll be riding in. Hybrid bikes are a good starting point since they're good at "doing it all".
Is it flat? Do you have hills/ mountains to cover? Do you want a bike that's capable of rougher terrain as well?
Hybrid bikes have a purpose that the new implies, works on most terrains.
The Giant Toughroad is a good bike at varying pricepoints depending on parts used.
Same goes for the Trek FX.
If you won't be riding rougher terrain or hills perhaps it might be better to look at an endurance roadbike?
I can imagine that becoming more of an option in two years time. I go abroad to cycle every now 'n then but I don't want to leave my wife alone with all the parenting and her own job for too long.
I'm sort of fantasising about a multi-day bikepacking trip around the Scottish Western Highlands. For now it's short holidays in the French Alps, which is fine as well of course :P
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Mostly flat, with a few short hills. I'll look into endurance roadbike. I was under the impression that they were more expensive than hybrid, sometimes a lot more.
Yeah they definitely can be.
I think decent hybrid bikes start at around $400, decent roadbikes start at around $8-900.
Sick of this weather now, 45 mph winds today, it's meant to be June!
So I bought some Le Col Hors Categorie Hex bibshorts & a Le Col Pro jersey, hopefully they'll cheer me up when they arrive and I can maybe use them at the weekend if the weather improves.
Has anyone used "Red White" bibshorts before, if so, what's your opinion of them? I've been looking at those too, the "Stealth" version.
So I bought some Le Col Hors Categorie Hex bibshorts & a Le Col Pro jersey, hopefully they'll cheer me up when they arrive and I can maybe use them at the weekend if the weather improves.
Has anyone used "Red White" bibshorts before, if so, what's your opinion of them? I've been looking at those too, the "Stealth" version.
I have them. Comfy, but didn't fix my specific issue (pad too wide, so it bunches and rubs). I have no ass though.
I would probably recommend though. Clearly high quality.
Oh, and unless rescheduled I have a surgery in the morning. They put in a filter to try and catch the clot if it moves.
I would probably recommend though. Clearly high quality.
Oh, and unless rescheduled I have a surgery in the morning. They put in a filter to try and catch the clot if it moves.
actually sounds like a potentially life threatening condition, please follow all Drs orders and answer all queriers with full explanations.
Got called a "fucking retard" today on the bike by a douche bro in a white Lexus with smoke tail light covers.
My friend joking about carrying spark plugs might be on to something
My friend joking about carrying spark plugs might be on to something
That time of month again. I don't feel I've done to badly as I've become a fair weather rider and can only cycle when my wife can have our daughter.
Good luck pyscho, merthyr has a good surgical record so hopefully it goes smoothly.
Hello bike era.
I recently just moved to suburb area and everything is quite far. I'm not big on driving so I'd like to bike instead. I am a runner but idk if I want to get into cycling yet. Anyways, I'd like to get a bike but I'm confused about the classifications and I was thinking about purchasing a used one, any tips?
For my first bike I don't really want to spend more than $150 (maybe stretch to 200) after that, we'll see from there
I recently just moved to suburb area and everything is quite far. I'm not big on driving so I'd like to bike instead. I am a runner but idk if I want to get into cycling yet. Anyways, I'd like to get a bike but I'm confused about the classifications and I was thinking about purchasing a used one, any tips?
For my first bike I don't really want to spend more than $150 (maybe stretch to 200) after that, we'll see from there
Trust me, you will regret a new $150 bike. Maybe get a used one from someone you trust.
If you can stretch to 500 range you can find a lot better options
You can see where I stopped the recording early and did some walking because my heart rate was running too high.
I second what other people are saying. Don't cheapen out on a bike. It'll just cause you a lot of headaches in the end and you'll end up hating it. To save money definitely check out Craigslist - a lot of people buy nice bikes only to never really ride them and then sell them later.
Yeah I'll echo the thoughts of others as well.
Bikes are not cheap and getting one for around $200 will get you what you've paid for.
Cheap bikes have cheap components, they will wear down or break quickly. Beaten up 2nd hand bikes are the same story.
It will be harder to ride, causing you to put our more power than necessary.
It'll be a miserable experience, not really enticing you to get into cycling at all.
Those horrible scenarios out of the way: there is always a way to start!
First thing you'll want to consider I guess, is how you want to use your bike.
Will you be using it for exclusively for exercise, commuting, grocery runs etc?
Secondly the terrain you'll be riding in also determines what bikes are worth looking into. Is it mainly tarmac or will you be riding dirt/ gravel roads as well?
As I've said quite a few times here before Hybrid bikes are a pretty good starting point. They're active bikes, not overly aggressive in their riding position, do well on gravel and tarmac and if need be you can fit them with fenders/ carrying racks or bags or whatever if you want the bike to be multi-functional.
Most importantly I guess, they're not super expensive bikes to begin with. So if you can find a decent one second hand you'll have something you can enjoy and get yourself into cycling!
You can always get back to us here if you've found something and want to know if it is worth looking into. Good luck!
Bikes are not cheap and getting one for around $200 will get you what you've paid for.
Cheap bikes have cheap components, they will wear down or break quickly. Beaten up 2nd hand bikes are the same story.
It will be harder to ride, causing you to put our more power than necessary.
It'll be a miserable experience, not really enticing you to get into cycling at all.
Those horrible scenarios out of the way: there is always a way to start!
First thing you'll want to consider I guess, is how you want to use your bike.
Will you be using it for exclusively for exercise, commuting, grocery runs etc?
Secondly the terrain you'll be riding in also determines what bikes are worth looking into. Is it mainly tarmac or will you be riding dirt/ gravel roads as well?
As I've said quite a few times here before Hybrid bikes are a pretty good starting point. They're active bikes, not overly aggressive in their riding position, do well on gravel and tarmac and if need be you can fit them with fenders/ carrying racks or bags or whatever if you want the bike to be multi-functional.
Most importantly I guess, they're not super expensive bikes to begin with. So if you can find a decent one second hand you'll have something you can enjoy and get yourself into cycling!
You can always get back to us here if you've found something and want to know if it is worth looking into. Good luck!
Okay let's say I wait and stretch it to 500, should I go with used or should I just go with used? There's a lot of used ones I'm seeing on Craigslist in Toronto but I'm not sure what I should be looking for. 500 used seems like a tough pill to swallow but okay.
Since I'm not in the city anymore, I'm guessing I should get a hybrid bike? My area has a lot of hills and some small park trails here and there. But I'll be using the bike for grocery runs, sometimes exercise
As FondsNL pointed out, stretching to $500 puts you out of the super cheap territory where everything is going to be really low quality. We're not syaing you need to go buy a full carbon bike with electronic shifting, but we're looking out for you ending up with some cheap metal that'll just rust or components that'll just berak.
Yes, a second hand bike at $500 can take you a very long way. In Toronto I'm sure there's tons of bikes out there considering the city and how much it has a cycling community. Feel free to post any you find here and we'll do our best to guide you on the purchase b/c we'll know what to look for.
Hybrids are great bikes especially if you want something to just use in between recreation and commuting around. I would avoid ones that have front shocks because those shocks are usually pretty crap unless you're on a much higher end option.
Alright I'll look for some. Anyways my mother was saying something similar(I didn't know bikes were that much).
I can see myself reluctantly spending like 700 max, but then I have to get some extras as well; mirrors, helmet, lights etc... But I'm guessing I can't even get a decent new one for the price. I'll look at some of the used ones in the mean time.
I can see myself reluctantly spending like 700 max, but then I have to get some extras as well; mirrors, helmet, lights etc... But I'm guessing I can't even get a decent new one for the price. I'll look at some of the used ones in the mean time.
About 15 years ago, before I really got back into cycling, I remember balking at a friend who had spent $400 on a bike.
I think a lot of us are just conditioned to seeing $150 bicycles at department stores without really realizing how crap they are. Cheap, heavy high tensile steel frame, cheap plastic brake/gear levers, cheap wheels and hubs... All that cost cutting adds up and all of those things are going to wear down fast and the bike is not going to be a joy to ride. Plus they were assembled by someone who is more than likely not a mechanic in the department store.
Don't be afraid to share Craigslist listings here with us. We're glad to help!
Well this was an interesting ride. A break in the rain today allowed me to get a quick ride in after work, before I went to a war memorial which included a remembrance for a friend of mine who lost his life on Monday. I think I was zoned out on the ride, just me, the bike & my thoughts.
Just had my second surgery / third procedure.
Had a bit of a scare last night when they rushed my down for a an emergency CT. Side had swollen up like a balloon and was causing significant pain.
Turned out that the wound had been bleeding internally which had the knock on effect of dropping my blood pressure by a pretty decent amount, which made me feel pretty shitty.
We had to turn off the blood thinners for the surgery. Really hoping that doesn't see me getting any more clots as a side effect.
Would be nice to have smooth sailing from here.
Had a bit of a scare last night when they rushed my down for a an emergency CT. Side had swollen up like a balloon and was causing significant pain.
Turned out that the wound had been bleeding internally which had the knock on effect of dropping my blood pressure by a pretty decent amount, which made me feel pretty shitty.
We had to turn off the blood thinners for the surgery. Really hoping that doesn't see me getting any more clots as a side effect.
Would be nice to have smooth sailing from here.
Sorry for your loss. I lost a good friend at the end of last year. It's horrific and feel for what you are going through.
Good shit they sorted you. The NHS is fucking amazing. Best wishes for the healing ahead.
I'm gonna go against the grain and say 200-300 can still get you a good bike, provided you know what you're looking for. I'd so ask a biking friend to go along with you to check it out with you to make sure things run smoothly. Also important is make sure the bike is sized correctly, that you feel comfy and confident on it.
I went with my friend to get an old trek hybrid/touring bike for 300 cad. Was tuned up and still looked good. Good enough for him to carry his kid on it for park rides.
Well this was an interesting ride. A break in the rain today allowed me to get a quick ride in after work, before I went to a war memorial which included a remembrance for a friend of mine who lost his life on Monday. I think I was zoned out on the ride, just me, the bike & my thoughts.
Sorry for your loss man! Riding has that effect for me too, a place to return to and contemplate.
Good to hear from you, hang in there man! As you said, hopefully you can turn your attention towards your recovery from now on!
Well the sun showed up today, which was a welcome change from our recent weather. Needed a decent leg stretch after recent events, shame the wind also made an appearance, I do love a full on head wind down a valley.
Annoying how my Garmin Connect app shows 17.3mph. :-/
Annoying how my Garmin Connect app shows 17.3mph. :-/
What is the road tire everyone recommends over gatorskins? I kinda wore these ones out over the past month.
I like the continental 4 seasons, seem to perform well year round surprisingly.
Yeah, I really like the GP 4 Seasons. Not as quick as the GP4000s but a fair bit more durable. That's what I have on my commuter year-round.
Well this was an interesting ride. A break in the rain today allowed me to get a quick ride in after work, before I went to a war memorial which included a remembrance for a friend of mine who lost his life on Monday. I think I was zoned out on the ride, just me, the bike & my thoughts.
Sorry for your loss, that's also why I ride. I switch the rest of my life off for those few precious hours. Probably why i feel so fucking garbage lately, had 2 whole rides in the last month. Weather is shit and schedule is even worse.