OT – Bike recommendations

[scaredyclassic]

the guys in the race are significantly stronger than strong dudes just riding in the hills; they’re pros. i meant the average strong recreational wannabe fast rider in teh hills is not gonna beat lance. because lance’s chain is rusty or he just has one speed (although hed have to get to pick the gear). it is not like basketball in the sense that it’s primarily about power and ability to keep going. but he has a lot more power than the average dude buying a bike locally who shaves his legs and rides 100 miles a week in the hills..

aluminum’s ok i guess. but because it’s a lighter weight metal that fatigues they just end up making the tubes real fat and they weigh as much as steel anyway. the best advice probably is just to buy whatever excites you and motivates you. for me thats steel. maybe thats why im being this way. i dont think of a bike as apractical purchase like a computer or fridge wher eyou reserach and buy the best. it’s more like love. or sex.

so ok. maybe i overstated the case. i admit it. maybe lance ona rusty old bike might get overtaken bya strong young dude under the right elevation conditions and if the bike is too rusty and messed up to actually roll.

but if you gave him a steel road bike with relatively fat tires from teh 1970’s that is heavy (like, say 35 lbs, and pit him against any young dude on a carbon road bike from yesterday. no contest.

and for you, none of it matters except that the bike excites you.

paint is actually very important. and style…

for me, houses are more generic than bikes

[MadeInTaiwan]

afx114,

I suggest used because you get the most bang for your $. However, since you’re getting re-acquainted with cycling, I’d avoid the snake pit that is Craigslist or E-bay. I suggest you visit

Ye Olde Bicycle Shoppe
6792 University Avenue
(at 68th St)
San Diego, CA 92115
(619) 582-4024

Tell Dave the proprietor what kind of riding you want to do. Make sure you mention that you want something that fits fatter tires and has braze on (threads) for fenders and racks. You may decide not to put any of this on but having them will make the bike much more useful. Stay away from anything with suspension. Unless you’re looking high end because you’re a serious single track rider, bicycle suspension is more of dead weight that is waiting to break than anything else. A set of fat tires that are inflated enough only to prevent pinch flats is all the suspension you’ll need on mixed surfaces. You’ll be much, much happier whenever you decide to “mash it” on the road.

If Dave put you on a Mountain bike, spend a few extra dollars to swap out the knobby mountain tires for smooth tires. Again, you’ll suffer little in easy trail riding, but gain a lot in supple ride and responsiveness on the road.

It might take you more than one trip, as Dave has tons of bike stuff at his house and in storage, but I will not be surprised that you walk out with a quality bike in the $300.00 range.

Don’t worry too much about steel vs aluminum at this point (Don’t waste money on carbon yet). Yes aluminum fatigues more catastrophically, and unlike steel must be thrown away once bent. But guess what most bicycle components that you will use are made of? aluminum. You’re no better off having your aluminum handle bar snap during a ride than the fork snap. You’ll likely do neither with the riding you describe. In any event there are plenty of 20 year old aluminum race bikes being ridden hard. As for ride quality, I doubt you’ll be able to tell much difference without getting seriously immersed in cycling.

Use this bike to figure out your optimal riding position(I suggest reading this online article http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/fitting.htm), what kind of handle bars, saddle is the most comfortable for you. Find out more about different types of bikes, then if you get the “bug” you’re in a better position to decide what you really want.

I do recommend you go and read about Rivendell’s cycling philosophy at rivbike.com. If you decide to get a new all around bike, you can’t do much better in terms of function, asthetics, and thoughtful design than an Rivendell production, but a fully assembled bike will cost you ~$2100 USD and you have to trust the sizing philosophy as there are no San Diego dealers (I think there is at least one in LA area)

For right around a grand assembled you might want to consider the Surly Crosscheck http://www.surlybikes.com/crosscheck.html. Surly’s are not that well known but very much appreciated by the bike shop mechanic crowd. It is not as pretty as a Riv but will also do everything you ask. Plus just about any bike shop, including REI can order you one.

Another mid priced bike I’d like to suggest is a Kogsell PR (http://kogswell.com/sitePRODUCTS.php). The frame set is about $150 more than a Surly but it comes with fenders, seatpost, and headset, so it is not that far off. You should be able to have a local bike shop build one up for you under $1500. The PR differs from the Riv and Surly in that it is designed to ride very steady with a moderate to heavy front load (think front basket with bags of grocery) at low speeds. The other two tend to be twitchy with either front or rear loads.

I wish you good luck and would love to hear about whatever you end up getting.

MadeInTaiwan

[MadeInTaiwan]

afx114,

I suggest used because you get the most bang for your $. However, since you’re getting re-acquainted with cycling, I’d avoid the snake pit that is Craigslist or E-bay. I suggest you visit

Ye Olde Bicycle Shoppe
6792 University Avenue
(at 68th St)
San Diego, CA 92115
(619) 582-4024

Tell Dave the proprietor what kind of riding you want to do. Make sure you mention that you want something that fits fatter tires and has braze on (threads) for fenders and racks. You may decide not to put any of this on but having them will make the bike much more useful. Stay away from anything with suspension. Unless you’re looking high end because you’re a serious single track rider, bicycle suspension is more of dead weight that is waiting to break than anything else. A set of fat tires that are inflated enough only to prevent pinch flats is all the suspension you’ll need on mixed surfaces. You’ll be much, much happier whenever you decide to “mash it” on the road.

If Dave put you on a Mountain bike, spend a few extra dollars to swap out the knobby mountain tires for smooth tires. Again, you’ll suffer little in easy trail riding, but gain a lot in supple ride and responsiveness on the road.

It might take you more than one trip, as Dave has tons of bike stuff at his house and in storage, but I will not be surprised that you walk out with a quality bike in the $300.00 range.

Don’t worry too much about steel vs aluminum at this point (Don’t waste money on carbon yet). Yes aluminum fatigues more catastrophically, and unlike steel must be thrown away once bent. But guess what most bicycle components that you will use are made of? aluminum. You’re no better off having your aluminum handle bar snap during a ride than the fork snap. You’ll likely do neither with the riding you describe. In any event there are plenty of 20 year old aluminum race bikes being ridden hard. As for ride quality, I doubt you’ll be able to tell much difference without getting seriously immersed in cycling.

Use this bike to figure out your optimal riding position(I suggest reading this online article http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/fitting.htm), what kind of handle bars, saddle is the most comfortable for you. Find out more about different types of bikes, then if you get the “bug” you’re in a better position to decide what you really want.

I do recommend you go and read about Rivendell’s cycling philosophy at rivbike.com. If you decide to get a new all around bike, you can’t do much better in terms of function, asthetics, and thoughtful design than an Rivendell production, but a fully assembled bike will cost you ~$2100 USD and you have to trust the sizing philosophy as there are no San Diego dealers (I think there is at least one in LA area)

For right around a grand assembled you might want to consider the Surly Crosscheck http://www.surlybikes.com/crosscheck.html. Surly’s are not that well known but very much appreciated by the bike shop mechanic crowd. It is not as pretty as a Riv but will also do everything you ask. Plus just about any bike shop, including REI can order you one.

Another mid priced bike I’d like to suggest is a Kogsell PR (http://kogswell.com/sitePRODUCTS.php). The frame set is about $150 more than a Surly but it comes with fenders, seatpost, and headset, so it is not that far off. You should be able to have a local bike shop build one up for you under $1500. The PR differs from the Riv and Surly in that it is designed to ride very steady with a moderate to heavy front load (think front basket with bags of grocery) at low speeds. The other two tend to be twitchy with either front or rear loads.

I wish you good luck and would love to hear about whatever you end up getting.

MadeInTaiwan

[MadeInTaiwan]

afx114,

I suggest used because you get the most bang for your $. However, since you’re getting re-acquainted with cycling, I’d avoid the snake pit that is Craigslist or E-bay. I suggest you visit

Ye Olde Bicycle Shoppe
6792 University Avenue
(at 68th St)
San Diego, CA 92115
(619) 582-4024

Tell Dave the proprietor what kind of riding you want to do. Make sure you mention that you want something that fits fatter tires and has braze on (threads) for fenders and racks. You may decide not to put any of this on but having them will make the bike much more useful. Stay away from anything with suspension. Unless you’re looking high end because you’re a serious single track rider, bicycle suspension is more of dead weight that is waiting to break than anything else. A set of fat tires that are inflated enough only to prevent pinch flats is all the suspension you’ll need on mixed surfaces. You’ll be much, much happier whenever you decide to “mash it” on the road.

If Dave put you on a Mountain bike, spend a few extra dollars to swap out the knobby mountain tires for smooth tires. Again, you’ll suffer little in easy trail riding, but gain a lot in supple ride and responsiveness on the road.

It might take you more than one trip, as Dave has tons of bike stuff at his house and in storage, but I will not be surprised that you walk out with a quality bike in the $300.00 range.

Don’t worry too much about steel vs aluminum at this point (Don’t waste money on carbon yet). Yes aluminum fatigues more catastrophically, and unlike steel must be thrown away once bent. But guess what most bicycle components that you will use are made of? aluminum. You’re no better off having your aluminum handle bar snap during a ride than the fork snap. You’ll likely do neither with the riding you describe. In any event there are plenty of 20 year old aluminum race bikes being ridden hard. As for ride quality, I doubt you’ll be able to tell much difference without getting seriously immersed in cycling.

Use this bike to figure out your optimal riding position(I suggest reading this online article http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/fitting.htm), what kind of handle bars, saddle is the most comfortable for you. Find out more about different types of bikes, then if you get the “bug” you’re in a better position to decide what you really want.

I do recommend you go and read about Rivendell’s cycling philosophy at rivbike.com. If you decide to get a new all around bike, you can’t do much better in terms of function, asthetics, and thoughtful design than an Rivendell production, but a fully assembled bike will cost you ~$2100 USD and you have to trust the sizing philosophy as there are no San Diego dealers (I think there is at least one in LA area)

For right around a grand assembled you might want to consider the Surly Crosscheck http://www.surlybikes.com/crosscheck.html. Surly’s are not that well known but very much appreciated by the bike shop mechanic crowd. It is not as pretty as a Riv but will also do everything you ask. Plus just about any bike shop, including REI can order you one.

Another mid priced bike I’d like to suggest is a Kogsell PR (http://kogswell.com/sitePRODUCTS.php). The frame set is about $150 more than a Surly but it comes with fenders, seatpost, and headset, so it is not that far off. You should be able to have a local bike shop build one up for you under $1500. The PR differs from the Riv and Surly in that it is designed to ride very steady with a moderate to heavy front load (think front basket with bags of grocery) at low speeds. The other two tend to be twitchy with either front or rear loads.

I wish you good luck and would love to hear about whatever you end up getting.

MadeInTaiwan

[MadeInTaiwan]

afx114,

I suggest used because you get the most bang for your $. However, since you’re getting re-acquainted with cycling, I’d avoid the snake pit that is Craigslist or E-bay. I suggest you visit

Ye Olde Bicycle Shoppe
6792 University Avenue
(at 68th St)
San Diego, CA 92115
(619) 582-4024

Tell Dave the proprietor what kind of riding you want to do. Make sure you mention that you want something that fits fatter tires and has braze on (threads) for fenders and racks. You may decide not to put any of this on but having them will make the bike much more useful. Stay away from anything with suspension. Unless you’re looking high end because you’re a serious single track rider, bicycle suspension is more of dead weight that is waiting to break than anything else. A set of fat tires that are inflated enough only to prevent pinch flats is all the suspension you’ll need on mixed surfaces. You’ll be much, much happier whenever you decide to “mash it” on the road.

If Dave put you on a Mountain bike, spend a few extra dollars to swap out the knobby mountain tires for smooth tires. Again, you’ll suffer little in easy trail riding, but gain a lot in supple ride and responsiveness on the road.

It might take you more than one trip, as Dave has tons of bike stuff at his house and in storage, but I will not be surprised that you walk out with a quality bike in the $300.00 range.

Don’t worry too much about steel vs aluminum at this point (Don’t waste money on carbon yet). Yes aluminum fatigues more catastrophically, and unlike steel must be thrown away once bent. But guess what most bicycle components that you will use are made of? aluminum. You’re no better off having your aluminum handle bar snap during a ride than the fork snap. You’ll likely do neither with the riding you describe. In any event there are plenty of 20 year old aluminum race bikes being ridden hard. As for ride quality, I doubt you’ll be able to tell much difference without getting seriously immersed in cycling.

Use this bike to figure out your optimal riding position(I suggest reading this online article http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/fitting.htm), what kind of handle bars, saddle is the most comfortable for you. Find out more about different types of bikes, then if you get the “bug” you’re in a better position to decide what you really want.

I do recommend you go and read about Rivendell’s cycling philosophy at rivbike.com. If you decide to get a new all around bike, you can’t do much better in terms of function, asthetics, and thoughtful design than an Rivendell production, but a fully assembled bike will cost you ~$2100 USD and you have to trust the sizing philosophy as there are no San Diego dealers (I think there is at least one in LA area)

For right around a grand assembled you might want to consider the Surly Crosscheck http://www.surlybikes.com/crosscheck.html. Surly’s are not that well known but very much appreciated by the bike shop mechanic crowd. It is not as pretty as a Riv but will also do everything you ask. Plus just about any bike shop, including REI can order you one.

Another mid priced bike I’d like to suggest is a Kogsell PR (http://kogswell.com/sitePRODUCTS.php). The frame set is about $150 more than a Surly but it comes with fenders, seatpost, and headset, so it is not that far off. You should be able to have a local bike shop build one up for you under $1500. The PR differs from the Riv and Surly in that it is designed to ride very steady with a moderate to heavy front load (think front basket with bags of grocery) at low speeds. The other two tend to be twitchy with either front or rear loads.

I wish you good luck and would love to hear about whatever you end up getting.

MadeInTaiwan

[MadeInTaiwan]

afx114,

I suggest used because you get the most bang for your $. However, since you’re getting re-acquainted with cycling, I’d avoid the snake pit that is Craigslist or E-bay. I suggest you visit

Ye Olde Bicycle Shoppe
6792 University Avenue
(at 68th St)
San Diego, CA 92115
(619) 582-4024

Tell Dave the proprietor what kind of riding you want to do. Make sure you mention that you want something that fits fatter tires and has braze on (threads) for fenders and racks. You may decide not to put any of this on but having them will make the bike much more useful. Stay away from anything with suspension. Unless you’re looking high end because you’re a serious single track rider, bicycle suspension is more of dead weight that is waiting to break than anything else. A set of fat tires that are inflated enough only to prevent pinch flats is all the suspension you’ll need on mixed surfaces. You’ll be much, much happier whenever you decide to “mash it” on the road.

If Dave put you on a Mountain bike, spend a few extra dollars to swap out the knobby mountain tires for smooth tires. Again, you’ll suffer little in easy trail riding, but gain a lot in supple ride and responsiveness on the road.

It might take you more than one trip, as Dave has tons of bike stuff at his house and in storage, but I will not be surprised that you walk out with a quality bike in the $300.00 range.

Don’t worry too much about steel vs aluminum at this point (Don’t waste money on carbon yet). Yes aluminum fatigues more catastrophically, and unlike steel must be thrown away once bent. But guess what most bicycle components that you will use are made of? aluminum. You’re no better off having your aluminum handle bar snap during a ride than the fork snap. You’ll likely do neither with the riding you describe. In any event there are plenty of 20 year old aluminum race bikes being ridden hard. As for ride quality, I doubt you’ll be able to tell much difference without getting seriously immersed in cycling.

Use this bike to figure out your optimal riding position(I suggest reading this online article http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/fitting.htm), what kind of handle bars, saddle is the most comfortable for you. Find out more about different types of bikes, then if you get the “bug” you’re in a better position to decide what you really want.

I do recommend you go and read about Rivendell’s cycling philosophy at rivbike.com. If you decide to get a new all around bike, you can’t do much better in terms of function, asthetics, and thoughtful design than an Rivendell production, but a fully assembled bike will cost you ~$2100 USD and you have to trust the sizing philosophy as there are no San Diego dealers (I think there is at least one in LA area)

For right around a grand assembled you might want to consider the Surly Crosscheck http://www.surlybikes.com/crosscheck.html. Surly’s are not that well known but very much appreciated by the bike shop mechanic crowd. It is not as pretty as a Riv but will also do everything you ask. Plus just about any bike shop, including REI can order you one.

Another mid priced bike I’d like to suggest is a Kogsell PR (http://kogswell.com/sitePRODUCTS.php). The frame set is about $150 more than a Surly but it comes with fenders, seatpost, and headset, so it is not that far off. You should be able to have a local bike shop build one up for you under $1500. The PR differs from the Riv and Surly in that it is designed to ride very steady with a moderate to heavy front load (think front basket with bags of grocery) at low speeds. The other two tend to be twitchy with either front or rear loads.

I wish you good luck and would love to hear about whatever you end up getting.

MadeInTaiwan

[Fletch]

I’m with scaredy.

I bought a 1986 steel-frame Panasonic touring frame off of e-bay 18 months ago and built it up with mostly new parts.

I’ve since put 4000 miles on it commuting to work.

Rivendell’s are nice, but they are crazy expensive (of course, this seems not to be an issue for most piggs) and I’d worry I might chip the paint.

My other bike is a 1982 Colnago (steel lugged) piece of beauty with probably 15,000 miles on it.

Rust? Pushaw. You could leave it in the rain every night until your new mortgage is paid off and it won’t rust enough to lose structural integrity. Today’s aluminum frames won’t be on e-bay in 20 years.

[Fletch]

I’m with scaredy.

I bought a 1986 steel-frame Panasonic touring frame off of e-bay 18 months ago and built it up with mostly new parts.

I’ve since put 4000 miles on it commuting to work.

Rivendell’s are nice, but they are crazy expensive (of course, this seems not to be an issue for most piggs) and I’d worry I might chip the paint.

My other bike is a 1982 Colnago (steel lugged) piece of beauty with probably 15,000 miles on it.

Rust? Pushaw. You could leave it in the rain every night until your new mortgage is paid off and it won’t rust enough to lose structural integrity. Today’s aluminum frames won’t be on e-bay in 20 years.

[Fletch]

I’m with scaredy.

I bought a 1986 steel-frame Panasonic touring frame off of e-bay 18 months ago and built it up with mostly new parts.

I’ve since put 4000 miles on it commuting to work.

Rivendell’s are nice, but they are crazy expensive (of course, this seems not to be an issue for most piggs) and I’d worry I might chip the paint.

My other bike is a 1982 Colnago (steel lugged) piece of beauty with probably 15,000 miles on it.

Rust? Pushaw. You could leave it in the rain every night until your new mortgage is paid off and it won’t rust enough to lose structural integrity. Today’s aluminum frames won’t be on e-bay in 20 years.

[Fletch]

I’m with scaredy.

I bought a 1986 steel-frame Panasonic touring frame off of e-bay 18 months ago and built it up with mostly new parts.

I’ve since put 4000 miles on it commuting to work.

Rivendell’s are nice, but they are crazy expensive (of course, this seems not to be an issue for most piggs) and I’d worry I might chip the paint.

My other bike is a 1982 Colnago (steel lugged) piece of beauty with probably 15,000 miles on it.

Rust? Pushaw. You could leave it in the rain every night until your new mortgage is paid off and it won’t rust enough to lose structural integrity. Today’s aluminum frames won’t be on e-bay in 20 years.

[Fletch]

I’m with scaredy.

I bought a 1986 steel-frame Panasonic touring frame off of e-bay 18 months ago and built it up with mostly new parts.

I’ve since put 4000 miles on it commuting to work.

Rivendell’s are nice, but they are crazy expensive (of course, this seems not to be an issue for most piggs) and I’d worry I might chip the paint.

My other bike is a 1982 Colnago (steel lugged) piece of beauty with probably 15,000 miles on it.

Rust? Pushaw. You could leave it in the rain every night until your new mortgage is paid off and it won’t rust enough to lose structural integrity. Today’s aluminum frames won’t be on e-bay in 20 years.

[MadeInTaiwan]

[quote=esmith][quote=scaredycat]

Cycling is not basketball. Very little skill involved. Almost pure physics and anatomy…[/quote]

I don’t know about that, take a look at how smoothly the pros turn the pedals, and than look at the weekend warrior. There is a huge difference. It is like saying there is not skill in swimming or sprinting.

While it is physics and anatomy, most people don’t know where and how it is applied, let alone have the muscle memory to correctly apply them.

There are many examples where popular conception is far from accurate. Here are only a few…

On a flat course weight matters much much less than wind resistance, so your ability to stay in an aero tuck is much more important than if your bike weighs five or ten pounds more.

Many people fight themselves while pedaling by trying to pull on the upstroke when it is much more efficient to just un-weigh the up pedal. You end up expending less energy and going faster longer. In fact the wide adaption of clipless pedals probably contributes to this. The kids riding there Magma boat anchors with plastic platform pedals are probably spinning more efficiently.

Those rock hard tires are great for a glass smooth surface like velodrome track, but not so great on a pot hole filled surface roads. You’ll likely go a bit faster with fatter/heavier and cushier tires, and you’ll fatigue less as well. And much, much more.

MadeInTaiwan

[MadeInTaiwan]

[quote=esmith][quote=scaredycat]

Cycling is not basketball. Very little skill involved. Almost pure physics and anatomy…[/quote]

I don’t know about that, take a look at how smoothly the pros turn the pedals, and than look at the weekend warrior. There is a huge difference. It is like saying there is not skill in swimming or sprinting.

While it is physics and anatomy, most people don’t know where and how it is applied, let alone have the muscle memory to correctly apply them.

There are many examples where popular conception is far from accurate. Here are only a few…

On a flat course weight matters much much less than wind resistance, so your ability to stay in an aero tuck is much more important than if your bike weighs five or ten pounds more.

Many people fight themselves while pedaling by trying to pull on the upstroke when it is much more efficient to just un-weigh the up pedal. You end up expending less energy and going faster longer. In fact the wide adaption of clipless pedals probably contributes to this. The kids riding there Magma boat anchors with plastic platform pedals are probably spinning more efficiently.

Those rock hard tires are great for a glass smooth surface like velodrome track, but not so great on a pot hole filled surface roads. You’ll likely go a bit faster with fatter/heavier and cushier tires, and you’ll fatigue less as well. And much, much more.

MadeInTaiwan

[MadeInTaiwan]

[quote=esmith][quote=scaredycat]

Cycling is not basketball. Very little skill involved. Almost pure physics and anatomy…[/quote]

I don’t know about that, take a look at how smoothly the pros turn the pedals, and than look at the weekend warrior. There is a huge difference. It is like saying there is not skill in swimming or sprinting.

While it is physics and anatomy, most people don’t know where and how it is applied, let alone have the muscle memory to correctly apply them.

There are many examples where popular conception is far from accurate. Here are only a few…

On a flat course weight matters much much less than wind resistance, so your ability to stay in an aero tuck is much more important than if your bike weighs five or ten pounds more.

Many people fight themselves while pedaling by trying to pull on the upstroke when it is much more efficient to just un-weigh the up pedal. You end up expending less energy and going faster longer. In fact the wide adaption of clipless pedals probably contributes to this. The kids riding there Magma boat anchors with plastic platform pedals are probably spinning more efficiently.

Those rock hard tires are great for a glass smooth surface like velodrome track, but not so great on a pot hole filled surface roads. You’ll likely go a bit faster with fatter/heavier and cushier tires, and you’ll fatigue less as well. And much, much more.

MadeInTaiwan

[MadeInTaiwan]

[quote=esmith][quote=scaredycat]

Cycling is not basketball. Very little skill involved. Almost pure physics and anatomy…[/quote]

I don’t know about that, take a look at how smoothly the pros turn the pedals, and than look at the weekend warrior. There is a huge difference. It is like saying there is not skill in swimming or sprinting.

While it is physics and anatomy, most people don’t know where and how it is applied, let alone have the muscle memory to correctly apply them.

There are many examples where popular conception is far from accurate. Here are only a few…

On a flat course weight matters much much less than wind resistance, so your ability to stay in an aero tuck is much more important than if your bike weighs five or ten pounds more.

Many people fight themselves while pedaling by trying to pull on the upstroke when it is much more efficient to just un-weigh the up pedal. You end up expending less energy and going faster longer. In fact the wide adaption of clipless pedals probably contributes to this. The kids riding there Magma boat anchors with plastic platform pedals are probably spinning more efficiently.

Those rock hard tires are great for a glass smooth surface like velodrome track, but not so great on a pot hole filled surface roads. You’ll likely go a bit faster with fatter/heavier and cushier tires, and you’ll fatigue less as well. And much, much more.

MadeInTaiwan

[Author]

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