Bike-lane Enthusiasts Unite!

Russell Street

Russell Street

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I grabbed an unused 20 year-old mountain bike from my brother's basement and have brought it back to life.

I have learned the following:
  • Bikes without kick stands are royal pains in the ass.
  • Mounting a bicycle tire is really easy.
  • I still have no clue how to adjust a derailleur
  • The Aero Tech Designs lycra saddle covers are pretty cool, and yes the blue gingham one does look awesome.
  • Going uphill is hard and slow.
 
acidboy, please help this shitty thread gain some steam!
Oh, I took a couple shots of wodka and am about to embark on my maiden drunk ride, since the law can't stop me. Hey, I have a day-glo helmet- how dangerous can it be?
 
Oops, did not consult with legal counsel beforehand but made it okay. Found myself pointing toward the curb and weaving a lot, but that is likely more skills deficiency than inebriation. starting at the beginning of dusk was a bad idea. I have no idea what gear I'm om when it gets dark.
 
How the heck do the tires lose 20 psi so quickly? It seems that the mere act of popping a pressure gauge on allows too much air to escape.
 
Yeah, I've noticed that mountain bike tires have gotten even beefier in the last decade or so. Do the rims stay straight? I ask because the suburban road bumps here have already knocked a wiggle into one of mine.
 
I'm realizing that bicycling is like the next step past motorcycling in terms of vulnerability but getting to see all kinds of new things.
Things I saw in an hour's ride today:
  • Two deer right off the side of the road that were invisible until they took off when I got within a stone's throw
  • a little bunny the size of a chocolate Easter Bunny
  • Some sort of egret or crazy slender standing waterbird
  • A live raccoon eating a roadkill raccoon. I crossed the road to avoid this.
  • A Triumph TR7
 
Well, this reminds me that I need to learn to adjust spokes and true rims. As a child, I gave it a shot with no training or even comprehension, and made things much worse.
 
I've heard that for street riding a suspension is unnecessary and just adds weight. I don't think I've ever ridden a bike with one. How vast is the improvement? How bad does the terrain need to be to warrant it?
 
Russell Street said:
I'm realizing that bicycling is like the next step past motorcycling in terms of vulnerability but getting to see all kinds of new things.
Things I saw in an hour's ride today:
  • Two deer right off the side of the road that were invisible until they took off when I got within a stone's throw
  • a little bunny the size of a chocolate Easter Bunny
  • Some sort of egret or crazy slender standing waterbird
  • A live raccoon eating a roadkill raccoon. I crossed the road to avoid this.
  • A Triumph TR7
Click to expand...

Nice. How far out of the city do you ride.

I am amazed that raccoons are cannibals but even more surprised the TR7 was running
 
thruth said:
Nice. How far out of the city do you ride.

I am amazed that raccoons are cannibals but even more surprised the TR7 was running
Click to expand...
I'm in a weird area sandwiched between highway and fairly rural spots. There is some country club right near me and I had no idea that there were nice tree-lined roads right through it. I don't do more than an hour at a time so far.

No shit about the Triumph. I looked at one as my first car around 20 years ago and the one I was interested in wouldn't start.
 
I don't do anything intense enough to necessitate pneumatic suspension. I am about to look into chamois or whatever the friggin undergarment that presumably helps with the inherent crotch and ass friction involved with biking...
 
Got a friggin flat over the weekend. Luckily I was under a mile from home by the time I noticed, but it would've been nice if the mini-pump actually worked.
Anyway, analysis reveals a pinhole on the tube seam, and the tire had a slow leak before. I presume this was just a defect.
The mini-pump was a turd. The fit over the valve was absurdly tight, which means that when you ant to push against the floppy stem on a flat tire, shit won't go in. I tweaked the hell out of the thing today, cutting and grinding that rubber bushing. I believe that I now have it to the point where it slips on, locks on, and actually will depress the valve stem so air goes in.

Also, if anyone wants to hear what my bicycle bell sounds like, here. They have a brass one that sounds awesome, but I hate the look of brass.
 
acidboy said:
2008-07-18_DSC_3049.jpg


fatbikes is now the new "in" thing...
Click to expand...

I assume they are difficult to manouver. ridiculous.

sorry, to hear about the old fart, anyway. my natural enemies are the e-bike riders. damn morons.
 
acidboy said:
tested it once but on a flat surface... it did felt like riding a full suspension bike with those tires and low tire pressure (for trail use they recommend somewhere between 10-12 psi) and some guys I know have replaced their "normal" mountain bikes for these. as for weight - Salsa Bikes has a carbon frame model that has a 28 pound claimed weight, most aluminum framed models starts at around 32 iirc.
Click to expand...

way too heavy. just another useless gimmick. well, I assume you can put regular wheels on, not?
 
I could swear that the Peugeot I got 20+ years ago was 23 pounds, but I guess that was just the frame.
That low pressure has to result in slop. When a car tire drops in pressure, you notice sluggish acceleration and longer braking distances and a reluctance to turn. For slugging through the rough stuff, I guess that's less of a concern?
 
So one would be a fool to ride these giant tires on the road. I still wonder whether my looseness is because of the light knobby mountain bike tires catching everything or because I need more pressure for firmness.
 
Instant justice for tailgater.

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I live in a rarity - a very hot, humid, and hilly city. We have the only "Steep Grade" warning road signs in the state of Florida. Yet these idiots are actually cutting lanes of traffic on major thoroughfares to make bike lanes. It's hilarious. I love riding, but commuting by bike isn't an option six months of the year.

I think they'd be great in the flatter areas of California though.
 
I took a book from the library on bike maintenance and I'm going nuts. Turns out there is a lot to know about brake adjustments. A pain in the butt, but oh are they smooth, linear and quiet now. Bought a spoke wrench. As a child, I totally screwed up a rim by not knowing what I was doing with one. I hope I'm smarter now.
 
JimmyRustler said:
I just built a multi-use trail in Vermont. At New Discovery State Park, the Telephone Line Trail. (There is no telephone line, no one was sure why they called it that) you are welcome to visit and enjoy the fruits of my labours.
Click to expand...
That community service is a bitch.
 
JimmyRustler said:
I just built a multi-use trail in Vermont. At New Discovery State Park, the Telephone Line Trail. (There is no telephone line, no one was sure why they called it that) you are welcome to visit and enjoy the fruits of my labours.
Click to expand...

Nice work.
 
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