The biking thread

Looking for my first mountain bike

Here's the bikes I have looked at, from my favorite to my least favorite. None of them have been ruled out yet, and I am open to others:

2013 Trek Wahoo

2014 Trek X Caliber 4

2014 Specialized Hardrock

2014 Diamondback Overdrive

2013 Diamondback Response

Is there anything I need to know about these bikes? Good or bad? How about some other models in that price range ($400-$600)? What is your opinion on DSG? Anything else that I didn't ask or specify?
 
Today was such a lovely hot spring day I just had to go cycling, honed my cycling skills on mamba-hill. I call it that way because the road is winding up the hill like a snake and its just as deadly to a cyclist. The climb seems like it never ends and pacing is crucial. I feel like keeling over and dying multiple times on the way up, its a 8 Kilometers climb without a single level section and gets continuously steeper, with many bends.
It totally robs you of all your hope, optimism, and your will to live. I love it.:P

Anyone else here have an odd fetish for really tough climbs? Somehow I enjoy them way more than fast flat sections. :dopey:
 
Michael88
Anyone else here have an odd fetish for really tough climbs? Somehow I enjoy them way more than fast flat sections. :dopey:
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Yes :lol:

This my Strava profile from today. Me and a friend decided to do hill reps of the largest climb in the UK, the one the Tour of Britain finished on, today. Good fun though, now I'm looking back at it! Hurt like hell coming home though.

EDIT: Oh, and this is me after 4th summit of Haytor on the right. Still sort of happy. Check that Uni kit.

1579795_10202290672322909_867304467_n.jpg
 
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Michael88
Anyone else here have an odd fetish for really tough climbs? Somehow I enjoy them way more than fast flat sections. :dopey:
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Hmm missed this post, seems my notifications are a bit hit and miss.
Anyway to answer the question, sometimes but only when I'm feeling brave. :lol:
Problem is it's pretty flat where I live and it takes a fair ride just to get to a decent hill apart from this one which I ride up when the mood takes me.
Even then it's only a couple hundred meters of climbing at around 8% gradient from memory.

Anyway made a rookie mistake with some bike maintenance today.
While riding earlier I noticed a slight shimmering when using my front brakes, no big deal I thought I'll sort that out later on. First thing I set my fronts pads with a bit if toe in as this often is the cause of shimmering. Simple took around 2 minutes max.
While I had the tools out thought may as well check the stem cap. Sure enough it was a bit loose but before I got to the required torque setting heard a crack. Oops forgot to loosen of the stem first and it was bolt v's carbon fiber with the bolt winning easily.
Onto ebay and ordered a new cap, $11 for basically a disc of carbon fiber the size of one lens from John Lennon's glasses.
Can't believe I forgot the stem bolts first. Won't do that again. :dopey:
 
I've had a few rides in the last week, still not 100% recovered from injuries, slow rides around the city mostly.

My gears are all over the place. I sat down with a screwdriver and tried to correct them but just got frustrated when I could only get the bottom 6 set but not the top (largest) two. I'm avoiding using them for the time being until I have time to give it a proper go.

My wife has found me a club to ride with when I settle in Thailand next month. I don't know what to expect but I think they're a mixed nationality club who ride road bikes. I've never really been a 'group' rider and like blasting around on my own but it'll be useful to get hooked up with a good shop and find some good mountains to ride.

Getting the bike on a plane seems like it's going to be a pain. Depending on who I fly with I may need it completely disassembled or just remove the wheels. Haven't booked a flight yet.
 
W3HS
I've had a few rides in the last week, still not 100% recovered from injuries, slow rides around the city mostly.
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I was just wondering the other day if you were back on the bike yet with your injuries.
Glad to hear you are mate even though it's in a limited capacity. 👍

My gears are all over the place. I sat down with a screwdriver and tried to correct them but just got frustrated when I could only get the bottom 6 set but not the top (largest) two. I'm avoiding using them for the time being until I have time to give it a proper go.
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By using a screwdriver I assume you're were adjusting the limit screws, marked H&L?
The limit screws shouldn't stop you getting into the top two gears, one maybe but not two unless they are out an absolute mile. Sounds more like a cable tension and indexing problem.
Not trying to be a smart arse but do you know the a procedure for setting up the rear derailleur start to finish?
If needed I'd be happy to type one out for you that's pretty simple to follow.

My wife has found me a club to ride with when I settle in Thailand next month. I don't know what to expect but I think they're a mixed nationality club who ride road bikes. I've never really been a 'group' rider and like blasting around on my own but it'll be useful to get hooked up with a good shop and find some good mountains to ride.
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Sounds good to me, while I enjoy riding by myself it's always nice to have someone to speak to especially on a long ride.

Getting the bike on a plane seems like it's going to be a pain. Depending on who I fly with I may need it completely disassembled or just remove the wheels. Haven't booked a flight yet.
Click to expand...

Ride it. ;)
 
I was using the H&L screws according to Parktools site instructions. I've only ever had to mildly tune out some noise before but this time there seemed to be a lot wrong. The site recommended I check cable slack but the cable seems fine. If I really can't get it straightened out I'll just take it into a shop for a proper mechanic to fix. My skill are limited to 'tinkering' and my level of patience recently isn't enough to be messing with my bike.

Riding to Thai was my plan but I only get 15 days inital visa entering over land. Going by air I get 30 days which should be enough for me to find a way to exend my visa.

I can't say how long it'll be before I can ride properly again. Me knee is all kinds of weak even with a strap on it. Missing the use of my two largest gears made the hills more work than usual and certainly didn't leave me without some aches around the joint.

While I'm keeping the road bike as it is my favourite type of bicycle I am tempted to pick up a BMX for romping around the city in. I love the fact that a BMX can ride pretty much anywhere and are small and durable enough to take some serious abuse. Just an idea at the moment. A BMX would require me to be at least 70% recovered and back to a fitness level I haven't been at for nearly a year.

Glad I'm not the only one with missing notifications for this thread!
 
W3HS
I was using the H&L screws according to Parktools site instructions. I've only ever had to mildly tune out some noise before but this time there seemed to be a lot wrong. The site recommended I check cable slack but the cable seems fine. If I really can't get it straightened out I'll just take it into a shop for a proper mechanic to fix. My skill are limited to 'tinkering' and my level of patience recently isn't enough to be messing with my bike.
Click to expand...

I just had a read of that article and while it's pretty good it is a tad confusing for anyone who doesn't know the ins and outs of a bikes gearing.
One thing I don't agree with the article about though is adjusting the H&L screws with the cable still connected as tension on the cable will only confuse the matter.

Riding to Thai was my plan but I only get 15 days inital visa entering over land. Going by air I get 30 days which should be enough for me to find a way to exend my visa.
Click to expand...

Fair enough, it would be a good ride though if there were no time constraints and it could be done at ones own pace.

I can't say how long it'll be before I can ride properly again. Me knee is all kinds of weak even with a strap on it. Missing the use of my two largest gears made the hills more work than usual and certainly didn't leave me without some aches around the joint.
Click to expand...

Just take it easy mate and as you gradually feel better within yourself push just a little harder in small steps until you feel back to your old self.

While I'm keeping the road bike as it is my favourite type of bicycle I am tempted to pick up a BMX for romping around the city in. I love the fact that a BMX can ride pretty much anywhere and are small and durable enough to take some serious abuse. Just an idea at the moment. A BMX would require me to be at least 70% recovered and back to a fitness level I haven't been at for nearly a year.
Click to expand...

Probably not a bad idea for getting around town in with the abilities to take short cuts over rough terrain when required. Somehow at my age I don't think it would be the done thing though. :P
 
Haven't ridden in a while. It's been colder than normal and I kind-of stopped since I've been lazy. I'm going to pick up again around April.
 
image.jpg
I've managed to repurpose an old tent into a bike bag. The bars are in there but I've removed the pedals and seat. Hopefully I won't have any issues getting it on an aeroplane in a few weeks time. :)
 
Well let's hope that does the job. Last thing you want is a banged up bike when you arrive in Thailand.
And what's with the new avatar? Very un-Shemlike.
 
I felt like a change and have always fancied the pants off a young Debbie Harry. :drool: I've kept the B&W theme though, I won't do colour avatars.

The bike, I'm hoping, should suvive. It's a tough old thing and is hopefully wrapped enough to protect the crank sproket and brake levers. If anything does get broken at least I'll have a great reason to go raiding parts bins and introduce myself around Chiang Mai to some local bikers.
 
Yesterday's ride:

Distance: 100,4 km
Avg speed: 24,93 km/h
Time: 4h02m

I think I brought too little food on the ride. In the last 90 minutes I only had a single snickers left, and I pretty much died in the last 6-7km. I had to coast at 20 km/h, anything at 25 or above required a sprint :lol:

Yesterday my legs hurt a lot, not sore like after weightlifting, but plain and simple pain. Ate a lot of carbs and proteins, went for an hours walk today and my legs felt perfectly fine 👍

My current Ridley bike is a bit too large for me, so I'm looking at a new bike hopefully in the coming months:

amx3.jpg
 
Looking at a Google Maps route I plotted I get an approximate morning ride of 6.4km per lap of the City. I expect two laps should do it for a nice bit of high speed cardio. The traffic picks up and heat pick up after 8am so I'll have to start out about 7am.

I'm still very tempted to convert to a single speed (NOT fixie!) for getting around the city. In Chongqing the city is built on mountains so gears are necessary to get anywhere, but Chiang Mai is flat and the only mountain riding is done with the express intention of riding the mountain Su Thep for which I'm thinking of getting a new bike once I'm settled. I currently only have around 8 usable gear on my Giant, I think getting a new bike for the mountains will mean I can choose my gearing specifically for that.
 
Be nice to have something like that next door, that's a proper mountain! This route seems fairly similar to yours, if that helps?

Been getting back into the swing of biking, rather helps that the weather is cooperating at the moment. Not sure if others are into the classics, but The Tour of Flanders last Sunday was rather spectacular, with Paris-Roubaix this weekend too. Spring classics make me both want to visit Belgium, and yet I remain fearful of its cobbled hills :ouch:
 
My gosh! There's a sub 1 hour time on there! I've ridden that mountain before, up to the highest temple, not the peak, and to this day it's the most punishing ride I've done. Hired a mountain bike weighing in at at least 20kg and only had 1ltr of water to di it. I must have take 2 hours or more, most of it is a blur of burning lungs and burnt skin!

Seeing a vegan in the No2 spot makes me determine to bust that time powered by nothing more that red/white meat and gravy in my Camelbak. :lol:
 
Today's ride:

Distance: 80km
Time: 3h08m
Avg speed: 25,9 km/h

I'm completely bust. And to think I rode 100km in 3h37m 2 years ago. Man, I've got some work to do!
 
I think it comes down to constant repition. Doing the same distance week in, week out will lead to significant time improvements. Doing it from time to time will not yeild the greatest results.
 
Yeah that sub hour time is a bit crazy, maybe not quite achievable. Much easier on a compact crank and decent casette I bet though.

Riding in a group twice a week helps so much, less and often is better than massive one day solo efforts, at least that's what I've found this year. Or find a smaller flattish loop and TT that.

EDIT: Or do part of the ride across the Somerset levels, my 100km on Monday was 3hr39 at 27.4kph, with a little headwind most of the way.
 
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I'm bikeless at the moment until my bike ships. I've spent a lot of time at home watching the cycling on tv and find it quite interesting as background viewing. I'm not majorly into televised cycling but I'm starting to like it more and more, even if it's just to check out the bikes.
 
Eh, I've been glued to Eurosport every Sunday for the past month or so for the spring classics, rather addicted to the sport. The bikes do provide some jealousy from me, nevermind the insane strength of the top pro's on long, long 250km+ days. Madness.

Here's the Tour of Flanders as demonstration:



Oh, and clocked over 300km last week in four rides, thanks in part to cycling to my holiday instead of being normal and sitting in the car.
 
Eurosport is what I've had on too. My TV has only a few English channels so Eurosport is what I put on if the movie channel is playing crap.

We've probably been watching the same races, throughout Belgium and Holland I believe they are. I do rather like the dayglo yellow bikes in the field. They look to be great on a dark night. :)
 
Been watching as many of the Spring classics also, a bit limited on the TV coverage here so the data allowance has been taking a bit of a pounding catching up on youtube.
What amazes me the most is the speed they can carry and hold on the cobbles.
@W3HS if one was riding the dayglo bikes you would want to be able to ride, they sure do stand out.

Meanwhile I'm patiently waiting for the new frame to turn up.
 
I'm waiting for a whole bike to turn up! :lol: Which frame have you ordered?

I'm seriously desperate for it now. I've been seeing all kinds of people riding around this city and it makes my so frustrated that I can't get out there myself and that I'm stuck with a silly scooter.
 
@W3HS
Here and the webpage here.
Just the frameset as I'm swapping all my components over to it.
Got an email this morning from the bike shop telling me he held off posting over the long weekend as he didn't want it to be sitting around at the couriers over the long weekend. Posted this morning so hopefully tomorrow or Thursday at the latest as Friday is a public holiday.
 

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