97's Bike Talk(( MTBs, Roadbikes and BMX riders welcome!!))

[r33t]

I know exactly what you mean ebout the life taker thing. The first time I rode my fixie, I went to stand and bout got bucked over the handlebars. We have nothing but hills here in Ky but it's not the climbing so much that gets me it's the 200 rpm cadence comming down the other side. There is a rail trail in Ohio that is pancake flat I'm going to try hit on it sometime this year.

R33T- I don't know about the BB threads but I guess I should go through it. It looks like it just takes a spanner to pull it out. I don't know if all from that era are like that. It is a nice bike. I kinda hated to take it apart. I know that I'm breaking the fixie code by having a rear brake but if I flip it around to the freewheel side, I'll be glad I have it.

Yeah, you'll find out sooner or later... my crank arms, steerer tube, and BB are all french threaded (WHAT A PAIN!). Still worth it, i like peugeots a lot. Good point on the rear brake... didnt realize you had a flip flop hub.

[GREENFEATHER]

I know exactly what you mean ebout the life taker thing. The first time I rode my fixie, I went to stand and bout got bucked over the handlebars. We have nothing but hills here in Ky but it's not the climbing so much that gets me it's the 200 rpm cadence comming down the other side. There is a rail trail in Ohio that is pancake flat I'm going to try hit on it sometime this year.

Where's the trail at? I'd love to go riding out there.

As for the single gear, it's in racing trim for the next 3 months. I have a 50 mile race for The Kidney Foundation this weekend and 2 more 50 milers later, 1 in late August and 1 in September. I only race for charity's, last year my team raised over $175,000 for charity.

[slackdaddy]

It's called The Little Miami Trail and is around 80 miles long. I park in a little town called Loveland and ride north. It's 44 miles to Xenia making a 88 mile round trip or 63 to South Charleston making 126 if I'm really perky. There are parking areas in most towns that it passes through with restrooms. It is paved and around 12 feet wide. It is pretty busy on weekends especially around the towns that it goes through but during the week it's not bad. It's not something you would want to ride every day because it can get boring but 2-3 times a year it is pretty nice to get a good long ride in without kicking dogs off my legs and being cussed by rednecks.

[97LT1]

Well its after 9pm EST and my lights are fully charged....i'm ready to own the night!

I'll be back in a hour and a half to share my experience.

[mntbikedude]

I have a Specialized Hard Rock Sport and just did a 3hour mountain bking up in China Camp in Marin, took some cutty trail that was pretty dangerous, but had loads of fun.

My first real bike was a specialized hard rock. Great bikes. China Camp are you talking outside of San Francisco? If so they have a campsite just for bikers only costs like 4.00.

[mntbikedude]

Do you like to ride at night?

97 do you have a link with info about ur light system?

[DirtyBulk4ever]

I have wanted a road bike for the longest time and just recently got around to shopping for one. Found out that the cheapest bikes were selling used on craigies for 1K... WTF. That really bummed me out as I had my heart set on doing long distance runs across the santa monica coast here.

I eventually settled on buying a cheapie mountain bike. Got one off craigies for cheap and been riding it around the city. A bit dangerous riding on crowded streets, but I've been working out some safer routes around these parts. My bike is about ten years old, but hasn't had much use over that time. It's definitely in need of a tune up. Every time I am chugging up a hill it creaks with each paddle. <Any tips on how to care and maintain a mountain bike? All the online guides are confusing.>

I have begun to use biking as my sole lower body work out. I wonder how long it's gonna take before I see results... I figure about two nice 3 hour runs across difficult terrain will do the trick. Even though I wanted a road bike at first, I like how a mountain bike is harder to paddle and works my legs out more. A nice long hill and I'm travelling at around .3 miles/hour on the lowest setting and sweating my ass off. I dig it!

[Brently]

Just saw this thread.

I have a Lemond Zurich and a Specialized Hardrock.

The Specialized is getting new cranks, cassette, chain and front derailleur. This is my commuter.

[97LT1]

97 do you have a link with info about ur light system?

pricepoint.com

Niterider Dual Classic

[97LT1]

Well its after 9pm EST and my lights are fully charged....i'm ready to own the night!

I'll be back in a hour and a half to share my experience.

Man it was good.

Rode about 14.7 miles. Took me 39 mins each way. Probably could have done it faster but the route i took had alot of hills. I had a 15 min rest in between.

[97LT1]

Just saw this thread.

I have a Lemond Zurich and a Specialized Hardrock.

The Specialized is getting new cranks, cassette, chain and front derailleur. This is my commuter.

Welcome aboard.

Are you going for high end parts? I really suggest Shimano XT or XTR for the crank. I used LX front and rear delrailers with no problem....only made them XT just to match.

[KRANE]

Welcome aboard.

Are you going for high end parts? I really suggest Shimano XT or XTR for the crank. I used LX front and rear delrailers with no problem....only made them XT just to match.

Dude, if you were in Florida I'd race you. However, soFlo, is one of the worst places in the country to ride as far as traffics concerned. Cyclist get ZERO respect, and the police do nothing. In fact, I almost got run over a couple of times by cops--it's that bad. There are a few trails but they're poorly maintained, so you're limited to the granny gears, if you go that route--but they are a lot safer.

However, there is a course I used to ride from the gym late at night (10:00-11:00) it was a route through mostly residential neighborhoods over many bridges and causways (see Bad Boys), so not much traffic. Man, I used to have a great time doing that one!!

Oh, and just a quick word about components. LX should be fine for 80% of riders. If you consider yourself hardcore, and ride through grit like a "mother", then get XT.

So what of XTR? Well, there's a point of diminishing return, and in my opinion, XTR is it. It's for pretty boys with lots of money. If that's you, knock yourself out. I would, if I were

[Minotaur]

People are just idiots all over. One night last week I was riding along the boardwalk area. The oceanfront road and boardwalk area has been developed into a very tony and uppity area with shops, restaurants, bars and seating areas.

But parking is horrendous in the summer, and people are so fixated on getting a space they are oblivious to pedestrians and bikes. I was passing by the most congested area doing a very slow coast and had to dismount. On moron in a Jeep Wagoneer started backing up almost right into me.

A senior woman walking with her husband yelled to the driver to stop. The old lady smiled at me and said "you weren't going to get hit" as if to say she wouldn't allow it. We chatted pleasantly for a few seconds and went our separate ways.

Then I saw a bike cop and asked him "how do you guys keep from getting run over?" He looked at me as if to say "man, you don't know the half of it".

[mntbikedude]

pricepoint.com

Niterider Dual Classic

So how much better are these than your typical led headlights?

[97LT1]

So how much better are these than your typical led headlights?

They are much better. A niterider headlight system is just as bright as car headlights(some argue even brighter because of the small focused beams)

When i use the single high beam mode its way too bright for oncoming motorists. They always flash their lights at me.

Dual high beam mode is straight overkill for city riding. I have been stopped by the police on 3 occasions telling me its blinding oncoming traffic. Motorists will often beep their horns at me or yell out their windows telling me to turn my lights off.

[SuperDavid]

They are much better. A niterider headlight system is just as bright as car headlights(some argue even brighter because of the small focused beams)

When i use the single high beam mode its way too bright for oncoming motorists. They always flash their lights at me.

Dual high beam mode is straight overkill for city riding. I have been stopped by the police on 3 occasions telling me its blinding oncoming traffic. Motorists will often beep their horns at me or yell out their windows telling me to turn my lights off.

Thats great!!! now thats the kind of lighting I want!!!

[StrengthMaker]

So my roomate and I went riding today and it was just before dark and the sun was below the clouds. I looked over and saw a beautiful sight. The clouds were casting a shadow up into the sky. So I snapped a picture on my phone and thought I would post it up here.

[mntbikedude]

They are much better. A niterider headlight system is just as bright as car headlights(some argue even brighter because of the small focused beams)

When i use the single high beam mode its way too bright for oncoming motorists. They always flash their lights at me.

Dual high beam mode is straight overkill for city riding. I have been stopped by the police on 3 occasions telling me its blinding oncoming traffic. Motorists will often beep their horns at me or yell out their windows telling me to turn my lights off.

So 97 on your nite rides. What type of ride are we talking here. Are you talking serious city riding like downtown thru say 4 lanes of traffic. It seems like you are from a major city back east. Have you considered mounting a camera on your bike and take some short movies.

[97LT1]

So 97 on your nite rides. What type of ride are we talking here. Are you talking serious city riding like downtown thru say 4 lanes of traffic. It seems like you are from a major city back east. Have you considered mounting a camera on your bike and take some short movies.

Well i don't live in a major city. You could say i live in the suburbs.

I ride intense so as to burn cals. My routes basically take me thru center city and then well traveled two way streets. Long straights so i can blast it!

On days i want to really test my stamina i'll use a route i call "The hills". I force myself to use 2/5 and struggle up as many hills as i can until i'm exhausted. Those nights i walk my bike home.

Never really thought about taking vids.

[97LT1]

So my roomate and I went riding today and it was just before dark and the sun was below the clouds. I looked over and saw a beautiful sight. The clouds were casting a shadow up into the sky. So I snapped a picture on my phone and thought I would post it up here.

Thats beautiful.

[mntbikedude]

Well i don't live in a major city. You could say i live in the suburbs.

I ride intense so as to burn cals. My routes basically take me thru center city and then well traveled two way streets. Long straights so i can blast it!

On days i want to really test my stamina i'll use a route i call "The hills". I force myself to use 2/5 and struggle up as many hills as i can until i'm exhausted. Those nights i walk my bike home.

Never really thought about taking vids.

They have those little tripods that wrap around the handlebars and there are some cameras in the $125 range that do decent videos, the one I looked at has a night mode. Just thinking you could make some pretty cool vids

[97LT1]

They have those little tripods that wrap around the handlebars and there are some cameras in the $125 range that do decent videos, the one I looked at has a night mode. Just thinking you could make some pretty cool vids

I'll have to check those out.

[GimpyPaw]

OK, I'm needing a new bottom bracket for my mountain bike (octalink) and I was thinking of ordering on-line and installing it myself. There are two sizes available, in terms of length, and I wanted to know if anybody could tell me how to measure my current bottom bracket WITHOUT having to pull it out.

???

[meanmo]

Do any of you guys use the backpack/water bladders?
Who's good at doing wheelies?

I use a camelbak occasionally on rides over 50 miles or so...


here is my baby..

98' spectrum titanium
FSA pro team carbon cranks,
Dura ace rear Derailer
ultegra cassette and front deralier
105 shifters
dura brakes
mavic open pro wheels
brooks Titanium swift saddle
reynolds uzo pro carbon forks

I typically ride about 150 miles a week and like to ride the perimeter races but will be trying my first time trial this summer..

[meanmo]

OK, I'm needing a new bottom bracket for my mountain bike (octalink) and I was thinking of ordering on-line and installing it myself. There are two sizes available, in terms of length, and I wanted to know if anybody could tell me how to measure my current bottom bracket WITHOUT having to pull it out.

???

one is english thread and one is italian most likely.. what is the brand? probably shimano if its octo

you could always take it out and look up the part# online.

typically

Road bikes usually use 68 mm; Italian road bikes use 70 mm; mountain bikes use 73 mm

also, if your riding Ti id recommend using teflon tape.. hell id use teflon tape regardless on your threads..

[97LT1]

OK, I'm needing a new bottom bracket for my mountain bike (octalink) and I was thinking of ordering on-line and installing it myself. There are two sizes available, in terms of length, and I wanted to know if anybody could tell me how to measure my current bottom bracket WITHOUT having to pull it out.

???

Damn i don't know.....iusually let the bike shop handle any probs, repairs or installs.

I know how to fix a flat tho!

[meanmo]

Damn i don't know.....iusually let the bike shop handle any probs, repairs or installs.

I know how to fix a flat tho!

FYI... I started using mr tuffy tape on my gatorskins about 6 months ago and have not had a flat since then.. It really works well and I was getting a flat every 300 miles or so before that.. cant recommend it enough..

http://www.mrtuffy.com/preventionhistory.php

[KRANE]

Damn i don't know.....iusually let the bike shop handle any probs, repairs or installs.

I know how to fix a flat tho!

You're not alone. I also have to admit, I'm not as mechanically able as I'd like to be. Then again that's what makes this thread so appealing: you can learn something.

By the way, I can fix a flat too...I just hate having to. That's why I have my tire liners.

[97LT1]

FYI... I started using mr tuffy tape on my gatorskins about 6 months ago and have not had a flat since then.. It really works well and I was getting a flat every 300 miles or so before that.. cant recommend it enough..

http://www.mrtuffy.com/preventionhistory.php

Bro you better make it a habit to post here! We need tech support.

[97LT1]

You're not alone. I also have to admit, I'm not as mechanically able as I'd like to be. Then again that's what makes this thread so appealing: you can learn something.

By the way, I can fix a flat too...I just hate having to. That's why I have my tire liners.

I'm glad so many people are posting.