had a nice bike ride today

[Zercher Yoke]

I rode near my suburban house which has lot's of lakes , bike tracks. I got lost just before dark and rode my $99 bike through half a metre high grass. I seen this big green frog jumping along this sandstone groud which was interesting as they usually stay with the green i wouldve thought.

[King Crush]

I rode near my suburban house which has lot's of lakes , bike tracks. I got lost just before dark and rode my $99 bike through half a metre high grass. I seen this big green frog jumping along this sandstone groud which was interesting as they usually stay with the green i wouldve thought.

Greay Job! How's you $99 bike doing? Is it a Wall-Mart Special? Roadrunners, Huffy, Next, what? LoL

[BayAreaBiker]

On 7/7/1990, I biked to San Bruno, on 11/21/1992 to San Francisco, on 6/28/1994 to Gilroy, on Memorial Day 1995 to Hayward, on 6/13/1996 to Sausalito, on 5/24/1997 to Half Moon Bay, on 5/2/2001 to Pacifica, on 5/30/2001 to San Leandro, on 10/17/2001 to Santa Cruz, and on 8/15/2003 to Sunol, between Fremont and Livermore. On my next vacation, I might try for Hollister, Watsonville, Oakland, or San Rafael. I may even bike to Salinas, Monterey, Stockton, Concord, Antioch, or Richmond.
My favorite route to San Francisco, which I have biked to on 17 occasions, is El Camino Real, a very busy street, and the only way I can bike there (bikes are not allowed on 101 or 280)

[Fuelish]

Sounds like quite a bit of quality riding.....I'm unfamiliar with CA - live in TN - what would miles be for rides such as those ??? I love cycling (although I no longer have a roadbike.....I just run slicks on my mtb and tighten up the frnt/rr susp....works amazingly well )

On 7/7/1990, I biked to San Bruno, on 11/21/1992 to San Francisco, on 6/28/1994 to Gilroy, on Memorial Day 1995 to Hayward, on 6/13/1996 to Sausalito, on 5/24/1997 to Half Moon Bay, on 5/2/2001 to Pacifica, on 5/30/2001 to San Leandro, on 10/17/2001 to Santa Cruz, and on 8/15/2003 to Sunol, between Fremont and Livermore. On my next vacation, I might try for Hollister, Watsonville, Oakland, or San Rafael. I may even bike to Salinas, Monterey, Stockton, Concord, Antioch, or Richmond.
My favorite route to San Francisco, which I have biked to on 17 occasions, is El Camino Real, a very busy street, and the only way I can bike there (bikes are not allowed on 101 or 280)

[ARracer]

Have an old Raleigh hybrid that I keep slicks on and call a "road bike". Bought it used for 100 bucks (including helmet and pump) and it's served me just fine for the past 3 years. I've done a good number of century rides on it over the past two years and never had even one mechanical with it (not even a flat tire).

Have a Gary Fisher mtn bike - had it for the past two years and I love it. It's a mid (as opposed to high) end bike, but has also served me well since I've owned it.

The races I do don't usually require a lot of technical riding, and are primarily in hill country (mtn country) - so I spend a lot of time putting in miles, but also a lot of time searching for every damn hill I can find along the way.

After the original post about the frog though, I think it might be time to slow down a bit and take some time to just ENJOY where I'm at. Too much focus sometimes, and the "little things" like frogs and lakes, get lost along the way. Not so good.

[phateless]

you guys need real mtn bikes. especially that bay area guy. there are killer trails in the bay area! i've been jonesing for my mtn bike ride. i haven't had a chance in 3 weeks. i've either been hanging out with someone or had to go to work. grrrr.

[BayAreaBiker]

you guys need real mtn bikes. especially that bay area guy. there are killer trails in the bay area! i've been jonesing for my mtn bike ride. i haven't had a chance in 3 weeks. i've either been hanging out with someone or had to go to work. grrrr.

I myself have had several mountain bikes, all of them got stolen. two of them got stolen in San Francisco, one in Mountain View, another in San Jose.
One person told me that my bike could be sold for ten pieces of crack cocaine, which does not make sense.

[BayAreaBiker]

From my house to Balboa Park in San Francisco 33.7 miles
to Fort Baker, Marin Co/Sausalito 41.1 miles
to Gilroy-Monterey Hwy/Lushessa 36.4 miles
to Natural Bridges State Beach, Santa Cruz 29.2 miles
to BayFair Shopping Center, San Leandro 23.2 miles
Distances are obtained with the "GOTO" feature on the GPS

[BayAreaBiker]

Greay Job! How's you $99 bike doing? Is it a Wall-Mart Special? Roadrunners, Huffy, Next, what? LoL

I have always favored sub-$100 bikes, as they are about all I can afford at this time. The workmanship is satisfactory for what I need from a bike.

[phateless]

if you've had 3 bikes stolen than you're not locking them up correctly, or you're using a crappy lock. i've had 1 bike stolen in my life, and i was 16 at the time. my current mountain bike i've had for 6 years and it was my daily driver for 3 of them. spend the money, get a real mountain bike and a real lock, and have the discipline to use that lock correctly every time and you'll be fine.

[BayAreaBiker]

if you've had 3 bikes stolen than you're not locking them up correctly, or you're using a crappy lock. i've had 1 bike stolen in my life, and i was 16 at the time. my current mountain bike i've had for 6 years and it was my daily driver for 3 of them. spend the money, get a real mountain bike and a real lock, and have the discipline to use that lock correctly every time and you'll be fine.

Of the ten bikes stolen, nine were left unlocked. The last was chained to a parking meter (the only thing available).

[foggydays]

i have a gary fisher mamba, i love it. they guy at the bike shop says that its an entry level bike that is meant for 14 year olds, and that with the amount of riding i do i should have a way better bike. i say, **** him. i hate it when the salesman gives you that ****, maybe some people fall for that whole insulting sales spiel , but not me, i get pissed.

[phateless]

dude, there's a HUGE difference between a $400 bike and a $1200 bike. you can feel it immediately, and with regular trail riding, the nicer bike will hold up way better. sales people at bike shops aren't on commission. i worked in bicycle shops for 9 years and i have been riding mtn bikes even longer. if you're doing regular mtn biking, you should invest in proper equipment, just like with any other sport. specialized has some incredible bang for buck, and you can get into a REAL mtn bike with a REAL suspension fork for $1200.

[foggydays]

dude, there's a HUGE difference between a $400 bike and a $1200 bike. you can feel it immediately, and with regular trail riding, the nicer bike will hold up way better. sales people at bike shops aren't on commission. i worked in bicycle shops for 9 years and i have been riding mtn bikes even longer. if you're doing regular mtn biking, you should invest in proper equipment, just like with any other sport. specialized has some incredible bang for buck, and you can get into a REAL mtn bike with a REAL suspension fork for $1200.

by the way i should have said that i mainly do, rail trail, street trail rides.

yeah i hear ya, but my beef is with the bike store guy putting my bike down which is totally uncalled for, whether he believes it or not. and a $1,200 bike would be great but that is almost 3 x the cost of what i consider a good bike. plus when the components start to go on a $1,200 bike, parts can get expensive (which i fix myself). my friend has a $2,400 prophet and he is so ****ing careful with it, it makes me sick. i live way within my means, so when i feel i can justify getting a $1,200 bike, i will. in the meantime my mamba is a fantastic bike.

[phateless]

the mambo is a good bike for basic riding and commuting. components on a $1200 are more expensive when they go but they last a lot longer before they do. the guy at the bike store should not have insulted your bike, but he is right. if you're riding A LOT and doing hard mtn biking, you NEED a better bike. besides, you can always buy something used in good shape for around $800, and still get into LX or XT componentry.

the reason i finally invested in XTR shifters, derailleurs, cassette, and v-brakes, is because i ride the **** out of my mtn bike. and i don't ride very often at all anymore, but you know what? it's been 6 years since i installed all that stuff, and i've replaced the chain a few times and the rear derailleur cable a few times, but that's it. the nicer stuff holds up soooooo much better, it's worth it, because i ride all the time and i don't have to thinker with it anymore. yeah, i don't NEED my cooks E cranks or my king headset or my thompson seatpost or my machine tech front hub, or my xtr 8-speed rapidfire shifter/levers, but all that **** feels sooooo much better to ride on and lasts so much longer without maintenance that it was well worth it just because i enjoy riding.

it's just like buying cheap tools

you buy NICE or you buy TWICE

[BayAreaBiker]

On 7/7/1990, I biked to San Bruno, on 11/21/1992 to San Francisco, on 6/28/1994 to Gilroy, on Memorial Day 1995 to Hayward, on 6/13/1996 to Sausalito, on 5/24/1997 to Half Moon Bay, on 5/2/2001 to Pacifica, on 5/30/2001 to San Leandro, on 10/17/2001 to Santa Cruz, and on 8/15/2003 to Sunol, between Fremont and Livermore. On 2/21/2008, I biked to Oakland. On my next vacation, I might try for Hollister, Watsonville, or San Rafael. I may even bike to Salinas, Monterey, Stockton, Concord, Antioch, or Richmond.
My favorite route to San Francisco, which I have biked to on 17 occasions, is El Camino Real, a very busy street, and the only way I can bike there (bikes are not allowed on 101 or 280)

On 2/21/2008, I biked to Oakland, on International Blvd-14th Street, an area with a reputation for violent crime. I passed by Harmony Road Music School, where a student was paralyzed as a result of a gas station robbery across the street.

[phateless]

On 2/21/2008, I biked to Oakland, on International Blvd-14th Street, an area with a reputation for violent crime. I passed by Harmony Road Music School, where a student was paralyzed as a result of a gas station robbery across the street.

haha, why would you ride down international boulevard unless you're trying to practice your sprinting?? i would much rather ride on the freeway.

[BayAreaBiker]

On 2/21/2008, I biked to Oakland, on International Blvd-14th Street, an area with a reputation for violent crime. I passed by Harmony Road Music School, where a student was paralyzed as a result of a gas station robbery across the street.

On 7/2/2008, I rode my bike to Hollister, in San Benito County. This is a 100-km (62 mile) ride one-way.

[Creature83]

My grandfather gave me a Austro Daimler road bike I need to get fixed up. I'm riding a GT mtn bike until I get it setup. I've been doing 20 mile rides 3-4 times a week for the past month and a half. Great low impact cardio.