Any cyclists here?

rando

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My criteria for a bike riding around on the streets aren't too complicated but not always easy to fill.

Spoken like a road cyclist. Who is aware what geometry a bike needs to work optimally under him. As well as how to make something in that range fit him. Getting the seat relative to the pedals and bar distance/height right can still produce an unrideable or unsustainable position.

I'm on the edge of both issues with manufactured bikes. When you throw a 140mm-150mm stem on any bike designed around 110mm-120mm things get interesting. Especially on 1" threaded forks using a quill stem!
 
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rando

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I disagree with the comment about aluminum bikes -- current aluminum bikes are pretty good and offer a less expensive way to get into road cycling.

Tiring up on an aluminum Trek hybrid using something like a Compass René Herse Barlow Pass will make those 70-100 km a week utter bliss. Scary things lie ahead if you decide to go the other direction in size and quality.
 

andromedaaudio

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This one may not totally do justice but at least it's authentic on the road "action" shot during today's ride.

Colnago C-40 B stay [size 52]
Campagnolo Record 10-speed
Campagnolo Hyperion Ultra / Schwalbe One [25mm]
Time Impact Mag Ti pedals
ITM Carbon seatpost & Mag stem
Schmolke Carbon handlebar
Selle Italia SLR Kit Carbonio saddle

The bike is about 7 kg and as far as I can tell, perfect balance between stiffness and comfort.
When i used to race these where the hot bikes .
Same goes for the look bikes they were the first ones with carbon tubing /aluminium lugs .
Is this the colnago with the inverted angle " square " tubing
 

chuck

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Fit is both the size of the bike and setting the bike up for the rider. Generally a bike should have close to a 40/60 weight distribution, with the correct drop/reach from saddle to handlebars for the rider's size and level of flexibility, also taking into account issues like leg length discrepancy or history of injuries. Bike geometry is also part of it and depends on the bike's intended use -- mass start racing (crits, road races), time trials, touring, training etc.. Also shoe size, pedaling shape, handlebar width and crank length It is preferable not to try to "make" a bike fit by too long or too short a stem, raised stem or slammed, all of which will compromise the bike's handling. The job is to figure out where on an X/Y grid the saddle and handlebars need to go relative to the pedals, fill in the ideal bike between those 3 points then find the closest off-the-rack solution or go custom.
 

MPS

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When i used to race these where the hot bikes .
Same goes for the look bikes they were the first ones with carbon tubing /aluminium lugs .
Is this the colnago with the inverted angle " square " tubing

Yes, the main tubes are "funny" shape :)
It's a bit long read but interesting story about one of the most remarkable frames in the bicycling (racing) history.
Story of Colnago C-40
 
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Folsom

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Spoken like a road cyclist. Who is aware what geometry a bike needs to work optimally under him. As well as how to make something in that range fit him. Getting the seat relative to the pedals and bar distance/height right can still produce an unrideable or unsustainable position.

I'm on the edge of both issues with manufactured bikes. When you throw a 140mm-150mm stem on any bike designed around 110mm-120mm things get interesting. Especially on 1" threaded forks using a quill stem!

ewww don't remind me of quill stems! One thing I'm more than happy to leave behind years ago.

I usually end up with a shorter stem, long legs. Feels fine to me, even slightly low rake feels fine (track-ish). I can no-hands the shit out of fairly low rake... tricky but fun to try.
 

sujay

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Modern hybrid designs are deviously good at conveying the joy of riding. Original Specialized Globe was easily a runner up for best bike of the 00's. A few engineers and designers do a brand's race bikes while entire teams are devoted to hybrids. Trek's European catalog contains a shocking variety of them and they all make sense.

Personally, I'd attain a set of handbuilt wheels and extravagantly supple tires close to the maximum suggested size for that frame. Well tuned Acera won't hold you back on city streets.

Thanks! Good suggestion to work on the tires. I will get down to thay
 
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asindc

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Sep 27, 2012
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I worked in bike shops for years, I am a Serotta Certified fitter and have done hundreds of custom fits. Fit is first. If it doesn't fit nothing else will make up for it and it will be painful to ride. A less expensive bike that fits is preferable to any bike that does not. I disagree with the comment about aluminum bikes -- current aluminum bikes are pretty good and offer a less expensive way to get into road cycling.

I don't know your budget. But this is WBF so maybe a Giant TCR Advanced SL0. . .

About the bolded part, truer words cannot be spoken about enjoying cycling. Newbies ask me all the time about what is the best way to spend $500 or so on getting into cycling. I suggest spending $200 or a fitting and $300 on a used Craigslist bike. People simply stop riding a bike if it is uncomfortable.
 

rando

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Modern hybrid designs are deviously good at conveying the joy of riding.

Greg LeMond threw everyone for a loop today when he introduced two new carbon bikes with his name on them. A well conditioned rider could still touch 40 mph, but it's not their main purpose. That is more closely found in the quote above.

US $4500 gets you a base model e-bike with one piece carbon bar/stem/light weighing around 27 lbs. Equipped with the motor de jour and light 250 Wh capacity battery.

Unspecified amount more garners Di2, carbon wheels with Tune hubs, vegan friendly Brooks saddle, and fancier Spurcycle bell. Two steps forwards, two steps... around deeply felt touch points.

 

chuck

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I used to sell LeMond bikes in the 90s before Trek killed them off. These are not bicycles.

eBikes are motorcycles that people ride on the bike paths, they pass me all the time on their coal powered machines. Won't be long before the eBike folks start yelling at me to get off the road.
 
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Folsom

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I used to sell LeMond bikes in the 90s before Trek killed them off. These are not bicycles.

eBikes are motorcycles that people ride on the bike paths, they pass me all the time on their coal powered machines. Won't be long before the eBike folks start yelling at me to get off the road.

Ya but no lie, they are fun too. People are willing to short-sight their thoughts if it's fun.
 

chuck

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Ya but no lie, they are fun too. People are willing to short-sight their thoughts if it's fun.
It's all fun and games until someone crashes at 20 mph. You have to be really fit and do a lot of training to ride a bike that fast on flat ground unless you are on an eBike.
 

Atmasphere

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This is my Jones Plus LWB Ti. 29+ tires 2.8" wide, carbon rims and carbon Jones bars, shown here in full race dress for the 2019 Tour Divide Race. The route extends from Banff to Antelope Wells NM on the Mexican border, following the Divide, so its about 2700 miles with about 200,000 feet of climbing. The bike is equipped with 203mm rotors (cable operated brakes for greater reliability and service), since fully loaded with 7L of water it weighs about 50 pounds. The Divide like to eat brake pads; the larger rotors allow them to run at a lower temperature descending passes. All the food, sleeping gear, clothing, tools, navigation and lighting are all on the bike. Its equipped with a Rohloff hub (14 speeds, 560% gear range) and this year I set it up with a Gates belt drive, which all but eliminates any complaints about weight. Derailleurs are slow shifting inelegent and unreliable beasts that don't hold up well on the Divide, although plenty of people run them with great success (although people do pretty well in single-speeds too). There's no suspension (again- unreliable, less to go wrong) but the rollover of a 29+ tire is really all you need. The seatpost is a Thudbuster since I broke my back about 12 years ago and its nice to give it a 'break'. The Jones bars allow you to comfortably go aero if you need to. The pedals are longer and allow me multiple seating postions and greater power on climbs (good arch support)- so I can climb better with these pedals than with cleats. I see that as a lot safer! In terms of comfort this is the most comfortable bike I've ever owned (even moreso than my custom framed 953 road bike); its nice to say that over thousands of miles I don't get so much as a numb or tingling finger or toe. But fit is everything on long distances!


Jones2019.JPG
 

Folsom

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It's all fun and games until someone crashes at 20 mph. You have to be really fit and do a lot of training to ride a bike that fast on flat ground unless you are on an eBike.

Meh. It's not that fast. People are just dumb.
 

Bobvin

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This is my Jones Plus LWB Ti. 29+ tires 2.8" wide, carbon rims and carbon Jones bars, shown here in full race dress for the 2019 Tour Divide Race. The route extends from Banff to Antelope Wells NM on the Mexican border, following the Divide, so its about 2700 miles with about 200,000 feet of climbing. The bike is equipped with 203mm rotors (cable operated brakes for greater reliability and service), since fully loaded with 7L of water it weighs about 50 pounds. The Divide like to eat brake pads; the larger rotors allow them to run at a lower temperature descending passes. All the food, sleeping gear, clothing, tools, navigation and lighting are all on the bike. Its equipped with a Rohloff hub (14 speeds, 560% gear range) and this year I set it up with a Gates belt drive, which all but eliminates any complaints about weight. Derailleurs are slow shifting inelegent and unreliable beasts that don't hold up well on the Divide, although plenty of people run them with great success (although people do pretty well in single-speeds too). There's no suspension (again- unreliable, less to go wrong) but the rollover of a 29+ tire is really all you need. The seatpost is a Thudbuster since I broke my back about 12 years ago and its nice to give it a 'break'. The Jones bars allow you to comfortably go aero if you need to. The pedals are longer and allow me multiple seating postions and greater power on climbs (good arch support)- so I can climb better with these pedals than with cleats. I see that as a lot safer! In terms of comfort this is the most comfortable bike I've ever owned (even moreso than my custom framed 953 road bike); its nice to say that over thousands of miles I don't get so much as a numb or tingling finger or toe. But fit is everything on long distances!

Yo! You did the race? Or just the route? I was hanging in Wise River, MT a couple years back with some friends, we were just doing a little loop in the area. Sat at the restaurant for dinner and chatted with a dozen riders doing the race, great fun as each was from another part of the world. A buddy of mine who retired last year took the summer to ride the route. He used a Jones as well, but I think he went with a SWB version.

Here's my Jones Plus LWB:
IMG_2607.jpg
 

Atmasphere

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Yo! You did the race? Or just the route? I was hanging in Wise River, MT a couple years back with some friends, we were just doing a little loop in the area. Sat at the restaurant for dinner and chatted with a dozen riders doing the race, great fun as each was from another part of the world. A buddy of mine who retired last year took the summer to ride the route. He used a Jones as well, but I think he went with a SWB version.

Here's my Jones Plus LWB:
View attachment 69547
Nice! I love how the Jones is such a confidence building bike- despite the long chainstays, handles very quickly, yet at 35mph is plenty stable. I met a guy named Larry last year south of Wamsutter on a Jones- he had the same experience as me- a broken back and the Jones made it possible to not only ride comfortably again, but also put in long distances. Wamsutter is about halfway along the route in southern Wyoming.

I started riding on the Tour Divide in 2016. I had seen a movie in March of that year called 'Ride the Divide' which is the documentary of the 2009 Tour Divide Race. I decided to check it out, having never ridden over 60 miles nor done any touring whatsoever. So I left with the Grand Depart in Banff. I think what saved me was I had some wilderness survival training and knew how to pack light, plus I knew for a fact I had no idea what I was getting myself into. The latter proved itself out over and over again. But its a thing that gets into your blood, and this year is the only year I've not been on the Divide since, entirely on account of the pandemic. I don't expect to place highly, for me its a personal challenge, but I can (or at least could last year) do it in under 30 days...

Fleecer Ridge is right before Wise River on the route and its one of my favorite bits. Nice climb up and ridiculous descent! I've met people from all over the world on that route. Its also done a lot to restore my faith in humanity- so many trail angels- so many complete strangers showed me such kindness and generosity I tear up just thinking about it. If you make it past Wise River you are doing well- most people that scratch do so in either Helena or Butte and from what I've seen its often due to poor bike fit or a poor understanding of saddlesores. Montana has more passes than any other state on the route so if you can make it to Lima (about 140 miles or so from Wise River) then your likelihood of being able to finish the route is much higher.
 
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christoph

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I used to sell LeMond bikes in the 90s before Trek killed them off. These are not bicycles.

eBikes are motorcycles that people ride on the bike paths, they pass me all the time on their coal powered machines. Won't be long before the eBike folks start yelling at me to get off the road.

At least our (My wife and mine, Treks, btw.) e-mtb's are solar powered, only support up to 25 km/h and we are very friendly and greet other people (hikers and non e-bikers) we cross or pass. It is all about mutual respect ;)

20200810_113437.jpg
 
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defride

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Nice! I love how the Jones is such a confidence building bike- despite the long chainstays, handles very quickly, yet at 35mph is plenty stable. I met a guy named Larry last year south of Wamsutter on a Jones- he had the same experience as me- a broken back and the Jones made it possible to not only ride comfortably again, but also put in long distances. Wamsutter is about halfway along the route in southern Wyoming.

I started riding on the Tour Divide in 2016. I had seen a movie in March of that year called 'Ride the Divide' which is the documentary of the 2009 Tour Divide Race. I decided to check it out, having never ridden over 60 miles nor done any touring whatsoever. So I left with the Grand Depart in Banff. I think what saved me was I had some wilderness survival training and knew how to pack light, plus I knew for a fact I had no idea what I was getting myself into. The latter proved itself out over and over again. But its a thing that gets into your blood, and this year is the only year I've not been on the Divide since, entirely on account of the pandemic. I don't expect to place highly, for me its a personal challenge, but I can (or at least could last year) do it in under 30 days...

Fleecer Ridge is right before Wise River on the route and its one of my favorite bits. Nice climb up and ridiculous descent! I've met people from all over the world on that route. Its also done a lot to restore my faith in humanity- so many trail angels- so many complete strangers showed me such kindness and generosity I tear up just thinking about it. If you make it past Wise River you are doing well- most people that scratch do so in either Helena or Butte and from what I've seen its often due to poor bike fit or a poor understanding of saddlesores. Montana has more passes than any other state on the route so if you can make it to Lima (about 140 miles or so from Wise River) then your likelihood of being able to finish the route is much higher.

That's some event, kudos for getting through it in particular the first one

While I regularly ride 140-160km+ the thought of a month of riding trails on a loaded up machine is both attractive and terrifying :D

Due to Covid my first race of the year is Saturday, a mere 3hrs on singletrack trails. As I pull into the last half hour I shall use your story of endurance as motivation to push on !!!
 
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DaveC

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At least our (My wife and mine, Treks, btw.) e-mtb's are solar powered, only support up to 25 km/h and we are very friendly and greet other people (hikers and non e-bikers) we cross or pass. It is all about mutual respect ;)

View attachment 69566


That's a nice ride, Christoph! I'll have one eventually... ;)

I'd consider getting a coil shock for it, and I've been really liking the Michelin Wild Enduro tires with cush core inserts as well. Many resist the inserts, but once you try them there's no going back! It allows for a significant reduction in pressure and greater reliability.
 
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