Bicycle advice needed

[Steve Rozmiarek]

I know some of you guys ride these things, and I want to start again to try to loose a little girth. I have a bike that has 26 x 1.5 street tires on it. Can I just change the tires to something with tread? Problem is, all I see is 26 x 2.1 and wider. Would I have to change rims?

Another question, I want to buy my wife a good bike, any suggestions what I should look at? It would be ridden about 99% of the time on gravel or trails. Thanks!

[Lee Schierer]

The tires you choose will determine where you can ride. A 2.1 isn't going to cut in as far on soft ground as a 1.5 tire will. Likewise a 2.1 tire will be harder to pedal than a 1.5 on smooth road surfaces.

Take the bike to a Bike shop and get their opinion. Chances are it needs other work as well like brakes. While you are at the bike shop try on a good bike helmet, they aren't just for kids.

I ride 50-60 miles per week right now and I always wear one.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

26 x 1.5 street tires on it. Can I just change the tires to something with tread? Problem is, all I see is 26 x 2.1 and wider. Would I have to change rims?

You haven't said what use you want to make of it.
I'm assuming you want a trail bike of some sort. There are all sorts.

Do you want a trail bike for groomed trails?
Do you imagine yourself hopping rocks and traversing steep faces?

Chances are you can use the tires you have if all you want to do is putter around on groomed trails.

To mount a fatter tire you might need a different frame that has room for the fatter tire.



Another question, I want to buy my wife a good bike, any suggestions what I should look at? It would be ridden about 99% of the time on gravel or trails. Thanks!I'm a big fan of Fuji bikes. I have a top of the line Motobecane touring bike that I used to ride from Mass to the White mountains in the summer, and a Fuji trail bike with nasty tires and a lock out front fork.
So far I haven't traversed any steep faces or gone rock hopping.


I got my mussus an adorable Fuji Crossover semi trail semi runabout bike in a traditional girl's frame in powder blue, She adores it. cost about $600.
Good bike for the money.

[Kevin Groenke]

Ditto Lee and Cliff's comments and questions

Where are you riding? What is your budget?

You should be able to get a wide variety of 26" tires from 1" to 3". Generally, tires less than 2" are slicks, though there are exceptions.

Here are a few of my favorite on-line retailers.
http://www.pricepoint.com/
http://www.cambriabike.com/
http://www.performancebike.com
http://www.nashbar.com

Of course you can't ride before buying, so check out your LBS (local bike shop) to decide what you want/like before comparison shopping on-line.

There is a category of bikes generally called hybrid or cross bikes which are suitable for paved and packed bike paths, roads and mild off-road use. These bike usually have flat handlebars, an upright riding position, medium with treaded tires, some may have front shocks.

Here are a few cross bikes which you may find interesting.

IMO, a new bike for less than $300 is not worth it, you can get into a pretty good bike from $400-$500.

http://www.performancebike.com/bikes/Product_10052_10551_1060864_-1_48500_20000_49000

http://www.performancebike.com/bikes/Product_10052_10551_1060689_-1_45500_20000_45501

http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/motobecane/cafe_latte.htm

[Brent Leonard]

Trek 7000, Hybrid. Great road and light trail bike (as in gravel trails, no major mountain biking).
Confortable ride, quality build and very economical. IMO, hybrids are much more enjoyable for leisure riding than a larger mountain bike.
In fact, I'll be touring Gettysburg Battlefield for the second time this October on a Trek 7300, which is a bit more $$ than the 7000, but a wonderful bike.

Also,
Watch the local bike shops this fall. Most sell all their rentals after the season. You can get a fabulous bike for 20% of new cost. One of the big retailers in Denver will sell all their rentals on the same saturday every fall. It is a mad dash into the door to get the near new bikes, including $1000 full suspension bikes. I have two, near new Specialized mountain bikes that I paid about 20% of new for.

I prefer to buy at the local shop over the internet. It's worth the little extra to support a local retailer, IMO. Here in Topeka, if the local place cant stay in buisness, the only choice will be Walmart (as bad as Harbor Freight) or the internet.



Sorry, had to edit, you said 99% of the time on trails...... go with a mountain bike. A little heavier, but more suited for off road trails as a primary ride. Try the Trek 3 series or Specialized. Go with an aluminum frame. It is much lighter and will make the bike a little more enjoyable/easier to handle.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Thanks for the info guys! A bit more about where we ride. The most common places are the hundreds of miles of county roads around the farm. These are a white gravel, pretty well packed with rocks up to golf ball size. Occasionally we go into the Black Hills of South Dakota, and putter around the lakes. Kiddos are pretty young, so none of that wild stuff for us old foggies.

The tires I want to replace are slick tires. My brother gave me the bike a while back, and while I know nothing about bikes, I think it matches the description of a hybrid. I like the bike, but the slick tires are no match for the rocks on our roads, and are always flat. It also weighs half as much as my wifes old clunker, which is great.

For her bike, I was thinking $500 ish, but as I don't even know where to start, that was just a guess. I'd like her to have a light, simple machine, that just works. I'm not here every time she needs the gear changers fixed, and I don't think I should have to fix them that danged often.

I don't have a local bike shop. Walmart is it, and even I can see that the stuff they sell is not really good stuff. I'm off to look at the links you all posted, and thanks again.

PS, I see I goofed on the title of this thread, thanks for your advice!

[Matt Meiser]

Time for a weekend away in Denver or Omaha!

Two of my brothers work in the bike industry--one in product development and one in retail. A third spends enough to keep the other two in business. I know nothing except that the Trek I have as a hand-me-down is apparently not a "good" bike compared to what they have. None of them buy a "bike" but rather buy all the parts necessary to build the bike they want. What I have learned from them is that you need to shop at a local bike shop to get the service. The one in retail says that the average person who brings a Wal-Mart bike to them spends more to get it fixed than they spent on the bike. The money is spent on parts that shouldn't have broken, and labor that would have been free if they had.

We ended up buying my daughter's bike at REI this past spring because we didn't find anything we liked in stock at two shops. It's their store brand and the designer brother said they are pretty well regarded in the industry making it a great option for a kids bike.

Like tools, a lot of it is made in the far east now regardless of brand.

[Orion Henderson]

Most wheels will fit 2.1" tires. Frame clearance can be an issue, but not usually.

That said, if you are going to ride rail trails (gravel or paved) and dirt roads you may be just fine with street tires. Knobby's will just increase your rolling resistance (and ultimately make it less fun). If you are going to go on to singletrack, groomed or otherwise, then knobby's are the way to go. Choose the tire based on the terrain. There are numerous knobby tire treads available. I am guessing western Nebraska is relatively smooth and hard packed dirt, a less agressive tire might be best. That said, I have never been to Nebraska; much less ridden there. Your local shop will be able to make some recommendations.

IMHO, the wider the tires the better. I am rolling with 2.35"'s now and will never go back. They suit my riding style and my local terrain.

[Dan Mages]

My friend, who was a pro-am biker and make the olypic trials, told me that the best place to buy a bike is Craigslist. People are always buying good bikes at cheap prices.

2 bits...

Dan

[Colin Giersberg]

You may want to consider Quick Release cams on the axles. This will allow you to take the wheels off if necessary for transporting the bike, should your method of transport be a car with a small trunk, or if you want to put the bikes in the vehicle for security, in the event you go somewhere before or after the ride, and you don't want to leave the bikes in the back of a pickup, or strapped to a rack on top of the roof or on the back of the car. Whew. that's a mouthful.

Regards, Colin

[Kevin Groenke]

It doesn't sound like you need knobby tires, they'll just add weight, wind resistance and rolling resistance. For your type of riding, I would suggest a mildly treaded 26x1.5"-2" tire. There should be no problem putting a witer tire on your rims, but make sure that there is adequate clearance around the frame and brakes.

http://www.performancebike.com/bikes/Product_10052_10551_1075035_-1_23000_20000_23014

http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/ProductPopupView?catalogId=10052&storeId=10053&productId=173332&langId=-1&parent_category_rn=201492&top_category=10000

Higher-end derailleurs and drivetrain parts will require less maintenance and be more durable than the cheap stuff. Avoid grip shifters, a bad idea IMO. If you don't want to worry about drivetrain maintenance, but still want some gear variability (you'll need it in the Black Hills and appreciate it elsewhere) you might look into bikes with with integral gears in the rear wheel (yep like an old three speed). Shimano makes 8 and 3 speed NEXUS hubs of this type. I haven't ridden one so cannot make any first-hand observations or recommendations. Here are a couple examples:

http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/motobecane/cafe_express8.htm
http://www.performancebike.com/bikes/Product_10052_10551_1073596_-1_45500_20000_45502

Supporting LBS's is a commendable act, but whether you have an LBS or not, knowledge and aptitude in maintaining and repairing you own bike is indispensable.

I admit guilt in e-tailing almost all of my bikes and parts. On-line prices are significantly lower than LBS's and the variety of bikes and parts is nearly limitless. I'm not hung up on brands: like power tools, many of the big manufacturers' frames are built side-by-side in overseas plants and just get different paint, decals and components.

Especially at the lower end of the price spectrum the name on the frame is irrelevant. What is important is that the frame fits the rider and the quality of the components.

Shimano is the manufacturer of the most commonly found drivetrain components. Shimano makes 6-10 levels of component groups in road and mtn flavors. There are other names thrown in at lower price-points and "fringe" bike types. Generally the higher a "grouppo" is in the spectrum the smoother, lighter, stronger and more "featured" they are.

Road: Dura-Ace, Ultegra, 105, Tiagra, Sora, Acera, 2200
MTN: XTR, XT, Deore S/LX, Deore, Alivio, Altus

I would be reluctant to recommend anything with lesser components than Tiagra or Deore, but that would probably but you into the $600-$800 range.

SRAM is another manufacturer that has similar levels of componentry who conveniently #'s their grouppo's, bigger numbers are better.

Some parts will likely be bike branded (stems, bars, seatposts) while others will be spec'd from other suppliers (crankset, brakes, wheels) this shouldn't be a problem if you use the level of the drivetrain components (derailleurs) as the guide to general quality.

I am a big proponent of some direct marketed bikes. As long as you have the mechanical aptitude to assemble and tune out of the box, and to handle routine maintenance, you can get a lot of bike for the money by taking wholesalers and retailers out of the loop. You can basically get a grouppo or two higher on the component spectrum if you're willing to go this route. I used to have an Ibex Corrida which was a great ride before it was stolen. I've used Motobecane frames (mtn and road) from Bikes Direct to build bikes from spare parts. I currently ride a Motobecane Fantom 200+ miles/wk. These frames are every bit as good as a Trek, Specialized, Fuji, etc...

http://www.ibexbikes.com/
http://www.bikesdirect.com/
SCATTANTE- is Performance Bikes's store brand

Building a bike from parts is almost always more expensive than buying one complete. Buy the best you can and upgrade later if you decide you need to.

g'luck

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Evening guys! Thought I'd post an update. I followed some links last night, and put together a list for the little lady to pick from, with your recommendations and advice. I goofed though, and didn't obscure the prices, so she predictably picked the cheapest one, which was a Mongoose ladies bike on special on the performancebike.com site. I found the same bike on another site for $399, and she chose it on sale at $319. I was hoping she would pick one of the others, but she's excited, so I guess...

I looked at my bike a little closer after a bit of research, and I would like to learn a little more about my bike. My brother got it from a college buddy who needed money, and I got it because he needed money. It's an aluminum frame Mongoose, with pretty much everything else branded Shimano.

Kevin, on your list of Shimano products, is that list in any particular order? My bike has some of those, but I'm curious how those components "rate".

Colin, thanks for the advice. My bike has those, and the one my wife chose does as well.

Orion, you pretty much nailed the terrain in western Nebraska. Boring. I ordered a set of tires last night as well, which match your thoughts suprisingly well! Hopefully I got the with right. I see Kevin recommends wider, but I went with 2.1 last night. Hope that works out ok.

Matt, an excuse for a road trip is always welcomed, but I think I may look around Rapid City, SD a bit more. I bet there is something there, and it's a little closer then Denver, and a lot closer then Omaha. Fun to learn about this stuff, and I do want to find a real store that I can call my "local" bike shop.

Dan, even better, maybe a thirsty college attending brother to buy one from!

Thanks again for the advice, and I'm off again to learn a little more on those links!

[Orion Henderson]

The Shimano parts spec is listed from highest to lowest. IE, XTR is top of the heap for MTB. I prefer SRAM, but for dirt roads and the like it does not matter that much. SRAM is more expensive and a little harder to to get replacement parts for; where as Shimano is everywhere (think Toyota to VW). I would not spend the extra money for XTR or XT with the type of riding you will be doing. I would think a combination of Alivio and Deore LX components is more than sufficient. I rode pretty heavy duty trails for years on Deore LX and XT combos.

Most important: Have fun!

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Thanks Orion, I can see this has the potential to be a new hobby, and its fun to learn learn about the "tools";). My current bike has some lower end stuff on it, so it'll be fun to watch for better components to see the difference. Oh, plus this is way more fun then walking!

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

I think it matches the description of a hybrid.

If this is so you should have some room for a heavier tire. The tape measure is your friend. Measure the place where the axle fits the two tangs how far apart they are and the same for the space where the tire wold normally be between the forks. That will tell your bike tire dealer how big a wheel and tire combo you can run.




I'm not here every time she needs the gear changers fixed, and I don't think I should have to fix them that danged often.

Unless the gear linkage is garbage your instinct is correct.
I'd stay away from "Twist" type gear shifters. They take a while to learn and during that learning curve there is an inordinate amount of inadvertent gear changing that sweeps the linkage across many gears in one twist. ( bad for the changer mechanism)



Walmart is it,
Wall Mart, as you have correctly observed, is not an option for bikes unless the rider is like 4 - 6 years old won't be taking it out of the driveway.

[Eric DeSilva]

My friend, who was a pro-am biker and make the olypic trials, told me that the best place to buy a bike is Craigslist.

+1

I went shopping on eBay/CL for a new wheel set for my mountain bike and ended up with a better bike, fully built, for less than I could have bought decent wheels for...

I also found an Ellsworth Truth frame for next to nothing on a quick auction... Ended up building a sub-20# full suspension bike that was insanely fun.

And don't get too hung on on exactly the right tread or tire width. Occasionally I just have to remind myself that there are people out there who do cyclocross. Anything on a 26" rim probably works better than that...

[Peter Benders]

thank you very much for all the people here who have told about bicycle. i also want to buy a bicycle and was looking for someone to tell me about it. now i got all the information i want. thanks for the links

[Steve Rozmiarek]

thank you very much for all the people here who have told about bicycle. i also want to buy a bicycle and was looking for someone to tell me about it. now i got all the information i want. thanks for the links


You and me both Peter! What a great resource this group is.

[Orion Henderson]

+1

I went shopping on eBay/CL for a new wheel set for my mountain bike and ended up with a better bike, fully built, for less than I could have bought decent wheels for...

I also found an Ellsworth Truth frame for next to nothing on a quick auction... Ended up building a sub-20# full suspension bike that was insanely fun.

And don't get too hung on on exactly the right tread or tire width. Occasionally I just have to remind myself that there are people out there who do cyclocross. Anything on a 26" rim probably works better than that...

A sub 20# Truth?


That's quite a parts spec!

Not to derail. I just had to comment. I will let this thread go now.

[Eric DeSilva]

That's quite a parts spec!

Very uncheap front shock. Lots of Ti. The most expensive cheap frame I ever bought. But a great ride.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Ok guys, I'm VERY happy with the advice you gave me so far, but another question. My bike has twist shift, which sucks. I want to replace them. My bike has 3 sprockets on front, and 7 on back. Most of the Shimano shifters I see are for 3 and 9. Or maybe its up to 3 and 9. Can I use these, or do I need a dedicated 3 and 7?

http://www.competitivecyclist.com/mountain-bikes/product-components/2009-shimano-xt-rapidfire-plus-shift-levers-sl-m770-4284.467.1.html

This is a link to what I had in mind. Thanks again!

[Mike Cutler]

Steve

You've got some good advice here, that's for sure, So I'll try to add a little to the wealth.
I was primarily a road racing cyclist in my racing career, but I know my way around a mountain bike too.

My advice is to try and get use to your Grip Shifters, the reason being is that there are only two moving parts, and once the derailleur cables have stretched they are incredibly reliable. When you dump your bike the Grip Shifter has a better chance of survival than a rapid fire lever. I have spare Deore XTR parts that came off my bikes, and were replaced with Grip Shifters. I like them. One more plus is that both shifters can be simultaneously shifted under load to any combination and the front shifter can be "feathered" to alleviate any chain rubbing, not so with a rapid fire lever.
You have a 7 Speed rear cassette on your bike. You can change it to more gears in the back, which will probably require a new hub if you want to go beyond 8 gears, but don't throw it away, or the hub. They are valuable to CycloCross racers.
To go to a "true" 9 speed will most likely require that your rear dropouts(frame) be cold bent. the nominal dropout spacing was 120mm for 6 and ultra 7 spacing, 125 for 7,8,9 and now 130mm for 9 and 10. it's the spacing between dropouts that determines which component upgrades are compatible. A 9 speed shifter won't work properly on a seven speed. the shift spacing is narrower, as is the chain. Theh only reason to go to 9 speed is if you will get more usable gears if you just end up with duplicate cross over gears it's kid of a waste.
The biggest bang for the buck, after the frame, is in wheels and tires. They are rotational mass. The less weight at the rim, the less energy required for a given speed, or acceleration.

I approach bikes from a different point than most. I put 200K+ miles on my bikes in a 25 year racing career, so I go for reliabilty first, and follow the old saying "In order to finish first, you have to first finish".

[Orion Henderson]

You can often mix and match 8-9 speed parts. A little rubbing here or there, but no big deal. I don't know if you can go 7 to 8 speed though. Sheldon Brown is deceased, but his website is still functional. I would take a look there:

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/


Most trail riders don't like grip shifters (myself included) because shifting requires hand movement. Causing you to potentially lose control and crash. This is probably not an issue with how you are riding; but it is why most people would advise against grip shifters.

Speaking of riding-went out Wednesday night. Did not bring lights. Bad idea. Much fun was had by all-really. Adds to the adventure. It's called braille trailing. The ironic thing is: I have perfectly good lights. :o

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Mike, if I do keep the grip shift, I'll have to figure out why they are not working right. I suppose something is out of adjustment, but it'll take a bit of work on my part to figure out what.

[Kevin Barnett]

Follow Mike's advice on the cable being stretched. There are adjustments on the derailer for that. Almost all steel cables will stretch from the tension. It can be pretty dramatic at first and then slow down. My 8 year old's bike I got her for Christmas already has some stretch in the cables I need to adjust out.

Believe it or not, the chain stretches too.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Kevin, I actually changed shifters and cables. It fixed it, sort of. Now all the other stuff that's shot is showing up. I need a new cassette, chainrings, rear derailer, and chain. I was thinking about an upgrade to Deore or XTR, but kind of got sidetracked. I'm pretty close to just buying a new (to me) bike. I do know that riding is the first excercise that I've ever actually enjoyed, so I'm running with this!

BTW, you guys are directly responsible for me getting the look from the little lady tonight. I casually worked a pitch for really nice used Cannondale Carbon Taurine, into the dinner conversation. Told her how much, and I think she thought I was kidding. Didn't say "no" though!:D I really doubt I need a bike of that caliber, but it would sure be fun to try to justify!

[Mike Cutler]

Believe it or not, the chain stretches too.

Yes they do stretch, and the problem is that when they do they elongate the teeth on the front chain rings and the rear cassette. Which means that instead if a 6-12 dollar part being replaced it can cost much more to replace casettes and chainrings.

[Orion Henderson]

Find out about chain maintenance and how to measure for stretch here:

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/chains.html

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Find out about chain maintenance and how to measure for stretch here:

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/chains.html

Orion, just wanted to say thanks for posting a link earlier to Sheldon Brown's site. What a character he must have been, and a great resource for this rank amatuer as well.

[mike johnston]

I just saw this thread, and was wondering if you had bought a bike yet. All the advice you've been given is right on. But it seems like you are to far from a LBS to be practical for service. But I would recomend getting to one just to see the difference in the types of bikes, and most importantly fit. A great bike that dosen't fit isn't worth a darn. As far as service goes there are lots of good books. As for craigs list it's great if you live in, or are close to a large metro area. As most craigs list bike sellers do not want to mess with shiping. However most ebay sellers do.
I live in the country on a rock road, and and have seven bikes ( 2 hybrids with front shocks, 1 fully loaded touring, 1 flat bar road bike, 3 carbon road bikes,) If I lived where you do and most of my riding was going to be on rock roads I would choose hybrid without shocks. It dosn't make much difference witch brand as long as it fits. They are all made in Tiawan now and chances are, on a hybrid it will have Shimano componets. What level of componets is a matter for your pocket book.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Mike, no new bike for me yet. Still using the same old tired wheels. Winter has brought the riding to a screeching halt. I did find a bike shop in Rapid City, South Dakota that carries a pretty good selection. They only carry Trex, and some cheaper stuff, but I think I'll start there when the buying process warms back up this spring! The bike style you recommended is basically what I'm thinking of too.

[Pat Germain]

By "Trex" do you mean "Trek"? I know Trek was a very good brand. I helped a friend buy a mountain bike a few years ago. He went with a Trek "Fuel" was was very happy with it. Although, I heard Trek was bought out by a Chinese company. It would be worth investigating before buying. A Trek bike could very well still be a good bike.

It's well worth it to buy a good brand name with an aluminum frame. Although a steel or chrome molly frame bike can be very good, they are significantly heavier than aluminum. And on a bike, weight matters much.

If you can find a shop that sells used bikes, that would be a good bet. Used bike stores typically won't even bother with department store bikes, so you don't have to worry about buying that junk. (The owner of a local used bike store was recently featured in the newspaper. She said she won't carry department store bikes because they're only good for just over sixty hours of service. Based on my experience, I think she's right.)

[Steve Rozmiarek]

By "Trex" do you mean "Trek"? I know Trek was a very good brand. I helped a friend buy a mountain bike a few years ago. He went with a Trek "Fuel" was was very happy with it. Although, I heard Trek was bought out by a Chinese company. It would be worth investigating before buying. A Trek bike could very well still be a good bike.

It's well worth it to buy a good brand name with an aluminum frame. Although a steel or chrome molly frame bike can be very good, they are significantly heavier than aluminum. And on a bike, weight matters much.

If you can find a shop that sells used bikes, that would be a good bet. Used bike stores typically won't even bother with department store bikes, so you don't have to worry about buying that junk. (The owner of a local used bike store was recently featured in the newspaper. She said she won't carry department store bikes because they're only good for just over sixty hours of service. Based on my experience, I think she's right.)


LOL! :o Yes, Trek!

I've been drooling over a used Carbon Taurine from Cannondale for quite a while now, and I would probably buy it if the deal sweetened up...

Anybody have thoughts about carbon fiber frames? Weight savings sound good, but I'm just guessing that it could be taken to silly extreems, especially by me, a complete novice.

[Art Mulder]

Anybody have thoughts about carbon fiber frames? Weight savings sound good, but I'm just guessing that it could be taken to silly extreems, especially by me, a complete novice.

Yeah, stay away from carbon fibre seat posts.

I was on a bike tour 18mths ago and at least two people had their carbon fibre seat posts shatter. The compression of the clamp that tights up the seat post was supposedly the problem.

[Pat Germain]

Anybody have thoughts about carbon fiber frames? Weight savings sound good, but I'm just guessing that it could be taken to silly extreems, especially by me, a complete novice.

Carbon fiber has an advantage not only in saving weight, but in added stiffness. It wouldn't seem like it, but metal frames flex. This flex absorbs energy which would otherwise go into moving the bike. Thus, the stiffer the frame, the more efficient the rider can be.

It's been awhile since I've priced carbon fiber frames. Last I saw, there was a big premium jumping from aluminum to carbon fiber. For someone just getting into biking, I will stick with my recommendation for aluminum.

You can save some money by going with a hard tail. You'll see a lot of bikes with rear suspension and very low end components. This is because a lot of people think they need a full suspension bike and they want one cheap. I think you're much better off buying a hard tail with a good aluminum frame, good front shocks, good brakes and a good derailer.

I have a GT I bought about eight years ago. It's an aluminum framed hard tail with very good components. I didn't realize how good this bike was until I was looking into trading up. I was looking at what I thought was a nice full suspension bike. The very knowledgable sales rep asked me what I was riding. I told him I had a GT 1.0 and he told me I would be trading down with that bike. It turned out I would have to go really expensive to get a higher end bike. Apparently, I got a good deal on that GT.

I haven't ridden much lately. But when I first bought my bike, I dealt it much punishment on some very rough trails (both riding and wiping out). The bike took every bit of it and kept going. In my book, that's the sign of a great bike. I have no use for high-tech that leaves me pushing the bike on the trail.

[John Pratt]

Anybody have thoughts about carbon fiber frames? Weight savings sound good, but I'm just guessing that it could be taken to silly extreems, especially by me, a complete novice.

My other money grabbing hobby is cycling. I train, ride, and race on a regular basis. Not that it matters, but I have around 25K wrapped up in 5 bikes. If you really want to get into cycling, shoot the moon and go for the carbon fiber. If you just want to ride for exercise or for the enjoyment of the ride, Skip it. Get the bike that meets your needs. Not too much sense in spending 8K on a bike that you are going to ride around the neighborhood once or twice a week (unless you have that kind of money to spend). No matter what bike you get, it is all about FIT. It doesn't matter if a bike cost $100 or $10,000, if it doesn't fit, you will not enjoy the bike. A lot of people hate bike shops because the prices are higher, but you get what you pay for. A good bike shop should be able to point you to the right bike for your needs and conduct a proper fitting.


Yeah, stay away from carbon fibre seat posts.

I was on a bike tour 18mths ago and at least two people had their carbon fibre seat posts shatter. The compression of the clamp that tights up the seat post was supposedly the problem.

The fact that the seat posts shattered probably had a lot more to do with operator error tightening the post than the quality of the post. Another thing to keep in mind is the size of the rider. A 250lb rider should probably not be on a super light carbon fiber post. I used to see people coming into high end bike shops looking for the lighest bike made because they thought it would make them faster. It would be better to shed 20lbs off the body than the bike.

[Pat Germain]

A lot of people hate bike shops because the prices are higher, but you get what you pay for. A good bike shop should be able to point you to the right bike for your needs and conduct a proper fitting.

+1! I think we really do kids a disservice by offering really cheap bikes in department stores. They're, heavy, hard to ride and they fall apart. It's no wonder so many kids don't want to ride a bike anymore. In the old days, the typical Schwinn was heavy, but at least it was durable and rideable.

[quote] It would be better to shed 20lbs off the body than the bike.

+1! It's similar to golfers. Instead of spending thousands of hours practicing, like all good golfers, many will spend thousands of dollars on high-end clubs and gadgets trying to shave strokes off their game. Forget the new Pings, pal. Get your butt on the course and work on that short game!

[Patrick Doody]

If you buy a bike from bikesdirect, be prepared to wrench on it. some great advice in this thread, I will add that if you want a reliable gear shifting system, you can also look into Internally Geared Hubs(IGH) shimano, Sram and sturmey Archer are some of the utilitarian brands, there are some more expensive ones and some cheaper ones as well.

The LBS is your best option if you could get to one(sounds like you got a bike already though) I love wrenching on bikes though, I'm currently building up a Randonneuring bike (it's like the marathon of bike riding)

[mike johnston]

Patrick
What frame are you building the rando bike around? I just finished a Surly LHT for loaded touring, with the intentions of swapping out the frame with an Inde Fab latter on. But I must admit, I can't imagine the Indpendant riding any better.
Mike

ps. I've never randoed, and would never try, way to tough for me. I do ride a few centuries each summer and road ragbrai last year I'm planning a 2 to 3 week self supported tour this summer.

[Patrick Doody]

Hey Mike, I'm building up a Kogswell P/R (one of the last of the P/R frames), So 650B wheels. The LHT is a really sweet bike, the LHT, Crosscheck, and the Kogswell were on my short list, but I got a good deal on the Kogswell frame.

A good friend of mine Has a LHT and absolutely loves it. I'm kind of on the same level of biking that you are currently, but i'm hoping to get into a few Rando events next year. I'll probably end up doing Ragbrai some time in the next few years, i know a few guys that do it every year and they have a really good time with it.

That tour sounds awesome, I'm planning on doing some small weekend tours this summer, that trucker will be perfect for your trip.