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NEVERENDING ♾️ The NEVERENDING Bicycle Thread

I thought about getting an e-bike because I'm lazy, but my laziness took over and I've never made the effort to research or buy one.
 
I was a bike snob and viewed e-bikes as "cheating" but I've gotten past that. If you want an e-bike
Ill Allow It Spanish GIF
 
Wannaplan? said:
If that's your vibe. Sheesh! I think anyone undergoing chemo (or radiation) that can find the motivation to get on a bike, any bike, to get out, go about, and be free, are heroes in my book.
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To be fair, Hawkeye is a hero. He beat some odds and is able to ride.
 
E bikes have their place. I borrowed one for a couple of weeks a few summers ago and it definitely put me over the edge of riding to work on a couple of days when I would have driven otherwise. (didn't want to get all sweaty, that sort of thing).
 
Faust_Motel said:
E bikes have their place. I borrowed one for a couple of weeks a few summers ago and it definitely put me over the edge of riding to work on a couple of days when I would have driven otherwise. (didn't want to get all sweaty, that sort of thing).
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That's the key. That's the trick. Once I'm in biking distance to work, that's the plan.
 
At one of the Parks Dept. meetings the big argument was if e-bikes would be allowed on our desert biking trails. It sounds like they can cause problems to other bikers. I think it was something about higher speed going up hill.
 
DVD said:
At one of the Parks Dept. meetings the big argument was if e-bikes would be allowed on our desert biking trails. It sounds like they can cause problems to other bikers. I think it was something about higher speed going up hill.
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There is definitely a speed differential issue on busy/constrained paths and trails. And e-bikes are bringing some new riders in who don't really get "on your left!" as a polite warning vs. something that means "Get the eff out of my way!"
 
Faust_Motel said:
There is definitely a speed differential issue on busy/constrained paths and trails. And e-bikes are bringing some new riders in who don't really get "on your left!" as a polite warning vs. something that means "Get the eff out of my way!"
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Not to mention the whole drinking culture that now seems to exist around the trails. Some of the weekend rides around here are basically bar crawls.
 
Hawkeye66 said:
Not to mention the whole drinking culture that now seems to exist around the trails. Some of the weekend rides around here are basically bar crawls.
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Not so much a problem on our trails, at least that I'm hearing about. Alcohol is the last thing you need on a desert trail. Water, water, and more water are all people should be bringing.
 
DVD said:
At one of the Parks Dept. meetings the big argument was if e-bikes would be allowed on our desert biking trails. It sounds like they can cause problems to other bikers. I think it was something about higher speed going up hill.
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Some ebike riders just want to go faster than everyone else, and don't announce passing. I have a problem with those riders.
 
kms said:
Some ebike riders just want to go faster than everyone else, and don't announce passing. I have a problem with those riders.
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Some of the E-Bikes can get to 35 MPH. Thats about double what I can ride on my hybrid going fast.

I would guess RAGBRAI here in Iowa in a month will be more E-bikes than bikes this year.
 
I'm not ready for and ebike, thankfully. I may get one eventually. Still, I don't want to compete with rude cyclists on ebikes.

🤣 One of the cyclists in my group has an ebike. She "never" uses the assist. I guess my hearing is better than hers. She buzzes past me, and has even told people that I'm a slow rider. One day, I left her and her pedal assist in my dust for miles. Just because I ride a relaxed pace doesnt mean I can't ride fast.
 
Faust_Motel said:
E bikes have their place. I borrowed one for a couple of weeks a few summers ago and it definitely put me over the edge of riding to work on a couple of days when I would have driven otherwise. (didn't want to get all sweaty, that sort of thing).
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A friend of mine has a long-ish commute. Because of his e-bike he can take the train which picks up 6 miles from his house and drops off 6 miles from his office. He's done it on a regular bike but he said it's not really feasible on an ongoing basis. The e-bike makes it work.

DVD said:
At one of the Parks Dept. meetings the big argument was if e-bikes would be allowed on our desert biking trails. It sounds like they can cause problems to other bikers. I think it was something about higher speed going up hill.
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Not sure what the actual rules are, but e-bikes are generally tolerated on the local MUPs.
 
Bikes I've had over the years:
Schwinn Pixie 1975
Schwinn Stingray 1979
Schwinn World 1984
Miyata (something) 1990
Schwinn Frontier 1990
Univega Sport 1991
Specialized Rockhopper 1991
GT Richter 8.0 1993
Specialized Rockhopper 2009
 
Mine was orange. And it was never put together right; the handlebar stem was always loose, no matter how tight the bolt was tightened. I think a part was missing. It was another in a series of gifts my parents got me that they thought were great but was messed up.

I think it had something to do with me being the middle child.
 
Doohickie said:
It was another in a series of gifts my parents got me that they thought were great but was messed up.
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As a quick aside, this was one of my Mom's superpowers. She had a particular gift for buying not-quite obsolete tech products and imitation knockoffs.

On the topic of bikes, I only live 4 miles from work. I have to drive in the morning to give me time to get home and take the dog out, but today, I'll restart my habit if riding back after lunch. I'm lucky to work in a township with bike lanes and pathways.
 
Mine was originally red when it was my brother's. He spray painted it a cool dark metallic blue when he handed it down to me. Had a slick tire on the back and a beefier motocross-style seat.

My bikes:
Canadian Tire kid's bike (metallic rust)
Above bike
CCM 10 youth size 10 speed - first "roving" bike.
CCM "mountain" bike
1991 Norco Bushpilot (first bike I purchase with my own $). I wish I still had this bike, it was awesome. I handed it up to my brother and he promptly let it get stolen.
Hybrid bike 1 (can't remember the make/model)
2007 Kona Dew
2015 Kona Dew (current daily driver)
2017 Brodie Argus II (touring bike / long distance rides)
 
To me its a form of meditation and asceticism. I have a few hills on one of my routes that require me to stand to finish....and when I do I get the high notes from Deep Purple's Child in Time in my head to push through. More pain please.

 
Hawkeye66 said:
To me its a form of meditation and asceticism. I have a few hills on one of my routes that require me to stand to finish....and when I do I get the high notes from Deep Purple's Child in Time in my head to push through. More pain please.

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I love the version of this song on the Made in Japan album.

I grew up a Deep Purple fan and also like Jesus Christ Superstar but it was only recently (last few years) that I learned Ian Gillan, Deep Purple's lead singer, sang the part of Jesus in the original recording of Jesus Christ Superstar. Andrew Lloyd Weber wanted Gillan to sing in the live show but Gillan chose to stay with the band.
 
My first bike was a girl's bike that our elderly neighbor bought for me at some yard sale. He was trying to be nice but I mean, it was a girls bike so it was not ideal from a street cred perspective. :grimace:

It wasn't exactly this but it's similar:

1684948995864.png
 
Has anyone here ever gone adventuring on a fat tire bike?

I am thinking of getting one. However, in the winter, the streets and sidewalks get icy around here, that is dangerous, and I don't think any amount of rubberized fatness will stop a moving object should there be a need for a quick stop. Thus, it occurs to me, that a fat tire bike is useful on cross-country ski trails, or in places where one would snowshoe, or maybe there are groomed fat tire bike trails. I need to think more clearly about the utility of a fat tire bike, I have shopped around before, but the prices did not make any sense to me at that time.

If you use a fat tire bike, cost aside, what are the pros and cons of owning one? How often do you use it?
 
Wannaplan? said:
Has anyone here ever gone adventuring on a fat tire bike?

I am thinking of getting one. However, in the winter, the streets and sidewalks get icy around here, that is dangerous, and I don't think any amount of rubberized fatness will stop a moving object should there be a need for a quick stop. Thus, it occurs to me, that a fat tire bike is useful on cross-country ski trails, or in places where one would snowshoe, or maybe there are groomed fat tire bike trails. I need to think more clearly about the utility of a fat tire bike, I have shopped around before, but the prices did not make any sense to me at that time.

If you use a fat tire bike, cost aside, what are the pros and cons of owning one? How often do you use it?
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I love mine. It is my primary mountain bike (my other mountain bike is a stupid light singlespeed), I use it on trails in the summer and on trails in the winter as well. You can get studded tires for winter. It rolls over everything.

I have a Borealis Flume.
 
Germans love their bikes, are snobby about it, and still a ton of them have e-bikes. They are a cheaper alternative than a car and the bicycle/multi-use trail system here is very robust. There are a German amount of rules and regulations regarding bicycles so I have never felt unsafe when an e-bike goes by.

Hubby has an e-bike that was way too expensive for the amount he actually rides it. The plan was he was going to use it to commute to work (about 26km one way) but then I got a job and Itty Bitty needed picking up from school so that changed that plan for the moment.

Itty Bitty is still working on learning to ride a bike. Maybe once she learns they can commute to school/work together.
 
dandy_warhol said:
There are a German amount of rules and regulations regarding bicycles
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I have a bicycle outfitted with a generator hub and lights; the lights happen to be German and unlike most bicycle lights in the U.S., the German ones don't have a flash mode; apparently German law doesn't allow that for bicycles. Also the headlight is very narrowly focused, again per German regulations.
 
Wannaplan? said:
Has anyone here ever gone adventuring on a fat tire bike?

I am thinking of getting one. However, in the winter, the streets and sidewalks get icy around here, that is dangerous, and I don't think any amount of rubberized fatness will stop a moving object should there be a need for a quick stop. Thus, it occurs to me, that a fat tire bike is useful on cross-country ski trails, or in places where one would snowshoe, or maybe there are groomed fat tire bike trails. I need to think more clearly about the utility of a fat tire bike, I have shopped around before, but the prices did not make any sense to me at that time.

If you use a fat tire bike, cost aside, what are the pros and cons of owning one? How often do you use it?
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Yes. I have two and my son has one. Local trail advocacy orgs around us pack trails in the winter. I use mine all the time because I also keep a 29er wheelset for the nonwinter months (making it a really nice rigid mountain bike). I admit I don't use it as much in winter as I wish I did just because most of my outdoor time then is spent skiing.

In 29er mode:
1693334572836.png
 
Wannaplan? said:
Yeah, me too.
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I realize you asked for pros and cons:

Pros:

1. Can bike in snow and on sand if there are any beaches nearby.
2. Can work as a year-round mountain bike (but probably rigid or hardtail, I see no sense in a FS fatbike) and even better with a 29er wheelset
3. Fun. It's just a fun bike.
4. Pretty stable design- you're likely to get one and keep it for a long time.
5. Endless traction is actually pretty fun on dirt, too.

Cons:
1. Heavier than a "regular mountain bike"
2. Wider q-factor if that's a problem for you
3. Might not use it much if only for snow/sand
4. Harder to come by cheap hubs and BB's (If you need to replace or in the case of hubs want to build up a spare 29er wheelset)
5. Limited options for suspension forks and full suspension is rare/expensive.
 
Faust_Motel said:
Yes. I have two and my son has one. Local trail advocacy orgs around us pack trails in the winter. I use mine all the time because I also keep a 29er wheelset for the nonwinter months (making it a really nice rigid mountain bike). I admit I don't use it as much in winter as I wish I did just because most of my outdoor time then is spent skiing.

In 29er mode:
View attachment 60791
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I've always been partial to Salsa. I had a Salsa Bandito (scandium hard tail) many years ago. Great geometry, super light frame.
 
estromberg said:
I've always been partial to Salsa. I had a Salsa Bandito (scandium hard tail) many years ago. Great geometry, super light frame.
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Yes. All three fatbikes in the house are Blackborows. The other one set up for me is in the coveted USFS green colorway (with pickaxe road find I got that day out of the bike lane):


1693339530400.png
 
My first new bike in decades.

In a casual conversation, I mentioned to my wife that at some point I might want to get a modern bike. We discussed price and she seemed pretty agreeable, so I started looking. Between Sunday and today I test rode 3 bikes:

Trek Domane AL 5. The AL means aluminum. The Domane line straddles the line between road bikes and gravel bikes. Basically they're road bikes with wider tires than are typically on a road bike. It was nice, and a big improvement over anything I have currently, but.... I could feel a pretty steady buzz of the road surface through the saddle. Best feature of the bike: The color. I love the Lichen Green.
1720839638418.jpeg


Next up was the Domane SL 5. Not sure why, but SL means carbon fiber frame. It didn't have the buzz of the AL and I liked it quite a bit, although my thought was I would have to get used to it; the seating position didn't feel familiar. It was also a bit more expensive than my wife wanted to pay out of the budget, so we agreed to think about it.
1720839787452.jpeg


I did some more research and saw the Checkpoint line. The Trek Checkpoint is more of a pure gravel bike. And it was a little less expensive than the Domane. I decided to give a Checkpoint SL 5 carbon a try. When I got to the store, I found that had one in my size that has been marked down. The price is about halfway between the aluminum and carbon fiber Domanes. I didn't expect to like it better than the lighter, sleeker Domane.

I was wrong. Getting on the bike was like déjà vu- like I'd done it a million times and wanted to do it a million more. Not sure what it is, but I think it may be the frame geometry. Whatever it is, it felt like this bike was built specifically for me. And oddly, even being slightly heavier and with 40 mm wide tires, it felt much quicker and more nimble than the Domane. I think the fit is so perfect that it overcomes the perceived shortcomings. Also, the small-knobbed tires felt essentially like slicks; I didn't feel any knob vibration at all.

I kind of feel like this bike picked me. I plan to pick it up for realz this weekend.
1720840293750.jpeg


This bike will consist of several firsts for me:
  • First carbon fiber bike
  • First bike with brifters (brake-shifter handles integrated into one assembly)
  • First bike with disc brakes
  • First bike with tubeless tires
  • And I may make this my first bike with clipless pedals. (I've always used platform pedals.)
 
Doohickie said:
My first new bike in decades.

In a casual conversation, I mentioned to my wife that at some point I might want to get a modern bike. We discussed price and she seemed pretty agreeable, so I started looking. Between Sunday and today I test rode 3 bikes:

Trek Domane AL 5. The AL means aluminum. The Domane line straddles the line between road bikes and gravel bikes. Basically they're road bikes with wider tires than are typically on a road bike. It was nice, and a big improvement over anything I have currently, but.... I could feel a pretty steady buzz of the road surface through the saddle. Best feature of the bike: The color. I love the Lichen Green.
View attachment 62849

Next up was the Domane SL 5. Not sure why, but SL means carbon fiber frame. It didn't have the buzz of the AL and I liked it quite a bit, although my thought was I would have to get used to it; the seating position didn't feel familiar. It was also a bit more expensive than my wife wanted to pay out of the budget, so we agreed to think about it.
View attachment 62850

I did some more research and saw the Checkpoint line. The Trek Checkpoint is more of a pure gravel bike. And it was a little less expensive than the Domane. I decided to give a Checkpoint SL 5 carbon a try. When I got to the store, I found that had one in my size that has been marked down. The price is about halfway between the aluminum and carbon fiber Domanes. I didn't expect to like it better than the lighter, sleeker Domane.

I was wrong. Getting on the bike was like déjà vu- like I'd done it a million times and wanted to do it a million more. Not sure what it is, but I think it may be the frame geometry. Whatever it is, it felt like this bike was built specifically for me. And oddly, even being slightly heavier and with 40 mm wide tires, it felt much quicker and more nimble than the Domane. I think the fit is so perfect that it overcomes the perceived shortcomings. Also, the small-knobbed tires felt essentially like slicks; I didn't feel any knob vibration at all.

I kind of feel like this bike picked me. I plan to pick it up for realz this weekend.
View attachment 62851

This bike will consist of several firsts for me:
  • First carbon fiber bike
  • First bike with brifters (brake-shifter handles integrated into one assembly)
  • First bike with disc brakes
  • First bike with tubeless tires
  • And I may make this my first bike with clipless pedals. (I've always used platform pedals.)
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She's a beautiful! Enjoy her.

I love my Trek.
 
Getting a few rides in here and there. Quickly getting accustomed to the clipless pedals; much easier than I thought it would be.

1721793010378.jpeg
 
Faust_Motel said:
Nice! (If you made it all the way to 2024 without getting anything with brifters you certainly have earned a new bike!)
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My previous many-geared bikes have Barcons (ca 1970s Suntour bar-end friction shifters). I have a bike with a 2-speed kickback hub and an old English 3-speed with a Sturmey-Archer trigger shifter. And then I have a single speed fixed gear bike.
 
Doohickie said:
My previous many-geared bikes have Barcons (ca 1970s Suntour bar-end friction shifters). I have a bike with a 2-speed kickback hub and an old English 3-speed with a Sturmey-Archer trigger shifter. And then I have a single speed fixed gear bike.
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My "daily driver" has super cheap and not great-working brifters that I would swap for nice barcons (well, one barcon since it's a 1x10) in a heartbeat if I could find them and felt like tearing the bar wrap apart to do the install. I really like the Gevenalle setup:

1721843299634.png
 
Faust_Motel said:
My "daily driver" has super cheap and not great-working brifters that I would swap for nice barcons (well, one barcon since it's a 1x10) in a heartbeat if I could find them and felt like tearing the bar wrap apart to do the install. I really like the Gevenalle setup:

View attachment 62939
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Look on the Classic and Vintage Sales thread at Bikeforums.net. All kinds of stuff like that pops up from time to time. https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage-sales/ (Classic and Vintage Sales - Bike Forums)
 
Doohickie said:
Look on the Classic and Vintage Sales thread at Bikeforums.net. All kinds of stuff like that pops up from time to time. https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage-sales/ (Classic and Vintage Sales - Bike Forums)
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Oh yes!

I just found this guy (I was looking for some classic interrupter "cross top" brake levers and he had a pair from Salsa that were just what I needed). I love the stuff he finds and resells.

https://www.gringineer.com/ (We Sell New and Used Vintage and Modern Bike Parts and Frames.)
 
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