Bicycles

[alexwgoody]

I've come to realize that we have a strong cycling community on computer audiophile- who would've thought?

 

My background:

 

With a multi-time Ironman uncle (who just made Kona for the first time) and a mother who's done approximately 75 centuries and a dozen marathon's, I've been involved in cycling and triathlons since I was young. I began racing at 13 with a local youth group (I can't imagine these exist outside of the bay area) and continued racing until 3 years ago. I am slowly starting again, but still have issues as my reasons for quitting were due to multiple injuries, including getting hit by both a semi and an Audi over a 2 day period + a year of physical therapy. The pain is minimal, but the start up costs are high. Despite not riding much, I had continued my job at our LBS as a Serotta fitter working also with Indy Fab, Parlee, Cervelo (yuck), and many high end brands, and worked there during my school year and summers until 2 years ago. I've been very lucky to have a family full of cyclists and audiophiles that have helped me afford bikes much beyond my income including:

 

Serotta Legend Ti and the old fierte

Scott CR1

numerous Cannondale CAADs over the years

a Fuji aluminum bike for crits

multiple track bikes

a fully rigid semi custom Specialized that I recently sold

and a storage unit full of parts.

 

I have no plans of racing again - I already did almost 8 years of it - but I'm hoping to get back into track if they build one in Phoenix or if I move, some xc with my friends, single speed 'cross - an old favorite, and a new roadie/touring steel stallion, likely from Waterford.

[DigiPete]

I've come to realize that we have a strong cycling community on computer audiophile- who would've thought?

 

 

Well, we have a lot of Scandinavians here on CA.

 

Scandinavians consider biking an efficient mode of transportation, not just a hobby or a toy.

Outperforming cars in time, cost and energy as well as creating better cities.

New York are among the many cities that are reclaiming city space for people rather than cars - many guided

by Danish company Gehl Architects.

 

We are happy to share!

 

 

 

Copenhagen Downtown:

 

 

 

Taking the kids to kindergarden:

 

 

 

The PM biking Copenhagen - Paris:

 

 

 

Vikings bike all year:

 

[wgscott]

[esldude]

 

My keyboard just nearly met its demise. Had a cold soft drink in hand, and it was a near miss.

[wgscott]

That one only sells for $18 btw.

[esldude]

That one only sells for $18 btw.

 

Does that include the little display tripod?

[wgscott]

Got this in 1981, toured parts of Europe, CA, East Coast, etc:

 

(Miyata 1000 touring bike. Steel.)

 

Got stolen in Oakland during the 1989 quake when I loaned it to a friend to get home from Berkeley.

Replaced with this:

 

(Trek 520. Steel. Toured West Coast from Port Angeles, WA to LA; lots of commuting in Berkeley and Cambridge UK, loaned to one of my grad students, then donated to local university bike co-op).

 

1987 Bianchi superleggara road bike. Steel. Cracked first frame in 1989 in the Berkeley hills. Still has many of its original Campy parts. Snappy bike. Lots of good day rides.

 

ca. 2001 Crackandfail somethingorother. Derisively referred to as my "assistant professor bike". Probably something DigiPete might even approve of. Generator hub and lights. Aluminum. Hand made in US frame. Stiffer than a 3 day old corpse at the side of the bike trail. Commuted on it every day for about 7 years, until I broke down and got a mountain bike ...

 

We actually have two of these; this is my wife's, which I got for her when she kept borrowing mine. Mine is nearly identical, but the next increment down (the most selfless purchase of my entire life). This made rehab possible.

 

There were a few others along the way not worth mentioning, like a trek tandem.

 

I'm too fat and lazy and untalented to ride competitively.

[esldude]

Don't have your background alexwgoody. Just enjoyed riding mostly road bikes. Rode when young then stopped between about 30 and 48 years of age. Started back, and still like it. No competition. Just usually riding solo or with a couple friends. Been very lucky to not be in any serious accident. Did start to ride Mtn bike to avoid roads this time around as well as some road riding. And of course missed a bunny hop over a downed tree requiring 15 stitches in my head. Ouch, but nothing to compare to your misfortune.

 

My main bike is a Serotta IT the carbon and titanium model. Do have a ti Concours frame I may put together in the spring.

 

Had a few other nice bikes over the different years. When I started back riding I got a Gunnar Roadie. They make nice frames, and as you know Waterford is the upscale Gunnar. One of their stainless frame sets sure looks appealing to me, but you may have other tastes.

[bliss53]

One of the first production mountain bikes. Old Shimano XT. Wheelbase and a ride like a Cadillac.

[maelob]

Can we talk about $20k bikes? somehow it reminds me of our audiophile hobby LOL

[DigiPete]

Sure, the "assistant professor bike" is cool wgscott, but then i find so many bikes cool:

 

 

Greenspeed, the fast bike:

 

 

 

I once cycled from Brisbane to Sydney out through the bush, great adventure.

I dream of riding across Australia on a Greenspeed.

 

 

Danish Bullitt Bike, the fastest haul in the world:

 

 

 

Here's a second photo, just because the Bullitt is so cool and versatile:

 

 

 

Chrisiania Bike for large loads or up to 4 kids.

Can be ordered with kids seats and seat belts.

 

 

 

 

I just sport a regular mountain bike frame with street wheels and 27 gears for travelling and a 7 gear steel horse for day to day.

[maelob]

I just have a lowly Specialized Sirrus hybrid, saving for my first real road bike.

[DigiPete]

Can we talk about $20k bikes? somehow it reminds me of our audiophile hobby LOL

 

 

Well, the extremely fast Go-One Evo-R has a base price of EUR 10.000,-

 

[esldude]

Can we talk about $20k bikes? somehow it reminds me of our audiophile hobby LOL

 

First we have hash out a few things about worthy bikes if we are going that route.

 

Shimano or Campy? You have to pick sides you know. (not going to mention SRAM)

[fallington]

Here is mine. A Rivendell A Homer Hilsen. It is great for doing long solo rides. I also have a Santa Cruz Heckler for mountain biking.

 

 

[sdolezalek]

Shimano or Campy? You have to pick sides you know.SRAM)

 

For that "Tour de France" look on the road, nothing less than an all Campy Super Record will do; but when I'm letting everything hang out all over a dirt trail, its all Shimano XTR for me. Frames LightSpeed Palmares for the road and Ellsworth Epiphany for the trail. As someone who raced professionally in Europe in my youth, cycling seems a downright affordable hobby compared to audio.

[wgscott]

Here is mine. A Rivendell A Homer Hilsen. It is great for doing long solo rides. I also have a Santa Cruz Heckler for mountain biking.

 

 

I live in Santa Cruz but don't have any Santa Cruz bikes.

[Brian A]

I have not had an automobile insured for commuter use for over 20 years. My bicycle is my sole means. Took a car to work 4 times in 2013 (for doctor's appointments etc).

 

Currently ride a cyclo-cross bike (2010 Fuji Cross Comp) because it has greater clearance for fenders, lugs for racks, etc than a regular road bike (and lower gears).

 

My cruiser bicycle is a Dutch Gazelle Impala; nice and rusty. Don't ride it much. Drum brakes, mechanical brake linkages, coat gaurds, chain gaurds, 3-speed hub, front and rear dynamo lights, Brooks saddle ... the list of luxury features (ha!) goes on.

 

[tne]

I have not had an automobile insured for commuter use for over 20 years. My bicycle is my sole means. Took a car to work 4 times in 2013 (for doctor's appointments etc).

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]10114[/ATTACH]

 

Since your avatar was a car for a while, this is surprising, but admirable. Hopefully you live in the non-hilly part of the SF bay area. I gave my bike up years ago when I moved to the top of Marin Ave in Berkeley. Still miss it.

 

And here in Shanghai, it would be suicidal to ride one. Heck, it almost is to cross the street here....or to breathe outside.

[Brian A]

... your avatar was a car ...

Umm, yeah, well, ... with the money I've saved bicycle commuting, I've bought sports cars. They are my mistresses. The avatar is my pristine 1987 BMW 325i convertible. Zoom.

[tne]

Umm, yeah, well, ... with the money I've saved bicycle commuting, I've bought sports cars. They are my mistresses. The avatar is my pristine 1987 BMW 325i convertible. Zoom.

 

Good use of saved money.....the BMW, at least. I have a '99 540i six speed. Not quite the sporty unit that you have but just right for a family man who is of large dimensions and wants to car to zoom when the accelerator is pushed.

[Audio_ELF]

Good use of saved money.....the BMW, at least. I have a '99 540i six speed. Not quite the sporty unit that you have but just right for a family man who is of large dimensions and wants to car to zoom when the accelerator is pushed.

 

Umm, yeah, well, ... with the money I've saved bicycle commuting, I've bought sports cars. They are my mistresses. The avatar is my pristine 1987 BMW 325i convertible. Zoom.

 

Amazing how an off topic thread can't even say on topic :-)

 

Back on bikes ... I enjoy cycling but (a) don't get much time to as usually when I go out the dog wants to come and (b) only spent £400 on my mountain bike from Halford so you cyclists in UK can all look down on me :-)

 

Eloise

[rwwjr44]

Rode 3000 miles over the past 2.5 years. Try to ride at least every other day (not this winter, yet). So far 23 miles has been the longest trip. I had a Trek 7500 which is very comfortable but heavy. So I upgraded to a Trek 7.7fx which is considerably lighter but not as comfortable and the acclimation process is a bit slow. We get a lot of windy days here in Hampton Roads VA USA so the 7.7 is so much easier pushing through.

 

I am now planning 35 mile routes and may get back to a 50 mile trek this summer.

[alexwgoody]

Rode 3000 miles over the past 2.5 years. Try to ride at least every other day (not this winter, yet). So far 23 miles has been the longest trip. I had a Trek 7500 which is very comfortable but heavy. So I upgraded to a Trek 7.7fx which is considerably lighter but not as comfortable and the acclimation process is a bit slow. We get a lot of windy days here in Hampton Roads VA USA so the 7.7 is so much easier pushing through.

 

I am now planning 35 mile routes and may get back to a 50 mile trek this summer.

 

I hope you'll welcome my suggestions, but in my experience the best thing you can do is cross train. Do not bike exclusively. When I was racing I rarely did other training, but was 5'10 145 lbs, which was good for climbing. I only got to be a much stronger rider after beginning training for triathlons and getting up to about 170 lbs. You need to focus on your core as much as your legs, which is why I was never into spinning classes- which don't really work your core. free weight training, even for light weights will help a lot as well as some running and swimming - or really any other sport. The point is that

 

I'm sure you know, but eventually an upgrade to a road bike will be helpful. I've ridden all of the FX series - Our shop used to sell them - and they are good for many things, but a true road bike will really help you get to the next level.

[wgscott]

(b) only spent £400 on my mountain bike from Halford so you cyclists in UK can all look down on me :-)

 

Eloise

 

I spent £100 on a bike from Halford in Cambridge and as soon as I rode it out of the shop, one of the pedal axels snapped off and that is why we stopped at 3 children.