Official Cycling Thread

[Heather Koch]

I don't generally take my camera on my bike because I'm rather clumsy and prone to hurting myself (I've got the whole "go limp and brace for impact" down to a reflex), but here's about the only photo I have of my bike. Yes, it's goofy lol.

It's a Benotto...something. 1980's, steel frame. Vintage enough for the hipsters with their fixies to notice and comment.

View attachment 98958

I love ALL bikes, so "vintage" and rideable is prime!!

 

[Heather Koch]

We didn't get to the trails today (friday!) but wanted to post these, as I promised. My sister just picked up hers tonight.

_HKP3698 by heather.koch43, on Flickr

_HKP3704 by heather.koch43, on Flickr

 

[Joves]

Me too... a rather well worn Marin 29'er, with around 5-6000 miles on it. The front fork has to stay locked out because the pressure seals have let go, the mid-range chain ring is worn to the point where the teeth are sharp enough to cut yourself with. I probably should look into a replacement for it, but it bugs me that you get so little use out of something so expensive.

You do know you can just buy the chain ring and replace it. Right? I used to replace mine all the time though not for wear, but to change ratios for a particular race. Same with rear cogs.

I'm into road cycling. Once upon many years ago, I was a competitive road cyclist. I'm hoping to be racing in 2016.

View attachment 98941 View attachment 98942

Good luck with that.

Unfortunately I cannot ride anymore. Too much damage from racing, and being in the wrong part of the packs at the wrong time. I rode from about 76" till 98" until it all caught up with me. Also getting hit by bigger things a few times did not help either. If I did ride it would be road though. My last bike was a Fuji Professional with Sun Tour Superb Pro components, and a set of Matrix ISO-C rims that I built. I liked that bike till that guy in a car wrecked it when he ran a stop sign.

 

[astroNikon]

I keep trying to find the best location that shows the most and is not too shaky.

I just ordered myself a new action camera .. not a GoPro .. I have limited funds and got a Polaroid XS100 for cheap.
This video from a few years ago was really shaky.

 

[astroNikon]

.... My last bike was a Fuji Professional with Sun Tour Superb Pro components, and a set of Matrix ISO-C rims that I built. I liked that bike till that guy in a car wrecked it when he ran a stop sign.

The old Suntour Superbe Pro stuff was nice. I never used the road equipment but was sponsored by Suntour on the Track and had their entire Superbe Pro track kit which is still on my track bike.

 

[runnah]

.... My last bike was a Fuji Professional with Sun Tour Superb Pro components, and a set of Matrix ISO-C rims that I built. I liked that bike till that guy in a car wrecked it when he ran a stop sign.

The old Suntour Superbe Pro stuff was nice. I never used the road equipment but was sponsored by Suntour on the Track and had their entire Superbe Pro track kit which is still on my track bike.

I always have to laugh when people say photographers are gear obsessed... "Oh this stem is .0001 grams lighter so I must have it!!!".

 

[astroNikon]

I always have to laugh when people say photographers are gear obsessed... "Oh this stem is .0001 grams lighter so I must have it!!!".

It's FAR worse with Musicians.

For a camera it's which body, then which lens. Then a few accessories.

For a musician (like saxophone or clarinet) it's which horn body .. vintage or modern. Which pads and resonators .. how high of keywork, tension & type of springs, type of lacquer, neck design, mouthpiece - how the mouthpiece was faced, reeds ... ligatures .... then if the player has a bad embouchure and air support it doesn't really matter. lol

Cameras are simple by comparison of "gear"

 

[runnah]

I always have to laugh when people say photographers are gear obsessed... "Oh this stem is .0001 grams lighter so I must have it!!!".

It's FAR worse with Musicians.

For a camera it's which body, then which lens. Then a few accessories.

For a musician (like saxophone or clarinet) it's which horn body .. vintage or modern. Which pads and resonators .. how high of keywork, tension & type of springs, type of lacquer, neck design, mouthpiece - how the mouthpiece was faced, reeds ... ligatures .... then if the player has a bad embouchure and air support it doesn't really matter. lol

Cameras are simple by comparison of "gear"

I am not familiar with music but I do remember a thread that went on for pages about the best kind of cables for brakes.

 

[pgriz]

The weight obsession by some cyclists was (and probably still is) kinda nuts. So much angst about a few grams here and there, whereas a good crap will usually get a better weight reduction than all that drilling out of the various metal pieces. Of course, this is spoken by a guy who did touring with maybe 80 lbs of gear on the bike (kitchen, bedroom, haberdashery, supply closet) when I was doing longer-distance touring. You knew you were in shape when you could pedal that load up a 25% grade. Fortunately I only had to do that a few times - once in Cornwall, once in Brittany, and a few times in New England.

 

[Destin]

I always have to laugh when people say photographers are gear obsessed... "Oh this stem is .0001 grams lighter so I must have it!!!".

It's FAR worse with Musicians.

For a camera it's which body, then which lens. Then a few accessories.

For a musician (like saxophone or clarinet) it's which horn body .. vintage or modern. Which pads and resonators .. how high of keywork, tension & type of springs, type of lacquer, neck design, mouthpiece - how the mouthpiece was faced, reeds ... ligatures .... then if the player has a bad embouchure and air support it doesn't really matter. lol

Cameras are simple by comparison of "gear"

I am not familiar with music but I do remember a thread that went on for pages about the best kind of cables for brakes.

The only weight I ever cared about when I was racing was rotational weight because that does make a huge difference. Heavy frame, not a big deal. But spinning heavy wheels sucks. My cousin has a carbon fiber niner mountain bike that was outfitted with XTR everything. He spent like $3500 switching to SRAM XX drivetrain components because it shaved 3/4 of a pound off of his bike. Just ridiculous haha

 

[runnah]

I always have to laugh when people say photographers are gear obsessed... "Oh this stem is .0001 grams lighter so I must have it!!!".

It's FAR worse with Musicians.

For a camera it's which body, then which lens. Then a few accessories.

For a musician (like saxophone or clarinet) it's which horn body .. vintage or modern. Which pads and resonators .. how high of keywork, tension & type of springs, type of lacquer, neck design, mouthpiece - how the mouthpiece was faced, reeds ... ligatures .... then if the player has a bad embouchure and air support it doesn't really matter. lol

Cameras are simple by comparison of "gear"

I am not familiar with music but I do remember a thread that went on for pages about the best kind of cables for brakes.

The only weight I ever cared about when I was racing was rotational weight because that does make a huge difference. Heavy frame, not a big deal. But spinning heavy wheels sucks. My cousin has a carbon fiber niner mountain bike that was outfitted with XTR everything. He spent like $3500 switching to SRAM XX drivetrain components because it shaved 3/4 of a pound off of his bike. Just ridiculous haha

Exactly. I am a big guy who is rough on his equipment so strength is more important than light. During my bmx days I destroyed many a part before I just switched to the heavier more durable parts.

 

[Joves]

Well I will say my only concern on weight was the wheels for the most part. I liked climbing, and while the whole bike being lighter was nice, having light wheels helped in getting up the hills faster. Especially true when you rode mostly in the northern Arizona, and would drop down off the mountain, and have to return through either Oak Creek, or up 11 mile hill.
I think pretty much every hobby has gear obsessed people in it. If I had been gear obsessed when cycling then I would have had the Lightspeed Titanium when it came out. That would have been at the time the ultimate look at me toy.

 

[Heather Koch]

So my sister and I with our two friends went for a trail ride along old railroad tracks (miles and miles converted to walking/biking trails). We planned on 3 miles but ended up doing 11 miles. It felt so good! Pictures aren't available as we were trekking through the trails!

 

[Life]

I ride a lot. Ill get some pics up of my 'Racing' bike up sometime... I just use it where ever, I choose it over driving to work sometimes actually lol.

 

[tirediron]

You do know you can just buy the chain ring and replace it. Right? I used to replace mine all the time though not for wear, but to change ratios for a particular race. Same with rear cogs.

Well aware, however when you combine two front chain rings (one totally worn, one less so), a new rear cassette, front fork, front derailleur, and cables, it's starting to get north of the cost of a whole new bike.