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  #26  
Old 03-25-2007, 03:09 PM
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Default Re: Cycling

AAAAHHHH! Now I will never be able to wear shoes again!

Heehee! At least your post about clipping in wasn't sprinkled with !!!!, which is how my bike evangelizing always goes. My friends do not even mention cycling around me anymore, for fear that I will latch onto them and drag them down to the bike shop all the while extolling the great joys of riding a bike!! (Would you like me to bring my mother's extra bike back with me, next time I visit them? It's really comfortable, and then you can see how much fun it is before you have to buy a bike! You just need a helmet! We can ride on the Greenway to start!! And then, if you wanted to get your own bike, you can get a hybrid for like $400 dollars!! We could ride to the state park and camp out and then ride back the next day!! It's only 20 miles!!)
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  #27  
Old 03-25-2007, 03:17 PM
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Default Re: Cycling

:laugh:

Velocelytizing!
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  #28  
Old 03-25-2007, 03:39 PM
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Default Re: Cycling

Lots of great info here. You guys rock!

I think I'll go the clipless pedals route, and I'm sure that Wikipedia has me dead on:
First time clipless users may forget to unclip when coming to a stop, which usually results in an embarrassing sideways fall at very low speed and some bruises.
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  #29  
Old 03-25-2007, 03:52 PM
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Default Re: Cycling

What're the advantages of that clipless system compared to toe clips? First of all you need special shoes. Second of all, you're pulling up on the pedal stroke rather than pushing forward and up (which seems more efficient to me). That must be damn hard on the shoes too. The only advantage I can see is you don't have the leather strap dragging on the ground when the pedal is let free. It is a bit more streamlined, though.
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  #30  
Old 03-25-2007, 04:00 PM
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Default Re: Cycling

All the pros use them, so they must have some advantage. I suppose the modern way has some slight aerodynamic gain, and it also has 'the look'!

A shoe spreads any load when pulling up on the pedals over a larger part of the foot than toe clips could. If you pull the old fashioned type of straps up tight, so as to eliminate any slop, then they can be uncomfortable.

But I understand that not even the pros pull up on the pedals very much. They still tend to let the pedal raise their rearmost leg, but not to the same extent as someone without clips would.

I think the only time you actually pull up on the rear pedal is when making a racing start (track racing style) or when you find yourself in too high a gear on a sudden incline, or wish to accelerate suddenly.
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  #31  
Old 03-25-2007, 04:05 PM
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Default Re: Cycling

Seems to me, from an exercise perspective at least, your quadriceps would get a better workout from the clips than the clipless. That's where ya feel it, at least. But yeah, you have to adjust the straps perfectly to the toe of your shoe.

Here's another related issue: maintenance. I used to take my bike apart every Sunday, right down to the bearings in the hubs, clean the axles, soak the derailleurs in solvent and re-lube them, the whole works. One thing I never did was spoke a wheel. I don't think I'd want to attempt that. But I've done just about everything else.
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  #32  
Old 03-25-2007, 04:20 PM
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Default Re: Cycling

Quote:
Originally Posted by viscousmemories View Post
First time clipless users may forget to unclip when coming to a stop, which usually results in an embarrassing sideways fall at very low speed and some bruises.
AKA, "the horizontal track-stand".

Quote:
Originally Posted by Scarlatti
What're the advantages of that clipless system compared to toe clips? First of all you need special shoes. Second of all, you're pulling up on the pedal stroke rather than pushing forward and up (which seems more efficient to me).
I think any toeclip motion will be at least as easy with clipless, so I don't see an efficiency issue except possibly in favour of the clipless. (I.e., when you pedal in circles, you push forward when you should, but not when you shouldn't.)

A big issue is just ease of unclipping. By the time you get those clips tight enough that your foot doesn't lift off the pedal, it's tough to kick out. Plus, I can unclip even in the downward part of my stroke -- tough with clips.

I suspect the pros use clipless partly because the high-end ones are lighter, too. But that's not really a factor for me. Certainly I see lots of people still using clips -- and many of those I see as they blast by me. So clearly it can't be some major handicap.

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Originally Posted by fragment
I think the only time you actually pull up on the rear pedal is when making a racing start (track racing style) or when you find yourself in too high a gear on a sudden incline, or wish to accelerate suddenly.
Huh. I haven't heard that said before, but I'm quite new to clipless pedals. The stuff I've seen online about efficient pedaling techniques tends to emphasize an even force throughout the stroke under most circumstances.
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  #33  
Old 03-25-2007, 04:52 PM
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Default Re: Cycling

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Originally Posted by D. Scarlatti View Post
Oh, and raise your right hand if you've ever ridden into the back of a parked car.
many times as a kid......but not since i got my first set of eye glasses. I got found out at the dmv when I went to get my learners liscence. mandatory vision testing isnt a bad thing.

my freinds just used to think I was stupid crashing my bike into stuff all the time, i damaged quite few cars that way.
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Thanks, from:
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  #34  
Old 03-25-2007, 04:58 PM
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Default Re: Cycling

Incidentally, this is the mountain bike I have now. I haven't taken it out here in Austin yet, but I suppose it will do me well enough until I can get a new one? What are the benefits of a touring/road bike compared to a mountain bike if I'll be doing a lot of on-road, long-distance, hilly riding?
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  #35  
Old 03-25-2007, 05:19 PM
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Default Re: Cycling

Oh, also... the bike shop I went to yesterday is having a big sale next week but I don't see either of the brands you recommended, Clutch.

http://bicyclesportshop.com/
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  #36  
Old 03-25-2007, 05:47 PM
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Default Re: Cycling

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Originally Posted by viscousmemories View Post
Incidentally, this is the mountain bike I have now. I haven't taken it out here in Austin yet, but I suppose it will do me well enough until I can get a new one?
That looks like a nice all-around trail and street bike -- the tires aren't too knobby, at least, which is a good start. That seat-post suspension is pretty inefficient (puts your energy into bouncing rather than cranking), but that would be easy to remedy. For anything under a 15km commute, I think that would work fine as a general-purpose bike, to be honest.

Quote:
What are the benefits of a touring/road bike compared to a mountain bike if I'll be doing a lot of on-road, long-distance, hilly riding?
Speed. Comfort. Speed. Comfort. Efficiency. Lower wind resistance. Easier on the back, butt, hands and wrists. More appropriate gearing ratios. Mountings for racks. Much better on hills. Speed. And comfort.
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  #37  
Old 03-25-2007, 06:00 PM
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Default Re: Cycling

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Oh, also... the bike shop I went to yesterday is having a big sale next week but I don't see either of the brands you recommended, Clutch.

http://bicyclesportshop.com/
Yeah, they don't really have much of anything in the sport/touring range. These guys carry Fuji, so they might stock the Touring:

http://waterloocycles.com/

And they also have a couple of sport models listed Used, the Newest 2.0 (extra large) and a 3.0 (large). It's not so much a tourer, but does have a more relaxed geometry than a true racing bike, for a better combination of (wait for it...) speed and comfort.

It looks like a place called 360 Degrees might also have a wider selection of non-racing road bikes.
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  #38  
Old 03-25-2007, 06:23 PM
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Default Re: Cycling

That looks like a great starter bike, vm. My first bike for long-distance, hill climbing, road cycling was not that nice. You can probably ride anywhere you want on it, although you will be slower. Of course, I say that as if you are at least as stubborn and pig-headed as I am. My longest ride on my old bike was 42 hilly miles a few springs ago. I made it 42 miles, but I thought I would die and ended up laying in the middle of a sidewalk in some little town near Milledgeville until my daddy showed up to take me home.
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  #39  
Old 03-25-2007, 08:40 PM
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Default Re: Cycling

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Originally Posted by viscousmemories View Post
Incidentally, this is the mountain bike I have now.
That looks fine to me. I'd lose the springy seat pin, and the side stand, and fit some smoother tyres to it. You can get some pretty good road tyres that fit the wider mountain bike rims. Of course, if you're taking it off road, then stick with the knobblies.

I would advise you to hold off on purchasing a new bike till you've built up the miles a bit, and have a really firm idea of what you want. Mountain bikes (with road tyres) are fine for road work. Until you've built up the miles a bit, the upright position and low gear ranges make for a more comfortable ride. Once you find you're riding on the big chain ring all the time, even up gentle hills, you'll be fit enough to make good use of a road bike, and by then you'll probably have had the chance to inspect and even ride some of your friends' bikes, so you'll have a better idea of the features you like.

You could buy a drinks bottle and holder for it. You can transfer those to your new bike, when you get it.

Get a cheap computer for it (shows speed, distance, etc) Useful for monitoring your fitness gains. Don't spend big money though - $40 or less (even much less) should buy a perfectly reasonable computer for your bike. Even the basic models show speed, distance, average speed, elapsed time and maximum speed - that's all you really need. The other displays of calories, etc. are just gimmicks, (IMO) A clock is more useful!
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  #40  
Old 03-25-2007, 11:56 PM
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Default Re: Cycling

Quote:
Originally Posted by ceptimus View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by viscousmemories View Post
Incidentally, this is the mountain bike I have now.
That looks fine to me. I'd lose the springy seat pin ...
I'll take it off your hands, vm.

The sidestand? It weighs what, 5 ounces? You cycling elitists make me sick. You probably wear that goofy uniform they all seem to wear.
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  #41  
Old 03-26-2007, 12:29 AM
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Default Re: Cycling

Great tips, Clutch and cep. Thanks again!
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  #42  
Old 03-26-2007, 12:39 AM
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Default Re: Cycling

<Takes notes>

I'll have to keep this thread in mind for future reference.

One thing that bugs me about the East Coast states, as opposed to living in Washington state for the past several years, is how few bike lanes and trails there are. I have an old street bike that I used to ride in WA, where there were bike lanes on ever major road and nice wide shoulders on the roads out in the countryside. Heck there's a really nice bike trail that connects Pullman, WA and Moscow, Idaho. So, there were lots of opportunities for bike-riding.

But here in the East, bike lanes are unheard-of, and the county roads have shoulders that are somewhere between narrow and nonexistent. Between the nonexistent shoulders and the numerous cracks and potholes from the snowy, icy winters, I wouldn't dare take my street bike, with its narrow tires on most of the local roads.

Despite that, there are a couple of enthusiastic cyclists here in the department. They tell me there are some really nice places out in the country to go biking. I'm thinking that I'll probably want to get a good bike soon. A touring bike, maybe? When the weather's nice, I'd like the option of biking to school, rather than driving. (I live about 5 miles from the school at present -- I've walked to and from the school on a few occasions, but it's really too far to walk unless I have plenty of time available.)


I was in a local bike shop last weekend pricing bikes, and good ones are 5-6 thousand dollars -- yoikes! I'm sure something in the $800 range would be just fine for my needs though. It isn't like I'm planning to go either mountain biking (I'd rather hike the trails) or racing.


I'll probably consult with my bike-enthusiast colleagues and go back in a few weeks to look for a good bike. They want me to join their "club", but that doesn't interest me. I just want a good bike that I can commute to and from the school on, and maybe use for some longer weekend excursions.

Cheers,

Michael
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  #43  
Old 03-26-2007, 04:26 AM
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Default Re: Cycling

Quote:
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I don't see either of the brands you recommended, Clutch.
What am I, chopped liver? He sells Trek.

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  #44  
Old 03-26-2007, 04:39 AM
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The sidestand? It weighs what, 5 ounces? You cycling elitists make me sick.
Pffft. Kickstands are for sissies.
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  #45  
Old 03-26-2007, 05:05 AM
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Nuh-uh, sissies are the tall bar on the back of the banana seat on your Schwinn Stingray.
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  #46  
Old 03-26-2007, 02:25 PM
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Default Re: Cycling

Quote:
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Quote:
Originally Posted by viscousmemories
I don't see either of the brands you recommended, Clutch.
What am I?


Quote:
He sells Trek.
Fair enough. Trek makes a tourer comparable to the Jamis Aurora and Fuji Touring, called the 520. It should be in roughly the same price range. I think its spec is a bit lower, but (like the Touring, unlike the Aurora) it comes with a rear rack.
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  #47  
Old 03-26-2007, 02:36 PM
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Default Re: Cycling

Quote:
Originally Posted by Clutch Munny
It's a nads-above-elbows, rigid, jarring racing bike.
Hell, yes. Definitely not a stumpjumper.

That 520 looks like a nice unit too (without the book rack and the fat tires - too much rubber on the road).

I don't like the shifters on the handlebars, either. Shifters on the downtube, please.
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  #48  
Old 03-26-2007, 02:49 PM
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Originally Posted by The Lone Ranger
5-6 thousand dollars
Those damn Italians:



Now that's a bike.
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  #49  
Old 03-26-2007, 02:56 PM
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Default Re: Cycling

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Quote:
Originally Posted by Clutch Munny
It's a nads-above-elbows, rigid, jarring racing bike.
Hell, yes. Definitely not a stumpjumper.

That 520 looks like a nice unit too (without the book rack and the fat tires - too much rubber on the road).

I don't like the shifters on the handlebars, either. Shifters on the downtube, please.
Interesting. I'd have thought that if you didn't want wider tires and a pannier rack (book rack? sheesh...), then that whole bike geometry wouldn't appeal either. If you want skinny tires inflated to 140 psi anyhow, get a taut little bike like the one in your picture, rather than a long, square luggage-hauler.

My bike really is something of a stump-jumper: it's a cyclocross frame, but drilled for racks front and back, and set up with a mix of road and mountain components. I went from 700x28 to 700x32 tires (way too much rubber, by your reckoning) last fall, and couldn't be happier with the results. Basically, the increase in rolling resistance is vanishingly small -- it's noise, in comparison to the wind resistance created by my own personal mid-1970's Volvo-style body. But the increase in comfort and the reduced risk of flat tires is solid gold.

Quote:
I don't like the shifters on the handlebars, either. Shifters on the downtube, please.
Yes, well, I understand some people are also upset that bikes no longer have that great big wheel up front and the teeny tiny one in the rear, too...

;)
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  #50  
Old 03-26-2007, 03:00 PM
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Default Re: Cycling

Haha yep I'm a little bit old school I guess. vm probably doesn't want a racing bike, but the nice ones are still awesome. Seriously, if I was to buy a bike today I'd get some kind of hybrid too, but still as light as and with as little extraneous crap as possible. Has to be under 20 pounds. My bike weighs around 19, I think. I've been spoiled, so anything else would feel like riding a tank.
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