The Bicycle / Biking Gear Thread

sunvalleylaw said:
Yikes!

Seeing pics like that are one reason I don't want to go to a carbon frame on my mountain bike. Rock slaps off the trail, and other impacts that can occur, do not give me a sense of confidence. I would like my frame failure to be less all and one and catastrophic. There is a local rider who had a really bad shoulder injury because his carbon bar snapped and he hit a tree.
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My road bike is carbon as is my Santa Cruz 29er. But I will never use carbon bars. I see them break all the time.
 
rickenvox said:
My road bike is carbon as is my Santa Cruz 29er. But I will never use carbon bars. I see them break all the time.
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Yah, too bad about that. I had a pair on my prior bike once (Race Face), and felt they had a nice dampening quality for vibration. But, sold that bike. Considered it as an upgrade and weight savings for this bike, but no go. Those Santa Cruz Tall Boys are popular up here.
 
With exception to a few high end steel frames, I'll usually only ride carbon road frames. Of course, it isn't the material, but what's done with it that determines the ride characteristics. It also depends on the use. If I still raced, I'd go with aluminum for crit's and track bikes. For longer rides, a well designed carbon fiber frame is magic.

I have years of abuse on my old FSA MTB carbon bars, but have yet to ride carbon road bars, mostly due to cost. Modern carbon bars from 3T, Enve, Zipp, Easton, and FSA have come a long way in safety as long as you don't over torque the stem clamp bolts.
UDMATBK.jpg
 
Given how long I keep bikes I might never have a carbon frame. My old bike is steel cause pretty much that's all you could get back then (maybe there was other materials but they would have been ridiculously expensive) and my "new one" is Al, a CAAD-10. I'll need a third bike if/when we get a place up in WA but right now I'm not sure what that will be. It will depend somewhat on where we are if we get a place. I've never owned a MTB and the bike will be both for transportation and exercise. If I'm near some trails I might get a gravel bike since I am more used to that geometry having been riding rode bikes for 50 years. But I'll probably ask some of the shops up there what they suggest before I buy anything
 
sunvalleylaw said:
Thanks. Picked up a set of 25's for the Merckx. I don't think a 28 would fit, or I might have tried those.
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25's are fine. That's what I bought and use during most of the year when the rides are fast and warm. I don't think 28's would fit that frame.
 
First retaping of handlebars today for me. I bought some cheap cork-like tape of ebay for the job. $3.50 a package. I figured I'd use the cheap stuff and if I messed it up too bad it wouldn't cost much. Seems it came out ok thanks to some of the videos I watched even though none of them were specific to an old bike like mine without integrated shifter/brakes. I'll find out after a few weeks if I really did an adequate job or not. The tape did not have adhesive backing which was a good thing I think since I did need to restart the first attempt after I overlapped too much. Only problem was the plugs provided didn't seem to work. I think I might have not left enough over the end of the bars and the tape was too thick/not flexible enough to be pushed in. But I had the old plugs that had a rubber diaphragm that could be screwed in tight and that seemed to work.
 
Well I rode the bike today and it "feels" ok so I think I did. I tried to follow the advice on the videos though none of them were for bars like mine (early 80's). The tape does feel a lot different first because it's not old and all beat up but also the old tape was like a faux leather and was quite thin. This stuff is much thicker and so the ridges are noticeable. It held together for the ride so that's a good thing. This bike doesn't get used on long rides so if I didn't to it perfect I might still not notice
 
sunvalleylaw said:
PICS!!! RIGHT NOW!!!! I want to see a campi equipped bianchi. My thoughts are good on ya! Just get it all tuned up and adjusted and properly lubed if it has been neglected or needs it (such a hubs, bottom bracket, cable housings for smooth shifting, etc.) and then just ride it! As far as a reasonable rate, depends on condition and model. Maybe look at completed listings on ebay to get a sense?
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So the housemate ended up just giving me the bike in exchange for cat sitting. sucker! I'd hang out with the cat for free! (joking, she's just a super nice person).

way-back-when requested pic of bike:

SSG2kkN.jpg


dog butt for scale(?)

waaaay nicer than any bike this non-biker person has ever owned.
 
yabba said:
So the housemate ended up just giving me the bike in exchange for cat sitting. sucker! I'd hang out with the cat for free! (joking, she's just a super nice person).

way-back-when requested pic of bike:

SSG2kkN.jpg


dog butt for scale(?)

waaaay nicer than any bike this non-biker person has ever owned.
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nice. Looks like aluminum frame, brake lever shifters so it has to be late nineties, funky looking fork (maybe carbon fiber, or steel?). Looks like a 58 - 61cm. "She" must be really tall.
 
rickenvox said:
nice. Looks like aluminum frame, brake lever shifters so it has to be late nineties, funky looking fork (maybe carbon fiber, or steel?). Looks like a 58 - 61cm. "She" must be really tall.
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I thought Eroses were all supposedly steel frames, but it does seem very light to me. Carbon fiber fork. She's probably about 6', but this was her ex's, who's my height (6'6"). I still haven't ridden it more than 20 minutes, but I'm looking forward to warmer weather
 
yabba said:
I thought Eroses were all supposedly steel frames, but it does seem very light to me. Carbon fiber fork. She's probably about 6', but this was her ex's, who's my height (6'6"). I still haven't ridden it more than 20 minutes, but I'm looking forward to warmer weather
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yep steel. just looked it up. they're pretty light. Steel is actually a much better ride than aluminum, just not as light. They seem to hold a decent value also. Have fun, looks like a great bike.
 
Anybody have or tried Bont shoes? On an epic quest to find mountain shoes that fit my super wide feet and aren't stupid expensive. A seller has wide Riots with free returns on ebay. Thing is they sound super stiff and unlikely to fit well without molding, which I can't afford to bother with.
 
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