Bicycle Fans - official thread for people who love riding th

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  • andyj1984
    andyj1984 Posts: 76
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    I just spent the last hour at work planning my weekend bike ride, I'm aiming to do about 30miles on Saturday, stopping for lunch etc... Should be great fun, its a mix of small country roads, busier roads, as well as about 15miles cross country :) I can't wait!

    I have also decided next month to buy a new bike, with an aluminium frame, will probably spend quite a bit, since I would love a really nice MTB. Haven't decided whether to get a full suspension or a hardtail. I think a hardtail like my current bike might be best. Anyone got any opinions on this?

    The world has gone the way of the full suspension mountain bike, but I am old fashioned. I love hardtails, and I prefer 26" wheels over the current rage of 29'ers. The full suspension rigs and 29'ers roll over things easier, but a well done 26" hardtail is a dream to ride, especially since you do have to go uphill some of the time. I have owned full suspension but I'm back on a hardtail now. Part of it is money. If you can afford a top end full suspension go for it. But if every dollar counts the hardtail provides better value at the lower end. But I was mountain biking before there was even front suspension, so maybe I am just too old! You can take my thoughts with an aged grain of salt.

    Thankyou,

    I am leaning towards getting another hardtail... I'll be spending about £500, which is about $750 I guess? I think owning a really nice bike is the way forward for me, since biking is my preferred form of exercise, and it would be great to own a 'proper' high-end mountain bike :)

    I already have a biking holiday planned for the summer! I'll be booking a week off work, grabing my tent and going off for a few days on my bike! I can't wait
  • BryanAir
    BryanAir Posts: 434
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    I just spent the last hour at work planning my weekend bike ride, I'm aiming to do about 30miles on Saturday, stopping for lunch etc... Should be great fun, its a mix of small country roads, busier roads, as well as about 15miles cross country :) I can't wait!

    I have also decided next month to buy a new bike, with an aluminium frame, will probably spend quite a bit, since I would love a really nice MTB. Haven't decided whether to get a full suspension or a hardtail. I think a hardtail like my current bike might be best. Anyone got any opinions on this?

    The world has gone the way of the full suspension mountain bike, but I am old fashioned. I love hardtails, and I prefer 26" wheels over the current rage of 29'ers. The full suspension rigs and 29'ers roll over things easier, but a well done 26" hardtail is a dream to ride, especially since you do have to go uphill some of the time. I have owned full suspension but I'm back on a hardtail now. Part of it is money. If you can afford a top end full suspension go for it. But if every dollar counts the hardtail provides better value at the lower end. But I was mountain biking before there was even front suspension, so maybe I am just too old! You can take my thoughts with an aged grain of salt.

    Thankyou,

    I am leaning towards getting another hardtail... I'll be spending about £500, which is about $750 I guess? I think owning a really nice bike is the way forward for me, since biking is my preferred form of exercise, and it would be great to own a 'proper' high-end mountain bike :)

    I already have a biking holiday planned for the summer! I'll be booking a week off work, grabing my tent and going off for a few days on my bike! I can't wait

    I'm going to be buying a new mountain bike this summer. I was leaning towards a hardtail, but the more I've been reading the more I am leaning towards full suspension. I don't think I'll make my final decision until I get to the bike shop, see what they have that fits me (I'm 6'5") and give them a good test ride.
  • j3nic3
    j3nic3 Posts: 220 Member
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    Loving biking!


    I currently own ONLY one bike, a 2008 Specialized Women's Crossroad. I have it set up with my Mag trainer. I used to have a Giant Pistol for mt biking, but sold it since I was pregnant and the bike was way too heavy. I'm just trying to get back into shape after having my daughter, and hopefully I can get back into mt biking soon, I'd definitely be looking into getting another Giant mtb. My bf has the 2009 Giant Trance and he loves it, I love it too, but it's way too big for me. lol
  • badblood
    badblood Posts: 43 Member
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    Hard tails are great, but as I get older and things start to ache without doing anything full Suss is kinder to the body. If you start doing some serious off roading then you can afford the odd mistake and not get hurt. I had a lovely Yeti 575 until last year when it was sadly sold. I am on an old GT Aggressor while I save for a new one. Feel free to add me
  • janesmith1
    janesmith1 Posts: 1,511 Member
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    I'm looking at Weather Underground for the weather this weekend. I really want to go out for another long wonderful bike ride with a packed lunch and some water bottles....heavenly.
  • andyj1984
    andyj1984 Posts: 76
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    I said I was going to buy a new bike next month...well I broke down and baught it today! It's a Giant Revel 0, with hydraulic disc brakes, aluminium frame, and shimano gears. It looks and feels fantastic... and now I'm off for a 20mile bike ride on it! I'm thinking of calling her Sarah! LOL. I can already feel a bond. Oh, its a 26" hardtail as well :)
  • RunRideRay
    RunRideRay Posts: 1,536 Member
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    Let's all sing along "bi--cycle, bi--cycle, bi--cycle, I want to ride my bi-CYCLE.... " if you don't get it, search "queen" and "bicycle race" on youtube...classic stuff.

    Sign me up, I have fallen in love with my new bike, a fixie road bike. I was a nay-sayer for sooo long, about fixies, but wow was I wrong. So much fun and what a workout too. I'll hang out here too, I've got a garage full of em and ride all year.

    My name is Ray, and I am a bicycle addict
  • johnwhitent
    johnwhitent Posts: 648 Member
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    I said I was going to buy a new bike next month...well I broke down and baught it today! It's a Giant Revel 0, with hydraulic disc brakes, aluminium frame, and shimano gears. It looks and feels fantastic... and now I'm off for a 20mile bike ride on it! I'm thinking of calling her Sarah! LOL. I can already feel a bond. Oh, its a 26" hardtail as well :)

    Good for you! I looked up the Giant Revel online - good looking bike. I'm sure you will get years of use and more importantly create many lifetime memories while having so much fun that the fitness benefits come as a free extra. Everybody has their own different favorite bike, that makes it fun. But I'm with you, 26" hardtails rule!
  • andyj1984
    andyj1984 Posts: 76
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    I said I was going to buy a new bike next month...well I broke down and baught it today! It's a Giant Revel 0, with hydraulic disc brakes, aluminium frame, and shimano gears. It looks and feels fantastic... and now I'm off for a 20mile bike ride on it! I'm thinking of calling her Sarah! LOL. I can already feel a bond. Oh, its a 26" hardtail as well :)

    Good for you! I looked up the Giant Revel online - good looking bike. I'm sure you will get years of use and more importantly create many lifetime memories while having so much fun that the fitness benefits come as a free extra. Everybody has their own different favorite bike, that makes it fun. But I'm with you, 26" hardtails rule!

    Just got back from a 15 miles ride on her, she handles sooooo smoothly! My old bike is a steel frame bargain bike, this one feels like a 'proper' mountain bike. So nimble and light, and you can go so much faster on her as well! Did about 5 miles on roads, and about 10 miles off-road, including some pretty steep hills :) I'm in love! Though the back end did step out on me a couple of times on the roughest part of the trail! I think she was just trying to scare me (I was only averaging about 12mph...)

    On a side note, has anyone used Endomondo? Its an application for Android phones (maybe iPhones as well, I don't know), which uses the GPS in the phone to track your exercise activity. Its a great application, since it gives you mile by mile updates (via speech), telling you what the total distance you have traveled is, along with your time for the last mile. Keeps you on track if you have a set goal (eg 1 mile/6 minutes). It even tells you calories burned, though I take that with a big pinch of salt! (metaphorical salt, since we all have to watch our sodium level LOL).
  • RunRideRay
    RunRideRay Posts: 1,536 Member
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    Great ride!!! A new rig is always fun to ride.

    Hey, ANYONE CAN FRIEND ME, I have sent a few out but it would be great to keep this thread rolling... pun intended. Don't be shy, send it, we'll get along.

    Not to be labeled here as a gadget freak, but I have a Garmin Edge 605 and love it. Yes, a bit pricey, but no wires, having maps, and downloading the data is awesome. I love looking at epic rides and having an elevation gain summary, for example.

    For those roadies... here is a classic link of the "rules" funny stuff. It took me 10 years to learn this, and heck, still learning.
    http://www.velominati.com/blog/the-rules/#7

    For the recreational folks, no worries, don't be intimidated by big chainrings or pricey bikes..... This should be a bike community place, we can all get along.

    If you did not click the link... I love rule 12

    "The minimum number of bikes one should own is three. The correct number is n+1, where n is the number of bikes currently owned. This equation may also be re-written as s-1, where s is the number of bikes owned that would result in separation from your partner."
  • baldzach
    baldzach Posts: 1,841 Member
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    Cycling isn't my only form of exercise, but it's probably my favorite. I've done a couple of criterium races and plan on entering my first stage race in August on the weekend of my 37th birthday. It's a 3-stage, 2-day event with a crit, a time trial, and a road race. Should be AWESOME. Also done a couple of triathlons and plan on possibly doing a 70.3 next year... with any luck! Got to get the swimming down first.
  • sillygoose1977
    sillygoose1977 Posts: 2,151 Member
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    I got out on my new bike yesterday too. I love it but it will take getting used to the new positioning. I didn't fall once trying to clip out, I know I will though, in front of a bunch of hot guys I'm sure. The weather is supposed to suck this Saturday which puts a huge damper on my scheduled ride. I guess it's ok since we desperately need the rain.

    I also took my first spinning class this week and it rocked my world. It is going to be a huge help for me.
  • janesmith1
    janesmith1 Posts: 1,511 Member
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    I ♥ this thread so much. Just wanted to quickly add something, in case there's some lurkers out there. If you can't afford one of the bikes from a real bike shop Walmart has bikes that are like $89 and $99 made in China I think. Heck my Marin bike was made in Taiwan....

    Here's the direct link
    http://www.walmart.com/browse/Bikes-Riding-Toys/Bikes/_/N-5l80?browsein=true&ic=48_0&path=0:4171&ref=+260784&refineresult=true&fromPageCatId=133073&catNavId=133073

    And now with petrol going up in the USA to $5+ it's a good time to start riding! :))
  • BryanAir
    BryanAir Posts: 434
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    I have set my goal for the rest of the year to ride the equivalent of San Francisco to NYC via I-80, mostly though my 20 mile roundtrip commute to work and riding on the weekend. I started on Saturday and I am currently at Colfax, CA and hope to hit Truckee by the end of the weekend.
  • j3nic3
    j3nic3 Posts: 220 Member
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    I ♥ this thread so much. Just wanted to quickly add something, in case there's some lurkers out there. If you can't afford one of the bikes from a real bike shop Walmart has bikes that are like $89 and $99 made in China I think. Heck my Marin bike was made in Taiwan....

    Here's the direct link
    http://www.walmart.com/browse/Bikes-Riding-Toys/Bikes/_/N-5l80?browsein=true&ic=48_0&path=0:4171&ref=+260784&refineresult=true&fromPageCatId=133073&catNavId=133073

    And now with petrol going up in the USA to $5+ it's a good time to start riding! :))


    Craigslist also has great deals on good bikes.
  • baldzach
    baldzach Posts: 1,841 Member
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    If you have a couple hundred $$, try bikesdirect.com, great deals there on quality bikes.
  • sillygoose1977
    sillygoose1977 Posts: 2,151 Member
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    I ♥ this thread so much. Just wanted to quickly add something, in case there's some lurkers out there. If you can't afford one of the bikes from a real bike shop Walmart has bikes that are like $89 and $99 made in China I think. Heck my Marin bike was made in Taiwan....

    Here's the direct link
    http://www.walmart.com/browse/Bikes-Riding-Toys/Bikes/_/N-5l80?browsein=true&ic=48_0&path=0:4171&ref=+260784&refineresult=true&fromPageCatId=133073&catNavId=133073

    And now with petrol going up in the USA to $5+ it's a good time to start riding! :))


    Craigslist also has great deals on good bikes.

    I would have to recommend Craigslist too. Even my 8 year old hates her Walmart bike in favor of her Trek. And Craigslist is great for finding everything. I even found my boyfriend there. Our first date was a bike ride!
  • j3nic3
    j3nic3 Posts: 220 Member
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    I would have to recommend Craigslist too. Even my 8 year old hates her Walmart bike in favor of her Trek. And Craigslist is great for finding everything. I even found my boyfriend there. Our first date was a bike ride!

    I've found Walmart bikes to be heavier than even downhill bikes, so I totally agree with your 8 year old! lol <3 Craigslist!
  • j3nic3
    j3nic3 Posts: 220 Member
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    If you have a couple hundred $$, try bikesdirect.com, great deals there on quality bikes.

    Or Jensonusa.com
  • cucoyannie
    cucoyannie Posts: 39
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    are you riding to kate and william's wedding!
    enjoy!

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