+1 on the Nashbar thing. I used to go to their store in NoVA and pick thru the sale barge. DAMHIK Dura Ace 6-7-8sp DT shifters only work with D/A rear derailleurs. THAT was a spendy mistake! I like to surf www.chucksbikes.com and www.pricepoint.com too. Check em out. M
-umptybillion style points basically. There's nothing wrong with em, they're just not cool. AND the shoes aren't as light, or as stiff (in general) as dedicated road shoes. M
A little advice please. Not that there is any shortage of that around here... I am looking for a new bike. It will stay on pavement 99% of the time. The other 1% will be hardpack, flat trails. I will be pulling a Burley trailer with my 1 year old in it about 50% of the time. Currently I am riding a 1992 Trek 820 mountain bike. I have taken decent care of it but it is showing its age. So, I have narrowed it down to 2 bikes that should do everything I want. Trek 7.3 FX: The picture shows it with disc brakes but the one I want has standard brakes. or Specialized Sirrus:
Trust me on this, if you're going to be pulling a trailer at all, get the one with discs. I've pulled our double trailer loaded up with 60lbs of sprog using both my Trek Cross bike (rim brakes) and my 5" travel Santa Cruz Heckler (hydraulic discs). I now gladly put up with the extra weight of the full suspension bike to get the braking ability of the discs. You don't have to spend a lot of money to get discs. Mechanical Avid or Hayes would be fine, but You won't want to ride without them once you have them.
I have regular brakes right now and I can't say I have ever felt the need for anything better since I stopped riding like a maniac. Is this something that I just don't know what I am missing?
that pretty well sez it. Clean or dirty Wet or dry Allatime same braking. As an added bonus, your rims will never wear out! M
Its like right now you're perfectly happy without bacon. Then you taste bacon, and things are never the same.
Actually, its surprising what you can get up and down on a FG BECAUSE YOU HAVE NO CHOICE! I've BTDT... used to commute on a FG bike. ~60min ea way. Up and down some decent sized hills! (Alexandria/King's Park to Ffx Circle if yer wondering.) M
I hit the neighbourhood of 170 rpm on a good day going down the hill. Going up hill is like 5 mph and around 20 rpm. I have brakes. Ideally I try to stay clear from LONG 10% hills, but I climb pretty between up to 7 % @ at 10-12 mph. Going on rolling hills is the most fun since it forces you to pedal all the time and not to loose any momentum. It is enough for me ... but most road riders think i am stoopitd. I can go 35 miles hanging with the b+ groups pretty well in rolling terrain without throwing a lung or a heart valve, and I used to commute 12 miles each way. It is not as efficient as a geared bike, but it beats the crap out of my hybrid (collecting dust right now) on SE PENNA rolling hills. .... yes ... I have freaking huge calves because the no gearing.
Trying to justify getting one more bike. . . Saw it at REI, reckon it could be an inexpensive grocery getter.
Isn't the low control speed on the FG nice? ... I love the no choice / no need to fiddle with some mechanism for a change. Back to simpler things in life ... at least on the bicycle
Yeah, go with the discs. I tried them once and immediately regretted trying them. Even if you aren't hauling a trailer, the first time you get out in the rain or post-rain puddles you're gonna like 'em. Damn discs.
TREK Still made in the good 'ole USA, I believe Wisconsin? Not sure but I know it's one of them Farming states. I think Gary Fisher's (Mountain Bikes) are also still made here (at least mine is and it's a 2000 model) I have no clue about what makes a good road bike, I've been riding Mountain Bikes for the last 18yrs (BMX Huffy's before that) started with a 5spd Mongoose, 18spd Univega, 21spd Schwinn, 21spd Giant and now my Fisher Marlin. I totally Love my Gary Fisher it's the best Bike I've ever ridden even though the Componetry isn't that great the frame geometry makes the bike more enjoyable than the top of the line Hardtails I've ridden. I hope to start riding regulary again soon, I've been feeling much the same way you have. I fixed my bike 2months ago but it seems like I've either been out of town or busy with some other shit and not been able to hit the trails. Hopefully after I move I'll be able to get out more often.
