Bicycle thread

[YakSpout]

I've been running Polar bottles for a couple years. They're awesome during the summer in SoCal. I fill one of them about 1/4 full and put it in the freezer the night before the ride. In the morning before I leave, I fill both of them with chilled water from the fridge. The bottle with just water stays cold for the first 90min or so, and the other bottle stays cold until I get home. Not too bad unless it's so hot or I ride so long that I need to fill up at a drinking fountain.

You can use just water, Nuun tabs, Accelerade, Hammer, whatever in them as well. Just clean them as soon as you get home to avoid nastiness.

Regarding cage issues that I've found:

Plastic - never had an issue with them being too tight for a bottle, but they do flex a bit over rough pavement.

Carbonfiber - Only bought the cheaper ones, but they call seem to peel and delaminate after a couple months.

Steel - Eventually stretch out and lose the ability to hold a bottle tight even after bending them back in place.

YMMV

[mud]

Cages?

King

[ducnut]

Originally Posted by Oznerol

I keep meaning to start doing the same -- to carry them along and put them in before descents. The windblast can get pretty loud, and my hearing is bad enough already.

My hearing is beyond bad. Now, I'm just trying to save what I have left. Earplugs make a ride so much more peaceful, especially living amongst flat farmland where there is no windblock.

Originally Posted by YakSpout

Carbonfiber - Only bought the cheaper ones, but they call seem to peel and delaminate after a couple months.

I have four Zipp cages that are 4yrs old. They look brand-new. Like their wheels; expensive, but, worth it.

[RxZ]

Well, the sun is now setting earlier and in a few weeks once the time changes it will be dark by 1730 which is the earliest I can get to the trail. What is everyone using for headlights on their MTB? I would use the lights for trail riding, no road use. I am not looking for the stuff the pro racers have on their rigs, just a good mix of price and function. I have heard good things about MagicShine, but are they the cat's meow, or are there other brands just as effective? Any brands/models I should stay away from?

I am really enjoying MTBing, and I do not want to give it up through the winter. It doesn't get too cold to ride here that often, but available light will be an issue with the sun setting so early now.

Thanks in advance.

[ducnut]

Originally Posted by RxZ

Well, the sun is now setting earlier and in a few weeks once the time changes it will be dark by 1730 which is the earliest I can get to the trail. What is everyone using for headlights on their MTB? I would use the lights for trail riding, no road use. I am not looking for the stuff the pro racers have on their rigs, just a good mix of price and function. I have heard good things about MagicShine, but are they the cat's meow, or are there other brands just as effective? Any brands/models I should stay away from?

I am really enjoying MTBing, and I do not want to give it up through the winter. It doesn't get too cold to ride here that often, but available light will be an issue with the sun setting so early now.

Thanks in advance.

Look here. They work really well, for the money.

[Ridge]

Originally Posted by ducnut

Look here. They work really well, for the money.

I strongly second the Magicshine.

[TheNedster]

Originally Posted by Ridge

I strongly second the Magicshine.

Thirded. I have one of their 1000 lumen lights with the extended life battery pack from GeoManGear. Works great!

[CatfishRacing]

From the GeoManGear.com website.

"On April 6, 2012 GeoManGear stopped sales and closed its virtual doors.

On July 6, 2012 we ceased all operations.

Despite our best efforts we are not able to continue in business.

We want to thank all of our loyal, devoted, and fanatical customers from the bottom of our hearts. You have all been great supporters of GeoManGear over the years and we are going to miss you.

Thanks from the GeoManGear Team!"

Originally Posted by TheNedster

Thirded. I have one of their 1000 lumen lights with the extended life battery pack from GeoManGear. Works great!

[TheNedster]

Bummer. That high-capacity battery pack they put together really makes a difference on longer rides.

[brianwheelies]

I wish someone made a hard tank that mounted to the two sets of bottle cage mounts with a quick release and a long straw that was a hydration pack.

Fill it up for the beginning of the ride and be good for hours. Couple of snaps or straps to remove, fill with soapy water, shake and rinse. Reinstall for the next ride.

Weight is low and out of the way. Triangular shape means the straw will always bottom out.

Does such a device exist?

Looking at all of the bottle cages and bottles is numbing my grey material.

[Gummee!]

Originally Posted by brianwheelies

I wish someone made a hard tank that mounted to the two sets of bottle cage mounts with a quick release and a long straw that was a hydration pack.

Fill it up for the beginning of the ride and be good for hours. Couple of snaps or straps to remove, fill with soapy water, shake and rinse. Reinstall for the next ride.

Weight is low and out of the way. Triangular shape means the straw will always bottom out.

Does such a device exist?

Looking at all of the bottle cages and bottles is numbing my grey material.

Which bike is it going to fit? None of em are what you'd call 'standard.'

If you want something like that, your best bet is to build it to fit your bike.

M

[Brek81]

Try a custom frame pack with a hydration bladder?

[Ridge]

Originally Posted by brianwheelies

I wish someone made a hard tank that mounted to the two sets of bottle cage mounts with a quick release and a long straw that was a hydration pack.

Fill it up for the beginning of the ride and be good for hours. Couple of snaps or straps to remove, fill with soapy water, shake and rinse. Reinstall for the next ride.

Weight is low and out of the way. Triangular shape means the straw will always bottom out.

Does such a device exist?

Looking at all of the bottle cages and bottles is numbing my grey material.

http://www.showerspass.com/veleau-1

Sent from my intergalactic space modulator using tapatalk

[Aurelius]

A local mountain biker I know finally bought his first roadbike, a Trek Madone 5.9. This guy works out with weights and has massive leg muscles coupled with tremendous endurance, and a body fat percentage of 7%. I assumed that because of all this, he'd be winning all the KOM's in the area, but so far his best placings have been 4th and 8th place on the leader board - losing out to riders who don't look to be in better shape than the average person. These KOM's consist of sprints or hill climbs, which don't require skill, just strength and endurance - which he has in spades. So why wouldn't someone who has his degree of physical development and a fast bike like the Madone 5.9 be able to easily outrun everyone else in these kinds of 'races'?

[neanderthal]

Originally Posted by Aurelius

A local mountain biker I know finally bought his first roadbike, a Trek Madone 5.9. This guy works out with weights and has massive leg muscles coupled with tremendous endurance, and a body fat percentage of 7%. I assumed that because of all this, he'd be winning all the KOM's in the area, but so far his best placings have been 4th and 8th place on the leader board - losing out to riders who don't look to be in better shape than the average person. These KOM's consist of sprints or hill climbs, which don't require skill, just strength and endurance - which he has in spades. So why wouldn't someone who has his degree of physical development and a fast bike like the Madone 5.9 be able to easily outrun everyone else in these kinds of 'races'?

Physical attributes aren't everything. Large muscles often look strong, but may be eclipsed by someone with smaller but stronger (maybe more efficient) muscles.

Growing up in Zimbabwe we had a very macho culture in high school. I went to an all male boarding school. We had big rugby players, water polo players, basketball players etc, who all played for Zim schools in their respective sports. Guys who had to run, jump and lift in their sports.


Who had the best record for the leg press? A skinny triple jumper.....

Granted, he couldn't squat as much as the others but you have to consider that the squat employs a lot of upper body muscles as well. But when it came down to strictly leg strength, He was peerless.