[Rclark]

I'm a big mud flap/fender fan - they also make it nicer to ride with others in the wet.  I'm a retro kind of guy, so I went with leather/metal combo.



Jim C

I actually prefer the plastic flaps that come straight back and dont hug the tire like the metal ones. Cheaper too.

Nice looking bike!

I've been commuting daily and it's about the most pleasant thing ever, rain or shine. Tomorrow I'm going to pull everything off and do a workout, hoping to hit 35 miles this time. Getting back into shape slowly.

[bunnyma357]

Ergonomics is about more than just efficiency. Avoiding strain and repetitive stress injuries is even more important, especially at our age.
Brooks saddles are wonderful, I'd like one on titanium rails, maybe one day. I currently ride on a Terry men's Fly Ti (ergonomic), more comfortable than any other saddle I've ever ridden with no numbness or dumbness.

The one counter-intuitive thing about having the saddle nose slightly more up than the rear, is that for a rider like me, it removes any pressure on the prostate - since you end up sitting firmly on the back of the saddle on your sit bones.  There is actually less contact and pressure from the nose of the saddle than when the saddle is level or tilted down.


Jim C

[Rclark]

 My buddy is convincing me I need a fixed gear bike to really get into shape. Any of you ride one?

[bunnyma357]

My buddy is convincing me I need a fixed gear bike to really get into shape. Any of you ride one?

I have a fixie conversion - most fun bike I own. It's also the fastest for me, since you have to sprint up the hills, rather than drop into an easier gear & spin. You really learn a lot about how to manage the terrain to maximize your momentum - plus you develop a great spin keeping up on the downhills. It's my bike of choice for everything, but mountain biking or road riding in serious mountains - works fine for rolling hills and moderate climbs.

It's really easy to convert older bikes with horizontal dropouts - so it can be a very inexpensive thing to try. Mine would make the bike messengers cringe, since I kept both front & rear brakes.

Added benefits I hadn't planned on:

- It totally recaptures the spirit of being a kid & just getting on your bike & riding
- It's silent - no clicking pawls - makes for much more meditative riding
- Requires practically zero maintenance
- No coasting is actually more enjoyable
- You learn how to really use the handle bars for leverage to help in transferring force to the pedals on climbs - probably would translate well to improving sprinting skills

Just be careful with doing maintenance - it is possible to lose a finger tip, if you get it stuck between the cog & chain - it won't stop like a freewheel. Not something that is likely to happen, you just need to have some awareness, and avoid distractions.

Jim C



And here is the same bike from a few posts ago when I had it set up as a fixie.

[jackman]

Fixed gear bikes are fun but I've got bad knees and grinding big gears is not worth the pain for me.  I've tried single speed bikes but think I'll stick with my gears.  Even with the relatively small hills around here, I appreciate gears. 

My next bike is going to be a cyclecross bike.  Need something good on the gravel and dirt, but without the small wheels and front shock of my MTB.  XCross bikes are a blast and you can ride them on the road.  My fast riding friends often take their cross bikes with road tires on long group rides.  Even though these bikes are a bit heavier, they have no problem kicking my butt.

Lastly - anyone riding with a Garmin Edge 500 and power meter should upgrade to the new Garmin software.  It has more power training options and additional screens.  Haven't ridden with the new softward but my friends really like it. 

[Rclark]

@Bunnyma

 Yeah my buddy and I talked for a couple hours about this last night and I am totally sold on the concept. It would be strictly a workout tool for me (and a lot of fun!)
 
 What do you think of this one? $350 shipped! Good reviews. The cool thing about fixed gears is the low price on a lot of them due to their basic simplicity. Which is kind of ironic.

http://www.roadbikeoutlet.com/gavin-fisso-singlespeed-fixed-gear-bike.html



@Jackman.

 I feel you. That's why my main rig is a mountain bike (no suspension, suspension saps road speed imo) with road tires. Stout, burly, can plow right through bad terrain, yet nimble and fast over flat road. I love cruising the city, exploring, finding monster hills to climb, hopping curbs, siteseeing, etc, etc, long distance workouts, I love it. I love the extra weight, it makes me stronger, and is more satisfying when I outrun road bikes on my runs.

[chip]

Anyone have suggestions for a street tire to go on a Mt Bike. I don't hit the trails as much but still ride it on the road.

[LadyDog]

Chip,
Been a year or so since I had a road tire'd atb, but the Continental City Contact was some good rubber.

[Rclark]

I think you'll enjoy it when you do that. A mountain bike road tire has a nice fat profile so you can really carve turns hard.

[bunnyma357]

 What do you think of this one? $350 shipped! Good reviews. The cool thing about fixed gears is the low price on a lot of them due to their basic simplicity. Which is kind of ironic.

http://www.roadbikeoutlet.com/gavin-fisso-singlespeed-fixed-gear-bike.html

The bike looks nice, I'm a fan of steel frames, and the bull horn bars seem to be the most popular - I also like that it has both brakes. It also looks like it includes waterbottle bosses, which is nice. At that price it seems like it would be hard to go wrong.

The photo of the rear hub looks like it shows a freewheel rather than a fixed cog - it says it is a flip/flop hub, but I'd check to make sure both the freewheel and fixed cog are included.

Personally, there are a few reasons I prefer a conversion over a true fixie, that I'll list those just to give some perspective - but I think for your purpose the linked bike would be great.

- Broader choice of geometry - new fixies tend to be pretty aggressive geometry and can be twitchy for commuting, a converted road bike or tourer can be a lot more stable and less quick.

- I like a chain guard, since I'll ride in street clothes, with a conversion you can put the guard where the big chainring was. New Fixies can are designed to only have one chainring.

- I like to be able to easily adjust stem height, and an older quill stem makes that much easier than a threadless headset.

- I prefer horizontal dropouts over track ends for commuting, the wheel is removed by sliding it towards the middle of the bike, so it can be removed with fenders and racks in place. With track ends the wheel is removed by sliding it towards the the rear and you may have to remove accessories.


Jim C

[jackman]

Chip,
Been a year or so since I had a road tire'd atb, but the Continental City Contact was some good rubber.

What he said!  These are nice, durable tires for city riding.  If you want something oriented towards road riding for your MTB, Conti makes a couple other models like Gatorskins and, if you are daring, Grand Prix.  The Grand Prix are softer and not as durable but I use them on my road bike and love them.  They are lightweight, have low rolling resistance and have a great ride on hard surfaces.  Not good for off-road!  Oh, and they are expensive. 

I've got Tom Slick's on my wife's bike (aka, my backup street bike) and they are decent all-around tires.  Good for MUP, streets and general city riding.  Not a good off-road tire but it's a slick.  No slick is good off road.

[LadyDog]

Not a lot of activity here lately.  Me included.  It has been so hot and humid, very limited motivation and miles for me.  A new bike purchase though.  Wanted a "hey let's take a bike ride kid's" bike.  In typical fashion, sure I will make some mild upgrades(post, saddle, maybe new wheels).

[JoshK]

been riding my Trek steely SS around town a lot since the weather warmed up.   Got one ride off road, have yet to take the roadie out but I think I might know where to now.

[Rclark]

 Nice!

 My buddy Josh and I have decided to both get fixies in July. I'm getting that Gavin Fisso, seems to be a nice ride, and he's getting a Norco Heart. He works in a bike shop, big nerd, he's actually getting ready to create his own bikes with his own brand.

 Anyway, after all I've heard about these things, looking forward to some rock hard leg muscles. Should be a nice summer.

[Levi]

I am liking the BAR FLY for now.   

[zybar]

Levi,

Which Cervelo model is that?

I did a little 20 minute ride on a S5 with electronic shifting over the weekend and thought it was a damn nice bike.

George

[LadyDog]

Thinking Levi rides a tricked out R3?

[Levi]

I love my Cervelo R3.


Picture taken at Cornell ER

[zybar]

Below is my current bike (a 12 year old chrome molly Bianchi hybrid).

While she is heavy and not exactly the fastest bike out there, she is comfortable and I have no problems riding for a couple of hours in one shot or 4-5 times per week.




George

[tvad4]

I own a Cervelo R3 just like Levi's. It's for sale.

Here's the link:
http://classifieds.roadbikereview.com/showproduct.php?product=29014&title=2010-cervelo-r3-frame-2c-fork-2c-seatpost-and-stem56cm&cat=5