The bicycle thread

[8tg]

4 minutes ago, RollyShed said:

Looking at the previous pictures of your bike, are you very short? The seat looked very low.

Also toe clips might help. I dislike immensely riding without them.

They do not need to be tight and even those without straps help a lot.

I am 6’3”, the cannondale is a 29” with an xl frame and the se is also a 29” bike

 

[RollyShed]

35 minutes ago, 8tg said:

I am 6’3”, the cannondale is a 29” with an xl frame and the se is also a 29” bike

 

Possibly the angle the picture was taken. However, sitting on the seat, one pedal fully down, is your leg, to that pedal, straight?

This is the usual method of setting up seat height.

[YellowJersey]

2 hours ago, RollyShed said:

Possibly the angle the picture was taken. However, sitting on the seat, one pedal fully down, is your leg, to that pedal, straight?

This is the usual method of setting up seat height.

I generally go for a seat height that means on the down stroke I go just shy of a full leg extension.

No riding for me this week due to heavy smoke from nearby wild fires. :(

[RollyShed]

4 hours ago, YellowJersey said:

I generally go for a seat height that means on the down stroke I go just shy of a full leg extension.

No riding for me this week due to heavy smoke from nearby wild fires.

I should have said straight leg with heel on the pedal and because of the slight toe down that one does with the leg when pedalling it isn't absolutely straight.

 

Getting towards summer in the north so wild fires.....

[YellowJersey]

110km today in 5 hours and 11 minutes. Out for a holiday in BC so I rode from Invermere to Canal Flats and back. 710 meters of vertical. I'm glad the smoke cleared up enough to ride. Though, I had a headwind both ways as the wind changed direction after I turned around. The last 30km were pretty brutal. I also tried out my "cat ears" and I think they do a decent job of cutting down on the wind noise. Can recommend, given that they're pretty cheap.

Total this year: 537km

[8tg]

On 5/17/2023 at 8:54 PM, RollyShed said:

Possibly the angle the picture was taken. However, sitting on the seat, one pedal fully down, is your leg, to that pedal, straight?

This is the usual method of setting up seat height.

It’s pretty close, I don’t like hunching over on the bike at all, so it’s either bring the bars up or the seat down

the quadangle is pretty good for seating position imo

 

speaking of, today I took the quadangle on a 20+ mile ride

though spread into 2 sections, one where I got home and realized it was only 17 miles

and another to go get the last few miles in and exact my revenge when I found where the car that almost hit me was parked at

took some fancy pics

 

broke the law

 

and remembered there’s trails back here in the woods and I should go get the cannondale tomorrow to go see what kind of shape they’re in, last time I rode back there I was like, 12 years old

 

[8tg]

I’m also still not buying a helmet because I’m using risking my life riding dangerously around town at high speed ignoring traffic laws to harass my dad into getting back in shape

i stopped smoking, cut out all caffeine, changed up my diet, spent almost $4000 on bicycles so I could go exercise in the finest drip
And my dad is like, he used to work at a Schwinn store, he had all the coolest mountain bike shit of the 90’s, used to go bomb through the desert in Utah doing downhill

And now he’s 50, fat, eats like shit, won’t quit smoking and hasn’t exercised in two decades

but the bike nerd is still in there, he’s super upset I don’t have a helmet, I ate shit as a kid once and destroyed a helmet which is now on display as an educational piece at the local bike store, we have family friends who’s kids have died (plural, more than once) crashing in the streets here

 

so I told his ass I’ll go buy a helmet when he does the same things, and I’ll go ride with him

 

he bought a hutch 26” frame and fork:

and is going to put together a bike, at which point I’ll go buy a helmet and ride with him

he lives in the most bike accessible place I’ve ever fucking seen and isn’t taking advantage of it

dude lives with full sidewalk, side street and bike lane connections with a no hassle ride Into town where there’s every store and service imaginable, bike parking everywhere, parks everywhere, and can straight line to the beach:

they live in Edgewood
I am genuinely mad at him and both my parents tbh for not taking advantage of this, I would kill to be able to ride a mile and a half to the beach whenever the fuck I wanted 

[mdk777]

I spent 30 years in the Area, Valparaiso IN.

It was only when I left that I realized what an angry messed up region of the country it was.

 

Having broken my neck on a bicycle (while wearing a helmet) I can tell you that the last 40 years of my life has been unrelenting pain.

 

So, maybe you should really think about that whole attitude thing you have going.

 

People drive like bikes don't exist.

 

You are the only one who will loose, not the driver, not your dad.

 

Just saying....your death wish would be the best outcome.

More likely a lifetime of disability and bitterness about how incredibly stupid you were. 

[8tg]

28 minutes ago, mdk777 said:

People drive like bikes don't exist.

This is a lame take, remind bad drivers they suck in any context. I key cars when I almost get hit on my bike and flash guns on the highway when people tailgate me with their brights on. Normal processes do not work, take abnormal processes to get results.

That person will probably be a little more wary of how they drive around bikes or at least me, as will multiple people that probably don’t tailgate with their brights on anymore out of fear of catching a bullet in their engine block.

 

The more things like this occur, the more of an issue it becomes for drivers, the more they’re aware of it. The scale of fucking around versus finding out, nobody has even shown them the graph yet.

[RollyShed]

When helmets were first becoming available those available in this country were rubbish so I bought one in California, 1985, when I did the 3,500 km ride up the coast to Oregon and back down to SF.

 

As for handle bars up and seat down, definitely the wrong way. Seat up to suit your legs and then the handle bars where needed / wanted.

 

$4000 for a bike !!!!

My expensive one was about $400 second hand. It was the one taken to Singapore and up to Thailand. It is the one I use for commuting and getting the groceries. A really good one, hard to remember so far back, possibly $100 for the Claude Butler 531 frame. Wheels I used to build my own and gears, I set those up. Saddles - Brooks leather ones.

[mdk777]

10 hours ago, 8tg said:

This is a lame take, remind bad drivers they suck in any context. I key cars when I almost get hit on my bike and flash guns on the highway when people tailgate me with their brights on. Normal processes do not work, take abnormal processes to get results.

That person will probably be a little more wary of how they drive around bikes or at least me, as will multiple people that probably don’t tailgate with their brights on anymore out of fear of catching a bullet in their engine block.

 

The more things like this occur, the more of an issue it becomes for drivers, the more they’re aware of it. The scale of fucking around versus finding out, nobody has even shown them the graph yet.

The more things like this occur, the more likely you are to be shot in the back...you know Gary is but miles away right?

PS, if you flash a gun at a car, you have just given them the right to run you over.

"He pointed a gun at me and I gunned the gas to get away as fast as possible....no I didn't stop to render aid...I feared for my life"

Not only do you not understand vehicle right of way, you clearly do not understand gun laws....you are a walking talking Darwin Award waiting to happen.

 

[YellowJersey]

Getting the thread back on track: 102km today in 4 hours 40 minutes. Hit 63kmph going down a big hill.


Total this year: 639km

[RockSolid1106]

I'm amazed by how stupid people are but one of them here is just next level.

 

Anyways. School schedule is kinda tight, so I don't get much time to take care of my fitness. I decided I'd bike to school when it's dry so I could at least get some exercise. It's going to start raining in a month, so I'll have to use the car again, but hopefully it made a decent environmental difference to use the bike than my car for the last 8 months.

I also got a mirror installed to my bike to be able to see the traffic behind me, so I can overtake people and other stuff. I find it very beneficial as I don't have to keep looking back over my shoulder every few seconds. It eventually even comes as a habit to me now to check the mirror every few seconds.

And it's summer now so the temps are pretty high. Usually it's about 36C(when I have to ride the bike), so I try to ride slow, in first/third gear(the road has a slight incline). I don't think there's much I can do other than ride slow tbh.

[seanondemand]

I spent most of 2022 away from home and my gear, so I learned just how fat and out of shape I got, between that and having our first kid. Even so, getting out on the MTB for the first time this season was a great day, aside from the smoke rolling in. I got about 800m of vertical in about 50km. I suspect @YellowJersey might know where this shot was…

[RollyShed]

4 hours ago, RockSolid1106 said:

I decided I'd bike to school when it's dry so I could at least get some exercise. It's going to start raining in a month, so I'll have to use the car again,

And when I was twice(?) three times(?) your age I'd be riding when it was wet. Simply dress to keep dry.

Care needed to be taken on a frosty morning as black ice could be "interesting". Yes, came off a couple of times on that. Snow was an excuse not to ride or even go to work and it happened about once a decade.

 

As for fires in Canada, we are sending firefighters to help out.

[YellowJersey]

@RockSolid1106 I've actually become better at handling the heat as I get older. Last summer, I was riding in 30C and up temperatures and didn't have a problem so long as I kept hydrated. I used to have a lot harder time dealing with the heat.

@seanondemand Can't say I recognise that spot, but I'm usually on the road or paved bike paths, not mountain biking. Whereabouts was that? The haze certainly seems similar to the smoke we've had recently!

@RollyShed Always appreciate the help. Too bad our current government is, without wishing to get political, handling the situation in a manner that can only be described as, "atrocious." (We're in the middle of an election, so they're taking the opportunity to rubbish the other parties) I'm hoping it's not a super smokey summer this year. Waspinator has plans!

 No riding today as I've got to work (just on break atm), but I'm hoping either tomorrow or Friday for my next ride.

[seanondemand]

14 minutes ago, YellowJersey said:

Whereabouts was that?

That’s the viewpoint on Merlin View trail at West Bragg Creek! So yeah, that’s Saturday morning’s smoke. 

[YellowJersey]

40 minutes ago, seanondemand said:

That’s the viewpoint on Merlin View trail at West Bragg Creek! So yeah, that’s Saturday morning’s smoke. 

I haven't done much in the Bragg Creek area. Calgary's cycling infrastructure is so good that I usually only go outside the city if I'm doing a multi-day trip and, again, I'm using a road bike. Mountain biking terrifies me! I'll take trucks zooming by at 120kmph instead.

[adarw]

I've recently started biking, but my knees are just really bad, they hurt after short rides it's not even funny. any advice? 

[YellowJersey]

49 minutes ago, adarw said:

I've recently started biking, but my knees are just really bad, they hurt after short rides it's not even funny. any advice? 

The first thing that comes to mind is your seat height. Your seat should be high enough so that when you're riding, your legs make just shy of a full extension. A good way to check your seat height is to place your heel on the pedal; at proper seat height, your leg should make a full extension (just shy of a full extension while riding)

[RollyShed]

1 hour ago, adarw said:

I've recently started biking, but my knees are just really bad, they hurt after short rides it's not even funny. any advice? 

As YellowJersey says, seat height.

The next thing is gears. DON'T use a high gear, spin. Probably a good idea to get a speedometer and it should show that when you feel you are doing less work, you are actually going faster.

To help, get toe clips so your feet don't fall off the pedals. The straps don't need to be tight. I've ridden at times without straps.

[RockSolid1106]

17 hours ago, RollyShed said:

And when I was twice(?) three times(?) your age I'd be riding when it was wet. Simply dress to keep dry.

I have the rainwear, but the main issue is my backpack which isn't covered. I've used those covers for backpacks but they will leak in water from the part that touches my back(idk what that's called). I have some bicycle lights so that should help with me being visible in the bad rain too. I'll definitely try the bicycle for a few days and see how that works out with my backpack.

 

13 hours ago, YellowJersey said:

@RockSolid1106 I've actually become better at handling the heat as I get older. Last summer, I was riding in 30C and up temperatures and didn't have a problem so long as I kept hydrated. I used to have a lot harder time dealing with the heat.

That's interesting. I really only have problems when the sun is on me. If it's just hot out there but no direct sun I'm fine with that although it does get exhaustive quickly. I'm 18 if that makes a difference.

 

 

The road I use has quite a speed bumps and potholes and turns so I keep having to slow down and speed up. So I end up changing gears quite often, like, once every 5 seconds when I'm changing speed. All my friends say I change gears too often. I'm pretty good at knowing what gear I need for the speed and can change quickly too(little over a second to change gears on the front derailleur). Am I just paranoid or am I actually too frequent?

[seanondemand]

13 hours ago, YellowJersey said:

I haven't done much in the Bragg Creek area. Calgary's cycling infrastructure is so good that I usually only go outside the city if I'm doing a multi-day trip and, again, I'm using a road bike. Mountain biking terrifies me! I'll take trucks zooming by at 120kmph instead.

See, I’m the opposite, I find road riding around traffic literally exhausting, the feeling and the sound is just fatiguing to me, although I like cruising pathways and doing gravel riding. We got a chariot and towing that thing should be considered training, it’s a lot of work, I’ve got about 150k on it so far this year. Baby loves it though. 

[wONKEyeYEs]

On 5/20/2023 at 9:40 PM, 8tg said:

exact my revenge

All that does is to bring more negativity into the world.

Also your action was passive aggressive as I assume they were unaware of your keying actions.

A long time ago I decided that if I don't have the courage or fortitude to face a person and address my issues

I would not take any passive aggressive or hidden or unaccountable actions.

[RollyShed]

6 hours ago, RockSolid1106 said:

but the main issue is my backpack which isn't covered. I've used those covers for backpacks but they will leak in water from the part that touches my back (idk what that's called).

Backpack? I never use a backpack. I use a large saddle bag and if getting the groceries, panniers as well if a a large load. A desktop computer goes on the rack, admittedly not in the wet.

 

My panniers and saddle bag would be at least 40 years old and possibly done near a 100,000 km by now.

 

The saddle bag is this style though it doesn't use leather and not that price -

https://carradice.co.uk/shop/saddlebags/limited-edition-90th-anniversary-barley-saddlebag/?v=8e3eb2c69a18

There was a company in this area that made bags for bicycles.

 

I also have a handle bar bag, good for smaller items.