[Mr.PD]

I can't remember if I ever had a Schwinn or not. I don't think I did. I always wanted an Apple Crate or an Orange Crate. I don't remember the Pea Picker, but it looks similar to the crates.

 

[fractus2]

Quote:

Originally posted by Mr.PD I can't remember if I ever had a Schwinn or not. I don't think I did. I always wanted an Apple Crate or an Orange Crate. I don't remember the Pea Picker, but it looks similar to the crates.

It's from the krate series, I chose green = Pea Picker. Those raised bars could handle a huge loaded down paper sack.

 

[stymie miasma]

Quote:

Originally posted by aerius Chris King front hubs are the best ones around, but I have mixed opinions on their rear hub. Besides the friggin' annoying "Wheeeee" sound you get while coasting, they have a bit too much seal drag for my tastes. On about 1/3 of the hubs I've come across, there's enough seal drag to make the cranks turn along with the rear wheel when you pop the bike in a workstand and spin the cranks around a few times. On the trail this translates to a slacker chain when you're coasting which makes it jam or derail easier when you're going over bumps. I'm running Shimano XT and SRAM 9.0 hubs right now while waiting for a better hub to prove itself. Marz coil forks are good, but I prefer Manitou coil/elastomer/oil forks for their lighter weight and greater adjustability. They've worked well for me for the last 4 years. Rims, I'd say go with Mavic 519's, not quite as strong as Rhyno Lites but a hell of a lot lighter. Built mine up with DT competition spokes and they've served me well for 3 years now. I did write one off but that was a freak crash on a stair landing that would've killed any rim short of a Sun Mammoth or Mavic D321. Go with DT Competition double butted spokes for your wheels too, unless you're running a downhill rim you won't get any strength benefits from a straight gauge spoke. Save weight wherever you can, but stay away from aluminum spoke nipples, damn things corrode & seize too easily.

Once again - thanks for the advice! That's good to know about the rear King hubs.

As for wheels, I had my Rhyno Lites built with DT straight-gauge spokes - a lighter wheel would be nice, but so would a lighter rider

Apparently some of the Velocity rims are pretty strong, and perhaps a little lighter than the Rhyno Lites. I have looked at the Mavic F519s before, but they were a bit more pricey from memory.

 

[Mcrmouse30]

I have a 2003 Specialized Rockhopper. It is my first mountain bike and I am really enjoying it. It is nothing fancy but it gets me down all the trails I have tried here in Utah and Idaho. Since I bought it I have realized just how out of shape I am. I end up walking up a lot of the trails.

Although I just rode yesterday after missing 2 weeks(broke my finger last time I rode) and I am a little timid going down. Hopefully I will return to bombing down the trails.

 

[bangraman]

Italian bikes, steel bikes... My my, we're retro aren't we

My current rideable bikes are a Nicolai Lambda (was going to buy a Nucleon but I had a flash of reality), two Santa Cruz Bullits (one heavy/one light freeride spec), an Evil Imperial and a hardtail freeride frame that I built a long time ago. I did a lot of parts swapping and building during the summer so these are very tight builds... It's the first time in ages that I've bothered to revalve and respring the forks and shocks properly for all my bikes. I love the lighter Bullit as an all purpose ride and use that most of the time.
I have a few other frames awaiting Shimano Saint and '04 Marzocchi, one frame in repair (Brooklyn TMX) and a sad heap in the corner of the garage which I can't bear to throw away, which was a one day old no expense spared Commencal VIP FS.

 

[aeberbach]

Road: '97 LeMond Maillot Jaune, Trek OCLV frame, Campy Record gruppo/Vento wheels, Selle Italia gel saddle, Look pedals.
Mtn: 2001 Trek 9800 with no changes.

 

[becomethemould]

here is mine

looking to doing more riding soon, im a fat person now

too much uni work!!!!

 

[Voodoochile]

Nice ride, Goose... very classic. I can't remember the last time I saw bar-end shifters, but they are cool. i like downtube shifeters as well, always have. Roadies are few and far between these days, it seems.

My ride is a Waterford (who make sthe Schwinn Paramount), guards red with yellow/black decal scheme. Nirvex stainless dropouts, and Henry James lugs. I had a Bullseye hollow steel crank made for it (they are usually BMX, but I'm 6'4" 200lbs). I love a good steel bike. he running gear is a mix of Campy Chorus and Record, with the old Shamal wheels. I used to ride crits, and did some triathlons, but I'm too busy to compete anymore. I like to do a century ride every year at least.

I'ts nice to see so many bike people on here

.

I'm about 45 minutes from the ocean, and there is beautiful riding there.

 

[Wilson M.]

So I'm a month late with the photo but at least I got to it.

It weighs in at 16.5 lbs so a bit heavy but I haven't given it the complete weight weenie treatment. I could probably get it down to 14.5 lbs with a bit of work (saddle, brakes, cranks, pedals, stem, closer gears, short cage derailleur).

What is really sickening is that the front wheel is 1.9 lbs (862 grams) and that's including QR skewer AND tubular tire. All wheel specs in the catalogues are for wheel without tube/tire (and usually without QR skewer).

 

[usc goose]

16.5 lbs is heavy???

all right, all right, i know enough bike geeks to know the answer to that. mine weighs in at just over 20, i don't think i'd trust anything lighter. then again i'm 210 lbs and live for the sprint.

edit: i almost forgot. nice ride!

 

[becomethemould]

i sense an adversion to mountain bikers!!

mine is probably around 16-17kgs, which is around 38lbs? the heavy the better, more exercise!

 

[Wilson M.]

Heh... I'm only 140 lbs (I lost 10 lbs somewhere and no it wasn't my wallet) so 16.5 lbs is a bigger percentage of the total mass.

Other than the wheelset, the bike is pretty much the same as any of the C40s used by pro riders over the years. Of course, many used Dura-Ace instead of Record. Record is sturdier but heavier (1/2 lb last time I did the math).

Mapei won all of those classics on the C40. Early on, they used the steel fork for races like Paris-Roubaix but later on, they used the Star carbon fork without a hitch. And we're talking monster sprinters like Tom Steels riding these things.

 

[aeberbach]

Beautiful bike there Wilson M - you're making me want to upgrade, I have Record from the year before carbon was introduced on the brake levers. Italian all the way!

 

[Wilson M.]

No real aversion to mountain bikers. I never really got into it but I do a decent amount of off-roading with my cyclocross bike.

I know, it isn't a true cyclocross bike as configured. When I'm doing cross, I switch out the cranks for a single and dispense with front shifting and sometimes put a close spaced 7-speed in the back. I also put top-mounted IRD brake levers.

It's a mongrel: Cunningham custom steel frame, XTR, Dura-Ace, Chris King, Race Face, Record (I love those levers), Cook Bros, ITM, 3T, Time, Mavic, Michelin, DT, Selle Italia and some cantis which I can't remember who makes them (I also have some Paul neo-retros and Empella Frogglegs and if I can find the money, I'll get a set of Spooky carbon cantis).

The Coppi K28 (aluminum) was my commuter before the Cunningham. Heh, race bike with fenders as a commuter. Record/Chorus 8-speed, Cinelli stem, 3T bars, Syncros post, Selle Italia Flite saddle, Campy Moskva 80 rims, Michelin tires.

Unfortunately, my Litespeed, Eddy Merckx, Moser and Vitali bikes are back at my parents' place. I sold my Look and Redline cross.

I have 3 other wheelsets with me and another 4 (I think) with my other bikes. I had a set with the PowerTap system but I gave it as a going away present to a friend who was training for the Canadian national sprint team.

 

[fractus2]

Great rides Wilson.