[musicmind]

I have an Eddy Merckx Corsa-1 with Campagnolo Veloce groupset and Moskva rims which I really should get out onto the road more often *sigh*

 

[F107plus5]

And I really need to drag out my Niskiki Comp 10-Speed with barcons and Suntour gear that I bought back in '80. I put just shy of 15,000 miles on it until the traffic got too bad for the 25 mile round trip back and forth to work...yeah we had a gym with showers at work.

Also did a bunch of centuries. It was lots of fun; I miss it.

...it even kept my ticker from blowing out since when they got me to the hospital my heart rate had stabilized at(a reading of)425. Yeah; my normal resting rate in those days was 180. Stress at work.

What made it fun is I could run my heart rate at the rate demanded by the excercize and I felt better riding than not riding!

 

[Thelonious Monk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by random-adam /img/forum/go_quote.gif oof, my OTHER hobby... it's gotten me into trouble for the last nine years, ever since I started working in bike shops. I had a Bianchi Veloce for six of those years, but since I sold it I'm having more and more trouble justifying the road thing; public transportation where I am is just too easy, and the drivers are far too non-linearly terrible, for me to want to spend much time on the roads with them. My mountain bike, on the other hand... it'll go up hills and back down 'em about as quickly as anything else out there. Wheels are 29" rather than the standard 26"; they roll crazy fast, soak up bumps like you wouldn't believe, and make a bike look normal under my 6'3" frame. Last MTB I'll ever buy. Here's a lovely photo from the night I finished building it up (pedals and tires have since been replaced). http://random.adam.googlepages.com/w00t.jpg

i think that's the niftiest bike i've seen posted yet; i have a friend who owns a similar bike, called the ellsworth evolve. i hear 29"ers are really good all-rounders. how does yours handle tight corners, i could see that being a problem. also, hey, that bike has my name on it- maybe it's a sign to try out a 29"er!

edit: oops, didn't mean to quote shigzeo.

 

[tonym]

I'm out every day.
Head-Fi club run anyone?

 

[Lazarus Short]

Quote:

Originally Posted by televators /img/forum/go_quote.gif that's a downer

You got it! Your Trek probably has 27 inch or 700C wheels. Look into the possibility of switching to 650B [its's a size sometimes found on tandems] rims, and if that can be done, the bike will be lower. All your gears will be lower too.

Laz

 

[random-adam]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thelonious Monk /img/forum/go_quote.gif i think that's the niftiest bike i've seen posted yet; i have a friend who owns a similar bike, called the ellsworth evolve. i hear 29"ers are really good all-rounders. how does yours handle tight corners, i could see that being a problem. also, hey, that bike has my name on it- maybe it's a sign to try out a 29"er!

The Evolve is a hot ride. For the frame/fork, mine was about half the price. Downside is it weighs in at a shade over 8 pounds while I'd wager the Ellsworth is barely two-thirds of that, along with incorporating a more efficient design and made-in-the-USA quality... but that point of diminishing returns and my paycheck factor in too.

I did some night rides on it last week on an unfamiliar trail system (was supposed to this evening, too, but then the rains came). It was twisty and roller-coasterish, and I was pretty happy with the handling. The trick with the bigger wheels seems to be that you don't have to worry as much about what you're rolling over at that instant, so you can look further down the trail and pick your line on a larger scale. It's sent my technical skills down the drain - it easily floats over stuff that would've stopped me on my 26" bike last year.

Hope that helps a bit. Try one out, if you get the chance!

 

[SebastianS]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thelonious Monk /img/forum/go_quote.gif i think that's the niftiest bike i've seen posted yet; i have a friend who owns a similar bike, called the ellsworth evolve. i hear 29"ers are really good all-rounders. how does yours handle tight corners, i could see that being a problem. also, hey, that bike has my name on it- maybe it's a sign to try out a 29"er! edit: oops, didn't mean to quote shigzeo.

Just about as good as any other bike. 29s carry a lot of momentum into the corners. You get used to it after a while you and stop trying to slow it down. The monk is a fun ride, not as twitchy as an intense spider but very responsive.

 

[AndrewFischer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by F107plus5 /img/forum/go_quote.gif And I really need to drag out my Niskiki Comp 10-Speed with barcons and Suntour gear that I bought back in '80.

Love those Suntour barcons. I had them on my otherwise Italian '84 Bianchi until my wife got me a set of more modern Campy barcons for a birthday.

I've still got the very worn Suntours in a box somewhere.

 

[Lazarus Short]

Quote:

Originally Posted by televators /img/forum/go_quote.gif Giant man bike frame with little goofy wheels, I just want a ride to work, not an excuse to get beat up edit : i'm actually headed to my local bike shop tonight to maybe get a trade worked out.

I don't think they would be too little or goofy, 650B wheels would probably be like 26 inch, more or less. They won't make you look you're on a Moulton or anything. Brake placement may limit what you can do.

 

[chroot]

Quote:

Originally Posted by F107plus5 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yeah; my normal resting rate in those days was 180. Stress at work.

I call ********.

- Warren

 

[sthswell]

I have a Sampson Ciao with Dura-Ace components for the road and an old Yeti AS-3 for the trails

 

[random-adam]

Man, that's a drag. I've heard it said that mountain bike sizing is like buying a pair of jeans, you can go a little larger or smaller depending on what you want to do, but road bike sizing is like getting a tailored suit -- even with the less expensive models you'll want to try it out first.

I'm sorry it didn't work out.

 

[chroot]

Quote:

Originally Posted by televators /img/forum/go_quote.gif Well I went to the local bike shop and they told me my bike was pretty much worthless, it's way too big for me they said (it measures in at 64cm) and she said she didn't have enough room to offer trade on a bike that probably won't sell for a while. The correct rider hight for the bike would 6'2" to 6'4".

Yeah, I really don't think it would have been a good idea for you to ride it, honestly.

Quote:

My girlfriend got it for me for my birthday and she's really upset

Understandably, but hopefully you can put the money toward a bike that'll fit you just right. The best thing about Lance Armstrong's legacy is the tens of thousands of mint condition road bikes sitting unused in garages all across America.

You should be able to find a hell of a deal pretty easily these days.

- Warren

 

[shigzeo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tonym /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm out every day. Head-Fi club run anyone?

if you are not 'too far' i could come down with my passport or we could meet at the border and do a niagra trip! that would be fun

 

[raymondlin]

Sorry to hear that OP, I did think it was a big frame. Think about it this way, it would've cost you more than money if you had fallen off that bike and injured yourself.