Any Cyclists? (pedal not motored)

[wmthor]

We used to ride The Strand just about every weekend if we weren't up in the San Gabriels hiking.

When I lived in SoCal, I use ride The Strand every weekend and two or three days during the week. Still have the Trek. However, I haven't ridden as much since I moved to Texas.

[cassius987]

I have not biked a trip longer than a mile in over a year or so, which is quite sad considering I just moved next to the Cherry Creek Bike Trail in Denver. I need to get up the guts to bike in traffic a bit--that's what scares me. I'm a big chicken... my 5'4'' wife will be raising her middle finger to all of Speer Avenue and zipping right past the Hummers and into the trail, leaving me in the dust... I just know it. She won't even wear a helmet. We truly are the odd couple in some ways.

[captsandwich]

Wear a helmet.


Seriously.

[rickaddict]

Why yes, Eden...I cycle! It's my other obsession as a matter of fact. In the cold months I obsess over my Ricks, and in the warm months I obsess over my bikes and where to ride them. I used to ride year 'round, but I seem to have developed a problem with my right ear...it really doesn't like to be out when the thermometer drops below 55 degrees F or so.

I'm a mountain biker, but living in Chicago I have to ride on the pavement quite a bit too. Chicago (and it's cycling mayor) prides itself on being very bike friendly. We have bike lanes and bike racks all over the city as well as bike racks on our buses and bikes allowed on our commuter rail lines. It's too bad that it gets so brutally cold here in the winter. When I can, I'll put my bike on my car and get out of town. Great off-road trails can be found in Michigan and Wisconsin, but they're a couple hours away. We have a couple closer places to ride off-road in Illinois as well.

I only have two bikes. I want more, but I'm painfully aware of the problem that I have with bass guitar accumulation syndrome and I'm determined not to develop a similar problem with bikes!

My hardtail is a 1991 Trek 950. It has around 25,000 miles on it, and has seen so many parts changes and overhauls that it's only original parts are the frame, handlebar, and seat post. I just put it's fifth rear wheel on it about a week ago! In 1998 I took it to Europe and toured through around 10 different countries on it. It's a great bike for touring in my opinion. Strong, easy to control, comfortable, great brakes, and can be fitted with front and rear racks...for road touring I put some semi-slick tires on it. I also did an off-road tour through Switzerland and one from Telluride CO to Moab UT on it.

My new bike (which is not so new anymore) is a full-suspension 1997 Trek Y-5-O. Some of my riding buddies whine about how old it is and how cheap I must be to keep riding it, but I just love that bike for serious cross-country trail riding. I've rented all sorts of newer full-suspension bikes, but I still prefer my Y-5-O. It is simple (1 pivot), reliable, lightweight, durable, comfortable, corners like it's on rails, climbs like a mountain goat, shifts like an F1 car, and the brakes are great. What more could I ask for?!

I too, have a thing for lugged steel frames. They're just classic and cool; strong and old-school.

Steel is real!!

[rickaddict]

Here area some old pics I lifted off my Facebook page. I did a handful of races around 10-12 years ago. These days I'm much slower!

Here's the 950:

Me near Grindelwald Switzerland:

Me with some friends after a race in France:

Me and the same friends at the top of the Col de La Croix de Fer (one of the mountain passes that fairly regularly gets used in the Tour de France):

[rickaddict]

And here's the Y-5-O:

Me racing the Cactus Cup near Phoenix in 1999 (I crashed about a minute after my "cool guy" pose here, but I still did well in the race!):

Me in front of Castle Valley on one of my top 5 favorite trails, Porcupine Rim:

Not steel, but I still like it!

[wmthor]

When I can, I'll put my bike on my car and get out of town. Great off-road trails can be found in Michigan and Wisconsin, but they're a couple hours away. We have a couple closer places to ride off-road in Illinois as well.

Jeff, have you ridden the Wisconsin's Elroy-Sparta Trail?

[weemac]

Such good stuff in this thread!

I'm a fan of steel as well, it provides a comfortable ride without the absolute need for suspension. (good for road oriented bikes) I don't notice the extra weight when riding so much, but when lifting the bike or trying to stuff into the back of the Isuzu or lifting it onto the rack, you sure feel the weight then...

emac.

[FretlessOnly]

I too, have a thing for lugged steel frames. They're just classic and cool; strong and old-school.

Steel is real!!

Here you go:

It's not the lightest bike around, but it's rock-solid. It's been in at least four wrecks (two of them with me on it) over the years and I had to bend the rear fork back into true after ripping the derailleur off on one of the wrecks, and it still gets up every time and smiles when it's time to go.

[antipodean]

Great to see so much interest in cycling - along with swimming and alpine skiiing it has to be my favourite sport/passtime.

I have been a keen cyclist - I used to do a circuit of central Tokyo as my weekend exercise when we were there in the '90s (riding laps round the Imperial Palace precinct on Sunday mornings was a blast - no traffic to speak of until about 11:00am). My faithful mount was a Bianchi hybrid in tasteful peach. An experience involving an impatient driver, a cracked helmet, and a week thinking I was in Disneyland put a temporary end to those shenanigans.

When we finally got back to Oz I lobbed in a road bike and started doing a nice little 22km circuit down to one of Sydney's waterways and back. Sydney is kind of hilly (though nothing like Lithgow where Eden resides) so I found it extemely challenging in an enjoyable way. Sad to say I haven't ridden for a couple of years for a host of reasons - everyone's posts make me want to get back in the saddle!

[rickaddict]

Here you go:

Nice bike, John!

[rickaddict]

I like the 4130's too Paul. Custom lugged frames are pretty snazzy. I like bike #5 in his gallery...the "Blue Boy." ( http://4130inc.com/ )

"The paint color is from a Rickenbacker Guitar called a Blue Boy. I saw an acoustic guitar painted that color and knew it would be magic on a bike, and I think it is."

I wonder where he saw an acoustic Rickenbacker in Blue Boy?!

The perfect bike for Johnny B, BTW!

[rickaddict]

Jeff, have you ridden the Wisconsin's Elroy-Sparta Trail?

I have not ridden it yet Richard, but I've known of it for years. I should ride it one of these days. As I remember it, its one of the first rail trails if not the first. Its a very popular ride.

Usually when I get out of town with my bike I try to get to some twisty, hilly, singletrack type trails to thoroughly beat the heck out of/injure myself! But...one of these days I should try something different.

Maybe this summer...

[rickaddict]

An experience involving an impatient driver, a cracked helmet, and a week thinking I was in Disneyland put a temporary end to those shenanigans.

What could be more fun than a week in Disneyland?!

[rickaddict]

My favorite bike is Rivendell. I think it's like a Rickenbacker. Classic, handmade, long waiting list, perfect fit. Here are a few photos of my bikes if you are interested.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/24103159@N ... 781169545/

I really like lugged steel frames. They have a sleek, classic look that I don't think can be beat. They are like hand wired tube amps. If something goes wrong, a guy with a torch, or a soldering iron, can fix it.

My cousin is all about touring and he's a big fan of Rivendells. He keeps sending me links to them. Nice looking bikes!

Here are a couple of my bike crushes:

Colnago Master X light:

http://www.colnago.com/bikes/2010/master-x-light

Waterford ST-22 (and check out this special, custom-made version called the "Fender Bender" complete with treble clef on the forks, music notes on the top tube, P-Bass headstock badge, and Fender headstock-shaped seat stay lugs. This bike Rocks!...But I'd need mine in Rickenbacker 4001 trim!):

http://waterfordbikes.com/now/news.php?newsid=228