Ultimate Bike Thread....

[intakexhaust]

Just this evening visited a bike dealer and the place was full of 29" steeds. And then the owner starts telling me how great the new 27.5 are???? I'm just learning to appreciate how cool 700C and cyclocross is and here its been around a looong time!

700C rides are bargain lightweights, loads of trick parts swap from roadie to mtb and super light all versions of rubber can be had.

[jim72911t]

Originally Posted by 911dean

I specifically wanted a steel ridged bike also. After looking at all the options in a production frame I chose the Niner. While I wasn't a huge of an ebb, Niner's is really nice and their new and improved one is even better. My first 29er ss was a Gary Fisher Rig and that ebb left a lot to be desired. Let me tell you the Niner is just flat out a better bike. Plus I'm really a fan of steel.

I haven't used the bike off road yet, other than a small section of easy single trail. Luckily I live near a bike trail that offers a nice 13+ mile door to door loop which gives me a great cardio work out with a ss. I usually try to pound it out as fast as I can. So far I really am impressed with it, although it does have a really nice build kit. I'll get it off road soon and see how I like it there. It's been along time since I've ridden fully ridged off road.

If I was buying custom I'd probably go with a Soulcraft, with a non suspension adjusted ridged fork.

Dean

Thanks for the feedback. I know Sean at Soulcraft and I agree that his frames are very nice. In fact, I'm "borrowing" a 26er Soulcraft SS from my boss for the time being. Nothing like custom steel.

But, if I were to spend the bucks on a custom steel 29er, I'd call my former coworker and friend Curtis at Retrotec and have him build me a replica of the yellow Schwinn Stingray I had as a kid. I've been a fan of Retrotec since they were built up the road from me in Forest Ranch.

Dream bikes cost money, though.

[porsche930dude]

[intakexhaust]

I happened to find an old Hawthorne but not yet mine. Its a black racer with 28 inch wheels. In doing a little research, noticed this advertisement from 1899 showing a 28 inch wheel bike weighing 25 pounds!



Here's a mid 1930's aluminum frame with stainless steel fenders



A 1948 complete with novelty machine gun accessory

[intakexhaust]

more Hawthorne



nice retro ride with 'Duralium' frame

[Joe Bob]

Killer deal with heads up help from a PP lister.....

Old school sew up wheels, 8 speed freewheel and Campy hubs, under $60 delivered. Tires hold pressure and look to be less than a year old......11/19 gear ratio. Fun in the flats, not a good climber....

[jyl]

Kid's next bike, in progress.

[Joe Bob]

Oi,,,,,old school, patina, chips in the paint, still the schizzle.

[jyl]

Not all old school, gonna be all Campy 9 speed hung on that '70s British steel.

I actually do need to get some paint and repro decals.

[Joe Bob]

My new wheelset. I'm now Campy/Italian complete on my SOMEC. Back to tubulars......

Got a set of 8 speed aero clinchersup for sale/trade if anyone needs them.

I LOVE close ratio gearing on the flats.....they suck climbing but a good roller coaster ride and it's like flying........

[jyl]

Lever position?



These are Ergos circa 1990s on GB Randonneur bars circa 1970s, I think the levers were meant for differently shaped bars.

Or

[jyl]

So your "low" gear is 39 x 19? Huh! You'll be walking up your driveway.

[jyl]

My wife thinks I should get it.

A bike shop has a used Cannondale Jekyll 700 full suspension MTB. Headshok fork with lockout. Some sort of Fox rear shock with lockout. Hayes hydraulic disc brakes. Shimano XT and XTR drivetrain. 19" aluminium frame, kind of a muddy green. Looks nearly new, save one big scrape on a brake lever. I rode it briefly.



Hmm. I've never had a full suspension bike. I'd kind of like to try one, without spending a ton. Some quick research says it is probably a 2001 or close (though specs say Magura brakes), weighs 28 lb, was a USA-made Cannondale.



Whaddya think? They want $650. Is the Headshok still serviceable?

[look 171]

Originally Posted by Joe Bob

My new wheelset. I'm now Campy/Italian complete on my SOMEC. Back to tubulars......

Got a set of 8 speed aero clinchersup for sale/trade if anyone needs them.

I LOVE close ratio gearing on the flats.....they suck climbing but a good roller coaster ride and it's like flying........

I rode that 19 tooth gear (7 spd with a 42 tooth little ring up front) for 15 years. Up hill, down hill, I suffered lots. Still have it.

[intakexhaust]

The bike rack

[sc_rufctr]

Locally made bike.

[Laneco]

Originally Posted by jyl

A bike shop has a used Cannondale Jekyll 700 full suspension MTB. Headshok fork with lockout... a USA-made Cannondale.

Whaddya think? They want $650. Is the Headshok still serviceable?

Yes, the headshok is still serviceable. They are serviced in Bedford, PA.

angela

[URY914]

[CurtEgerer]

I posted a while back about this garage sale find. It didn't seem to fit me at all, but I have since done a bunch of playing around with saddle-seat post-stem-handlebar position and found that the bike now fits perfectly.

It's a short wheel base criterium bike, so it has razor sharp handling. It's one of those bikes that fits so well, it just becomes an extension of yourself What is most eye-opening are the 165mm crank arms. Have always ridden 170mm. Should've have been on 165's all along.

The Dura-Ace 7401 Gruppo is impressive (this coming from a life-long Campy junkie). This was Shimano's first (I think) shot at indexed shifting and the shifts are very crisp. Interesting getting used to downtube shifters again!

Reynold's 531 Professional tubing - very light. Traced the build to 1986-87.

[intakexhaust]

Handy bike parts reference catalog
http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/a8e5bd2a#/a8e5bd2a/18