Grassroots bicycling

paul wrote:

golfduke wrote: FYI- I don't know if it's any issue at all to post here so I won't post a link unless someone says it's okay, but I have a L 2011 Giant Reign 2 with a pushed vivid air (6.7" travel) frame on the bay right now that I'll sell for a swan right now. It's my last years bike and I'm looking to get something different. As per my wife, however, the new toy doesn't get ordered until the old one leaves the stable.

Any chance you mistyped and meant a medium size frame??

I can scratch the L and turn it into a M, but I can't guarantee it'll fit :p

It's a 19", so as much as I'd like to sell it, I don't know that it'll work for anyone smaller than a 32" inseam and 5'10".

Excellent bike though...

golfduke wrote: I can scratch the L and turn it into a M, but I can't guarantee it'll fit :p It's a 19", so as much as I'd like to sell it, I don't know that it'll work for anyone smaller than a 32" inseam and 5'10". Excellent bike though...

my bay skills are weak today, didn't find your ad...
link or just pics?
(I'm north of that '5'10'' mark, no need to pretend it's size M)

What's going to replace it?

thestig99 wrote: Timely that this comes up. Last weekend I picked up an early 80's (?) Peugeot road bike at the junkyard for $15. Now trying to figure out how much I want to spend on it... and my other bike... and I'm sure this is going to lead into my wanting another MTB...

I got one of those! I love my bike

RX Reven' wrote: Or you can spend $500 on a vacuum cleaner.

I think I WILL spend $500 on my next vacuum. I was gifted a 4.8 year old Dyson that was missing a couple parts. Quick call to CS and a nice person from Chicago says that model is still under warranty and we will ship you new parts for free. Then I sold it for $140 in 2 hours on CL. Seems like a sweet deal, like the Weber of vacuums.

In reply to gamby:

You don't know obsolete until you show up at s Dh mtn with a bike made in 1998 ( which was already obsolete when I bought it). That said, I can still out-ride most of my friends on much newer bikes. I'm buying these bikes because I want them, not because I need them.

I'm in a situation right now where I can build up my bikes at a big savings vs. their retail cost. So I am taking advantage of the opportunity while I can. The chances are high these will be last bikes I build for long, loong time (unless the stars align and I can start building my own frames). It's sort of like if Scion said, "hey, want to buy a FRS for 60% of MSRP? The catch is you HAVE to race it. " oh twist my arm...

You should post some pics of your Yeti.

In reply to Ian F:

Thankfully, I'm better conditioned than most of the guys I ride mtn with (because road miles), so I still have plenty of fun and my bike doesn't hold me back. We ride moderately technical XC that doesn't require a crazy bike. That said, if I could shave 5lbs from my bike, I'd be pretty happy. I won't though--I was already a bit of a weight weenie w/ my main road bike.

So a 98 spec DH bike is still running V-brakes, huh?

Shameless showing off... go!

Her name is Akumi.

I'm like Gamby in the sense that my conditioning keeps me ahead... as long as we're going uphill or aren't gravity powered.
Just replace 'old DH bike' with 'on something with significantly more travel and associated weight than what everyone else is riding'
Mostly just means that I always end up carrying the beers.

gamby wrote: In reply to Ian F: Thankfully, I'm better conditioned than most of the guys I ride mtn with (because road miles), so I still have plenty of fun and my bike doesn't hold me back. We ride moderately technical XC that doesn't require a crazy bike. That said, if I could shave 5lbs from my bike, I'd be pretty happy. I won't though--I was already a bit of a weight weenie w/ my main road bike. So a 98 spec DH bike is still running V-brakes, huh?

No, The Lawwill was always fitted with disc brakes. The rear brake is on a floating linkage, although it's limited to a 6" rotor. None of the original components remain, although they're still 2000 era spec: '00 Boxxer (7" travel), 8 spd XTR drivetrain, Mavic tubeless disc rims running UST tubeless tires, Hayes brakes replace the OE Hope brakes, Thomson post and stem. Easton Pro-Taper bars. The one decidedly "non-DH" part is a Flite saddle which is the same as I run on all of my bikes from road to BMX. Which reminds me I need to scour Ebay for a few more for the new bike builds since it's long out of production.

I've ridden just about every bike out there and I've yet to find a suspension bike that works as well as the Lawwill. The Niner design is ok, but IMO it doesn't work as well for east coast-style trails. My biggest beef is the bottom bracket is at least an inch too high. Some of it is familiarity - after 14+ years, the Yeti is practically an extension of my body; I manuever that bike sub-consciously.

I'll try to get some pics. I've been trying to get pics for the guitar thread as well, but the lighting in my house sucks and everything comes out too dark or flashed out.

gamby wrote: In reply to Ian F: Thankfully, I'm better conditioned than most of the guys I ride mtn with (because road miles), so I still have plenty of fun and my bike doesn't hold me back. We ride moderately technical XC that doesn't require a crazy bike. That said, if I could shave 5lbs from my bike, I'd be pretty happy. I won't though--I was already a bit of a weight weenie w/ my main road bike. So a 98 spec DH bike is still running V-brakes, huh?

No, The Lawwill was always fitted with disc brakes. The rear brake is on a floating linkage, although it's limited to a 6" rotor. None of the original components remain, although they're still 2000 era spec: '00 Boxxer (7" travel), 8 spd XTR drivetrain, Mavic tubeless disc rims running UST tubeless tires, Hayes brakes replace the OE Hope brakes, Thomson post and stem. Easton Pro-Taper bars. The one decidedly "non-DH" part is a Flite saddle which is the same as I run on all of my bikes from road to BMX. Which reminds me I need to scour Ebay for a few more for the new bike builds since it's long out of production.

I've ridden just about every bike out there and I've yet to find a suspension bike that works as well as the Lawwill. The Niner design is ok, but IMO it doesn't work as well for east coast-style trails. My biggest beef is the bottom bracket is at least an inch too high. Some of it is familiarity - after 14+ years, the Yeti is practically an extension of my body; I manuever that bike sub-consciously.

I'll try to get some pics. I've been trying to get pics for the guitar thread as well, but the lighting in my house sucks and everything comes out too dark or flashed out.

SnowMongoose wrote: Just replace 'old DH bike' with 'on something with significantly more travel and associated weight than what everyone else is riding'

That's what my Big Hit is. It's an old(er) freeride bike I made into more of a trail bike by regearing it and putting u-turn guts into the fork to drop the nose and tighten up the steering (amongst other things). Other than it being a total barge weight-wise, it rides quite well and looks nice doing it.

The newer trail/AM bikes have similar travel and frame angles, but aren't as beefy. The new fork and shock will be air, and should knock some weight off. I'm also going to put a 2.1 tire on the back I think.

Ian F wrote: The one decidedly "non-DH" part is a Flite saddle which is the same as I run on all of my bikes from road to BMX. Which reminds me I need to scour Ebay for a few more for the new bike builds since it's long out of production.

FYI, you can buy a brand new Flite 'Classic', which appears to be true to the original:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Selle-Italia-Flite-Classic-Sportive-Ti-rail-Road-Saddle-Leather-Black-/370717787775?pt=Cycling_Parts_Accessories&hash=item565080867f

In reply to Luke:

Sweet. Thanks. Didn't know it had been reissued. Just ordered a couple of them.

SnowMongoose wrote:

golfduke wrote: I can scratch the L and turn it into a M, but I can't guarantee it'll fit :p It's a 19", so as much as I'd like to sell it, I don't know that it'll work for anyone smaller than a 32" inseam and 5'10". Excellent bike though...

my bay skills are weak today, didn't find your ad... link or just pics? (I'm north of that '5'10'' mark, no need to pretend it's size M) What's going to replace it?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/330883856236?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

I'm building up an Intense Spider 29. I'm not using the big travel stuff anymore and am finding myself doing a lot more tame XC than anything lately.

Luke wrote:

Ian F wrote: The one decidedly "non-DH" part is a Flite saddle which is the same as I run on all of my bikes from road to BMX. Which reminds me I need to scour Ebay for a few more for the new bike builds since it's long out of production.

FYI, you can buy a brand new Flite 'Classic', which appears to be true to the original: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Selle-Italia-Flite-Classic-Sportive-Ti-rail-Road-Saddle-Leather-Black-/370717787775?pt=Cycling_Parts_Accessories&hash=item565080867f

That's pretty sweet. I've never used one, but the Ti rail Flite was the "it" saddle in the early 90's.

If I get something lighter for my roadie, I'll switch the WTB SpeedV I have on it over to my MTB. Saddle on my MTB is way too narrow (looks cool, though). I'm hesitant to switch the Speed V from the roadie because I can put in 6 hours without saddle sores. It's a brick, but it's a comfy brick. Logic would dictate to save 200g elsewhere...

SnowMongoose wrote: Shameless showing off... go!

THAT is awesome! How did you go about getting the copper plating on there? I'd really like to try that on a set of bars...

gamby wrote:

Luke wrote:

Ian F wrote: The one decidedly "non-DH" part is a Flite saddle which is the same as I run on all of my bikes from road to BMX. Which reminds me I need to scour Ebay for a few more for the new bike builds since it's long out of production.

FYI, you can buy a brand new Flite 'Classic', which appears to be true to the original: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Selle-Italia-Flite-Classic-Sportive-Ti-rail-Road-Saddle-Leather-Black-/370717787775?pt=Cycling_Parts_Accessories&hash=item565080867f

That's pretty sweet. I've never used one, but the Ti rail Flite was the "it" saddle in the early 90's. If I get something lighter for my roadie, I'll switch the WTB SpeedV I have on it over to my MTB. Saddle on my MTB is way too narrow (looks cool, though). I'm hesitant to switch the Speed V from the roadie because I can put in 6 hours without saddle sores. It's a brick, but it's a comfy brick. Logic would dictate to save 200g elsewhere...

Saddles are so damn user specific. I run a fizik pave on every bike I own, road or mtb. I tried a few lighter saddles about a year ago and ended up with pain and inefficiency. I'll be screwed if that model gets discontinued, haha.

In reply to golfduke:

Thinking practically, I should probably buy up a couple of SpeedV's

golfduke wrote: Saddles are so damn user specific. I run a fizik pave on every bike I own, road or mtb. I tried a few lighter saddles about a year ago and ended up with pain and inefficiency. I'll be screwed if that model gets discontinued, haha.

Exactly. I've been using a Flite variant on my bikes since... 1991 or something. My butt is molded to the damn things. I litterally have one on my BMX bike, although it was trash-picked for free from a shop and no longer has any leather or padding, just the raw plastic base - kinda like a fancy version of my old Uni Turbo BMX saddle.

criticizing something you don't "get", but a lot of other people do and enjoy sounds just as lame in this case as anywhere else.

you also can get just as much of a workout on a very efficient bike as the least efficient anchor from le tar-get, it's up to you how hard you ride. the more efficient bike will be more comfortable and faster. *I'm not saying that to knock a less efficient bike, if you're pedaling, i'm in, whatever it is.

bikes at their essence are simple machines. improving upon the efficiencies there after how much they already have been improved after so long and so many riders, seems like a very challenging development problem to me.

Also, an amazing high-end bike (especially a lightly used one) is WAY more attainable than an amazing high-end car.

A $150 bike was crap 20 years ago. Imagine what that $150 nets you now. Turrible.

sobe_death wrote:

SnowMongoose wrote: Shameless showing off... go!

THAT is awesome! How did you go about getting the copper plating on there? I'd really like to try that on a set of bars...

Knowing Specialized, it's factory paint. My blue bike above is a factory paintjob.

The bikes I ride are overpriced. I've had many discussions about that with a friend in the bike industry. There's no reasonable way a Mtb tire should cost $80 when I can z rated car tire for a few more dollars. The carbon frame on my trek road bike cost Trek under $20, landed.

BUT. If you want a certain level of performance, that's the price you pay to get it. Think about it this way, if every used Honda was $10k, and all eBay turbos were $2k, we would bitch about it...and still find a way to play if that was the only option.

You can tell me all day that a 1970s steel Schwinn is just as good a bike, but you're wrong. I've ridden both.

Sure, there are a lot of ways to lessen cost- buying used, building it yourself, DIY maintenance. I built my first nice roadbike from used components and catalog order frame for $800 when a new equivalent cost $2500. But two hard summers later it needed $1500 in parts to continue using it. I decided to buy a new bike.

I'd rather not pay what I do, and I get around it when I can, but I could no more make my own derailleur than I could make my own alternator or transmission.

ultraclyde wrote: You can tell me all day that a 1970s steel Schwinn is just as good a bike, but you're wrong. I've ridden both.

Exactly. I spend as much as I do through years of experience breaking lesser quality parts on the trails I ride. I tend to ride trails that if you haven't experienced them, you couldn't fathom riding down them, such is a World Cup level DH course. When you're launchign yourself off a ten foot drop, you need to have absolute confidence the bike isn't going to explode when you land. I've seen bikes break under these circumstances. The rider often goes to the hospital as a result. Having had a few hospital trips of my own in the past, that expensive bike is cheaper.

You can get a good bike for cheap, but that doesn't mean all cheap bikes are good... you gotta know what you're buying (used is the value leader I think). There's a big difference between a $200 bike from Walmart and a $200 used bike that originally came from a bike shop.

That said, I usually buy new but assemble myself. I've had suspension bikes, but these days I'm more about utility, so I'm on a Surly Ogre. I ride it a lot.

slowride wrote: You can get a good bike for cheap, but that doesn't mean all cheap bikes are good... you gotta know what you're buying (used is the value leader I think). There's a big difference between a $200 bike from Walmart and a $200 used bike that originally came from a bike shop. That said, I usually buy new but assemble myself. I've had suspension bikes, but these days I'm more about utility, so I'm on a Surly Ogre. I ride it a lot.

Why is that bike $1500 new????