The HTF cycle thread. (1 Viewer)

[Dave Poehlman]

I just bought a new bike the other day and I'm so excited I just had to vent. I haven't bought a bike in over 20 years.
My old Peugeot just wasn't cutting it anymore. That old steel frame was just too much for my old joints. I just picked up a base model Trek Hybrid 7100. I'm so out of touch with the cycle world I thought I'd start with something more basic and universal and go from there. I also bought one of those "clamp-on" third wheel bikes for my 4 year old and he loves it... although he was complaining a bit about his little butt being saddle sore.

I'm mostly just excited to start riding regularly again. Working for a living and having a kid really threw a monkey wrench in my workout regimen. I used to do group rides like RAGBRAI (IA), SAAGBRAW (WI), BRAK (KS), BRAN (NB). Anyone still do those? Well I know SAAGBRAW is still around, except it's more of a family ride now.. not the bike-all-day-party-all-night ride it used to be which is probably good for me. The sheer scale of RAGBRAI was what made it fun 20 years ago. 10,000 bikers pulling into tiny Iowa farm towns to stay the night. The whole town would shut down and pretty much just cater to the bikers.

Can anyone recommend a good cycle computer?

Whoops! Looks like the sun is out! I'm cutting out of work early!

 

[Jay H]

Congrats!!! The RAGBRAI is definitely still around and in fact, the "ride across X state" rides are quite popular, they have them everywhere now. In NJ, the have "The Longest Day" which is a double century from High Point to Cape May they do on the vernal equinox or around that time.

As far as cycle computers, you can always find Cateyes for sale for some reason. I have a Mity 3 which is a basic corded computer which gives you spd, avg speed, 2 trip odometers, 1 total odometer and also 2 settings for the wheel circumference (for say if you split the computer between a road bike and a mountain bike). You can usually find the Mity 3 for $20 or less on sale and it's decent. It doesn't do cadence, it doesn't do altitude like some of the more fancy ones but it works good and is reliable.

My only complaint is that after 20mph, the speed goes in increments of .5mph i.e. 20->20.5->21. Not sure if this is just because the accuracy of the pickup magnet is a limiting factor but not sure if others do this or not. A hybrid with a kid trailer, you're not likely to hit this limit except for downhills and even then not sure if I would be doing that with a kid in the back. But for a road bike, you're bound to hit that limitation.

Jay

 

[Andrej Dolenc]

Great to hear you're riding again. Exercise is one of those self-perpetuating things. No matter how bad things get, exercise will always make you feel better.

As far as bike computers, I put on a Sigma computer on my road bike and have been very happy with how it's been working. It will only do speed in full mile increments. Still, even the $20 model has a ton of features.

Andrej

 

[Andrew W]

My Avocet 45tt does miles in tenths up to 52.4mph. That's as high as I can vouch for, but it should go to at least 99.9mph. It has a circular magnet with about a dozen pulses per revolution, so it is more accurate than the single spoke magnets.

 

[Paul_Fisher]

I just bought a Specialized Hardrock mountain bike about a month ago. I'm enjoying riding it around the neighborhood, I just need to get out and ride some trails.

 

[Matt Stryker]

Dave-
Let me know how you like the 7100 after a few weeks. I've been thinking about getting one for a while now.

As for me, right now I'm riding a Schwinn Frontier FS AL (aluminum), but I've been looking for something a little better fitting and the Trek seems to be that bike. I ride almost exclusively on the Silver Comet Trail here in GA, a converted railbed that will eventually go all the way from Atlanta, GA to Anniston, AL:

http://www.trailexpress.com/sct_mainpage.shtml

I know there is a BRAG (Bike Ride Across GA) so I'm sure there are similar rides around the country still.

 

[Chris PC]

Been cycling for many many years. Mountain biking is my main interest, but I have ridin many a country road with my mountain bike also. Exercise is quite enjoyable, I agree. Keep riding and have fun

 

[ColinM]

I'm still trying to find a decent helmet!

 

[Dave Poehlman]

I'm still trying to find a decent helmet!

I know what you mean.. I have a Bell that is pretty uncomfortable on my big melon. I do have an old one from the 80's that I painted a skull on the front and "BIKE OR DIE" on the back from a trip across Nebraska that required helmets. Except.. I look like a human mushroom wearing that thing. Anyone have any good helmet recommendations?

 

[Paul_Fisher]

Go to www.mtbr.com and look at the helmet reviews. This is place to find reviews for anything related to biking.

 

[Jim_F]

I won't say that I like the look and fit of Giro helmets, the reason being Bell sponsors our club. So, Bell makes the best helmets, keeping in mind that all things cycling are pretty personal preferences. I really do like a number of the Bell designs, though.

An 80 hour week of midnight shifts really messed with my training schedule for next week's Bon Ton Roulet. I went out for a little "hill" (only by S.E. Michigan standards) work today and really suffered through the first headwindy 9 or 10 miles. I cancelled and reupped on my trip in my mind several times over the course of the ride today. I feel pretty good now. I'll get out early tomorrow and try a LSD (Long Steady Distance) ride. If that goes OK, it's about as good as I can hope for at this point. I expect I'll be riding myself into shape over the course of the BTR and feel better toward the end than at the beginning. At least that's how the Labor Day weekend DALMAC quad century usually goes when I do that one.

What a perfectly beautiful day for a ride it was this AM. Life is good.

 

[Michael R Price]

Holy cow, 52 mph!?! I've only hit 35, and that seems pretty darned fast to me.

Dave, nice bike, I have a Trek 720 (near bottom end hybrid) and it's been great since it is much quicker and smoother on roads+sidewalk than a mountain bike yet it can still take dirt and gravel trails pretty well. There's a lack of traction, but I'm used to it.