what are the advantages of biking shorts? the ones i've looked at seem pretty similar to the shorts i already wear.

also, i'd be interested in checking out this 286 trail sometime with you guys. i rode through umstead to crabtree lake and went down a few trails there for the first time a few weeks ago and had a blast. i bought a nice bike a couple of years ago, but haven't done much with it other than greenways.

8/19/2009 11:30:14 AM

Most bike shorts have a chamois pad built into it for more padding on the seat, I suppose that is the biggest advantage. Sometimes, even with mtb shorts, which aren't the skin tight spandex, they can get a little bit snagged on the nose of my seat if I am moving around a lot, so I'm just as apt to ride with road shorts as I am mtb shorts. Plus I don't get any type of chaffing issues from having loose material between the inside of my leg and the seat.

It's just a preference thing, there was a guy there last night riding in what appeared to be skinny jeans with them rolled up at the ankles that was busting our ass and he never complained about them.

8/19/2009 11:41:56 AM

Mountain biking shorts have tights and a chamois built-in on the inside. They're basically like a pair of road-biking tights, but with some baggy shorts on the outside. So, you get the advantage of having tights that hold your junk in place, plus a chamois for some padding, but don't feel like a fruit walking around in them (although, the tights built into them are usually cheaper-quality and not as comfortable as a nice pair of 7-panel road-tights).

8/19/2009 11:44:04 AM

But...what if I feel like feeling like a fruit?

8/19/2009 11:52:04 AM

Well... I'm taken buddy. But my red headed friend is single

naw...

Riding shorts can be anywhere from $50-$100. I'm just going to get padded boxers to wear underneath my cargo shorts, which are $25. That way I can wear it in the winter with some capris style pants (I don't know what they are called... those long legged shorts for the winter though).

8/19/2009 12:21:25 PM

well, i gotta tell you..... i prefer the road-shorts most of the time. They are better fitting, more comfortable, dn't snag on the seat, don't get bunched up, etc etc. But especially when wearing the baggier, non-skintight mtn biking jerseys, the road-shorts look really stupid.

of course, the big-time, pro mountain bikers dress pretty much like road bikers - skin tight everything. It's just the weekend warriors like us who insist on wearing baggy shorts

8/19/2009 12:22:32 PM

Well I need some kind of shorts that's for sure. My ass is killing me after riding for 45 minutes or so, even on pavement

Regarding 286, I must be in horrible shape b/c that ride Saturday morning literally sucked away my energy for the whole damn weekend (though working outside both days on the car might have had something to do with it). I don't think I can hit up 286 again with you guys until I'm in better shape. I don't want to ruin another weekend

8/19/2009 3:46:57 PM

Well, you can be in alright shape and if you show up for an 1hr workout with egg mcmuffins on your stomach and not hydrated enough it will do some serious pain to you. Especially if you continued doing stuff outside without being well hydrated. Post workout recovery is pretty important, too.

I drank nearly 2 liters of water yesterday in the time just before and during the ride. Yet, I came home and took a warm-ish shower (instead of a cool one) and had some pretty salty/spicy pasta with only a little water (because I felt hydrated from all the water I pounded on the trail).

Yet, 90 minutes after dinner I had the nastiest headache start to set in and lasted until I went to bed. I took two Aleve and got to sleep alright but when I woke up this morning I felt like I had went to bed on about 6 heavy beers.

8/19/2009 4:45:47 PM

hahaha, quite true.

I mean....I had about 7 beers or so Friday night so that probably didn't help. While we were on the trail, after the breakfast settled (after first 30 minutes or so) I felt more or less fine.

and after the fact (mainly when I got home) I drank a lot of water and gatorade. I drank to the point where I wasn't thirsty and felt full. Maybe that wasn't enough?

8/19/2009 4:56:44 PM

Yeah. I don't think you were prep'd well enough for the run. Make sure you eat a big enough breakfast with lots of protein/fiber. I had a 3 egg omlete with fresh mushrooms, green and red peppers, onions, grilled chicken, a cheese with a glass of OJ about 1 hour before the ride. Food and rest is a big part of it, imo.

On yesterday's run, I had Smart Water. Honestly, I liked the Gatorade much better. Quenched my thirst and I felt better hydrated than the Smart Water... Then again, I was pushing it harder and it was hotter outside, but I was carrying both with me...



[Edited on August 19, 2009 at 5:14 PM. Reason : .]

8/19/2009 5:11:25 PM

^a breakfast like that would mean I'd have to get up at like 6:30...on a Saturday. Fuck that!

I despite Smart (and Vitamin) water. Stuff sucks.

8/20/2009 11:17:58 AM

Are you joking Pat? I got up at 7:00, took care of the dogs, cooked it up in like 15 minutes... done! Granted, I had a kitchen to clean when I got back, but still...

And going to bed around midnight should be plenty of rest...

[Edited on August 20, 2009 at 12:46 PM. Reason : .]

8/20/2009 12:45:35 PM

i've never been able to ride on a full stomach. i usually try to eat a good dose of carbs the night before and maybe have a granoloa bar and banana on the way to the trail. also might go through a couple of granola bars or cliff shots during the ride. Depending on the temperature, i may consume 0.5-1.0 liters of water during the ride. this was back when i was regularly riding 15-20miles/ride 4-5 times a week.

i think the last time i rode was back in march and i ate a granola bar and a pear on the way to trail. I puked them up mid-ride, and was sucking hard at the end of what used to be the 4 mile warm up loop. i've become such a slacker.

8/20/2009 6:41:09 PM

Quote :

"i usually try to eat a good dose of carbs"

that would be beer

8/20/2009 7:32:28 PM

So I rode about 6 miles of Umstead. Then another 6 miles of Greenway trails. Boy, some of those Umstead hills seemed to last forever. God I can't wait until I'm a beast...

8/20/2009 8:30:48 PM

I was in better shape in 2006 riding a lot of Umstead before I had an actual road bike than I was in 2007 when I was putting in more miles and hours on the road bike with very little Umstead riding.

You're riding around on a heavier bike with more rolling resistance. A 90 min ride in Umstead is like a 2hr ride on the road.

8/20/2009 9:03:09 PM

anyone here still riding in the Raleigh area?

10/4/2009 8:47:02 PM

TKE-Teg and I just rode 286 (next to Umstead). Sorry about your seat Pat I'm going to ride in the afternoon-early evening on the weekends, pending weather of course.

10/4/2009 9:00:34 PM

Y'all ever ride any beginner-friendly trails? I haven't been off of Umstead/greenways so far.

10/4/2009 10:11:10 PM

Crabtree is great for beginners, though I don't know the way very well... I've been once and noticed a few "loop 1", "loop 2", etc... signs, but everything kept looking the same as I went through.

10/4/2009 10:23:30 PM

^^^Man, that header I took was nasty. I think I flew about 10 feet before landing, ugh. And my finger's swollen up pretty good, not sure what I did to it.

Time to go seat shopping I guess

10/5/2009 9:15:46 AM

I did LCCP yesterday.... shirtless too... falling hurt.

10/5/2009 9:26:09 AM

^^ Yeah, I thought I should warn you about that rutt, but figured your might take it slow and see it... I hope you recover well. Sorry about your seat man... I'm really surprised you didn't hurt yourself worse considering where you landed

Remember when I skinned my elbow at Crabtree? THAT SHIT IS STILL PINK... My body isn't healing as fast as it used to.

10/5/2009 11:15:07 AM

where is a good place to sell a nice hardtail? i've tried clist and tww before. are there any shops in raleigh that buy used stuff? a good bike forum that has an active classifieds section?

10/6/2009 1:38:52 PM

trianglemtb.com

10/6/2009 5:55:04 PM

So close to finishing my build...only about another $200-250 to drop. A $2k+ bike for less than $1400

[Edited on October 23, 2009 at 10:34 AM. Reason : .]

10/23/2009 10:31:12 AM

^post some pics and specs when you're done. or now. fuck it.

10/23/2009 10:43:56 AM

Headed to the Pisgah area this weekend with the GF...not sure if I'm carrying the roadbike or mtn bike with me though.

10/23/2009 10:52:40 AM

Quote :

"So close to finishing my build...only about another $200-250 to drop. A $2k+ bike for less than $1400"

Big deal...I just bought a $1950 bike for $1200 and I didn't have to scavenge a bunch of forums or spend more than 30 minutes on assembly to do it. 2009 Stumpjumper Comp 29er. Less than 200 well cared for miles. Very clean. I don't even consider it to be a very good deal...More like a fair price IMO.

Different topic...
Anyone know if I can slap a Shimano 9 speed cassette on a older (mid-90's) MTB wheel that currently has a 8 speed cassette? Just wondering if they're all compatible or if they have changed the hub since that era. If so, anyone got a spare they want to get rid of? Also need some VBrake parts (the little cable splitter thing) if anyone has them.

[Edited on October 23, 2009 at 10:54 AM. Reason : l]

10/23/2009 10:52:45 AM

If anyone wants to hit up LCCP, I'm free weekends anytime and weekdays after 5pm.


Also, we should organize a trip up to Falls Lake sometime. New Light, anyone?

10/23/2009 4:01:05 PM

Hmm... I'm not familiar with LCCP much, so it may behoove me to go with you some time. Would you be possibly interested tomorrow morning? If so, I can PM a possible time I am available since I've also got to work at the fair tomorrow.

10/23/2009 5:13:58 PM

anyone got a bike for sale in the 200-300 range?

10/23/2009 7:57:44 PM

^ If only you had made that post yesterday.
Sold my old bike today via Craigslist. Went for $340 though.

10/23/2009 9:57:41 PM

^^^ I didn't follow-up on that, but we wouldn't have been able to go anyway. It's raining .

10/24/2009 10:54:05 AM

Yes, porcha
Maroon '96 Trek 850, new tires, tuneup and seat ... but it's in Charlotte.

10/24/2009 11:37:40 AM

damn, i almost had a 2001 Giant XTC SE2 for $300 the other day

guy sold it while i was at work

10/25/2009 9:29:53 AM

Quote :

"Big deal...I just bought a $1950 bike for $1200 and I didn't have to scavenge a bunch of forums or spend more than 30 minutes on assembly to do it. 2009 Stumpjumper Comp 29er. Less than 200 well cared for miles. Very clean. I don't even consider it to be a very good deal...More like a fair price IMO."

You got a used bike. I will have all brand new components. Also, I said a $2k+ bike, meaning I really don't know the value of the bike because there is not one that is directly comparable. The new Jamis Dakar XC has a lot lower componentry and fork and is listed for $1025. The Dakar XC Expert has a little better fork, but I have similar components and better wheels and is listed for $3050. Therefore, I say $2k+ plus bike, because if you were to purchase a bike with the components I have it would probably run you $2200-2500.

Regardless, I am getting a great bike for a cheap price with the components I want, rather than having them dictated to me.

Pics to come when finished.

[Edited on October 28, 2009 at 10:50 AM. Reason : Pics]

10/28/2009 10:50:00 AM

The Dakar XCR Expert might be $3050, but the Dakar XC Expert MRSP was $1999. Different frame. Different bike (that they no longer make.)

And you've been building this thing since 1/28/2009 according to page 8 of this thread. How old is that frame?

A quick search of eBay's completed listings shows several brand new 2008 Dakar XC offerings that didn't even get a single bid at $799 + shipping. No offense, but you could have been out riding on a brand new Dakar XC a long time ago for far less than $1000 and the extra funds could have been applied to upgrades as needed/desired. At this point you might as well finish it and enjoy it though.

[Edited on October 29, 2009 at 10:12 AM. Reason : s]

10/29/2009 10:11:49 AM

Maybe part of the fun was the process of building his own bike?

[Edited on October 29, 2009 at 10:45 AM. Reason : .]

10/29/2009 10:45:10 AM

Maybe who fucking cares?

10/29/2009 10:46:02 AM

bttt

2/15/2010 10:24:46 PM

Ordered my last batch of parts this past week. Build should be complete by the end of this month.

Can't wait to get back on the trails. Another reason I'm not a big fan of winter.

2/15/2010 10:31:48 PM

^ i went snowboarding Saturday and passed a guy riding down the piste clipped into his his kona hardtail. i was like and then like , but then I 'd




[Edited on February 16, 2010 at 4:09 AM. Reason : .]

2/16/2010 3:55:04 AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olWmifn-fRM&feature=player_embedded

remembered the sticker on his helmet

2/16/2010 4:26:33 AM

Skack

Quote :

"Different topic... Anyone know if I can slap a Shimano 9 speed cassette on a older (mid-90's) MTB wheel that currently has a 8 speed cassette? Just wondering if they're all compatible or if they have changed the hub since that era. If so, anyone got a spare they want to get rid of? Also need some VBrake parts (the little cable splitter thing) if anyone has them. "

As for the hub/cassette, you can put the 9 speed on the older hub, shouldnt be any fit issues, unless its some weird campy freehub body. Also you may have a freewheel, which is different all together....

As for the "cable splitter thing", are you talking about this:



The proper name is straddle cable. They are used on rim brakes, but not V-brake systems. Any LBS will have them for $2-4.

2/16/2010 9:08:54 AM

Actually there could be fit problems switching between an 8 and 9 speed cassette. When you buy a new hub, it likely lists its compatibility. The hub has to be long enough to accommodate the larger cassette.

Also, you can't just upgrade the cassette and hub. You will also need to upgrade the rear derailleur and shifter.

2/16/2010 1:30:52 PM

Unless it is some crazy off-brand hub, 8/9 speed will interchange without issue. The spacing is the same between the two. The sizing difference comes from tighter cog spacing and a narrower chain.

Shifter will definitely need to be upgraded as well. Depending on the brand and level of the derailleur, you might be able to get it to shift decently. Yes, it is possible.

2/16/2010 11:24:17 PM

Got it built!

And it is sweet. The XT hydro brakes stop on a dime. The Reba Team fork is plush as any Fox I have ridden, plus the push lock is convenient.

And after speaking with two different bike shops, there's no way I could get a new bike of similar quality for the price I built this one.

Can't wait to get back to Raleigh this summer and ride 286.

2/28/2010 5:23:59 PM

nice, i had a Reba and it was awesome.

2/28/2010 9:54:56 PM

Long time since I've looked at this thread...

Quote :

"As for the hub/cassette, you can put the 9 speed on the older hub, shouldnt be any fit issues, unless its some weird campy freehub body. Also you may have a freewheel, which is different all together...."

I found a nice wheelset with Ringle hubs and a 7 speed cassette at my parents house that I had forgotten about. Paired it with a LX 7-speed derailleur and shifter that I took off an old frame that I cracked back in high school and still had hanging around. Not new hot shit by any means, but good for a street cruiser.

As far as I could tell, the 8/9 speed stuff is totally compatible with the older 7 speed stuff. The issue you might run into is with the spacing. a 7 speed chain is wider than an 8 speed chain. Likewise, a 8 speed chain is wider than a 9 speed chain. The 9 speed chain will fit any of them, but a 7 speed chain may be too wide to fit a 9 speed cassette. When you see front chainrings that claim to be "9 speed compatible" or whatever it just means that they are spaced closely and will only work with the 9 speed chain. There really is no other correlation between the front chainrings and the rear cassette.

I think there was a difference in the 7 speed hub and the 8/9 speed hub, but it's been so long since I researched it that I couldn't say for sure. In either case, I wasn't about to have a new wheel built just to get a 8/9 speed cassette on the 7 speed wheels I already have for the street cruiser I was building.

Quote :

"The proper name is straddle cable. They are used on rim brakes, but not V-brake systems. Any LBS will have them for $2-4."

V-Brakes are a type of rim brake. The pic you posted is a cantilever setup.

Here's a pic of some v-brakes:



The main difference between the two is that v-brakes are taller and provide more leverage.
The part I was referring to is the curved aluminum housing that acts as a stop for the cable housing and routes the internal cable. You can get this at just about any bike shop. I picked it up at REI for about $2.75.

[Edited on March 1, 2010 at 1:11 AM. Reason : l]

3/1/2010 1:03:03 AM