2.

Only covered 26 miles and a flat tire this week
My usual stomping pedaling grounds are the Mallard/ Clark's Creek Greenway in Charlotte

8/15/2008 6:30:12 PM

Where do you guys usually bike in Raleigh? I try to stay on the green ways.

8/18/2008 11:13:49 AM

if you're doing real road cycling, the greenway doesn't cut it. for a leasurly stroll through town, sure, but not if you are on a real road bike or want to get a workout in

here's weekly road rides in the area http://ncbikeclub.org/calendar/ncbc0808.htm

8/18/2008 11:49:52 AM

It may not be real road cycling, but I can get really fast on the greenways and keep it. Definitely a work out and not a leisurely stroll.

8/18/2008 11:56:31 AM

i'm sure the joggers and walkers with kids really love it when you fly by them at 25mph on a 5ft wide path

8/18/2008 1:05:02 PM

The crabtree area has a bunch, but I passed one walker from Meredith to the museum (I did the path two times round trip) and then there isn't to many people when you get on from Lassiter MIll.

That's the the greenway is for.

8/18/2008 2:35:04 PM

Quote :

"the best way to beat the heat is to get out early in the morning."

not in the charleston humidity- I'm up super early on the weekdays to walk to the gym, and I wouldn't dare riding in that (though it is mild compared to the rest of the day).

I have run out of places to buy gear at around here (that are affordable that is- there are plenty of shops that are ridiculous on their prices). Any websites I need to check out?

8/18/2008 4:30:05 PM

jensonusa.com sp?
pricepoint.com


There are a couple of really good ones similar to Jenson, but I can't remember the names.

8/18/2008 5:02:33 PM

It's 10' wide

8/18/2008 5:36:38 PM

I just remembered a good one.

nashbar.com

8/18/2008 5:36:42 PM

^^^^dude, i live in atlanta. mountain biking down here can seem like riding in a tropical rain forrest soemtimes. suck it up.

seriously though, its tough at first, but you won't die.

[Edited on August 18, 2008 at 9:43 PM. Reason : .]

8/18/2008 9:43:02 PM

I'd like to start mountain biking. Someone tell me how to get started.

8/18/2008 11:15:55 PM

buy a bike

8/18/2008 11:37:52 PM

^^^ according to weatherunderground, humidity in Atlanta right now is 66%. It is 90% in Charleston. I'd be after 20 minutes in this- but props to whoever enjoys that sort of weather.

8/19/2008 7:39:49 AM

still hoping to get a bike off tdub but i've also been browsing craigslist in case that doesn't work out. what do you'll think about this? good deal?

http://winstonsalem.craigslist.org/bik/782721546.html

[Edited on August 21, 2008 at 4:55 PM. Reason : its a 2006 allez triple btw]

8/21/2008 4:30:42 PM

^Find out what year it is & get an idea of how many miles it has. Low miles is way too vague to make a reasonable assumption of wear.

8/21/2008 5:18:19 PM

It's a 2006 bike. Saw it after work today and everything looked to be in good shape other than a little rust on some of the bolts like the guy said. Shifted well and felt good to ride.

8/21/2008 7:09:27 PM

^^ it has 40 miles on it. the guy just prefers riding his mtb.

8/21/2008 9:45:51 PM

That looks like a lot of rust on those bolt heads for just humidity. That looks less like humidity and more like improper storage and/or maintenance. if everything else is clean and working though, I wouldn't worry a lot.

8/21/2008 10:03:28 PM

Quote :

"^^^ according to weatherunderground, humidity in Atlanta right now is 66%. It is 90% in Charleston. I'd be after 20 minutes in this- but props to whoever enjoys that sort of weather."

fair enough. all in all, its been a pretty mild summer down here.

8/21/2008 10:54:45 PM

Tubes: what are the best 700cc tubes out there? i heard something about Michelin green? do they mean the latex tubes? i'm clueless here. any tips are appreciated, thanks.

9/23/2008 6:51:20 PM

Tubes are all the same for recreational riding. Just pump before every ride. Carry spares, and learn how to fix a flat. If you're riding pro, we all use tubulars. If you're talking about the goo (sealant), in my personal experience, it's not as good as having spares.

And nothing beats a cellphone.

9/23/2008 7:41:36 PM

yea, but if i can prevent flats by getting a good tube, i'd rather save the money and invest in a good tube.... i swear just the other day this guy was ranting about how he got a flat about once/week, and once he switched to a particular brand/tube, he has them a lot less often, like 10:1 difference.

i mean of course i'd always carry a spare too, i know how to change a flat, what i'm clueless about is the brands/types of tubes out there.

[Edited on September 24, 2008 at 12:11 AM. Reason : .]

9/24/2008 12:11:17 AM

Not another flat tire
so I covered 20 miles on the recumbent exercycle today

9/24/2008 12:13:23 AM

as long as you arent buying your tubes from walmart, they should all be pretty much the same

of course you can get some stupid lightweight ones that are meant for racing but then again that doesnt really make sense

oh and a tube shouldnt cost more than $5 (minus tax) at a real bike shop. if so, they are overcharging, go somewhere else

Quote :

"If you're riding pro, we all use tubulars."

oh really?

9/24/2008 8:16:15 AM

Quote :

"i swear just the other day this guy was ranting about how he got a flat about once/week, and once he switched to a particular brand/tube, he has them a lot less often, like 10:1 difference."

He probably hasn't thought to check his rim for debris and might not have proper tape on them. I've had 1 road tube flat on me in 2000 miles of riding, and it was probably because I had them under inflated.

9/24/2008 9:37:10 AM

Quote :

"I've had 1 road tube flat on me in 2000 miles of riding, and it was probably because I had them under inflated."

I'm jealous. I always run over shrapnel that is too small to be seen. I tend to average a flat every 100 miles. But then again, my tires are worn pretty thin, so it doesn't take much to penetrate them.

9/24/2008 9:48:11 AM

You're kidding? That would be a flat every other ride out for me. Are you riding right of the white line in all the trash?

9/24/2008 10:05:17 AM

it takes 90 seconds and about $0.03 to make scrubbers to help with the infamous raleigh road debris

seriously, for those that are getting repeated flats (and have checked for shit inside the tire/rim and proper rim strip), try it out

9/24/2008 12:43:53 PM

^scrubbers?

tell me more

9/24/2008 12:51:46 PM

cheap/simple method:

-take an old tube
-cut appropriate sized piece, depending on mounting location (i double mine over to last longer and to be slightly more firm)
-notch a tire radius
-zip tie to bike (front is back side of fork crown, rear is below brake arch)
-$profit

Granted, this doesnt help a damn bit for snakebites or bigger debris that would blow a tire instantly, like a nail. But, it should effectively brush away most of the tiny shit that gradually imbeds itself with each rotation, which lead to slow leak type flats.

Also, total addition to the bike is less than 10g. If you shape the rubber just right, you will have it brush away the crap but not cause any measureable amount of drag.

9/24/2008 5:28:02 PM

i have read that post three times.... and i have no idea what you're talking about

9/24/2008 6:12:35 PM

ok...the scrubbers are to brush the road grit off of your tires. Each time your tires goes around it picks up garbage off the road. The next time that patch of tire hits the ground, those small pieces of trash get smashed further into the rubber. Happens enough times and you can get punctures.

The tube that you have cut and attached to the bike will gently brush the road trash off of your tire before it contacts the ground again.

Make any more sense?

[Edited on September 24, 2008 at 6:39 PM. Reason : schlibidy]

9/24/2008 6:38:44 PM

icanread2, which pro rider uses clinchers for racing?

9/24/2008 7:26:55 PM

I'm looking to buy a 56cm roadbike. Any of you guys selling?

I'm looking for something that will be faster than my mtb. bike for racing in a triathalon. Dosn't really matter to me how old the bike is as long as it rolls easy.

9/27/2008 10:34:10 PM

I'm thinking of getting a trainer...the cold and reduced daylight has meant I only ride once every couple of weeks. Recommend something around $150....

12/22/2008 3:35:08 PM

where do you live?

i ask because if you are in an apartment or live above anyone, anything cheap is going to be loud as fuck and vibrate like a motherfucker...not good if living in a multiperson environment

ive gone through a few cyclops, ive loved them all, the more expensive are definitely worth it for the smoothness and quietness that they provide

12/22/2008 6:37:06 PM

i live in an apartment and i get what you're saying....what are your thoughts about the cycleops magneto or do i need to get a fluid trainer to avoid pissing off the neighbours?

12/22/2008 7:34:31 PM

maybe consider a set of rollers. mine are relatively quiet, certainly not loud enough to bother the neighbors.

i need to get back on the bike. i haven't ridden at all in a couple months. i'm considering signing up for a 6hr mtb race in may, just to give me some motivation to get off the couch.

[Edited on December 22, 2008 at 8:01 PM. Reason : learn to spell]

12/22/2008 8:01:26 PM

been toying with the idea of cycling but seems expensive to get into

any tips on starting out?

12/22/2008 8:05:58 PM

mountain or road

12/22/2008 8:28:10 PM

The weather's on the nongood side here, but exerbikes at the gym, or setting up a trainer at home works to keep running in the meantime...

I found a three year old Trek 7500FX (Hybrid/road-ish bike, Labor Day '06) on craigslist for $275.

12/22/2008 8:42:31 PM

ah definitely road

12/22/2008 8:42:33 PM

Hi guys. The wife and I are getting into riding. We both have mountain bikes, and we're getting road bikes soon. I'm riding in a Cyclocross race Jan. 3rd. That looks like fun! I'm thinking about gettin a 'cross bike for winter riding/racing, and putting road tires on it for summertime races. Does anyone else race at all?

12/22/2008 9:16:02 PM

I did a 12hr mountain bike race last may (team relay, not solo). our team came in middle of the pack. then due to traveling for work obligations was more or less off the bike for the rest of the year. I got back into it over the spring and summer this year, but didn't do any races. Got into a lazy rut over the fall, but hope to get back into it soon. i'm looking to do a 6hr solo next year, my goal for the course is 4 laps for a total of 48miles. So far my longest mtb ride has been ~25 miles, and that's been quite some time ago. so i have a ways to go still. I've wanted to do the ms150 for a couple of years now, but have yet to commit to the effort to stay in shape for a ride like that.

12/22/2008 9:27:56 PM

i ride 10+ 4 days a week on the mountian bike. i have been checking out craigslist for a roadie. i sold both my rode bikes after school because i did not figure i would ride them any more. turns out i miss them and i would not mind getting off the trails. i wish my wife road. she runs so i am always solo. goof thing for ipods.

12/23/2008 12:20:51 AM

I was riding a lot until I fucked up my cranks. One of the crank arms was loose and it creaked like crazy. I thought it was the bottom bracket bearings going bad. By the time I realized what was happening I had rounded out the crank arm a little. That said, if anyone has the following I'd be interested:

Square Shimano bottom bracket crank arms
8 speed Shimano Cassette (for MTB wheels)
MTB chain
Decent pedals for 3 piece cranks. Platform or toe clips would be fine.

12/23/2008 12:34:58 AM

not sure if anyone posted it since i didnt read the entire thread

but

http://www.chainlove.com

safe for work

12/23/2008 1:26:17 AM

Anyone know of a way or a place for cheap that can straighten out a rim? I bent my back wheel rim the other day. Or should i just replace it?

12/23/2008 11:03:44 AM

set em up

12/23/2008 11:18:53 AM