Does anyone use Strava live segments?

https://www.strava.com/segments/8941447?filter=overall

On my morning commute. Are these times even possible? The first 20-30+ people are sprinting at over 40mph. Doesn't seem right...

5/19/2016 10:27:55 AM

NVM figured it out. All these people were on the lightrail.

5/19/2016 11:10:45 AM

I think I found my next trail/bikepacking bike:

http://www.bikepacking.com/bikes/jamis-dragonslayer-review/

http://www.jamisbikes.com/usa/dragonslayerseries.html



[Edited on May 29, 2016 at 10:58 AM. Reason : s]

5/29/2016 10:58:01 AM

When did bikes get to be so mother fucking expensive. Hole ee fuck. Are they made by union workers in New York city or something? No reason a bike with technology as old as shit should be going for $2700. Gawd damn.

5/30/2016 9:41:04 PM

Well, between the thunderstorms and the massive cellulitis from poison ivy on my arms, this Memorial Day ruled my face. No camping.

Upsides: finally bought a mess kit, more camping fuel, and a 15 F sleeping bag weighing in at ~ 3 lb for camping at the REI sale. Holla.

5/30/2016 11:29:42 PM

Quote :

"No reason a bike with technology as old as shit should be going for $2700"

That's a Jamis frame so it's actually really cheap for what it is (Jamis is known for being cheaper than similarly priced bikes from Trek, Specialized, etc). Bikes didn't get expensive they've always been expensive for decent parts.

The majority of the cost of a bike (maybe unless you're getting into super expensive carbon frames) isn't the frame itself but the components which are pretty similar for most bikes. That Jamis Dragonslayer also only has mid-range Shimano Components. You could easily put a Shimano XTR set on it and add a couple thousand to the price. Add in a nicer fork, wheels, etc and you can build a bike as expensive as you want.

Also it's not "old as shit" technology. It's all very new technology. From the new lighter and more durable steel/carbon/aluminium frames to the hydraulic disk brakes it's all technology that's been evolving for a very long time. Bikes today have advanced a HUGE amount over bikes from 10 years ago. Very similar to cars where you've still got a gas engine but they've become more efficient, have more complex computer systems, and lighter parts.

It's also because Shimano, SRAM and maybe a couple others have a monopoly on the market and the components are just so damn expensive. You can spend $500+ on a crank arm alone.

With all that being said when my friends are spending $5k+ on a mountain bike I'm comfortable spending $2,700 on one that I know has quality parts and I can get it from my LBS with a year of free tune ups. If you buy a cheaper $800 mountain bike with shit components they're going to fail sooner, be harder to tune, and require replacing much sooner.

5/30/2016 11:54:59 PM

^ Can't say I've ever spent more than $1100 for any bike (I put down about that much for my Surly 8 years ago, including shipping), but I've probably spent $5-10K over the past decade on races, accessories, clothing, bags, storage, etc. Also, I have a stable of bikes, so who really knows how much $$ is wrapped up in all of it.

I save a massive amount of money by being an intermediate-level bike mechanic, and having access to a community bike shop. It's worth it learning to do basic maintenance on your bike, because even a tuneup can run you a few hundred bucks at a LBS.

5/31/2016 1:27:19 PM

Yeah every LBS I've bought from offers a year of free maintenance and learning bike maintenance is pretty easy. Just make sure you get a torque wrench and be prepared to watch a lot of youtube videos.

You can certainly get a decent frame and put entry level components on it for ~$1000 but as I previously said they're going to fail sooner, be harder to tune, and require replacement sooner. It also depends what you're doing on your bike. If you're casually riding be it road or trail then you obviously don't have to spend as much on bike components. It's when you get into more aggressive trail riding, faster road riding, and longer trips that you want components that are better quality and hold up to torture much better

Very similar to a car. If you're mostly highway driving your components aren't going to fail as soon. If you're racing than you want better quality components that last longer when put to the test.

If you gave an $800 mountain bike and a $3500 mountain bike to the same biker and told them to go ride Moab for a week the $800 bike will come back demolished by the end of the week with bent rims, f'd up suspension, and numerous other issues whereas the $3500 bike would withstand the torture due to the better components. I know this because I've had many friends try to get into trail riding and quickly get in over their head because they try to learn on more challenging single track with an $800 Walmart mountain bike.

--I've busted a BB and a cassette on a friend's mountain bike because they were cheap components. Not fun.

[Edited on May 31, 2016 at 3:40 PM. Reason : s]

5/31/2016 3:33:39 PM

Suggestions on bike shops in Raleigh? I have never owned anything other than your basic bike but having just moved to an area I feel more inclined to bike in I thought it might be nice to own something a bit better. I'm not looking to spend more than a couple hundred bucks as this will mostly be paved trail riding type stuff but I'd like to make sure I get something that I will be comfortable riding.

6/8/2016 4:02:43 PM

For only a couple hundred your best bet would be looking on Craigslist. It's really hard to get any type of new road bike for under $500 that won't be made with shitty components. You could probably find a local bike shop that sells Jamis frames which are very affordable and their builds start at around $550.

[Edited on June 8, 2016 at 4:33 PM. Reason : s]

6/8/2016 4:06:06 PM

I used to masturbate onto birds at a local park. Not a thing that I'm particularly proud of but I became quite good at it. I was taking zinc supplements so I was shooting massive loads and it became something of a sport to me. For anyone interested here is your best strategy. first, you need to find an isolated spot so you don't become a sex offender. I found a short kind of channel area where I saw the pigeons would congregate. Next, you arouse yourself. I was usually content with envisioning the occasional jogging lady coming over and taking a shit on my chest and that was enough to fuel the fire but if you're not as sexually charged as me just take some porn on the go. After you're good an horny, you get some bread. My pigeons preferred white bread but healthier birds might have a taste for honey wheat or maybe even multigrain. Fat, unhealthy birds are slower and easier to hit so remember that. Once you are seated on the bench and ready to do the deed, whip your roosevelt out and scatter bread out within a few feet of you. use your judgement based on how far you know you can cum. I was a lonely and depraved soul who could hit targets the size of a thimble at distances up to 4 feet. You wait for the pigeons to begin eating and to get comfortable with your presence. At this point, you want to coo gently and talk sensually to them to gain their trust. Now you're finally ready to cum on your bird. This is a tough part because the rapid motion of masturbation is very frightening to the birds, so you have to be subtle. Once you master a technique, you simply wind it up and let it go, aiming depending on your past cumming experiences. I always came high so I would aim for the neck of the bird and catch it right in the face. It's an extremely satisfying and erotic feeling, seeing those birds reel around covered in cum and maybe even transporting it to other places in the city. Either way I haven't done it in years but every now and then I catch myself gazing wistfully at a flock of birds, cock throbbing and waiting for them to land close to me.

6/8/2016 7:57:45 PM

^^^Been doing a little more research on new budget bikes after your comment.

Here's the Coda Sport I was refering to:

http://www.jamisbikes.com/usa/codasport.html

These are getting more popular:

https://www.purecycles.com/collections/standard-fixies/products/matte-black-fixie?variant=352155849

For $350.

Retrospec:

https://www.retrospecbicycles.com/collections/bikes/products/mantra-fixed-gear-single-speed-bike

For $320.

Here are some additional suggestions for ~$300:

http://bikesmarts.com/8-best-fixed-gear-bikes-500-cheap-fixie-reviews/

On all of these cheaper bikes you're mainly sacrificing component quality. Steel frames are typically pretty cheap.

I would still think Craigslist might be your best bet if you're only looking to spend a few hundred dollars. For example you may be able to find a good deal on a ~$800 road bike that someones trying to get rid of for only a couple hundred dollars that may only require $50-100 of tuning/maintenance (a lot of which you can youtube and do yourself).

[Edited on June 8, 2016 at 8:28 PM. Reason : s]

6/8/2016 8:26:48 PM

I guess my thought was I can roll into like target or toys r us and pickup a bike for like under 200 bucks or something so I thought maybe I can find something just a little better at a bike shop haha. I will take a look at those though this is mainly gonna be neighborhood and paved trail riding although I wouldnt mind something I can ride on some dirt trails as well if needed. Not looking to do any mountain biking or rough trails though.

6/9/2016 8:23:59 AM

Anything under $500 is super cheap for a bike. You're going to be compromising a lot of things. That's the price point where you're going to get much more for your money looking at used bikes on CL. I have seen tons of >$1000 bikes on CL for $300-500 that require a little work to get like new again. It may require a little extra research and work but you're going to be better in the long run.

If you interested in a little gravel riding and don't mind spending a little more then you may want to look at something like an adventure or cycle cross bike. Similar geometry to a road bike with some additional features to toughen it up.

I'm actually looking at this one for my GF:

http://www.jamisbikes.com/usa/renegadeseries.html

The base aluminium one starts at a very reasonable $839. Steel is going to run you $1199 for lighter weight and a smoother ride.

6/9/2016 11:00:53 AM

Crashed my bike pretty epically about 7 weeks ago (on a greenway bridge off Lassiter Mill) - hurt my hip and elbow. I'm still in PT but was just approved to ride my bike again!

6/21/2016 1:56:31 PM

has anyone biked the New River Trail in southwest Virginia? We're planning a camping trip up there next month and i'd like to take the bikes, but mine and hers are both road bikes. The trail is all hard compact ash/dirt and it's very flat and smooth but i'm just not sure if the bikes will handle it well. My Cannondale has 32 Schwalbe Marathons, which i think would do just fine but I may have to replace hers.

Thoughts?


Edit: Both sets of wheels are 700

7/11/2016 11:28:14 AM

I've done it. You should be fine with Schwalbe Marathons. 32 is wide enough for the New River. Great ride!

7/11/2016 4:06:33 PM

Anyone have a bike safety cam? I'm debating getting one. The number of idiot drivers I see on the street has greatly increased since I switched to only commuting by bike. Probably due to the fact I'm a lot more vigilant.

This guy always has amazing reviews:

http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2016/05/cycliq-fly12-bike-lightcamera-in-depth-review.html

Some good info here as well:

http://www.scarletfire.co.uk/safety-cameras-cyclists-cycling-head-cams/

I was on my commute this morning on a two lane road in the right lane hugging the side per usual and a huge pickup truck starts honking their horn and aggressively passes me super close and then flicks me off. There wasn't even a lot of traffic. He could have simply merged into the left lane then merged back just like passing any other vehicle going slower than him (I was going 21 mph in a 25 mph zone).

I feel like I almost need a rear one too because cyclists often get hit from behind.

[Edited on August 2, 2016 at 11:55 AM. Reason : s]

8/2/2016 11:53:59 AM

^ My husband and I don't have them, but we did have a fun interaction with a Durham cop while biking on Main St in Durham this past weekend. He tailgated us for several blocks before telling us to take the whole lane instead of letting cars pass on a super-wide thoroughfare.

I told him taking the lane sounds great in theory, and is what I do in practice on 2-lane roads when I have no other options, but taking the lane on a super wide street just pisses off cars so they're more likely to sideswipe you.

I've been commuting on bike every day since my State days, so I'll stick to what I know best, thanks, Officer.

8/4/2016 3:18:07 PM

In fairness, he at least acknowledged your right to be on the road. I had a run in with a cop a few months back where he pulled up beside me at a light and ordered me to ride on the sidewalk. For a variety of reasons, this particular run of sidewalk is unrideable so I asked him if that was the law or just a suggestion (knowing the answer). He admitted it was just a suggestion and then got all pissy with me when I said that I would prefer to ride on the road. It ended when the light turned green and he said, "well if you want to get hurt or die, that's on you then".

Not a big deal really but that attitude annoys me.

8/4/2016 3:26:55 PM

^^It's this way in Colorado and I think it's this way in NC but by law you're supposed to hug the right side of the road to let cars pass. The one exception to this is if there are obstacles or parked cars you're not supposed to swerve in and out of them.

But yeah I'm doing anything I can to make cars happy and not block their commute in the morning.

Also I swear I saw some chick in a Forester playing Pokemon Go on my commute this morning.

^Did you tell him riding on the sidewalk is illegal in most places and you're supposed to follow all the laws that cars do? Bikes get ticketed quite often here for riding on the sidewalk. Sounds like an idiot cop who doesn't know the law. Here in Colorado you're only ever allowed to ride on the sidewalk if you're within a block of "parking" or leaving or entering a building. I think it was the same in Charlotte.

8/4/2016 4:08:33 PM

Picked up a new bike on Saturday, have already put 20+ miles on it. And while my junk is fine, my butt was sore as hell after the first ride, and still isn't back to normal. Do I need a new seat/saddle? Or is this just my body aching from not riding a bike for an hour-long ride in like 10 years?

8/16/2016 8:01:24 PM

your sit bones will adapt to riding and the pain will go away. if you start to develop some other issues like numbness in the foot or toes then look at seat height and angle adjustments.

replacing the saddle isn't really a necessary upgrade for casual riding.

8/17/2016 10:18:33 AM

^^ yea you'll adjust.

8/17/2016 12:28:35 PM

Came across this thread and thought I'd do a little advertising for a small business and maybe help someone out. I work for an accounting firm (professional dress code), so I thought biking to work wouldn't be in the cards, but glad to report I've found a backpack that makes it possible. In my research, I was surprised at the seeming lack of options like this, so thought I'd post it in case there are any other bikers looking to make biking to work a possibility. It's worked great for me so far.

Henty is the company (linked below). I have the Wingman Backpack (video linked below), but there are other smaller options. I would also look on Amazon, as the prices on the site are higher than I paid.

Henty: https://henty.cc/shop/

Short video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLMUVWwP1u0

** I have no affiliation with Henty. Just a supporter of biking to work and want to help others get over obstacles like getting your suit/dress clothes to work. Happy cycling y'all.

8/20/2016 1:40:06 PM

That's pretty cool. I've never had to carry a suit on my commute. I just carry jeans and a polo/button down and they fit fine in my bike panniers or backpack if I'm on my road bike. Cool concept though. Couldn't you just leave a couple suits at work though instead of commuting with them every day?

8/21/2016 2:45:11 PM

^ I'm in assurance, so we are at the client site and don't have any type of locker available to us. Just a round table in a window-less conference room.

I got a gym membership to the gym right beside the client, so I bike, workout, and then shower. Works well considering the situation.

8/22/2016 10:16:40 PM

Hey Neodata, I'm currently in CO in Denver, staying at my sister in law's in Wheat Ridge. We borrowed a sweet little full suspension Trek so me and bro-in-law can go mountain biking.

What are some good local trails? My level of mountain biking is, what, East Coast beginner/intermediate.

9/3/2016 3:10:12 AM

There are a TON of great beginner/intermediate trails on the front range close to Denver and even in/around Denver.

i70 looks pretty bad right now so I'd stick to the front range. If you're in Wheat Ridge you could actually not drive and take the Cherry Creek trail down to Cherry Creek State Park.

http://www.singletracks.com/bike-trails/cherry-creek.html

It's beginner but nice for being practically in the city. Also the stretch of green way to get there is beautiful. It's a dedicated bike green way with no street crossings (follows a river and goes under the roads).

Part of my Friday commute goes down near highlands ranch. There's some mountain biking trails down there. It's also accessible via the greenway that goes south down the Platte River. Taking the Platte river south from downtown towards Highlands Ranch super nice. There's dedicated/split running and biking paths:



Green Mountain is also practically in the city. I used to live in Lakewood and would frequently bike/trail run Green Mountain.

http://www.mtbproject.com/trail/3638243

From Wheat Ridge you could also drive (or longer ride) closer to the mountains directly on the front range and there's numerous great mountain biking trails around Golden.

Here are some good resources for that:

https://www.mtbproject.com/directory/8007423/denver

http://www.singletracks.com/blog/mtb-trails/my-top-five-best-mountain-bike-trails-in-denver/

If you just look at Google Maps on the bike view anything green is either a greenway or bike lane.

The brown are the dirt/mountain biking trails. I've pointed out Cherry Creek State Park (right), Highlands Ranch (bottom), and Golden/Morrison trails (left).



We're about to head out but that was the short 5 min summary of trails around Denver!!!

9/3/2016 12:58:45 PM

We ended up hiking Three Sisters, mountain biking Green Mountain, and horseback riding in Nederland. Had to take the tubeless wheel in to Wheat Ridge Cyclery and get a new tire; apparently you can melt tires from the exhaust of a car. That put back riding for a day.

Otherwise, biked a plenty around Denver on a Raleigh cruiser, did Makeout Point and rode around Sloan Lake a bunch.

Also, lots of occurred, and might have contributed to the major bike fail.

9/5/2016 9:46:52 PM

Great! Wheat Ridge Cyclery is awesome! Glad you got out and did a bunch. It was super hot this weekend but didn't rain.

9/6/2016 10:30:01 AM

Just came back from the VA Creeper Trail. It was a lot of fun, although my oldest son wiped out once about two miles in. Younger kid had to do a tag-a-long attachment as he is still not good at balancing yet.

9/6/2016 11:22:24 AM

Went on a social ride last night. Afterwards we stopped for tacos and during that short period someone stole my sweaty bicycle helmet! I didn't have it locked up with the bike because I didn't think anyone would actually take a helmet, especially a sweaty one. Lesson learned

9/8/2016 12:23:09 AM

Finally got myself a bike and rode it for the first time yesterday. My ass really hurts today haha I assume that will slowly go away over time as it gets used to it.

10/24/2016 10:09:33 AM

No more cold feet and hands!!!

12/11/2016 9:29:14 PM

In dire need of a new road bike. Just pulled the trigger on this guy:

http://www.jensonusa.com/Jamis-Xenith-Comp-Bike-2014-CarbonVictory-Red-54

43% off. $1200 for a carbon road bike with Shimano 105 components!

I was a little wary about getting an older groupset with only a 10 speed drivetrain but I think in Colorado the compact crank is more important than 11 speed for climbing.

Picked up some 105 pedals as well.

This will be replacing the 1993 Cannondale r400 my dad bought me when I was 14.

2/5/2017 11:19:47 PM

Any thoughts on bike racks? I'm finally getting a 2" hitch installed on Friday and picking up a bucket style bike rack with my REI coupon and dividend.

Was leaning towards a Thule: https://www.rei.com/product/103178/thule-t2-classic-2-bike-hitch-rack

The Kuat NV is the nicest but $$$: https://www.rei.com/product/109807/kuat-nv-20-bike-hitch-rack

With a carbon frame I'm limited to the above bucket style rack or a roof rack (which I want to avoid because bike roof racks + garages scare me).

3/22/2017 11:49:47 AM

Are there any Bluetooth headsets / headphones / speakers that sound decent for phone calls (for the 0ther person) if it's windy or if you're going 10+ mph? Or do you just have to pull over if you want the other person to not hear constant wind?

4/10/2017 4:53:50 PM

I haven't found any good ones. My old Jawbone Era does alright in the wind.

I just got these though and they've made a HUGE difference with wind. I'd say a 60-70% reduction in wind noise:

https://www.cat-ears.com/

4/10/2017 5:17:01 PM

I just want to cycle enough to do a sprint...nothing too crazy long. Where can I find a decent bike that will get me through in a decent time before my runs?

Thanks!

4/10/2017 11:52:20 PM

hybrid will be fine to get you through a sprint, no need to go totally crazy

4/12/2017 8:18:17 PM

So last weekend I bought a new to me bike for commuting. It's an Iron Horse Adventure hybrid bike which a friends dad had but has been sitting in their garage for a while, so they needed the space and were ready to get rid of stuff. I had some work done on it at the bike shop and put about 6 miles on it today. Really liking it and planning to start commuting with it soon.

5/13/2017 10:39:10 PM

I don't bike, but we're getting my daughter her first real bike, and I'd like one to ride around on with her, but I want to get a good one that will last and, if I want to get into riding, would be a good segue into something more. I was thinking about getting a hybrid co-op from REI.

Anybody got any thoughts?

5/15/2017 4:07:40 PM

if you're going to even remotely "get into cycling" then i would steer clear of a hybrid. If you're just going to ride with your kids to the pool and back or make laps around the neighborhood it'll suffice, but if you decide that you enjoy riding and want to extend your time in the saddle you'll probably want something better. Hybrids, while comfortable, tend to have low end components. Components are what drive the cost of a bike up, but are also what make a bike perform better and last longer.

Co-op is REI's new house brand, formerly Novara. Nothing wrong with them at all.

5/16/2017 11:54:07 AM

Did my first commute both to and from work. Felt energized (and a little sweaty). Went past a tent thing set up in Carrboro by the bikeway and found out after I got to work that Carrboro PD was giving out Rise doughnuts to bikers.

5/16/2017 8:40:22 PM

I guess most people here use Strava over MapMyRide?

6/3/2017 10:15:52 PM

I use Bike Computer

But just for tracking routes, I don't have it connected to any smart-wear or whatever you call it

[Edited on June 3, 2017 at 11:09 PM. Reason : .]

6/3/2017 11:04:46 PM

I use Strava with a Wahoo Elemnt. However I just got a Garmin Fenix 5x for hiking/running/skiing/etc that might replace the Wahoo.

On another note I picked up an 11/28 to replace the 11/25 to my road bike. Climbing be crazy.

6/4/2017 7:59:17 PM

I can't afford a fenix. Just rocking my smartphone.

6/4/2017 10:29:06 PM

I used one of these for a while with my phone:

https://www.amazon.com/Vibrelli-Universal-Bike-Phone-Mount/dp/B010OPQVUS

The biggest issues with using a phone were the elements and battery life. While constantly tracking the battery would only last a few hours (and I'd have to bring an external battery to hook up to it).

Also rain and cold the phone didn't fair well. Anything under freezing the phone battery would drop super fast.

6/6/2017 10:41:54 AM