Bicycle Enthusiasts thread

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  • spencer rifle

    Grandmaster
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    66   0   0
    Apr 15, 2011
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    Scrounging brass
    I just love my bicycle, and you love yours or you wouldn't be reading this.

    Nothing like getting out on a country road, light winds, sunshine, few cars and a full water bottle.

    Used to ride a Schwinn Typhoon growing up - black, heavy, single speed, bombproof.
    Moved up to a Raleigh 3-speed in high school. In-the-hub shift, not as heavy as the Typhoon. Nearly killed me when a bunch of us high school seniors decided to go on a long trip (maybe 25 miles?). Hated cycling after that. Took that bike to college for campus commutes - never had to worry about it getting stolen.
    Moved up again just before graduation to a Motobecane road bike. Not bad, lighter, better for long rides, which I did some of around the island I lived on in South Carolina. My roommate there was a big cyclist, and had a Schwinn Paramount he rode up and down the coast. Still had the Motobecane when I moved to Evansville and rode in my first organized ride - the Great Pumpkin Metric. That nearly killed me also - bike not quite up to it and me trying to push too big a gear. Research for a replacement began, mostly in old Bike Nashbar catalogs (this was in 1984, before the internet, kiddies).

    When I finally made up my mind, I went into Gilles Schwinn, found a Cannondale ST400, and told them to take all the stock equipment off. Then I rebuilt it from the frame and fork up. Looked for parts that were light and mostly maintenance-free. Mostly sealed bearings - hubs, bottom bracket, jockey wheels. Built my own wheels with double-butted spokes on Mavic (set 1) or Bullseye (set 2) hubs. Dura-Ace headset. Braze-ons for a full set of panniers. Silver Silca frame-fit pump. Top normal front derailleur. Carefully worked-out the rear cluster so there were no repeat gearings. Biopace chainrings. When it was finally done, it weighed 20 pounds (light for a touring bike in the 80s) and I had about $1000 into it. Still riding it 23,000 miles later, with only a few modifications. Even after all this time it is still great to get on it and ride. A thing of beauty is a joy forever. Longest ride so far - 107 miles.

    BK (before kids) She Who Must Be Obeyed and I rode a lot - Horsey Hundred, Hilly Hundred, Hoosier Hills, Roscoe Ramble, LOST, FOUND, local rides. Recently got back to the Hilly with older children riding the Nashbar tandem along with us. She rides a 1985 Trek 400 17 inch frame which has even more miles on it than my bike. Three people at the last Hilly offered to buy it from her. Just rebuilt it this past winter, and now she coasts faster than me.

    Someday I would like a Ciocc with Campy groupo and chromed rear triangle, but I don't want to make my other bike jealous!
     

    KittySlayer

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    4   0   0
    Jan 29, 2013
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    Northeast IN
    Started about the same time as you and had some similar experiences but kept riding when the kid came. Met the current She Who Must Be Obeyed on a bike vacation and still ride regularly with her on the tandem. Every summer we take a week long cycling vacation. My kid grew up riding and racing and I would race with him until he got too fast. Stopped racing when he went to college but still can hang on the A rides. Riding a decade old Ti frame when not on the tandem. Just passed the 100,000 mile mark last summer and tempted to blow out of work early on this sunny day.

    Someday I would like a Ciocc with Campy groupo and chromed rear triangle, but I don't want to make my other bike jealous!

    My favorite ride is still my steel Bianchi in celeste, chromed rear triangle and Campagnolo. It's my sunny Sunday go to church bike.
     

    GodFearinGunTotin

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    1   0   0
    Mar 22, 2011
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    Mitchell
    I'm not a fanatic (the parts you mentioned above are mostly Greek to me) but I used to like to ride. Never rode in any organized events -- I'm not into it like those folks are and I'm just not much of a "joiner" to be honest. I just liked to get out and ride and get a little exercise. I've got an old Trek that my wife got for free after somebody had stolen the wheels and stuff off of it. I was just thinking this weekend, I might like to get it down and get it ready to go again. It needs lots of work though.
     

    lovemachine

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    17   0   0
    Dec 14, 2009
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    Indiana
    Bicyclist here. I have a trek 2.1 road bike, and I've been anxious to start riding it again.
    I also have a Trek X-Caliber 8 29er mountain bike. I also have a Trek Farley fat bike. The thing is, I don't know if I like road biking or mountain biking more.

    Went mtn biking at Nebo Ridge last weekend;
    56B0A01F-856C-4957-B951-1CDD2984C2B3_zpshpfhsfqs.jpg
     

    lovemachine

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    Dec 14, 2009
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    I think I've waived at you on your fat tire bike in the past (not this last weekend). I used to run on that trail pretty frequently. I'm mostly running in Brown County these days.

    I'm always wearing a large bright orange camelback MULE backpack. I always tend to carry too much stuff when I go mountain biking....
     

    seedubs1

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    Jan 17, 2013
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    Can't wait to yell "LOVEMACHINE!!!" at a random guy in the woods.

    My luck, it won't be you. Just some random guy with an orange camelback.

    Enjoy the trails!

    I'm always wearing a large bright orange camelback MULE backpack. I always tend to carry too much stuff when I go mountain biking....
     

    RustyHornet

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    13   0   0
    Jun 29, 2012
    18,477
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    Fort Wayne, IN
    I like bicycles. Mostly antiques. Haven't been riding much this year, ended up tearing most of them down over the winter for some maintenance and refurb work... Didn't get most of them back together. :):

    I'll post up some pix later, would love to see more of everybodies rides.
     

    nkhrfh

    Marksman
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    20   0   0
    Feb 21, 2012
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    Used to race back in the day on the road and veldrome. Now keep my wife company as she trains for ironman Wisconsin. Did just list a set of Zipps in classifieds here.
     

    femurphy77

    Grandmaster
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    30   0   0
    Mar 5, 2009
    20,268
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    S.E. of disorder
    The GF and I are in the same boat as GFGT, we started riding a couple of years ago then my school workload became unbearable and the bikes became a great place to store extra dust. We're hoping to break them out again real soon, of course now we're dealing with the room addition so who knows. We'd like to go down to Florida City or Key Largo and then bike to Key West. We'd do it over 2 or 3 days, not due to the distance but we want to stop and smell the seaweed along the way so to speak. Maybe next year. . . . .
     

    SnoopLoggyDog

    I'm a Citizen, not a subject
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    61   0   0
    Feb 16, 2009
    6,203
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    Warsaw
    Gearhead here. Love riding and working on bikes. Own three. A Cannondale Quick flat-bar road bike. A Cannondale H400 touring bike. And a Catrike Expedition 30 speed trike. Usually do two centuries each summer. Belong to an old persons trike riding club, (Lowriders), and we have a blast. We often ride the Nickle Plate Trail on Sundays, but today we did 45 miles on the Panhandle Pathway Trail. Also love restoring old Schwinn's and fixing up bikes for friends. Planning a solo trip on the Katy Trail in MO, in the fall. 475 miles of riding and camping.

    Three to four days a week, I hang out at Victory Bike Shop in Kokomo. It has to be the most politically incorrect place in all of Indiana. The owner is also a Class III manufacturer and dealer and has an FFL.

    100_0983-1.jpg
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    igotdiesel2

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    Jan 16, 2009
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    Southport area of In
    I ride a 2001 all aluminum Schwinn Mesa. I bought it at a bike shop in Deluth, MN. I am strictly a pleasure rider. The kids and I truck the bikes to Fountian Square and hit the Cultural Trail into downtown. We usually put 10 to 15 miles on the bikes and always have a good time. My daughter and son ride Diamondbacks. I would like to get them out in the woods someday but I will have to put trail tires back on my bike. I put street tires on it 2 years ago. -Jason
     

    Whitsettd8

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    Nov 15, 2011
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    Floyd Co
    I currently only road ride been working up the mileage to hopefully do the Muncie Half IM next year. Currently riding A Kestrel Talon loaded out with Shimano Dura-ace. It's a nice light bike but a little aggressive geometry. After 25-30 miles I'm missing my Six13. I ride a quite a bit down around New Albany, Jeff, Sellersburg.
     

    terrehautian

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    3   0   0
    Jan 6, 2012
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    Where ever my GPS says I am
    My wife and I bought Trek 7.2 FX with disc brakes in 2014, we mostly stick to city roads and bike paths. We didn't ride too much last year as all summer my wife was pregnant. I did the Indy Nite ride with her brother last year and we all three did the year before last. I need to get to riding to get ready for this years nite ride. Got a nice front light that lights up the road in front of me and a nice bright rear light. Rode about 200 some miles in 2014. Long time down the road I want a recumbent trike.
     
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