All about bicycles

[veinbuster]

We have bikes popping up in quite a few threads, so we must have something to talk about.
What you ride, where you ride, tours you might do, things you’re thinking.

 

[veinbuster]

I’ll start. I like bikes a lot and have been riding them for well over half a century, starting with terrorizing the army base I lived on when I was little.
My nicest bike is a tricked out road bike I’ve had for over 10 years.

My fastest bike is a stick bike I’ve had for almost 20 years. I recline the seat back quite a bit more than shown to get more aero.

A fixie, a mountain bike, a fattie for snow (4.8” tires), a cross bike.
I sold a 29er single speed earlier this year to make room for a tricked out recumbent I’m in the process of specing out.

 

[Tony M.]

I have 1 bicycle, a plain old Cannondale hybrid
that I bought literally a quarter of a century ago.
I ride it on the streets of NYC.
Guess what.
It still works perfectly.
It's still fast enough.
It's still comfortable.
It's still fun to ride.

 

[veinbuster]

I had planned on doing some 12 hour races this year, but that’s postponed like most sport this year. Instead I joined a virtual TT where each rider does their own 20km (12 mile) route each week. Scoring is based on improvement over your own personal best. We’ll ride through the summer and toast how strong we got Sept 21.

I am more interested in tours than racing. I shared a loop I did with my daughter last year: Banff-Golden-Radium-Banff. Lots of elevation, beautiful views and local craft brew at each stop.

I still hope to ride the Natchez Trace this year. Probably south to north. Allegheny Trail-C&O (Pittsburgh to DC) is on my list - a friend promises home made pie along the way. And I’d like to do a lap of Prince Edward Island.

 

[ducmike]

Thanks for starting this thread. I thought about it yesterday after I posted the pic of that hill we ride here. Then I saw Hans' post earlier, ask and you will receive.

I'm in my early 50s, been on a bike since I was 4 or 5. Always had the bug. BMX first, then mountain biking since. Got my first road bike Xmas 2018. Bought a Santa Cruz Blur in June that year to replace the my 15 year old Trek (and a divorce gift to my self on my ex's Bday ). Then we had insane rain in Dallas that fall and I was doing 30-50 mile road rides on the mountain bike and decided to try a road bike. Been hooked ever since.

I live in San Marcos now, moved here because I can do these amazing road rides from my front door, and I'm a block from the mountain bike trails. We have some insane hills in this area, most pretty short, not like riding in CO where you just climb for 20 miles. I can ride 30 miles with over 2k vertical and never be more than 5 miles from home. I am blessed that I have close friends in CO and get to mountain bike in Aspen area and road ride all of these great passes and canyons too.

Pic from todays ride, not very long, but 24%, so always looks intimidating as you approach it.

 

[tiboy]

This will be redundant to some, but here goes.

Bikes: Moots Smoothie mountain bike. Mountain biking technical terrain was my first true biking passion.
Moots Vamoots
Parlee custom Z1x
Parlee Z5
On order: Parlee custom Z-Zero Disc. It was supposed to be a Colnago C64, but Covid closed Italy.

My goal is to see and ride all 50 States of the US. I’ve ridden 30. Three States (Utah, Colorado and New Mexico) were canceled this year due to Covid. Hawaii was cancelled a couple of years back due to volcanic activity.

I’ve also ridden across Italy, around Sicily, Bali and the south side of New Zealand. My current desire is to do a biking safari in Africa. Backroads offers such a trip. It’s under serious consideration.

 

[Silver Sky Surfer]

I ride a 2020 Specialized Stump Jumper 27.5. We got dozens of awesome trails and jump lines within 30 minutes of me and 5 lift accessible bike parks within 4 hours. NC is an awesome state for Mtn. Biking.

 

[veinbuster]

I ride a 2020 Specialized Stump Jumper 27.5. We got dozens of awesome trails and jump lines within 30 minutes of me and 5 lift accessible bike parks within 4 hours. NC is an awesome state for Mtn. Biking.

I have a 2009 Stump Jumper, on its second set of shocks. I can mountain bike from the back yard, or road bike from the front. It’s a bit of a hike to nice single track, but their are probably a dozen different trail parks within a half hour drive. 90% of my rides are from the house thoug.

 

[Dirty_Boogie]

Focus road bike.

Devinci Troy 27.5 mountain bike.

Rode both this beautiful weekend in New England .

 

[Alnus Rubra]

These are a couple that I’ve built up from parts -

 

[dmatthews]

1998 Norco Lobos. Needs new tires now but it's a good ride.



Almost exclusively riding my 2019 Giant Fathom E+2



Did about 20kms today from my house to Bear Creek Park and back...

Crossing Nordel on foot bridge...



Into the park...





The ebike has gotten my butt off the couch many many more times than the acoustic bike ever did. Some consider it cheating, but I say the more I ride it the only cheating going on is me cheating death.

 

[Blackbird]

Happy to see this thread. I love mountain bikes almost as much as I love guitars. Very lucky to live in a burgeoning mountain bike mecca, so I ride several times per week.

Last year I completed the BC Bike Race. A 7 day stage race through various territories in BC. Starting out in North Vancouver, ending up in Squamish. We slept in tents each night, meals provided. Every day averages 35 miles of mostly singletrack, 30,000 feet of climbing overall. Definitely the toughest physical and mental challenge I've voluntarily put myself through. But super rewarding and a fantastic memory, hope to do it again in the future.

Wife and I have also done bike tours in Tuscany and Grand Canaria, bikes are such a great way to explore a new place. We hope to do a RV trip one summer, just bouncing around to different destinations with the bikes and find some adventures.

My main bikes are a Rocky Mountain Thunderbolt BC Edition 140/140, and a Rocky Mountain Altitude 150/160.

Here is the Thunderbolt during the BC race:

The Altitude in it's natural habitat:

 

[veinbuster]

1998 Norco Lobos. Needs new tires now but it's a good ride.




The ebike has gotten my butt off the couch many many more times than the acoustic bike ever did. Some consider it cheating, but I say the more I ride it the only cheating going on is me cheating death.

Cheat away mate!

Has that Norco been to Esso?

 

[veinbuster]

Very cool @Blackbird .
The BC race sounds awesome. I’m not man enough to compete in them though, but I do occasionally ride the courses before or after the race. I’ve done a couple of MTB-O (orienteering by bike) which were great fun.

 

[dmatthews]

Happy to see this thread. I love mountain bikes almost as much as I love guitars. Very lucky to live in a burgeoning mountain bike mecca, so I ride several times per week.

Last year I completed the BC Bike Race. A 7 day stage race through various territories in BC. Starting out in North Vancouver, ending up in Squamish. We slept in tents each night, meals provided. Every day averages 35 miles of mostly singletrack, 30,000 feet of climbing overall. Definitely the toughest physical and mental challenge I've voluntarily put myself through. But super rewarding and a fantastic memory, hope to do it again in the future.

Wife and I have also done bike tours in Tuscany and Grand Canaria, bikes are such a great way to explore a new place. We hope to do a RV trip one summer, just bouncing around to different destinations with the bikes and find some adventures.

My main bikes are a Rocky Mountain Thunderbolt BC Edition 140/140, and a Rocky Mountain Altitude 150/160.

Here is the Thunderbolt during the BC race:

The Altitude in it's natural habitat:

Nice! Rocky Mountain makes some awesome bikes!

 

[dmatthews]

Cheat away mate!

Has that Norco been to Esso?

Good eye Peter!
Indeed... when I was a kid I lived less than a block away from an Esso station in West Van. I had one of those tails then, and it was serendipity to get one again about 10 years ago.

 

[11top]

I have these bikes:

Specialized Roubaix Pro



Giant AnyRoad Advanced



Giant Explore E+ 4 GTS



Now that I have the E bike, the others rarely get ridden. The E bike is a blast to ride. Even though it’s assisted, I still get a nice workout; I just go faster and don’t kill myself on hills.

 

[dmatthews]

I have these bikes:

Specialized Roubaix Pro



Giant AnyRoad Advanced



Giant Explore E+ 4 GTS



Now that I have the E bike, the others rarely get ridden. The E bike is a blast to ride. Even though it’s assisted, I still get a nice workout; I just go faster and don’t kill myself on hills.

That last pic is perfect.

 

[11top]

That last pic is perfect.

I hope it keeps me out of there.

 

[bodia]

I’ve got my trustee Specialized Rockhopper that I bought in ‘97. Hasn’t gotten much use in the last decade.