Cycling Thread

[FLAMESRULE]

Originally Posted by Slava

Anyone out on the paths this weekend (I know...longshot). I was looking forward to riding in tomorrow, but the water issue just dawned on me. I saw some areas where the paths could be closed, but I might just give it a shot anyway and just be at work late.

I figured maybe someone saw something and could give me the heads up though!

Went out on Saturday and did the north half of the Calgary 100. Went west from West Hillhurst and there was 2 underpasses closed between there and the Zoo overpass. Had to work my way through Bridgeland and popped out behind the Calgary Science Centre. There is a bunch of construction on the paths around there, clears up around 32nd Ave / Elks Golf Course. There was maybe 2 underpasses that were passable, but closed, because Nose Hill Creek was pretty high. From there its a nice clean ride north to Country Hills Blvd and past Harvest Hills Golf into Edgemont.

My iPhone died in the middle of some coulee in Edgemont so I had to get off the paths and onto the roads. Ripped down Edgemont Blvd, on too John Laurie, Shag, 52nd, Charleswood, 19th St and home.

Pretty good trek. Just under 50km in just under 2 hours. Beat the rain. All paths should/could have been open, but for some reason there was about 4-5 that were closed on that route.

The bike in to the core this morning they had you detoured around 14th St again. Not because of the water, but cosntruction I think.

[hmmhmmcamo]

Hi folks. I’m hoping to get some advice on becoming a commuter cyclist.

For the next couple years I’m going to be working about 30km from my home and will be able to bike path it almost the whole way. I’m not brave enough to deal with city traffic (even in little old Victoria), but having the bike path option almost makes it a no brainer and I’m getting pretty excited about riding a lot more and losing some weight.

My initial thoughts about budget were in the $800-$1200 range for the bike. I’m planning on going on some test rides this weekend, so I’m hoping to hear some thoughts about what I’ve been looking at.

Specialized Sirrus Comp
http://www.specialized.com/ca/en/bik...rus/sirruscomp

Trek 7.5 FX Disc
http://www.trekbikes.com/ca/en/bikes...x/7_5_fx_disc#

Kona Dr Dew
http://www.konaworld.com/asphalt_com...content=dr_dew

One thing I’m having trouble deciding on is disc vs V brakes. It sounds like the disc brakes are better in the rain, but is there really that big a difference?

Does anyone have any other recommendations? I can go above my initial budget so suggest whatever.

Thanks.

[flylock shox]

I would have no hesitation spending up to about $300 more for disc brakes for a bike around that price range. They make a very significant difference in the wet, which there is plenty of in Victoria. It's not critical to have discs (I ride with cantilevers in Vancouver, which is wetter still) but the difference is very noticeable in the rain, and you'll probably kick yourself later for not having them.

Don't forget to budget about another $400 on top of that for a rack, waterproof panniers, a rain jacket, rain pants, and rain booties - all of which make wet weather commuting a lot more pleasurable.

Depending where you buy, you may be able to acquire a commuter package that comes with a rack pre-installed.

You're definitely in the right price range for a commuter bike though. If you see something you love for a few hundred bucks more though, don't be afraid to shell out. You'll forget about the money by the end of the month, but if you have regrets about your purchase, you'll still feel that a year later.

[ranchlandsselling]

Went for a nice ride out to Cochrane and back last night. First time on my road bike in two years. Wow, never been down that hill before. It was downright scary. I've gotten up to 65 kmph on my roadbike - I think once during a half ironman. But having not been on it for two years, a bit of a gust on that cochrane hill and it could have been messy. Or I'm just a panzy? The ride back up was pleasant and relatively easy.

36 km in about 1:20. Wasn't going hard or anything.

[pylon]

Originally Posted by hmmhmmcamo

Hi folks. I’m hoping to get some advice on becoming a commuter cyclist.

For the next couple years I’m going to be working about 30km from my home and will be able to bike path it almost the whole way. I’m not brave enough to deal with city traffic (even in little old Victoria), but having the bike path option almost makes it a no brainer and I’m getting pretty excited about riding a lot more and losing some weight.

My initial thoughts about budget were in the $800-$1200 range for the bike. I’m planning on going on some test rides this weekend, so I’m hoping to hear some thoughts about what I’ve been looking at.

Specialized Sirrus Comp
http://www.specialized.com/ca/en/bik...rus/sirruscomp

Trek 7.5 FX Disc
http://www.trekbikes.com/ca/en/bikes...x/7_5_fx_disc#

Kona Dr Dew
http://www.konaworld.com/asphalt_com...content=dr_dew

One thing I’m having trouble deciding on is disc vs V brakes. It sounds like the disc brakes are better in the rain, but is there really that big a difference?

Does anyone have any other recommendations? I can go above my initial budget so suggest whatever.

Thanks.

I would go with the Sirrus. Carbon fork outweigh the benefits of disk brakes in my opinion.

However, if I could rewind the clock, knowing what I dumped into my commuter with upgrades, I would have got this:

http://www.bowcycle.com/bc12/bicycle...l-size=%2B700c

(The naked aluminum on that bike looks sooooo sick in person and the 105 drivetrain is worth it.)

or this:

http://www.bowcycle.com/bc12/bicycle...l-size=%2B700c

Carbon forks, and rear stays, which will really soak up a lot of bumps. And Cannondale frames are ultra-awesome. I believe these bikes come in just over 20 lbs too.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by hmmhmmcamo

Hi folks. I’m hoping to get some advice on becoming a commuter cyclist.

For the next couple years I’m going to be working about 30km from my home and will be able to bike path it almost the whole way. I’m not brave enough to deal with city traffic (even in little old Victoria), but having the bike path option almost makes it a no brainer and I’m getting pretty excited about riding a lot more and losing some weight.

My initial thoughts about budget were in the $800-$1200 range for the bike. I’m planning on going on some test rides this weekend, so I’m hoping to hear some thoughts about what I’ve been looking at.

Specialized Sirrus Comp
http://www.specialized.com/ca/en/bik...rus/sirruscomp

Trek 7.5 FX Disc
http://www.trekbikes.com/ca/en/bikes...x/7_5_fx_disc#

Kona Dr Dew
http://www.konaworld.com/asphalt_com...content=dr_dew

One thing I’m having trouble deciding on is disc vs V brakes. It sounds like the disc brakes are better in the rain, but is there really that big a difference?

Does anyone have any other recommendations? I can go above my initial budget so suggest whatever.

Thanks.

I don't want to discourage you in anyway, and hope this doesn't come across that way! I bike about 30km to my office, but I don't do that daily for a few reasons. One of the major ones is that this takes roughly 1 1/2 hrs each way. Its a lot of time on a bike, and a lot of time each day. I enjoy it, its a great work out and all that (and a really nice way to start your day!). My advice would be to drive partway and kind of build up distance though. If you haven't biked a fair amount and just bang out 3hrs one day you might be sorry the next day!

[hmmhmmcamo]

Originally Posted by flylock shox

Don't forget to budget about another $400 on top of that for a rack, waterproof panniers, a rain jacket, rain pants, and rain booties - all of which make wet weather commuting a lot more pleasurable.

I probably have more questions about all the acessories than what bike to get. Once I get the bike sorted out I'll be racking your brains about this stuff.

Originally Posted by pylon

I would go with the Sirrus. Carbon fork outweigh the benefits of disk brakes in my opinion.

However, if I could rewind the clock, knowing what I dumped into my commuter with upgrades, I would have got this:

http://www.bowcycle.com/bc12/bicycle...l-size=%2B700c

(The naked aluminum on that bike looks sooooo sick in person and the 105 drivetrain is worth it.)
.

That bike does look pretty awesome. Thanks for the suggestion. There's a Cannondale dealer close by so I'm going to check them out tonight.

Originally Posted by Slava

I don't want to discourage you in anyway, and hope this doesn't come across that way! I bike about 30km to my office, but I don't do that daily for a few reasons. One of the major ones is that this takes roughly 1 1/2 hrs each way. Its a lot of time on a bike, and a lot of time each day. I enjoy it, its a great work out and all that (and a really nice way to start your day!). My advice would be to drive partway and kind of build up distance though. If you haven't biked a fair amount and just bang out 3hrs one day you might be sorry the next day!

I'm definitely doing this. I'll probably start about 10k away and gradually build up to the full distance.

Re: Disc brakes. Another advantage the guy told me was disc brakes are less maintenance. He mentioned that the wheel needs to be totally true to avoid rubbing the brake pads, where as the disc brakes won't be affected by a wheel that's slightly out. Does that make sense or am I just being upsold?

Thanks for your help guys.

[bossy22]

Originally Posted by hmmhmmcamo

I probably have more questions about all the acessories than what bike to get. Once I get the bike sorted out I'll be racking your brains about this stuff.



That bike does look pretty awesome. Thanks for the suggestion. There's a Cannondale dealer close by so I'm going to check them out tonight.


I'm definitely doing this. I'll probably start about 10k away and gradually build up to the full distance.

Re: Disc brakes. Another advantage the guy told me was disc brakes are less maintenance. He mentioned that the wheel needs to be totally true to avoid rubbing the brake pads, where as the disc brakes won't be affected by a wheel that's slightly out. Does that make sense or am I just being upsold?

Thanks for your help guys.

My take on disc brakes is that they are awesome. On my mountain bike, theyre great Mud doesnt affect them, and they have way more stopping power, but for a commuter I don't think they're necessary. However, I wish I had them on my commuter, because I live on top of a hill and when towing my tank of a kid in his chariot I can't stop. It's 60 plus pounds (chariot and kid combined) I'm towing and going down the hill, I'm in a controlled roll, but if a kid or a dog where to run out in front of me, I wouldn't be able to stop. If im just on my own, i can stop just fine on that hill. So I guess it all depeNds on your application.

[JohnnyB]

I have hydraulic disk brakes on one of my bikes, plain old disk brakes on another and cantilever brakes on another. I love the disk brakes. Being able to stop on a dime is invaluable to me. I hate the feeling when using my cantilever brakes that I cannot stop instantly.
This may be more important riding a bike in a place like Shanghai than it would be in Victoria, but accidents and people coming out of nowhere can happen in any city. Having some significantly reduced stopping distance makes me feel more comfortable. But, I'm also a pretty heavy guy.

[Bill Bumface]

I've got cantilever on my commuter, and it actually is pretty brutal in bad weather conditions. Not nearly as confidence inspiring as disc. Once you get some road grime on your rims they turn into a total mess and thrash your wheels too.

[core_upt]

For the constant wet weather and relatively flat terrain of Victoria, you may want to consider a bike with an internal hub (no external derailleur, and you can change gears without pedaling, which is nice in traffic). Should cut down on maintenance considerably too.

[Bill Bumface]

My next commuter will have an internal hub, but those start to run the price of the bike up pretty quick.

And flat terrain isn't necessary for an internal hub. You can get up to 14 speed internal hubs I believe, but the gears are perfectly spaced so you have no overlap like you do with a traditional setup, and I bet its near as versatile as a 27 speed, easily.

[pylon]

Originally Posted by hulkrogan

And flat terrain isn't necessary for an internal hub. You can get up to 14 speed internal hubs I believe, but the gears are perfectly spaced so you have no overlap like you do with a traditional setup, and I bet its near as versatile as a 27 speed, easily.

Yeah, I agree with the overlap thing. I don't think I have been off the big ring on any of my bikes for 2 months now. Probably not the best for cross chaining, but I pretty much only use 5 or 6 gears now.

I believe Shimano has an electric shift internal either out, or on the way.

edit: Yup, Di2 Internal hub....

http://momentummag.com/articles/an-e...ernal-gear-hub

talk about low maintenance.

[Bill Bumface]

^That's really cool and all, but sounds like more maintenance by virtue of having a battery. I don't see the reason to not cable shift that beatch.

[pylon]

Originally Posted by hulkrogan

^That's really cool and all, but sounds like more maintenance by virtue of having a battery. I don't see the reason to not cable shift that beatch.

Apparently the Di2 batteries only need charging once a month or so, or every 1000-1500 miles. And full charge takes less than an hour. I was yacking with a guy last year that had Dura-Ace Di2, and he said he had only charged his once in 3 months, and he was riding 3-4 times per week X 40 kms. He said he could never go back to cables. Said the thing works flawlessly, never missed one shift.

And you never have to adjust a cable, ever. There is one adjustment screw on Di2 in the front and rear, and once it is set, you never have to touch it, unless you change your chain.

My question is when is Shimano going to get into the cell phone battery business.

[Bill Bumface]

Wow, that is pretty cool. How do you know when its time to charge? Shifts get slow?

[pylon]

Originally Posted by hulkrogan

Wow, that is pretty cool. How do you know when its time to charge? Shifts get slow?

A warning LED comes on and lets you know you are at 25%. If you go beyond that, it will start shifting in a narrower range.

I believe I read the internal hub design actually has a handlebar display.



It launches in 2013 under 'Alfine Di2'.

Looks promising.

http://road.cc/content/news/53529-sh...nch-alfine-di2

The other big development is that with Alfine Di2 you get the choice of either flat-bar shifters or STi shifters for drop bars, where the gear shifter is integrated into the right hand brake unit.

[hmmhmmcamo]

What do you guys think of this one? What sort of reputation does Giant have?

http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-ca/...ek/9774/49360/

[Coys1882]

Originally Posted by hmmhmmcamo

What do you guys think of this one? What sort of reputation does Giant have?

http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-ca/...ek/9774/49360/

My friend has the rapid - he loves it.

[hmmhmmcamo]

I think I'm 99% sure I want to get disc breaks. From what I've read it seems like the only negative is the added cost and weight. Is there anything else?

I went into a couple bike stores tonight. The fist place has a pretty decent selection of Cannondale and Giant bikes. Maybe some others, I'm not sure. I got there right before close so I'll have to go again on the weekend.

The other place had mainly Norco and Specialized. Not interested in Norco, but I did fall in love with this.

http://www.specialized.com/ca/en/bik...rrusexpertdisc


with rack and fenders (not the exact same paint scheme but close)




At $1650 it's definitely exceeding the cool with the wife budget, but with some careful negotiations I think I can make it happen. I'm still looking for cheaper options but man is it sweet.