General Bike Thread (Desiderata, Questions, Pics)

Originally Posted by Shiny

Click to expand...

As long as we're taking shots at Presidents, I've never seen W look so old.

And, one of the problems with getting more people to ride bikes is the false assumption that you need to be tricked out in some spandex or a full kit. I think Obama's everyday clothing get up serves bicycling purposes just fine.

GWB's wearing mountain bike specific pearl izumi shorts, and I assume the shirt he's wearing is made from some sweat-wicking synthetic fabric. and in the other picture he wears sidi dominators (mtb shoes) so he knows what he's wearing and if he's on a trail its always best to wear trail specific clothes and shoes.

about obama.. first off he's wearing jeans (and lets no go into his wearing daddy jeans lol)... even for a regular commute or just going out to get a six pack, you can snag your jeans in the crank or chain.

Originally Posted by fffffut

Click to expand...

whatchu know about abici?
i found one on cl that i really like, but im not sure if its worth what hes asking
http://bakersfield.craigslist.org/bik/1850089321.html

anyone?
id love to get this bike but im not finding a lot out from google
if youre too lazy to click

Originally Posted by fffffut

Click to expand...

anyone?
id love to get this bike but im not finding a lot out from google
if youre too lazy to click

I know nothing about abici other than they went out of business several years ago.
That seems like a lot to pay for a several year old bike from an out of business company.
Of course there's almost no useful information in the ad either so who can really tell.

Originally Posted by acidboy

Click to expand...

GWB's wearing mountain bike specific pearl izumi shorts, and I assume the shirt he's wearing is made from some sweat-wicking synthetic fabric. and in the other picture he wears sidi dominators (mtb shoes) so he knows what he's wearing and if he's on a trail its always best to wear trail specific clothes and shoes.

about obama.. first off he's wearing jeans (and lets no go into his wearing daddy jeans lol)... even for a regular commute or just going out to get a six pack, you can snag your jeans in the crank or chain.

I don't know. A billion chinese can't be wrong:



Everytime I see these international bicycle scenes people are just wearing normal stuff. Dress up dress down, whatever, but just get there in a bike. No worries about getting your chain caught or helmets or the kind of things that (i think) keep bicycling down in this country.

Wouldn't it be great for the environment if people would just get on their bikes to just do regular stuff. Not to mention for people's waistlines in this country.

Yes. I've been commuting by bike all my life and have mostly worn jeans. There is a modern myth that if you don't ride carbon and don't wear spandex, you're not a real cyclist.
As long as people get on bikes, I could care less what they wear, what they ride and how they do it.

+1 An entry-level hybrid is better than nothing. Besides, I think it would be dumb if he bought a $6,500 custom Parlee just to attach the trail-a-bike and ride 14mph down the MUP.

Originally Posted by Shiny

Click to expand...

I don't know. A billion chinese can't be wrong:

Everytime I see these international bicycle scenes people are just wearing normal stuff. Dress up dress down, whatever, but just get there in a bike. No worries about getting your chain caught or helmets or the kind of things that (i think) keep bicycling down in this country.

Wouldn't it be great for the environment if people would just get on their bikes to just do regular stuff. Not to mention for people's waistlines in this country.

oh, I guess I failed to explain my point... gwb's wearing mtb specific stuff because he is doing mountain biking, and ordinary clothes won't work in that environment. commuting is another thing, and yes, wearing trousers would work on those (though I did snag my jeans once while riding my bike, and there is a good possibility of chain oil staining my pants)

here's my commuter that i used throughout the summer. simple upright hybrid/city bike.



NYC has some great bike lanes now... i'd always noticed how so many new lanes pop up when ever i'm walking/driving around... walked into a bike shop in soho and then picked up a free bikemap (saw all the new lanes) and called my wife and bought some new bikes.

with the expanding bike lanes everywhere manhattan (and especially brooklyn) is very easy and very very FAST to get around (even if you follow all the rules and stop on red lights/stop signs and are totally safe/careful). i needed to pick something up in EMS soho and decided to just bike it from east williamsburg... it took 18min (taking the L train and transferring to N/R takes around 30+).

my wife and I biked to prospect park it took 30min on the bike lanes which were so easy to follow.

the only thing i hate is having to bring a heavy kryptonite lock and chain. but people steal anything, from cheap bikes to whatever. also i always wear a helmet... just last week these two lesbian hipsters walked into the ER and one had a fractured skull... she lifted up her ironic cowboy hat and her brain was peaking through.. oh yeah there's having to use a bell too... its lame but totally useful.

Originally Posted by LawrenceMD

Click to expand...

nice gary fishers...

also agree on the helmet thing... I'd probably be dead last Christmas day if it weren't for my helmet, and I wasn't even going fast when I fell and fractured my temporal bone and damaged my nerve vii. also, if possible I strongly suggest getting a helmet with a decent rear coverage- it definitely helps.

Originally Posted by Shiny

Click to expand...

Everytime I see these international bicycle scenes people are just wearing normal stuff. Dress up dress down, whatever, but just get there in a bike. No worries about getting your chain caught or helmets or the kind of things that (i think) keep bicycling down in this country.

Commuter bikes have chainguards.

Originally Posted by bbaquiran

Click to expand...

Commuter bikes have chainguards.

Not all of them. Look at the gentleman's Gary Fisher above. I would consider this a commuter bike but it has no chainguard.

Any recommendations for an entry level (rear) pannier that actually looks nice. I suppose it shouldn't matter, but if it weren't black, that'd be nice for a change too.

b

Originally Posted by thekunk07

Click to expand...

suggest a first bike for me. only learned to ride last year. will spend $400 max.

I'm trying to resist looking up clothes purchases you've talked about here. $400 for a complicated piece of machinery is ridiculous. In SF terms it's like buying a suit from Wal-Mart.