Viewing 25 posts - 81 through 105 (of 105 total)
  • wrong/shit bikes and honesty.
  • aracer
    Free Member

    +1!

    The problem some people seem to be having is trying to do “proper off-road” as if they were on a mountain bike. Sure I’ve done a bit of that on my cx bike, and I took it as a backup to CYB a couple of weeks ago in case I had problems with my even more unsuitable option – I’m sure it would have been fine on the blue. However where it really comes into its own for me is on old-fashioned touring stuff, where there may be some gravel and other unsurfaced roads, but nothing at all technical. Just riding a bike. In fact exactly the sort of thing lots of us did with ton in Scotland earlier in the year. I can appreciate that for some people a cx bike is the wrong bike for that, but for some of us it isn’t.

    epicyclo
    Full Member

    ton – Member
    I reckon a few others do also mate, but afraid to admit their purchase may have been not quite suitable.
    following fashion is not always the right thing to do.

    I’ve got a cx bike, but when you think of it, they are optimised for quite a short brutal ride, and the guys who use them effectively are the real hard men in our fraternity.

    For me a cx bike is fun for an hour or two- a bit like using a real track bike on the road, fun for a little while but painful thereafter. (I’m quite partial to the wrong bike, wrong place. wrong time scenario, but not for too long 🙂 )

    swanny853
    Full Member

    We don’t have a huge amount of rocky trails round my way, lots of muddy woodland with tight singletrack though, and the cross bike there is hilarious. Often scary, but hilarious.

    I had planned to be using it as a road bike as well (it replaced one that was stolen) but off road is more fun.

    bigrich
    Full Member

    I did 100km over the weekend on unsealed road, on a carbon aerobike.
    Whereabouts is that photo Bigrich? Looks awesome…

    Brisbane Ranges, Miles and miles of great tracks.

    get on the drops and pedal harder.

    yunki
    Free Member

    Happily I’m poor so I don’t have to buy into fads

    I’ve got a mountain bike and a town bike… both triggers brooms and both very comfortable and capable..

    The only real difference between them is tyre choice and handlebar choice

    [/smug]

    epicyclo
    Full Member

    bigrich – Member
    Brisbane Ranges, Miles and miles of great tracks.

    get on the drops and pedal harder.

    On the theme of wrong bike, wrong place, here’s my Brisbane pics.

    Took my Giant Bowery up Mt Nebo.

    and on the way home, went through the Samford forest, and spent a couple of hours riding around the Bunya mtb tracks.

    get on the drops and pedal harder – never a truer word said. 🙂

    Pickers
    Full Member

    I too have a CX bike – it must be cos it says so on the side. Now, I know that it isn’t really a CX bike in the traditional sense. It wasn’t bought as a CX bike; I didn’t want a CX bike.

    It is perfect for

    Just riding a bike. In fact exactly the sort of thing lots of us did with ton in Scotland earlier in the year

    – as well as the 500 mile tour to get to the start of that weekend. It’s also done several HONCs and a heap of commuting miles, all without complaint.

    That said, my touring bike – which is the right size for me, and has been chopped and changed to try to get it comfortable – gives me cramp and is more tiring to ride than any of my other bikes. It is not right for me and will likely go soon, either as a bike or maybe just as a frameset.

    So, I agree with you Ton. But not necessarily about the CX bit.

    Moses
    Full Member

    Epicyclo – where did you buy the Smooth Drop bars?
    I’ve looked but can’t find them for sale.

    chiefgrooveguru
    Full Member

    I wish I was as good at riding bikes as choosing them! 😉

    I think it helps being pretty average-sized with fairly long limbs so I’m bang on the size most bikes are designed around and quite flexible regarding sizing, and about the right weight that most forks and shocks are tuned for (yes you can adjust some bits but without a custom tune you can’t change the shim stack characteristics).

    If you have more torso length and less limb length then you’ll inherently fit a narrower range of sizes. And if you’re really tall or really short then you’ll have much more of a struggle not only to find bikes to fit but to find bikes to demo, to find reviews from similar sized riders, and so on…

    My MTB history since returning to the dirt in 2009 has been:

    Mid-2009: Boardman HT Pro
    Early-2011: Cotic Soul
    Early-2014: Banshee Spitfire

    The Boardman donated parts to the Soul and then as I upgraded the Soul the Boardman got built back up for my wife but now mostly gets used by me for toddler transporting with a WeeRide on it. The Soul was used for everything until the Spitfire came along, and now is mostly used when it’s wet/muddy locally. All the bikes get used for commuting (sometimes with ‘creative’ routes over urban features or down some mini-DH runs) as well as MTBing.

    I got a BMX in 2012 too for commuting and messing about on. And I have an elderly Brompton from my London commuting days.

    epicyclo
    Full Member

    Looking at the pic I’ve posted above reminded me of one factor.

    I’ve already mentioned that the old road bikes had higher headtubes than is popular on modern race oriented bikes.

    I buy a larger size than I should in a road frame so that the top of my bars is the same as the height of my saddle, which gives me a more comfortable 1950s position.

    In this case it was an XL where in theory I should be on a medium. Obviously not suited to the real racers, but I’m a cruiser not a racer. That probably won’t help Ton much because he’s already at the limit of size by the sound of it.

    Moses – Member
    Epicyclo – where did you buy the Smooth Drop bars?

    I’ve answered your question in Malvern Rider’s thread (just in case you haven’t seen it there)

    esselgruntfuttock
    Free Member

    I’m good at getting things wrong.
    Wrong bike, wrong gear, wrong shape!

    [url=https://flic.kr/p/vTEyrD]Minigaff trip 018[/url] by jimmyg352, on Flickr

    tonyg2003
    Full Member

    I did get a few funny “wrong bike” looks with my road bike (only one) parked in the bike rack at the cafe at the Les Get Nauchets Express next to all the DH rigs.

    Most roadies don’t ride up the dirt road to the cafe from the Col du Joux Plane.

    Malvern Rider
    Free Member

    I buy a larger size than I should in a road frame so that the top of my bars is the same as the height of my saddle, which gives me a more comfortable 1950s position.

    Snap! I’ve detested bicycle discomfort since the early 90s arse-in-air-chin-on-stem fad 8)

    themilo
    Free Member

    I’m on my third MTB in probably 7 years since I discovered it. First was a giant boulder off freeads that I took round cwmcarn on my first ever MTB and went through a set of new (rim) rear brake pads in just one loop. Quickly realised that I was “into it” and bought a banshee frame that I built up. Totally the wrong size and just basically shit. Bought a second hand GT five which, whilst old now, is still waaaaaaaay more bike than I’ll ever need. Yes, I’m sure the new stuff is considerably “better” in most conceivable ways but I don’t need it. I reckon the key is to just not try that new version and be happy, as I am, with what you’ve got. Course if you’ve enough money to make Soloman blush then I guess it’s not really an issue.

    To sum up: is the new 911 better than last years 911? Technically, yes. Do you, yes you, need that extra % of marginal “betterness”? Probably not.

    TiRed
    Full Member

    Like Epicyclo, I converted a 26″ HT to race cross. It turned out to be a very nice bike. Rigid, good handling, excellent mud clearance and capable of reasonably technical stuff. Tyre choice is everything off road, and the skinny CX tyres will never inspire confidence on technical terrain.

    I’ve also ridden my 74 degree head tube track bike on the road for over 100 km rides, and I am happy to say, it is every bit as inappropriate as Ton on his cross bike. It’s very light 531, beautifully built, but riding it is nerve-racking. By contrast my other fixed road bikes are a joy.

    I’d feel the same taking a downhill bike anywhere off-road too, my riding mincing will never need such a capable bike and I’d just not enjoy the lumbering weight and handling.

    There is a lot to be said for geometry, position and decent tyres.

    Grace
    Free Member

    Ton. Wrong/shit bike – I had a mountain bike tandem for a while…Fun for about 200 yards before you realise its just rubbish. I’ve also had my fair share of bikes I thought would be just the ticket and end up just not doing it..Niner MCR and Turner Czar were my most disappointing as wanted to love them.. ticked all the research boxes… but just didn’t do it for me… As you say, they just get moved on to make room for the next thing. Will get it right one day*

    * probably

    fettlin
    Full Member

    Have been a serial bike renter for years, buying a new one regularly because the current one wasn’t ‘just so’.

    Last year I bought a cdf on a whim and it’s the best, most honest bike I’ve ever owned. For 80% of my riding it is all I’ll ever need. Riding to local trails, towpath bashing and traffic dodging in town it does it all with no fuss.
    It was pointed out to me, without a hint of irony, that the least ‘sophisticated’ bike I’ve owned is the most suitable. I just sold my HT as a result as it wasn’t being ridden.

    I’m still going to replace my full sus this year, comfortable in the knowledge I’ll lose a wedge on the current frame and it won’t ever be used to its full potential because, well, why not?

    scotroutes
    Full Member

    Two things:

    I enjoy having the “wrong bike” on some trails. I’ve fitted CX tyres to my Amazon tourer and really enjoy the skittishness of it on bumpier trails, the way it picks up speed quickly and there’s an enjoyment in finding lines that work better than just hammering over everything. In fact, I like it so much I’m really tempted to get a lighter, sharper handling CX bike (like a CAADX maybe) too.

    As for you Ton, I was gobsmacked when I saw you’d been riding a CAADX. From all you’ve said/written about your bike preferences I thought that would have been way down the list – although I guess a little experimentation can often be worthwhile. I can’t understand why you are now converting it to flat bars though. I’d have thought the frame was a million miles away from the “upright, comfy” recommendation that epicyclo made and with which you concurred. Surely what you’re really after is what we used to call a hybrid; flat bars, 700c wheels, fattish tyres.

    How about we create a whole new niche and call it C+ ??

    bigrich
    Full Member

    On the theme of wrong bike, wrong place, here’s my Brisbane pics.

    these are the low hills outside melbourne. there was a mini goldrush, so the whole place is full of tracks like this.

    coolhandluke
    Free Member

    Life is too short and riding time too precious to put up with shit bikes.

    epicyclo
    Full Member

    bigrich – Member
    ‘On the theme of wrong bike, wrong place, here’s my Brisbane pics’.
    these are the low hills outside melbourne. there was a mini goldrush, so the whole place is full of tracks like this.

    An even wronger place. 🙂

    It’s a shortcut on the way up to Lake Morris near Cairns – main way was closed for the Croc Trophy – and I wanted to get up there to watch it.

    Real sketchy coming down… 🙂

    ton
    Full Member

    As for you Ton, I was gobsmacked when I saw you’d been riding a CAADX. From all you’ve said/written about your bike preferences I thought that would have been way down the list – although I guess a little experimentation can often be worthwhile. I can’t understand why you are now converting it to flat bars though. I’d have thought the frame was a million miles away from the “upright, comfy” recommendation that epicyclo made and with which you concurred. Surely what you’re really after is what we used to call a hybrid; flat bars, 700c wheels, fattish tyres.

    hoy wee man, I thought you knew about bikes.
    I have just put some flat bars and a adjustable stem on the cannondale.
    measured it against my comfy mtb and the numbers are pretty similar.
    I will post a photo when I have finished the transformation, so that you can all pour scorn and piss take over……….. 😆

    whitestone
    Free Member

    @ton

    I’m not a serial bike buyer/changer (4 road bikes and 4 mountain bikes in 35 years) so tend to end up with something close to what I need. A couple of exceptions to this:

    1. A Scott FSR full on downhill rig. This was my first mountain bike. Even back then (mid 1990s) it was brilliant for what it was designed for. However it weighed a ton and if it got a sniff of an uphill gradient it threw a paddy. Ended up giving it to my brother.

    2. A Specialized Allez road bike. My wife had the Dolce which is the women’s version so there was unstated pressure not to get anything “better” than hers 🙄 It was a really harsh ride, going over a matchstick felt like you’d hit a kerb stone. Eventually upgraded to a Spesh Roubaix and sold the Allez.

    Some bikes you just click with, others you don’t. I don’t think there’s a science to it, just luck as to whether you swing a leg over the right bike.

    scotroutes
    Full Member

    Ton, I was thinking more of frame material and construction than angles and numbers – plus room for big tyres I guess?

    zero-cool
    Free Member

    Tried a CX bike once and didn’t really see the point. Wasn’t an MTB, wasn’t a road bike. I’m sure it’s good for some people but not for me.

    I used to love blasting my Specialized Langster Monaco around the flat dirt paths in Hertfordshire, I fitted some old Hussefelt Bars and flat pedals and sprinted and drifted that little sucker around on my commute to work(Herts is flat so no need for a real road bike or gear). But I never really got on with Drop bars (never use the drops on my road bike for that matter).

    Originally it was the wrong bike when I got it as an impulse buy coz I wanted a fixie (hated fixed wheel) and devon was too hilly for it. But once I moved up there and whacked on some flat pedals and bars it became the right bike. Moved back to the West Country and it became the wrong bike again so bad to say good bye

Viewing 25 posts - 81 through 105 (of 105 total)

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