Bicycle riders

[robert toms]

I gave up riding the bike about four years ago.I found the only time that I could safely ride was on a Sunday morning early,before the motorists got active.Too dangerous in the Adelaide hills...no respect shown for cyclists.

 

[mayk]

Well here is a new kind of rider

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3690837501045591479&hl=en

 

[trillionaire#1]

thats hilarious ,see him gently lower the coits down at 31 seconds
also notice how much better he rides than the boy beside him

 

[Ashsaege]

Check out this massive stack!

 

[2BAD4U]

Check out this massive stack!

I've never tried track cycling, the thought of riding at speed without brakes scares me. I saw a nasty track accident a couple of years ago which resulted in broken bones, grazes and teeth lying on the track.

 

[jonojpsg]

Yep, you only have to watch Anna Meares head plow ino the track a few times on replay to realise how dangerous it is on the track. I've thought about having a crack but I don't think I could handle the slope

 

[bas]

Hey bas,
Do you need an $8k+ bike just to keep up with the other riders?

Nice bike!

Ha ha, yes i do sometimes!, But yeah, my bike isn't anything special. A huge bike culture has developed in Perth, heaps of big groups doing the river loop in the mornings. It would be scary to think of the amount of money spinning around in most of those groups these days.

The track is good fun too- but splinters aren't fun if you crash. I don't think its any more dangerous than the road though- at least on the track you aren't going to hit a pole or oncoming car if you crash!

 

[Pat]

This is a scary thought for you group riders.

 

[Tiles]

I got on to the forum because I am surfing web sites on shares while in recovery mode after having a plate and screw repair on my broken collar bone. I was following a mate down a steep hill when he lost control and I collected his bike. The fall resulted in broken ribs, collapsed lung and fractured collar bone for me and 40 stiches in a cut for him.

I ride an Avanti blade comp "hybrid" and am regretting that I will not be participating in the annual Lake Taupo Challenge at the end of November this year.
The enforced lack of mobility might force me to do a bit more research on my portfolio (or what's left of it).

 

[Happy]

Thanks for info.

I went to pushbike shop and there was electric assist 200W, but seemed to be very heavy.
It was one with lead acid battery 8kg, and motor with gears 4 kg, with 7km range into wind and 12 km with no wind. Does not seem to be much.

Li Ion battery can halve the battery weight to 4 kg, still few extra kilos to push around if you opt to ride without electric assist.

Other things I noticed, braking does not re-charge the battery, and also fellow stated that it is better to use a little bit of battery for battery to last longer.
Battery life is advertised as for 300 full cycles, so if you ride every day it wouldn’t last even one year.
If you discharge every day 20% or 30% only, battery might last 5 to 7 years.

Shop could source kit, front wheel with motor and accessories for me for about $1100

Is it possible to build 500W for less than that?

 

[2BAD4U]

Thanks for info.

I went to pushbike shop and there was electric assist 200W, but seemed to be very heavy.
It was one with lead acid battery 8kg, and motor with gears 4 kg, with 7km range into wind and 12 km with no wind. Does not seem to be much.

Li Ion battery can halve the battery weight to 4 kg, still few extra kilos to push around if you opt to ride without electric assist.

Other things I noticed, braking does not re-charge the battery, and also fellow stated that it is better to use a little bit of battery for battery to last longer.
Battery life is advertised as for 300 full cycles, so if you ride every day it wouldn’t last even one year.
If you discharge every day 20% or 30% only, battery might last 5 to 7 years.

Shop could source kit, front wheel with motor and accessories for me for about $1100

Is it possible to build 500W for less than that?

Why not just buy a moped / scooter?

 

[korrupt_1]

...
It was one with lead acid battery 8kg, and motor with gears 4 kg, with 7km range into wind and 12 km with no wind. Does not seem to be much.

Li Ion battery can halve the battery weight to 4 kg, still few extra kilos to push around if you opt to ride without electric assist.
...
Battery life is advertised as for 300 full cycles, so if you ride every day it wouldn’t last even one year.

i upgraded from 3x12V 7AH lead acid to 1x36v 10AH Li-po and the performance increase was very noticable. My range increased from around 5km to about 20km (unassisted on relatively flat grounds). Weight reduction was about a third. the new li-po are rated at around 3000 charges.

On another issue.... i'm getting NAIL puncture on average about 1 every month riding into work.... Is this an issue that's common to bike riders? It's getting be a big issue...

I started to use 'puncture proof' tyres... ones that have 'slime' in them... but it still doesn't help much.

I'm looking into solid tyres.... anyone with experience or comments about them?

 

[emjay57]

OK, here's a question.

I ride a cheapie Kmart bike (Schwinn) that cost $300. I wasn't prepared to pay a grand or two for the cheapest from a bike shop.

Would it make a significant (>10-20%) difference to my performance in terms of average speed if I was to ride a more expensive bike? A lighter frame surely could not make any difference since my weight is the vast majority of the load carried anyway. So do the gears, wheels make that much difference?

Hi Guys,

This is my first post, and I know this is an old topic I'm reinstating.

I was searching the web and stumbled over this topic which I'm interested in.

What I'd like to know is:
Is anyone riding this Schwinn Prelude 700C often and over a good distance?

I'm looking to get into road cycling and don't want to blow a big piece of money on a bike incase I if it's not a sport for me.

Any and all responses helping with my query would be greatly appreciated.

 

[ColB]

Originally posted by EmJay57

"...I'm looking to get into road cycling and don't want to blow a big piece of money on a bike incase I if it's not a sport for me..."

First few questions MJ...

-What state/area do you live in and where do you intend to ride?
-What is your budget for your intended purchase?
-Does your purchase have to be new or could it be second hand?
-Do you currently play any sport or have a sporting background?

Once you address these questions I'll give you my 2 cents worth of advice.

regards ColB

 

[prawn_86]

I drunkingly stumbled across a bike on hard rubbish night, that someone obviously no longer wanted, a couple months ago. Took it home and replaced a tyre tube and it works like new. Gotta love (nearly) free stuff.

Now i ride to uni, which is only about 2k's away but its still quick and fun

 

[Trevor_S]

Hi all,
Just thought I'd ask and see if anyone was into riding?

I ride and race MTB (current steed is a 2008 Santa Cruz Blur LT 2) and sometimes ride on the road (Orbea CF road bike) and often commute on the mountain bike. I have been slack for the last 6 months and only get out occasionally ( 2 or 3 times a week) and have noticed I am really struggling on MTB trails I used to do easily.. sigh

 

[emjay57]

First few questions MJ...

-What state/area do you live in and where do you intend to ride?
-What is your budget for your intended purchase?
-Does your purchase have to be new or could it be second hand?
-Do you currently play any sport or have a sporting background?

Once you address these questions I'll give you my 2 cents worth of advice.

regards ColB

-I live in NSW, western Sydney.
-With the world in the mud at the moment I'd like to make it on the cheap to start off with.
-Prefere new (as being uneducated in bikes, getting a bike with hidden damage is likely) though I'm not closed off to the idea.
-I've just come off 3 1/2 yrs of Karate training where I had to stop due to dodgy feet and ankles, one yr off good black too . Played sport my whole life really.
I'm 5' 7" and weigh 65 to 70 kgs if this is any help.

 

[ColB]

Originally posted by EMJAY

"-I live in NSW, western Sydney.
-With the world in the mud at the moment I'd like to make it on the cheap to start off with.
-Prefere new (as being uneducated in bikes, getting a bike with hidden damage is likely) though I'm not closed off to the idea.
-I've just come off 3 1/2 yrs of Karate training where I had to stop due to dodgy feet and ankles, one yr off good black too . Played sport my whole life really.
I'm 5' 7" and weigh 65 to 70 kgs if this is any help."

Western Sydney! Is that like Paramatta area etc? Sydney is not the safest place to ride not that anywhere is all that safe but they do drive fast in Sydney and their roads are quite often narrower. At least if you experience any road rage you can deploy some 'weapons of mass destruction' ie your blackbelt

You still didn't say how much you were prepared to spend but you did say 'cheap' so i'm guessing you mean under a $1000 unless of course your're making a mint trading the market.

I wouldn't buy anything that at least had Shimano 105 running gear and preferably Shimano Ultegra. You won't get this on a bike for under a grand unless you buy second hand. Don't discount the second hand option. There are plenty of good bikes out there for sale that will be less than half original purchase price that some punter bought 1-2 years ago and has hardly been used. This would be the way to go in your situation. Forget the $300 Scwinn or whatever it was.

A racing bike will be a bit quicker to get around on than a Hybrid or mountain bike but the latter are nice comfortable bikes to ride on especially with slicks.

The bike is very good for your dodgy feet and ankles as well.

I'll try to send you some links from trading post or similar of suggestions.

Regards CB

 

[Garpal Gumnut]

I drunkingly stumbled across a bike on hard rubbish night, that someone obviously no longer wanted, a couple months ago. Took it home and replaced a tyre tube and it works like new. Gotta love (nearly) free stuff.

Now i ride to uni, which is only about 2k's away but its still quick and fun

Good on you Prawn. I encourage all to start riding old bicycles, without wearing helmets, and be free and healthy.

The more of us who are on the bikeways the better.

I ride and race MTB (current steed is a 2008 Santa Cruz Blur LT 2) and sometimes ride on the road (Orbea CF road bike) and often commute on the mountain bike. I have been slack for the last 6 months and only get out occasionally ( 2 or 3 times a week) and have noticed I am really struggling on MTB trails I used to do easily.. sigh

-I live in NSW, western Sydney.
-With the world in the mud at the moment I'd like to make it on the cheap to start off with.
-Prefere new (as being uneducated in bikes, getting a bike with hidden damage is likely) though I'm not closed off to the idea.
-I've just come off 3 1/2 yrs of Karate training where I had to stop due to dodgy feet and ankles, one yr off good black too . Played sport my whole life really.
I'm 5' 7" and weigh 65 to 70 kgs if this is any help.

Western Sydney! Is that like Paramatta area etc? Sydney is not the safest place to ride not that anywhere is all that safe but they do drive fast in Sydney and their roads are quite often narrower. At least if you experience any road rage you can deploy some 'weapons of mass destruction' ie your blackbelt

You still didn't say how much you were prepared to spend but you did say 'cheap' so i'm guessing you mean under a $1000 unless of course your're making a mint trading the market.

I wouldn't buy anything that at least had Shimano 105 running gear and preferably Shimano Ultegra. You won't get this on a bike for under a grand unless you buy second hand. Don't discount the second hand option. There are plenty of good bikes out there for sale that will be less than half original purchase price that some punter bought 1-2 years ago and has hardly been used. This would be the way to go in your situation. Forget the $300 Scwinn or whatever it was.

A racing bike will be a bit quicker to get around on than a Hybrid or mountain bike but the latter are nice comfortable bikes to ride on especially with slicks.

The bike is very good for your dodgy feet and ankles as well.

I'll try to send you some links from trading post or similar of suggestions.

Regards CB

You three racers are not typical Bicycle Riders in my opinion.

You have more in common with Arnold Schwarznager than my Aunt Lil , who cycled about Mackay for many years until her untimely death at the wheels of a peleton in Paris.

The oil from bike racers , I am sure contributes to global heat and Weather.

I see a great future for bicycle riding when we can convince the authorities to

1. Allow people to ride without helmets.
2. Provide free non geared bikes for all citizens.
3. Provide the peleton crowd with one way tickets to Europe.

gg

 

[Bobby]

Last year I bought a 2stroke petrol engine kit off Ebay & fitted it to a spare mountain bike , its illegal on the streets but great to take out for a days adventure in the bush .
You can use all your gears & peddle normally then when you feel tied just fire up the motor , got heaps of power 70cc