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aroes
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Re: bikes

Post by aroes »

indeed

i've learnt heaps by poring over his site, tis gold, especially the beginners section......stuff like chain maintenance and tyre pressure

invaluable knowledge
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Re: bikes

Post by Direkt »

mrj wrote:i dont know why people take such an opposition to things just because the only reason to do it is because its cool. coolness is a perfectly valid reason to do something.

for example, lets say you are offered a choice between two free cars. A 2003 Ford Laser and a 2011 Lamborgini.

The Laser is more economical, easier and cheaper to fix, easier to park, can actually make it over a speed bump and in and out of steep and unusual driveways. Plus due to the fact that we have speed limits in this country it will get you to where you need to go just as quickly and lets face it probably more safely than the Lambo will.

But which would you rather have? The Lamborgini of course!

Why? Because its fun, and you feel like a total dude when you drive it, and people will look at you and, unlike the Laser, its very likely to increase the frequency with which you get laid and the number of people involved when you do. And all those things are true because its cool. Its a cool car, and by having it you're a cool person.

Tell me, wtf is wrong with that?

Fixies are the same thing. They are a bit more practical mechanically, but probably less practical to actually ride and probably more dangerous. but so what, they're cool. And thats ok by me.
I'd take the Lambo because it's a far better car. If it breaks down and I can't afford to fix it, I'll sell the cunt and buy 20-odd Lasers.
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Re: bikes

Post by Direkt »

deviant wrote:DID YOU READ THE LINK???

god, there's plenty of good reasons... I have a new muscle! It's just above my knee, and was NOT there before lol
Not trying to start an argument here Mr's Deviant and Huge. But most serious cycling will build muscle size and definition.
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Re: bikes

Post by andy_hoffman »

Direkt wrote:
deviant wrote:DID YOU READ THE LINK???

god, there's plenty of good reasons... I have a new muscle! It's just above my knee, and was NOT there before lol
Not trying to start an argument here Mr's Deviant and Huge. But most serious cycling will build muscle size and definition.
True.. and Dan did you ride a bike before getting the fixie? Swear i've never seen you ride anywhere til u got it :P
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Re: bikes

Post by deviant »

I used to have a BMX... stopped riding almost 10 years ago

direkt: different muscles though... pushing back on the back pedal and up on the front one (slowing down) works certain muscles a lot more than just pedalling forwards will. trust me, my knees and upper quads certainly know about it.
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Re: bikes

Post by Lizkins »

obliveus wrote:
mrj wrote:i dont know why people take such an opposition to things just because the only reason to do it is because its cool. coolness is a perfectly valid reason to do something.

for example, lets say you are offered a choice between two free cars. A 2003 Ford Laser and a 2011 Lamborgini.

The Laser is more economical, easier and cheaper to fix, easier to park, can actually make it over a speed bump and in and out of steep and unusual driveways. Plus due to the fact that we have speed limits in this country it will get you to where you need to go just as quickly and lets face it probably more safely than the Lambo will.

But which would you rather have? The Lamborgini of course!

Why? Because its fun, and you feel like a total dude when you drive it, and people will look at you and, unlike the Laser, its very likely to increase the frequency with which you get laid and the number of people involved when you do. And all those things are true because its cool. Its a cool car, and by having it you're a cool person.

Tell me, wtf is wrong with that?

Fixies are the same thing. They are a bit more practical mechanically, but probably less practical to actually ride and probably more dangerous. but so what, they're cool. And thats ok by me.
Yeah, but a nerd in a nice car is still a nerd. By default, everyone posting in this thread is a nerd regardless of the bike they ride. Fixie riding nerds are the worst because they have to validate why they ride something that's more difficult to ride for the sake of looking cooler. It's like bragging about your weak wizard in Dungeons & Dragons just because he can't kill an Orc....but he's got a cool staff. Preposterous!!!

Nerds, the lot of us...

:teef:


:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:


by mrj's definition, fixie riders are getting laid lots and more and with more people

you should all get signs for your bikes saying something along those lines, like:

riding a fixie gets you laid lots, by lots of people, a lot of times


may need to be simplified to fit on bike though

lolz
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Re: bikes

Post by andy_hoffman »

deviant wrote:I used to have a BMX... stopped riding almost 10 years ago

direkt: different muscles though... pushing back on the back pedal and up on the front one (slowing down) works certain muscles a lot more than just pedalling forwards will. trust me, my knees and upper quads certainly know about it.
How's your finger muscles going with no brake levers to pull on :P
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Re: bikes

Post by Direkt »

deviant wrote:I used to have a BMX... stopped riding almost 10 years ago

direkt: different muscles though... pushing back on the back pedal and up on the front one (slowing down) works certain muscles a lot more than just pedalling forwards will. trust me, my knees and upper quads certainly know about it.
Fair point. Although when using clipless pedals you also get more of a "rounded" workout from pulling and pushing through 360 degrees of motion.

Having said that, I can see that a fixed gear bike comprises of more resistant work due to the nature of the fixed gear.
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Re: bikes

Post by deviant »

andy_hoffman wrote:
deviant wrote:I used to have a BMX... stopped riding almost 10 years ago

direkt: different muscles though... pushing back on the back pedal and up on the front one (slowing down) works certain muscles a lot more than just pedalling forwards will. trust me, my knees and upper quads certainly know about it.
How's your finger muscles going with no brake levers to pull on :P
I have a front brake...

I was riding (the same bike) freewheel for 6 weeks before I changed to fixed gear btw.
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Re: bikes

Post by andy_hoffman »

deviant wrote:
andy_hoffman wrote:
deviant wrote:I used to have a BMX... stopped riding almost 10 years ago

direkt: different muscles though... pushing back on the back pedal and up on the front one (slowing down) works certain muscles a lot more than just pedalling forwards will. trust me, my knees and upper quads certainly know about it.
How's your finger muscles going with no brake levers to pull on :P
I have a front brake...

I was riding (the same bike) freewheel for 6 weeks before I changed to fixed gear btw.
you're a lamborgini rider now!
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Re: bikes

Post by mrj »

Lizkins wrote:
obliveus wrote:
mrj wrote:i dont know why people take such an opposition to things just because the only reason to do it is because its cool. coolness is a perfectly valid reason to do something.

for example, lets say you are offered a choice between two free cars. A 2003 Ford Laser and a 2011 Lamborgini.

The Laser is more economical, easier and cheaper to fix, easier to park, can actually make it over a speed bump and in and out of steep and unusual driveways. Plus due to the fact that we have speed limits in this country it will get you to where you need to go just as quickly and lets face it probably more safely than the Lambo will.

But which would you rather have? The Lamborgini of course!

Why? Because its fun, and you feel like a total dude when you drive it, and people will look at you and, unlike the Laser, its very likely to increase the frequency with which you get laid and the number of people involved when you do. And all those things are true because its cool. Its a cool car, and by having it you're a cool person.

Tell me, wtf is wrong with that?

Fixies are the same thing. They are a bit more practical mechanically, but probably less practical to actually ride and probably more dangerous. but so what, they're cool. And thats ok by me.
Yeah, but a nerd in a nice car is still a nerd. By default, everyone posting in this thread is a nerd regardless of the bike they ride. Fixie riding nerds are the worst because they have to validate why they ride something that's more difficult to ride for the sake of looking cooler. It's like bragging about your weak wizard in Dungeons & Dragons just because he can't kill an Orc....but he's got a cool staff. Preposterous!!!

Nerds, the lot of us...

:teef:


:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:


by mrj's definition, fixie riders are getting laid lots and more and with more people

you should all get signs for your bikes saying something along those lines, like:

riding a fixie gets you laid lots, by lots of people, a lot of times


may need to be simplified to fit on bike though

lolz
well, lets be fair, these things work on a scale. The Lambourgini is on the mega awesome end of the cool scale, so the knock on effects of its coolness are likely to be far greater.

I dont think you could say that a fixie resides any where near as far up the cool scale so, at best, you could probably expect to maybe get gobbed once a year by some chick from Fitzroy who got her photo in 3000 last week and totally has the same pair of glasses that this guy was wearing in the dont's section of Vice once.
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Re: bikes

Post by andy_hoffman »

Driving a lambo around town is always going to get the "look at this tosser" reaction from some people... just like fixies ;)
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Re: bikes

Post by quick »

everyone is missing the point...

fixies AREN'T cool
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Re: bikes

Post by autumnleaves »

bad analogy. lamborigini's have brakes. i have nothing against fixies apart from the fact that lots of people don't install brakes on them.
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Re: bikes

Post by FoundationStepper »

is there a ergonomic or other reason to have the tiny handlebars as per that vid, or even better, proper drop down bars but put the brake in the middle with same net effect of bringing your hands together in the very middle? I just don't understand it
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Re: bikes

Post by mrj »

narrow handle bars are a city thing. when things get tight the thing most likely to send you flying from your bike is clipping your handle bars on somebodys rear vision mirror or a fence or whatever you get sandwiched between. Biek couriers have been doin it for years, defintely a life saver in city traffic, absolutely not neccesary anywhere else.
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Re: bikes

Post by FoundationStepper »

makes sense

how does it affect your control of the bike? it looks an uncomfortable way to get around...

I still don't get having proper drop down handles and then the tiny brake in the middle. i guess its part of the whole modding an old bike thing
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Re: bikes

Post by aroes »

FoundationStepper wrote:
how does it affect your control of the bike? it looks an uncomfortable way to get around...
to my knowledge it makes steering sluggish, as opposed to twitchy

i could be wrong
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Re: bikes

Post by huge »

FoundationStepper wrote:makes sense

how does it affect your control of the bike? it looks an uncomfortable way to get around...
i had drop bars on my bike to start with and spent the whole time up the top so put flats on for that reason. i cut them to shoulder width so i know i wont get stuck if my bars can fit thru a gap.

just like a cat :teef:

You will find most drop bars are no wider and can be even thinner, 38cm is a popular width. why do you think it looks uncomfortable?
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Re: bikes

Post by FoundationStepper »

with the drops, you are gripping down with your arms on the 'outside' (closed palms facing in at around shoulder width)

if you have the drops but ignore them by putting the brake in the middle at the top, then you are putting your arms palms facing downwards, but much less than shoulder width - this posturally seems odd to me.

Even if the drop is the same width as the teensy striaght handle bars, by putting the brake in the middle as opposed to the drop, it will always be narrower than at the outside of the drops, wont it.
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Re: bikes

Post by aroes »

FoundationStepper wrote: if you have the drops but ignore them by putting the brake in the middle at the top, then you are putting your arms palms facing downwards, but much less than shoulder width - this posturally seems odd to me.

Even if the drop is the same width as the teensy striaght handle bars, by putting the brake in the middle as opposed to the drop, it will always be narrower than at the outside of the drops, wont it.
By putting the brake lever on the tops of the bars you aren't ignoring the drops, it just means you can only apply braking force when you're on the tops

Again I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure the reason the fixie fraternity often employs the brake lever on the tops is the fact that the brake assembly can be easily removed if one wishes to do so. To place the lever on the curve of the drop (like on a road bike), one must install a hood (like on a road bike)

Huge might be able to clarify
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Re: bikes

Post by FoundationStepper »

yeah i figured it was an ease of maintinence issue. I've never seen someone riding with that configuration actually using the drops though.
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Re: bikes

Post by huge »

lol you guys are thinking about this too much. it's just somewhere to put the brake lever!
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Re: bikes

Post by deviant »

riding home in the rain again today :(
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Re: bikes

Post by autumnleaves »

mrj wrote:narrow handle bars are a city thing. when things get tight the thing most likely to send you flying from your bike is clipping your handle bars on somebodys rear vision mirror or a fence or whatever you get sandwiched between. Biek couriers have been doin it for years, defintely a life saver in city traffic, absolutely not neccesary anywhere else.
really? if you're trying to squeeze into spots so tight that you're at risk of clipping someone's mirror, not only is that really inconsiderate to someone else (by potentially damaging their car), but it's dangerous to yourself, and probably an illegal move. i don't think we should be taking bike couriers as any example of good city riding, they're generally maniacs and an embarrassment to those of us that actually want to try to get along with drivers. i was driving with my mum the other day, and had just finished telling her how most cyclists follow the same laws as everyone else, when, as if i had had some kind of premonition, a courier flew past on my left hand side, cut me off by pulling a fast cut across my lane, then proceeded to ride alongside a tram, holding onto it for propulsion, then zipping off it again and cutting across another whole lane in one quick move.. all the while he was actually going faster than the 40km/h speed limit!
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Re: bikes

Post by quick »

sounds pretty cool tbh... but also stupid and dangerous... but those 2 things often combine
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Re: bikes

Post by FoundationStepper »

it just seems weird to have the squeezy in the middle posture, which looks daft IMO, despite actually having somewhere ergonomic to put your hands! inexplicable
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Re: bikes

Post by huge »

each to their own. ive seen plenty of people on wde flat barred commuters with their hands in the middle. dont know why but whatever.

are you guys concerned at all about bmx riders who ride without brakes with a freewheel? litterally no brakes but their feet on the ground/tyre.
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Re: bikes

Post by FoundationStepper »

i only see them doing tricks every now and then, haven't seen any riding on the street...
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Re: bikes

Post by autumnleaves »

quick wrote:sounds pretty cool tbh... but also stupid and dangerous... but those 2 things often combine
it actually was a pretty sweet move... i kinda lol'd when he held on to the tram, but only in a "i can't believe he's actually doing this" way. it was very dangerous.. and now I feel like a grandma.
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Re: bikes

Post by huge »

FoundationStepper wrote:i only see them doing tricks every now and then, haven't seen any riding on the street...
so they must store their bikes in lockers at the skate park :teef:
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Re: bikes

Post by FoundationStepper »

sure of course they are riding them in transit - i guess the difference is not seeing someone pull off dangerous or arrogant riding habits around traffic/peds - unlike the handful of times ive seen glammed-up fixie riders blast through busy intersections against an amber, into the coming flock of pedestrians, only to skid brake as they cut through/around the people (sometimes by going up to the curb). haven't seen any killer moves like autumnleaves mentions though.

the bmx setup is of course naturally risky but no seeing anyone take that through the city etc I haven't found myself 'concerned.' I guess i see it naively as 'kids' finding spots to do tricks before coming home via quiet suburban backstreets for sammiches made by their mums
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Re: bikes

Post by quick »

huge wrote:
FoundationStepper wrote:i only see them doing tricks every now and then, haven't seen any riding on the street...
so they must store their bikes in lockers at the skate park :teef:
hahahahahahhahahahhahahahaha

fuk u make me larf hughbert :smt003
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Re: bikes

Post by aroes »

Sick ride today

Dandy to Belgian Beer Garden
Belgian Beer Garden to Hawksburn Station
Train to Oakleigh
Oakleigh to Dandy

Shame about the gheylord Saturday arvo traffic, lol North Rd is deaded town

We should do an MB ride, culminating in beers and a massive argument about fixies
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Re: bikes

Post by C.I.A. »

aroes wrote:Sick ride today

Dandy to Belgian Beer Garden
Belgian Beer Garden to Hawksburn Station
Train to Oakleigh
Oakleigh to Dandy

Shame about the gheylord Saturday arvo traffic, lol North Rd is deaded town

We should do an MB ride, culminating in beers and a massive argument about fixies
You should get all scientific and take a poll to find out who gets the most head... fixie versus not fixie... settle this shit.
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Re: bikes

Post by retzie »

FS and autumnleaves: it sounds like what you are trying to say is "cockheads are really annoying." Doesn't really matter if they are on a fixie, dragster or magic flying carpet. Mebbe there are statistically more cockheads per unit fixie population, but I still don't think it warrants tarring all with the same brush.

Re: fixed vs. free - all justifications I've heard talk about feeling 'closer' to the bike. Kinda an elaboration on things I say when I talk about clipless. An (admittedly insane) bike courier mate said that if he weren't riding fixed and clipped in, he didn't feel like he had control of the bike. He was also quite passionate about not having to put a foot on the ground when stopped. Mind you, this is a dude who also chopped his handlebars short enough to be able to ride between passing trams...

And as for brakes, can we possibly mention the fact that stopping suddenly on a bike (even with front and rear brakes) does not necessarily end prettily? Who's to say those stories of skid stops and pedestrians would have been much better if brakes were involved? The real problem is the cockhead (not) in control.
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Re: bikes

Post by FoundationStepper »

retzie wrote:I still don't think it warrants tarring all with the same brush
I'm not - I asked what practical reasons there are for some weird-looking riding setups as it looked a case of aesthetic over substance (thinking something looks odd isn't the same is calling everyone who sports it a cockhead rider, just that I reckon it looks really odd and therefore posy if there isn't a practical reason for it).

I get the reasons people like fixies or single speed and don't really take issue (who would I?) with anything if its on practicality/comfort/riding enjoyment grounds.

on the bmx question i was just saying I hadn't observed anything to draw an association between the riding setup and cockhead riding habits... unlike say the short handle bars thing, which while it makes sense I've drawn some association with riskier / more pushy cycling habits - perhaps borne out by its justification, to squeeze through etc. I haven't seen any 'performance' lycra riders doing that sort of thing but I guess the cockhead part of the subgroup do it along the esplanade rather than CBD

fuck it - i don't really care that much, was just curious what is motivating something that looks to un-ergonomic.
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Re: bikes

Post by autumnleaves »

FS and autumnleaves: it sounds like what you are trying to say is "cockheads are really annoying." Doesn't really matter if they are on a fixie, dragster or magic flying carpet. Mebbe there are statistically more cockheads per unit fixie population, but I still don't think it warrants tarring all with the same brush.
think you're reading stuff that isn't there mate. my problems with fixies are not that they are fixies, but potentially not having brakes making them more dangerous. i think the fact that lots of couriers are psychos on the road, and they tend to ride fixies, increases the number of cockheads who ride fixies.
And as for brakes, can we possibly mention the fact that stopping suddenly on a bike (even with front and rear brakes) does not necessarily end prettily? Who's to say those stories of skid stops and pedestrians would have been much better if brakes were involved? The real problem is the cockhead (not) in control.
i find it hard to see how having front and rear brakes will ever cause more problems that not having brakes.


my main points itt were: chopping your handlebars shorter means you're trying to take unnecessary and preventable risks. most couriers I have known and seen riding are psychos. and i have no problems with fixies, I have problems with people who don't install brakes on their bikes because I'm not convinced you can be as safe without them as with them.
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Re: bikes

Post by mrj »

retzie wrote: Who's to say those stories of skid stops and pedestrians would have been much better if brakes were involved
well you can't say that definitively no, but you can say this
- a fixed wheel bike with no brakes has only one real brake - the back wheel as controlled by the pedals
- a fixed wheel bike with brakes has 3 brakes - pedal control plus the 2 rim brakes - 3 brakes slows a bike faster than 1 (even if you lock up in a skid because the front wheel is locked up and skidding too)
- 70% of a bikes braking power is in the front brake. That % goes up if the bike is pointed downhill. If you don't have a front rim brake you forego at least 70% of your braking power.

Think of it this way, do you think a car with only a handbrake is likely to cause more accidents than a car with 4 wheel disk brakes?
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Re: bikes

Post by Direkt »

Headed up to Shep yesterday to take a group ride with the old man this morning... far out, I've got some work to do!
I reckon I was the only guy under 50 in a pack of about 13 guys - setting some serious speed, particularly for me.
40kms in, we're heading back into town doing 46kmh with a tail wind, turn into a cross wind, sitting on 36kmh and I crack... legs blown out!

Cycling is big time in Shep these days. They've got 3-4 different groups of about 10-30 riders in each, heading out 5 or more times a week. I miss riding in the country.... no traffic, no traffic lights and nice scenery. Going to have sore legs tomorrow I think.
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Re: bikes

Post by FoundationStepper »

on the legs front, a guy at my kung fu training mentioned that riding 'unevenly' works the leg muscles - leading to one tending bowed in or out (I can't remember) sort of posture - is this the case? I'm not saying in an extreme way but he was saying it was relevant to our stretches and kung fu postures which often rely on quite precise stances and counteracting internal and external direction in stretching.

and what level truth to riding shortening the hamstrings? I feel that it does, i think
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Re: bikes

Post by andy_hoffman »

deviant wrote:riding home in the rain again today :(
wrong thread tbh... should be just posted as status update on fagbook or pointless tweet :teef:
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Re: bikes

Post by deviant »

I did capitol city trail yesterday... was fun, not too hilly, some interesting bits of melbourne I'd not seen... goog day... Got sunburnt though.. meh

PS: shut it andy
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Re: bikes

Post by retzie »

^ Nice, I used to do that all the time. Main Yarra next :D

All I meant about brakes is that a sudden loss of speed on a bike is fairly shit no matter how you do it. Momentum and all that. Not talking about general slowing down needs at all. And short handlebars aren't really any more of a risk than not-particularly-amazing agility.
deviant wrote:I'm some sort of man-machine.
Feigan
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Re: bikes

Post by Feigan »

Direkt wrote:Headed up to Shep yesterday to take a group ride with the old man this morning... far out, I've got some work to do!
I reckon I was the only guy under 50 in a pack of about 13 guys - setting some serious speed, particularly for me.
40kms in, we're heading back into town doing 46kmh with a tail wind, turn into a cross wind, sitting on 36kmh and I crack... legs blown out!

Cycling is big time in Shep these days. They've got 3-4 different groups of about 10-30 riders in each, heading out 5 or more times a week. I miss riding in the country.... no traffic, no traffic lights and nice scenery. Going to have sore legs tomorrow I think.
nice work Spiesy - getting on the road with your old man is a special experience. sounds like they are doing it pretty seriously up there.

My dad ended up in Hospital yesterday after crashing racing at Sandown - 35kmh, clipped front wheel, 107Kg of Power down. Cracked shoulder and pelvis and a grazed face. in hospital for the next few days - makes you realise it's a dangerous sport we partake in.

I got taken on an Eastern Suburbs hill session yesterday morning with a friend training for the Tour de Cure. He smashed it and me. legs are feeling better than expected today.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/67937911

Anyone else using a Garmin?
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Direkt
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Re: bikes

Post by Direkt »

Jesus H. Christ Feigs.... hope your old man is okay, that's full on!

Isn't Garmin a GPS system for car? They do a bike one too?

EDIT: they obviously do. Sweet. How much did that cost?
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Re: bikes

Post by Feigan »

https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=160&pID=36728

click the link and check out the stats from my ride yesterday. It's a bit over the top for me - but very interesting to see how you perform.

average speed is down due to the ridiculous amounts of hills in Sydney's Eastern suburbs!!!
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Re: bikes

Post by Feigan »

around the $250 - $300 mark on Wiggle.co.uk Brother
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Direkt
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Re: bikes

Post by Direkt »

Lord. Expense. Sucks that it displays your data in miles and Fahrenheit.
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Re: bikes

Post by Feigan »

click the convert to metric button top right corner
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