Bicycles!

[CraigB]

Monday I went for a ride on one of my hardtails. I had fun, but I was a little "saddle" sore. Saturday I took my full suspension bike to the same trails, but was not nearly as sore.

One thing you do give up with a mountain bike is going to be heavier weight and more rolling resistance.

 

[Redliner]

Yeah, I've always wanted to try a full suspension bike, heavy weight be damned!

 

[eizbaer]

Also, unless it's well made and set up, you're going to feel like you're putting a lot of pedaling effort into the suspending and wobbling up and down...

 

[MXM]

So since I'm totally new to road/cx bikes, I'm still figuring out the equipment. Like what pedals to buy. I definitely want to try locking pedals, and MTB (SPD?) system seems to be most versatile, I definitely want to be able to walk in cycling shoes. And I need to be able to ride with normal shoes, luckily there are double-sided pedals. Shimano has A530 and M324, but they look very different

Reading the thread back, you got the A530, eizbaer? How are they, would you buy them again?

 

[eizbaer]

I'm very happy with them, yeah. Nothing to complain about really, they seem sturdy and the "regular side" is built fairly light. Regular shoes + wet might be a little difficult, I haven't tried, but they don't offer the highest amount of grip I have to say (perfectly fine when dry though, but I would expect the m324s to be better). In the end, they also just don't look so much out of place - I know that shouldn't count, but for me, a racing bike with regular mtb pedals like the m324 just wouldn't look right

 

[Olie]

Otherwise look at something like the crank brothers mallet DH

or doubleshot pedals.

 

[MXM]

Yep, I did look at those too, but decided to go for Shimano system anyway. Pedals are half as expensive and look more road-bikey So I ordered a set of A530.

The Cannondale is supposed to arrive already this Friday! Exciting, but I'm a bit unsure whether I want to ride it before spring. Since I got studded tyres for my old bike, and I've done a few short rides on snowy/icy roads, which was quite exhausting, but doable. I don't care about that bike much, so subjecting it to stones and road salt doesn't bother me. But I know it will annoy me riding it, knowing that I have a fancy new bike waiting

 

[CraigB]

Bought myself a new (-ish) fork for the Homegrown 4-Banger. Lots more travel than the Sid it replaced.

 

[47]

That's a peculiar saddle you've got there.

I need a new one, and thinking of going more sporty, since now I have a rather beefy gel seat. This one, I think

 

[MXM]

I've had the Cannondale for a few days now. Yesterday I finally went to try it outside, as it was a dry and sunny day, albeit pretty cold at -10C. Roads are still very icy, so I had to take it easy. Well, it's mostly great The handlebars feel a bit too far at the moment, but it could be because of my rather heavy winter clothes, and the stem can still be shortened quite a bit anyway. The only thing I was a bit disappointed about were the disc brakes, they feel quite weak and spongy. From the drops I can get enough power to lock the wheels, but not really from the hoods. Rear shifter works great, the front is a bit weird with it's half-clicks. Upshifting is fine, as I can do it with a single long motion, but to shift down it needs 2 clicks, maybe even 3, to switch to the smaller sprocket. Not sure if that's a feature or if I need to adjust it a bit.

 

[eizbaer]

Ah, those are mechanical (rather than hydraulic) disc brakes, right? That would explain the sponginess at least...

 

[CraigB]

That's a peculiar saddle you've got there.

I need a new one, and thinking of going more sporty, since now I have a rather beefy gel seat. This one, I think

It's plastic and you'd think it would be uncomfortable, but it's actually not bad. I'll replace it at some point with something a bit more conventional.

That one looks nice. What is it?

 

[MXM]

Ah, those are mechanical (rather than hydraulic) disc brakes, right? That would explain the sponginess at least...

Yep. Promax Render R. Reading up on them online now, many people complain about lack of power and sponginess. Some say they'll bed in, others say they'll never really be good.

 

[Redliner]

Ah, those are mechanical (rather than hydraulic) disc brakes, right? That would explain the sponginess at least...

Yep. Promax Render R. Reading up on them online now, many people complain about lack of power and sponginess. Some say they'll bed in, others say they'll never really be good.

I was about to point that out.
I rode my brother's bike with hydraulic disk brakes and it was AWESOME.
After that I was looking for a bike for myself so I bought one with mechanical disk brakes, because the guy at the shop convinced me they were not that different and they SUCKED. I tried other bicycles with disk brakes and the experience was the same.
I have little experience with the different brands of disk brake system, but so far my opinion is: either hydraulic disks or a well-adjusted regular system.

 

[MXM]

I don't think full hydraulic is possible with Tiagra shifters, but something like TRP HY/RD hybrid brakes are doable (cable operated, but both master and slave cylinders are in the caliper). There are reports that it improves the feel considerably.

It's not something I really need, we don't have that many hills around here, but good to know there's an option if it starts annoying me

 

[47]

It's plastic and you'd think it would be uncomfortable, but it's actually not bad. I'll replace it at some point with something a bit more conventional.

That one looks nice. What is it?

Selle Royal Alpine gel. It's pretty good, not to wide, but comfy.

On the brake front, I'm fine with my V brakes I'm mostly on the road, but still, even on downhill sections i never lack stopping power.

 

[MXM]

Oh yeah, one more thing about brakes. As I was learning to ride a motorcycle this spring, I switched the right handle to operate front brake on my old bicycle, to not confuse me. Seemed easier than making the switch on the motorcycle I got used to it, and I like having a more precise control of the front brake.

So I thought, my new bicycle is coming from UK, and bicycles in UK for whatever historic reason already have it set up this way, unlike the rest of europe. What a lucky coincidence. Well, they bloody switched it! Re-wrapped the handlebars and everything. Probably a standard procedure for sending bikes to EU. Damn it.

 

[Redliner]

and bicycles in UK for whatever historic reason already have it set up this way, unlike the rest of europe.

I didn't know that!

 

[DanRoM]

I had the brake levers on my road bike changed to have the front brake on the right, but didn't bother to have the same done on the trekking bike as that has hydraulic brakes and it would have been too much of a hassle.
The different setup doesn't bother me at all. I use both brakes anyway.

 

[Captain_Whine]

Bought myself a new (-ish) fork for the Homegrown 4-Banger

Rephrasing some non-copyrighted line here, "he, who keeps buying Miatas Schwinn"


Also, i DEMAND THE PROOF PI... oh, there's yer Datsun's tailgate, aa'roight.


Seriously, gratz on the get! That rockin chair looks like a beach bully, compared to mine