Bought a new bike....... the pedal kind.

[Demar]

I bought a 2015 Cannondale Synapse Carbon 5. I have been toying with the idea of buying a new bike for 3 years or so and finally pulled the trigger. My current ride was a 1990 Peugeot that I hadn't ridden for about 10 years. I'm trying to drop a few pounds and strengthen my muscles before they are totally gone. I'm sure it will help my mc riding. I singed myself and daughter up for a century ride (100 mi.) in September. I my 20's I rode 13 centuries....but, that was a long time ago. As the centuries have sag wagons I figure I can always stop and get a ride back to the start if it doesn't go well. I have 3 months to train.

[HardAspie]

Sounds great!

Two wheelers, powered or not, have been magic for me most of my life. My current ride is a somewhat customized Giant Escape 2W - a mid level hybrid. It is perfect to be my grocery getter and adventure vehicle.

I hope to add a powered bike to my collection soon, but right now the bicycle is it.

[Triple Jim]

Demar, go for it, and keep it up!  I've ridden all my life, through a single speed with coaster brake, many Sturmy-Archer 3-speeds, a Peugeot UO-8, a Gitane with 531 double butted tubing, a Bob Jackson, Paramount, Pinarello, and my current Litespeed.  20 miles/day, every day in recent years, with an occasional 100 miler.  Also mountain biking here and there.  I don't think there's a much better way to fight age, although I'll probably get a rowing shell sometime and see if I can work that in.  I find that having fit legs and cardiovascular system helps with almost everything I do.

[SteveAZ]

Bicycles are good stuff. You'd be surprised how much knowledge/skillset transfer there is between bicycles and motorcycles, etc especially if you get somewhat fast or ride in groups of fast riders on your bicycle.

Enjoy!

[HardAspie]

When I was a child I'd go off to school. I am autistic and school was hell on earth. Then I would come home to a household of mental and physical cruelty. I had no safe place. . .

. . .except my bicycle. I could go farther faster than on foot. The two wheeled vehicle is a friendly place to be for me. I have aboard one both freedom to travel and the security that comes from that.

Powered or not, I still love being on a pair of wheels.

[SteveAZ]

When I was a child I'd go off to school. I am autistic and school was hell on earth. Then I would come home to a household of mental and physical cruelty. I had no safe place. . .

. . .except my bicycle. I could go farther faster than on foot. The two wheeled vehicle is a friendly place to be for me. I have aboard one both freedom to travel and the security that comes from that.

Powered or not, I still love being on a pair of wheels.

That's the truth. My first bike as a kid was my first "vehicle" and taste of freedom. I would imagine when home isn't the most comfortable place that freedome becomes much more important.

[Bonafide Bob]

 I haven't ridden in about twenty years, I was riding about 800/1000 miles a month and just burned out. I keep talking about starting riding again, so for it still just talking. I have a Klein, Mondonico, Viner, Specialized and a Team Santana hanging on the wall gather dust. Maybe this thread will inspire me to ride. ;-)
Bob

[screamday]

That's the truth. My first bike as a kid was my first "vehicle" and taste of freedom.

That was my experience. I remember, when I was a kid, taking off on my bike and watching the world go by. Still ride today....15 - 20 miles a day.

[steven c]

 I love my motorcycles, but my bicycle is what keeps me going. Got my first good road bike in High School and haven't stopped peddling since.

[yogidozer]

I take my neighbor's kid's Big Wheel down his driveway when no one is looking.
Leaves me smiling for days!

[Rough Edge racing]

 Like some other guys ,the bicycle freed me from my parental control when I was a kid. And that would be a single speed heavy Schwinn or Roadmaster not some lightweight multi speed racer. And it was hilly in both directions....
 We ride for exercise when weather permits.  This is a popular area for riders because it's relatively flat and lack of traffic. We ride in jeans and boots, no helmets... Long distance groups of riders pass by and some remark how they used to ride like us and how much fun it was....8-10 mph is a reasonable pace on cheaper bikes that are more work to ride  than 2000 buck bikes.

[prof_stack]

Two wheels, that's what important to most of us.  In hilly Seattle I often use an e-assist bike, an Ohm Urban, which gets my old body up the hill and home.  Otherwise there is no need for a battery boost.  I'm also looking at riding a road bike that is less than 25#, although it won't absorb bumps as well as the suspended over-50# e-bike.

What is interesting is that I often choose either bicycle before choosing the Breva for a ride, as traffic gets thicker and driver distractions increase.

[not-fishing]

What's with this carbon fiber?  snapping suspenders   Your 90's ride was good enough.

Now I still ride my SPX tubed Lighthouse Custom with 25 year old Campy Delta Brakes & C-Record group.  I did have to put a triple on it because I'm not as strong as I used to be and the Kestrel Carbon fork I fitted a number of years ago is a lot cushier than the steel fork.  The 20 year old spoke wheels I built are just fine.

We are Guzzi riders we do not supposed to purchase new, more efficient, smoother and more comfortable rides!

For this transgression you'll have to realign your Yin by riding the Guzzi more.         

[Triple Jim]

What's with this carbon fiber?  snapping suspenders   Your 90's ride was good enough.

   My '70s racers are still good enough, for that matter.  About 22 lbs, sew-ups, etc..  Over the next 40 years, bikes have lost a very few lbs, and gained things like nicer shifting and more sprocket combinations, but if you think about it, bikes aren't progressing very fast.

[Demar]

What's with this carbon fiber?  snapping suspenders   Your 90's ride was good enough.

The bike I bought is an endurance style with higher bars and a different frame geometry compared to my old Peugeot, which was a bit tall for me. The new bike has the bars a bit higher and is much friendlier on by wrists and back.

[kidsmoke]

"anything with 2 wheels is cool" said an octogenarian on a Buell rocket to me a few weeks back when we were talking about old bicycles.

I've been riding the same Ultegra equipped steely since '87. Love everything about it, and no plans to replace it. Lots of miles logged on it back in the 90's, not so much in recent years, but a new job a couple miles from home has me thinking commute!

Sounds like a nice bike, good luck on the century. What part of the country are you doing this in?

[not-fishing]

  About 22 lbs, sew-ups, etc..  Over the next 40 years, bikes have lost a very few lbs, and gained things like nicer shifting and more sprocket combinations, but if you think about it, bikes aren't progressing very fast.

Some of us haven't been able to ride sew-ups for a couple of decades.  We started out a little big, even with low body fat and got a little bigger.  I have enough trouble with 25c tires and flats.

I do find it interesting how my wife's Vitus 742 with my mods only weighs 17 lbs even though it's an early 80's bike.  The Kestrel fork, 24 spoke American Classic front, 28 spoke mavic rear, Mavic GEL 280 rims, continental sprinter 250's along with me cutting the 36 handlebars, stem and generally lightening the bike helped a bit.  Of course being a 46 cm bike frame helped.

One down side is guess who gets to repair her sewups!  at least I became a master sewup repairman because I got so many flats

I learned long ago when I got fitted for a bike that many of us cannot buy bikes "off the rack".  Mine is odd bicycle in that it's long and low while having a very strong steel frame.  just call me short shanks

Maybe that's why I feel so comfortable on my Griso.

[Triple Jim]

I do find it interesting how my wife's Vitus 742 with my mods only weighs 17 lbs even though it's an early 80's bike.  The Kestrel fork, 24 spoke American Classic front, 28 spoke mavic rear, Mavic GEL 280 rims, continental sprinter 250's along with me cutting the 36 handlebars, stem and generally lightening the bike helped a bit.  Of course being a 46 cm bike frame helped.

The GEL280s go a long way toward lightening.  I have some wheels with those, and a spare or two around, and I think a GL330 too.  Wheels with those rims feel strange if you're not used to picking one up.

One down side is guess who gets to repair her sewups!  at least I became a master sewup repairman because I got so many flats

I've repaired many, but in recent years I've just gone to inexpensive training tires.  I get them 3 for $50 plus shipping, so they end up being around $20 each.  www.yellowjersey.com sells them.  If she wants racing tires, these aren't them, but they work great for my daily rides, and are very durable.  They're also quite true, unlike some name brand tires I paid good money for, only to find out they're about impossible to get sitting straight on the rim.

[steven c]

 Next your I turn 60 so I'm thinking of treating my self to a new bike, to replace my 97 Bianchi ERO's, all Campy, frame still made in Italy, 24lbs of solid steel. Before that was my 82 Bianchi 980, which I still ride because the friction shifters (Campy) work so well. Or I just may give it a good going over, maybe some lighter wheels.

[SteveAZ]

Wow....I never thought I'd see names like Vitus and American Classic mentioned on a Guzzi site.

Campy is a given since Luigi works there too 

Most of my years have included BMX as a kid then  mountain bike riding/racing and road bike etc As another poster said, one day I just burned out. I'm down to a fixed gear trainer and that's mostly because I can't imagine not owning at least one bicycle. I was still pretty fast when I stopped riding regularly, I just got tiredof it and startedsurfing and running (slowly ha ha) a bit.

These posts are great to read, I've always felt like two wheels make anything cool.

[steven c]

Anyone know a dealer for a vintage Sturmey archer 5 speed hub? My Raligh Sprint 5 speed that I bought when I was a kid and got a paper route needs a bell crank for the left two speed side, they where made from some pot metal and broke a long time ago. I search the web on and off over the years but have never been successful.

[Demar]

Sounds like a nice bike, good luck on the century. What part of the country are you doing this in?

Thanks.... San Luis Obispo, CA http://www.slobc.org/lighthouse/index.html

I rode it once before in college in 1980.

[not-fishing]

Thanks.... San Luis Obispo, CA http://www.slobc.org/lighthouse/index.html

I rode it once before in college in 1980.

You dog!  Beautiful country and cooler than the valley.  I rode the Gourmet Century there long ago.  The builder of my bike, Tim Neenan, lives in your area that's why his bikes are branded "Lighthouse".  He quit for more than a decade but has now retired and is back into building frames. http://www.lighthousecycles.com/

I've been talking to Tim about building me another frame, same geometry as my present frame but as a single speed.  I had a gorgeous baby blue Masi track bike that I loved and had to sell a few years ago.  I really miss not having a fixed cog.

I'm hoping that this year the Norcal Guzzi group will have a weekend tour (for me) in the SLO area.  The Griso needs to stretch it's legs every few weeks.......

[HardAspie]

Bicyclists! makes sense on a motorcycle forum.

My fastest was a '79 Raleigh Competition GS. I upgraded to a long cage Campy rear derail, Mavic rims, Galli Titanium (the bolt) brakes, and a few others. I was young and although I never was good at uphills due to my asthma I could keep on going. Did a century once, but just didn't care that much to find other routes for a repeat. Coasted downhill at an obscene speed a few times. Good machine. Gone in a rush of sudden poverty long ago,

Current is a mid level hybrid: Giant Escape 2W. Alterations: Brooks Flyer (sprung B 15) on a carbon fibre micro adjust post, front and rear racks and panniers for grocery getting and intended touring, handlebar bag, seat bag with tools and spares, a Lezyne frame / floor pump, lights, bar end mirror - left only, bipod centre stand, bell... Not so fast as the Comp but then neither am I. During cooler times of year I generally ger around 80 - 100 miles per week. Love it!

[Kentktk]

The truth is most of the dudes here are overweight and would be much better off getting bicycles to exercise more than their right wrist, and then quit worrying so much about what kind of oil to put in their engine instead of what kind of food to put in their own bodies

[drums4money]

The truth is most of the dudes here are overweight and would be much better off getting bicycles to exercise more than their right wrist, and then quit worrying so much about what kind of oil to put in their engine instead of what kind of food to put in their own bodies

hey!  i resemble that remark.

there's a Colnago down in the garage growing dust at right now.

[toaster404]

Every now and then I think of picking up a Colnago Master Light, with the straight chrome forks.  That would be fun.  Currently have a 2006 Wilier Thor - my first carbon bike.  Rather dishy, with downhill handling the 1970's Colnago's could only dream about.

But there is something special about steel.  I have a 531 frame I made about 1974 up in the shed needing a repaint.  I suppose most of the necessary components are around somewhere.  I rode it until 1993, when I picked up a Schwinn Paramount. 

Modern bicycles are indeed wonderful - I must stop and try out a bunch sometime.  I'm almost recovered enough to ride again!

[Kentktk]

hey!  i resemble that remark.

there's a Colnago down in the garage growing dust at right now.

Dust the bike off get on it and quit resembling that remark😄

[Subdewd]

If you look around there is a market for the :vintage" ten speeds. Panasonic, peugot, fuji from the 70's.
 funny I got my Fuji out of storage 3 years ago to start riding and noticed the frame had grown! or maybe I shrank?
Either way I had to go down 2 inches.

The bike I bought is an endurance style with higher bars and a different frame geometry compared to my old Peugeot, which was a bit tall for me. The new bike has the bars a bit higher and is much friendlier on by wrists and back.

[John Ulrich]

Here's my current ride.  I sold my "dropped handlebar" Motobecane from 1977 and upgraded to a Electra Townie with pedal forward (6 inches forward of the seat tube) design.
Easy to pedal and the upright position is easier on the back.  When Trek purchased them, they removed the fork suspension on newer models....look for a 2013 or older for that on Craigslist.

 

Since I like whitewalls I added those to my wife's ladies model along with a suspension seat post on both.