Thread: One for the bicyclists out there.

I've always been something of a mountain biker. I've been riding since I was real little. I'm mostly into XC these days, but I like a nice downhill run here and there. My current bike is actually about 5 or 6 years old, but I haven't ridden it in 4 years. I just got it to my place and started riding again. Frame is a Trek 4500 Alpha Aluminium, XT all around with XTR brakes. I rebuilt the drive train just before I put her into storage; XT 9 speed cassette, XT chain, Race Face crank (Prodigy, I think), and Eggbeater pedals. When I picked it up it had a Marzocchi Bomber fork; it was very smooth and rode well, but it started leaking and was always a bit heavy. I swapped her out for a Noleen Mega Air with 100mm of travel, and that's been quite nice. The air fork is so easy to adjust, and I like that.

I've been easing back into riding, so I've been doing 10-20 miles every other day. Mostly on roads... unfortunately. I've been thinking about getting a road bike, but I've never actually owned a road bike because I like being able to ride offroads and I much prefer trails to roads. I used to have a lot of fun "test riding" Litespeeds while I worked at a bike shop a few years ago.

Nice ride! The Brooks saddle adds a nice touch.

Currently I ride a Surly CrossCheck 4130 CroMo frame. I have found the CroMo frames are the cats meow for commuting and nice or the long rides. Not so much for competition but that's not to say it cannot be done. Complete with 11-22t DA cassette on both sets of wheels and Shimano SPD pedals. I have equipped her with the stock 700x32 and my Mavic Ksyrium Elite with 700x25 tires.

Maybe one day when I win the lotto I will get a LOOK with a set of Zipps complete with ceramic nitride bearings.

Here are the pics of my baby with the stock wheels and the Mavic Ksyrium Elite wheels. I have a bad habit of taking pics with my cellphone.

Those Ksyrium Elites are real nice wheelsets. I remember when they first came out and they were the hottest thing around. Nice ride.

I think of all the innovations over the years I rode....integrated brake/shift levers, clipless pedals..........wheelsets rank way up there. Once, you wouldn't dream of radial spoking or one-cross unless you were track riding. And the pounds keep shedding.

You guys work on your bikes? I used to love putting one on the stand, stripping it down to individual bearings; new oil and grease, cables....

Sigh, life is just too short for all these hobbies.

I've been riding (real bikes) for 14 years I have a Trek 2100 road bike and 930 mountain bike. My first job was working at Mike Waldins bike shop.

I still love working on bikes more than riding them there is no more satisfaction than building you own wheels and making them feel perfect.

My wife's birthday is next month so I was going to take her out riding this weekend so I could see how she likes it. I really dont want to make the investment in something she hates.

Great bike by the way Ive always wanted to try a fixed gear bike.

the local velodrome. velodromeatbloomerpark.com

Here are two more of my babies. The Raleigh Pro is a '73 and is all original save the bar tape, pedals, and seat. The position is a bit more aggressive than I like nowadays but it is fun to ride for 5 to 10 miles. I run tubulars on it and as you can see jleeg, the fork has the chrome Cinelli slopping crown and then paint and more chrome down on the lower portion of the blades.

Then there is my chrome Schwinn Paramount P15. This model has the three chainrings and the slacker touring geometry than the P14 racing model. It is also a '73 and was silver brazed in Chicago. A friend of mine bought one of these in '68 and I wanted one ever since. Took 40 years but thanks to ebay I finally got one. I have one of those Nitto stems with the long quill on it to ride in a more comfortable position for these old bones.

I have a total of eight bikes right now between road and mountain. I plan on selling two or three of them. It gets crowded in a two bedroom apartment. I too work on my own bikes, build my own wheels and have a plethora of rims, hubs and other parts accumulated over the years.

JimmyHAD....two classics! Love the raked forks. And the details you dont see on todays bikes (like how the seat stays are brazed to the downtube). And nothing like the ride a tubular gives. Very nice. Do people notice the bikes when you ride?

Here you go....

And lest we forget....its day 1: Tour de France. Go Lance.

I just ride a POS mountain bike around town, but I love to ride.