I’ve ridden 4 or 5 days a week every day for the past 2 months since getting my new electric bike. One of the best purchases I’ve made during the pandemic.
Which one did you get? I was eyeing the Vado SL.
DSGamer wrote:I’ve ridden 4 or 5 days a week every day for the past 2 months since getting my new electric bike. One of the best purchases I’ve made during the pandemic.
Which one did you get? I was eyeing the Vado SL.
Trek Verve+ 3.
Update on having a full suspension mountain bike. Wow, what an upgrade to my $700 2003 Hardtail! It's been great on the trail to hit features with more speed and confidence.
Replaced front brake pads which were trash (squealing, didn't grab) and I couldn't recondition despite it looking like it had not worn down at all. Fixed up the rear derailleur (with a little help from a friend) so that I could make use of the lowest gear, which explains a bit of why the previous owner said it was not good at climbing. Next, I need to replace some cables as they were cut too short and when on a stand, always pull the handlebars.
Here it is in all it's matching accent color pedal glory.
Sweet bike! Looks very modern. The slacker head angle and better suspension really makes a difference in comfort and confidence on those downhills.
I have a question. I kept our bikes in the garage. But with winter coming I'd like that space for cars. So I plan to store the bikes in the basement in the shop. It's generally quite warm and dry there. I wiped them down and greased the chain, ran it around a few times. Anything else I should do for the winter?
I have a question. I kept our bikes in the garage. But with winter coming I'd like that space for cars. So I plan to store the bikes in the basement in the shop. It's generally quite warm and dry there. I wiped them down and greased the chain, ran it around a few times. Anything else I should do for the winter?
Check the air a few times a month in the tires. Letting the air out long term can damage the interiors or the tire itself. Also remove all the electronics. I'd give a once over on all the parts that could rust, on steel bikes.
Disclaimer: This is how I'd store my bikes long term. I have never experienced winter - it doesn't happen where I live.
Feels a little like gloating, but riding to work and around the city has been pretty good through November to February this year. Unlike Northern hemisphere countries further north, the Philippines doesn't suffer through winter, and the season is defined by the cool and dry winds coming from Siberia. Its closest analogue to cold country seasons may actually be summer!
The electric assistance has been nothing short of glorious. I still bike on regular pedal bikes, but the assistance gives me legs I used to only have when I was doing 100 km a day. Don't always need that, but it's really nice to have in your pocket.
That's awesome for you. Life is too short to spend somewhere you hate the weather. It would not be my jam though. My brother lives in Texas and thinks he's giving me crap when he talks about it being 75 there when it's 20 in Iowa. I'd rather be outside when it's 25 than 75. Especially somewhere with humidity. I still go out on my fat bike when it's below 0. I shovel snow in shorts and crocs. So I don't think it's gloating to say you love the weather there.
Feels a little like gloating, but riding to work and around the city has been pretty good through November to February this year. Unlike Northern hemisphere countries further north, the Philippines doesn't suffer through winter, and the season is defined by the cool and dry winds coming from Siberia. Its closest analogue to cold country seasons may actually be summer!
Awesome. Lucky! I've been biking here while it's 30 degrees F. It's still fun, but I can't wait for spring.
The electric assistance has been nothing short of glorious. I still bike on regular pedal bikes, but the assistance gives me legs I used to only have when I was doing 100 km a day. Don't always need that, but it's really nice to have in your pocket.
It's so nice. I'm on my third e-Bike and I wouldn't have nearly as much fun cycling these days without it.
I don’t shovel snow in shorts and Crocs but I like when I get out in the cold. If I had to pick, though, I’d wanna bike in the heat. Last summer I loved getting out in the 100°F afternoons in the dry high-desert heat. This year I’m hoping I’ll get out off the road for it.
But that means I probably wanna grab a new bike. I’ve been looking hard at the Poseidon Redwood which for $900 is a fabulous deal, from everything I’ve read and watched. And my partner wants me to get it. I just have to feel I’ve earned/justified the purchase.
It's a nice bike for sure. And you can fit some pretty big tires on it. I was looking at the frame to replace another gravel bike frame but I'd want qr since I already have the wheels. I'd also look at some of the things available on bikesdirect.com. I got my gravel bike there and it's fantastic. It was a bit more than 900 (1800) but I absolutely love it.
Does anyone here have a folding bike? I'm considering a folding bike for when I travel and I'm curious about the experience others have had with them.
Does anyone here have a folding bike? I'm considering a folding bike for when I travel and I'm curious about the experience others have had with them.
What specific type of traveling are we talking about here?
If you're going to be checking it anyway it's not that much harder to just get a box specifically made for bicycles. You can ask at a bike shop and explain you want to check your bicycle. Take off the wheels and pack it carefully, and you should be good to go.
Depending on your specific travel situation it's also not that hard to move around between cities with a full-size bicycle even once you've gotten to your destination. I've regularly stored my bike in the luggage area of a bus, for example. It's pretty common practice.
For similar reasons it can also be worth it to just buy a bicycle second-hand at your destination (do a quick web search for independent/small bicycle shops in the area that sell uesd bikes), and then just give it away/sell it before you leave. I've done that multiple times before because I find that bike rentals are probihibitively expensive if you need them for more than a day or so. Some places charge as much as you'd pay to rent a car. So if you'll be staying somewhere several weeks or even months, suddenly $200-300 for a bicycle isn't a terrible investment.
Since they're kind of expensive for decent models, they just don't seem worth the investment IMO unless you specifically need the convenience of constantly unpacking/packing it.
I think my use case is shorter trips and my main bike is pretty giant. It's an electric with a 21" frame. So it would be really hard to fit that in a car at my destination.
I think my use case is shorter trips and my main bike is pretty giant. It's an electric with a 21" frame. So it would be really hard to fit that in a car at my destination.
How about ON your car? Getting a hitch-mount bike rack installed might well be a cheaper option. Obviously a roof-mount rack isn't practical with a heavy e-bike.
To me, the use-case for a folding bike is a commuter bike for mixed-mode commute - i.e. gets you to and from the train station/bus stop at either end.
Biggest issue with folding bikes may potentially be the weight limit - I know you're a big'n'tall guy. For instance, the Bike Friday PakiT folding bike tops out at 220lbs. They have a folding road bike that'll go up to 260lbs too. YMMV
I think my use case is shorter trips and my main bike is pretty giant. It's an electric with a 21" frame. So it would be really hard to fit that in a car at my destination.
Ah, okay. Then maybe it'd be a good fit. But it does seem like you'd really have to be in that sweet spot of traveling somewhere that doesn't have bike rental stations, for a short enough time buying a bike is impractical, often enough to make buying a bike just for travel worth it.
(I'm biased towards full-size options because I genuinely don't know anyone who meets those requirements, and I've personally always just borrowed or bought a bike at my destinations.)
And that's not counting the geography of wherever you end up. I shudder to think of trying to bike up the hills in Montreal on a folding bike.
Sorry I only had that alternative to offer, but I'll be following out of curiosity for any folding bike proponents out there who might chime in.
To me, the use-case for a folding bike is a commuter bike for mixed-mode commute - i.e. gets you to and from the train station/bus stop at either end.
That's an interesting point, I've always just used the bike racks/luggage area of buses and lots of places do let you walk the bike onto the commuter train/subway. But if you were in a place where the bus/train doesn't let you do that, it makes sense.
Yeah, that's definitely my main concern, the weight limit. Assuming I could find one that could handle it, though, it would still be better than trying to haul my main bike. I have definitely thought about getting a hitch mount for it, but that only handles the scenario where we get somewhere via car, which isn't what I'm thinking about here.
On the topic of bike rentals, if your travel takes you to major cities, some of them have bike share schemes (and/or electric scooters) that might fill that need anyway. Your Lime scooters and such.
Yeah, I definitely use those kinds of things for simple transportation. Even during the pandemic as it's become clear that surfaces aren't the concern. I used Lime scooters in Austin recently, for example.
In this case I want a bike for the exercise too and the mental health aspect of getting some exercise the way I like to.
I've thought about renting, for sure, but the cost seems high enough versus just eventually owning, is what I'm hung up on. And I'd still theoretically have to transport it form the rental store to where I was staying.
For example when my wife and I were in Hawaii for 6 weeks recently I contemplated renting a bike, but the flat we rented was way too small to park a bike, the parking garage too unsafe and the bike shop with rentals was too far way to ride it back to the flat. So there were basically a series of reasons why a smaller, transportable bike would have been a better fit.
I have a folding ebike I use to commute on about 7mile one-way that I have been using the last 5 years. It is a Motiv Stash bike Stash.
I bought it to fold up and put under my desk but have since stopped folding it as it is just a hassle to break it down and thankfully have the space to leave it whole in my office. The main issue is making sure the bike has some way to stay folded (elastic/velcro bands) and protecting the front chain sprocket from the ground. Moving the bike around when it is folded up is like moving a bulky oversized box. It can be done just awkward. It is about 60 Ibs so much easier to pick it up when it is whole.
I am 6ft tall and it rides comfortably for the 7mile one-way trip.
I have a Tern BYB, a Banian D9, and a Doppelganger. All of these are foldies. I'm only 5'8" and only weigh about 200 pounds (but less).
Whatcha wanna know?
Moving the bike around when it is folded up is like moving a bulky oversized box. It can be done just awkward. It is about 60 Ibs so much easier to pick it up when it is whole.
I am 6ft tall and it rides comfortably for the 7mile one-way trip.
My two heaviest bikes (specialized fatboy and and specialized carve) weigh 31 and 28 pounds together. Holy schneikes that's a heavy bike.
After a five month wait, it's new bike day!
It's a Giant Fathom 2 29". I'm a sucker for HT and this is quite an upgrade from the Diamondback Sorrento I'd been riding the past few years.
That is a very nice looking bike, and a gorgeous riding location!
After a five month wait, it's new bike day!
It's a Giant Fathom 2 29". I'm a sucker for HT and this is quite an upgrade from the Diamondback Sorrento I'd been riding the past few years.
That's a nice looking bike. But it's dwarfed by the amazing scenery behind it.
I mountain bike with my sons and assistant coach our high school mountain bike team. There's nice trails in MN, but would love to get out to WA.
After a five month wait, it's new bike day!
It's a Giant Fathom 2 29". I'm a sucker for HT and this is quite an upgrade from the Diamondback Sorrento I'd been riding the past few years.
That looks amazing.
It's a trail called Olallie just East of North Bend in Washington. My first time there and the climb killed my legs before I could even get half way through the technically easier part. It's almost totally silent there, and totally beautiful. The ride down, as brief at it was, was exhilarating.
Riding in the PNW/Vancouver/Whistler is high on my bucket list. Sweet bike!
I can't believe you took a photo of your bike lying on the ground. If reddit has taught me anything it's that bikes must be photographed standing up and on a bridge. Upright bikes get likes.
It does look like a very nice bike, though.
I can't believe you took a photo of your bike lying on the ground. If reddit has taught me anything it's that bikes must be photographed standing up and on a bridge. Upright bikes get likes.
It does look like a very nice bike, though.
He kept the expensive side up, so points for that.
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