i've been looking around online and i haven't found anything i'm really about. i also don't know what i'm looking for, so that's kind of hurting my progress. i think i was told mountain bike? 27"? and then trick it out from there? what's a good amount to spend on a first bike, $500?
I'd recommend gears just so you can adjust the resistance. Maybe consult w/ your doctor just to be sure?
Single speed is easier to maintain, and a bit cheaper to buy, but might not be the best for you. Especially if you will be climbing any steep or long inclines... it can really put some stress on your knees when you're stuck in one gear.
Best bet might be to go into a local bike shop, get them to give you the sales pitch on different frame styles - ie road, hybrid, cruiser, etc. Try a few out to see how they feel. Don't buy. Then take your knowledge to CL or kajiji or ebay. I'd keep the price point low for this bike - it doesn't have to be your dream bike, or even cool. $200 should get you an old but rideable geared road bike if you spend some time looking. Just get something you can ride and see if it fits into your life well. Then upgrade later if you are really into it.
Then make sure you go back to the same bike shop to buy some stuff at some point. Just for karma.
If you need help fixing up an old beater you buy, there's a few free bike co-ops downtown that let you work on your bike - and I'd be happy to meet up and help you tune the bitch into a sweet sweet ride.
The options are definitely overwhelming. That's why I say test a few styles before so you can narrow your search down.
Other than the single speed issue, it looks like a good deal!!
I am confident in your abilities to man up and just deal with the one gear!
EDIT - although that looks like a full fixie - no brakes. I'd make sure it has a flip-flop hub on the back (w/ flywheel for coasting) and not just fixed gear. And you'll need to buy at least a front brake - which will cost you about $20-50 depending...
i just like the way it looked and felt when i took 'er around the cul de sac.
here's the stats for the real headz
"-The frame is a 56cm 80's vintage steel lugged frame with original fork that has been completely stripped of all components and then media blasted and inspected for flaws cracks or damage.
-The frame and fork received a fresh coat of chocolate brown with gold candy flake clear powder coat.
The bike was then completely rebuilt with the following brand new components:
-700c deep v 50mm sidewall doublewall wheels with flip flop single speed fixie rear hub. Includes both 16t fixie cog and lockring and a freewheel. Bike is currently setup as a single speed.
-Brand new 700x23c tires and tubes
-Alloy dual pivot brakes with tektro levers and new cables.
-Vintage steel bars and alloy sr stem and fresh bar tape
-New alloy 170mm sugi style cranks with52t sprocket and light resin pedals
-Shimano bottom bracket
-New taya single speed nickel plated chain
-Alloy 400mm seat post and new vintage style white saddle with brass rivets"
I'm probably gonna rock it on a stationary trainer for the first couple weeks, after that im finna test the open road.
You got a flip hub, right?
Single speed free wheel is a different animal, that's how I've rolled for the last 20 years.
Though many will disagree with me, I think fixed is a bad idea all around, it's brutal on the knees if you ride hard/frequently and even worse if you have no brakes.
it's set up with a flip hub yeah, and currently set to free wheel. im not going to get too ballsy right off the hop, it's not a contest for me, just a way to try to regain the muscle in my legs and shed a few pounds, to be paired with daily swimming.
thanks brah. i'm going to ease into this, and i'm pretty sure i'm going to need to get a little more acclimated with the ride before i start splitting cabs and rollin' on street car tracks, but sooner than later i'm going to throw this bitch in the back of my truck and we'll chop it up in your hood.
been about a decade since i've been on two wheels that don't run on fuel, but i'm pretty ready to get at it.
Looks clean and minty, J*el. I'd echo what 'Leech said, just make sure you don't pop anything in your legs by attempting huge climbs and shit, because Single Speeds are good City bikes but are the hardest way to climb, even with the freewheel.
Also
Don't leave it anywhere dodgy - I was a thief, I'd want it :D
tendon is fully healed now or as healed as it will get, just 2 inches shorter than it was before and surrounded by scar tissue. in order to stretch it out and and get rid of the feeling like someone has poured concrete down the whole back of my leg it requires a workout that's strenuous but low impact, which is why i chose fixed gear. i was imagining scenarios where i slip a gear on a mountain bike to something too low and my foot spins around like a 4th of july pinwheel, that would probably be the most damage i could do. meanwhile, in a fixed gear i'd have to work harder at certain times, but at least the speed of pedalling will be uniform throughout the ride.
the only thing i may change is the pedals, i may get something to slip my foot into so that my right leg can pump up AND down when my left leg starts to sputter... which kind of goes against the equally distributed workout i was looking for, but may come in handy if i find myself a couple miles from home and short on options.
in order to stretch it out and and get rid of the feeling like someone has poured concrete down the whole back of my leg it requires a workout that's strenuous but low impact, which is why i chose fixed gear.
just mechanically speaking, higher revs are a more efficient way to get your work done...biology-wise, bike-riding-wise, grinding away overgeared (the mainest of new-bike-rider-boners, along with low rear tYres) is definitely bad on your knees. Spin to win, and all that.
I know I couldn't push a 54/16 around Seattle, on any wheel size. May your rides have less elevation change.
But any bike is better than no bike, so boom let's ride!
i put a brisk 3km of gradual incline and decline roads on the board this morning and was inches away from puking and passing out on the driveway.
gonna be a long road in getting back to any kind of suitable form for this guy.
Baby steps. No-one is handing out gongs for craziest recovery programme. 'Spesh if it injures you somewhere else.
Considering the nature of your injury, I assume you did all the relevant stretching exercises before making the first pedal rotation, or did you jump on the bike quicker than Rambo in First Blood (Hope, B.C.-R)....? :D
Also, from reading about how pro cyclists do it, try not to drop your rpm below 60 where possible.
Slow rpms are the domain of Mashing, which is what 'Leech and dem are talking about for being so hard on your knees. I was a macho masher for a while, before I knew better. Would shove the biggest gear possible uphill, bending cranks, pedals etc in the mis-formed assumption that a slow, hammmering-heart crawl was doing me more good than sticking it on a smaller ring and breezing up in less time.
And I wondered why I kept getting knee twists (off the bike).
Also, from reading about how pro cyclists do it, try not to drop your rpm below 60 where possible.
Slow rpms are the domain of Mashing, which is what 'Leech and dem are talking about for being so hard on your knees. I was a macho masher for a while, before I knew better. Would shove the biggest gear possible uphill, bending cranks, pedals etc in the mis-formed assumption that a slow, hammmering-heart crawl was doing me more good than sticking it on a smaller ring and breezing up in less time.
And I wondered why I kept getting knee twists (off the bike).
This is an extremely important piece of information, but keep in mind its not just up hill you want to try and keep your cadence high and push minimal, its also on the flats as well. I did some cadence coaching with one of the guys I ride with over a few rides and in the space of a month or 2 he went from bonking after around 40k's to doing 100km plus rides
I'm getting this one tomorrow.
All-City Mr. Pink. Columbus Zona Steel.
Perfect combo for everyday city riding and 40+ mile rides on the weekends.
I can't wait.
i've never ridden with a cyclocomputer of any type and now i got one and i find myself staring at the cadence rpm'z and tripping out
I would also like to announce that I'm tubeless again and dropping my tires to like 25psi for shmobbing these fast downhilly trails and it's phenomenal. I am in love with this bike, so much so that I'm absolutely rooting for France in the World Cup.
Last Saturday I had two friends lose mountain bikes. First was high speed full-weight-of-rider-into-rock:
Um. OUCH. Probably would've destroyed an aluminum frame too, but still...brand new carbon SC Bronson the dude's spent the past four months putting together.
Second loss was bike falling off a roof rack on the freeway. 70mph to pavement. To getting run over by following car. Scary.
my god.
I've been vehemently anti-roof rack for a long time. Mostly because it's a pain in the ass to take wheels off and hoist bikes up there, and you'll eventually drive into a garage. You just will. Roof racks suck. A bike falling off is rare, but damn. Fuck a roof rack!
I took my first spill last week. I was stopped at a red light behind a few other cyclists. When the light turned green, I patiently waited for the convoy to start moving along. I have a tendency to shift weight far forward when I stand up to take off or sprint, and it just so happened that there was a deep, hard edged pothole in the road. My front tire hit the rim of it and I basically fell forward over my handlebars, but in slow motion. Little scuff on the knee and a few bruises in weird places - so all things considered it was a lucky fall.
Moral of the story: keep your eyes on the road and not the girl's ass in cutoff shorts in front of you.
Bonus Beat: When you fall off your bike because you're staring at a girl's ass, it is important to remember to look calm, cool, and casual when she turns around at the next light to ask you if you're ok.
Comments
they're gonna hate your lock holster and your lazers and all of it huh
Agreed!
I don't care I just like showing off my baby. I got tough skin anyways... I been on and off the strut since 2000.
Vintage you got a bike yet??
EDIT: are fixed gears bad for physio/rehab?
gonna offer $200 on this.... OR NAH?
Single speed is easier to maintain, and a bit cheaper to buy, but might not be the best for you. Especially if you will be climbing any steep or long inclines... it can really put some stress on your knees when you're stuck in one gear.
Best bet might be to go into a local bike shop, get them to give you the sales pitch on different frame styles - ie road, hybrid, cruiser, etc. Try a few out to see how they feel. Don't buy. Then take your knowledge to CL or kajiji or ebay. I'd keep the price point low for this bike - it doesn't have to be your dream bike, or even cool. $200 should get you an old but rideable geared road bike if you spend some time looking. Just get something you can ride and see if it fits into your life well. Then upgrade later if you are really into it.
Then make sure you go back to the same bike shop to buy some stuff at some point. Just for karma.
If you need help fixing up an old beater you buy, there's a few free bike co-ops downtown that let you work on your bike - and I'd be happy to meet up and help you tune the bitch into a sweet sweet ride.
The options are definitely overwhelming. That's why I say test a few styles before so you can narrow your search down.
I am confident in your abilities to man up and just deal with the one gear!
EDIT - although that looks like a full fixie - no brakes. I'd make sure it has a flip-flop hub on the back (w/ flywheel for coasting) and not just fixed gear. And you'll need to buy at least a front brake - which will cost you about $20-50 depending...
Toronto beaches are beautiful.
i just like the way it looked and felt when i took 'er around the cul de sac.
here's the stats for the real headz
"-The frame is a 56cm 80's vintage steel lugged frame with original fork that has been completely stripped of all components and then media blasted and inspected for flaws cracks or damage.
-The frame and fork received a fresh coat of chocolate brown with gold candy flake clear powder coat.
The bike was then completely rebuilt with the following brand new components:
-700c deep v 50mm sidewall doublewall wheels with flip flop single speed fixie rear hub. Includes both 16t fixie cog and lockring and a freewheel. Bike is currently setup as a single speed.
-Brand new 700x23c tires and tubes
-Alloy dual pivot brakes with tektro levers and new cables.
-Vintage steel bars and alloy sr stem and fresh bar tape
-New alloy 170mm sugi style cranks with52t sprocket and light resin pedals
-Shimano bottom bracket
-New taya single speed nickel plated chain
-Alloy 400mm seat post and new vintage style white saddle with brass rivets"
Nice ride!!
GETS IT DONE
Definitely.
I'm probably gonna rock it on a stationary trainer for the first couple weeks, after that im finna test the open road.
You got a flip hub, right?
Single speed free wheel is a different animal, that's how I've rolled for the last 20 years.
Though many will disagree with me, I think fixed is a bad idea all around, it's brutal on the knees if you ride hard/frequently and even worse if you have no brakes.
Welcome to the gang.
thanks brah. i'm going to ease into this, and i'm pretty sure i'm going to need to get a little more acclimated with the ride before i start splitting cabs and rollin' on street car tracks, but sooner than later i'm going to throw this bitch in the back of my truck and we'll chop it up in your hood.
been about a decade since i've been on two wheels that don't run on fuel, but i'm pretty ready to get at it.
Also
Don't leave it anywhere dodgy - I was a thief, I'd want it :D
the only thing i may change is the pedals, i may get something to slip my foot into so that my right leg can pump up AND down when my left leg starts to sputter... which kind of goes against the equally distributed workout i was looking for, but may come in handy if i find myself a couple miles from home and short on options.
gonna be a long road in getting back to any kind of suitable form for this guy.
just mechanically speaking, higher revs are a more efficient way to get your work done...biology-wise, bike-riding-wise, grinding away overgeared (the mainest of new-bike-rider-boners, along with low rear tYres) is definitely bad on your knees. Spin to win, and all that.
I know I couldn't push a 54/16 around Seattle, on any wheel size. May your rides have less elevation change.
But any bike is better than no bike, so boom let's ride!
Baby steps. No-one is handing out gongs for craziest recovery programme. 'Spesh if it injures you somewhere else.
Considering the nature of your injury, I assume you did all the relevant stretching exercises before making the first pedal rotation, or did you jump on the bike quicker than Rambo in First Blood (Hope, B.C.-R)....? :D
Slow rpms are the domain of Mashing, which is what 'Leech and dem are talking about for being so hard on your knees. I was a macho masher for a while, before I knew better. Would shove the biggest gear possible uphill, bending cranks, pedals etc in the mis-formed assumption that a slow, hammmering-heart crawl was doing me more good than sticking it on a smaller ring and breezing up in less time.
And I wondered why I kept getting knee twists (off the bike).
This is an extremely important piece of information, but keep in mind its not just up hill you want to try and keep your cadence high and push minimal, its also on the flats as well. I did some cadence coaching with one of the guys I ride with over a few rides and in the space of a month or 2 he went from bonking after around 40k's to doing 100km plus rides
This looks tough!
I would also like to announce that I'm tubeless again and dropping my tires to like 25psi for shmobbing these fast downhilly trails and it's phenomenal. I am in love with this bike, so much so that I'm absolutely rooting for France in the World Cup.
Last Saturday I had two friends lose mountain bikes. First was high speed full-weight-of-rider-into-rock:
Um. OUCH. Probably would've destroyed an aluminum frame too, but still...brand new carbon SC Bronson the dude's spent the past four months putting together.
Second loss was bike falling off a roof rack on the freeway. 70mph to pavement. To getting run over by following car. Scary.
my god.
I've been vehemently anti-roof rack for a long time. Mostly because it's a pain in the ass to take wheels off and hoist bikes up there, and you'll eventually drive into a garage. You just will. Roof racks suck. A bike falling off is rare, but damn. Fuck a roof rack!
I've seen it. Not in action, but I've seen it!
Moral of the story: keep your eyes on the road and not the girl's ass in cutoff shorts in front of you.
Bonus Beat: When you fall off your bike because you're staring at a girl's ass, it is important to remember to look calm, cool, and casual when she turns around at the next light to ask you if you're ok.
BIKES!!!