I bought and sold this GT Racing BMX recently. I enjoyed riding it for a week too. My barber bought it for his kid, very happily, and I have plenty of free haircuts coming.
I need to decide on a front versus rear mounted kid seat for my bike. I've heard some say that rear mounts lead to a less stable ride, but the potential for a kid to interfere with the front tire would lead to a way worse accident given the laws of physics. But then, if there were an accident, it might be easier to protect a child if they're in front of you rather than behind you.
My friends love those iBerts, and so do their kids. Gives them a better feel of what it's like to be in control of the bike--but no opportunity for dad to get the little guy back with farts. Diaper change revenge. Look at my sweaty back, you life-ruiner!
The rear ones let the kid do more of his own thing, and I think they're bigger.
I'd go with a rear because the last thing you want is them interfering with control. My friends all seem to do big distances with such setups and haven't reported the ride being unstable.
I mean, you're not going to be doing rad air, 360s or backflips with the kids onboard.
Yeah my brother puts his kids in a rear seat and little guy will fall asleep back there. Definitely seem a little more long-ride-practical. But those iBerts are just so rad to me. I like the idea of the kid looking over the front of the bike, soaking in controls and the general vibe. I don't have children.
I have now gone two levels of poor man's tubeless on my mountain bike: rear is a 26" Stans rim strip stretched over my 27.5" wheel, front is duct taped. Two scoops of latex and boom find me schmobbing at ~25psi. Hyped!
My friends love those iBerts, and so do their kids. Gives them a better feel of what it's like to be in control of the bike--but no opportunity for dad to get the little guy back with farts. Diaper change revenge. Look at my sweaty back, you life-ruiner!
The rear ones let the kid do more of his own thing, and I think they're bigger.
J i m s t e r said:
I'd go with a rear because the last thing you want is them interfering with control. My friends all seem to do big distances with such setups and haven't reported the ride being unstable.
dukeofdelridge said:
Yeah my brother puts his kids in a rear seat and little guy will fall asleep back there. Definitely seem a little more long-ride-practical. But those iBerts are just so rad to me. I like the idea of the kid looking over the front of the bike, soaking in controls and the general vibe. I don't have children.
I was thinking about the iBert actually, but I wondered how much you have to spread your legs while pedaling. That would be a huge point for a rear-mount.
ALSO, I hadn't thought about the potential to fart on my "cute little girl who is now turning into a walking temper tantrum as she navigates the twos and threes", and that is a very liberating feeling. This is a very big point for the rear mount, I have to say...
Anyone know if any of these seats (rear or front) are easy enough to swap out/on if you have a key or wrench on you?
J i m s t e r said:
I mean, you're not going to be doing rad air, 360s or backflips with the kids onboard.
started my first build-- I'm pretty excited about it. I went with the SOMA ES frame and matching fork because it's got the more relaxed road geometry I was looking for (I was originally looking to cold set a vintage frame to 130mm, but figured I'd start out building with the basics, as opposed to more advanced stuff), and I liked that it could fit up to 700cx32 tires w/ fenders and that it uses caliper brakes instead of v-brakes or canti's.
Got the frame at a LBS. I've scored some good deals on components via craigslist and ebay-- Ultegra 9500 double crank, 9-sp cassette, some 105 brakes (short reach, they're up on ebay right now as the frame requires long reach), ultegra 6500 shifters, a couple new items (headset/BB) via amazon.
I'm on the hunt for a wheelset (may have scored one today), and basic stuff (pedals/cables/chain) which I'll snag when deals pop up, a bare aluminum or polished stem and seatpost, etc, etc.
I really like the look and no-maintenance concept of the Brooks Cambium saddles-- anyone have any firsthand feedback on those? I might be getting one from the wife for a birthday gift.
Any way, here it is so far, once I make a little more progress, I will post an update photo if anyone is interested.
I really dig where you're going with that Soma build. I'd love to see progress. It's similar to what I ride. I like that you can fit larger tires on there, but still have caliper brakes. I started with Shimano standard long reach brakes and then went to Velo Orange Grand Cru brakes and they work great, with plenty of room for even larger tires. I'm thinking of going up to 700x38c. I run 32 hole Ultegra hubs laced to Velocity rims if that's helpful. They are a little heavy but bulletproof.
I'm interested in Soma's Grand Randonneur frame. I really want to build or buy a Randonneur style bike. Sporty and fast while still being comfortable and designed to be loaded in the front with a sizeable handlebar bag. The problem is the price. I'm looking at $2-5k for a bike and that's pretty unacceptable.
I also lowered the psi in my tires from about 95 to 75. I tested my speed on a few strava sections with no speed loss. I even got a new King of the Mountain on a Strava section with the lower tire pressure. The ride is significantly more comfortable with no apparent speed loss.
Anyone done the C&O or MAP rides between Pittsburgh and DC? I"m thinking of doing it in early October for the fall colors. They've paved over the old railroad tracks and turned them into bike paths. There are campsites and water refills every 10 miles or so. It would be a 4-5 day trip probably.
those VO long reach calipers look nice-- I like that they're polished rather than coated. I do think they're out of my price range, for now at least-- I'm trying to keep the entire build under $1200 total, which I've been told is pretty ambitiously low, but it's mapping out ok so far. I've been able to save some dough facing/pressing/chasing myself at the local bike co-op.
I bought the standard shimano long reach calipers about a week ago-- the seller didn't send mounting hardware, so they're in the process of mailing that out to me which is why they're not on the photo. I'm not crazy about the finish on them. It looks more gray than silver, and they're a little chunky in the looks dept., but that's long reach, I suppose.
I have been keeping an eye on ebay for some of the vintage ultegra long reach brakes, but the ones I've seen so far get bid up ridiculously high, especially considering their condition. I really like the look of the polished 105s that came with that mini-group set I bought-- very compact, but they simply wont work on the frame and provide fender clearance.
I found a wheelset w/ mavic open pros laced to ultegra hubs for very cheap on craiglist, but as is typical with flakeslist, haven't heard back from the seller after the initial "yes, I still have them for sale." As for what I'm looking for, I'm thinking I'd like to stick w/ ball bearing setups, just for the ease of service relative to sealed bearings and 32hole, to be able to take on the shitty SF asphalt.
Someone in my office building commutes on a Randonneur and it has some wild front end handlebar/mini and major rack set up going on-- I guess I'm not familiar enough with the style to know where it would be useful. Bike-camping? If so, that's a dedication level I'm not quite at yet-- I'm just looking forward to some 35-50 mile day trips that I'm not confident my current bike would be able to complete.
I'm trying to keep the entire build under $1200 total, which I've been told is pretty ambitiously low, but it's mapping out ok so far. I've been able to save some dough facing/pressing/chasing myself at the local bike co-op.
Nice! I built my Raleigh Record Ace with SRAM Red and Dura Ace for under $1200. It was posted earlier in this thread. Deals are out there, and it sounds like you are on the right path.
I paid $60ish on eBay for the VO calipers. I took the bike into a local shop recently to have a bottom bracket click looked at and the mechanic test rode the bike. He said, "Well you certainly don't have a problem with your brakes. Those are amazing." I have the old set of shimanos still if for any reason you still need them. I wasn't crazy about the finish either but they work great. I didn't even know that ultegra long reach existed. I will keep an eye out for those at the bike swap meet.
took these e-Bikes for a race course pre-ride this weekend. 300w Bosch pedal-assist motor, 140mm full suspension. Whoa. SCHMOBBED up the hills, capable on descents. Jumped some little tables, got down some mega-steep zones, and most importantly had tons of fun without barely breaking a sweat.
SeratoBike!
Already rad, getting radder by the day, these are the truth. The question really is: CAN YOU HANDLE THE TRUTH, NORTH AMERICA?
JimBeam - That Soma build is looking soooo good. Post some updated pics!! I love that frame. I am seriously considering the chrome version (see photo below) as the base for a all-chrome build. Quill stem. Leather wrapped drops. Maybe H Son Archetype hubs. Brooks or similar styled saddle. Haha I basically found a photo of what I mean...
CBear - I have been letting my tires go a little lower lately as well. I used to be checking and inflating all the time, but now they sit around 75-80 without needing any topping up for days and days. I can notice that the ride is a bit smoother, but I can also feel a bit more drag when taking off from a stop. Once I'm up to speed though, there's no difference in perceived performance or road drag.
duke - I am pretty jelly of your SeratoBike. TraktorBike maybe? More traction sounding, and the hard k sounds, well... hard. SeratoBike sorta sounds like a serrated bike though. Which, undeniably, would be pretty badass - although quite impractical. ANYways robobiking up and down hills on the weekend sounds like a rad time.
Okem - Those things look like the cool versions of the lame e-bike trend that has gripped our inner cities nationwide. I would definitely love to have one. Electric powered dirt bikes!!!!
Vintage - So you get a bike like a month ago and you're already showing off like this?? Damn homie calm down!! I don't think high speed wheelies are doctor approved!
Aaaaaand I absolutely love every single clip of some stupid person getting hit along the roadside because they're not paying attention. This one is a good one!
My brother is such a roadie nerd. Just built up this thing, a recreation of his First Dream Bike. Custom stem to accommodate old head tube and new bars. Painted ridiculous flecked purple to match. That's not a frame pump, it's a storage tube. He has too many bikes:
i was looking around on all my look ups and found a few pieces i wouldn't mind making once the bike OCD fully digs its heels in:
i've been rocking spider tape on the achilles too and it's been a beauty. went to get a custom suit fitted while i'm in the fat zone and both of my legs are back to the same size. thanks bike-cycles.
Comments
Any thoughts appreciated...
The rear ones let the kid do more of his own thing, and I think they're bigger.
I mean, you're not going to be doing rad air, 360s or backflips with the kids onboard.
I was thinking about the iBert actually, but I wondered how much you have to spread your legs while pedaling. That would be a huge point for a rear-mount.
ALSO, I hadn't thought about the potential to fart on my "cute little girl who is now turning into a walking temper tantrum as she navigates the twos and threes", and that is a very liberating feeling. This is a very big point for the rear mount, I have to say...
Anyone know if any of these seats (rear or front) are easy enough to swap out/on if you have a key or wrench on you?
I be like :bizzo:
Got the frame at a LBS. I've scored some good deals on components via craigslist and ebay-- Ultegra 9500 double crank, 9-sp cassette, some 105 brakes (short reach, they're up on ebay right now as the frame requires long reach), ultegra 6500 shifters, a couple new items (headset/BB) via amazon.
I'm on the hunt for a wheelset (may have scored one today), and basic stuff (pedals/cables/chain) which I'll snag when deals pop up, a bare aluminum or polished stem and seatpost, etc, etc.
I really like the look and no-maintenance concept of the Brooks Cambium saddles-- anyone have any firsthand feedback on those? I might be getting one from the wife for a birthday gift.
Any way, here it is so far, once I make a little more progress, I will post an update photo if anyone is interested.
I'm interested in Soma's Grand Randonneur frame. I really want to build or buy a Randonneur style bike. Sporty and fast while still being comfortable and designed to be loaded in the front with a sizeable handlebar bag. The problem is the price. I'm looking at $2-5k for a bike and that's pretty unacceptable.
I also lowered the psi in my tires from about 95 to 75. I tested my speed on a few strava sections with no speed loss. I even got a new King of the Mountain on a Strava section with the lower tire pressure. The ride is significantly more comfortable with no apparent speed loss.
Anyone done the C&O or MAP rides between Pittsburgh and DC? I"m thinking of doing it in early October for the fall colors. They've paved over the old railroad tracks and turned them into bike paths. There are campsites and water refills every 10 miles or so. It would be a 4-5 day trip probably.
I bought the standard shimano long reach calipers about a week ago-- the seller didn't send mounting hardware, so they're in the process of mailing that out to me which is why they're not on the photo. I'm not crazy about the finish on them. It looks more gray than silver, and they're a little chunky in the looks dept., but that's long reach, I suppose.
I have been keeping an eye on ebay for some of the vintage ultegra long reach brakes, but the ones I've seen so far get bid up ridiculously high, especially considering their condition. I really like the look of the polished 105s that came with that mini-group set I bought-- very compact, but they simply wont work on the frame and provide fender clearance.
I found a wheelset w/ mavic open pros laced to ultegra hubs for very cheap on craiglist, but as is typical with flakeslist, haven't heard back from the seller after the initial "yes, I still have them for sale." As for what I'm looking for, I'm thinking I'd like to stick w/ ball bearing setups, just for the ease of service relative to sealed bearings and 32hole, to be able to take on the shitty SF asphalt.
Someone in my office building commutes on a Randonneur and it has some wild front end handlebar/mini and major rack set up going on-- I guess I'm not familiar enough with the style to know where it would be useful. Bike-camping? If so, that's a dedication level I'm not quite at yet-- I'm just looking forward to some 35-50 mile day trips that I'm not confident my current bike would be able to complete.
Nice! I built my Raleigh Record Ace with SRAM Red and Dura Ace for under $1200. It was posted earlier in this thread. Deals are out there, and it sounds like you are on the right path.
I paid $60ish on eBay for the VO calipers. I took the bike into a local shop recently to have a bottom bracket click looked at and the mechanic test rode the bike. He said, "Well you certainly don't have a problem with your brakes. Those are amazing." I have the old set of shimanos still if for any reason you still need them. I wasn't crazy about the finish either but they work great. I didn't even know that ultegra long reach existed. I will keep an eye out for those at the bike swap meet.
took these e-Bikes for a race course pre-ride this weekend. 300w Bosch pedal-assist motor, 140mm full suspension. Whoa. SCHMOBBED up the hills, capable on descents. Jumped some little tables, got down some mega-steep zones, and most importantly had tons of fun without barely breaking a sweat.
SeratoBike!
Already rad, getting radder by the day, these are the truth. The question really is: CAN YOU HANDLE THE TRUTH, NORTH AMERICA?
Couple of things.
JimBeam - That Soma build is looking soooo good. Post some updated pics!! I love that frame. I am seriously considering the chrome version (see photo below) as the base for a all-chrome build. Quill stem. Leather wrapped drops. Maybe H Son Archetype hubs. Brooks or similar styled saddle. Haha I basically found a photo of what I mean...
CBear - I have been letting my tires go a little lower lately as well. I used to be checking and inflating all the time, but now they sit around 75-80 without needing any topping up for days and days. I can notice that the ride is a bit smoother, but I can also feel a bit more drag when taking off from a stop. Once I'm up to speed though, there's no difference in perceived performance or road drag.
duke - I am pretty jelly of your SeratoBike. TraktorBike maybe? More traction sounding, and the hard k sounds, well... hard. SeratoBike sorta sounds like a serrated bike though. Which, undeniably, would be pretty badass - although quite impractical. ANYways robobiking up and down hills on the weekend sounds like a rad time.
Okem - Those things look like the cool versions of the lame e-bike trend that has gripped our inner cities nationwide. I would definitely love to have one. Electric powered dirt bikes!!!!
Vintage - So you get a bike like a month ago and you're already showing off like this?? Damn homie calm down!! I don't think high speed wheelies are doctor approved!
Aaaaaand I absolutely love every single clip of some stupid person getting hit along the roadside because they're not paying attention. This one is a good one!
BIKEROWAVE
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serotta
i've been rocking spider tape on the achilles too and it's been a beauty. went to get a custom suit fitted while i'm in the fat zone and both of my legs are back to the same size. thanks bike-cycles.
rode big bikes on chairlifts yesterday, reminded me to poast this Claudio maniac's rad WC DH preview vids here...so good!
and regarding e-bikes and iBerts:
it's a great combo. I couldn't keep up.
my nuts are beside themselves with joy, now more than ever.
OOOOH gorgeous. WOULD RIDE THAT