Bike Thread!

[Obi..]

I know I made one for knives but cannot remember if we ever did one for bikes...

So I guess i'll start off with Raven (http://picasaweb.google.com/norcal.overton/Bike#slideshow), my singlespeed playbike...

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_PFYN1rUn3pQ/SevUJ6qK2qI/AAAAAAAAAPk/12S9rpx3cFs/s720/Canon%20-%20Canon%20PowerShot%20SD750%20-%202009-06-04%2010-37-32.jpg

[Bob98SR5]

NorCal,

I'm a little bike illerate: whats the attraction with fixies?

[4x4mike]

It's not a fixie. Just a single speed mountain bike. 10 years ago there were few on the trails, now everyone has one.

I'll have to get better pictures. Right now between the wife and I we have 9 bikes. Road bikes, mountain bikes, single speeds, 29'er and fixies.

My first road bike which I still have and commute on. Actually this photo is old. She's got a king headset now, new wheels, cages, computer, saddle, tires, cassette.
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e13/mezamichael82/MISC/asdfasdfads.jpg

My single speed. This is my trail bike.
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e13/mezamichael82/MISC/asdfasfdasf.jpg
Raced it a season.
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e13/mezamichael82/MISC/ffsadfasfdsaf.jpg

My main road bike. This is when I first got it so it's changed a bit.
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e13/mezamichael82/MISC/asfdasdfa.jpg

Here's Tammy. One of two bikes I've named. She's been with me the longest and been through it all. Here is from last weeks race. Took second place for the night.
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e13/mezamichael82/MISC/sdfgdggfsgsdfgd.jpg

I'll have to get pictures of the others.

[Obi..]

Mike I half-expected the obligatory cross bike to also be in the stable. ;) Bob, like Mike said, mine's a singlespeed, and yeah, there's more people on them now. The attraction for me with the singlespeed is simplicity and utility, not to mention the skillset needed to operate one. The same can be said of a fixie, but more so..Everything is in a fixed motion, as in there is no freewheel and thus, no ability to coast. Imagine now you're in a big city and use your bike for work or transportation, would some lowlife be able to steal and ride away on it? Nope, it does make for a great laugh though having seen a lowlife try it and get bucked straight to the pavement before we figured out what was happening and took the bike back while he ran away bleeding. Owner came out like 5 minutes later and we all laughed. :D

Oh, and this is Sweet Pea :) My commuter/paved trail bike..

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_PFYN1rUn3pQ/SewKAobLpNI/AAAAAAAAAQU/B3nQoRboYyY/s720/Canon%20-%20Canon%20PowerShot%20SD750%20-%202009-05-16%2021-04-25.jpg

[4x4mike]

No cross bike any more. I sold it because I was basically using it for mountain biking and not having as much fun. It was a great bike and I liked it but didn't use it the way I had intended. I was looking through some old pictures the other day and ran across it, it was pretty good looking. I owned it for 2 years and sold it for what I paid for it.

[paddlenbike]

L to R
2006 Rocky Mountain Element 70 full suspension
1999 Rocky Mountain Oxygen Race hardtail
1996 Diamond Back WCF2.0 ("welded carbon fiber") hardtail

http://home.off-road.com/~kemanuel/Rocky/bikes1.jpg

You can just see the evolution here...from the gumwall tires :clap:, Rockshox, wrapped barends and brake beefers on the 1996 bike to the latest technology. The new bike is lighter than all of them, even with full suspension and hydraulic disc brakes.

[CJM]

I have an older trek 930 all set up, way old school mtn bike these days tho. Moved from a place with tons of mtns/trails to an area with only flat land.

[Crinale]

No good pics of mine right now... ill try to get a few either tomorrow or the next day... (they are covered in dust right now because of where i live)

[habanero]

I have an older trek 930 all set up, way old school mtn bike these days tho.

I've a trek 930 too! (1994? it's blue)
And an 830 (1991)with anodized blue longjohns and those odd oval chainrings- Biopace, that's it.
And the Fisher Supercaliber (1996)
And the Cannondale Mtn Tandem (2006)
And the Raliegh road bike

There's a bunch more in the garage, but the above are mine.

[DHC6twinotter]

I used to have a Huffy Sledgehammer exactly like the one Pedro rode in Napoleon Dynamite. :hillbill:

I had a fixie back in the late 80s while I was in Philippines too. Fun bike.

[CJM]

My 930s black and has older rockshox and junk. Mines like this one: http://xs132.xs.to/xs132/08422/545454470.jpg But I have regular pedals, 24 speeds, no pannier and regular handlebars.

Tell ya what that thing took an awful lot of abuse over the years.

[Whitey]

I've been out of the bike game for a while, but these single-speeds have got my interest. I hated being a college student and breaking something on my college budget. The idea of no derailleurs looks very tempting. How the heck do you decide on a gear ratio for your single-speeds?

[4x4mike]

You have to try out different ones to see. I've got several different rear cogs if I need to change them. 98% of my riding is done in a 32-17. Different areas and rider ability requires different gears. If I need much lower I ride a shifting bike.

[Crinale]

when i ran a single speed i ran a 32/14 ... it came stock with a 32/16, but i was having to pedal too much to hit the local trails, so i through a 14 tooth cog on and a beefier bmx chain ;)

[Obi..]

:D Surly has a complete this year, it goes all the way to 11! ;)
I've ridden a lot of different bikes and can clearly say, for me, the 1x1 has always had the quintessential feel that I love about a steel framed singlespeed, and given that I can now add an internal disc hub, well, a bike in general.
(Insert shameless Urban Velo and Surly plug... http://urbanvelo.org/surly-1x111/ )

That said, I still miss my high end steel and ti bikes I had to part with. FWIW I've always owned a SS Surly ever since it was a RatRide, so I will say it is the one frame set/style that has lasted me best.

More pics people! ;) I'll try to dig up old shots of my Kona's, Bridgestone, and Schwinns.

[Chapman88SR5]

I just sold BOTH my bikes. Lame. Had to pay credit cards off. No big deal, I work at a bike shop so I am just going to employee purchase a cheaper bike so I atleast have some wheels. Here is what I sold...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/popsiclestick1/bikes/DSC00124.jpg

If anyone needs parts just let me know. I can get you guys a deal. I also rep for Azonic.

[Obi..]

There's always the opportunity to build or buy a new one. Having worked in the industry, you guys would pass out at the deals and the bikes I've had come and go. I always loved my Stinky for DH'ing Tahoe/Northstar and Downieville, but DH'ing only. My favorite was a sub 22lb Slalom Dawg I pimped out. There was also one of John Cowan's old unused frames I built, kinda cool his wife used to be a good friend of my Sister-In-Law. Both those Konas floated like no tomorrow and hauled my overweight butt up a lot of hills. FWIW, all three should still be up in Kona's forum something like kona.dk but it's down, let me see if I can find 'em..

More pics!!

~All original Bridgestone MB-6 from freshman year at state, kept in almost pristine shape and now in the hands of a friend..
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_PFYN1rUn3pQ/Se-4aEl84wI/AAAAAAAAAQ4/6fEMSXw3n2k/s576/1990bridgestonemb-6winered.jpg
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_PFYN1rUn3pQ/Se-4aAEWPJI/AAAAAAAAARA/QiA2XodJtsY/s576/mb-6.jpg

Edit: Found Some! :)
My Kona Roast/Cowan SE Build..I still miss this one. Handled Downieville like no tomorrow! :drool:
*Was one of the first bikes built with the then new Sram X-9 gruppo thanks to a R&D hookup.
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_PFYN1rUn3pQ/Se-4aB3MRAI/AAAAAAAAARI/yj0yWKqTyYU/s576/rusty2.jpg

..and of course after that I was given another demo hookup and another frame to build up to race with... demo R&D w/ the Sram X-7 gruppo :D
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_PFYN1rUn3pQ/Se-7Sjrj38I/AAAAAAAAARY/vugTDMqZAw0/s912/0427611-R1-047-22.jpg

Obligatory NorthStar shot.
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_PFYN1rUn3pQ/Se-4aqMEMsI/AAAAAAAAARQ/yoN6SxWcr8k/northstar.jpg

Somewhere in all of these old pics are my Santa Cruz's..Chameleon, Bullit, etc. all sold off to fund newer better evil scientist builds. :wrenchin:

[4x4mike]

Main road bike. Used for commuting, doubles, centuries, etc. Shimano DA, FSA K force crank, Ksyirum SL.
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e13/mezamichael82/Bikes%2004-24-09/DSC07058.jpg

Hardtail stumpjumper. XTR, XT, SID race carbon.
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e13/mezamichael82/Bikes%2004-24-09/DSC07061.jpg

Commuter/rain bike. Ultegra, Ksyirum Elite
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e13/mezamichael82/Bikes%2004-24-09/DSC07064.jpg

Wifes road bike. Easton scandium, ulterga 10 speed.
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e13/mezamichael82/Bikes%2004-24-09/DSC07067.jpg

Fixie
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e13/mezamichael82/Bikes%2004-24-09/DSC07070.jpg

Karate Monkey. Was a single speed a couple of weeks ago.
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e13/mezamichael82/Bikes%2004-24-09/DSC07073.jpg

1FG.
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e13/mezamichael82/Bikes%2004-24-09/DSC07076.jpg

Wifes hardtail
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e13/mezamichael82/Bikes%2004-24-09/DSC07079.jpg

Wifes single speed.
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e13/mezamichael82/Bikes%2004-24-09/DSC07082.jpg

[RunnerUp]

wow... you guys really got some nice bikes.

when i was younger i use to love riding my bike, fell out of touch with it when i got my truck, and just recently got back into it (6 months ago) went and got myself a cannondale f8 and have determined i need a bike with better components, so far ive been thru a front tire, a cassette and ive bent the chain wheel some how already..

i think i just ride it way too hard for what it was built for (plus i might be on the heavy end of what it was designed for. either way, since replacing those items with nicer components its been a great ride so far. so great i actually went and got my girlfriend and f9 for her birthday.

i dont have any pictures of them currently, but we are going riding tomorrow so ill snap some then.

[carljwnc]

Y'all are going to make me dig out all my bikes and take pics aren't you??? :tongueout: Actually, I've been meaning to do it for quite sometime now. :roll: My 'collection' is a bit different from most that I've seen here, I think you'll like it. :hillbill:

[carljwnc]

Alright, I did it!!! :thumbup: Too many bikes, not enough time...pics aren't all the best quality, but they will work. :)

First the kiddies...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v418/terrapondus/Bikes/02.jpg
The little girls bike, she is 5, Raleigh MXR 16" wheels.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v418/terrapondus/Bikes/03.jpg
The boys bike, generic but inexpensive (did come from a bike shop ;) ), up graded brakes and lever, and pedals. In action at the Weaverville, NC BMX track...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v418/terrapondus/BMX/06.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v418/terrapondus/Bikes/06.jpg
In progress the big kiddies (thats me) BMX two-four cruiser. Donated to me by the track director, a Dyno/GT, needs new wheels built and the seat tube is broken just above the top tube, nothing an extra seat collar won't fix. :wrenchin:

[carljwnc]

The wife's '90's Rockhopper Expert, sadly, not ridden in a long time. :(
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v418/terrapondus/Bikes/09.jpg
The fork in the pic is an old Specialized Future Shock which is really what broke the ice between us when we met, she wanted a suspension fork and I said "I've got one", that was about 12 years ago, the rest is history...

Her '98 Bianchi Milano which I bought for her birthday when I was an inside rep at Bianchi. Brooks leather saddle and old school XT brakes up front.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v418/terrapondus/Bikes/12.jpg

[carljwnc]

My trusty steed, handbuilt by a friend of mine who only built 7 frames in his short frame building career. True Temper tubing Henry James lugs and dropouts, Phil Wood hubs and BB, XT XTR blah, blah blah...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v418/terrapondus/Bikes/14.jpg

The boy's Mtn Bike, old school C-Dale, '89-'90ish 24" Wheels, 'Beast of the East' geometry. I bought this frame new in the box in the early '90s long before I even met my wife, knowing someday it would be ridden by my kid(s).
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v418/terrapondus/Haydens%20first%20Mtn%20Bike%20Ride/100_2605sm.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v418/terrapondus/Haydens%20Mtn%20Bike/100_25701sm.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v418/terrapondus/Haydens%20Mtn%20Bike/DSC_0044sm.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v418/terrapondus/Haydens%20Mtn%20Bike/DSC_0043sm.jpg
Pretty much every bike I put together has at least one Campy part, front skewer in this case. :)

[carljwnc]

Commuter, all parts donated or left over from other bikes, total investment when built $4 for cables, :hillbill: '89 Schwinn Cimmeron, Bontrager straight blade fork, Campy Super Record brake levers, Brooks saddle, inner tube wrapped handle bars...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v418/terrapondus/Bikes/17.jpg
Tequila worm head badge sticker :smokin:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v418/terrapondus/Bikes/19.jpg

Probably my favorite bike of all time. I was told that it was a '69 by the guy I got it from, but serial # date code sayz it's a '70. I still call it a '69 just because it's more fun. I commuted all around San Francisco on this bike for many years, bar hopped, party hopped, and even rode it on the trails in Golden Gate Park. Plus I can do a mean wheelie on it. Good 'ol Sturmey Archer 3sp.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v418/terrapondus/Bikes/28.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v418/terrapondus/Bikes/29.jpg
Generator came off of a bike where someone 'upgraded' :roll: to a battery light, still works and as far as I know it's the original bulb.

Pulled this one out of the basement of a shop I was working at here in Asheville. 1962 Schwinn Racer, Bendix 2sp kick back. The bike was the shop beer getter for a long time, that basket has been used. :drink:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v418/terrapondus/Bikes/21.jpg

[carljwnc]

Alright, last two, I promise. Saved the best for last...

Don't have an exact date, but it's either a 1937 or 1938 model Elgin, sold by Sears. This bike is one cushy cruiser and I take it out and ride it whenever I get the chance. Handle bar and stem are reproductions, I have the originals but the stem is messed up and I haven't fixed it yet. The handle bar bag is new-old-stock Schwinn waxed canvas from the mid '70's and I have the original hang tag for.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v418/terrapondus/Bikes/30.jpg
I love the curvy seat tube.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v418/terrapondus/Bikes/33.jpg
Cooling fins and oil port on the rear hub. Skip tooth inch pitch chain. The BB and head set have zerk grease fittings as well.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v418/terrapondus/Bikes/36.jpg
Crazy bend on top of the seat post.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v418/terrapondus/Bikes/38.jpg
Head badge. They sure don't build 'em like this anymore. :)

And the cream of the crop, I don't know much about it, early to mid '70's. Due to the KMX on the seat it may be a Kawasaki, I know it is not the Yamaha. I paid $80 for it and before I got home someone was offering me $100. I rode it quite a bit before I cleaned it up and rebuilt everything. the suspension works pretty good. The forks are oil damped, but the rear is just springs so it's a bit bouncy.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v418/terrapondus/Bikes/39.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v418/terrapondus/Bikes/41.jpg
I like the bump stop on the frame.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v418/terrapondus/Bikes/42.jpg
Everything is pretty well over built, 44lbs. worth.

Alright, that's it, I'll shut up now...at least till I get my hands on a single speed...

[Obi..]

*What about the Schwinn or Raleigh rusting out against the tree?

**Still can't find pics of my '72 Typhoon converted to the 2 speed kickback, rode thet thing all around Chico, then Ashland...bar/student bike. :D

If waiting to see some I.F.s, maybe find a shot of my Bonty SS, Strong's, etc..this way we find out who the true bike feinds are. ;)

[4x4mike]

Rock'n the thud buster. I like it.

[carljwnc]

*What about the Schwinn or Raleigh rusting out against the tree?

The one on the ground is a '60s J.C. Higgins 3sp I cut the hubs out and removed whatever was still in a functional condition, same thing with the green Varsity hanging in the tree. Both were just given to me by co-workers who knew I loved old bikes. The frames are just way to rusted to be rideable any more.

I've worked in the bike biz for 20+ years and the bikes are only part of the collection, I've also got boxes of crap...um,er parts all over the place, some of it's cool, some not, I'm just a bike pack rat. :shake:

[carljwnc]

Rock'n the thud buster. I like it.


Cane Creek Cycling Components is right down the road from me, from my old house I could have taken a canoe to them on Cane Creek, of course.

I like the ThudBuster, as far as suspension seat posts go I think it's the best out there. The other Cane Creek stuff is pretty good but I've got an 'issue' with how they do their manufacturing that keeps me from being a big advocate.