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Invalido posted:Spring is delayed, I rode through a blizzard today. I'm so looking forward to the annual bike tuneup. New chain, summer tires, new shifter cable and a thorough cleaning all need to happen as soon as this snow and road salt business finally ends sometime at a date yet to be determined. Also bring the road bike down from the attic, yeah.
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Mar 27, 2023 22:40
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It was 70° the other day so I did a three hour ride to hit up all the blossoming trees  We didn't get any snow this year and it feels like it's been a while.
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Mar 28, 2023 04:45
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Finally got my bike fixed up so I went on my first trip to the store in several years. It was nice... so long as I was using the suburban roads. Then I try to go down the main streets and I swear to christ they use the sides of the roads to dump spare gravel because I spent half the trip floating in my seat due to all the dead falls in the pavement and rock piles. We have huge, wide sidewalks that are very clearly supposed to be used for biking and yet I have a very strong dislike for it because I don't want to plow into a six year old at 20 MPH, even though its legal in my state. How hard is it to just have a normal road? Goddamned Motor City. CuddleCryptid fucked around with this message at 14:58 on Mar 28, 2023 |
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Mar 28, 2023 14:39
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Not sure what it looks like, but be very careful around intersections and alleys if you're riding on the sidewalk because it's counterintuitively super dangerous. You're able to move way faster than a person in a car is able to see even if they aren't buried in their cellphone and especially with alleys people blow full speed out the end past the sidewalk and only stop to look for cars. You either need to slow way down and look at each one or preferably take the whole lane riding in the street if traffic moves at safe speeds. Stay safe and good luck
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Mar 28, 2023 15:21
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Mauser posted:Not sure what it looks like, but be very careful around intersections and alleys if you're riding on the sidewalk because it's counterintuitively super dangerous. You're able to move way faster than a person in a car is able to see even if they aren't buried in their cellphone and especially with alleys people blow full speed out the end past the sidewalk and only stop to look for cars. Yeah, I learned that the hard way several years back, which is how my road bike got messed up in the first place. Going down the sidewalk at speed, car suddenly pulls up in front of me to wait to pull out of a parking lot, I T-bone it and end up in the hospital getting gravel taken out of my face. Definitely could have been worse and it put the fear of death into me when dealing with sidewalk crossings. Unfortunately we have a lot of single lane roads around me and I can't take a lane safely, so it's a rock and a hard place.
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Mar 28, 2023 15:25
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OMGVBFLOL posted:yeah. some tenderness when you get on is normal and will go away with time. tingling or numbness is bad and means you should stop, now, and adjust the seat. there's very little fatty tissue over your sit bones, even on real fluffy people, so chances are good you can find a setup that works for you. but it's not impossible that you'll have to seek other solutions, bicycling while big does put you in a pretty outlying minority and default solutions may not work for you. I'm a little overweight, but my main problem is having disproportionately long legs/short torso. On a new bike, this seems to always result in discomfort in both my hands and taint. I have a box of various stems and bars so I can change the height and reach until it feels decent. I'm thinking of getting a bike fit even though I rarely ride more than 10 miles at a time.
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Mar 28, 2023 18:27
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Al2001 posted:I'm thinking of getting a bike fit even though I rarely ride more than 10 miles at a time. yes yesyesyesyesyes I would do that before experimenting with various stems and bars on your own and/or dropping money on parts bike fit is super important and valuable, step one if you’re having discomfort issues
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Mar 28, 2023 18:46
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I test rode a Bike Friday folding touring bike thanks to a recommendation from one of you and that is definitely the way to go for folding bikes. Very comfy and tight handling. In other news, I'm actually commuting again thanks to work requiring minimum two times a week and drivers are just loving nasty like everyday. First day of really nice weather so I went for a ride today and just crowds of pedestrians everywhere and drivers were less violent, which was nice.
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Apr 2, 2023 03:00
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Mauser posted:I test rode a Bike Friday folding touring bike thanks to a recommendation from one of you and that is definitely the way to go for folding bikes. Very comfy and tight handling. If you're going to be using mass transit with the folder, you may want to look at a Brompton manly for the fast fold/unfold and compact size. It's slower but the bag system is excellent and if you travel a lot you can find ways of getting into carry-on (yeah yeah, I know I'm breaking the rules). Also has a 242lbs capacity.
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Apr 3, 2023 06:48
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I finally got to do the spring refresh of the commuter bike that's seen me through the winter. Summer tires, shifter cable, chain and new jockey wheels. Also a deep clean - road salt was plentiful this winter so I've lubed a whole lot and it was caked all over. I though I would get away with the same cassette for a bit longer but the top two gears don't like the new chain and are skipping, so I'll have to replace that too. such is life.
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Apr 9, 2023 18:31
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First commute this year. I missed it so much and I'm so early for work.
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Apr 12, 2023 14:46
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It really is the best way to commute, all things considered. My cassette was supposed to come today but seems to have gotten lost in transit or something. Guess I'm riding something else tomorrow. Bakfiets, road bike or motorcycle. Not the car though because that's no fun. Choices, choices. Still too much gravel around for skinny tires to be fun I think, though rumor has it the sweepers have been spotted.
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Apr 12, 2023 19:44
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I got the cassette sorted and took a short test ride and the bike shifts so well again and rides sooo nice on the summer tires compared to the studded set. I'm super stoked about going to work tomorrow. Rain is forecast all day but whatever, it will keep the post-winter dust down and wash away any last remnants of road salt
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Apr 13, 2023 17:29
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I've been working for home for two weeks, and taking the car to the office this week, because of a spot of cracked rib, and not biking every day really is the worst. Why anyone would do this voluntarily I do not understand. Tomorrow I will bike to work, coughing and laughing is barely excruciating anymore, how bad could it be?
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Apr 13, 2023 20:47
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I can't wait until the first street sweep. That's when I huck the old chain and cassette in the garbage. Im also glad I never bothered putting my XT stuff on my commuter because as soon as the new chain and cassette I have in stock gets chewed up I'm upgrading the commuter to the new Shimano Cues stuff.
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Apr 13, 2023 23:51
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The day after the fist big rain after the second street sweep is where it's at. It'll take the muni a few weeks more getting there I think. Thankfully most of my commute has been swept/salted all winter rather than plowed and gravelled so it's already spotless which is nice, but every intersection is still full of slippery things on top of the asphalt. I have deore XT on mine. Just a 10-speed though so at least parts are pretty cheap compared to more exotic stuff. At some point I'd like to try building the ultimate low maintenance commuter so belt drive, no suspension fork and so on. The only thing making me weary is I've had some issues with salt water ingress in the geared hubs on my alfine/nexus equipped bike so the hubs don't last very long for me, like 2-3 years tops when it was my year round daily. Way less regular maintenance but comparable cost in parts compared to a derailleur bike in other words unless I'd get a rohlhoff hub or something - never had one of those because money but I have no reason to believe they have vastly superior brine sealing technology compared to run of the mill shimano stuff.
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Apr 14, 2023 05:28
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it was 80 degrees on the commute back home the other day and I rode by the aftermath of a car where the driver pinned a pedestrian to the wall of a building, killing the pedestrian. A few blocks later, a driver stopped at a stop sign and then started accelerating right towards me as I went through the intersection because he didn't look both ways. A little bit later a car came driving up the wrong way down the one-way street I was on and went straight through a four lane intersection red light (no red light on this side!). Yesterday, a car just blasted through the crosswalk at a red light on a cross street and stopped halfway into the bike lane just as I was approaching and without thinking I just grabbed both brakes and came skidding to a halt in front of them. A reminder for me to tighten up the front brake on my commuter. A sense of my own mortality has been sneaking into my everyday thoughts and while using the bike lanes I've been slowing down at green lights and looking both ways at all intersections regardless of the direction of traffic
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Apr 14, 2023 15:15
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Mauser posted:
That mentality plus good braking technique have saved me more than once. At the other end of the spectrum I did some riding in Berlin once as a tourist and did the slow down for all intersections and stare down drivers thing for the first few hours, but after awhile realized drivers were just starting back and getting annoyed I was taking so long to clear the intersection. Being around competent road users was really nice.
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Apr 14, 2023 18:22
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The municipality sweeping away the gravel is the only legitimate definition of spring in Sweden.
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Apr 14, 2023 18:38
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Invalido posted:The only thing making me weary is I've had some issues with salt water ingress in the geared hubs on my alfine/nexus equipped bike so the hubs don't last very long for me, like 2-3 years tops when it was my year round daily. Way less regular maintenance but comparable cost in parts compared to a derailleur bike in other words Groda posted:The municipality sweeping away the gravel is the only legitimate definition of spring in Sweden. Mauser posted:it was 80 degrees on the commute back home the other day and I rode by the aftermath of a car where the driver pinned a pedestrian to the wall of a building, killing the pedestrian. A few blocks later, a driver stopped at a stop sign and then started accelerating right towards me as I went through the intersection because he didn't look both ways. A little bit later a car came driving up the wrong way down the one-way street I was on and went straight through a four lane intersection red light (no red light on this side!). Yesterday, a car just blasted through the crosswalk at a red light on a cross street and stopped halfway into the bike lane just as I was approaching and without thinking I just grabbed both brakes and came skidding to a halt in front of them. A reminder for me to tighten up the front brake on my commuter. evil_bunnY fucked around with this message at 18:41 on Apr 14, 2023 |
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Apr 14, 2023 18:39
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my current philosophy on damaging cars is as few witnesses as possible including the driver because I live in a city with through the roof gun violence. I have had drivers try to chase me down in their vehicles over perceived slights as well
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Apr 14, 2023 19:05
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evil_bunnY posted:How often do you re-bath them tho? 
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Apr 15, 2023 10:28
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evil_bunnY posted:LOL once when I was a kid my mom kicked a car's quarter panel *so* hard as it cut us off. To this day that's how I think about cars failing to yield to vulnerable users. If you don't care about my safety, I'mma try and break your poo poo. This is the way.
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Apr 15, 2023 17:35
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evil_bunnY posted:How often do you re-bath them tho? I had a friend in HS (early '70's) who had nice C-Record/531DB etc. bike and would ride with Spiked Cyclocross Cleats and would do some bodywork if a car cut him off etc.
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Apr 16, 2023 06:16
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Apr 16, 2023 14:24
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There is a section of my commute where there’s a bike lane and separate signal for bikers. Drivers get a giant “no right hand turn” sign as well as a red red light when the bike lane is green. I still have to look to my left to make sure I don’t get right hand hooked by someone blowing through the right hand turn lane and into the cyclists about to cross the intersection. It happens at least once a week.
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Apr 16, 2023 19:34
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Came across a person who had tripped and fallen on the sidewalk and scraped up their hands and I didn't have bandaids or anything on me so now I've got a little first aid kit in my commuting bag
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Apr 18, 2023 16:05
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This is a really good idea and I should do that as well.
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Apr 19, 2023 05:16
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This is why I carry lentils in my tool pouch. You can park in the bike lane but you're gonna come back to 2 flat tires.Mauser posted:Came across a person who had tripped and fallen on the sidewalk and scraped up their hands and I didn't have bandaids or anything on me so now I've got a little first aid kit in my commuting bag Just small curved scissors, good tweezers, bandages in a bunch of sizes, spray bandage (for abrasions), anti-bacterial wipes, hand sanitizer, super glue and a couple often-used pain and allergy meds in pre-scored pills so kids can take them too. Tourniquet and packing gauze I've never used since they're really only useful for gnarlier injuries. evil_bunnY fucked around with this message at 13:24 on Apr 19, 2023 |
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Apr 19, 2023 12:26
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Yeah I keep a first aid kid in my saddlebag too. I've had enough rough landings trying to dodge cars that it's necessary just for me. I've been thinking of upgrading to an IFAK but I need to do some research; the one I keep in my car is too bulky for a bike bag.
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Apr 19, 2023 12:46
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CuddleCryptid posted:Yeah I keep a first aid kid in my saddlebag too. I've had enough rough landings trying to dodge cars that it's necessary just for me. I've been thinking of upgrading to an IFAK but I need to do some research; the one I keep in my car is too bulky for a bike bag. They make small versions of the car kit, which is required for motorcycles in some places.
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Apr 19, 2023 13:01
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evil_bunnY posted:This is why I carry lentils in my tool pouch. You can park in the bike lane but you're gonna come back to 2 flat tires. You gonna make soup?
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Apr 19, 2023 13:45
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Mr Newsman posted:You gonna make soup? https://www.tyreextinguishers.com/how-to-deflate-an-suv-tyre
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Apr 19, 2023 13:49
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i should probably get some kind of first aid kit, got an REI gift card so dunno if anyone has anything good to say about these: https://www.rei.com/search?q=first+aid+kit if not, what's a good brand? i think ideally i'd have a tiny kit for day trips and a larger kit for an upcoming bike tour i'm doing
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Apr 19, 2023 14:43
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Lmao - okay that makes sense.
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Apr 19, 2023 15:12
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abraham linksys posted:i should probably get some kind of first aid kit, got an REI gift card so dunno if anyone has anything good to say about these: https://www.rei.com/search?q=first+aid+kit https://www.outdoorgearlab.com/topics/camping-and-hiking/best-first-aid-kit
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Apr 19, 2023 17:37
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kimbo305 posted:
Uh, I think that covers it. Basically I'm going to take my kid to daycare about a mile and a half downhill, then hoof it back uphill to the house. This is likely going to be my main form of "exercise" I commuted by bike for about 7 years and then my commute got so short it was less of a hassle to just walk but now in suburbia it's a bit more spread out. Anyways I'm well equipped and haven't forgotten too much about bike maintenance so not worried about the condition of the bike got lots of spare parts and whatnot, just want something not made from lead and maybe looks halfway cool and can take some newer Shimano brakes so it can stop ok https://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/bik/d/pleasant-hill-vintage-10speed-bicycle/7605435362.html https://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/bik/d/concord-cm-specialized-allez-restored/7611213322.html I strongly prefer the old style, perfectly horizonal top tube bikes. the most exotic frame geometry I'd be willing to look at would be something like an all city space horse but I've never seen one for sale used Everyone is going to peg me as a 54cm but I actually prefer running the seat all the way down and stretch out forward more on a 56cm. 58cm and things start to feel a bit tippy iirc My ideal bike is an aluminum frame 1999 era gt edge 56cm but they're rarer than hens teeth, although they do show up on eBay a handful of times a year 
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Apr 20, 2023 03:49
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Crazy goons with mad Craigslist Skills are waiting to help you out.
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Are you budgeting separately for the kid's bike seat, etc.? A caution I have for you is, depending on their size and the shape of the seat, a more classic road frame might be too short in the chainstays for comfort, where their feet might rub into your heels a bit, unless you unwieldily push the seat all the way back on the rack, which will make handling a bit weirder.
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Apr 20, 2023 09:24
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https://youtu.be/gsd9JgLlIeE
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May 7, 2023 22:21
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what's the most breathable backpack out there for commuting? just started commuting again and my old bag has this horrifically warm padded back that leaves me soaked on my back every time i ride the 35 min to or from work looking for something available in the EU for around 100-150 euro tops! and no i dont want saddle bags because they'll make my bike look bad >: (
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May 9, 2023 20:27
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