what kind of bike should I get?

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I started riding a bike 8 years ago. I was 43 then and had gained
weight after quitting cigarettes. I found a 70's 10 speed at a garage
sale. Over the years, I increased my daily rides from 6 miles per day
to 17 miles. I bought vintage Italian bikes from eBay and fixed them
up with the help of this group.

As I aged I grew tired of the "racing" position so a year ago I put a
very tall techtronic stem, moustache handlebars and a Brooks
Professional saddle on my Guerciotti. It's still a very fun ride, and
I enjoy the upright position. I still ride it 17 miles per day.

My inlaws live in Piedmont Alabama next to the Chief Ladiga bike
trail. This trail is described as "relatively flat" with a little bit
of gravel. I live in Florida where the roads are "absolutely flat"
and haven't ridden a bike on a hill - ever. I've never ridden on
gravel either.

I'll visit this area about once every couple of years. I'd like to
buy an inexpensive, but durable bike that I can keep up there. As
I'll be on vacation, I'd like to increase my daily mileage or burn
more calories. I'd like to be comfortable doing so.

What sort of bike should I look for?

On May 8, 9:58 am, dcg <d...@doculex.com> wrote:
> I started riding a bike 8 years ago. I was 43 then and had gained
> weight after quitting cigarettes. I found a 70's 10 speed at a garage
> sale. Over the years, I increased my daily rides from 6 miles per day
> to 17 miles. I bought vintage Italian bikes from eBay and fixed them
> up with the help of this group.
>
> As I aged I grew tired of the "racing" position so a year ago I put a
> very tall techtronic stem, moustache handlebars and a Brooks
> Professional saddle on my Guerciotti. It's still a very fun ride, and
> I enjoy the upright position. I still ride it 17 miles per day.
>
> My inlaws live in Piedmont Alabama next to the Chief Ladiga bike
> trail. This trail is described as "relatively flat" with a little bit
> of gravel. I live in Florida where the roads are "absolutely flat"
> and haven't ridden a bike on a hill - ever. I've never ridden on
> gravel either.
>
> I'll visit this area about once every couple of years. I'd like to
> buy an inexpensive, but durable bike that I can keep up there. As
> I'll be on vacation, I'd like to increase my daily mileage or burn
> more calories. I'd like to be comfortable doing so.
>
> What sort of bike should I look for?


Used Specialized Stumpjumper with steel frame and rigid fork, c. 1990.

On May 8, 10:03 am, r15...@aol.com wrote:
> On May 8, 9:58 am, dcg <d...@doculex.com> wrote:
>
>
>
<snip>
>
> > My inlaws live in Piedmont Alabama next to the Chief Ladiga bike
> > trail. This trail is described as "relatively flat" with a little bit
> > of gravel. I live in Florida where the roads are "absolutely flat"
> > and haven't ridden a bike on a hill - ever. I've never ridden on
> > gravel either.
>
> > I'll visit this area about once every couple of years. I'd like to
> > buy an inexpensive, but durable bike that I can keep up there. As
> > I'll be on vacation, I'd like to increase my daily mileage or burn
> > more calories. I'd like to be comfortable doing so.
>
> > What sort of bike should I look for?
>
> Used Specialized Stumpjumper with steel frame and rigid fork, c. 1990.

That is *exactly* the same bike I was going to recommend! (no
kidding)

(My own Stumpjumper is an '87 Comp :-)

dcg wrote:
> I started riding a bike 8 years ago. I was 43 then and had gained
> weight after quitting cigarettes. I found a 70's 10 speed at a garage
> sale. Over the years, I increased my daily rides from 6 miles per day
> to 17 miles. I bought vintage Italian bikes from eBay and fixed them
> up with the help of this group.
>
> As I aged I grew tired of the "racing" position so a year ago I put a
> very tall techtronic stem, moustache handlebars and a Brooks
> Professional saddle on my Guerciotti. It's still a very fun ride, and
> I enjoy the upright position. I still ride it 17 miles per day.
>
> My inlaws live in Piedmont Alabama next to the Chief Ladiga bike
> trail. This trail is described as "relatively flat" with a little bit
> of gravel. I live in Florida where the roads are "absolutely flat"
> and haven't ridden a bike on a hill - ever. I've never ridden on
> gravel either.
>
> I'll visit this area about once every couple of years. I'd like to
> buy an inexpensive, but durable bike that I can keep up there. As
> I'll be on vacation, I'd like to increase my daily mileage or burn
> more calories. I'd like to be comfortable doing so.
>
> What sort of bike should I look for?

Well then, a Crumpton. Absolutey. They are rigid yet flexible and climb
while you sit back and watch. Plus, they smooth your ride on gravel roads.

Seriously just about anything with ample tires, set up with a similar
position to your present bike, will be great. You might consider
mudguards on unpaved roads. Both tire and mudguard clearance may lead
you away from actual race bikes built after the mid seventies.
--
Andrew Muzi
<www.yellowjersey.org/>
Open every day since 1 April, 1971
** Posted from http://www.teranews.com **

On May 8, 2:10 pm, A Muzi <a...@yellowjersey.org> wrote:
> dcg wrote:
> > I started riding a bike 8 years ago. I was 43 then and had gained
> > weight after quitting cigarettes. I found a 70's 10 speed at a garage
> > sale. Over the years, I increased my daily rides from 6 miles per day
> > to 17 miles. I bought vintage Italian bikes from eBay and fixed them
> > up with the help of this group.
>
> > As I aged I grew tired of the "racing" position so a year ago I put a
> > very tall techtronic stem, moustache handlebars and a Brooks
> > Professional saddle on my Guerciotti. It's still a very fun ride, and
> > I enjoy the upright position. I still ride it 17 miles per day.
>
> > My inlaws live in Piedmont Alabama next to the Chief Ladiga bike
> > trail. This trail is described as "relatively flat" with a little bit
> > of gravel. I live in Florida where the roads are "absolutely flat"
> > and haven't ridden a bike on a hill - ever. I've never ridden on
> > gravel either.
>
> > I'll visit this area about once every couple of years. I'd like to
> > buy an inexpensive, but durable bike that I can keep up there. As
> > I'll be on vacation, I'd like to increase my daily mileage or burn
> > more calories. I'd like to be comfortable doing so.
>
> > What sort of bike should I look for?
>
> Well then, a Crumpton. Absolutey. They are rigid yet flexible and climb
> while you sit back and watch. Plus, they smooth your ride on gravel roads.
>
> Seriously just about anything with ample tires, set up with a similar
> position to your present bike, will be great. You might consider
> mudguards on unpaved roads. Both tire and mudguard clearance may lead
> you away from actual race bikes built after the mid seventies.

I was looking at the Redline site last night and if I had the money to
burn to build up a new schmancy roadie, their R77 frame just struck me
as terribly contrarian--Aluminum, wishbone stay, carbon rear end and
fork, integrated headset, with me? All the selling points, but with
clearances for normal reach brakes 28mm tires w/fenders. How dare
they! One of the big online discounters has the frame/fork for $400.
If I only had a donor bike...bah, too red!

http://www.redlinebicycles.com/adultbikes/frame-R77.htm

Get a CX bike


On May 8, 3:10 pm, A Muzi <a...@yellowjersey.org> wrote:
> dcg wrote:
> > I started riding a bike 8 years ago.  I was 43 then and had gained
> > weight after quitting cigarettes.  I found a 70's 10 speed at a garage
> > sale.  Over the years, I increased my daily rides from 6 miles per day
> > to 17 miles.  I bought vintage Italian bikes from eBay and fixed them
> > up with the help of this group.
>
> > As I aged I grew tired of the "racing" position so a year ago I put a
> > very tall techtronic stem, moustache handlebars and a Brooks
> > Professional saddle on my Guerciotti.  It's still a very fun ride, and
> > I enjoy the upright position.  I still ride it 17 miles per day.
>
> > My inlaws live in Piedmont Alabama next to the Chief Ladiga bike
> > trail.  This trail is described as "relatively flat" with a little bit
> > of gravel.  I live in Florida where the roads are "absolutely flat"
> > and haven't ridden a bike on a hill - ever.  I've never ridden on
> > gravel either.
>
> > I'll  visit this area about once every couple of years.  I'd like to
> > buy an inexpensive, but durable bike that I can keep up there.  As
> > I'll be on vacation, I'd like to increase my daily mileage or burn
> > more calories.  I'd like to be comfortable doing so.
>
> > What sort of bike should I look for?
>
> Well then, a Crumpton. Absolutey. They are rigid yet flexible and climb
> while you sit back and watch. Plus, they smooth your ride on gravel roads.
>
> Seriously just about anything with ample tires, set up with a similar
> position to your present bike, will be great. You might consider
> mudguards on unpaved roads. Both tire and mudguard clearance may lead
> you away from actual race bikes built after the mid seventies.
> --
> Andrew Muzi
>   <www.yellowjersey.org/>
>   Open every day since 1 April, 1971
> ** Posted fromhttp://www.teranews.com**- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

On Thu, 08 May 2008 15:58:47 GMT, dcg <dcg@doculex.com> wrote:
>My inlaws live in Piedmont Alabama next to the Chief Ladiga bike
>trail. This trail is described as "relatively flat" with a little bit
>of gravel. I live in Florida where the roads are "absolutely flat"
>and haven't ridden a bike on a hill - ever. I've never ridden on
>gravel either.
>
>I'll visit this area about once every couple of years. I'd like to
>buy an inexpensive, but durable bike that I can keep up there. As
>I'll be on vacation, I'd like to increase my daily mileage or burn
>more calories. I'd like to be comfortable doing so.
>
>What sort of bike should I look for?

If you can, I'd check the trail out before committing to a bike. I
don't know exactly how the Chief Ladiga/Silver Comet trails are
finished; I've ridden one rail-trail (Virginia Creeper) on 700Cx28
with no problem, and another one that wouldn't be comfortable on
anything with less than four horseshoes. The Creeper trail is mostly
finished with crushed cinders, with a bit of gravel mixed in in spots.
It's just a blast on a tourer! The other trail is 1-2" gravel, and
uncomfortable on 26x2-1/4" tires.

Pat

Email address works as is.

dcg wrote:
> My inlaws live in Piedmont Alabama next to the Chief Ladiga bike
> trail.  This trail is described as "relatively flat" with a little bit
> of gravel.  I live in Florida where the roads are "absolutely flat"
> and haven't ridden a bike on a hill - ever.  I've never ridden on
> gravel either.
>

Check out the pictures and descriptions on this website:
http://www.great-trails.com/chief-la.shtml

"This is a 22.1 mile paved trail that goes from the Cleburne/Calhoun
County line through the city of Piedmont to Jacksonville. There is an
addition 2.5 miles at Weaver. From Jacksonville to Piedmont, it
practically parallels Alabama Highway 21."

It looks pretty tame, and if it's built on a retired RR line, the
grades are probably very mild.

Also,
http://www.cybrtyme.com/personal/mtnbiker/ladiga.htm

says, "The Eastern terminus is at Terrapin Creek bridge. The trail is
rough gravel from there toward Georgia and goes for about 3.5 miles to
a closed trestle. Cleburne County will complete this section as soon
as funds are available. Look here for updates on the extending east to
Georgia."

Art Harris

dcg wrote:

> My inlaws live in Piedmont Alabama next to the Chief Ladiga bike
> trail. This trail is described as "relatively flat" with a little bit
> of gravel. I live in Florida where the roads are "absolutely flat"
> and haven't ridden a bike on a hill - ever. I've never ridden on
> gravel either.

Hey, haven't you ever ridden up Mount Dora? In any case, in the northern
part of the state there are a lot of areas with rolling hills, so you
must be in south Florida.

Try riding the Shark Valley paved path in the Everglades
("http://www.nps.gov/ever/planyourvisit/svdirections.htm"). Those are
not hills or speed bumps on the path, and you should steer around them,
not over them.