Hi All - these free BV bikes, anyone seen the latest offering? Or got access to a detailed specification of it? I remeber y'all were appalled by them last year, but this year we're getting them in WA and they kinda looked OK over the net...
My wife was thinking it looked like a good shopping bike for her panniers which are currently mounted on a very crappy hybrid with fat tyres. Even for the narrow tyres and un-dented rims as well as the shifters assuming they're "rapidfire" type (her existing ones are those horrid twist-grip things)... we were not planning on entering early for the bike (short of cash right now) but it might be worth it if the bike is any good.
"David M" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Hi All - these free BV bikes, anyone seen the latest offering? Or got access to a detailed specification of it? I remeber y'all were appalled by them last year, but this year we're getting them in WA and they kinda looked OK over the net...
My wife was thinking it looked like a good shopping bike for her panniers which are currently mounted on a very crappy hybrid with fat tyres. Even for the narrow tyres and un-dented rims as well as the shifters assuming they're "rapidfire" type (her existing ones are those horrid twist-grip things)... we were not planning on entering early for the bike (short of cash right now) but it might be worth it if the bike is any good.
Cheers David M
I suspect the phrase "get what you pay for" applies here. They look better than last year's effort but I doubt that they've put particularly good gear on it. Buy an old road bike with Shimano 600 gear on it off Ebay and modify the bars to bullhorns to make the riding position more upright.
Hi All - these free BV bikes, anyone seen the latest offering? Or got access to a detailed specification of it? I remeber y'all were appalled by them last year, but this year we're getting them in WA and they kinda looked OK over the net...
My wife was thinking it looked like a good shopping bike for her panniers which are currently mounted on a very crappy hybrid with fat tyres. Even for the narrow tyres and un-dented rims as well as the shifters assuming they're "rapidfire" type (her existing ones are those horrid twist-grip things)... we were not planning on entering early for the bike (short of cash right now) but it might be worth it if the bike is any good.
Cheers David M
I talked to the guy at Phantom about this the other week cos I thought that they were better than their press.. the original ones anyway. He said that in his opinion they were just a few dollers off being a good bike. Absolutely not kmart [censored]. Remember Phantom did the support for the GVBR
The rear derailier was garbage and for about 10 bucks more would have been fine. He mentioned a couple of other things. He felt that [censored] gearshifting soured many on the bikes. And that the ones that still exist had long been sorted.
So I am fairly sure that the new ones will have these things sorted on em. If someone gave me one I wouldnt toss it. It would be my ride somewhere where the bike might get nicked bike.
Excuse the ignorance but did someone say free bike :eek: whats the story there then.
When they say free, they mean it's part of the entry fee to the Great Victorian Bike Ride. Last year was the first time Bicycle Victoria tried it and they're doing it again this year. They're also doing it in WA. I got one of these from my brother-in-law who did the GVBR last year (he's got a decent bike, so didn't need it). I must admit, it is pretty crappy, but it served its purpose. After 20 years off the saddle, this was my re-introduction to riding. It served me well for 6 months, and 1000 km, which was enough to convince me that riding was not a passing phase, and I bought a road bike. I still use it to pop down to the local shops when I can't be bothered with changing shoes for the roadie.
"David M" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Hi All - these free BV bikes, anyone seen the latest offering? Or got access to a detailed specification of it? I remeber y'all were appalled by them last year, but this year we're getting them in WA and they kinda looked OK over the net...
My wife was thinking it looked like a good shopping bike for her panniers which are currently mounted on a very crappy hybrid with fat tyres. Even for the narrow tyres and un-dented rims as well as the shifters assuming they're "rapidfire" type (her existing ones are those horrid twist-grip things)... we were not planning on entering early for the bike (short of cash right now) but it might be worth it if the bike is any good.
Hi All - these free BV bikes, anyone seen the latest offering? Or got access to a detailed specification of it? I remeber y'all were appalled by them last year, but this year we're getting them in WA and they kinda looked OK over the net...
OK, had a look at one today. My precis was that the wheels and tyres looked OK though the lack of a rear QR hub has thwarted my plans to tow a BOB trailer with it. The gears were all [censored], the brakes are Tektro V brakes whick look basic but OK. Headset, stem, bars likewise. Colours are god-aweful, has pannier mountsb etc, but the big bonus is HORIZONTAL DROPOUTS! Another good reason to change the rear hub...to a flip-flop track hub!
OK, had a look at one today. My precis was that the wheels and tyres looked OK though the lack of a rear QR hub has thwarted my plans to tow a BOB trailer with it. The gears were all [censored], the brakes are Tektro V brakes whick look basic but OK. Headset, stem, bars likewise. Colours are god-aweful, has pannier mountsb etc, but the big bonus is HORIZONTAL DROPOUTS! Another good reason to change the rear hub...to a flip-flop track hub!
V brakes whick look basic but OK. Headset, stem, bars likewise. Colours are god-aweful, has pannier mountsb etc, but the big bonus is HORIZONTAL DROPOUTS! Another good reason to change the rear hub...to a flip-flop track hub!
$1000 well spent :-)
Cheers David M
Coooool, I can see an ebay purchase soon after the GVBR just for the frame.
On 2005-10-19, DaveB (aka Bruce) was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea:
Quoted message said:
David M said:
V brakes whick look basic but OK. Headset, stem, bars likewise. Colours are god-aweful, has pannier mountsb etc, but the big bonus is HORIZONTAL DROPOUTS! Another good reason to change the rear hub...to a flip-flop track hub!
$1000 well spent :-)
Cheers David M
Coooool, I can see an ebay purchase soon after the GVBR just for the frame.
One potential problem. The frame probably weighs 5kg.
Good for downhill fixing!
-- TimC I hate mornings. I know they hate me back, too. -- Joel Gluth
One potential problem. The frame probably weighs 5kg.
Good for downhill fixing!
Can't be any heavier than the steel frame MTB I commute on. I think that weighs in at around 20kg all up (plus panniers and [censored]).
DaveB
20kg all up + panniers and [censored]? or is that including panniers and [censored].
Now that's a heavy bike alright...
Ritch
Nope that's excluding panniers and [censored]. I think it might be 19kg (tested on the bathroom scales), plus panniers with laptop, a manual or two plus clothes, plus me at around 80kg amkes for some hard work on the hills of my commute (but some good speed downhill). Going from that to the alu SS is a real shock.
Hi All - these free BV bikes, anyone seen the latest offering? Or got access to a detailed specification of it? I remeber y'all were appalled by them last year, but this year we're getting them in WA and they kinda looked OK over the net...
OK, had a look at one today. My precis was that the wheels and tyres looked OK though the lack of a rear QR hub has thwarted my plans to tow a BOB trailer with it. The gears were all [censored], the brakes are Tektro V brakes whick look basic but OK. Headset, stem, bars likewise. Colours are god-aweful, has pannier mountsb etc, but the big bonus is HORIZONTAL DROPOUTS! Another good reason to change the rear hub...to a flip-flop track hub!
$1000 well spent :-)
Cheers David M[/QUOTE] You can get (or at least a while ago you could) special nuts to use a Bob trailer with such a hub. I think they were called Bob Nutz.
