has anyone bought from Bikesdirect.com?

[bobbyl1966]

Good morning how are you. I am sorry last night i not tell you good night, I not know if you stay online i go for sleep. You do so many miles the year you know so many thinks about bikes. I wish i live near you and go ride with you. My cannondale i found in pawnshop i pay $96. I put innertubes adjust and i replace cassete and crank i have spare bottom bracket no have the tool i want replace. I true the wheels few days ago i deside put 28c tires have before 23c. Have community bike shp in that area i go some times see if i can found road bikes or used parts people donate or thrift stores looks for bikes. Last months i cant see any road bikes. Now better bike i do that you say wait and i buy better. What is means that when people say low end bikes. Is the frame too low end or is just the components wheels. Example my canondale is have brakes blaze never i have hear that name before the the deraiulers is exage 500 if my bike example have shimano 105 parts is go be in higher end. The frame looks is good job is aluminum but i cant see any weilding. I like your speech for money. I do same think i like pay cash always no use credit never. I do try save money i married in 2013 more expences i not let my wife stay hungry for i go buy bikes parts l wait i save money for better bike. In atlanta have one bike trail say is 100 miles long connect with alabama trail is used be train line until 1965 i think. Is be abandoned after that i think in 2006 the city take out the train tracks put asphalt and do the bike trail. is nice ride i live far from that trail i not have go many times.

 

[Froze]

Please don't let your wife or yourself go hungry to buy a bike or bike parts, that isn't right!

Low end bike means low end frame and low end components. Low end frames weigh more and tend not be as well made; low end components weigh more and tend to wear out faster and have problems along the way to wearing out.

I appreciate the recognition about knowing a lot about bikes, BUT I am not the almighty bike answer man, I know some things but not all things. There are plenty of people on this forum who know as much as I do and probably more, it's just that for some reason it's just you and I discussing on this thread.

The Blaze brakes you have are made by Suntour, that was their lowest end group they sold at that time. I am very familiar with mid to high end Suntour but not so much on their low end, but if it's like most low end stuff it's just so so stuff. However Suntour in their high to mid stuff was always better than anyone elses high to mid end stuff so knowing that then I would assume Blaze was better than other companies low end stuff. The Exage Derailleurs were made by Shimano, these were considered to be low mid level derailleurs meaning they were at the bottom of the mid level stuff, again not real familiar with that particular model but I did read that they were subject to gumming up, or gunking up, and could be taken apart easily, cleaned and relubed, they were also noted to be very reliable if kept clean and lubed. If the Exage derailleurs are giving you issues it's probably because they may have become gummed up and need to be cleaned and relubed, try that first before replacing anything. Here is some sites that might help you with that derailleur; see: http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/rear-derailleur-overhaul
http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/tech/fix/?id=howfix_deroh

Shimano 105 is not high end, they are high mid end components, meaning they are at the top of the mid level models. I really like this stuff because it offers the best of both worlds, high durability and functionality, but not expensive to fix or replace. If you have any components that need replacing on that bike you have in order to save money I probably wouldn't get 105 if you will be buying a bike in 3 years for example. Sora or Tiagra will last that long without too many issues and cost less than 105.

Sounds like you have a nice trail to ride on, where I live the longest trail is only 24 miles so I have to ride on the roads to go further out. A 100 mile or so trail around here would be fantastic.

 

[bobbyl1966]

I not try do race i ride for exercise. Just i try setup my bike good for the terrain i go ride. I ride before outside the apartements i live just to test the bike is flat with 53 ring and the 12 in the cassete i feel is harder to pedal but i pedal okay i can do fast accelerate almost. I have cog 11 spare i not know the 11 is for fglats or for downhills i not really need that 11 cog.

 

[Froze]

Originally Posted by bobbyl1966
I not try do race i ride for exercise. Just i try setup my bike good for the terrain i go ride. I ride before outside the apartements i live just to test the bike is flat with 53 ring and the 12 in the cassete i feel is harder to pedal but i pedal okay i can do fast accelerate almost. I have cog 11 spare i not know the 11 is for fglats or for downhills i not really need that 11 cog.

Exactly, you ride for exercise and not to race, but if you ride a long ways on that trail you need to have a reliable bike and mid end components are the best of both worlds, low price and high durability.

You need to be able to spin the pedals as about 80 RPM, that's one full revolution of the crank 80 times in one minute, that should be an average you won't be able to maintain that going up a steep ascent or coming down a steep descent, but on flat ground with little wind 80 should be an average. This will make it easier for you to pedal and not hard on knees, ankles, feet, etc; it's a little awkward the first time you do this but after awhile if becomes second nature. The when you need to accelerate spin faster up to around 95 rpm's and if you need more shift to the next gear but try to keep the RPM close to 80. Some riders are racers and will tell you to do 100 rpm but for normal riders that isn't necessary. But using a 53 and a 12 tells me your spinning very slowly probably around 40 RPM's, this gives you the false impression that you're going faster because of the huge effort being put out which explains why you're tired after just 30 miles, I'd be tired too!!!! LOL!!!!.

Here is a short explanation of lower vs higher, see: http://www.bikeradar.com/us/gear/article/technique-cadence-matters-16394/ It talks about the neural system gets tired sooner at lower RPM's, this is what I was trying to tell you that is happening to you.

 

[bobbyl1966]

Hello how are you. How is your day. That never i do stay hungry to buy bikes parts i do only and i try found used ones $5 the part cost in community bike shop i not have go for long time and not always have good thinks to buy is what the people have donate. That place sale bikes too but is low end most mountain bikes and most of the time need repairs too. that place is good to learn work on bikes have vollunters and tell in people what to do when need help. Is charge $5 for use the tools. Before i was bussy is came one man is have one mountain bike the freewheel is have broke is happens i have same speeds freewheel and i replace for him. All the info you tell me is very helpfull thank you. The 53-12 i do early outside the apartement only just to see how is the 12. General when i ride i not do that only if i see flats when is get harder to pedal i go in easier gear for that 80rpm thank you. In that i say i not go do race just to ride is be like that but i do know i would love to have real racing bike. Example in the 10 miles hilly trail i go i try go the faster i can from where i park my truck to where ithe trail end. then i go back in my truck that way i do 20 miles. One time i had do 40 miles two times this ride with old steel road bike. I remember i have crank 52/42 and 7 speeds freewheel 14-28. Maybe the 25 i have is too high for that trail i see when i go ride but i have the 39 ring toomaybe is okay. Do you think is better i found one cassete with more teeth than i try to have one tooth jump. I see online one interesting cassete shimano is say stantard and road and is 9 speeds 11-32. have 11-30 too. I not go buy no have the cash too what i do when i go again in that community bike shop i go look if i found more wide cassete. why online say 52/42 crank is not good anymore. i have one fit my bike i want try in that trail. that two trails i know one is hilly the 10 miles the other i look more info online is total 94.5 not 100 miles i tell you wrong. For that to clean the deraiulers thank you i not know is can be done that. My shifters i turn in the friction side today i do like that way i can jump 2-3 cogs the same time not one one with the clicks. Other than i have move my hands from the handlebar to change gears i am fine with downtube shifters the only reason i say brifters is i feel good no have move my hands like downhill from the handlebar. I have fun to ride and work in bikes my self i like to learn better

 

[Froze]

I think, though I'm not real sure, that the Exage rear derailleur will not handle anything larger than a 11-30, I don't believe it will handle a 32 or larger. I should ask this in the component section or the mechanic section of the forum and see if you get a better answer. I'm only vaguely familiar with Exage, so find someone who knows more about it then me.

This moving the hands business for me is nothing, it's not any different than grabbing a water bottle! I like downtube shifters better than STI!! Like I said before, their cheap to work on and fix but rarely need fixing because their extremely reliable, and for me not a big deal to move my hand to make a shift but I raised on this stuff! STI stuff isn't all that reliable, they need frequent adjusting, they have too many parts inside that can and do go wrong and most of the time there is no way to fix it so you have to replace the entire unit; with downtube shifters if something breaks its usually the little nylon/plastic washer that wears out and the washer are of course extremely inexpensive, and worst case you have to replace the shifter but those are at least $100 less than the cheapest STI!!! Don't get me wrong, I like my STI, but I also like the fool proof and bullet proof design of the downtube shifter. The other thing that's weird about STI and Ergo (I have both), they doesn't shift any faster than my best friction system? yup, in fact I have a couple of bikes with the old SIS index downtube shifting and those shift FASTER than SIT or Ergo!! Just don't go telling new school riders this stuff because they can't handle the fact that some old school "junk" shifts just as well or better than modern "high" technology stuff. LOL!!! So don't sell friction or index systems short just because it's old school, there was quite a bit of old school stuff that was and is superior to the new stuff.

 

[bobbyl1966]

Good morning. Thank you for all the helpfull info you give me always. I agree with you in friction shifters. i think i have to ride more and get use better the dowtube shifters. I used have one steel road bike i have put the friction shifters on the stem. Now my cannondale i left like that downtube shifters cant put on the stem is wide the stem not fit and i not want destroy the original way is setup the shifters now. I am okay move my hands what i have seen most of the times and more downhill i have to slow down for i change gears. I wish you have nice day. i have go sale today one womans bike do some little extra cash buy food. I not let my wife hungry never. If i found bikes in thrift stores some times and worth to buy i repair most i look not need parts just adjust or new innertubes or do the brakes true the wheels no have truing stand i try do with my eyes i use the brakes. okay i go now have i very nice day

 

[Froze]

You have a nice day too.

 

[bobbyl1966]

thank you

 

[gsbutton]

I purchased a Dawes Lightning Sport three months ago, I wanted something cheap because I was just getting into cycling. I have about 500 miles on it and the only thing I have done is upgrade the brakes to SRAM Apex. In total, I put $260 for the bike with Shimano Tourny (cheap I know) front and rear derailleur, shimano cassette and crank and then $55 for the SRAM Apex. 500 miles in and I am very happy with my roughly $300 bike. At the same time I bought my fiance a Mercier Elle, another cheap bike because she was new to biking as well. Hers is all stock and works perfectly. When I am ready to move on to a better and faster bike I think I might try BD again. But next time go with the Motobecane Sprint CF Pro and get 22spd Ultegra components. But until I have more time off of work and can ride more frequently, I think I will stay with my trouble free Dawes.

 

[bobbyl1966]

motobecane road bikes on bikes direct looks good