Touring vs. Road

[Zeldabee]

Stephen Harding <[email protected]> wrote:
> Hunrobe wrote:
>
> > .... How often do those here check tire pressure?

Before every ride, with a gauge for the skinny tires, with my thumb for the fatter tires.

> I've noticed the touring bike with 32mm Conti Top Touring tires is pretty much at 80 psi, max psi
> for that tire. I think I could go two weeks without it changing much.

I noticed the same thing with my 32 TTs.

--
z e l d a b e e @ p a n i x . c o m http://NewsReader.Com/

 

[Zeldabee]

[email protected] (Bill McHale) wrote:

> If I was buying today, I would certainly look at the Romulous (or Redwood, not sure what the size
> point is where you need the larger bike).

The Romulus is *nice*, for the price...I hadn't looked at it before.

--
z e l d a b e e @ p a n i x . c o m http://NewsReader.Com/

 

[Effi]

"Hunrobe" revealed he or she is a moron by scribbling the following with his or her fucia crayola:
> Gee, you wouldn't be selling any bikes on ebay now would you?

hialrious

 

[Buck]

"Hunrobe" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> >"effi" [email protected]
>
> wrote:
>
> >another thing you could do is go to www.ebay.com , select smart search,
put
> >in road bike then specify the price range you want, like $0 to $200, or whatever, then search
>
> Gee, you wouldn't be selling any bikes on ebay now would you?

Not currently, he isn't:

http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewSellersOtherItems&userid=ttrdelta2
1&completed=0&sort=3&since=-1

 

[Mike Jacoubowsk]

> I'm starting to have second thoughts about my budget. I probably ride a total of 800-1000 miles a
> year. Should I spend $1500 on a bike I'm not going to use that often? The T800 was very nice, but
> expensive. I paid $600 for my Trek 6500 I purchased 5 years ago. Do people think I should be able
> to get as nice a bike for $800-$900?

No, you cannot get as nice a bike for $900 that you can for $1500, but you may get a bike for $900
that suits your needs perfectly well.

However, if there's something you find about a more expensive (but still within your budget) bike
that's more exciting and will motivate you to ride more often, then the extra expense would be
worthwhile. Personally, I think if you find the right bike, and a shop that fits it properly to you,
you'll become an addict and find a way to ride a lot more than 1000 miles/year on it!

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles http://www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

"Mark Henke" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I am very confused now. I went back to the first bike shop last night and the sales person there
> was pushing a Canondale T800 very hard. They also had a '97 Canondale T1000 and still had it
> marked at $1700. I think the reason they were pusing the T800 is that they don't want to get stuck
> with it like the T1000. The frame is the 'jumbo' size, and I'm sure they don't have many people
> look at it. When they showed it to me, they had to get it out from the back.
>
> I'm starting to have second thoughts about my budget. I probably ride a total of 800-1000 miles a
> year. Should I spend $1500 on a bike I'm not going to use that often? The T800 was very nice, but
> expensive. I paid $600 for my Trek 6500 I purchased 5 years ago. Do people think I should be able
> to get as nice a bike for $800-$900?

 

[Effi]

just got another bike off ebay, the buyer being a bike shop no less, a $200 65 cm fuji, one word
describes it... awesome

i'm up to $283 (which included all shipping, insurance, and other costs) for TWO awesome bikes which
beats the cheapest new bike in my size at the local bike shop which costs $600 (after sales tax)
(noting their inventory of used bikes is miniscule, nothing like ebay)

that's two bikes for half the cost of the cheapest new one available

"effi" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> i just bought on e-bay a schwinn giant world road bike in excellent condition, with 27" tires and
> 35" standover height, steel frame, with the rest being primarily aluminum components, for....now
> get this...$83 (which included the shipping & insurance)
>
> the cheapest bike in my size the bike shop had was $549
>
> i should easily be able to resell the $83 bike later for $100 or more, if i decided i didn't like
> it for whatever reason, but seeing the post about bikes priced at $1,500 increases the appeal of
an
> $83 bike
>
>
> "David L. Johnson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > On Tue, 03 Jun 2003 08:51:42 +0000, Mark Henke wrote:
> >
> > By the way, I disagree with the advice to go to e-bay. You need to be
fit
> > to your bike. That is what a good bike shop will do (insist on it --
and
> > not just stand-over-the-bar nonsense, either), but on e-bay? If you
know
> > what size you need, and know what you are getting, it could be a
bargain.
> > It can also be a rip-off.
> >
> > --
> >
> > David L. Johnson
> >
> > __o | It doesn't get any easier, you just go faster. --Greg LeMond _`\(,_ | (_)/ (_) |
> >
>

 

[Bernie]

Hunrobe wrote:

> >"Mike Jacoubowsky" [email protected]
>
> wrote in part:
>
> >you'd need to be religious about tire pressure (full rated pressure at all times, check before
> >every single ride, and not with your thumb!!!).
>
> I've read similiar advice to this countless times and have always assumed it was meant as a joke.
> Checking tire pressure with the gauge on my floor pump is part of the pre-ride ritual I do before
> *every* ride. I've forgotten to fill water bottles and left my gloves on the shelf but neglect to
> check tire pressures and QR levers? Never. So now I'm curious.... How often do those here check
> tire pressure?
>
> Regards, Bob Hunt

With a gauge? Roughly 2 times a week. Bernie

 

[treebeard]

This is a fascinating thread to stumble on to (my first time here) since just today I took my 30+ year-old Bottecchia in to the local shop to ask about upgrading it. It's a classic old bike, mfg'd ca. 1970-72, and I purchased it used in 1977 and have ridden it a whole lot since. I last had it retrofitted about 12-13 years ago, and it is in bad need of work if it is to continue to provide riding pleasure for me.

However, the guy at the shop pointed out a lot of problems with the old bike; on the one hand, the fact that the frame had been slightly damaged (back before I bought it, which speaks to how well made those old Columbus double-butted lugged frames were), that a lot of the parts are no longer available, and that there have been an incredible number of technological improvements since I last looked at new road bikes (about 1988). He said that the shop would not want to work on an old bike with a damaged frame (it really isn't all that bad), and that instead (here comes the sales pitch) I should look at a new bike in the $850-1000 range. He showed me the Specialized Sequoia Expert, and I test rode it. Very nice, with the new gear shifts, the seat suspension, the shock-absorbing fork, the 27 gears (my Bottecchia was originally 10, upped to 12 gears 12 years ago).

But I still like the "old" classic designs, so I was intrigued by Rivendell -- until I saw their prices. Yikes! At 51, I'm not planning any competitive racing or even long tours, just 5-10 miles at a time around town, but I want good performance for that. Heron may be more nicely priced, but still I'm looking at about $1500. $850 for the Specialized Sequoia Sport is looking better all the time.

Any way, I really have two questions I'm pondering: one, should I give up on retrofitting the Bottecchia (it needs the works: chain, cables, brakes, new front & probably rear derailer, wheels, handlebars, seat--but ye olde Campy crankset is still mint!--and the frame damage shows a little rippling of the paint on the behind the lug where the top stay meets the front fork--sorry, I've forgotten my terminology); two, if I go for a new bike, does anyone have an opinion on the Specialized Sequoia?

Thanks!

Ernie

Originally posted by Steve

My first thought was and is a Rivendell Romulus - rivendellbicycles.com It's about in your price
range, is designed for getting the handlebar at a comfortable height, has decent components and they
will spend a good amount of time talking to you to make sure you get the right bike and the right
fit. . . . Or look at the Rambouillet
(basically the same bike but in a frame only version) and have them build it up from scratch.

Also the Heron series from heronbicycles.com

These are all bikes designed to allow you to do long distance rides in comfort, that will be riding
10 years from now.

Steve B.

 

[Mymacv]

>But I still like the "old" classic designs, so I was intrigued by Rivendell -- until I saw
>their prices

I recently bought a Riv Romulus. I haven't owned many bikes but this is the best of the lot and I'm
very pleased with it. I foolishly ignored Grant Petersen's advice and got a bike that is a bit small
though, with the longish quill Nitto stem, I can still get the bars up to the height of the saddle
which is a very comfortable position. I will probably get another stem and that should give me a
near-perfect fit.I looked at the Sequoia Expert and it seems as if it should be a very nice ride but
I just liked the way the Rivendell bikes look and the Romulus isn't that much more expensive. If you
do decide on the Romulus, try to buy one from a dealer so that you can get any fitting problems
worked out on the spot. And listen to Grant Petersen's advice on sizing. John

 

[Tim B]

The Sport is a really nice bike for your purposes, and for mine. 80 miles this past Friday in
relative comfort. And you can upgrade whatever parts you want to upgrade later.

"treebeard" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Steve wrote:
> > My first thought was and is a Rivendell Romulus -
rivendellbicycles.com
> > It's about in your price range, is designed for getting the handlebar
at
> > a comfortable height, has decent components and they will spend a good amount of time talking
> > to you to make sure you get the right bike and the right fit. . . . Or look at the Rambouillet
> > (basically the same
bike
> > but in a frame only version) and have them build it up from scratch. Also the Heron series
> > from heronbicycles.com These are all bikes designed to allow you to do long distance rides in
> > comfort, that will be riding 10 years from now. Steve B.
>
> This is a fascinating thread to stumble on to (my first time here) since just today I took my 30+
> year-old Bottecchia in to the local shop to ask about upgrading it. It's a classic old bike, mfg'd
> ca. 1970-72, and I purchased it used in 1977 and have ridden it a whole lot since. I last had it
> retrofitted about 12-13 years ago, and it is in bad need of work if it is to continue to provide
> riding pleasure for me.
>
> However, the guy at the shop pointed out a lot of problems with the old bike; on the one hand, the
> fact that the frame had been slightly damaged (back before I bought it, which speaks to how well
> made those old Columbus double-butted lugged frames were), that a lot of the parts are no longer
> available, and that there have been an incredible number of technological improvements since I
> last looked at new road bikes (about
> 1988). He said that the shop would not want to work on an old bike with a damaged frame (it really
> isn't all that bad), and that instead (here comes the sales pitch) I should look at a new
> bike in the $850-1000 range. He showed me the Specialized Sequoia Expert, and I test rode it.
> Very nice, with the new gear shifts, the seat suspension, the shock-absorbing fork, the 27
> gears (my Bottecchia was originally 10, upped to 12 gears 12 years ago).
>
> But I still like the "old" classic designs, so I was intrigued by Rivendell -- until I saw their
> prices. Yikes! At 51, I'm not planning any competitive racing or even long tours, just 5-10 miles
> at a time around town, but I want good performance for that. Heron may be more nicely priced, but
> still I'm looking at about $1500. $850 for the Specialized Sequoia Sport is looking better all
> the time.
>
> Any way, I really have two questions I'm pondering: one, should I give up on retrofitting the
> Bottecchia (it needs the works: chain, cables, brakes, new front & probably rear derailer, wheels,
> handlebars, seat--but ye olde Campy crankset is still mint!--and the frame damage shows a little
> rippling of the paint on the behind the lug where the top stay meets the front fork--sorry, I've
> forgotten my terminology); two, if I go for a new bike, does anyone have an opinion on the
> Specialized Sequoia?
>
> Thanks!
>
> Ernie
>
>
>
>
> --
> >--------------------------<
> Posted via cyclingforums.com http://www.cyclingforums.com

 

[treebeard]

Originally posted by Mymacv
I recently bought a Riv Romulus. I foolishly ignored Grant Petersen's advice and got a bike that is a bit small

I like Grant's advice, as it jives with my experience. Over the past 25 years, it's seemed to me that then tendency has been to smaller and smaller bikes, so that the bike that fit me 25 years ago (my 30-year-old Bottecchia) is now considered by most to be "too big". I don't think so.

[I just liked the way the Rivendell bikes look and the Romulus isn't that much more expensive. If you
do decide on the Romulus, try to buy one from a dealer so that you can get any fitting problems
worked out on the spot. And listen to Grant Petersen's advice on sizing. John

I've found a dealer who carries Rivendell, Heron, Bianchi and other high quality bikes nearby, so I'll check them out before I make my decision. I really liked the ride and feel of the Specialized Sequoia, but I also like the look and quality of a lugged CrMo frame which will last 30 years (and if it's made as well as or better than my Bottecchia, it will).

The only problem is I'm looking to pay around $800-900, as in the Sequoia Sport (not the Expert, which is the one they had ready to test ride), so the Rivendell is about twice the price. I've got an eye on Bianchi as they have a few models in the price range which are closer to Rivendell than to all the other bikes out there.

 

[treebeard]

Originally posted by Tim B
The Sport is a really nice bike for your purposes, and for mine. 80 miles this past Friday in
relative comfort. And you can upgrade whatever parts you want to upgrade later.

I really like the Sport, my only real concern being whether the frame will hold up over time. To hear the Rivendell folks talk, aluminum tig-welded frames will only last a few years, whereas lugged CrMo steel frames will last 20, 30 years. At 51, I'd like the bike I buy now to last well into my retirement years. Am I expecting too much, having gotten more than 25 years out of my old Bottecchia?

The Sequoia is a joy to ride, responsive, fast, great gear, so I have no doubts about the quality in that regard. Any comments?

 

[Terry Morse]

treebeard wrote:

> To hear the Rivendell folks talk, aluminum tig-welded frames will only last a few years, whereas
> lugged CrMo steel frames will last 20, 30 years.

To be more accurate, stupid light frames will only last a few years. The material choice is
irrelevant when put in the hands of an incompetent designer.
--
terry morse Palo Alto, CA http://www.terrymorse.com/bike/

 

[Mymacv]

>The only problem is I'm looking to pay around $800-900, as in the Sequoia Sport (not the Expert,
>which is the one they had ready to test ride), so the Rivendell is about twice the price.

The Sport seems an excellent value for the money. There is much to be said about dealing directly
with a good LBS so far as proper fit is concerned. You should be satisfied with the bike when you
leave the shop and know you can come back if there is something that needs tweaking. I bought my
Romulus through Harris Cyclery with the intention of driving the 300 miles from NJ to MA so that I
could check it out for size, fit, etc. There was [apparently] a misunderstanding and Harris UPS'd
the bike to me so it ended up being a mail-order bike. I think that I'd rather compromise a little
on the bike if I had to [eg, aluminum vs lugged steel] and give high priority to personal dealing
with a first-rate bike shop. John

 

[treebeard]

Originally posted by Mymacv
> The Sport seems an excellent value for the money.

Indeed. It looks to be a good road bike with nice features and engineering for the $. I think the Rivendell Romulus also looks like an excellent value, but at a higher price point than I'm comfortable. There are a couple of lower priced Bianchis that caught my eye, however, and I think I'll be wanting to compare these to the Sport.

The real comparison for me isn't touring vs. road so much as new vs. classic design (Sequoia vs. Romulus), so maybe this thread has spun in a new direction, but this is really helpful info for someone who has not been involved with the changes in technology for over two decades.

> There is much to be said about dealing directly with a good LBS so far as proper fit is concerned.

Good point; Rivendell says the same.

> I bought my Romulus through Harris Cyclery

Aha, that's the dealer I found relatively nearby (I'm in Marlboro MA and they are in Newton, about 25 miles away).

> I think that I'd rather compromise a little on the bike if I had to [eg, aluminum vs lugged steel]
> and give high priority to personal dealing with a first-rate bike shop. John

Yes, especially in my case because I simply don't know enough to evaluate the pros and cons of aluminum vs lugged steel, etc. I thought it was pretty hot to turn my 10 speed into a 12 speed 15 years ago, and here all these bikes are now 27 speed. What do I know?

Thanks for all the comments.

Ernie