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Sometimes I think all the rest is just fashion!
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Stuff
How to Buy a Bike
(46 posts)-
Posted 6 years ago #
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“53-39 up top and 28-11 at the back”
That covers most things, though there are times when a 34 at the back is useful (makes Dublin Street easier).
Posted 6 years ago # -
Dublin Street Techno Party
Dublin Street Techno Party@chdot man you bring the 90s memories flooding right back
Posted 6 years ago # -
" I can't quite imagine munching the miles down the railway path day after day with one."
If it's primarily for a relatively short distance commute (9 miles or so each way?) then hub gears and brakes, sealed from all that mud and water, plus a chainguard, will give you a very reliable bike.
If you're doing 90 miles all in a oner however, a drop bar lighter "audax" or sportive style bike or "light tourer" might be better.
Horses for courses and all that...
Posted 6 years ago # -
@crowriver - totally down with the idea of hub gears and chainguards. But I'm happy with the weight/low-maintenance/stopping-power combo of my disc brakes so not anxious to change them. I guess the CityZen C8 ticks a lot of the boxes...
It's more the (apparent) upright sitting position that I'm not sure about... but I really need to try one before I can make judgements like that!Posted 6 years ago # -
"I really need to try one"
Absolutely.
Posted 6 years ago # -
And back to the original problem of finding something I want to try in stock in the size I need!... I get there...
Posted 6 years ago # -
poking the malfunctioning part with a stick to dislodge the caked on mud to see if that fixes it
This failsafe maintenance schedule failed me drastically the other day - when I was putting on my winter tires I noticed that the lower cog in my derailleur was so clogged up I don't think it has turned for a couple of months. I wondered what that strange vibration was.
The upside is now I've unclogged it cycling feels like I've got a constant tailwind.Anyway - in the bike buying dept - I've put a deposit down on a XL Croix de Fer 20 which should arrive in time to test it by the end of the month.
So in answer to my original question as to how you buy a bike as a lanky-git.. the answer is verrrry-slowly...Posted 6 years ago # -
But very satisfyingly, we hope?
Posted 6 years ago # -
the lower cog in my derailleur was so clogged up I don't think it has turned for a couple of months
Dérailleur gears really aren't suitable for commuting in many ways, but this will have been excellent strength training?
Posted 6 years ago # -
but this will have been excellent strength training
Maybe for someone with a normal skeletomuscular system - I've just been wondering why my knee had decided to swell up for no (apparent) reason whatsoever over the last month.
Because it was doing twice the work it normally does perchance?..Posted 6 years ago # -
I thought I'd add an update here... I tested the Croix de Fer 20 and it felt really weird coming from a relatively upright commuter bike so I realised there was no way I'd really know what it was going to feel like until I rode it for more than 20 mins. So I took a leap of faith and bought the thing.
A few months on, I'm generally really pleased with the purchase.
The main thing is it's taken about 20 mins off my commute round-trip. So getting to hang out with the kids for a bit longer at night it great. Of course I'm getting a good deal less exercise now so am considering adding an extra day of cycle commuting (currently only do it 3 days a week).
In general (mostly for the above reasons) I think it's a great bike for commuting... the downsides are I'm struggling to get totally comfortable on it - which is what I'm waiting for before increasing the commuting days. Too much weight on my wrists and tail-end discomfort... but the downside is outweighed by the good (plus the commute is now so quick I can easily put up with the discomfort). I'm fairly confident I'll get to the bottom of the bike fit in time (I hope so anyway - on my 3rd seat and 2nd stem so far).
Thanks for all the help I got here.Posted 6 years ago # -
“2nd stem so far”
That’s probably where I would start.
Obviously you already know you can different lengths and also angles to raise bars.
Perhaps consider different bars too.
Posted 6 years ago # -
I am thinking about getting a new bike because I can get £400 off first £800 spent on a bike from Evans through our new work health insurance (vitality). I was looking into getting an adventure-road type (e.g. Pinnacle Arkose )
One thing that I am not sold on are the drop bars (I have never ridden a bike like that). I had a look through multiple threads mentioning 'drop bars' and most of you highly recommend them. One more concern I have is the bell ringing. Currently I have the bell right within my left thumb reach. I find it very useful because I do ring it at the canal bridges but sometimes I find it a bit difficult to manage braking, gear shifting, ringing and maneuvering on cobbles at the same time.
So my (perhaps silly) question would be can you set it up so that the brakes, gear shifters and bell are all within easy reach?
Posted 5 years ago # -
I have a wee bell that clips onto the rubbery cover on the hoods of my drops, so you can reach it from on top and when in the drops. Can photograph if helpful?
Downside is it's the sort of bell that pings itself when riding on really bumpy sets.
Posted 5 years ago # -
@unhurt how is that a downside? Bells are there to be rung. Indeed some would argue that they are never really bells unless they are ringing.
@bill I understand your dilemma. Drops are not the best for the canal bridges but they are the best for the open road. I have in the past resorted to just saying the words Ding Ding if not able to ring in time eg if braking etc.
Reminds me of Ella Fitzgerald version of the great Frank Loesser number If I were a bell (I'd be ringing) which is joyful
Posted 5 years ago #
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