SHOW US YOUR BIKES!!! April 6, 2018 6:40 AM Subscribe
Can this be the thread where we post pictures of our bicycles?
With this FPP, presumably Springtime in the Northern Hemisphere, and #30daysofbiking in effect for the month worldwide...
LET'S SEE SOME BIKES.
With this FPP, presumably Springtime in the Northern Hemisphere, and #30daysofbiking in effect for the month worldwide...
LET'S SEE SOME BIKES.
Springtime in the Northern Hemisphere
LOL not in the midwest for more than a few hours at a time. *sobbing*
posted by cooker girl at 7:21 AM on April 6, 2018 [4 favorites]
LOL not in the midwest for more than a few hours at a time. *sobbing*
posted by cooker girl at 7:21 AM on April 6, 2018 [4 favorites]
Here is my winter bike. While this picture was from snowier times this season I am riding it today because although most snow is melted there is going to be some rain/snow action when I'm biking home later and I want the studded tires in case of any ice patches. This bike started as an L.L.Bean 29er mountain bike. I replaced the fork with a rigid one and replaced the entire drivetrain so it is a single up front and an internal 8-speed hub in back, so no worries about derailleurs getting messed up with slush and ice and less wear and tear/maintenance overall.
Even though it's still cold here we have had some dry stretches so I've taken out the spring/summer bike and have been riding it to work in winter gear. This is a 2017 Specialized Diverge Elite DSW in see-from-space orange. Not many modifications - added the front pannier rack so I can carry my work clothes on commutes and a bell.
Previous to getting that bike my primary bike was this Jamis, which I now use for social/casual/grocery trips around town or to the neighboring city.
Last year I tried putting a camera on my bike, primarily to collect evidence from one troublesome driver but it was pretty fun so I posted some other videos on youtube. Unfortunately the camera stopped working reliably, so no more videos for now.
posted by mikepop at 7:22 AM on April 6, 2018 [4 favorites]
Even though it's still cold here we have had some dry stretches so I've taken out the spring/summer bike and have been riding it to work in winter gear. This is a 2017 Specialized Diverge Elite DSW in see-from-space orange. Not many modifications - added the front pannier rack so I can carry my work clothes on commutes and a bell.
Previous to getting that bike my primary bike was this Jamis, which I now use for social/casual/grocery trips around town or to the neighboring city.
Last year I tried putting a camera on my bike, primarily to collect evidence from one troublesome driver but it was pretty fun so I posted some other videos on youtube. Unfortunately the camera stopped working reliably, so no more videos for now.
posted by mikepop at 7:22 AM on April 6, 2018 [4 favorites]
It's not a great photo but since I have it handy: this fine machine brought me to see the DC cherry blossoms yesterday followed by the Nationals baseball home opener. It's a Trek 410 from circa 1983 that I have owned since about 1992 or 1993. It has a ton of miles on it and has gone though a few sets of components, starting with friction shifting Campagnolo and 27" wheels, now running 700C. I used it in a few collegiate races early on — at one memorable rainy race my rear tire slid out what felt like a full 12 inches to the side as we took a corner. The guy behind me emitted a very audible gasp but I kept the bike upright. I never got close to winning a race.
Around 2003, because I had a newer bike, I turned this one into a fixed gear for fun and flipped & chopped the handlebars to make them bullhorn style. It's nice for getting around locally.
posted by exogenous at 7:31 AM on April 6, 2018 [3 favorites]
Around 2003, because I had a newer bike, I turned this one into a fixed gear for fun and flipped & chopped the handlebars to make them bullhorn style. It's nice for getting around locally.
posted by exogenous at 7:31 AM on April 6, 2018 [3 favorites]
This was right before we got 10 inches of snow on Wednesday. I did #30daysofbiking last year and started strong this year but wimped out with the snow+wind.
I have two bikes right now, which makes me feel like some sort of tychoon (bichoon?). The one in the picture is my mom's 1950's Dunelt, which makes me feel like a British Lady Detective, cruising the countryside looking for mysteries to solve. I also have a rinky-dink Schwinn that is my commuter bike, but I'm looking to upgrade this year. No picture of that one, unfortunately.
posted by Elly Vortex at 7:36 AM on April 6, 2018 [6 favorites]
I have two bikes right now, which makes me feel like some sort of tychoon (bichoon?). The one in the picture is my mom's 1950's Dunelt, which makes me feel like a British Lady Detective, cruising the countryside looking for mysteries to solve. I also have a rinky-dink Schwinn that is my commuter bike, but I'm looking to upgrade this year. No picture of that one, unfortunately.
posted by Elly Vortex at 7:36 AM on April 6, 2018 [6 favorites]
Not enough light in the basement ;-)
posted by sammyo at 7:42 AM on April 6, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by sammyo at 7:42 AM on April 6, 2018 [1 favorite]
No photos, but I have a black Jamis Allegro Sport that I plan on using to cruise the many accessible trails of Fairmount Park.
posted by grumpybear69 at 7:55 AM on April 6, 2018
posted by grumpybear69 at 7:55 AM on April 6, 2018
I've been biking all winter since my new job is only 4 miles away from home! I can't wait until it finally warms up.
Here are my (our?) ridiculous bikes. Two Rivendells, a HubbahhubbaH tandem and my Atlantis. I'll be doing an MS charity ride on the Atlantis in June, so, uh... hit me up if you want to donate? I don't want to spam everyone with that. I did the Pan Mass Challenge on it a few years ago and people couldn't get over I was doing such a long ride on a "heavy" bike without clipless pedals.
The tandem is awesome. We also have a roadier Cannondale tandem (...which we're probably trying to offload if anyone in Boston is in the market). And there's the '66 Raleigh Superbe. And a cheapo folding bike. I don't have a problem.
posted by backseatpilot at 7:56 AM on April 6, 2018 [8 favorites]
Here are my (our?) ridiculous bikes. Two Rivendells, a HubbahhubbaH tandem and my Atlantis. I'll be doing an MS charity ride on the Atlantis in June, so, uh... hit me up if you want to donate? I don't want to spam everyone with that. I did the Pan Mass Challenge on it a few years ago and people couldn't get over I was doing such a long ride on a "heavy" bike without clipless pedals.
The tandem is awesome. We also have a roadier Cannondale tandem (...which we're probably trying to offload if anyone in Boston is in the market). And there's the '66 Raleigh Superbe. And a cheapo folding bike. I don't have a problem.
posted by backseatpilot at 7:56 AM on April 6, 2018 [8 favorites]
Once again, the disgusting anti-tricycle prejudice of MetaFilter spins its twin wheels of silencing and of repression.
#SILENCED_ALL_MY_TRIKE1
1 Also ... silenced all my unicycle, and all my quadbike, I guess. But, uh ... well, "trike" was the nearest I could get to a functioning pun2.
2 OK, OK - I say "pun", obviously I mean "stupid fucking dad joke from a tedious moron" :-(
posted by the quidnunc kid at 7:58 AM on April 6, 2018 [3 favorites]
#SILENCED_ALL_MY_TRIKE1
1 Also ... silenced all my unicycle, and all my quadbike, I guess. But, uh ... well, "trike" was the nearest I could get to a functioning pun2.
2 OK, OK - I say "pun", obviously I mean "stupid fucking dad joke from a tedious moron" :-(
posted by the quidnunc kid at 7:58 AM on April 6, 2018 [3 favorites]
I don't bike much anymore, so I feel a bit like a fraud posting here, but I have two bikes.
The first one is a Trek 730 hybrid that I've had for almost 25 years. It has served me well though various phases of bike commuting, errand running, and recreational biking. I carried my child on the back, first on a kid seat, then in a trailer, and finally on one of those ride-along things that lets the kid pedal in the back.
The second one is one I bought about five years ago. I was tired of taking my bike to the shop every year for a tune up, so I thought "I want to teach myself about bikes." So I bought a $60 beater on Craigslist and took it home, expecting to do a few minor things to tune it up.
I ended up stripping it down to the frame. I touched up the paint, put in a new bottom bracket, front derailleur, crankset, chain (all free thanks to a ten year old Shimano recall), rear cog, rear derailleur, rebuilt the hubs, replaced the brakes with V brakes, installed new shifters and new cables. Did pretty much everything except mess with the stem and shocks.
Before I bought the bike I didn't know anything about how bikes worked. Didn't know what bearings and cones were. Didn't know what a bottom bracket was. Didn't know anything, really. When I was done, I felt comfortable doing just about anything. Bikes are fun.
posted by bondcliff at 8:13 AM on April 6, 2018 [8 favorites]
The first one is a Trek 730 hybrid that I've had for almost 25 years. It has served me well though various phases of bike commuting, errand running, and recreational biking. I carried my child on the back, first on a kid seat, then in a trailer, and finally on one of those ride-along things that lets the kid pedal in the back.
The second one is one I bought about five years ago. I was tired of taking my bike to the shop every year for a tune up, so I thought "I want to teach myself about bikes." So I bought a $60 beater on Craigslist and took it home, expecting to do a few minor things to tune it up.
I ended up stripping it down to the frame. I touched up the paint, put in a new bottom bracket, front derailleur, crankset, chain (all free thanks to a ten year old Shimano recall), rear cog, rear derailleur, rebuilt the hubs, replaced the brakes with V brakes, installed new shifters and new cables. Did pretty much everything except mess with the stem and shocks.
Before I bought the bike I didn't know anything about how bikes worked. Didn't know what bearings and cones were. Didn't know what a bottom bracket was. Didn't know anything, really. When I was done, I felt comfortable doing just about anything. Bikes are fun.
posted by bondcliff at 8:13 AM on April 6, 2018 [8 favorites]
Here's my new(ish) winter bike. I rode the old one 25000+ miles before many things started to fail, all at once. The final straw was the crank shearing in half, which I couldn't believe was a thing, but the folks at the bike shop just nodded at with a grin. In the summer I ride a ridiculously light half carbon/half aluminum beauty that probably wishes I didn't live in the Pacific Northwest; I ride to work every day unless it's icy (you may even be able to see some water on that shot... it was that weird misty you're going to get wet thing in Portland this morning).
posted by togdon at 8:21 AM on April 6, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by togdon at 8:21 AM on April 6, 2018 [1 favorite]
Ooh, fun! Here is my winter bike - it's kinda famous. I like to deck it out. I'm a year-round rider in very snowy and very cold Ottawa.
Here is one of my "regular season" bikes, though sometimes my winter bike does "regular season" duty.
Last summer I accidentally became extremely enamoured with vintage Raleighs and bought a nice 1976 Raleigh Superbe. It's pretty rad.
And yet I still can't stop looking at bikes on Kijiji. I definitely need a foldie.
posted by urbanlenny at 8:28 AM on April 6, 2018 [1 favorite]
Here is one of my "regular season" bikes, though sometimes my winter bike does "regular season" duty.
Last summer I accidentally became extremely enamoured with vintage Raleighs and bought a nice 1976 Raleigh Superbe. It's pretty rad.
And yet I still can't stop looking at bikes on Kijiji. I definitely need a foldie.
posted by urbanlenny at 8:28 AM on April 6, 2018 [1 favorite]
Here’s some coffee with my bike in the background.
Here’s my bike with a freeway in the background.
Here’s my bike at the bikeshop with its beloved stickers in foreground.
posted by Celsius1414 at 8:31 AM on April 6, 2018 [1 favorite]
Here’s my bike with a freeway in the background.
Here’s my bike at the bikeshop with its beloved stickers in foreground.
posted by Celsius1414 at 8:31 AM on April 6, 2018 [1 favorite]
Hey, I recognize that sticker! I should definitely make some new ones.
posted by mikepop at 8:36 AM on April 6, 2018 [3 favorites]
posted by mikepop at 8:36 AM on April 6, 2018 [3 favorites]
My bike, carrying snacks.
My bike, at McDonald's.
My bike, picking up pizza.
My bike, with breakfast from Taco Bell.
... What?
posted by asperity at 8:45 AM on April 6, 2018 [3 favorites]
My bike, at McDonald's.
My bike, picking up pizza.
My bike, with breakfast from Taco Bell.
... What?
posted by asperity at 8:45 AM on April 6, 2018 [3 favorites]
An old photo (back when Spring in MN didn't involve record breaking cold temps and snow fall) of my Felt Cafe 8 Deluxe. I did #30daysofbiking in 2012 right after I bought that bike and then continued to bike commute at least once a week for 26 weeks in a row that year. That was pre-child, but he's heading to kindergarten this fall, so I'm doing #30daysofbiking again this month and have Plans for more bike commuting then.
posted by jillithd at 8:56 AM on April 6, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by jillithd at 8:56 AM on April 6, 2018 [1 favorite]
Here's my boring and slow commuter bike with a child seat, but hey! It works!
Here's my more fun, zippy 3-speed bike that is my first love and I miss riding regularly.
posted by kendrak at 9:26 AM on April 6, 2018 [2 favorites]
Here's my more fun, zippy 3-speed bike that is my first love and I miss riding regularly.
posted by kendrak at 9:26 AM on April 6, 2018 [2 favorites]
My bike (new as of 2015) which I use on my one-mile absolutely flat commute: this thing here.
Detail on that READ BOOKS! sticker if you're interested (and which has actually come up on Ask MetaFilter before).
RIP old bike which I will love forever and which was ridden away by a thief as I chased him down the street.
posted by komara at 9:28 AM on April 6, 2018 [2 favorites]
Detail on that READ BOOKS! sticker if you're interested (and which has actually come up on Ask MetaFilter before).
RIP old bike which I will love forever and which was ridden away by a thief as I chased him down the street.
posted by komara at 9:28 AM on April 6, 2018 [2 favorites]
My bike is similar to this one. I found it while shopping for my first bike on Craigslist and wasn't really intending to buy, but then I rode it and it just felt right. (I got it for less than asking because I literally didn't have enough money in my wallet.) The bike may be older than I am; it still has the original Biopace chainrings.
For the $200 or so I spent four years ago it's exceeded my expectations, but it's also starting to fall apart in predictable ways (chain is stretched, headset is a little off, rust on the frame). I'm half-heartedly looking for a new bike but whenever I test-ride them the fit is never quite right, which is to say the fit is different from the bike I'm currently riding. -sigh- Upon reflection I now wonder if that's partly because all the bikes I test have circular chainrings, and I'm used to slightly elliptical ones.
posted by invokeuse at 9:29 AM on April 6, 2018 [1 favorite]
For the $200 or so I spent four years ago it's exceeded my expectations, but it's also starting to fall apart in predictable ways (chain is stretched, headset is a little off, rust on the frame). I'm half-heartedly looking for a new bike but whenever I test-ride them the fit is never quite right, which is to say the fit is different from the bike I'm currently riding. -sigh- Upon reflection I now wonder if that's partly because all the bikes I test have circular chainrings, and I'm used to slightly elliptical ones.
posted by invokeuse at 9:29 AM on April 6, 2018 [1 favorite]
🚲 My bike en route from Land's End to John O'Groats.
🚲 Many bikes on the beach after the Dunwich Dynamo, a through-the-night mass ride from London to the sea.
🚲 My rental bike somewhere in the Marlborough Sounds, NZ.
posted by matthewr at 10:01 AM on April 6, 2018 [3 favorites]
🚲 Many bikes on the beach after the Dunwich Dynamo, a through-the-night mass ride from London to the sea.
🚲 My rental bike somewhere in the Marlborough Sounds, NZ.
posted by matthewr at 10:01 AM on April 6, 2018 [3 favorites]
My bike, from over summer. When I was picking it up from the store, the woman behind me in line whispered "It's beautiful" in the awed tone one reserves for babies.
Which, true. It is pretty. That's not the only reason why I bought it. There was hours of research and indecision and test rides -- I had liked this one the best of what I was looking for, but it was just out of my price range. But then it magically went on sale.
I will be happy when the weather stops being stupid and I can go riding again. I'm ready!
posted by darksong at 11:12 AM on April 6, 2018 [4 favorites]
Which, true. It is pretty. That's not the only reason why I bought it. There was hours of research and indecision and test rides -- I had liked this one the best of what I was looking for, but it was just out of my price range. But then it magically went on sale.
I will be happy when the weather stops being stupid and I can go riding again. I'm ready!
posted by darksong at 11:12 AM on April 6, 2018 [4 favorites]
...chain is stretched...
My 6yo bike got a new chain last week at the shop and it rides so nice now! Chains aren't too spendy! If replacing it gives it a longer lifespan, invokeuse, I recommend it!
posted by jillithd at 11:20 AM on April 6, 2018 [2 favorites]
My 6yo bike got a new chain last week at the shop and it rides so nice now! Chains aren't too spendy! If replacing it gives it a longer lifespan, invokeuse, I recommend it!
posted by jillithd at 11:20 AM on April 6, 2018 [2 favorites]
This is not my bike (I don't have any pictures of mine) but is identical to my bike, so I hope that will do. I dragged it out of the garage last summer for the first time in over a decade, got it tuned up, and have started relearning how to ride as an adult.
I put it away for the winter, as I'm not a confident enough rider yet to ride in any kind of adverse weather conditions, but I'm super excited to get it out again this weekend and go for a ride!
posted by darchildre at 12:49 PM on April 6, 2018 [1 favorite]
I put it away for the winter, as I'm not a confident enough rider yet to ride in any kind of adverse weather conditions, but I'm super excited to get it out again this weekend and go for a ride!
posted by darchildre at 12:49 PM on April 6, 2018 [1 favorite]
Here's an up-to-the-minute photo of my bike: it's snowing outside, a little. Not as fun as this pic from a couple weeks ago: higher-quality snow.
I love my studded tires when the weather's gross (though they kinda suck when it's warm and dry and I sound like I am biking with a beehive in tow.) Looking forward to removing them in favor of normal tires, but that's probably a month away. (See also: why Colorado's Bike to Work Month and Day are in June, not May like everybody else's.)
posted by asperity at 1:14 PM on April 6, 2018 [2 favorites]
I love my studded tires when the weather's gross (though they kinda suck when it's warm and dry and I sound like I am biking with a beehive in tow.) Looking forward to removing them in favor of normal tires, but that's probably a month away. (See also: why Colorado's Bike to Work Month and Day are in June, not May like everybody else's.)
posted by asperity at 1:14 PM on April 6, 2018 [2 favorites]
Love my bike. It's getting a little beat up, as I ride it year-round here in snowy, salty Toronto.
It's a Gallant bicycle; they were a small start up that hand-made them and sold them down the street from me on Bloor St. Smartest thing I did was splurge for a good Brooks seat.
Sadly, they couldn't sustain it and closed down a few years ago.
My bike's still going strong, though.
posted by chococat at 3:09 PM on April 6, 2018 [2 favorites]
It's a Gallant bicycle; they were a small start up that hand-made them and sold them down the street from me on Bloor St. Smartest thing I did was splurge for a good Brooks seat.
Sadly, they couldn't sustain it and closed down a few years ago.
My bike's still going strong, though.
posted by chococat at 3:09 PM on April 6, 2018 [2 favorites]
My main ride - about two years now - is a Kona Dew Plus. It has more gears than I need and is pretty heavy but it has been a workhorse. The only real customizing I've done is to throw a rack on the back (also had collapsible baskets for awhile, but they made rack-locking difficult and I gave up on 'em eventually) and some Gatorskin tires. Lights are a basic PDW set (finally moved the rear light to be mounted on the rack for better visibility).
I also have a Fairdale Lookfar (maybe a 2016?) that I won as a door prize, but the frame is slightly too big for me and I'm not sure what to do about it. It has the perfect amount of gears and a nice light frame for daily commuting but I need to hack down the seat post somehow to make it comfortably rideable.
I'm either going to customize the hell out of the Fairdale, or sell it and look for a lighter regular commuter frame. I'd like to get something with dynamo lights and, uh, not-black for more visibility. Don't know if that'll mean some bright pink accents or just a brighter frame in general.
posted by curious nu at 4:21 PM on April 6, 2018 [1 favorite]
I also have a Fairdale Lookfar (maybe a 2016?) that I won as a door prize, but the frame is slightly too big for me and I'm not sure what to do about it. It has the perfect amount of gears and a nice light frame for daily commuting but I need to hack down the seat post somehow to make it comfortably rideable.
I'm either going to customize the hell out of the Fairdale, or sell it and look for a lighter regular commuter frame. I'd like to get something with dynamo lights and, uh, not-black for more visibility. Don't know if that'll mean some bright pink accents or just a brighter frame in general.
posted by curious nu at 4:21 PM on April 6, 2018 [1 favorite]
Aaaand I just realized I was trying to adjust the wrong part of the seat post on the Fairdale. I'm fine. We're all fine here. How are you?
bike adventures wooooo
posted by curious nu at 4:36 PM on April 6, 2018
bike adventures wooooo
posted by curious nu at 4:36 PM on April 6, 2018
Here's my clearance-rack-Bikes-Direct-former-Brooklyn-commuter-now-Florida-noodler sitting in the garage in its "take the baby to the bayfront so she can shout at the pelicans" regalia.
posted by saladin at 7:16 PM on April 6, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by saladin at 7:16 PM on April 6, 2018 [2 favorites]
As a typical Dutch person and a bit of a hamster (it sounds so much nicer than packrat), I own four bicycles but don't consider them interesting enough to take pictures of. They're just tools... who takes pictures of their scissors?
Anyway: one is a blue no-brand mongrel that we found in the street, fixed up a little and that I've now been using for 10 years or so. It has saddle bags for groceries. One is a sweet old Fongers that is lined up to become my every day bike when the blue one kicks the bucket. One is an old foldable bike that I take on train trips because foldable bikes can be taken on the train free of charge. And the fourth is a teeny tiny foldable that can be bagged up in a bag that I made for it, and then classifies as luggage that can be taken on plane trips. I took it to Oslo so far, and that was very convenient.
Wait, there is at least a picture of that... Here's my little bike in Oslo.
posted by Too-Ticky at 2:04 AM on April 7, 2018 [3 favorites]
Anyway: one is a blue no-brand mongrel that we found in the street, fixed up a little and that I've now been using for 10 years or so. It has saddle bags for groceries. One is a sweet old Fongers that is lined up to become my every day bike when the blue one kicks the bucket. One is an old foldable bike that I take on train trips because foldable bikes can be taken on the train free of charge. And the fourth is a teeny tiny foldable that can be bagged up in a bag that I made for it, and then classifies as luggage that can be taken on plane trips. I took it to Oslo so far, and that was very convenient.
Wait, there is at least a picture of that... Here's my little bike in Oslo.
posted by Too-Ticky at 2:04 AM on April 7, 2018 [3 favorites]
Bike! (Picture from some warmer season.)
I'm actually headed out today to start interviewing new bikes: something I can mount wide tires on because I'm moving out into the country where there are more gravel roads than paved. Woo!
posted by introp at 6:54 AM on April 7, 2018 [3 favorites]
I'm actually headed out today to start interviewing new bikes: something I can mount wide tires on because I'm moving out into the country where there are more gravel roads than paved. Woo!
posted by introp at 6:54 AM on April 7, 2018 [3 favorites]
I bike-commuted to the train station for the first time this week, and I'm so excited for the warmer weather! Here's my trusty bike. While it's not particularly sexy and it's kind of heavy (not unlike its owner haha) but it has all that I need: two baskets, comfy saddle, encased chain so I don't smear oil all over my clothes, and extra blue/white/red reflective stickers in fun geometric patterns.
The black cover on the front basket is what happens when you park your bike in public places in Copenhagen: companies pay a flock of students to put complimentary basket covers or saddle covers with their logos on people's bikes for advertising. I turned this one inside out to hide the logo so now I have a free rain cover for my purse.
Ooh, and I splurged on a Vulpine jacket which should arrive on Monday. I've borrowed my SO's Vulpine these past few days and it's only made me more excited for my own.
posted by rawrberry at 6:59 AM on April 7, 2018 [2 favorites]
The black cover on the front basket is what happens when you park your bike in public places in Copenhagen: companies pay a flock of students to put complimentary basket covers or saddle covers with their logos on people's bikes for advertising. I turned this one inside out to hide the logo so now I have a free rain cover for my purse.
Ooh, and I splurged on a Vulpine jacket which should arrive on Monday. I've borrowed my SO's Vulpine these past few days and it's only made me more excited for my own.
posted by rawrberry at 6:59 AM on April 7, 2018 [2 favorites]
Ooh, and I splurged on a Vulpine jacket which should arrive on Monday.
Hadn't heard of them before so took a look. Have some nice styles! No hoods on their jackets, tho. =( I've been wearing a Marmot shell for a couple of years but it is worn out and needs to get replaced (lining is peeling off inside).
posted by curious nu at 7:26 AM on April 7, 2018
Hadn't heard of them before so took a look. Have some nice styles! No hoods on their jackets, tho. =( I've been wearing a Marmot shell for a couple of years but it is worn out and needs to get replaced (lining is peeling off inside).
posted by curious nu at 7:26 AM on April 7, 2018
No hoods on their jackets, tho.
I'm all for hoods on non-bike jackets but since I always wear a bike helmet I hope I won't miss it on the Vulpine. Marmot looks like they have some nice things!
posted by rawrberry at 7:32 AM on April 7, 2018
I'm all for hoods on non-bike jackets but since I always wear a bike helmet I hope I won't miss it on the Vulpine. Marmot looks like they have some nice things!
posted by rawrberry at 7:32 AM on April 7, 2018
Steel is real. Hardtail forever.
Some really great bikes in this thread.
The daily commuter., an Ogre. My commute includes old cobblestones, new cobblestones, pristine concrete, asphalt potholed to hell and an industrial park. Low pressure semi slick tires are awesome.
The old tourer. Unloaded and with no front rack installed in this picture. Sold it in December to finance a move to another country. It was a good hauler and had many friends too. I miss the Atlantis.
The beater single speed in orange. Cheap Chinese frame. All the components and parts are from the free parts bin at a bike co-op. I have less than $100 in this bike, not afraid to leave it chained overnight(s) outside the bar if too drink to ride home.
The fun 26er. A replica of a Grant Petersen Bridgestone bike. Bought it a bit undersized on purpose. So much fun for quick errands or non technical off-road. Don't worry about the stem, this was temporary while I restored the final one. Handsome xoxo.
Missing are pics of my wife's fully loaded Long Haul Trucker and the kid's balance bike.
posted by Index Librorum Prohibitorum at 8:16 AM on April 7, 2018 [3 favorites]
Some really great bikes in this thread.
The daily commuter., an Ogre. My commute includes old cobblestones, new cobblestones, pristine concrete, asphalt potholed to hell and an industrial park. Low pressure semi slick tires are awesome.
The old tourer. Unloaded and with no front rack installed in this picture. Sold it in December to finance a move to another country. It was a good hauler and had many friends too. I miss the Atlantis.
The beater single speed in orange. Cheap Chinese frame. All the components and parts are from the free parts bin at a bike co-op. I have less than $100 in this bike, not afraid to leave it chained overnight(s) outside the bar if too drink to ride home.
The fun 26er. A replica of a Grant Petersen Bridgestone bike. Bought it a bit undersized on purpose. So much fun for quick errands or non technical off-road. Don't worry about the stem, this was temporary while I restored the final one. Handsome xoxo.
Missing are pics of my wife's fully loaded Long Haul Trucker and the kid's balance bike.
posted by Index Librorum Prohibitorum at 8:16 AM on April 7, 2018 [3 favorites]
Forgot to say that I am getting rid of the 26er, does not get much use now that I am older and heavier, and want to buy one of the new Soma mixte with disk brake framesets, but I have no idea how to size it.
Anyone knows how diamond frame sizes translate to mixte frames? I am a few thousand miles from the nearest distributor, so will have to buy without testing.
posted by Index Librorum Prohibitorum at 8:24 AM on April 7, 2018
Anyone knows how diamond frame sizes translate to mixte frames? I am a few thousand miles from the nearest distributor, so will have to buy without testing.
posted by Index Librorum Prohibitorum at 8:24 AM on April 7, 2018
Oh got down to the basement (I've been out a few times over the winter, feb was lovely but then worst march ever plus hacking cough) but here are the generic 10 speed Ross(?) and the heavy 70's Motobecane that I thought was a tank until the derailleur exploded, still working on getting that repaired. The generic is a smidge small and needs a new seat but has been pretty robust.
And by exploded I mean I was tooling along not pushing or anything and chain jammed and I heard the sound of breaking parts. Stopped quick and there was just a bit of the derailleur attached with bits of metal and plastic strewn behind. Hoping I can straighten the hanger tab and get a bolt in the partially stripped threads.
posted by sammyo at 9:12 AM on April 7, 2018 [1 favorite]
And by exploded I mean I was tooling along not pushing or anything and chain jammed and I heard the sound of breaking parts. Stopped quick and there was just a bit of the derailleur attached with bits of metal and plastic strewn behind. Hoping I can straighten the hanger tab and get a bolt in the partially stripped threads.
posted by sammyo at 9:12 AM on April 7, 2018 [1 favorite]
Anyone knows how diamond frame sizes translate to mixte frames?
Reach is probably the most important measurement for this, so compare the effective top-tube length to a top-tube length that works for you on a diamond frame.
I miss my old Fuji mixte. Stolen almost twenty years ago, but damn, that was a good bike, and it was even free (somebody was throwing it out rather than replacing the tires and brake pads.) Not sure I've got any photos of it, but that's a more interesting reason to dig through old photos than trying to recognize faces I don't really remember...
posted by asperity at 10:07 AM on April 7, 2018 [1 favorite]
Reach is probably the most important measurement for this, so compare the effective top-tube length to a top-tube length that works for you on a diamond frame.
I miss my old Fuji mixte. Stolen almost twenty years ago, but damn, that was a good bike, and it was even free (somebody was throwing it out rather than replacing the tires and brake pads.) Not sure I've got any photos of it, but that's a more interesting reason to dig through old photos than trying to recognize faces I don't really remember...
posted by asperity at 10:07 AM on April 7, 2018 [1 favorite]
My amazing tricycle!!
I just got the basket cover on Etsy so my dog and I can ride around the neighborhood. I've been looking forward to it all winter long.
posted by ilovewinter at 12:11 PM on April 7, 2018 [2 favorites]
I just got the basket cover on Etsy so my dog and I can ride around the neighborhood. I've been looking forward to it all winter long.
posted by ilovewinter at 12:11 PM on April 7, 2018 [2 favorites]
Well, well, well! Reading so much about mixtes, I wanted to see what they were... and the pictures I found looked so familiar. Turns out my sweet old Fongers is a mixte.
So one moment, you don't know what it is... and the next moment, you have one.
It looks a lot like this Peugeot. It'll require new tires and some TLC but it's otherwise fine.
posted by Too-Ticky at 12:34 PM on April 7, 2018 [2 favorites]
So one moment, you don't know what it is... and the next moment, you have one.
It looks a lot like this Peugeot. It'll require new tires and some TLC but it's otherwise fine.
posted by Too-Ticky at 12:34 PM on April 7, 2018 [2 favorites]
My bike a year ago, when I was trying to provide photographic evidence that non-sportsy, relatively sane people can bike commute through the Great Lakes winter.
posted by ubersturm at 2:42 PM on April 7, 2018 [4 favorites]
posted by ubersturm at 2:42 PM on April 7, 2018 [4 favorites]
Here's an old but artsy-fartsy photo of my favourite bike. Most of the others are on my instagram too, but that's the pretty one and the one I ride most these days.
(Now I can peruse all of your lovely velocipedes slowly, rather than rushing to the end to post! But like doggos, they're all good bikes.)
posted by A Robot Ninja at 2:44 PM on April 7, 2018 [2 favorites]
(Now I can peruse all of your lovely velocipedes slowly, rather than rushing to the end to post! But like doggos, they're all good bikes.)
posted by A Robot Ninja at 2:44 PM on April 7, 2018 [2 favorites]
> *If the chain is all stretched out your rear cassette is probably worn and needs to be replaced also. Chains are meant to be routinely replaced.
Got it in one! That's exactly what the bike mechanics said. I like the bike well enough, but it's served its purpose and I'm ready for something a little lighter, without the bent top tube (I need to haul my bike up and down stairs and I want to be able to carry it cyclocross style on my shoulder, which seems a bit more straightforward with a straight top tube.)
I love the look of mixte bikes and I have one of those too (dating from the early 90s), but I can't see myself shoulder-carrying one of those.
posted by invokeuse at 2:56 PM on April 7, 2018
Got it in one! That's exactly what the bike mechanics said. I like the bike well enough, but it's served its purpose and I'm ready for something a little lighter, without the bent top tube (I need to haul my bike up and down stairs and I want to be able to carry it cyclocross style on my shoulder, which seems a bit more straightforward with a straight top tube.)
I love the look of mixte bikes and I have one of those too (dating from the early 90s), but I can't see myself shoulder-carrying one of those.
posted by invokeuse at 2:56 PM on April 7, 2018
Late to the party, but my winter bike probably enjoyed its last hurrah today on the less-frozen-by-the-day Turnagain Arm mudflats. It’s a Salsa Mukluk I got used last winter and it is the best. Here it is in February, in less slushy times, on Portage Lake in front of Portage Glacier.
RIP winter.
posted by charmedimsure at 3:46 PM on April 8, 2018 [2 favorites]
RIP winter.
posted by charmedimsure at 3:46 PM on April 8, 2018 [2 favorites]
It’s (still) snowing in the Twin Cities today and we just moved so my bikes have been sitting lonely in my parents’ basement. Here is a terrible picture of all of the Wreckage family bikes waiting for spring.
My main ride is a 1988 Trek 330 that I bought in 1993. It is special because it was a much nicer bike than I thought I could afford but I found a deal. It was my only wheels through most of college and I put a ton of miles on it. I burned most of my life down during a very rough decade or so but I always took very good care of this bike. I always had hope that someday I’d be happy I still had it in decent shape.
About 2 years ago I did quite a bit of work on it and I’m really pleased with the way it all turned out. I’d like to get a newer bike but I’m 6’7” 250lbs so I can’t just walk in and buy any bike I see. This one is very tall and strong and rides like a dream. I might get rid of the downtube shifters someday but I really do like the simplicity of the current set up. Here it is waiting patiently for the first ride of the year.
posted by Clinging to the Wreckage at 4:24 PM on April 8, 2018 [2 favorites]
My main ride is a 1988 Trek 330 that I bought in 1993. It is special because it was a much nicer bike than I thought I could afford but I found a deal. It was my only wheels through most of college and I put a ton of miles on it. I burned most of my life down during a very rough decade or so but I always took very good care of this bike. I always had hope that someday I’d be happy I still had it in decent shape.
About 2 years ago I did quite a bit of work on it and I’m really pleased with the way it all turned out. I’d like to get a newer bike but I’m 6’7” 250lbs so I can’t just walk in and buy any bike I see. This one is very tall and strong and rides like a dream. I might get rid of the downtube shifters someday but I really do like the simplicity of the current set up. Here it is waiting patiently for the first ride of the year.
posted by Clinging to the Wreckage at 4:24 PM on April 8, 2018 [2 favorites]
Seattle got dockless bikeshare last summer and it's the best; I've been using LimeBike pretty heavily since the beginning. It works for me because I live at the top of a hill and work at sea level; it is by far the fastest commute to work. I like it because I don't have to bring the bike home, and generally, I'm not obligated to worry about the bike after I've gotten somewhere on it.
(also, the basket is great for when I'm tired of carrying around my bag)
posted by batter_my_heart at 11:46 PM on April 8, 2018 [1 favorite]
(also, the basket is great for when I'm tired of carrying around my bag)
posted by batter_my_heart at 11:46 PM on April 8, 2018 [1 favorite]
No photo but the frame is a pink custom built Marinoni Pista. Everything else on it except the handlebars, pedals, and seatpost is white: rims, spokes, tires, handlegrips, seat, chain, hubs, lights, Orp, brake cable and lever, stem...
It's a single speed and I love it.
posted by dobbs at 11:00 AM on April 9, 2018
It's a single speed and I love it.
posted by dobbs at 11:00 AM on April 9, 2018
I just moved to Amsterdam and one of the first things to do of course is: get a bike.
I got an Omafiets or Dutch granny bike. It is fantastic and made for casual riding. This is sort of my bicycle riding ideal. I have always wanted a bike I can just get on and ride without any so-called gear. I see people with suits riding these bikes to work as well as parents with children on the back and front. No helmets, no gloves, needed. The bikes won't splash you and since Amsterdam is flat, no gear changes required either. It is transport, not sport.
I like to get up in the morning and ride into Spui to go to the Athenaeum news shop to pick up a newspaper. Sometimes I will indulge and grab a cookie at Van Stapele. Anyways, a couple weeks ago, after leaving Van Stapele to head back home, I just pulled over, put my bike against the rail and snapped a photo of my bike.
posted by vacapinta at 11:28 AM on April 9, 2018 [3 favorites]
I got an Omafiets or Dutch granny bike. It is fantastic and made for casual riding. This is sort of my bicycle riding ideal. I have always wanted a bike I can just get on and ride without any so-called gear. I see people with suits riding these bikes to work as well as parents with children on the back and front. No helmets, no gloves, needed. The bikes won't splash you and since Amsterdam is flat, no gear changes required either. It is transport, not sport.
I like to get up in the morning and ride into Spui to go to the Athenaeum news shop to pick up a newspaper. Sometimes I will indulge and grab a cookie at Van Stapele. Anyways, a couple weeks ago, after leaving Van Stapele to head back home, I just pulled over, put my bike against the rail and snapped a photo of my bike.
posted by vacapinta at 11:28 AM on April 9, 2018 [3 favorites]
No photo but the frame is a pink custom built Marinoni Pista. Everything else on it except the handlebars, pedals, and seatpost is white
I'm trying to find a pink cargo rack for my black bike and it is proving difficult. May wind up buying something and taking it to a powder coating place or something.
posted by curious nu at 12:05 PM on April 9, 2018
I'm trying to find a pink cargo rack for my black bike and it is proving difficult. May wind up buying something and taking it to a powder coating place or something.
posted by curious nu at 12:05 PM on April 9, 2018
This is my road bike, an Eddy Merckx San Remo 76. I love the green accents.
This is my off-road/gravel/cross bike, a Scott Addict Gravel. The rear hub needs to be overhauled; it's been making a metal on metal noise, which I thought was the rotor rubbing on something, but apparently not. Yeah, I'm hard on my equipment.
I have two other steel bikes, which don't get as much use these days.
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 5:55 PM on April 9, 2018 [1 favorite]
This is my off-road/gravel/cross bike, a Scott Addict Gravel. The rear hub needs to be overhauled; it's been making a metal on metal noise, which I thought was the rotor rubbing on something, but apparently not. Yeah, I'm hard on my equipment.
I have two other steel bikes, which don't get as much use these days.
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 5:55 PM on April 9, 2018 [1 favorite]
I've been meaning to swap my winter tires our for thinner summer ones, so I'll grab some pictures when I get around to doing that. It's an All-City Nature Boy, which I love for its simplicity and sturdiness. I used to do the winter bike/three-season bike thing, but nowadays I just swap tires on the one. (Way back when, I was more of a hardcore ride-to-work-in-a-blizzard kind of guy, but I stopped doing that because it makes my partner nervous.)
posted by tobascodagama at 1:48 PM on April 12, 2018
posted by tobascodagama at 1:48 PM on April 12, 2018
I have a bike (OK, I have several, but this is the one that I've invested in recently), which I laboriously spent the last 6 months procrastinating about fitting the bottom bracket motor kit on that I'd bought (for £600) so that it could get me up the 2% of an Everest that separates me from the the city centre.
And I finally got everything in place and tacked down enough that I could start riding it.
Only to find that after many years of neglect (and more to the point, riding while maladjusted, I mean misadjusted), my hub gears were simply not able to take the torque, as confirmed by the local bike mechanics.
So, people of MeTa, what hub gear should I get to replace it? I can get 8 speed and 11 speed Shimano ones relatively affordably (£120 & £150, respectively), and a NuVinci CVT stepless change for £250. Any thoughts gratefully received.
This is all on a Surly 1x1 frame. I quite like it.
posted by ambrosen at 5:56 PM on April 13, 2018 [1 favorite]
And I finally got everything in place and tacked down enough that I could start riding it.
Only to find that after many years of neglect (and more to the point, riding while maladjusted, I mean misadjusted), my hub gears were simply not able to take the torque, as confirmed by the local bike mechanics.
So, people of MeTa, what hub gear should I get to replace it? I can get 8 speed and 11 speed Shimano ones relatively affordably (£120 & £150, respectively), and a NuVinci CVT stepless change for £250. Any thoughts gratefully received.
This is all on a Surly 1x1 frame. I quite like it.
posted by ambrosen at 5:56 PM on April 13, 2018 [1 favorite]
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posted by demiurge at 6:59 AM on April 6, 2018 [8 favorites]