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  #106   ^
Old Mon, Sep-27-04, 20:50
CarbsBeGon's Avatar
CarbsBeGon CarbsBeGon is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 583
 
Plan: South Beach-ish
Stats: 272/261/190 Male 5' 10"
BF:
Progress: 13%
Location: Colorado
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Hey nowonder - I've been wondering the same thing about riding in winter. I did some last year on my mtb and it wasn't as bad as I thought it might be. The key is to layer! Get yourself some good leg/arm warmers or tights and a good breathing but warm jacket. For all of this I highly recommend Pearl Izumi. Their stuff is a bit more costly, but it's very much worth it!

I think I'm also going to invest in a set of rollers with resistence fan. It evidently helps you define your pedal stroke (make it more efficient and "round") and improve your balance.
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  #107   ^
Old Wed, Oct-06-04, 20:18
nowonder's Avatar
nowonder nowonder is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 1,158
 
Plan: Atkins+coffee
Stats: 290/185/180 Male 71 inches
BF:Yes, it is.
Progress: 95%
Location: West Chester, PA
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Time to dust off this old thread...

With winter rapidly approaching, I've been thinking about getting a mountain bike so I don't have to expose my good roadie to the rocksalt of the area. Being able to explore some of the dirt trails may also be fun...

Don't want to spend a ton... I've been keeping an eye on ebay and the local thrift/pawn shops looking for a deal. I'm leaning towards a specialized since I've had a great experience with the roadie.

Any advice will be welcomed.

--nw
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  #108   ^
Old Wed, Oct-06-04, 21:26
CarbsBeGon's Avatar
CarbsBeGon CarbsBeGon is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 583
 
Plan: South Beach-ish
Stats: 272/261/190 Male 5' 10"
BF:
Progress: 13%
Location: Colorado
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Hmm, okay here goes for some advice on mtbs:

1) If you're not planning to ride lots of "hard core" trails, forego full suspension. Depending on how well you know your local shop, the bike geek salesperson might try to make you feel like you NEED it but it can actually rob efficiency if you'll be riding mostly gently rolling trails, bike paths, etc. It also costs less to go with a "hardtail." As for the front fork, suspension is a must but you don't need a great deal of travel if you're not going to be going off-road/downhill a lot.

2) Look for a bike with at least Deore components. Anything less will probably suffer problems shifting very quickly and be in need of constant tuning.

3) Be sure you get the right size frame (minimum 2-3" clearance between top tube and crotch) and have it fit to you - just like with a road bike.

4) "V" brakes are fine but disc are awesome! When I first got my Kona Hoss (for big guys) last year, I needed to be sure I could stop and disc brakes were the only way to go. Even without the weight issue, though, the performance gains (stop MUCH better in wet/muddy conditions) are real.

5) Specialized makes great bikes. Other brands I or my friends have (and are happy with) include: Kona, Giant and Fuji.

Good luck! Let me know if I can answer anything else. Let us know what you decide...
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  #109   ^
Old Thu, Oct-07-04, 11:24
loCarbJ's Avatar
loCarbJ loCarbJ is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 408
 
Plan: General Low Carb
Stats: 232/162/162 Male 69 inches
BF:30%/13%/11%
Progress: 100%
Location: San Jose, CA
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I swear by my Kona Kikapu, in fact it's featured in this weeks "Bicycling" magazine. Since I switched to full-suspension, I would never go back. That said, I do a lot of mountain biking. A good rule of thumb that I recommend is to take your annual mountain biking mileage and that becomes your bike budget. For example, it you annually ride 1,000 miles on your mountain bike; that would justify spending $1,000 on yourself for a good mountain bike.

If you ride less than 1,000 annual miles, I wouldn't spend the extra for full-suspension. In my opinion, $1,000 is about the least amount of money one can spend and still get a "good" full-suspension bike.

Also important to me, was the way my bike 'looked'. Trek, Specialized, Gary Fisher, Cannondale, Specialized, Giant, Fuji, Santa Cruz, and Kona; all make great mountain bikes and all of them have distinctly different "looks" to them. Buy a bike that you'll want to spend a lot of time on.

J.

P.S. Road biking miles go by much faster and smoother. For road biking I recommend spending a $1 for every 2 miles of annual travel.
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  #110   ^
Old Thu, Oct-07-04, 19:57
nowonder's Avatar
nowonder nowonder is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 1,158
 
Plan: Atkins+coffee
Stats: 290/185/180 Male 71 inches
BF:Yes, it is.
Progress: 95%
Location: West Chester, PA
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Thanks for the feeback!

I've looked into Kona's a little bit... But the nearest shop that sells them (according to their website) is 45min away. Seems like too much trouble considering there are 4 LBS in the area.

I did bid on a rockhopper on ebay, but got outbid. Bike almost went for list price and it was a 2004... With shipping it was more than MSRP.

Gonna try and visit the LBS's this weekend to see if there are any deals to be had.

--nw
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  #111   ^
Old Thu, Oct-07-04, 20:31
Dodger's Avatar
Dodger Dodger is offline
Posts: 8,758
 
Plan: Paleoish/Keto
Stats: 225/167/175 Male 71.5 inches
BF:18%
Progress: 116%
Location: Longmont, Colorado
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nowonder
Gonna try and visit the LBS's this weekend to see if there are any deals to be had.

--nw

Now is a great time to shop for deals at the LBS. The 'season' is over and Xmas is too far away. Business is slow and this years models have to be moved (the differences from year to year are usually trivial).
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  #112   ^
Old Fri, Oct-08-04, 10:14
loCarbJ's Avatar
loCarbJ loCarbJ is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 408
 
Plan: General Low Carb
Stats: 232/162/162 Male 69 inches
BF:30%/13%/11%
Progress: 100%
Location: San Jose, CA
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After countless claims of how nice it was to have tubeless tires, I was brought back to reality last night.

Me and my "24 Hours of Adrenalin" teammates, rode out to the end of Sinbad Canyon from the Golden Eagle Parking Lot, in Pleasanton, CA. (13 miles R/T and 1,700 ft of gain) after work last night.

Just enough time where we would not need lights.

About 1/2 way there, I got a bad "leak" and my rear tire starting gushing air. Apparently the hole was too big to seal or the Slime was too watered down or something. I got ready to insert a tube and then the tire stopped losing air. With the reduced pressure I decided to move on. By the time we reached the end of Sinbad, my tire was almost flat. On the way back, I stopped 3-4 times to re-inflate moving along OK with a rear tire that mushed back and forth.

I stopped to inflate one last time at the top of the last descent (2 miles to go) and instantly snapped off the valve.

We took off the tire, removed the valve stem, inserted a tube and started to pump.

The tire would not inflate.

Starting to get dark.

At this time a cyclist (Tom) stopped by and offered to help.

We took off the tire and it was determined that the tube was bad, and it, too, leaked. (Again!)

My friend supplied a second tube, we installed it and tried to pump it up.

Getting darker.

The pump (we only had mine) wasn't working right but we fixed it after removing debris from the "break off".

Keep in mind that during these 2 tube installations there was SLIME everywhere...

2nd tube installed, inflated and wheel put back on, we tried to continue.

Darker.

Start descent, but now, I had no rear brakes....?

Determined that rear wheel was not seated properly and I had compressed pistons on the rear disk brake, so when we tried to re-install the wheel, closed pistons prevented us from doing so.

In the dark, I was able to (blindly) press pistons back to closed positions (Topeak tool!) I kinda knew (but could not see) how brakes were set up due to replacing pads a few weeks ago, and Tom was able to get the wheel back on and brakes acted normally.

Real Dark.

We followed Tom down. Amazing that, no matter how much you know the trail, in the dark it doesn't matter. (Ruts, Rocks, Dips, Etc.) Goal was to stay away from Left side (cliff). My 2nd descent in total darkness.

It was so dark, on the way down, I noticed a slight lightening of the trail every few seconds at one point. Just a flash. It was an Airliner's strobe light at 20,000' !!.

Back to truck, home by 8:00...

Can't wait to do it again...

J.
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  #113   ^
Old Fri, Oct-08-04, 10:46
CarbsBeGon's Avatar
CarbsBeGon CarbsBeGon is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 583
 
Plan: South Beach-ish
Stats: 272/261/190 Male 5' 10"
BF:
Progress: 13%
Location: Colorado
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Cool ride, man! LOL (Only another mtber understands) Just one piece of advice - get yourself a light! Even a cheapie LED light would've helped out. Glad you and your bike made it down in one piece...
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  #114   ^
Old Fri, Oct-08-04, 11:00
loCarbJ's Avatar
loCarbJ loCarbJ is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 408
 
Plan: General Low Carb
Stats: 232/162/162 Male 69 inches
BF:30%/13%/11%
Progress: 100%
Location: San Jose, CA
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My 32 watt, Nite Rider Classic Plus, was sitting on the air-hockey table next to my bike when I took off. I hadn't installed a second bottle cage yet, to hold the battery.

You know that I'll have it on the bike for next week!

J.
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  #115   ^
Old Mon, Oct-18-04, 11:57
loCarbJ's Avatar
loCarbJ loCarbJ is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 408
 
Plan: General Low Carb
Stats: 232/162/162 Male 69 inches
BF:30%/13%/11%
Progress: 100%
Location: San Jose, CA
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Hey all you Century-Rider-Wannabe's:

Just finished my first REAL century! 106 miles from Davis, CA to Fairfield, CA to Lake Berryessa and back to Davis, CA.

I had done 5 metric centuries prior to this ride. This was a particularlly flat century at only 3,600 feet of gain; which is why I picked it for my first.

It wasn't anywhere near as hard as I thought it would be.

If you are riding even 25 miles, now; I believe you could be riding 100 miles next summer.

Jeff
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  #116   ^
Old Mon, Oct-18-04, 12:36
CarbsBeGon's Avatar
CarbsBeGon CarbsBeGon is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 583
 
Plan: South Beach-ish
Stats: 272/261/190 Male 5' 10"
BF:
Progress: 13%
Location: Colorado
Default

Congratulations on the accomplishment, Jeff! I'm planning to do a Century next year - my longest this year was a half (50 miler). I've had rides recently where I feel like I could go and go forever - as long as I get good sleep and my legs are fresh.

What low-carb nutritional tips do you offer for centuries? Did you add carbs (I would think some would be necessary - like a sports drink or two)? Do you have any pictures from your ride?

Take care and keep pedaling!
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  #117   ^
Old Mon, Oct-18-04, 15:13
loCarbJ's Avatar
loCarbJ loCarbJ is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 408
 
Plan: General Low Carb
Stats: 232/162/162 Male 69 inches
BF:30%/13%/11%
Progress: 100%
Location: San Jose, CA
Default

I had a Atkins LC bar, a small cup of coffee, a 700mg creatine monohydrate capsule and a synephrine capsule just before starting. At mile 20, I drank a liter of water, ate another Atkins LC bar and another 700mg creatine capsule. At mile 40, another liter of water, another LC bar, another 700mg creatine capsule and a synephrine capsule. At mile 60, they served lunch. I ate 2 thin slices of roast beef, 2 thin slices of roast turkey and 2 thin slices of cheese between 2 leaves of lettuce; and another liter of water with a creatine capsule. At mile 80, another LC bar, liter of water, creatine and 2 synephrine capsules.

After the ride I had a small salad, another liter of water and 1,500mg of l-glutamine.

I'm the guy on the left!

http://photocrazy.com/2004/1016FOX/Fox1/FOX10039.html

J.

Last edited by loCarbJ : Mon, Oct-18-04 at 15:25.
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  #118   ^
Old Mon, Oct-18-04, 19:52
nowonder's Avatar
nowonder nowonder is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 1,158
 
Plan: Atkins+coffee
Stats: 290/185/180 Male 71 inches
BF:Yes, it is.
Progress: 95%
Location: West Chester, PA
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Congratulations! A full century without carbing-up is very impressive.

I too am hoping to do my first century next year. My longest ride to date was 42 miles, I wanted to go for a metric at the end of this season, but work got in the way.


--nw
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  #119   ^
Old Mon, Oct-18-04, 21:48
GypsyAngel's Avatar
GypsyAngel GypsyAngel is offline
Circling...
Posts: 3,074
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 230/222/150 Female 5' 4"
BF:
Progress: 10%
Location: Pennsylvania
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Sounds like an awesome ride Jeff. Congrats to you.

Well since NW and Carbs are both planning centuries for next year.... I promise to ride in the sag cars for both rides! Where are we going?

Cheers,
Gypsy
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  #120   ^
Old Thu, Oct-21-04, 00:44
Karenemt's Avatar
Karenemt Karenemt is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 427
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 195/148/150 Female 67 inches
BF:
Progress: 104%
Location: Eastern PA
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Thanks for sharing the pictures!

I am currently getting together the equipment to ride through the winter. I am planning on doing layers and keeping the 'ol head, hands, and toes warm.

I rode Sunday when the temp was around 40 with the wind chill and did fine. I actually did enough hills that I started to get warm near the end.
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