The bike thread!

[PaulH]

As I seem to have derailed another thread and gone off topic lol, post what you have here!

Here is my current beastie:





A GT Zaskar Carbon TEAM. And her sister, a Zaskar LE:

[Gambit37]

Drool!! I used to ride a lot, but since moving to London and selling my old (crappy) bike, I haven't cycled in over three years! Really must get back to it...

[PaulH]

You should! Nothing quite like riding on a crisp winter morning, with a bit of frost underfoot.

I don't ride as much as I did say 10 years ago - probably spend more time taking them to pieces, then rebuilding them!

[Jan]

Wow, looks great!

Well, I won't send the photos of my bicycles here, because you would laugh, and I would be embarrassed, and it's just incomparable. I think I have invested only a few percents of what you have into my bicycles (actually, the mountain one is from second-hand, I bought it two years ago for something like 50 pounds, it must be more than 10 years old; and the trekking one I bought for an equivalent of some 300 or 400 pounds in 1996 or 97). But as I wrote, I'm investing a lot of time into keeping both bikes going, and I ride something like 100 or 150 kilometres a week with them (plus some biking trips in summer - e.g. along the Danube river last year).

[PaulH]

I wouldn't laugh, you ride more than I do!

I love retro bikes, the Zaskar LE above is a 1996 model.

[Trantor]

A "retro" bike is one from 1996? Bikes seem to age faster than computer games...

[Sophia]

I wouldn't laugh, you ride more than I do!

Making 12000 posts a year on bike forums probably leads little time for actually riding.

[PaulH]

I was waiting for that lol.

Yeah, bikes do seem to age quickly.

[zoom]

PaulH, just for fun, what would be the best bike you can image atm?(if money did not matter what components would you choose, saddle(rainproof) tyres (diameter, surface), transition(1 or 24 gears), brakes, trumpets etc
you don´t happen to have some maintenance tips on older, normal street bikes
(veery cheap and veery old bikes in veery bad condition, like in 1960ies to 1980ties built)
-what 5 things does every owner of a bike need(tools, etc)

btw: very nice rides!!

[PaulH]

Depends on what terrain you will be riding and some personal components. Will have to have a think!

For older bikes it very much depends on the parts. Some have obscure fittings which can make servicing difficult. Always keep the cables and chain in good condition, and check brakes before every ride. Basic cleaners, teflon chain oil, teflon (non lithium) grease, and tools that fit your nuts and bolts (usually 8,9,10, 13, 14, 15mm spanners) are always handy to have.

Avoid stuff like WD40 and GT85 as can thin out the lube and contaminate brakes from overspill.

[zoom]

cool, thanks for these advices.Never heard of teflon chain oil and grease..sounds like it originated from some Adventure computer game like Maniac Mansion or Zak Mckracken! lol. Still eager to hear of your dream bike!

[MasterWuuf]

I have a 21 speed. I haven't ridden it in two years. The road out front is like an air strip (where planes land?).

I always leave the tires low on air, when I'm not riding, but the poor bike is probably feeling abandoned.

[Jan]

I love retro bikes, the Zaskar LE above is a 1996 model.

Lol, I have never been thinking of that piece of junk that is standing behind me in my office as of a "retro bike". When we were doing some research into peripheral (marginal) areas with my colleagues at the faculty, I was using that bike there, and one of my colleagues called it a "peripheral bicycle". Heh, now I can argue it's just a "retro" bike.

Anyway, it's good for a city, because it's very robust and stable on all the cobblestones and everything; and it looks actually older and worse than it is, so it's very unlikely that someone would steal it.

Making 12000 posts a year on bike forums probably leads little time for actually riding.

Heh, I wanted to say the same thing but I didn't want to sound rude.

[Duckman]

I have an old bike, very basic. Its far from anything with "stature", but it can still easily do what bikes are for: to take a road more easily than by foot.

[Duckman]

A "retro" bike is one from 1996? Bikes seem to age faster than computer games...

I disagree really. If you were to use a bike which has had it's first likes let's say 40 years ago, it will not draw much attention when riding it unless you intentionally talk too much about it. But you are really considered quite a stalwart (among many other computer gamers) if you play a computer game 25 years old (the oldest dm about that old, if you were caught by some random man playing it instead of RTC or DMjava it might well get a comment something like "conservative")

[Jan]

A GT Zaskar Carbon TEAM. And her sister, a Zaskar LE:

I've realised that my brother has bought a GT bike a few months ago too, and he's quite satisfied with it. Obviously, you have chosen wisely!

However, he doesn't have GT Zaskar - I've looked into the price list of Zaskars in the Czech Republic briefly, and it's probably out of financial possibilities of my family. On the other hand, these bikes can be somehow cheaper in the UK - it's quite normal that (even though the Czech Republic is generally much cheaper country) many foreign goods (electronics, fashion etc.) (erm, not that I would be interested in fashion, lol, I've heard it somewhere) is much more expensive here and people travel to Germany or the UK for shopping.

[PaulH]

Duckman, some bikes are for the road - mine go offroad

Bike technology has moved quickly, with hydraulically damped forks, brakes, lighter weight components withmore durability, plus modern geometry to get the most out of the terrain. An old computer game you can still enjoy - an old bike, well yes, but it is harder work offroad! Pogo stick suspenion forks really were a handful.

I got the GTs quite cheap

[PaulH]

I have had a good think about this bike, the perfect bike, but will keep the components in the realm of the readily available and sensible (albeit maybe large!) budget.

I am a hardtail man. That is no rear suspension - I like the direct drive aspects (less flex that is), zero bob (no sus to zap your energy) and less complication and weight. Front suspension is a little different in feel and performance, and to me the weight penalty is a good compromise for the performace and comfort. No red zone for me.

Given that I would choose the frame I currently ride! A GT Zaskar carbon team - it weighs just 2.7lbs but is fantastically strong. I would add to that the latest RockShox Revelation forks - beautifully damped, and just 3.6lbs for upto 6 inches of suspension. In my world that is like finding the Inquisitor. Twice.

Gears - Shimano XTR. As reliable as a Ful bomb, and just as explosive when you need it to be. Brakes, well, Avid Elixir carbon. Over the bars performance! Bars stem and finishing kit would be from Exotic - imagine crown of Nerra, Gothmog's cloak - secrets that we find and discover!

But.. look at this:



7000 quid! As beautiful as the Diamond Edge - not as deadly as the Hardcleave though. Not for me. Maybe it is the best bike we will ever see, but it won't be the most used.

[MasterWuuf]

Am I correct in thinking a quid is equivalent to $4.00 in American currency?

[Jan]

I thought that a quid is a pound, or am I wrong? Anyway, 7.000 pounds would be a disaster for my budget! Lol, you call it "sensible"? You can have a good car for that! (on the other hand, I don't like cars, and I'd rather invest into a bike than into a car ).

Hmmm, this bike DOES look very good. Mmmmmm.... I wish I had it. I wish I could ride it. At least for a while. I wish I could touch it.

[beowuuf]

MW - @ $1.4 right now I think

[Paul Stevens]

Well, here it is at last! Feast your
eyes on this long awaited photograph
of my trusty mount. I can sense your
excitment all the way here in Madison.

http://dianneandpaul.net/misc/Bike.jpg

Bought this thirty-pound (that's weight,
not money) jewel for $20 at the second-
hand store about 42 years ago. That,
my friends is less than 70 cents per
pound! A bargain even in 1967!

The blue saddle extension with the two
stove bolts came from the basement
junk pile so I don't count that in
the cost.

Three speeds (slow, medium, and fast)
for uphill, level, and downhill runs
respectively. Brakes for those times
when I feel it necessary to go slower.
Fenders to prevent that ugly vertical
stripe up my body when it is wet.
Everything a person needs to zip
about town.

Rode this thing to work about five miles
distant for quite some time. Replaced
tires occasionally and repacked the
pedal crank with grease (lost one bearing
ball but it seems to work OK without it).
Also replaced the saddle. Other than
that - - - zero maintenance. Obviously
a quality machine.

[Gambit37]

Wow, very nice! As you say, a quality machine. They don't make them like they used to. It looks newer than you say too! Quite a high seat post, how tall are you?

[PaulH]

I'd never spend £7000 on a bike, is ridiculous!

Paul, that is a lovely looking bike. Very rare to see lugged and brazed frame nowadays - there was an art in building a frame back then. All robot welded nowadays!

[Jan]

Stunning! It must do its job perfectly in a relatively flat terrain and on relatively good roads (I hope you have both). The saddle is in an interesting position, and as Gambit mentioned, very high.

I used to have a similar bicycle that I "inherited" from my grandma, it was called "Velamos Standart" (or Standard?), made in 1960's, and it had everything - mudguards, lights with a dynamo, pump, everything, and it worked surprisingly well. It had only one speed, but it was more or less sufficient for town-cycling. The bike looked very cool because of it's "retro" 1960's design and colours (red and silver with some gold on it). Lol, it was a woman's bicycle, with this lowered upper part of the frame (I don't know how to call it in English), so in higher speeds it was a bit unstable and I always had a feeling the bike was going to break into two parts, lol.

Unfortunately, the rear brake broke down and I was unable to replace the broken part, so now it's just standing in our garage and only the spiders are using it now. I must visit our local blacksmith and ask him to make a new one.

[PaulH]

Post a pic of the broken parts - I may be able to help.

[Jan]

Oh, thanks, I'll do it when I get to my parents' place (it's in their garage). But I don't think you'll have anything compatible - don't forget that it was MADE IN CZECHOSLOVAKIA some 45 years ago.

It's on that rear brake that you operate by backpedalling (erm, I'm not sure if it's the right word... I seem to have huge problems with finding appropriate English words for bike-related things; that's probably because there are almost no bikes in computer games, and most of my English is based on computer games, lol). There are two parts broken - one inside the hub (I cannot describe it even in Czech, hehe) and another is a metal plate that connects the hub with one of the... erm... bars that hold the wheel. (OK, this must be totally unclear, sorry for that) - I broke that second part when trying to fix the first one, doh! Everything was rusted and holding together very tightly, so I was trying to unscrew it... WHY, YOU LITTLE.... and then DOH and it was broken !

[zoom]

cool bikes everyone and interesting read. it is very cool to see what new technologies have found their way into the bikes at present and also what sturdy ones they have built in another country some days back!
I would have liked to show you some old bikes here, one very very small with large tyres (for kids apparently), but no time sadly, have to leave here today and also I fear it might be gone somewhere, have not seen it in some time(have to check !).
anyway, When I get a new (old) one for the city I will try to post that bike, if it is worth it.
this thread I would not have thought it to be so good actually bikes do concern me somehow!!

[Jan]

I would have liked to show you some old bikes here, one very very small with large tyres (for kids apparently), but no time sadly, have to leave here today and also I fear it might be gone somewhere, have not seen it in some time(have to check !).

Oh yeah, it reminds me the first bike I had when I was 5 years old (I think). The older boys from our street always took it from me and they were to heavy for it and always broke the frame so the two parts of the bike were held only by the chain, lol, and so I took it back home crying and my uncle had to take it to the factory where he worked to weld it, and after a few events like this the bike had a HUGE "bump" on the frame after all the weldings, lol. Unfortunately, I don't have that bike anymore.

It was called "Jipi" (read with Y at the beginning as in e.g. yesterday) and the frame was orange and the mudguards white. And my dad bought a small leather bag with some tools in it and he fastened that bag on the bike so it looked pretty cool.

[PaulH]

Oh, thanks, I'll do it when I get to my parents' place (it's in their garage). But I don't think you'll have anything compatible - don't forget that it was MADE IN CZECHOSLOVAKIA some 45 years ago.

It's on that rear brake that you operate by backpedalling (erm, I'm not sure if it's the right word... I seem to have huge problems with finding appropriate English words for bike-related things; that's probably because there are almost no bikes in computer games, and most of my English is based on computer games, lol). There are two parts broken - one inside the hub (I cannot describe it even in Czech, hehe) and another is a metal plate that connects the hub with one of the... erm... bars that hold the wheel. (OK, this must be totally unclear, sorry for that) - I broke that second part when trying to fix the first one, doh! Everything was rusted and holding together very tightly, so I was trying to unscrew it... WHY, YOU LITTLE.... and then DOH and it was broken !

We call them back pedal brakes too

It will actually be one of those things that needs rewelding, so I think you are on the right lines with going to a metal worker.