omg I want that for CX races

 

Need to find some overall themed bibs

 

This is the only reasonable thing which has yet been posted in this entire thread.

(And it's looking good, BTW.)

It pains me to see so much money being spent on Flintstone-bikes and Flintstone-bike-related equipment.

 

I was going to reprimand you Joe, but you stole my [little, black] heart with the kitty picture.

 

More bicycular awesomeness:



Yes, Citibike: the quick serve rent-a-bike system recently unveiled in NYC. You can purchase annual memberships, or you can just walk right up and purchase a 24 hour or 7 day pass with a credit card. Just pick your bike, ride it to wherever you're going, and jam it into a docking station at your destination.

How many docking stations are there? Enough:




The bikes themselves seem to be quite robust and well cared for. Of course, the system (and the bikes) are still pretty new, but I haven't yet seen any bent rims or flat tires. They're simple cruiser-style bikes with three speed rear hubs, front and rear drum brakes, and smallish but usable front cargo baskets that include bungee cords to secure the load. They're equipped with automatic lights front and rear, and the tires they're fitted with seem fairly robust.

I've seen a ton of these in use around the city, which can only be a good thing. On the minus side, some of the riders do seem a tad wobbly and uncertain, and helmet usage is nowhere near 100%, but on the plus side, think of how many people are now out riding who wouldn't be otherwise.

I wonder if anyone has yet calculated how many additional bicycle-related fatalities are occurring in Manhattan? (Seriously, if you have never been here, you cannot imagine how war-like the traffic is. I'd honestly rather drive in Karachi, Pakistan.)

 

I saw those all over Paris a couple years ago.

As for the e-bike, the nerd in me loves the idea. Although I need the exercise, so I will resist.

Also,

 

Building an e-bike is what made it possible for me to start cycling on a daily basis in the first place.

I live in a mountainous area, and was simply unable to make it up some of the more serious hills that are involved in my daily commute. With the addition of the Electric Wind, commuting by bike became an reality for me. The combination of myself plus the motor makes it possible to get up the steepest of the inclines, and start getting the daily exercise which would otherwise have been inaccessible to me.

In other words, don't be hatin'. Any technology which greatly increases the availability of cycling to the masses is an inherently Good Thing™.



And that's a pretty damned interesting.... thing.

Skibike? Bikeski? I have no idea. But it's cool.

 

That's great if you pedal, I watch people coming and going from campus on electric bikes who never use the pedals, have actually seen quite a few where the pedals were removed and replaced with pegs. And the people I've talked to have commutes of less than 5 miles.

I suppose it is still better than driving a car or motorcycle that same 5 miles. But who honestly can't pedal 5 miles somewhere as flat as Las Vegas.

The worst thing I've see out here is the recent explosion of 2 stroke powered bicycles on the bike paths near my house.

 

Electric bike fageots,
Start an electric bike thread to discuss your homosexual lust. Please GTFO of my awesome thread.

xoxo,
Hustler

 

Would pedal:

 

I'm pretty sure you could pedal up the steep hills on his commute with the ultra low gearing available even on entry level bikes if you worked at it a bit. The most any public road will usually be is about 10% gradient, most are no more than 8%. Figure 180lb rider on a 30lb commuter bike. 18.5 gear/inches and that's barely 200 watts. Easily sustainable for several minutes by someone with even modest fitness. You just like getting there faster and not sweaty right?

I see how an electric bike is a great option for the commuter that doesn't want to have to change clothes and be really fit just to pedal a few miles though.

So in SD that must be hydro power you're using to help push you up the steep hills? Kinda cool when you think about it.

 

No, not really.

 

 

^^Genius.

 

Would pedal:

 

Exactly! Being able to climb steep hills at 15+ MPH versus 4 MPH is a big plus too. I built mine in anticipation of my move back out to Monterey, where the 8+ mile commute includes a whopper of a hill right at the end coming into work. I used to do it all on pedal power last time I was out there and it took me 44 minutes average. I'm hoping to cut that down by a lot. And, you know, arrive less sweaty.

Now on the weekends, I'll take out my Rockhopper for the trails on old Fort Ord. I'm seriously considering putting flats back on it versus the egg beaters. I just don't know if I've worked out that the clipless pedals are worth it to me.

 

While we're posting bikes we would pedal I'll throw these up:

 

I have a set of Neuvation wheels im pretty happy with so im thinking of trying these:

Neuvation 8 Panel Mens Bib - www.neuvationcycling.com

 

Around here, we have some stretches of 15-20% which are unavoidable on my route. These are roads that the Miata is unable to climb above third gear.

I do see a fair number of Lance Armstrong types gunning it up them in the granny gear, but for me, at my current fitness level, it just wasn't a workable option.


Hydro? Not to my knowledge. We used to have San Onofre, but now that it's gone, we're a 100% fossil-fuel town. Mostly natgas.

 

Would stuff on credit card:

Would murder for.