When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
So I took my daughter out to the twilight ride at Laguna Seca last night on her "half bike" I mentioned earlier in the thread, and we almost didn't make it in time but we managed to get a lap in. I recorded her reaction because I was curious how (or if) she'd enjoy the corkscrew and uploaded the video to FB and it's taken on a life of its own. As of right now (not even 24 hours later) it's been shared over 1500 times and it inspired this guy to write a post:
So I took my daughter out to the twilight ride at Laguna Seca last night on her "half bike" I mentioned earlier in the thread, and we almost didn't make it in time but we managed to get a lap in. I recorded her reaction because I was curious how (or if) she'd enjoy the corkscrew and uploaded the video to FB and it's taken on a life of its own. As of right now (not even 24 hours later) it's been shared over 1500 times and it inspired this guy to write a post:
It's kind of funny how some of us are in such a similar place. I don't really have the cash to burn racing cars the way our Super Miata bros do it, so until then I'm really enjoying racing the bicycle, although it's terrifying. Until I get the house purchased and where I want to be financially, I'll just do a few races with RHarris' team and keep racing the bicycle.
The best part of the bicycle is definitely getting most of the thrill, for a tiny percentage of what it takes to race a car, while getting fit as hell. The Life At Speed guy is right though, I still turn into a child on the bike, just like Matt's daughter.
So I'm back living full-time in NYC, after a year in the suburbs commuting 1.5 hours by train every morning and every afternoon, and rarely getting on the saddle.
Early autumn in Manhattan. A cyclists' paradise.
Despite having lived here for two years, I'd never ridden Central Park. I'm usually more category 6 type. But I figure "what the hell, I live up on East 83rd now, and it's right there a few blocks away."
Cool weather, a steady breeze. Humid, but tolerable.
The 6.1 mile main loop is closed to cars. Pedestrians abound, but they have their own lane, and a nearly-continuous peloton stretching from one end of the park to the other keeps their situational awareness high. The horses and rickshaws occupy the lane the cars used to take.
The bike lane is awesome. Three times the usual width, with separate merge and interchange lanes at major crossings. And I notice something I'd never seen before. On the long, straight stretches, the bike lane is divided in two. The narrower right half is marked as being for cyclists, and the wider left half is, quite specifically, marked for "slow" cyclists.
Brilliant.
I use the left side on the uphill stretches, my jello-legs struggling to propel 50 pounds of Chinese-made steel and chrome up the incline. (God, I've really gotten out of shape over the past year when I was living in the 'burbs.) On the flat sections, I slide to the right and join the carbon-fiber crowd. I'm running 100% just to match their 25, cargo shorts flapping in the breeze and my Hawaiian shirt fully unbuttoned. The decision to buy a pair of Reeboks was a good one- my Red Wing boots would be unbearable now.
It's an amazing feeling.
Back at home. Two laps and I can barely walk. Halfway through a pint of Young's Double Chocolate Stout.
The best part of the bicycle is definitely getting most of the thrill, for a tiny percentage of what it takes to race a car, while getting fit as hell. The Life At Speed guy is right though, I still turn into a child on the bike, just like Matt's daughter.
+1
This whole thing has blown up something hilarious. I had no intentions of it getting this big.
<p>My nephew is looking for a commuter for the DC area. He has $2k to spend, but I don't know if that includes pedals and shoes, or just bike.</p><p>I'm thinking Breezer Beltway, but don't know if I trust the internal hub for reliability. If that bike came with a 1 x 9 I would definitely be recommending it.</p><p>What would you recommend?</p><p>Are the Alfine 8's robust, or will they start stripping / slipping after a while?</p><p>I know Rohloffs are great, but $$$.</p>
<p>My nephew is looking for a commuter for the DC area. He has $2k to spend, but I don't know if that includes pedals and shoes, or just bike.</p><p>I'm thinking Breezer Beltway, but don't know if I trust the internal hub for reliability. If that bike came with a 1 x 9 I would definitely be recommending it.</p><p>What would you recommend?</p><p>Are the Alfine 8's robust, or will they start stripping / slipping after a while?</p><p>I know Rohloffs are great, but $$$.</p>
<p>My nephew is looking for a commuter for the DC area. He has $2k to spend, but I don't know if that includes pedals and shoes, or just bike.</p><p>I'm thinking Breezer Beltway, but don't know if I trust the internal hub for reliability. If that bike came with a 1 x 9 I would definitely be recommending it.</p><p>What would you recommend?</p><p>Are the Alfine 8's robust, or will they start stripping / slipping after a while?</p><p>I know Rohloffs are great, but $$$.</p>
Those Breezer's are sweet. I almost went shopping for a commuter and I ended up settling on bikes that could do a bit more like touring, fire roads etc. A strict commuter would be nice but I'd like to have something that fills out more of my quiver.
Are the Alfine 8's robust, or will they start stripping / slipping after a while?</p><p>I know Rohloffs are great, but $$$.</p>
I used Nexus inter 7's on my senior project and beat the living **** out of them with no issues. This was circa 2000-2003 and construction may be different than now so YMMV.
My nephew is looking for a commuter for the DC area.
Well there are commutes, and there are commutes. How far, over what, etc. are good questions to ask.
If it's all paved I don't see what's wrong with using a proper road bike. I don't buy into the idea (any more) that commuting needs to be done on a heavy bike with flat bars and knobbies.
With a road bike, you can do your commute faster and more efficiently, and then on the weekend, you can enjoy the road bike with the local cycling club.
Well there are commutes, and there are commutes. How far, over what, etc. are good questions to ask.
If it's all paved I don't see what's wrong with using a proper road bike. I don't buy into the idea (any more) that commuting needs to be done on a heavy bike with flat bars and knobbies.
With a road bike, you can do your commute faster and more efficiently, and then on the weekend, you can enjoy the road bike with the local cycling club.
Why not a CX bike, for that matter?
CX bikes make the best commuters. Especially if they have fender/rack braze-ons. I'm sure Surly makes something with exactly that.
<p>His commute is 15 miles. I don't know if he needs to carry much.</p><p>Personally, I like panniers and fenders because I can deal with the wind drag, but do not like backpacks nor spray-soaked feet.</p><p>My commuter is a LHT disc, custom outfitted with Campy and wheels I built, and drop bars.</p><p>For him, I need a packaged solution.</p><p> </p>
0
