Good thing that didn't flip up and hit you in the wiener.

Narrowly missed and bounced right off me 'ol balls of steel.

Seriously, though, it was not fun. It sounded like a gunshot and then like an expensive rim on asphalt. None of the tire repair stuff that I had hauled around all over the place were ever going to be able to fix it so I had to talk a friend out of bed to take me home.

Balla Bicycle thread?!

Im all about this, yall dont know baller, Im about to learn you.

I gots a maroon bike.
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1368760760


Here is whats so baller.......it folds up to slightly less, but still quite impractical size.
BOOM!!!!
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1368760760

I know, I just blew your mind. Dont worry life will return to normal in a few weeks. You'll get over it.

I'll jump into this thread even though I don't currently "own" a bike.

My current (as of last week) ride is a 2006 LeMond Buenos Aires. I don't have any pics to post but it's like this ----> 2006 LeMond Buenos Aires - BikePedia

As far as I can tell not much as been changed on it except for the wheels, it doesn't have the Bontrager wheels. Otherwise it's as described on bikepedia, hybrid steel/carbon frame, Shimano gears and brakes, Bontrager seatpost and handlebars, etc.

I know almost nothing about bikes and have been thinking about getting a road bike for a couple of years for training (training for the racing of cars that is). My neighbor happens to be a huge rider/bikey and last Sunday I stopped by is garage to ask him some questions about road bikes, mostly what size bike I should be looking for. He sent me home with the LeMond...letting me borrow it to see if I actually want to try cycling for training.

Went for a 11 mile ride the other day, first real bike ride since like high school or something stupid. My butt is still adjusting...

My neighbor has mentioned that he might be willing to sell me the bike if I'm interested in purchasing after my extended test ride. I have no idea how much a bike like this is worth. It's definitely used, and some of the aluminum parts have a tiny bit of surface corrosion. I haven't asked him how many miles it has, but he said it's mostly been hanging in his garage unused for the last couple of years.

SO, all knowing bike lords, how much is something like this worth? How much would you pay for it? In what little research I've done, it seems the original MSRP on this bike was somewhere between $1800-2300? I can find a number for sure. I also can't find many of the LeMond Beunos Aires on CL to compare prices. I don't have much to spend, unfortunately I don't have a grand sitting around to buy a bike and gear. My neighbor is super duper nice and I'm sure he'd give me a killer deal on it, but I don't want to low ball him either.

Anyway, I'm a biker grom, I would love to get into more...

First step on the journey is finding a good LBS (local bike shop). They can help size you. This is important. Tell them a friend has a used bike but you're also considering a new entry level bike. If you start riding regularly, you'll be visiting the shop more often so choose the shop wisely. I recommend visiting all the local shops and just browsing a bit. Get a feel for which one you want to call home. A bad bike shop can sour you on cycling if they screw a few things up.

Bikes retain value like computers and race cars, which is to say, they don't.
A 7 year old $1800 bike might be worth $600 now. I might pay $450. Like computers, the sub systems change so new parts aren't always compatible. New entry level bikes tend to be better than 5 year old mid level bikes. More gears, better brakes, better shifters, lighter, etc. So unless the used bike is say, less than half of a new entry level bike, I'd pass. It will need usually little maintenance items like a new chain, tires, tune up, bar tape that will nickel and dime you up to the cost of a new bike.

If the cyclist neighbor is a halfway competent bike mechanic, have him go through the bike thoroughly to make it ready for lots of miles. Maybe ask him to throw in one free tune up within the first 6 weeks. So if it needs and tweaking or fine tuning, you're not out more money at the LBS.

Buy a new bike and it's dialed and ready for thousands of miles of course. Most shops offer the first tune up free, some offer lifetime tune ups and minor adjustments.

All that aside, the Lemond is a good bike. Made in China by Trek's supplier but very good quality.

Cool, thanks for all the input. Gives me some food for thought.

just bought four Maxxis Detonator tires from Pricepoint because they were $24/each, 5 road tubes, 5 29er tubes, some bar tape, and that should have gone to my next set of tires, lol.

For the carbon-haters:

Would mouth:
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1369432870
Steerer length fail.

MOAR SPACERS.

I think it's a beach cruiser.
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1369435047
That's better.

Time to class it up a little
 

Race bike for this year:

Here is my budget commuter bike. It's cheap like my beer and white like my clan robe :giggle:

http://imageshack.us/a/img197/9856/img0200d.JPG

This is mine. Maxarya 1x, wish I had more time to ride it. Cool bike, gets looks everywhere and with my back a standard bike is a no go.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1369624102


Frame AL7005 T6 heat-treated
Seat Mesh and foam, AL7005 frame, fully adjustable
Stem AL7005 T6 adjustable
Drivetrain Sram DualDrive 27 speed, disc brake
Cassette Sram PG 980, 9 speed 11-34T
Crankset Maxarya alloy-32T
Chainring set Maxarya four-arm spider, alloy single 32T
Chain Sram PC59, 9 speed
Brake levers Sram 7.0
Front brake Avid mechanical disc brake
Rear brake Avid mechanical disc brake
Pedals VP-519A alloy cage
Front fork Aprebic 16" suspension, alloy, adjustable
Headset Cane Creek PDF 1 1/8" alloy sealed
Bottom Bracket VP-BC73 double sealed mechanism
Rear shock Cane Creek AD-5 air
Front rim 16" double wall, CNC, black
Rear rim 20" double wall, CNC, black
Front hub Formula RB61, 32H, alloy sealed, disc
Rear hub Sram DualDrive hub, 32H, disc
Front tire Kenda Kwest 16"x1.50" 100 psi
Rear tire Kenda Kwest 20"x1.50" 100 psi
Spokes Stainless steel 14G
Overall length 72" (183 cm)
Wheelbase 54.5" (138 cm)
Seat height 26"- 27" (66-68.5 cm)
BB height 19.5" (49.5 cm)
Weight 33 lbs. (14.5 kg)
Rider weight limit 250 lbs. (114 kg)
Rider height range 5' 1"- 6' 5" (155-196 cm)
Gear inch range 19"- 110"

Alex Zanardi.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1369624899

I wish I had a fraction of his motivation. Dude just doesn't give up.

I also wish I had a Zanardi edition NSX, but that's another topic.

What a champion!

I find I am either modding my car or modding my bike. I don't have the desire to do both at once. :giggle:

I did ~8 hours of dirt bike riding yesterday at Red River (Red Bull Hare Scramble), then awoke with a charlie horse in my left calf, awake later with a charlie horse in my right calf, then Jeff and I did like 12 miles of awesome MTB riding today. My body is devastated.

[QUOTE=IcantDo55;1015580]This is mine. Maxarya 1x, wish I had more time to ride it. Cool bike, gets looks everywhere and with my back a standard bike is a no go.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1369624102

those things look so ghay but damn are they fun to ride.

+1

Sat: 55 miles, 6300' climbing in 4 hrs - road bicycle
Sun: 40 miles, 5000' rocky jeep trail/fire road on enduro motorcycle
Mon: 78 miles, 2800' climbing - road bicycle

ow

zOMG. You are a man. Any tips for getting my pace up other than to aim for a .1 increase in average speed daily?