OK since half of us here are into cycling....

[SteelBlue]

What kind of bike are you currently riding. I'm embarrassed to say this in front of Archaea because his bike probably cost about as much as my truck, but here goes:

I'm currently riding on a Lemond Alp d'huez. The componentry is Shimano 105's (Archaea just cringed, I know it). I actually sought out a steel frame as the roads here take you to beautiful places, but they also give you quite a beating. Overall, I love my bike. It has taken me safely through several century rides and I'll be doing one again on Sept. 10th. I do look forward to upgrading though but I'll probably wait at least one more season.

[fusnik11]

about cycling.

so im a bigger dude, im not fat, im just big. i try to ride a bike and it just kills me, yet i can run like 4 miles easily....

it hurts my butt bad when i ride....

[SteelBlue]

it hurts my butt bad when i ride....


You have to ride for a couple of weeks before you get used to the saddle. That goes away.

[fusnik11]

out of the saddle....

ive been kind of going to a cycling class and the hot instructer tells me to get out of the saddle all the time....

this hot blond, sweaty, screaming at me, wearing tight spandex....

makes me get out of the saddle real quick.

[MikeWaters]

more properly, it hurts your 'taint'. You need to build your taint up. Meaning that there are muscles in your perineum that will cushion the weight. Ride a little more each time, and you will not have pain.

If you tried to sit on a bike for 3 hours without having done it before, you would have severe pain.

Make sure you have a decent saddle. If you have sleepy peepee that's a bad thing.

[SteelBlue]

If you have sleepy peepee that's a bad thing.

This would make a hell of a t-shirt.

[fusnik11]

i didnt sign up for no sleepee peepee....

what does that mean?

[creekster]

I am a cannondale loyalist. Not sure why. I think it's becasue I am what is not-so-affecitoanely known in biking circles as a 'Clydesdale" (you figure it out) and I fell in love with Cannondale's non-whippy stiff frames. SO, I ride:

a Cannondale Crit frame (from the 80s; Shimano 600 which is Ultegra before it was called Ultegra);

a Cannondale T2000, which is a touring frame and my favorite all-rounder, it is very stable, very conmfrotable, very versatile;

A cannondale Jekyll MtB, full suspension, headshock, xtr, lots of fun to bomb down a mountain with;

a Cannondale Mt2000 tandem, which my wife and I use both on and off road;

and a couple of leftover strays, such as an old univega mtb, which is my bad weather commuter, and an old Trek mtb frame that my son has inherited.

Our newest purchase is oging to be (it is almost completed) a Santana triple with S&S couplers and travel cases. This will allow my wife and I and our 7 year old to ride together and allow us to easily take the tandem (it is a Cabrio so it converts from triple to tandem) when we travel. Plus, the triple/tandem is a road bike, so it gives us a little more versatility than our Cannie tandem, which is an off-road frame.

This does not include the bikes for the other members of my family.

My garage looks like a used bike shop.

[Archaea]

Get a good set of biking shorts, don't get the cheapest.

Next get a good, narrow seat. Wider seats are for women, as their "taint" needs different support and it will impact your pedal stroke as well.

Finally, you need to build up your time in the saddle. Getting out of the saddle is more to gain power and to stretch the legs. Seated power riding is also good.

To answer what I ride, and it's 90% rider, 10% machine, I always half joke, I need a new engine on my bike.

Currently I ride as a roadie a Fondriest carbon bike, Durace Shimano componetry, Speedplay pedals. TriBike is a Quintana Roo, ty bike, Durace Componetry. and considering others, don't tell the wife.

[creekster]

First, there is simply no substitute for time in the saddle. My wife is in great aerobic shape but before we ride centuries she always has to haveat least a few rides in the weeks before to build her, ahem, 'taint' endurance. This is true for everyone. It cannot be avoided.

Second, you must find a saddle that fits YOU. Narrow seats may be the naswer, although I think it depends a lot on what type of riding you are going to do and on your particulr bone structure.

On my touring frame I use a Brooks B17 which is wider than most racing saddles but narrower than most womnen's saddles. It is suspended hard leather (no padding) and it is, hands down, the most comfrtable saddle I have. If you are going to be in the saddle for hours at a time for days in a row, I strongly encourage you to look at the various Brooks models.

If you are going to race or at least ride like you are training to race, then a narrow saddle might do the trick. Go to a place like Perfromance Bike, which will let you buy a saddle, try it out and then exhcnage it for another one (paying only the price differnce), repeatedly, untill you find one you like.

Everybody is different. Saddle choice is as personal as underwear choice (perhaps a bad example on this forum). Try out different ones until you are happy.

[Archaea]

Saddle time is important.

I have an ultra thin Selle Italia, which most people say looks uncomfortable and really wasn't uncomfortable during my 138 mile ride.

OTH, my tri bike has a cushinoned nose due to its geometry.

After a while, you hardly notice it.

[creekster]

and like it for that bike, but I would not want to tour on it.

[fusnik11]

just be riding mostly to stay in shape....running is taking its toll on me because im fat. plus i want an excuse to don some tight shorts.

[MikeWaters]

I second the notion that good cycling shorts are VERY VERY important. I did the 20$ thing for 2 years, and when I finally bought good shorts (after getting saddle sores--dont' ask) it was NIGHT and DAY.

I'm on a KHS Flite 500 which is basically a big heavy steel bike with mostly shimano sora. The generic crank got bent, so my bottom bracket and crank are 105 (whee!). My wheels are kysirums.

I'm looking to upgrade to a new bike this fall or next spring.

I'm good at finding bike deals, so I guess I will have to let you all in on my secret "cheap mormon" strategies.

[il Padrino Ute]

That's me to a "T". "Why spend more, when you can spend less?" is my motto.

I've decided today that I'll give myself a nice Christmas present in the form of a good road bike. I'll keep in touch about it over the next few months in order to become well informed. Also, if any off you have any links to some good websites to read about the various frames, wheels, etc. that would be appreciated. I suppose I could google the info, but I'm not sure what to look for as far as quality is concerned.

[Archaea]

Four major materials: steel, aluminum, carbon or titanium. The last two are the most expensive and the best and most comfortable.

Componetry is next most important, two main makers, Shimano and Campagnola, but Shimano is a better buy.

Next are wheels and pedals.

I'll gladly inform you about anything you want to know.

[non sequitur]

Buy they now have bikes with motors on them. Seriously, you get where you're going in half the time, your butt doesn't get sore, and you hardly break a sweat. My bike has a big-ass gel seat that I can sit on for 200 miles without losing any sensation. And the best thing is that it requires virtually no physical exertion. My philosphy is: Why sit on a lawn chair when you can sit on a barcalounger?

[MikeWaters]

I used to have a motorcycle. I almost bought another one last fall, but you would not believe the guilt trip my wife put on me saying things like "you have a two month old son, is this a good idea" and crap like that. Man, wives!

[creekster]

While I respect Arch's opinion, and he is obviously a serioous athlete, I beg to differ that Titanium and carbon are necessarily the best frame materials.

Not all titanium frames are created equal. It iwll depend a lot on the alloy and if you are very heavy they tend to be very whippy. Before I bought my touring frame I tried a titanium frame and did not care for it at all as it had far too much frame flex for me. This frame was an airborne touring frame and I suspect that a Litespeed, for example, would be stiffer. Nonetheless, not all titanium frames are created equal so caveat emptor.

As to carbon frames, they are very stiff and yet quite comfrtable. There is some question as to their durability. Moreover their failure mode is rather dramatic (they crack) when comapred to aluminum, steel or titanium, which tend to bend. They cannot be repaired. They are great frames, but I have never felt the weight savings was enough to justify the cost. I certainly wouldn't turn one down, and someday I am going to get a Colnago C-40 or some such just for the heck of it, but all in all I am not sure they are woirht the $$.

ALuminum is light and stiff but the ride can be harsh. It depends on frame geometry and how much you weigh. Quite frnakly, little guys tend to be more likely to dislike the aluminum ride. AS for me, I like it a lot. Virtually all my bikes are aluminum.

Steel is the old standby. It is very comfortable, can be reapired and repainted with ease, rarely fails catastrophically and there are many, many riders that still swear by it. Many long distance tourers, for example, will only use steel frames becasue anyplace in the world is likely to have someo that can fix a steel frame.

In short (or is it too late to say that?) while titanium and Carbon are good, I think whether they are best depends on many factors that are unique to each person, riding style and potential uses.

[Archaea]

and his thinking reflects thought regarding materials from about two to three years ago.

Now I'm not as cost sensitive as others so I typically buy from a APG group titanium manufacturer, i.e., Litespeed, Quintana Roo, Seven and Merlin.

The new alloys allow heavier guys to ride titanium. Old thinking was if you weigh more than 185 don't ride ti.

New thinking is you can go up to 200 to 210 or more.

And true heavier guys tend to like Aluminum, for a few years, but the responsiveness tends wane with age of the bike. Unless you buy a top of the line Bianchi. Simonetti makes some good frames but they wear out.

Aluminum is fine.

Steel, I'm just not a touring type guy. These bikes are made to go long and slow, carrying lots of stuff.

Carbon depends on how the glue is made, and whether it's true US carbon or Chinese or Korean carbon. As the technique used there is not correct for carbon durability. It's a question of what glue and how it's applied.

You can repair non-monocoque carbon designs. My Fondriest cannot be repaired if the top tube is destroyed, but a Trek can be. As can a Calfee.

Kuota makes a cool bike.

There are many debates and it becomes total geekdom, at the Holy Grail, Interbike here in Las Vegas.

[MikeWaters]

seems like by far, most racer types go with carbon. Titanium--serious guys that don't race.

Like I said before my dad got in with Carbon/ultegra for 1300. I may do the same myself.

[Archaea]

are probably not worth the extra 800 dollars.

Weight weenies like it and it is cool, runs great, but is illogical as having as many different colored shoes as women buy.

[SteelBlue]

I'm between 205 and 210. I love my steel frame. When I upgrade though, I'm not sure I'll be able to buy another one. Lemond was the only company still putting out a steel frame and they stopped this year. I'd like to try carbon fiber next.

[Archaea]

Giant and what not.

Go on Ebay and used ones are a dime a dozen for much less the cost.

[creekster]

2-3 years ago and since then have only purchased a tandem (and now a triple). So consider my advice old and perhaps out of date! I have not experienced any waning of my enjoyment of Alum, however, and one of my bikes is about 15 years old. Nonetheless, I iwll defer to my more esteemed racing brethern.

[Archaea]

as all opinions have merit in their own sphere.

Creekster is very knowledgeable.

[bluegoose]

This year I went from an aluminum to steel, used mainly for touring and some light racing. For me it is definitely a smoother, more comfortable ride. As I am relatively new to high mileage and high intensity cycling, while I was riding the alum I didn't know any better so it was fine.

Most of the guys that I ride with are riding Carbon Giants, and they say they would never go back to alum, steel or ti. Of course each one of them are weight weanies/gram nazies, so that is no doubt a factor.

Another buddy is a bit bigger (about 205-210) and last year switched over from steel to titanium. He has put about 5,000 miles in less than 2 years on his frame and has had no problems.

Take home message, if I had an extra $3000-4000 lying around, I'd probably be riding Carbon along with Archaea.

[Archaea]

Bike stuff comes before eating and clothing the kids.

Carbon and Ti are the only ways to go for comfort.

Alu is good for responsiveness.

Steel is basically touring gear.

Comfort matters on long rides.

[Anonymous]

and like it for that bike, but I would not want to tour on it.

You sure "would" is the best way to describe it?

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[bluegoose]

What?!?!?

Two unintelligible responses from "guest" makes me think the posts were all about the link at the bottom of the post.

And no, I didn't click on the links.

[DirtyHippieUTE]

Road bike: POS Trek. I bought it from a roommate he threw it in on a deal where we traded my old hard tail mtn bike for his Specialized full suspension and a little cash.

It is old, heavy and slow. Just like me!!!

I would brag on about my MTB rig but I don't think this is the forum.

[bluegoose]

If its old, heavy and slow you want, why don't you take my Giant Rincon mtb out for spin sometime.

That thing has got to weigh 40 pounds and climbs about as fast as a 3 toed sloth.