Education We Like to Ride Bicycles

Few upgrades to my fixed/cruiser mod. Took off the downright dangerous fixed gear and replaced with Avid disc. Fitted a Shimano freewheel. Swapped out stock steel cranks for carbon cranks. Swapped out pedals for Nano Evo X. Swapped alu post for carbon. Swapped white seat (bad idea) for black Nukeproof.





Even though you sit up on the bike rather than hunched over it, and even though I've swapped out the slicks for mud pluggers it's still blisteringly fast. The tyres are pumped to around 70 PSI, so they are rock hard. I'm just uber paranoid about slick tyres after a bad crash once where me and my bike ended up jammed under a parked car.

The only bike that is not in storage. It'll be out there this summer again, just like last. I had a bloody blast on it then, terrorizing the local cycle lanes lol.

 

Call that rock hard? When I used to time-trial I used Specialized Turbo R slicks at 145psi. That's rock hard.

 

I'm used to riding on 20" with 60 PSI haha. I can't remember exactly what the tyres will take, but I didn't want to take the pee as the tubes are not really the correct tubes for these tyres. As you can see, they barely clear the frame (the tyres). There is about 3mm space at each side of the rear tyre in the frame at the bottom/back. Amazing how the tolerances are these days tbh and how accurate we can make things. I mean, let's be honest what I've ended up with is basically a very posh, very fast 70's track bike. It's like we've gone full circle

 

Thought I'd link it here in case anyone might be interested:
https://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/2534166/
Just want it going to someone who'd actually use it.

 

How tf do you guys find the confidence to ride on the road? I don't care about confrontation, however, i just can't bring myself to do it! There's like a invisible wall behind in front me saying, NO

 

I have given up cycling for the same reason. I used to love cycling and used to Time Trial but, have no desire to mix it with today's heavy traffic.

 

Easy round my way use the less busy roads, that being said i'm happy to go over motorway/busy junctions etc. Just need to be firm (but not a dick), take your lane, indicate and importantly, be quick of the line.

 

Cycling in Cambridge, it's actually the other cyclists that are a bigger hazard - from the hordes of wanky students riding along no-handed looking at their phones, to the double-wide baby trailer carrying mums, there's more to avoid and overtake in the cycle lanes!

 

It really varies depending on what roads you're cycling on. I'm fairly confident on most roads but there are some that I just won't go on, especially at rush hour.

You have to be assertive (so take up a more central position rather than huddle a foot from the kerb), indicate clearly and in good time and make sure that when you're looking to see if it's safe, you look twice. Don't be one of those dick cyclists and ride on the pavement to take a shortcut, or cut red lights.

 

I don't ride on the road, end of. I've been off a motorbike twice. That was enough for me.

Thankfully there are cycle paths everywhere down here, and I don't commute on my bikes just fitness/sight seeing.

But yes, both times I came off my motorbikes it wasn't my fault. One of them? I was in the slow Lane on a dual Lane B road and a pikey pulled off the shoulder and literally drove straight into me. I broke several bones in my left hand as it got jammed under his transit bed, and when I finally yanked it free I went over face first in a Tshirt and shorts.

I was laid up for 6 weeks with severe road rash.

 

My bike got stolen today. Let me know if you see it for sale somewhere or anywhere around London, worth a punt i guess

 

Finished, though the pedals being shimano are hurting my OCD

 

Not been following any progress posted here, but 'how so...?'

Reminds me that my 'less-than-stock' LeMond Reno has been sat idle for over 20yrs...

 

Its full SRAM eTap red debating some Time xPro's they have loads of float which is nice for my knees.

That LeMond, skinny tube steel?

 

It's the 1997 model, if that helps... but the wheels got changed to custom built CXP-33's on Ultegra hubs with tied & soldered spokes... amongst other things - like an 11-19 HG-70 cassette.

All the tyres, tubes, cabling & drive train will need replacing... but this side of losing ~120lbs., it'll never get used by me again.

 

@Jeff Hine, Can I ask you why you had the spokes tied and soldered? I used to build all my own wheels and never considered it.

 

Bike nerd incoming

If it's from the 90s it's almost certainly made from True Temper steel tubes, most Lemond bikes of that time were made of some tubeset or another from TT.

 

This... pretty light, for steel.

 

Added strength for commuting, over and above that offered by "51mm" rims. I wouldn't trust the machine, now for my 300lb bulk (yeah; I let myself go). When I got it I was still ~170-180, but I doubt it woulda lasted too long with my current weight on it, back then.

 

/geek mode.

My 01 Standard STA is made from Ox Platinum.