[ot] Tour de France

[v76]

yeah, that'd be a great bike! it's going on the list.

thing I like about more gears is the feeling I don't have to pussy out on any hill, I can granny gear it.
thanks for the tips guys, I really appreciate it. spot on advice regarding carbon components and drivetrain grupo. I've got a list at home of bikes I'd like.
there are 5 bike shops I can walk to, I'm gonna see what each one would sell me and go from there. it's worth it just for the maintenance support they can offer.
damn, I told myself I'd get a new ride only if I kept up the miles for a year, now I'm making excuses like maybe I'll get one for my b-day in the fall, or maybe celebrate Labor Day with a new ride.

The thing about more gears though, is that they only practice your aerobic system (ie. cardio)... you're less inclined to work harder and develop muscle mass (anaerobic system). I say a good 53/39 and 10 speed 12-25 to 12-27 cassette should get you anywhere. But it depends what you mean by "touring"... bike across South America with 100lbs of gear or a little weekend around Vermont...
About LBSes ...that's the only thing I give my bike shop... maintenance $$. I buy components online and give them the wrench $$$. They make more money from that than selling a complete bike actually...

[Tone Deft]

very cool, many thanks.

by touring I mean weekend rides around the Marin headlands, someday up to 100 mile rides, these days it's 20-50 miles on a commuter. I guess I meant something more than a commuter, something less than a racing bike.

[v76]

Then I'd go for an hyrid or cyclocross bike with mechanical (or hydro if you can get a good deal) disc brakes.
They're not absolutely necessary but are a god send when it's rainy... some say they offer too much power
on bikes with small tires and light rims, but I personally wouldn't use anything else if I was riding in dirt and rain a lot.
If you don't ride in these conditions a lot and see mainly sun & pavement, I'd look for the cyclocross with standard
side-pull brakes.

It's tough to choose a bad bike if you go with a well known brand... look into Scott, Specialized and Cannondale as well as Trek as they're
more likely to fit your needs for a good price. Especially the Scott CX comp/team i saw at my lbs last week. Nice geometry and construction for relatively cheap.

The most important thing when buying a bike is the fit. If the bike shop doesn't take the time to measure you
and pick the right bike size for you, go to another bike shop.

[Tone Deft]

actually, that's what a I have now. a Marin Pt Reyes with Hayes hydraulic disc brakes (great brakes but are supposed to be a bitch to work on.) I have one 26" fat wheel set and another set with 700/25 rubber, totally different experiences on those wheel sets. I got it because I've always been a mt biker but conceded that living in the city I should try the ways of the road bike. now I'm hooked and am ready to step up to a proper road bike. I'll keep the Marin for dirt riding and commuting in the rain.

[8O]

...a Marin Pt Reyes with Hayes hydraulic disc brakes (great brakes but are supposed to be a bitch to work on.)...

FWIW, I have Hayes hydraulics on my Klein mountainbike and in 8 years they haven't given me a single problem. I took them for their first service a few weeks ago, just in case the pads needed replacing or the oil topping up, and the mechanic said the pads still looked as good as new, no servicing necessary! I don't ride the bike every day or anything, but usage includes 30 minute downhill epics down the German/Austria alps where the disc gets hot enough to burn your skin at the end! So, very happy with the Hayes...


On the gearing, I use 53/39 x 12-27 on my road bike and that was (just!) low enough to get up this:



...but with touring luggage, I'd definitely need a third chainring...

[8O]

Ok, I know the tour is over, and this is mostly just marketing stuff, but Trek have a nice collection of short videos following the tour, check it out here: http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/trek_life/video/ - episode 16 is incredibly touching...

[Tone Deft]

On the gearing, I use 53/39 x 12-27 on my road bike and that was (just!) low enough to get up this:



...but with touring luggage, I'd definitely need a third chainring...

I hope 25% is a metric thing and it's more like 10%.

[8O]

I hope 25% is a metric thing and it's more like 10%.

I found a profile thing here: http://www.climbbybike.com/profile/Devi ... rofile.gif - the last km have an average of over 10%, but just as you go into the trees in that photo, the road just tilts skywards like a wall of tarmac in front of you. It's ridiculous! But luckily the 25% bit is just a few 100m long.

[thracks]