General Cycling Discussion - New Bike!!!

I got a new bike guys!!! It a red,Gary Fisher Mt. Tam. I got it used for 450. I am guessing it is a '97 or '96. It has full XT,Ritchey rims, Deore DX hubs, and RapidFire. It only has a 7-speed cassette, but I think I can upgrade, I am going to my LBS to findout tomorrow.It also has Ritchey clipless pedals, and they are in REALLY tight so I am going to have to get some shoes soon. I am going to be gone for a week,so I won't be posting, and my poor new bike will have to sit.I love my new bike already, it has a super comfy seat!! Vetta I think it is.

Congrats Fubar!!! Sounds like a really good deal. Anything GF has to be good. Components sound good too.
I know what you'll be thinking about while your gone! :D

Fubar,
Concrat's Man! That is a descent bike you should like it. The DX hubs are 7 speed. I had some I abused for years. If you are going to 8 or 9 you will have to get new hubs. If I were you I would just run them into the ground before you upgrade. Also if the shifter's are push, push rapidfire, I would seriously consider replacing those. I had two sets litterally blow up on me. Go Grip Shift or thumbies. If you want to go Grip Shift I will send you some for free just to get out of the push, push shifter's. Enjoy!

Hey Hunter, what do you mean by push, push shifters? I'm trying to figure out what I have on my Mongoose. But it sounds like those. Can you describe them for me? I thought what I had were rapidfire. Thanks, DG

Originally posted by Dirtgrinder
Hey Hunter, what do you mean by push, push shifters? I'm trying to figure out what I have on my Mongoose. But it sounds like those. Can you describe them for me? I thought what I had were rapidfire. Thanks, DG

I think Hunter is referring to how the shifters are operated. Mine are definetly push push, because I have to push to go up, and push to go down, both with my thumb. There are some that are push,pull, where you push with your thumb, and pull with your index finger.And then there is over/under, where you push with your thumb on bottom, and pull with you index finger on top. Classic over/under is the Shimano Acera EasyFire shifters.

Well Fubar5, Hope you enjoy your nw bike, you cannot ask for more,,

Yes Fubar is correct. Push, push shifter's are simply called rapidfire. The shifter's in which you push with your thumb and pull with a finger is called rapidfire plus. The push, push shifter's were infamous for problem's. The rapidfire plus solved alot of them and are lighter.

Hi Fubar,

The GF Mt. Tam is an awesome bike dude, I hope it gives you many cycling miles of pleasure!

Regards

Rich :thumbup:

Originally posted by fubar5
It only has a 7-speed cassette, but I think I can upgrade, I am going to my LBS to findout tomorrow. [...] it has a super comfy seat!! Vetta I think it is.

It's great that you finally (finally!) got your own bike! :)

I've got a Vetta saddle on my Iguana and like it very much. In fact the leather's worn off on both sides but it's still like new otherwise, so I just ride it anyway.

Why be in a hurry to upgrade your cassette? Wait a few months and the newest thing will probably be 11-speed or 13-speed! (Requiring all new tools, obsoleting all old spacings, making home repairs difficult or impossible, etc.)

I hope my 7-speeds last the rest of my life.

Uh oh! We may not hear from Fubar for a long time. Even after he gets back to town, his parents will never get him off that bike!

Sounds like a great one Fubar. Have fun!

Originally posted by JonR


Why be in a hurry to upgrade your cassette? Wait a few months and the newest thing will probably be 11-speed or 13-speed! (Requiring all new tools, obsoleting all old spacings, making home repairs difficult or impossible, etc.)

I hope my 7-speeds last the rest of my life.

I will(as Hunter suggested) wait till my current hubs are shot before upgrading. I have never NEEDED more than 7-speeds, sometimes I think 8 or 9 would be to much. But as for being able to find parts 8 or 9 speed is much more available. If I want to replace the shifters it will be very difficult to find 7-speed shifters, Shimano only goes down to 8.

Originally posted by fubar5

If I want to replace the shifters it will be very difficult to find 7-speed shifters, Shimano only goes down to 8.

I think you should still be able to get over the bar thumbies!!! I run a pair of XTII thumbies on my Trek and have the added bonus of having an 8th click at it's furthest reach.

Check out their availability at you LBS.

Rich

Servus!

Fubar, dispair not good Friend! Grip Shift (if you like that sort of thing - I still do) makes a really inexpensive but effective seven speed shift system. This is what I put on my old Trek when I wanted a change.

Tell ya what, drop me a line at tom-and-jerry@t-online.de and we'll talk about hooking you up. I have a set of STX Rapidfire Plus shifters sitting about collecting dust...

Fubar - congrats on the new bike, you'll have lots of miles and hours of fun on it. 7 spd is just fine, it'll be all you need for a long time.
:thumbup:

Originally posted by Ranger
Servus!

Fubar, dispair not good Friend! Grip Shift (if you like that sort of thing - I still do) makes a really inexpensive but effective seven speed shift system. This is what I put on my old Trek when I wanted a change.

Tell ya what, drop me a line at tom-and-jerry@t-online.de and we'll talk about hooking you up. I have a set of STX Rapidfire Plus shifters sitting about collecting dust...

Are they 7-speed?

Fubar, sounds like a great bike! Im jealous :)

Congrats Fubar!! Sounds like a great ride. I also got something new today and until I read about your new bike I was excited too!:p

I finally broke down and bought two pair of those funny shorts "you people" wear and better air pump with a gauge on it. Woohoo!! Definitely not a new bike!! I told Rainman I shouldn't wear em' yet but, the rides are getting longer and parts of me were going to sleep that should never go to sleep.:D

Enjoy the new ride and let us know about your first good ride!

I'm taking it to the local stomping grounds tomorrow(Tuesday, June 26) I'll tell you guys about it then. I got a picture of my new bike, and I'm going to post it ASAP, but I haven't finished the role of film yet.I got a Lizard Skins chainstay protector for it today, very cool!!

I ride with the lizard skins CEO / Owner quite often, he lives just a few blocks from me, i think i own two of everything he has ever made! :)

REALLY!?!?!?!?! Cool, Lizard Skins is the bomb. Do you know if they have stickers? Does he give stuff? If you ever get something you don't need I'm just a few states over;) ;)

Fubar,

Glad to here you got the new ride. Two thumbs up with the chainstay protector. After I got my MTB it took me a couple of weeks to get a protector...I don't think there is a whole lot of paint left on the chainstay now. I do not have a Lizard Skins model, but maybe I should go get one.

If you get a touring bike, maybe I will see you on RAGBRAI next year.