Introductions - Biker from the Boston Area

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rayu
02-26-08, 02:53 PM
Hi!

I've been a biker for over 50 years and decided to join the BikeForums because of the good information on folders; I'm about to buy one. Weather and road conditions permitting, I commute 11 miles each way each work day from Wellelsey to my office in Back Bay, Boston where I work as an architect. My current bike is a Specialized Sirrus set up for commuting. Originally it was a 2001 Comp but the frame broke (drive side chain stay) and Specialized gave me a new bike. That bike is a 2007 Sirrus Sport, but most of the running gear is from my 2001 Sirrus Comp since it is better quality. Given the truly crappy roads around here, I upgraded to a set of Velocity Synergy rims, 32 H front, 36 hole O/C rear with Shimano 105 hubs and custom built by Peter White in NH. He builds straightforward wheels with no gimmicks and life time free truing.

I'm in the process of researching a folder for when I travel by air; top choice right now is a Downtube FH (full suspension, 8 speed internally geared hub.)


rayU

East Hill
02-26-08, 04:00 PM
Hi rayU, how long have you been commuting? Are you out there riding right now? We have a Winter Cycling forum also :D .

Welcome to BF!

East Hill

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t162/dminorwa/pinkstar.jpg
Bad Human
02-26-08, 04:20 PM
I went to college in boston and dearly miss it! It's a great town for "alternative" forms of transportation in fact I refused to drive there since it was such a hassle. I miss living somewhere where everything is pretty much in walking distance.

N.

http://badhuman.wordpress.com

rayu
02-26-08, 06:43 PM
I have been commuting since about 1980. I didn't ride today because of the sleet in the PM, but might tomorrow. If road conditions are OK I'll ride down to about 20 degrees F. In good weather our firm of about 100 has 10 or 12 people riding in. We have one hard core guy who makes it in most every day, rain or sleet or snow included, and after him myself and one or two others will ride in in decent weather. Nice recent addition to my bike is a Vetta VL110 cyclometer that has a light and a thermometer, even min-max.

rayU
tulip
02-26-08, 07:10 PM
Sounds like a nice commute; I used to ride from Newton to Cambridge alot. The Sirrus is a great commuting bike. I almost got one but decided on a Jamis Coda Comp because it's steel (and I'm partial to steel), but a similar setup to the Sirrus.
rayu
03-03-08, 10:56 AM
Sounds like a nice commute; I used to ride from Newton to Cambridge alot. The Sirrus is a great commuting bike. I almost got one but decided on a Jamis Coda Comp because it's steel (and I'm partial to steel), but a similar setup to the Sirrus.

Comfort has become more important as the years pile up. In addition to the carbon seat stays and fork with their shock absorbing inserts, I use 30 mm tires, a suspension stem, and a suspension seat post to smooth over the truly crappy roads here in New England. The added weight is much less important than the daily comfort. My biggest beef about my current set-up is that it doesn't want to ride hands-off without shaking the front.

rayU