Long Haul Trucker - Geek Slayer?? (VIDEO)
07-30-13, 12:47 PM
#51
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We need a single volunteer to do this. (And someone who won't drown in the swimming event).
Colorado girls know how to climb on a bike fo' sho'.
BTW I just got chicked this morning, on a 9% climb, dammit.
Nearly killed myself trying to keep up.
By the time I reached the top, she was nearly out of sight.
Really cute blonde.
Nearly killed myself trying to keep up.
By the time I reached the top, she was nearly out of sight.
Really cute blonde.
07-30-13, 01:35 PM
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WTF!!!! Where are the cars! I saw at points a three lane highway or major road and not a single car, just bikes. Can that really be the USA?
Also how did the Cinelli Supercorsa serve as a hauler and commuter in the same way as the Long Haul Trucker? Did it have eyelets? Could you install fenders on it?
Also how did the Cinelli Supercorsa serve as a hauler and commuter in the same way as the Long Haul Trucker? Did it have eyelets? Could you install fenders on it?
Last edited by Thrasymachus; 07-30-13 at 01:40 PM.
07-30-13, 02:29 PM
#53
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Also how did the Cinelli Supercorsa serve as a hauler and commuter in the same way as the Long Haul Trucker?
Did it have eyelets? Could you install fenders on it?
Last edited by JoeyBike; 07-30-13 at 02:41 PM.
07-30-13, 05:18 PM
#54
Bicycle Repair Man !!!
I think the combination of long wheelbase and steel tubing along with a fork with some rake (curvature) all contribute to a plush ride on any bike. My previous touring bike was a 1988 Cannondale ST1000 (ST = Super Tour). It was aluminum with a steel fork with tons of rake and 18" chainstays and very relaxed geometry. The ST1000 was built strictly as a touring bike for extended fully self-contained tours. That bike was like magic when loaded down with panniers front and rear and I sometimes had as much as 70 lbs of gear and food on it. It was fast, efficient, and super stable. HOWEVER...trying to ride it around town as a commuter was not fun as it rode terrible without the extra weight. In cycling slang, it was a Pig.
The LHT on the other hand is certainly an adequate touring bike, super comfy, AND fun to ride around town. It is stable enough but still retains some reasonable maneuverability. I don't think it is as efficient with a heavy load but I really should not be comparing 26x2 tires to 700x28 anyway.
Long chain stays not only smooth out a ride but they help keep your heels from striking rear panniers. Another small detail I like - when putting on a new chain I don't have to remove any links! The full length of the chain fits as is.
Looks like a sweet ride!
The LHT on the other hand is certainly an adequate touring bike, super comfy, AND fun to ride around town. It is stable enough but still retains some reasonable maneuverability. I don't think it is as efficient with a heavy load but I really should not be comparing 26x2 tires to 700x28 anyway.
Long chain stays not only smooth out a ride but they help keep your heels from striking rear panniers. Another small detail I like - when putting on a new chain I don't have to remove any links! The full length of the chain fits as is.
Looks like a sweet ride!
The fastest I have gone over a set distance was 37 km in an hour on a ride where I was carrying enough gear for a weekend overnighter so had everything but my tent and sleeping gear... people I have gone touring with used to tell me I was going way too fast as doing 30kmh on a touring bike is considered to be a little excessive.
If I could have done a sub hour 40 on my Cascade I would have been stoked but know it is a relatively fast bike for what it is and it does have drop bars which really helps.
07-30-13, 05:57 PM
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This whole geek hunter thing is a weird mentality.
I try to look at life in a non survival of the fittest sort of way, but the one nice thing about commuting to work is so you don't have to put up with traffic and the race mentality, i want to separate that mentality entirely when i ride my bike.
I try to look at life in a non survival of the fittest sort of way, but the one nice thing about commuting to work is so you don't have to put up with traffic and the race mentality, i want to separate that mentality entirely when i ride my bike.
07-30-13, 08:16 PM
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@tigerteeuwen:
Bicycling for adults in the contemporary USA has been taken over by wannabe racers in specialized spandex clothing they never use otherwise, always going to nowhere on a mountain or road bike and using clipless shoes that are not meant to be walked in. Yet paradoxically despite "going nowhere" they are constantly competing against time. Thus it is beyond hilarious that those types get taken over JoeyBike using a heavy bike to begin with, made heavier with full racks, panniers, etc.
That is why bicycling is a joke in the USA. Even the few who are "serious" about cycling are mostly dilettantes driving their bicycles around to group or club rides, mountain bike trails, etc.
Bicycling for adults in the contemporary USA has been taken over by wannabe racers in specialized spandex clothing they never use otherwise, always going to nowhere on a mountain or road bike and using clipless shoes that are not meant to be walked in. Yet paradoxically despite "going nowhere" they are constantly competing against time. Thus it is beyond hilarious that those types get taken over JoeyBike using a heavy bike to begin with, made heavier with full racks, panniers, etc.
That is why bicycling is a joke in the USA. Even the few who are "serious" about cycling are mostly dilettantes driving their bicycles around to group or club rides, mountain bike trails, etc.
07-30-13, 08:22 PM
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@tigerteeuwen:
Bicycling for adults in the contemporary USA has been taken over by wannabe racers in specialized spandex clothing they never use otherwise, always going to nowhere on a mountain or road bike and using clipless shoes that are not meant to be walked in. Yet paradoxically despite "going nowhere" they are constantly competing against time. Thus it is beyond hilarious that those types get taken over JoeyBike using a heavy bike to begin with, made heavier with full racks, panniers, etc.
That is why bicycling is a joke in the USA. Even the few who are "serious" about cycling are mostly dilettantes driving their bicycles around to group or club rides, mountain bike trails, etc.
Bicycling for adults in the contemporary USA has been taken over by wannabe racers in specialized spandex clothing they never use otherwise, always going to nowhere on a mountain or road bike and using clipless shoes that are not meant to be walked in. Yet paradoxically despite "going nowhere" they are constantly competing against time. Thus it is beyond hilarious that those types get taken over JoeyBike using a heavy bike to begin with, made heavier with full racks, panniers, etc.
That is why bicycling is a joke in the USA. Even the few who are "serious" about cycling are mostly dilettantes driving their bicycles around to group or club rides, mountain bike trails, etc.
07-30-13, 08:32 PM
#59
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It is true that there are wannabes and dilletantes. If the OP and his fans enjoy mocking them, well I guess that says more about them than it does the wannabes and dilletantes.
And then, some of us actually race our bikes. As in getting a racing license, paying an entry fee, and pinning on a number for an event in which we all know that we are competing. And to be competitive takes a fair amount of saddle time, so many of us (most of the racers I know personally actually) ride our bikes to work, to group rides, to our kids' soccer games.
At the end of the day though, I am just glad to see more people on bikes, whether they are on their way to work, on a training ride, or on a "geek hunt." Who am I to judge?
And then, some of us actually race our bikes. As in getting a racing license, paying an entry fee, and pinning on a number for an event in which we all know that we are competing. And to be competitive takes a fair amount of saddle time, so many of us (most of the racers I know personally actually) ride our bikes to work, to group rides, to our kids' soccer games.
At the end of the day though, I am just glad to see more people on bikes, whether they are on their way to work, on a training ride, or on a "geek hunt." Who am I to judge?
07-30-13, 08:48 PM
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https://www.joeybike.com/stories/story_triathlete.php
It's all spelled out in the first few paragraphs.
It's all spelled out in the first few paragraphs.
07-30-13, 09:11 PM
#62
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Quite a few of my friends ride the LHT and a few of them have said they would trade me straight up for my Kuwahara Cascade expedition bike which is very similar to the Surly in that it is a 26 inch wheeled expedition bike but the ride qualities are vastly different with the Cascade being very civilized no matter what it is doing.
07-31-13, 12:47 AM
#63
Bicycle Repair Man !!!
I never said the LHT is the best touring bike in the world. More like the best touring bike for the buck. There is a nice list of sweet rides for hauling a load in fact. I look at the LHT as the Subaru Wagon of bikes. Gets the job done, even off road, without breaking the bank.
In Portland they are as ubiquitous as Subaru wagons... having ridden them loaded and unloaded I much prefer being loaded and the 26 inch wheels really make for a nicer ride without sacrificing too much performance.
Hunting geeks while riding touring bikes should be an olympic sport.
07-31-13, 06:56 AM
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07-31-13, 09:35 AM
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07-31-13, 09:40 AM
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@Nick The Beard, caloso:
I don't think more people riding matters. As someone who is gonna abandon his car again, it certainly doesn't help me. The recreational and race oriented crowd will just stick mostly to the less populated rural roads that lead to nowhere but endless suburbia with sprawling yards, just because there is little to no traffic there. They generally don't venture much to the areas that actually lead to anything if the conditions are sub-optimal or dismal for cycling, because like I said in other words bicycling is largely a separation and escape from real life in the USA, and not something that is utilitarian. So they can always avoid roads that I in turn cannot avoid. So since I am not a bicycle store, manufacturer or employee thereof, no, more people riding nowhere, just for entertainment or sport, does not help where it matters most for me.
I don't think more people riding matters. As someone who is gonna abandon his car again, it certainly doesn't help me. The recreational and race oriented crowd will just stick mostly to the less populated rural roads that lead to nowhere but endless suburbia with sprawling yards, just because there is little to no traffic there. They generally don't venture much to the areas that actually lead to anything if the conditions are sub-optimal or dismal for cycling, because like I said in other words bicycling is largely a separation and escape from real life in the USA, and not something that is utilitarian. So they can always avoid roads that I in turn cannot avoid. So since I am not a bicycle store, manufacturer or employee thereof, no, more people riding nowhere, just for entertainment or sport, does not help where it matters most for me.
Last edited by Leukybear; 07-31-13 at 11:48 PM. Reason: Clean up
07-31-13, 10:05 AM
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Yet, I would be more impressed by actually pacing for a long time (20 minutes plus) than simply playing a bit and passing Its easy to sprint for a relatively short time. Harder to cruise at highet speeds for a sustained interval. I too ride for urilitarian purposes during the week and fun in the weekends. All my bikes are heavy compared to a.racing bike and I pass plenty of them.
But, I don't see the fun it. I'm travelling faster at that time. They could be wannabes, most likely in Korea where gear is.everything. Or they could be racers taking it slow. Either way I get no satisfaction going round what is simply an obsticle on my ride.
But, I don't see the fun it. I'm travelling faster at that time. They could be wannabes, most likely in Korea where gear is.everything. Or they could be racers taking it slow. Either way I get no satisfaction going round what is simply an obsticle on my ride.
07-31-13, 10:08 AM
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Thrasymachus: read my post again. Nearly all the racers I know also commute and ride for utility too. Yes, we go into the mountains and out into the country but we also ride to our offices downtown.
Perhaps it's different where you live; I can only speak to Northern California.
Perhaps it's different where you live; I can only speak to Northern California.
07-31-13, 10:36 AM
#69
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Yet, I would be more impressed by actually pacing for a long time (20 minutes plus) than simply playing a bit and passing Its easy to sprint for a relatively short time. Harder to cruise at highet speeds for a sustained interval. I too ride for urilitarian purposes during the week and fun in the weekends. All my bikes are heavy compared to a.racing bike and I pass plenty of them.
But, I don't see the fun it. I'm travelling faster at that time. They could be wannabes, most likely in Korea where gear is.everything. Or they could be racers taking it slow. Either way I get no satisfaction going round what is simply an obsticle on my ride.
But, I don't see the fun it. I'm travelling faster at that time. They could be wannabes, most likely in Korea where gear is.everything. Or they could be racers taking it slow. Either way I get no satisfaction going round what is simply an obsticle on my ride.
07-31-13, 10:38 AM
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In the USA in general utilitarian cycling is closer to zero than an activity participated in by a significant percent of the population of all age groups. If you want to see what a real mass cycling culture looks like, based mostly on actually getting things done while on a bike, I would recommend to follow the excellent blog: A View from the Cycle Path by a British expat involved in the cycling industry for decades who moved to the Netherlands:
Now if you believe living in the largest country of the entire Anglosphere which anyway as a whole is totally emasculated in cycle journeys by tiny Netherlands of 15-16 million that somehow a large amount actually commute by cycle, and that I should take your anecdotal advice based on your locale and contacts with local racer enthusiasts, no I don't. And the reason is because cycling is only a marginal hobby competing with hundreds of other hobbies, and even worse, bicyclists are competing on the same roads for a tiny sliver of space as large motor vehicles weighing in excess of a ton. So the bicycle is mostly a toy in the contemporary USA and only the brave or foolhardy apply and try to rise against the subjective safety dangers, negative stereotypes, heckling of drivers, etc...
Originally Posted by David Hembrow
A million journeys per hour by bike
... the number of journeys, spread across a whole country is much higher: 16 million Dutch people make more cycle journeys between them than 300 million Americans, 65 million British and 20 million Australians all added together ...
Joining in with the mass
Dutch people cycle a lot. ... On an average working day, 5 million people make an average of 14 million cycle journeys. Monday and Thursday are the top days with a million more journeys than on the other days of the week. On Saturday, 11.5 million cycle journeys are made, and on Sunday 6.5 million.
... the number of journeys, spread across a whole country is much higher: 16 million Dutch people make more cycle journeys between them than 300 million Americans, 65 million British and 20 million Australians all added together ...
Joining in with the mass
Dutch people cycle a lot. ... On an average working day, 5 million people make an average of 14 million cycle journeys. Monday and Thursday are the top days with a million more journeys than on the other days of the week. On Saturday, 11.5 million cycle journeys are made, and on Sunday 6.5 million.
Last edited by Leukybear; 07-31-13 at 11:48 PM. Reason: Clean up
07-31-13, 11:06 AM
#71
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I like to "race" everyone I see on my rides. I also like to strike up a conversation with those that are about equally matched pacewise. Most times we end up with a smile and a thank you for the shared ride although we were pretty serious trying to drop the other.
07-31-13, 11:17 AM
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07-31-13, 12:19 PM
#73
Bicycle Repair Man !!!
I have also been a bike commuter for what must be coming close to a decade and know there are lots of people who have that mentality that they have to pass you just because you are there without realizing that most of us don't care... and as long as you keep going after you pass and don't slow me down I won't care.
You can't take any of this too seriously but you can also have some fun with it.
07-31-13, 09:20 PM
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@Nick The Beard, caloso:
I don't think more people riding matters. As someone who is gonna abandon his car again, it certainly doesn't help me. The recreational and race oriented crowd will just stick mostly to the less populated rural roads that lead to nowhere but endless suburbia with sprawling yards, just because there is little to no traffic there. They generally don't venture much to the areas that actually lead to anything if the conditions are sub-optimal or dismal for cycling, because like I said in other words bicycling is largely a separation and escape from real life in the USA, and not something that is utilitarian. So they can always avoid roads that I in turn cannot avoid. So since I am not a bicycle store, manufacturer or employee thereof, no, more people riding nowhere, just for entertainment or sport, does not help where it matters most for me.
I don't think more people riding matters. As someone who is gonna abandon his car again, it certainly doesn't help me. The recreational and race oriented crowd will just stick mostly to the less populated rural roads that lead to nowhere but endless suburbia with sprawling yards, just because there is little to no traffic there. They generally don't venture much to the areas that actually lead to anything if the conditions are sub-optimal or dismal for cycling, because like I said in other words bicycling is largely a separation and escape from real life in the USA, and not something that is utilitarian. So they can always avoid roads that I in turn cannot avoid. So since I am not a bicycle store, manufacturer or employee thereof, no, more people riding nowhere, just for entertainment or sport, does not help where it matters most for me.
07-31-13, 09:44 PM
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Sometimes I'm fred in flipflops on my grocery getter mtb with a kid on the back, sonetimes I'm on my mtb all dressed up for the hill, and sometimes I'm ob my roadie carrying minimal gear going for speed and looking 'serious'. I laugh at the people that tell me I can't go fast or far on a heavy bike. I can. Its a bit harder work but no drama. Still
judging or labeling people as 'geeks' or otherwise on the basis.of bike and clothing isn't smart. They may just be like me and be a car free person riding the fun bike.
judging or labeling people as 'geeks' or otherwise on the basis.of bike and clothing isn't smart. They may just be like me and be a car free person riding the fun bike.