Hello from Ithaca, NY USA
02-01-11, 10:58 PM
#1
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Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Ithaca, NY
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Bikes: Surly LHT, Motobecane Fantom Cross CX
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Hello from Ithaca, NY USA
Not much to say right now. Hadn't ridden a bike since about 1995 and decided to buy a cheap Schwinn hybrid from Wal-Mart in June of 2009 so I could go on bike rides with my father. I set a goal that I would be able to do a 35 mile ride by the end of that summer. I ended up meeting my goal (and dropped 15lbs. that summer!)
Turned out I liked riding a lot more than I thought...so February of 2010 I bought a 2009 Surly Long Haul Trucker from my LBS because the idea of hauling all my camping gear on the bike and being self-sufficient sounded like fun. The Surly LHT changed me from "Gee I like riding my bike" to "I LOVE riding my bike every day".
Did a fully loaded biking camping trip this past summer, but never got a chance to make my first century yet. My camping trip was about a 77 mile ride one way.
2011 will be my year for my first century!
Fast-forward to today...I've been lurking here recently looking at reviews of the Motobecane Fantom CX as I think I'll pick one up as a lighter "training" and commuting bike option. I love my Surly, but it's a little loaded and sometimes I just want a little more stripped down ride (also don't want to use my LHT for my winter commuter).
So that's my story in brief.
Turned out I liked riding a lot more than I thought...so February of 2010 I bought a 2009 Surly Long Haul Trucker from my LBS because the idea of hauling all my camping gear on the bike and being self-sufficient sounded like fun. The Surly LHT changed me from "Gee I like riding my bike" to "I LOVE riding my bike every day".
Did a fully loaded biking camping trip this past summer, but never got a chance to make my first century yet. My camping trip was about a 77 mile ride one way.
2011 will be my year for my first century!Fast-forward to today...I've been lurking here recently looking at reviews of the Motobecane Fantom CX as I think I'll pick one up as a lighter "training" and commuting bike option. I love my Surly, but it's a little loaded and sometimes I just want a little more stripped down ride (also don't want to use my LHT for my winter commuter).
So that's my story in brief.
02-01-11, 11:03 PM
#2
Galveston County Texas
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Welcome Rex to Bike Forums.
Very nice intro.
You have the LHT set up nice.
Very nice intro.
You have the LHT set up nice.
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Fred "The Real Fred"
Fred "The Real Fred"
02-02-11, 04:45 AM
#3
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Bikes: Specialized Tarmac Expert, 2002 TREK 520, Schwinn Mesa WINTER BIKE, Huffy Rock Creek 29er, 1970s-era Ross ten speed. All my bikes are highly modified(except the Tarmac) yet functional, and generally look beat to ****. .
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Welcome Rex.
Good looking bike.
Good looking bike.
02-02-11, 01:56 PM
#5
You gonna eat that?
Nice rig.
How is the HALT attached to your handlebar stem?
How is the HALT attached to your handlebar stem?
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I stop for people / whose right of way I honor / but not for no one.
Originally Posted by bragi 
"However, it's never a good idea to overgeneralize."
I stop for people / whose right of way I honor / but not for no one.
Originally Posted by bragi "However, it's never a good idea to overgeneralize."
02-02-11, 02:10 PM
#6
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Location: Binghamton, NY
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Bikes: Workcycles FR8, 2016 Jamis Coda Comp, 2008 Surly Long Haul Trucker
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I used to live in Ithaca. Where do they sell the LHT at? I went to Philly for mine. I commute on mine all year round, and don't worry about anything.
02-02-11, 06:43 PM
#8
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Thanks for the welcome everyone.
Swan Cycles is is where I got my Surly. The 2010's had just come out, but I really had wanted a green 2009... and he happened to have one left in stock! It was $875 complete (minus the pedals, racks, fenders, and Brooks saddle of course). Glen is great to deal with, especially during the winter. He gets swarmed during summer time though.
@Doohickie - The Halt spray is on there by hooking the belt clip onto a circular piece of velcro. Able to be slipped off easy enough in the event a dog chases, but not too loose that it falls off. I've hit plenty of bumps and never lost it yet.
EDIT: it was $875 complete not $800 as I thought initially. I just found the receipt tonight.
Swan Cycles is is where I got my Surly. The 2010's had just come out, but I really had wanted a green 2009... and he happened to have one left in stock! It was $875 complete (minus the pedals, racks, fenders, and Brooks saddle of course). Glen is great to deal with, especially during the winter. He gets swarmed during summer time though.
@Doohickie - The Halt spray is on there by hooking the belt clip onto a circular piece of velcro. Able to be slipped off easy enough in the event a dog chases, but not too loose that it falls off. I've hit plenty of bumps and never lost it yet.
EDIT: it was $875 complete not $800 as I thought initially. I just found the receipt tonight.
Last edited by RoadieRex; 02-28-11 at 09:12 PM. Reason: Wrong price
02-02-11, 09:14 PM
#9
You gonna eat that?
So simple. I need to do that.
__________________
I stop for people / whose right of way I honor / but not for no one.
Originally Posted by bragi "However, it's never a good idea to overgeneralize."
I stop for people / whose right of way I honor / but not for no one.
Originally Posted by bragi "However, it's never a good idea to overgeneralize."
02-02-11, 11:52 PM
#11
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That he is...and above that a REALLY nice easy going guy. I was lucky that by chance I had talked to someone about buying a bike and they recommended I go see him. He was very helpful in my decision about the bike and other gear. It never felt like a sales pitch either. It genuinely felt like he just wanted to help get the most out of riding and he couldn't care less if I didn't buy a bike right then and there. He let me take the Surly LHT and ride it for a week before I bought it to be sure I would be happy with it. THAT is great customer service.
02-03-11, 02:26 PM
#12
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When I was in Ithaca shopping around a guy at the bike Coop recommended Glenn. The guy was nice enough to let me test ride his CC. However when I got in touch with Glenn he didn't have any. Talking with him it sounded like he was selling them out of his shed or something similar. Of course this was around November when I found out about him.
$800 is a great price RoadieRex. I think I paid $950 when I bought mine in Philly.
$800 is a great price RoadieRex. I think I paid $950 when I bought mine in Philly.
