ban guzzi

And happy about it. I guess there hasn't been a whole lot of rain until the last two days? Went riding for a few hours the other day looking up bike shops and places for coffee and internet. Dont' remember what bike shop it was but the mechanic I talked to had a beautiful Big Dummy w/ Rohloff! I think I can find it again and that may be my LBS of choice. Looked like nice people and they were all pretty helpful. We live South East so we take back roads in via 4th into downtown. You all have some very nice bike facilities! Looks to be some serious advocacy going on here. While there are a-hole drivers everywhere, around me so far they have been attentive and cautious if not overly happy(?) to share the roads. I'm very impressed!
Coming from Denver, this city has some nice rolling roads. Travis Heights comes to mind... Denver is flat as a pancake and you need to hit the mountains for hill riding.
Not so impressed with the level of bike theft here tho'. I'm glad we park our bikes in our condo in place of a kitchen table! Guess its time to blow some cash on a kryptonite chain to supplement the ulock.

So I've gazed upon ATXBS for info and that seems all well and good. I've never ridden with a group and would like to do some of those rides when I can. Up till 6 weeks ago, 30 miles was a good warm up for me and I usually did 60-100, with some foothills thrown in. I'm not the fastest but hold my own okay. Any recommendations for groups for me? I'm not all that keen on booze cruzes...
Oh yeah...I'm a clyde if that helps any.
Thanks for reading and the prior help with neighborhoods to buy into. We're just fine here. I've noticed people here get a little sniffy about Pleasant Valley but it reminds me of my area in Denver. No real change in that sense...

Rex G

Welcome to Texas! I am about 170-ish miles from Austin, in Bellaire, so I can't be very helpful about the local bicycling scene in Austin. I envy the hills y'all have up there! Down here, I have to practice climbing on certain bridges in Houston, with the view below nearby bridges being stuff like a rail yard and a water chlorination plant. Bike shops I have visited in Austin are Mellow Johnny's on Nueces between 4th and 5th, and Bicycle Sports Shop on Lamar south of the Colorado River a bit. I was thinking of driving to Austin and Buda today, and may stop in at one or both of those places, if I have time.

Bike theft? Yes, I hear bike theft in Austin is worse than down here in the Houston metro area, where it is bad enough. I keep my bikes inside the house. As our good buddy the gov is right there in Austin, why don't you suggest bike theft be made a hangin' offense?

L1NUX

Welcome to Austin, the blueberry in tomato soup! There are group rides that happen all over the city pretty much every day. You can look up a bunch of them on the ACA's website: https://www.austincycling.org/

Check on the Classic and Hosted rides. If you ever feel like a nice 50 mile route with a lot of hills and a pretty good pace, join us on the Mozart's to Mansfield ride on most Saturdays. (It's currently listed as "Same Dam loop, Different Start" as the normal host is busy in Sept.)

As far as shops go, everyone seems to have their favorite. Personally, I like BSS (North for me since I'm in the NW) and when I'm downtown, it's always fun to swing by Mellow Johnny's.

Mash Master

welcome, I second the austin cycling association rides. If you ever see another Clyde on a Ti Motobecane say hi.

I like Bicycle Sport Shop, personnally. I do not like Buck's bikes.