Eugene_B says:
My weight usually goes somewhere around 200lb, most of the time less than that.
Aluminum doesn't like to be straddled with extra weight. Steel doesn't care as much. If steel is burdened with excessive weight, it will tend to yield or bend, NOT break.
Wow, that looks impressive, the packed Surly bike looks much more compact than
the other one which requires a huge box. Is this S&S thing a special feature
of Surly bikes only? Also how does it perform? I mean if I go offroad and start
having a bumpy ride, I won't need to worry that the thing will break under me? I
mean it's still not solid and will probably have the risk of wearing off and
falling apart eventually?
The S&S couplings are very snug and tight, without any flex at all. S&S couplings are for any world traveler who is also, a cyclists.
Also, thanks again for the list, I keep studying it!
'Twas a pleasure, my friend!
Yeah, I'll be able to figure it out. When I say mud, I usually don't imagine
that much of it so that it starts clogging the bicycle
If that will be the
case, I'll try to avoid that region of road or something like that. And yeah, I
can always take separate work clothes with me. I am still not sure what the
climate is like in NY but it doesn't apper to be raining constantly so those
paths should be quite usable (I hope)
Eugene, mud is a very serious issue. It's important to know what type of mud we're dealing with here and how pervasive it is within this particular area, in which you're cycling.
I mean, what's its consistency?
Will it be easily avoidable along the way?
Is the entire area riddled with mud holes or patches?
Just how extensive is the mud?
Yeah, that is one of my concerns. I was once riding a cheap mountain bike (which
had flat bars though) down the hill, then bumped something and completely flew
off the seat, rolling the remaining part of the road on the ground. It was magic
that I didn't break anything then. Even though I definitely learnt things after
that, I am still kind of scared of assuming aerodynamic positions and prefer
more upright ones which also feel slightly more comfortable for my back. However
I've never rode a normal bike so may be things are not that bad, I'll need to
test how that thing feels.
Well if you tend to shy away from drop handlebars, you'll just make it that much more difficult to travel the long distances you were referring to, because touring and riding long distances, are primarily for drop handlebar candidates. If we just stick with your comfort zone and your immediate cycling needs at hand, we might just as well, rule out drop handlebars altogether right now, and only focus upon MTN bikes and hybrids, for commuting, quick errands, and your utilitarian grocery needs.
Well, it's not price only but also availability of bikes. I am not sure there
are huge bike shops here so I might just end up test driving individual features
of bicycles (e.g. flat vs non-flat handlebars) and then ordering the actual bike
model online because the shop won't simply have that bike. However the price is
unfortunately a parameter for me too. If the difference is not huge, I of course
would be more than happy to order locally and get my bike right away. However if
it is hundreds of dollars, I'll probably have to go online.
If your budget is between $1K and $2K, you're going to have many bikes to choose from the list.
Is this still currently your budget?
If not, we need to be alerted, right away.
That is a very good question! Even though there appear to be some sizable bike
shops here, I can't easily answer that question because they have very poor
websites (or don't have them at all). There is a guy who seems to carry lots of
Jamis bikes, and another shop with lots of Trek-s and "Specialized" (I am not
fully sure if that's a brand name). I am planning of analyzing everything I've
learn and still keep learning from this thread, than paying a visit to the
shops, test driving something and then I'll see how it goes. If the local shops
are just too small, I might select some weekend day, get on greyhound or amtrak
and go to some city with a huge bike shop and then test drive everything there
The greyhound idea sounds great! The sooner, the better!
- Slim
PS.
You've just got to learn how to face your fears. Get set into those drops and ride with the wind upon the open roads. Free your spirit! Discover a new Eugene through cycling! Just take it day by day and step by step....