Originally Posted by
Albino Wino
This guy is older than me, smokes cigs and rides his SS effortlessly up steep hills. It's real hard to swallow.
George Burns lived a longlife, but then he WAS god....
Originally Posted by
Albino Wino
Chicken and egg. He's riding so much because it's easy for him and because he isn't constantly working on his bike.
There's a lot to that co-worker commutes, and he does real well, last bike was stolen had over 73,000 on it. He's 6'3 and about 200...
Originally Posted by
Arvadaman
Albino,
I think most of us understand your frustration on this forum. Most of us weigh more than we want to, break stuff on our bikes more often due to our weight, and do not have the resources we would like to put in cycling.
I know that I have to save up for bike parts so I can keep my family afloat and my two teenage daughters fed, clothed, and in the activities they want to be involved. Lots of us face these challenges.
On the bright side, you are out there cycling when most people hang up their bikes in September.
You have risen to the challenge and can keep your bikes on the road using your own skills. I am sure you know more about your bikes than the other guy will ever know.
I do not doubt that you will solve the solve the wheel problems and keep moving forward.
Don't worry about Lance. Let Lance be Lance.
It may seem easier for him but you will get through it.
Gotta agree, from where I sit you're both doing pretty awesome!
Originally Posted by
Albino Wino
thanks man. it's all good, I guess I just had a rough patch there. Chugging along now. I got a wheel quote from Peter White, it's shockingly expensive and yet very tempting to set up a rock solid rear wheel. Got heavy groceries today and felt everything flexing around on the ride home. Not awesome.
i built "my last bike" to last even with my part killing mass, and uh riding style. Given, my health condition its ride or fall apart. It was pretty much anything is cheaper then medical bills. So went from wrecking parts to overkill. Gotta tell you over kill works! Perhaps you could troll Craig's list until you find a hub up to the duty it will serve, like an old White PW and build up around that.
i'm at about 7k abusive maintenance schedule, and use. Still is a joy every ride. I presume your wheels are all 26'? If you're 700, I have an ok heavy duty rear wheel and a rather good front you can have from my last bike to hold you while you save up for something that lives up for your usage... I believe they're both 40 spoke.
Originally Posted by
DWhitworth
I use Rich Lesnik for my wheels and they are also pretty expensive (to me) at about $400 for a rear. However, once I spent this money on my last bike, I went 1000s of miles with no more broken spokes or trueing or any wheel trouble. My chain jumped the cassette and tore up some spokes on that wheel and I had to have him respoke it (impressively, it broke 3 spokes and stayed true)
That bike got stolen and I had to purchase a new one in a hurry for a charity ride - I had the LBS build a wheel and their first (very rushed) attempt only made 55 miles of my intended 75 or 100. They rebuilt it and the new one has 1000 miles on it and seems to be doing pretty well but it slightly out of true. I have a spare built by Rich and am only running the LBS one to see how long it goes before trouble.
Based on my very limited experience, if you want trouble free riding it is worth every penny to spend the big bucks on the wheel from a known builder. Even a good LBS without extensive big guy experience will never be able to get you to that trouble free place that you can get otherwise. Not a knock against any LBS, especially mine (there are several I use) they just don't have the experience and/or time to do a proper wheel for a clyde.
Anyway, just MHO.
DaveW
Got to agree, before I gave up on last bike I had 7+ bike shops and mechs try and fix any of 3 issues. But if they had not experienced the requirements a 285lb weight lifter could put on a bike themselves, it was like I was speaking a different language. Many brought up the this or that tandem team does it this way.... But that experience only seems to go just so far...