SpokeApe

I'M BACK AGAIN!!
(yeah, I know, a bit too much fanfare there.)
Been away for awhile but still been riding.
Ole' El Cheapette is still holding up for me (much to the chagrin of the J-***** LBS!!).
Not a busted spoke, flat tire or bent rim and still have yet to put on that shiny new chain!
(knock knock knock!!)
Starting to think abt stepping up to a nicer one.
I'm still sitting @ 260lbs give a lb or two here or there.
Freaking' Plateau!
I am enjoying the mountain bike frame with the street tires but I have the urge to move to street bike.
Decisions decisions.
I never ride off road with the exception of camping every now and again and that is on hiking/walking trails.
What would be a more street bike than MTBS animal that still has tires that could be ridden on shell/unpaved, but firm, trails??
I've been eyeballing the bikes on this site and have been cherry picking what I like from all of them.
Pipe dream??
SpokeApe

Tom Stormcrowe

Welcome back, ya big ape!

East Hill

So what exactly has been the culmination of the dream? Anything resembling a bike that actually exists?

East Hill

tpelle

One 260 lb gorilla to another, it seems to me your choices (as much as I could glean from your post) boil down to a hybrid (if you like flat bars), or a touring bike (if you like drop bars). Either one would have mtb-like gearing and wider tires that would take you off off hard-surface roads.

jmarkley710

Welcome Back! I was wondering when you'd return. Maybe something of the cyclocross realm would work. Kona Jake the Snake. Check that out.

Stujoe

I was thinking Cyclocross too. Surly Cross Check, Jake the Snake. That is what I will be moving to some day.

SpokeApe

Thanks for the welcomes, Good People!
Those are exactly what I am thinking abt.
Definately digging both the Kona and the Surly (is that pronounced SUR-lee or SHUR-lee??)
Would I need to do anything to them before riding to make them more "Clyde"proof?
Does anyone own one of these at this juncture?
Please, step up and give me a review!!
Drop bars...straight bars...drop bars....straight bars????
I'm thinking drop....most of my ridinfg is on concrete. Those in the area will know the Friendship trail bridge (old gandy bridge) and Pinellas trail.
Plus from what I've read most of the weight lost was from riding street bikes.
SpokeApe
p.s Does anyone else's feet smack the frame around the back wheel when they pedal or am I just a freakin' big white ape??

clearwaterms

can't speak to the more clyde proof, but I would think if anything just upgrade the wheel set and getting a seat that would more closely match your style would probably do it. The surly crosscheck is a great bike.

as to the feet hitting the bars i used to have that problem, but when I upgraded my pedals to power grips, they forced my feet more parrallel to the frame which stopped that problem. Also, you could always get a different crank setup that put the pedals further away from the frame.

SpokeApe

Thanks.
The foot problem I will address with my next bike.
This one is doing the job of keeping me interested until I decide which one to get next.
looking at some of the cyclocross bikes I see some only have one sproket at the pedal.
Since I'm a flatlander, would this be a avenue I should explore?
Not that I would change it from what it comes with in that instance.
SpokeApe

clearwaterms

look around in the cyclocross forums a littlebit. Those people will tell you better. Some cyclocross bikes don't have brazed fittings for fenders / racks / or more then one water bottle. so that is something to consider as well.

SpokeApe

Awright! Awright! Awright!
Things are starting to come together with my Pipedream new bike.
I am leaning towards the cyclocross style.
I rode today and only used 3 different chain positions and all of them utilized the large chainring @ the pedal.
Could I find a rear wheel with only 3 chainrings on it?
Still torn between MTN frame or road frame.
I like the Nashbar “X” Aluminum Cyclocross Frame.
Kinda MTN tuff/road bike ability. (as far as I can tell.)
Probably go with the same thing I have now for wheels/tires MTN rims with 1.5" tires.
Anyone have any ideas??
SpokeApe
p.s.
am I being too picky?
p.s.s
No, I'm not anywhere near "building my own" knowledge level.

jmarkley710

Spoke-
Go with a road bike. Even if you used a cyclocross bike you couldn't use the tires you have now. Different rim and tire sizes. In Tampa you're hard pressed to find a place you need a cyclocross bike. There's not as many issues with biking surfaces here. On a road bike you'll have a chance to practice spinning and not mashing, as well you'll be able to work on utilizing more gears. You'll get the more aerodynamic position, more hand positions, and more efficiency than on a MTB. The first time you ride a road bike after a mountain bike you feel like a bat out of hell. You could go with a compact crankset. That'll give you two chainrings. For the foot problem you could try toe-clips, clipless, or power grips. Maybe even Knee Savers. There was a thread about them a month or so ago.

P.S. And keep the mountain bike for the camping trips.

SpokeApe

Well said.
Cross Check or Long Haul Trucker??
Do you know of a comparable bike like those 2?
I'm sooo in the looking phase but both those are slick!
Open to any and all suggestions.
Any make/model.
SpokeApe
p.s.
never rode a road bike.
AND WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PUTTING ALL THE BATS IN HELL AND WHY DO THEY FEEL THE NEED TO ESCAPE!?!?!

Stujoe

Do you foresee needing to have racks, bags/panniers or fenders? This guy had built the basic setup I want...

https://www.bikeforums.net/commuting/345356-my-new-commuter-bandwidth-warning-bike-pron.html

A road bike would be much faster, lighter and sportier handling, though, if you don't need the toughness and storage/accessories for trails, commuting, etc.

jmarkley710

Either one wouldn't be bad. At your weight though you hardly have anything to worry about except spoke count and "spontaneous carbon fiber combustion" (joke). Any aluminum frame will work pretty much. If you are concerned about the price check around. End of year prices should be dropping. Also you can check a mail-order site that get's bashed a lot on this board. Maybe someone will provide the address. I don't want to be called a "Shill".