First commute to school today. 12 miles round trip. Taking baby steps. Driving half way, then biking the remainder to school. Then back to my car in the afternoon.
The Topeak MTX rack system is great. So simple to get on and off, and it holds quite a lot - my work clothes, papers/folders, lunch, and basically a lot of empty space since I don't need to bring much else! Loving it.
Looking forward to riding the rest of the week (and school year if weather permits)
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8122/8...7e6bf2_c_d.jpg

Very sensible setup. I really like what you do with your old 790.

I use a similar setup, at times. Did so today. Pulls best w/ old mtn bike commuter, then trailabike, then double chariot, for us.
Long rig.
Fun haul.

Rode the bike to work today...the weather was perfect, but I'm kind of dreading 95+ degrees it'll be on the way home this evening.

http://speshuled.smugmug.com/Other/C...10504133-M.jpg

Thank you!

I haven't used the front rack yet, but dang it looks SO cool!

At least the heat is on the way home! I hate commuting TO work in the hot stuff... don't really care about the ride home.

The heat actually wasn't that bad. The wind helped. Luckily I didn't have much of a head wind except for the last few miles. I just tried to stay hydrated.

AsanaCycles,

I really like your Hunter. What bars do you have on on there?

I'm updating my photo to include the Burley Travoy I purchased. I don't take it every time but when I do.... it's awesome.

http://www.280dude.com/wp-content/up...59697787_n.jpg
http://www.280dude.com/wp-content/up...71301810_n.jpg

On One Mary Bar, mounted upside down

I think I want to hump that bike....or at least ride the wheels off of it. Details *Please*! What frame is that?

Here are a couple of my 2013 Raleigh Misceo 2.0. I've put about 550 mi. on it. I really do like this bike. It was an ideal choice for my in-town commute. A few upgrades to make the commute easier and a couple for pure aesthetics, or personal preference. For those who remember my saddle dilemma, I went back to the C-9. I have come to the conclusion that the way to be comfy on a 20mi ride is to do some 40mi rides!

Pics are taken along the Ohio River. As you can see it is well beyond flood stage. All the rain that fell last weekend in east TN, east KY, WV, PA, and OH will come past where these pics are taken. It has not even made it here yet. The Big Muddy is full so this will be slow in going down.

From the downtown riverfront. The river is 1 mile wide at this point.
http://i.imgur.com/M0rbjmI.jpg
This is our event stage at the riverfront.
http://i.imgur.com/MfubgJt.jpg
At our Downtown Farmers Market. This spot was very influential in turning me on to cycling. It was so much fun for me and the wife to ride down there on weekends for the yummy, fresh veggies, baked goods, and such.
http://i.imgur.com/Uwl4yJn.jpg
The US Hwy 45 bridge (The Irvin Cobb) over the Ohio. Bike is on part of our new Greenway that will, when completed, extend from the downtown area to within a mile of our house. It is built on top of the floodwall that encircles the town. As it stands, it gives me a great 8+ mile RT commute with little traffic!
http://i.imgur.com/OFaBqCa.jpg

An updated pic of my daily mule... who but bicycle riders and gear heads post pictures of their stuff?!
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=316566

http://distilleryimage6.s3.amazonaws...0aa80117_7.jpg


Just need some gumwalls and pedals and im done with this thing, new total = $360

drum brakes?

Just the front, rear is 3 speed fixed, both sturmey archer hubs

that is a great looking bike and picture. Nicely done! for that price even nicer.

Nice and simple. ' needs fenders though.

This is the one that gets rode when fenders are desired.
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=317038

or this one, except it usually has studs on.
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=317039

Fenders are definitely needed most of the time here.

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3788/...53bfb4c5_b.jpg

My new old commuter. It used to be a flat bar hybrid with a front shock, now it is a drop bar asphalt and gravel runner. I am amazed how well it works with a fork that is some 5-6 cm shorter than the original! Obviously its geometry wasn't ideal before. And it is nearly ideal now, I really enjoy how it rides on and off the pavement, how it cuts through the wind, etc. Do you know the feeling when you do something and the results turn out way better than you planned? That's how i feel now, riding with a grin on my face.... I was thinking of buying a true road bike but now i know it can wait.

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7434/...748b6084_b.jpg


I am really digging those IRD super long cranks (200mm). Feels much better than JK 205 i got from Zinn's shop, mainly due to a smaller Q-factor. Thanks to H.S.Clydesdale for the info on the Interloc cranks. No debate if it is better or worse than shorter cranks, but they definitely help to get a better fit for the tall guys like me who don't have the cash for a tall custom frame. So far no pedal strikes, but one's got to be careful in the sharp turns.

Few more photos from todays ride:

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5460/...ed02cc07_b.jpg


https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2840/...04547d2e_b.jpg

hey, nice cranks!

I was looking at the Zinn designed KHS flite 747, and I think the IRD cranks are the same, or a complete copy, of the KHS cranks. I am assuming whoever manufactures them for KHS has also done a deal with IRD. Check it out, here is a pic of the KHS cranks:

http://www.atwistedspoke.com/wp-cont...747-cranks.jpg

I used to have large platform pedals on the 200mm cranks and I did get some pedal stikes. Nothing major, mostly going slow and turning or over uneven surfaces. I have since changed to spd pedals and that seems to have cleared up that problem, though I do change my pedal style to make sure I am avoiding any possibility of pedal stikes. (never pedal through corners)

Good looking bike BTW, is it another 61cm? I have been hesitant to try the carbon fork... concerned I will bust it (234lbs), but they do look like fun.

here is the my commuter doing double duty as the weekend kid hauler. I changed the pedals to spds shortly after taking this photo.

http://i760.photobucket.com/albums/x...5-19114343.jpg

Damn those are long cranks! What's the clearance like when cornering?

I have to admit that going from 170 to 175 mm cranks, I did notice a significant difference, especially in hill climbing, but 200 mm *seem* quite long; how tall are you guys?

That is most excellent.

Cornering clearance is okay, obviously worse than with smaller cranks. There are ways to improve this, like an eccentric BB or frame built with a higher BB. These are to hard to find though... The cranks are 30mm longer, so to approximate "normal" clearance, you need a bottom bracket 30mm higher. That translates to BB drop of 40mm rather than the usual 70mm. Any frame with a 40mm bottom bracket drop would be a track bike, so, much more aggressive in other aspects. I do want to try and build a commuter on a track frame with these cranks, just to see what its like.

On the other hand, the longer cranks lead to a lower center of gravity, and so usually give the bike a more solid feel, like your inside the bike instead of on top of it. It feels more like running very fast, as opposed to riding on top of something.

We are both 6'7" (if I recall correctly from our previous discussion. I know I am 6'7" anyway)

Thank you sir! It is a fun setup.

First things first... I totally agree with Tom!

Its late here in Athens (nearly 1 in the morning), and because I'm beat, I just can't quite grasp the setup with such long cranks and how it relates to sitting position, knees and such, but I do understand the feeling of sitting lower and having a lower center of gravity. Just wondering on how it must be for this setup to be translated to my height (5'11") and a slightly longer cranks such as 180 or 185 cm?

Here is a photo of my commuter bike....Spot Acme.

[IMG]http://i438.photobucket.com/albums/q...520_145745.jpg[/IMG]

Sweet! I would LOVE to have a nice belt drive IGH bike like that. Yours is setup very well, too. How long have you had it?