Weekend errand commuter

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...1b5d20cf77.jpg

I'm up in the country this weekend. I needed a reason to get outside so I rode to buy groceries instead of driving. It's hilly up here compared with Manhattan!

It was a satisfying ride. I like doing things under my own power.

1971 Raleigh Super Course with nothing original except brake calipers and headset. Dynamo powered lights, fenders, rack, etc.


https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...6e212f76a.jpeg

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...658f3e41e1.jpg
C.ITOH; single, 52x16.

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...d00b53127.jpeg
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...002a90e39.jpeg

Lovely! what's the Chinese writing?

I believe it says 'Black Mountain Self Propelled Vehicle'. The frame brand owner put that on some frames to recognize where the frames are built(Taiwan).

Laugh!? Bro, you're my hero. lol. You just need some baseball cards for your spokes held by clothes pins and you're gtg. Totally cool rig.

NYC commute last week..
https://i.imgur.com/KOpRofK.jpg

Nice pic -- did you have to wait a long time to see that long stretch of bikeway have zero other bikes on it? It would be tragic if it were that unused. If I were one of those hundreds of poor schlubs up on the walkway, I'd see all that empty pavement and think "wow, if I was on a bike I could be moving so much faster!"

Thanks, it depends on the time of day.
While I was crossing the Manhattan Bridge, a major tourist attraction on a day with nice weather; I came across about a dozen of riders, that's mid-day early afternoon.
During rush hours there are many more cyclists on the bike path.
Honestly, most of the time, bikes on bike path are faster than the car traffic on the bridge, even though I don't ride that fast (mostly under 15 mph) during my commute.

According to post, about 5000 cyclists use that bike path per day:
https://www.threads.net/@modacitylife/post/C6kEC_2OXiF

Little more (bike) traffic this time.
https://i.imgur.com/scfT0hm.jpg

And last time I didn't even notice that really cool building on the right!

Early 1990’s Schwinn Criss Cross
19” Chromoly frame and fork
3 x 7 freewheel drivetrain (I think it was Suntour, but I don’t remember)
700c x 35mm tires at 65 psi
Would have had clearance for fenders and 32mm tires. Not all-weather suitable since 35mm tire is my personal lower limit for tire width. Will not fit commonly available studded tires.
Rode and handled well everywhere in all conditions, even off-road a little with a suitable tire.
Good fair weather commuter. 19” frame a little snug for me for longer rides but stand over clearance was awesome.
Seriously nice bike, especially for what I paid for it.
Fate: Traded it for another bike for somebody else

1980 Raleigh Sports 3 speed Sturmey Archer drivetrain
23” hi ten steel frame and fork
I needed a winter bike and this was the best I could come up with on short notice.
35mm tires at 55 psi
full fenders plus mudflap plus chain guard
I rode this bike to work all winter and spring except for a few days when it was too icy and I never got dirty.
I put the front rack on as an experiment and liked it and kept it and hauled a bunch of oat milk on it. It’s good for about 10 lbs and a headlight before the handling gets a little wonky.
Too heavy and slow and evidently fragile for daily use as I stripped the threads on the rear axle trying to muscle up a steep (short) hill in top gear.
There are no 590mm/650a studded tires that I am aware of, so this bike is unsuitable for those 3 days - 3 weeks per Indiana winter when there’s too much ice to ride.
It’s no good off road. It’s cumbersome and infuriating on long rides. It’s even a little sketchy to ride in grass. Forget about hopping curbs. Forget pretty much anything that requires you to pedal out of saddle. Standover height was just about the limit for comfort for me. Stopping and starting was cumbersome.
Fate: TBD. I am contemplating a single speed rebuild with some alloy parts and plastic fenders because it is so fun to ride and useful for trips around 15 minutes each way and sort of nice to look at if I get rid of all that reflective tape I put on it. Good rain bike if it had alloy wheels.

Year unknown Diamondback Edgewood LX (I would guess 10-15 years old, light occasional use)

21” Aluminum whatever frame (XL)
3 x 7 freewheel drivetrain
38mm tires at 45 psi
Again what I could come up with on short notice for a commuter bike.

First Diamondback for me
First suspension fork
First commuter bike* with clearance for 38mm tires and fenders (I think it’ll even squeeze a 40 in there, maybe a 42)
First pogo stick saddle post
Suspension fork precludes useful front rack installation, but man it sure is nice!
I grew to like the lower headlight location on the Raleigh (and I assume opposite-direction traffic appreciate it as well but we never stop to chat), and this repurposed reflector bracket is what I was able to come up with what I had lying around. It is suitable for now. I am also contemplating one of those little racks that mount to the brake bosses.
I like the slightly oversized frame for my height. Sloping top tube makes greater effective standover clearance than the 3 speed.
Feels stable and confidence inspiring on basically every surface. Will have clearance to fit commonly available studded tires and fenders.
Before I thought “All that cushion from the fork and springer seat post has to make it, like, inefficient”
Now I think “Oh. It’s more like mitigating fatigue and injury than making it ‘comfortable’. That is the greater efficiency”. And I will have to record a few rides to verify, but it might even be “faster” overall.
Fate: TBD. I like it so far. I’ve never ridden a bike with the bars this high. Maybe I will come to hate it. So far so good for now. The bike is huge. For comparison, the first two bikes have the saddle height set the same. The Diamondback is set even higher (about 1/2” to compensate for the compression when I’m seated. The Raleigh has smaller wheels, a lower bottom bracket, and shorter cranks.

* meaningless correction - I had a Multitrack for a while that fit a 38mm tire and fenders that was stolen from me


https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...4e3954919d.png
Schwinn Criss Cross when I got it - $40
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...dab1523da.jpeg
Criss Cross final iteration
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...72d739787.jpeg
Criss Cross Commutin’
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...3ba4b2dc2.jpeg
Raleigh Sports when I got it - $75
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...5341b1c4d.jpeg
Raleigh Sports final iteration
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...61fcdb5d2.jpeg
Diamondback Edgewood LX when I got it - $150 delivered
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...65d83e9b0.jpeg
Edgewood headlight detail
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...a70e463ab.jpeg
Edgewood current iteration
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...a8e2409b6.jpeg
Edgewood minus rack

nice bikes man, but I feel like when you're on the crisscross, you should dress correct

https://i0.wp.com/www.hip-hopvibe.co...g?w=1023&ssl=1

Touche. May need some guidance on how to dress like an “Edgewood”.

Priority Apollo 11
 

I’m making this into a proper commuter. Here’s the skinny:

• Gravel bike
• internal geared hub (Shimano Alfine 11)
• Crank Bros flat pedals
• Selle Anatomica X saddle
• Planet Bike Beamer 700 headlight
• Bontrager Flare R City tail light
• Garmin GPS mount
• Giant snap-on fenders
• Plastic bottle cages
• Kryptonite Evolution U-Lock
• Greenfield kick stand
• (future) Topeak MTX rack and bag

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...8eba8ef76.jpeg

I found where you took that reflection pic on street view

Last privately owned guitar shop in town.

There is also one remaining privately owned bike shop.

2018 drop conversion
Ridden approx 3,000 miles total before stolen
Commute was 12 miles each way on road in traffic, 4-5 days a week, including a month or so on studded tires
3 x 7 Shimano w/ Suntour bar end shifters

35mm tires (studded tires were 38)
2 bottle cages
Whichever rack was lying around the garage
SKS Bluemels Matte 45mm full length fenders w/ mudflaps (a necessity for my particular commute)

“Saved” approx 8 minutes each way after the drop conversion versus stock upright bars.

It would have been a lot more fun to ride at 29 lbs than 39 (as pictured).

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...d3b036ee9.jpeg

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...c0e710152.jpeg
Former around-town-cruiser, now in commuter service

Very nice '95, sorry it was stolen. How did it reach 39 pounds, gravel in the tires? Never mind; hi ten with cro moly seat tube.

AND a steel seat post. It was like 30 lbs with the kickstand

Add fenders, rack, lights, water, and coffee

The drop swap was a negligible net weight change because those Tektro brake levers are sort of heavy

Yeah it was a pretty bike and sturdy bike but it was on that bike I learned that hi ten not suitable for daily use for this rider. I only paid $25 for it but I dumped a bunch of money into it.

It's really amazing

All dolled up my RockHopper is 28 lbs., not exactly a lightweight race bike.


https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...de80ee6b43.jpg
Getting ready to start the Critical Mass ride.

This was the lightest bike I commuted on, 24 lbs as pictured. I didn’t ride it for very long, the ride was too harsh for me for commuting. It was a really fast bike though. The weird quill seatpost cracked, ending the bike’s rideability. I ended up using it for parts to build my (then) wife a nice little road bike from a frame we found that fit her.

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...bb20a8a7a.jpeg

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...bb20a8a7a.jpeg[/QUOTE]

This one more or less replaces that one as fair weather commuter. It might get skinwall tires and a front basket if it doesn’t get stolen.

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...ef653f57a.jpeg

This one more or less replaces that one as fair weather commuter. It might get skinwall tires and a front basket if it doesn’t get stolen.

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...ef653f57a.jpeg[/QUOTE]
Nice. My lightest bike I haven't weighed, but I'd guess not much more than 20 lbs. It helps that it's 16.5" and stripped down for offroading (which I don't really do).


https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...4ce3edc760.jpg

Hey, [MENTION=390976]Phamilton[/MENTION], it's nice to see you back. I'm glad you're riding so much.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...aff8d38a9.jpeg
f