Carbon fiber is construction-dependent!

The manufacturer can make it as strong as possibe, or the manufacturer can build it with flaws. It's too bad this had to happen to such a young person with so much promise!

Hey there TohTruck!

I've got an idea that addresses your geared bike problem. Just go to www.bikerentalcentralpark.com and make reservations for some a.m. rental for a couple of hours. That would be two hours of assisted learning. That's two whole hours of practice! Possibly have one of your friends accompany you with their own bike in tow. You could then, learn by trial and error, how to shift gears. That's what most people do, anyway! Another thing you might want to try, would be to find a friend or an associate who has a 3 speed or a 5 speed. Practice on bikes with lower speeds first, then jump on the higher geared bikes.

After some independent practice, then set up your gear-shifting appointment with EMS. You'll be better able to soak it all in by then! It's very important to learn the basics of how to shift gears. It's so simple, that once you catch on to it, you'll think, "Why in the world did that seem so complicated!". I know, because I once had the same problem in my youth!



At first, riding in the street seems to be a bit daunting. However, once you've gotten out there a few times, it's a cinch!

So TohTruck, do your have a driver's license?

You have to be aware of all the driving regulations, street, and traffic signs, if you're going to ride safely. Make certain that you either review or study the traffic and driving rules, regulations, and laws of New York, before venturing out onto any street.

Practice riding the sparsely populated suburban streets of New York, before attempting to take on the city. Actually sit down and plan with someone who has a driver's license, as to which routes to take and approximately how long it will take to traverse these routes. Then set out to execute your plan. Do this several times, gradually working your way towards the city with each trek, until you feel comfortable actually riding within the city. It might take awhile to really feel comfortable, but in time you will feel more comfortable.

Actually, I still feel a little nervous at times when traffic is heavy and people are driving wrecklessly to get to their destinations. I could only imagine how crazy New York must be. I've heard so many very awful things!

My advice, is to purchase that which is going to make you happy! There's no need to make a knee-jerk purchase out of frustration or any psycho-social pressure.


Yes TohTruck, you could settle for the Buzz One right now. If that's really what's in your heart, then do it! It will simplify things for certain. You could slowly learn mechanics on the fixie. You could become more acclimated to street-riding, getting exercise, and learning more about your likes and dislikes about various aspects of cycling.

If you feel that the Buzz One purchase will bring you more peace and happiness, then perhaps that's the way to go...

TohTruck, riding fast and keeping up with traffic, is for an experienced cyclist. For beginners, my advice, is to take it slow and easy. Keep to the right of traffic. Obey all traffic safety laws. Know the traffic signs. Keep a safe distance away from all moving vehicles. Watch for car doors opening, unexpectedly!

Of course, when I say "slow and easy". Riding too slow can be almost as dangerous as riding too fast when other cyclists are riding behind you and are force to pass you. They will pass you on your left. If they're polite, they will shout out, "On your left!". That will be your cue not to veer towards your left, while they're passing.
Make certain that you have a working bell, a helmet, and a lock!

- Slim

Tohtruck, go buy a bike. Do it now, quit thinking about it.

Yes, you can take the whole seat and seatpost with you when you lock it up (a bike without a seat no doubt is not as appealing to a thief looking to quickly nab a bike and ride off), but if that gets to be impractical, what is common in NYC is to run an old bike chain through an old inner tube, and that is run underneath the saddle rails and secured through the seat stays. There's a shop in NYC (NYC Velo) that invented this, and you can go and have it done on your bike.



Since you'll soon (hopefully!) be out riding and needing to lock up your bike, you should read up on proper locking:
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/lock-strategy.html
https://www.ecovelo.info/2012/01/01/b...ng-strategies/
https://dmsantam.blogspot.com/2009/02...your-bike.html
https://www.802bikeguy.com/2011/07/th...king-strategy/

It may seem counter-intuitive, but a smaller u-lock can be better than a bigger one. U-locks are not completely theft-proof, and a bigger u-lock gives someone a better chance to apply leverage and pressure to pop it versus a smaller one.

The bike mechanic who came up with the bike chain seat lock idea did some videos for Streetsfilms.org grading bike locking jobs in New York. They're really entertaining and informative, and he's a great New York character.

Yes. There's something called "cross chaining". Say you're on the smallest chain ring on the crank, and on the smallest cog on the cassette in the back. You'll hear some noise from this, and while you may be able to pedal like this, it will be bad in the long run. This video gives you an idea of what's going on.

But it sounds like you're really not interested in having gears at this point. I know it's strange for me (a stranger on the net) to be saying this, but don't let someone talk you into something that you don't want! If you go into a shop and you tell them what you're thinking of getting and they try to talk you into something else, I'd take that as a bad sign. Who knows...maybe you will want a geared bike a little down the road if you get a single speed now. But you won't know that for sure until you actually start riding, and better to start out riding on a bike that you actually want and feel comfortable on versus one that intimidates you and means that you never actually get out on the road and ride!

Listen to your gut. It sounds like you want the Buzz One. Stop trying to talk yourself out of it!

I enjoyed the above post's link to streetfilms.org video by Hal from NY, about locking the bike outdoors. Thanks for the link, erg79.

Cheers. There are two other ones as well. Like I said, he's pretty entertaining, and they all have some good information.

I know I'm going blind and all, but I didn't see the OP's D.O.B. on his profile, nor do I recall him disclosing his age...

Tohtruck, got a question for ya- that chic at EMS who said she rode a fixie and that SS would be fine for NYC? Was she cute, a hottie, or HAWT?? She sounds like she's got your back on this.

No1mad, in post #120, TohTruck honestly admits that he's a kid. It really doesn't matter. I just wanted to remind BF members so that some person wouldn't unknowingly post something totally inappropriate.

Noticing cute girls and saying or declaring that they're, "Hawt" is absolutely within the interpretation of "PG"...Thanks!

- Slim

Show me tits and ass! Use lots of profanity and talk about drugs, sex, and violence please!

No I am not a minor.

Yes, actually I just got my license a few months ago. I am an awful driver. It's something that I should really work on as I have had to turn down a few gigs that required me to drive a gigantic van. Seriously, I need to work on my driving. But cycling appeals to me more, it's more fun, environmentally sound, and more social.

Slim, thanks so much for the advice, as usual. I don't think I'm going to need to set up a rental appointment at Central Park. I think I'd rather just go for the free test ride with EMS over the weekend early in the morning when it is not busy. I realize I am being overly cautious, and I should just get on the damn thing and give it a go. Although, again, that weird gear and chain issue thing when I was on the trainer concerned me. But it was more so because it made me think that this thing might need more attention and maintenance than I am willing to provide on a regular basis.

Okay, good to know that its a good idea to take it slow when getting back on the street. Instinctively I felt this way, but logically I figured it would be safe to keep up with traffic.

Erg79, yeah I've seen that video before. Thanks for posting all the links, very helpful stuff. I will definitely look into getting a small chain for the saddle.

Yeah, when I was looking at the chain and the gears as I was shifting I started to think what the hell would happen if that chain ended up on the right most gear at the front casette and the left most gear at the cog?! Nevertheless, as I was playing around with it the fixie girl who was explaining it all to me didn't really mention anything about there being an issue with cross chaining, just that the front gears are sort of like the coarse adjustments and the rear gears are the fine-tuning adjustments.

I'm assuming the weird sounds I was hearing on the second gear at the front might have been an issue with cross chaining, except it sounded about 80 times worse than the sounds on the video, and it seemed to be happening no matter what rear gear I shifted to. Is that possibly a sign that I should not buy that particular bike?

no1mad, fixie girl was kind of cute. I wouldn't say I have a phixie for her, but I'd let her measure my sit bones.

erg79, yeah, the thing about that EMS was that it did seem a bit like they were pushing the geared bike option on me. Actually it was really just one particular employee, again I will stress that he was extremely nice, who seemed to really be selling it (except more sounding like he was trying to calm my insecurities about the potential purchase). But of course, naturally, they are salespeople. They're there to sell stuff. I actually asked if they had any single speed bikes the first time I stopped by and that EMS, for whatever reason, did not have any single speed/fixed gear bikes.

I'm probably going to meet up with my buddy who's an obsessive cycling enthusiast tomorrow, but yeah he's also highly suggesting that I go single speed as well.

Just remember TohTruck, at the end of the day, it will be your call. Who know's what the future may hold for us?

Cycling should be just much fun as it is utilitarian. It's always good to absorb information from others and to draw from their own experiences. However, you must follow your own drumbeat. You are about to venture into a sport that can most inevitably, thrill you to no end. It has all kinds of physical, mental, and spiritual benefits. An avid cyclist, has much greater potential to remain in excellent physical condition throughout his entire life span, if he can avoid injuries.

You therefore, need to embrace cycling for all the most selfish reasons. Cycling needs you too, because the last thing we need is another petro-driven vehicle on our cities streets! So, choose well, but choose for you, yourself, independently!

Now is a time to explore! Ride and mount everything. Make certain that you mount and ride a 26'er MTB, before you pull any trigger!

- Slim

PS.

For some reason, this is beginning to remind me of a time when I once had three girlfriends. They were all vying for first place. Little did any of them know, that I was eyeing another one, who seemed almost disinterested. It was the distant one who would eventually become my wife. There's nothing like witnessing emotions sprout from nothing to full bloom...I guess that's why people enjoy, gardening!

However, I must admit, the selection process was a lot of fun! There's just nothing like unbridled exploration and experimentation!

I know deep down inside cycling, walking, jogging, anything other than driving a vehicle somehow makes more sense to me. It's strange because, even though driving an automobile probably seems more practical to most people, it's not exactly coming naturally to me. Even though I'm absolutely sick of New York City, I'm incredible glad that I live in an environment where a person could realistically, and more than reasonably, get around without a car.

The interesting flip side to that is that I actually want to move out, almost everywhere else it would make sense to own a vehicle. However, chances are, even if I lived somewhere automobile-centric, I'd probably still be in this enthusiastic predicament of what bicycle should I buy. In other words, even if I was driving around, I'd probably still rather be walking/jogging/skating/riding a bicycle.

Hey Slim, why is it important that I try out a 26'er mountain bike? What's the significance exactly of the 26? Is that like the wheel diameter?

I e-mailed the links of the bicycles I am considering to my buddy who's really into cycling. I asked his opinion, and he liked the Felt Brougham, because it seems like it's most likely the lightest and the fastest. It definitely was the lightest, and I really liked that, but more so in the sense of carrying it up flights of stairs and manhandling it rather than going fast (not a huge priority for me at this stage in the game).

Slim, your 3-girlfriend predicament is a dilemma I could only dream about having one day. That's pretty awesome! I'm starting to think that maybe you're the dude I should be taking notes from on girl advice. You are the MAN!

Regarding the lawsuits and court cases that I posted up a couple posts ago, are those things that I should be concerned about?

Hey there TohTruck!

I personally think that the Felt Brougham is one of the coolest-looking single speeds ever! However, I also like the Raleigh Back Alley, the Schwinn Madison, and now, the Novara Buzz One, too. I particularly like the Buzz One, for its chromoly frame, the REI handlebar conversion policy, and the REI warranty, as well.

Though, I like all of these single-speeds. I feel that I understand the greater potential in a geared hybrid, both as a commuter and a recreational vehicle. Maybe, it's just my personal preference that only I can understand in my own peculiar way. Perhaps, the hybrid is just personal niche!

TohTruck, most guys should be able to lift forty pounds with both hands without a problem. Of course, it would be easier to lift twenty pounds, but what an extra twenty pounds for a young guy, in shape. The Coda weighs about twenty-seven pounds and should NOT be a challenge for you.

I wanted you to test-ride a 26 incher hardtail MTB, just so that you would have some frame of reference, when comparing other bikes and their rides, together. Also, 26'ers are closer to the ground and you may feel more confident riding a 26'er MTB given your BMX history. There's a possibility that you'll feel more comfortable on a MTB. That's all!

You know TohTruck, my take on most of those accidents is that they predominantly involved carbon fiber. Carbon fiber is construction dependent, and is usually successfully synthesized by most major bicycle manufacturers. However, there does seem to be an inordinant amount of CF failing these days. This is most likely proof of my position that CF is still somewhat, in a developmental state of transition.

- Slim

PS.

Insofar as members of the opposite sex goes, I must say, that I have acquired a quite valuable skill-set!

Hey guys, sorry to resurrect this thread again, but I have a couple more questions and could use some help.

I decided to go with the Novara Buzz One from REI. Basically, I thought it felt the comfiest. It's also the safest investment, given their satisfaction guaranteed policy.

Although there were aspects about the Felt Brougham I liked. I figured I could just bring those aspects over to the Novara Buzz One. Specifically, I liked the geometry of the frame on the Novara Buzz One more than the Felt Brougham. I get to sit a bit more upright with the buzz one and the down-sloping incline/decline on the top tube makes me feel less self-conscious and paranoid about accidentally crushing my balls if I ever got into an accident.

On the Felt Brougham (aside from the look of the bicycle). I liked the flat narrow handlebars and the thinner road wheels.

Likewise, I plan on swapping the handlebars on the Buzz One. I'm going to go with the flat mountain bike handlebars that they have in stock. I plan on purchasing everything and getting all the work done when they have their Master Tech in the store. Apparently the idea is that they'll custom measure everything with the handlebar and my shoulders and arms so that it's comfy and just the way I like.

If anyone can offer any other info on how the whole handlebar thing works... like if there are any special rules or general guidelines I should follow when asking them to cut the handlebars. Like if the width of the handlebars should be about the same width as my shoulders etc. Any info at all is appreciated.


Okay, now the thing I really need more help on is the tires. The stock tires on the bike are thicker than the tires I tried out on the Felt Brougham and the Phat Cycles Phixie. I'd like to get thin tires like those bicycles. But I'm not sure what size to get, or how any of that works. For the most part, I'll probably just try and go over that stuff with one of the Master Tech's at REI, but I don't want to show up completely blind and clueless either.

Basically, one of the guys at the bicycle mechanics department told me that the stock tires on the Novara Buzz One are about $10 per tire. With that said, apparently, I get a $10 credit back for switching out the mustache handlebars in favor of the flat mountain bike handlebars. It seems like most of the tire replacements I have to choose from will be about $20-$30. So, in the end I end up paying an extra $5-$10 per tire replacement. CooL!

But I have no idea what to look for in buying tires nor do I know what brands to favor. Also, have no idea how the sizing goes and how that effects the ride exactly. I'm assuming the thinner tire I go, the faster the bicycle will be??? Or the thinner the tire, the more efficient it rides???

I'm not terribly concerned with going ridiculously fast, but efficiency (that is getting the most mileage per pedal) would be nice. Again, I'll re-iterate that I decided to just not get a geared bicycle. So although I appreciate the input, don't bother suggesting a geared bicycle.

I don't mind paying the extra little bit for the thinner tires, but I'm wondering how the more expensive tires compare to the less expensive ones (I'm assuming at this point the more expensive ones are more durable). Overall, I'd like to not spend that much more for the tire swap.

Here's a link to the bicycle I will be getting:

https://www.rei.com/product/808782/novara-buzz-one-bike-2012


Here's a link to some of the road tires I'm assuming I'll be able to choose from:

https://www.rei.com/search?page_size=...oad+Bike+Tires

Unless, I'm supposed to go with "city tires?"

https://www.rei.com/search?page_size=...0%3ACity+Tires

What do the different numbers represent? What does the 26-29 number range represent??? I'm assuming 700c represents air capacity??? What about the 23/25/28 numbers?

Also, a buddy of mine suggested that I go with a very thin tired in the front and a slightly thicker tire in the rear. I guess his rationale was that the thicker rear tire will be better for supporting my body weight and the bicycle's own hardware. Does that sound like a good idea? Or is that more of a headache?

Sorry for being a pest about this whole thing. I'm still learning. Any info and advice is greatly appreciated.

The handlebars- either let them measure and allow them to cut to their recommendation or start with the bar uncut and slowly move the grips/controls inboard a little at a time until you feel comfortable.

Just leave the stock tires on for now. Keep them properly inflated and they'll be fine.

Tohtruck--glad to hear you're going to get the Buzz One! The tire question is pretty easy--700 refers to the diameter of the tires, 700mm, which is pretty standard for road bikes. The second number refers to the width of the tire. 28-32 is common for most city bikes and commuters. Y

I looked up the Buzz One, and it's stock tires are 700x40--really wide! I looked up the Brougham, and it looks like it has a 23 in the front, and a 28 in the back. So your friend's idea goes along with what Felt has already done.

From REI's selection, I'd consider the Serfas Seca tire:

https://www.rei.com/product/724618/se...700-x-23-25-28

It has pretty good reviews online, especially as far as flats are concerned. Good luck!

Handlebars: The bars should be at least as wide as your shoulders, and typically a little wider on flat bars. I recommend ergonomic grips with integrated bar-ends (or separate bar-ends), which offer a comfortable alternative position for climbing/accelerating and just cruising.

Tires: The 700 refers to the wheel diameter. the other numbers relate to the width of the tire (25, 28, 32) in millimeters. The stock tires are 700x40, so 40mm wide. I personally prefer wider tires as there is little demonstrable benefit to using skinny tires (they're not that much "faster"), particularly for commuting, but if you want skinnier tires, I'd say start with 28's or 32's - very common widths.
A couple of key considerations for commuting tires are puncture protection and ride quality - finding the right mix can be a challenge. The more expensive ($45-$50 and above) commuting tires will typically have better puncture protection than less expensive models, but part of what you are paying for (whether you want it or not) is a lighter weight/foldable kevlar bead instead of a rigid bead (the lip that locks into the rim).

Anyway, I think you'll like that bike - it looks fun!

Hey there TohTruck,

Nice Choice on the Buzz One!

Here are just a couple of links to the master Sheldon Brown and his take on tires:

www.sheldonbrown.com/tires.html

www.sheldonbrown.com/tire-sizing.html

There are two names to remember in good tires:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKCSGbWbPyE
1) Specialized Armadillos

www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKspoKWRBac
2) Continental Gatorskins

Good Luck!

- Slim

PS.

You can't beat that warranty with REI ~ That's a no brainer!

* TohTruck, always feel welcome here at BF. You're one of us now!

If your riding in NYC go for the puncture resistant tires as you will be alot less likely to flat. You should keep a spare tube with you just in case though. I have some Bontrager Race Lite Hardcase tires on my bike now which so far have not caused me any issue at all. Specialized Armidillos are also supposed to be very good to protect against flats, a co worker has them on his 7100 and he won't stop saying how great they are.

I would not get the Serfas Seca tire. IMO, the serfas seca survivor is a much better tire for only a little more money:
https://www.rei.com/product/793101/se...700-x-23-25-28

I use these or conti gatorskins on my bikes. You can often buy conti gatorskins in the low 30s if you google around. The specialized armadillos are heavy and run slow with only slightly better flat protection.

Thanks for the quick replies!

Okay, I'll just go by the recommendations of the mechanics/techs at REI when it comes to cutting the handlebars. I'll use a little wider than my shoulder width as a base guideline.

What are integrated bar-ends? LoL What are separate bar-ends? I was just going to pick out whatever looked/felt the best out of the grips that wouldn't cost me anything extra.

What exactly are the benefits of a wider tire over a skinnier tire?

Thanks for the explanations of tire sizing. Everything makes a crapload more sense now!

Yes, there appears to be quite a few positive reviews for the Serfas Seca tires. Also, according to the website, they are in stock and available at the SoHo REI location (where I plan on buying my bicycle).

Unfortunately, the Serfas Seca Survivor tires are not available at the SoHo REI location. They are out of stock according to the website.

Thanks for all the suggestions. According to the website, SoHo's REI has the Continental Gatorskins.

I'll take everyone's suggestions into consideration. But I think I might just go with the Serfas Seca (thanks for the suggestion Erg79)

I see the Gatorskins for around $30 on the internet. Very Cool, I suppose I'll get the Gatorskins when the Serfas Seca tires die on me. Hopefully by then I'll have some kind of understanding of cycle mechanics, and I'll take my bike and the Gatorskins in for a DIY project at the Bicycle Co-Op workshop.

* TohTruck, always feel welcome here at BF. You're one of us now!

YaY!, thanks Slim!

I have to say, I'm really floored by how helpful and nice everyone on this forum has been. I'm just not used to people being so kind and helpful over the internet. You guys really have no idea how great you all made this experience so far. I would have been clueless riding around on a $400 piece of junk (or not at all) if it weren't for everyone's input.

I feel so enthused for my upcoming purchase. I finally feel like I have a very clear cut and relatively precise idea of what I want.

Random OT: Any of you guys into meditation? Or psychedelics/entheogens?

Stay away from teh Road Cycling forum (the "41"); they are vicious in there :-) The commuting and hybrid forums aren't full of judgemental BS.

I see Novara commuter bikes at work. They look very durable and well made. The bike should last you for years! Can't wait to see pics of the modded bike.

Hey everyone, just posting up a quick update.

I stopped by REI today to try and get everything settled (in terms of what I'm going to be swapping, availability, etc.) before actually buying my bicycle and getting a rough estimate on the price.

Regarding the handlebar:

I'm just going to go by their guidelines and essentially get the bars measured and cut when I purchase the bicycle, hopefully this week. The Master Tech I spoke to today told me that the basic rule of thumb is to go no narrower than a little more than shoulder-width and/or waist width.

Regarding the tires:

I originally wanted to go with a 25 in the front and a 28 in the rear. He advised against going so skinny with the tires because they're going to end up being slightly skinnier than the rim of the Buzz One's stock wheels (and it ends up becoming somewhat of a safety hazard). Also, bigger wheels will absorb more shock. He actually recommended going 28 or 32 for both the front wheel and back wheel.

Also, regarding the difference in sizes between the front and rear (skinny front, slightly thicker rear was the original idea I was going for). He suggested that I just get them both the same size and it won't make much of a difference.

He liked the Serfas Seca road tire selection. In fact, he uses the same tires for his own bicycle and highly recommends them.

The Serfas Seca road tires only come in 23, 25, and 28. So I will probably go with 28 for both the front and rear.

Okay, so about handlebar grips...

He said I could swap out the grips for free as long as I choose grips that are no more than $8 or $9.

I'm not sure how to pick out grips or what exactly to look for. I figured I'd just pick whatever looks okay and feels interesting...???
Is there a science to picking out the right grips?

Here's some of the grips that I will be able to choose from:

https://www.rei.com/search?page_size=109&cat=4500003_Components&cat=4500112&cat=4500801&jxPrice=5%5E9.99&hist=cat%2C4500 003_Components%3AComponents%5Ecat%2C4500112%3ASteering+Components%5Ecat%2C4500801%3AHandlebar+Grips% 5EjxPrice%2C5%7E9.99&range=jxPrice


Based on my checking out these options at the store. I thought the Lizard Skins Northshore Dual Compound Grips felt the most interesting and potentially the most comfortable.

Does it really matter what grips I get?

Hi there TohTruck!

Tire size sounds good. However, I'd go with the Titec Hell-Bent grips!

Grips make a heck of a lotta difference!

When you cycle with good grips worn in conjuction with nice gloves, it accentuates the overall comfort level of the ride. Wearing the fingerless and padded gloves that match both your helmet and bicycle color-scheme, will also distinguish you as a discerning cyclist with good taste. Ladies kinda like that...

- Slim

What about the Titec Hell-Bent grips would make you want to go for them?
What is it about those particular grips that stand out to you? Especially in comparison with the other options on the REI website?

Essentially, I'm trying to figure out what to look for in grips.

I was also strongly considering the Hell-Bent grips. I was somewhat basing it on the fact that they seem to be a more anatomically correct shape. But I have no idea. The texture of the Lizard Skins Northshore Dual Compound Grips felt kind of nice. They also seemed to have kind of a denser feel to them.

So what kinds of things should a rider look for in choosing grips?

PS thanks for the suggested reading. I'm going to go look for those books.

I've been going to different free meditation classes from different organizations here in NYC and I'm trying to learn more and devise my own daily practice.