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[QUOTE=unogear;7758807]Upgraded!

http://i432.photobucket.com/albums/q...gear/moto3.jpg

I like this one lots, but what are those pedals? I am a bit of a noob when it comes to pedals, and those dont look clipless but lack retention. Fill me in please.

need no retention w/ brakez

I guess I have come to love foot retention after riding with it for a month. I have 2 brakes, but would never ride again without foot retention. And I still wanna know what pedals they are.

you must be riding freewheel.

but i must know, what saddle is that and is your taint happy with it?

still riding mine ... 20 mile roundtrip commute

I use my geared road bike sometimes.

So they can sport their Sambas and Onitsukas.

Is there any sort of flow with which bikes get threaded or threadless? Like recent batches getting mainly one or the other?

Also, these are all 3/32 right? I was looking around the windsor hour thread and it seemed people were getting both sizes(at least both sizes of chains, I'm guessing crank/cogs were all the same), and I think I'm going to want to purchase an 18t cog.

Is anyone running chain tensioners (such as the Surly Tugnut) on the track ends of their MM's? I'm considering these as I'm tired of using the "racquetball method" every time I take the wheel off.

Unogear- I see what appears to be a pickup for a cyclocomputer on your fork but no computer or spoke magnet?

The pedals are MKS GR-9 black, I really felt different with the stock! I am thinking of blue MKS toe clips but I don't really needed now the way I am riding (not much speed).

Yeah, fixed gear is not for me. The saddle is Selle Marco Ponza, I can ride without charmois.

The bar is TransX bullhorn.

Thank you all

Yes it is, the computer on the left side of handlebar and the magnet show a little bit behind the fork. I guess I am not a good photographer. I am thinking of chain tensioners too but more toward RL design then Surly, but LBS don't have yet. Will look around more, maybe next swap meet.

Disagreed. I know competitive riders that use straps and they are incredible riders. It all depends on personal preference fitness level and strength as a rider.

and also, when you plan to get off your bike...

They also use cleats, right?

So, what's the biggest knobbies you all have been able to fit on your messengers? Pretty much right after I finalized the purchase on mine I had an afterthought of really wanting to try out cyclocross type events, and would like a little more clearance for that. haha

I'm guessing there's not too much(Mine should arrive in a few days, so I can't see for myself really). But I should be more than content just riding it around on the streets. it's a 58cm, if thathelps much.

I understand both your points, but you can also play basketball barefoot.

Got this from somewhere:

"Your pedal stroke is much more effective when your foot is attached to the pedal and can exert force through a greater range of the pedaling circle (with a platform pedal you can only exert force on the downstroke part of the circle). Toe clips do offer some of this efficiency, but they can be difficult to get in and out of when starting and stopping. In order for toe clips to be the most effective, the strap should be tightened after you get your foot in - you then need to remember to loosen the strap to let your foot out when you need to stop."

It doesn't matter what you ride, or how you ride it, but it's no mystery that MOST top level cyclists use clipless pedals - I'm sure there's more a reason than "it looks cool".

Straps have their purpose, and I think if I rode casually or I had to get on and off the bike a lot to walk (like a bicycle messenger), I would use straps which I did use in the past and my wife still uses; I can't persuade her to use clipless because she doesn't want to fall at a stoplight. Even the late, great Sheldon Brown used straps.

I think it's utterly personal preference and NOT because one rider is somehow "weaker" or has less "fitness level and strength as a rider" as you eluded to because they use clipless. If clipless was NOT advantageous, I highly doubt that most competetive cyclist would be using them. There is a biomechanical advantage in using clipless pedals. But, if somebody doesn't want to use them and they do well... that's cool too.

Just FYI, I'm not a road bike snob by any means so I'm not being biased... this is what I ride mostly (flatland BMX):

http://www.smhooligans.com/CIMG0301.JPG

32 mm commuter tyres barely clear my 58

Get a cyclocross bike

Figured as much, haha. It was more of a fleeting thought. Maybe I'll get fit enough to see if I can drop the dough on a cross bike for next season...

Couple days after I ordered it I stumbled into the cyclocross forums, and thought I should've bought the fantom cross uno or something.

But then I went in the mountain bike forums and wanted a mountain bike, haha...

I think I just wanna ride.

My brother is a hardcore CX racer and did pretty well at the Surf City race in Santa Cruz. Have you seen the new Santa Cruz Stigmata? So nice and a hair over 17lbs. I think they're going for $850 which is a good price. I was born and raised in Santa Cruz... man I would snatch up this bike so fast if I moved back. San Jose, Ca. has nothing to offer a bike like this.

http://www.bikemagic.com/news/images...ta_1000_hi.jpg

I just got cross levers to fit on my handlebars by using electrical tape.

is this awesome/a good idea?

y/n

i think it's fine. you can also use a piece of a tube as a shim.

the electrical tape seems to have worked fine, i've ridden it once. but i don't know how long it'll hold for.

Tire clearance, although there isn't a lot of it, isn't really the thing that will prevent you from cyclo-crossing your Messenger. The brakes are the real problem. Almost all 'cross' bikes use cantilever brakes as they provide the best stopping power to mud clearance ratio (and disc brakes are banned by some 'cross' sanctioning bodies).

Ride the Messenger for what it is- a street bike. If you want to race cross you can use your mountain bike. (I say this based on my assumption that almost anyone who has multiple bikes probably has a mountain bike.)