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    • LIhikers wrote:

      Dan76 wrote:

      My local bike shop has sample seats for trusted customers.

      Though fortunately I have little issue with seats. I've used a Brooks B17 for several years by transferring it to each of my bikes.
      Did that B17 take long to break in ?I'm considering a Brookes saddle for my new touring bike when I get it.
      just a few months. I kept it well conditioned with the provided conditioner and kept a plastic bag handy to ensure it didn’t get wet when caught in a shower.

      It’s a bit heavy but comfortable and so far durable.

      Lest we forget.....



      SSgt Ray Rangel - USAF
      SrA Elizabeth Loncki - USAF
      PFC Adam Harris - USA
      MSgt Eden Pearl - USMC
    • My new touring bike is on order as of today, a Surly Disc Trucker.
      My local bike shop might have it by the end of the week and then they figure about a week to get it ready as they have a lot of new and used bikes ahead of me. I'm glad business is good for them and don't mind waiting. The big ride won't be for a couple of years anyway.
      The first brand new car I ever bought didn't cost much more than this bike, how crazy is that!
      I'm wondering if I want to equip it with fenders or not. I know I'll needs racks and a host of other accessories.
      That's why I got it well before I plan to do the big ride, so I can see how I want to change and equip it.
    • A buddy has this bike and he’s very happy with it. In fact so pleased, he equipped it and rode across the US last summer. He initially thought no fenders...extra weight, but after several days in the rain he grew exasperated with mud coating the bike and him. He picked up a set of plastic fenders and using hardware store metric fasteners along with zip ties, finished the trip with no issues.

      Rather than enduring the expense of panniers, he mounted a pair of kitty litter plastic containers to a rear rack. They were durable, colorful with reflective tape, waterproof, and protected the bike when falling over. As he shipped the bike on the return, the kitty litter panniers were given to a bike shop for someone else to use.

      Keep us informed on your progress.

      Lest we forget.....



      SSgt Ray Rangel - USAF
      SrA Elizabeth Loncki - USAF
      PFC Adam Harris - USA
      MSgt Eden Pearl - USMC
    • So I’ve been on my trainer all month, I’ve had to fill it up with air every few days. This morning it was dead flat!
      At lunch I go to the bike shop and ask ethingh“have you guys ever heard of getting a flat ON a trainer?”


      Apparently it is a common ailment :rolleyes:

      Something to do with friction heat on the resistance wheel
      Cheesecake> Ramen :thumbsup:
    • CoachLou wrote:

      So I’ve been on my trainer all month, I’ve had to fill it up with air every few days. This morning it was dead flat!
      At lunch I go to the bike shop and ask ethingh“have you guys ever heard of getting a flat ON a trainer?”


      Apparently it is a common ailment :rolleyes:

      Something to do with friction heat on the resistance wheel
      interesting
    • Dan76 wrote:

      A buddy has this bike and he’s very happy with it. In fact so pleased, he equipped it and rode across the US last summer. He initially thought no fenders...extra weight, but after several days in the rain he grew exasperated with mud coating the bike and him. He picked up a set of plastic fenders and using hardware store metric fasteners along with zip ties, finished the trip with no issues.

      Rather than enduring the expense of panniers, he mounted a pair of kitty litter plastic containers to a rear rack. They were durable, colorful with reflective tape, waterproof, and protected the bike when falling over. As he shipped the bike on the return, the kitty litter panniers were given to a bike shop for someone else to use.

      Keep us informed on your progress.
      I expect I'll fit the bike with fenders because I plan to use it to commute to my new job in nice weather.
      To do the commute I'll probably get some lights bright enough to use as daytime running lights as I'll be on some busy roads.
    • CoachLou wrote:

      So I’ve been on my trainer all month, I’ve had to fill it up with air every few days. This morning it was dead flat!
      At lunch I go to the bike shop and ask ethingh“have you guys ever heard of getting a flat ON a trainer?”


      Apparently it is a common ailment :rolleyes:

      Something to do with friction heat on the resistance wheel
      Got my butt kicked at the gym last night, hour cycle class with bikes you can't cheat on...however, I did plug 36 instead of 69 into the age for programming it, then the instructor found I was into MTB and cranked it up a bunch...I was hurting, but like the song says...sometimes love don't feel like it should..............it hurt so good!
      I may grow old but I'll never grow up.
    • CoachLou wrote:

      So I’ve been on my trainer all month, I’ve had to fill it up with air every few days. This morning it was dead flat!
      At lunch I go to the bike shop and ask ethingh“have you guys ever heard of getting a flat ON a trainer?”


      Apparently it is a common ailment :rolleyes:

      Something to do with friction heat on the resistance wheel
      Some people use a different type of tire especially for a trainer, mainly so you don’t wear out the rubber on your regular tire. You might want to look into it.
      Lost in the right direction.
    • Bo Peep wrote:

      my bike commuting days are numbered as I will have to travel further to a different hospital, I’m very sad.
      put a rack on your car to carry the bike, then find someplace between home and the new hospital to leave the car while you do your hours, and then finish the trip on your bicycle. Then at the end of your work day bike back to the car and then drive home.
    • I did the same when in grad school. Parking fees were outlandish on campus plus the first portion of the commute was fast and heavy traffic with no shoulder. Once on campus, stopped at the fitness center, showered, changed clothes, and went to class.

      When I needed to park on campus (library and labs), I used a piece of paper under the wiper to mimic a ticket. Received one parking ticket in two years and had it invalidated as it was written the afternoon of a football game.

      Lest we forget.....



      SSgt Ray Rangel - USAF
      SrA Elizabeth Loncki - USAF
      PFC Adam Harris - USA
      MSgt Eden Pearl - USMC
    • LIhikers wrote:

      Bo Peep wrote:

      my bike commuting days are numbered as I will have to travel further to a different hospital, I’m very sad.
      put a rack on your car to carry the bike, then find someplace between home and the new hospital to leave the car while you do your hours, and then finish the trip on your bicycle. Then at the end of your work day bike back to the car and then drive home.
      I like this idea
      Cheesecake> Ramen :thumbsup:
    • LIhikers wrote:

      Tried to get the pedals off the old touring bike today so I can use them on the new one, but they wouldn't budge.
      Guess I'll have to break out the heat gun and heat up the crank arms so I don't strip out the threads from the crank arms.
      I won't have time to get back to it until next week.
      Don't forget, one side is a left hand thread.
      I may grow old but I'll never grow up.
    • LIhikers wrote:

      Tried to get the pedals off the old touring bike today so I can use them on the new one, but they wouldn't budge.
      Guess I'll have to break out the heat gun and heat up the crank arms so I don't strip out the threads from the crank arms.
      I won't have time to get back to it until next week.
      try Parts Blaster. It's like wd40 but 10x better for loosing bolts.
      "Dazed and Confused"
      Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
      Plant a tree
      Take a kid hiking
      Make a difference
    • LIhikers wrote:

      Bo Peep wrote:

      my bike commuting days are numbered as I will have to travel further to a different hospital, I’m very sad.
      put a rack on your car to carry the bike, then find someplace between home and the new hospital to leave the car while you do your hours, and then finish the trip on your bicycle. Then at the end of your work day bike back to the car and then drive home.
      That’s an idea. I’ll have to scope out some routes. The problem is the hospital is not in a safe part of town. No place is truly safe but this area is worse than normal.
      Lost in the right direction.
    • Bo Peep wrote:

      LIhikers wrote:

      Bo Peep wrote:

      my bike commuting days are numbered as I will have to travel further to a different hospital, I’m very sad.
      put a rack on your car to carry the bike, then find someplace between home and the new hospital to leave the car while you do your hours, and then finish the trip on your bicycle. Then at the end of your work day bike back to the car and then drive home.
      That’s an idea. I’ll have to scope out some routes. The problem is the hospital is not in a safe part of town. No place is truly safe but this area is worse than normal.
      time to get that concealed carry permit
      "Dazed and Confused"
      Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
      Plant a tree
      Take a kid hiking
      Make a difference
    • LIhikers wrote:

      Tried to get the pedals off the old touring bike today so I can use them on the new one, but they wouldn't budge.
      Guess I'll have to break out the heat gun and heat up the crank arms so I don't strip out the threads from the crank arms.
      I won't have time to get back to it until next week.
      I got the pedals off yesterday with no problem.
      I just hung the bicycle so the pedals were at a good height to work on, used a better wrench than the first attempt, and the pedals screwed right off. In fact I could still see the anti-seize I put on the threads years ago when I installed them.
      The pedals aren't anything special, just platform pedals with reflectors and toe clips attached, I've never made the switch to clip-less pedals.
    • CoachLou wrote:

      So I’ve been on my trainer all month, I’ve had to fill it up with air every few days. This morning it was dead flat!
      At lunch I go to the bike shop and ask ethingh“have you guys ever heard of getting a flat ON a trainer?”

      Apparently it is a common ailment :rolleyes:

      Something to do with friction heat on the resistance wheel
      Are you and Rafe still planning on riding the C+O Canal Trail?
      When do you think the ride will happen?
    • LIhikers wrote:

      CoachLou wrote:

      So I’ve been on my trainer all month, I’ve had to fill it up with air every few days. This morning it was dead flat!
      At lunch I go to the bike shop and ask ethingh“have you guys ever heard of getting a flat ON a trainer?”

      Apparently it is a common ailment :rolleyes:

      Something to do with friction heat on the resistance wheel
      Are you and Rafe still planning on riding the C+O Canal Trail?When do you think the ride will happen?
      his wife has not been well, and my spring is filling up. July/ Aug I’m headed north to hike. Fall could be nice...... who knows :D
      Cheesecake> Ramen :thumbsup:
    • CoachLou wrote:

      LIhikers wrote:

      CoachLou wrote:

      So I’ve been on my trainer all month, I’ve had to fill it up with air every few days. This morning it was dead flat!
      At lunch I go to the bike shop and ask ethingh“have you guys ever heard of getting a flat ON a trainer?”

      Apparently it is a common ailment :rolleyes:

      Something to do with friction heat on the resistance wheel
      Are you and Rafe still planning on riding the C+O Canal Trail?When do you think the ride will happen?
      his wife has not been well, and my spring is filling up. July/ Aug I’m headed north to hike. Fall could be nice...... who knows :D
      hadn’t seen Rafe post in a while, sorry to hear that.
    • CoachLou wrote:

      LIhikers wrote:

      CoachLou wrote:

      So I’ve been on my trainer all month, I’ve had to fill it up with air every few days. This morning it was dead flat!
      At lunch I go to the bike shop and ask ethingh“have you guys ever heard of getting a flat ON a trainer?”

      Apparently it is a common ailment :rolleyes:

      Something to do with friction heat on the resistance wheel
      Are you and Rafe still planning on riding the C+O Canal Trail?When do you think the ride will happen?
      his wife has not been well, and my spring is filling up. July/ Aug I’m headed north to hike. Fall could be nice...... who knows :D
      I hope both your wives get well sooner rather than later.
      How does that saying go? "Life is the things that happen despite your plans"

      Yea, with starting a new job in a couple of weeks I don't know if I'm gonna make it to Maine or not this summer.
      I'm encouraging Kathy to continue from where we left off last year even if I don't get to go.
      Who knows, maybe you and Astro will cross paths with her.
    • Just did what I think is my first ride of 2018, a total of 11 or 12 miles.
      Mid 40s, no wind, mostly sunny skies so I rode over to a local Dunkin' Donuts.
      Sat there drinking my coffee and did some people watching.
      The place is 1/2 a block from a high school and a lot of the kids came in, I guess school let out.
      It was amazing how most of the girls were dressed. Back in the olden daze they would have been sent home to put more clothes on that weren't see through :huh: That really made me feel old and out of touch with society. Who knows, maybe that's a good thing.
    • LIhikers wrote:

      Just did what I think is my first ride of 2018, a total of 11 or 12 miles.
      Mid 40s, no wind, mostly sunny skies so I rode over to a local Dunkin' Donuts.
      Sat there drinking my coffee and did some people watching.
      The place is 1/2 a block from a high school and a lot of the kids came in, I guess school let out.
      It was amazing how most of the girls were dressed. Back in the olden daze they would have been sent home to put more clothes on that weren't see through :huh: That really made me feel old and out of touch with society. Who knows, maybe that's a good thing.
      Any bike ride/hike that involves Dunkin' Donuts has got to be a successful one. :)
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General
    • On a typical bike ride, Starbucks and DD are bypassed in favor of a local coffee shop. The proprietor specializes in smoothies and in-house pastries while roasting coffee beans. The aroma is irresistible.

      Lest we forget.....



      SSgt Ray Rangel - USAF
      SrA Elizabeth Loncki - USAF
      PFC Adam Harris - USA
      MSgt Eden Pearl - USMC
    • Dan76 wrote:

      On a typical bike ride, Starbucks and DD are bypassed in favor of a local coffee shop. The proprietor specializes in smoothies and in-house pastries while roasting coffee beans. The aroma is irresistible.
      Right across the street from the Dunkin' Donuts I went to is a local coffee shop.
      I've been in the coffee shop a number of times, and each time the coffee was very bitter, so I don't go there any more.
    • Today I stopped by my local bike shop to see what's going on with my new bicycle.
      It turns out that while it's been ordered it hasn't left a distribution site in Minneapolis yet.
      The shipping is backed up because when we've had good weather they've had winter storms and when they've had good weather we've had snow storms with another due tonight into Tuesday. The bike shop owner hopes it'll ship by the end of this week.