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New Bicycle

I think it is time for a new bicycle. For years I have been riding a 1984 Diamondback Trail Streak. It has been a very good Mountain bike, I will keep it as a spare. However it has been very difficult getting replacement parts for it. It also has more squeaks, creeks, and other noises than my body does.

The new Mountain Bike is a 2016 Diamondback Hook Series Hardtail Mountain Bike (hardtail means no rear shocks) in blue.

I was surprised to discover that bicycles come in sizes now frames come in small, medium, large, and extra large. based on your height and inseam measurements. So I take a medium since my inseam measurement is 28 inches. They also come in several wheel diameters in this case it has a wheel diameter of 27.5 inches. This means for the first time in my life I will be able to put both feet on the ground with the bicycle still between my legs, but not sitting on the saddle. It also has disc brakes and only one gear in front, the rear cassette has eight gears. My current bike has 3 gears in front and a 6 gear freewheel. This means I am going from 18 gear combinations to 8 gear combinations. However the eight speed cassette actually has a broader range than the old gear package. Since I do not do any major hill climbing I should not have any problems, and if I do want to climb a big hill I will just use the old bike if the new one can not make it. Front shocks will help with the bumps too. The very best thing is the new bike weights 10 pounds less than the old bike. Which will help with the hardest part of any bike ride carrying the bicycle up the two flights of stars to my apartment.

I will keep you updated on how the new bike works.

Elf

What??? No Luminescent Green with Indigo highlights??? :goofy: Insane :mrgreen:

:silly: Dwarf

sigofmugmort1 wrote:
What??? No Luminescent Green with Indigo highlights??? :goofy: Insane :mrgreen:

:silly: Dwarf


I tend to buck the trends, and most people I see are riding Luminescent Green or Yellow bicycles if they are new and black or white if they are older bicycles. Also it will be easier to find in a parking lot where there will be very few bicycles that are light blue.

:silly: Elf

With my superhuman strength, I managed to tear the rear gear change off my Trek 2000's frame. (The lug it hangs from detached from the frame). I found that welding it back on was more expensive than a new frame!

So I bought a new bike - a Cannondale Synapse (not the carbon one) - and not a current model, so it was discounted. Went from 14 gears (2 x 7) to 24 (3 x 8), and I only ever seem to use one!

So now I have two bikes at work, as my car is too small to take either of them home, and one of those is broken.

The old bike had the gear changer on the down-tube, but the new one has the gear levers built into the brake levers, and it looks like yours does too (and you'd only need one). Is that on the preferred side now?

When I went to pick up my new Diamondback Hook today the store told me that the Diamondback Line (next model up) was only $100.00 dollars more and would I like that instead. I thought about the differences for about a minute. The Line has brakes: Tektro Auriga Hydrolic discs with 180mm/160MM rotors and cassette: SRAM PG950 9-speed, 11-34T. The Hook has brakes: Tektro Aries mechanical discs with 160MM ROTORS. The Hook has brakes: Tektro Aries mechanical discs with 160MM ROTORS and cassette: SRAM PG820, 8-speed, 11-32T. Parts alone that is a $175.00 difference. So really not much to think on, I got the Line. So Sigofmugmort the bike is now Yellow. The Hook is Blue, The Line is Yellow and the Sync'r is Red. Yes they got me hook, line and Sync'r. Ha Ha. After I got it equipped with the correct peddles (the ones I like), new lights and bike computer to measure speed and mileage I went on a 30 mile checkout ride. Everything worked great until two kids on bicycles stopped right in front of me and I had to go into a skid to keep from hitting them. Hit the ground hard enough to turn the handlebars around and scrape my leg on one of their peddles. I guess the assembly person had not tightened the handlebars correctly. Lucky I was carrying my tool bag and first aid kit. Bike is fine and so am I. I guess it was a good thing I had not packed my hunting knife or blackjack, because I would have mashed those kids into tiny pieces and sliced their bicycles into chunks. It is like when you are passing someone on a trail you yell "On Your Left" or "Passing on your left" and instead of stepping right they step left into your path. Try to explain to people that marked trails are just like roads for cars. Slower traffic stays to the right, pass on the left only, do not drive or walk on the wrong side of the road. They look at you like your a cop or something. Think I will start carrying California Bike and Trail Laws in my backpack.

More to follow

Elf

ghastley wrote:
With my superhuman strength, I managed to tear the rear gear change off my Trek 2000's frame. (The lug it hangs from detached from the frame). I found that welding it back on was more expensive than a new frame!

So I bought a new bike - a Cannondale Synapse (not the carbon one) - and not a current model, so it was discounted. Went from 14 gears (2 x 7) to 24 (3 x 8), and I only ever seem to use one!

So now I have two bikes at work, as my car is too small to take either of them home, and one of those is broken.

The old bike had the gear changer on the down-tube, but the new one has the gear levers built into the brake levers, and it looks like yours does too (and you'd only need one). Is that on the preferred side now?


Tough luck about breaking the Trek, the Cannondale Synapse is a great bike as long as it is not carbon fiber, as I have seen 3 so far that had damaged frames which are super costly to repair, almost cheaper to get new frame. As to you having both bikes at work there are 3 possible ways to get them home. Ask a friend with a van or pickup truck to take them home for you. You could also find a uber or lift driver with a van to take them for you. Rent a roof rack for your car. Since I do not have a car right now, what I did was this. Left the old bicycle at home, dressed in my cycling clothes, packed all my tools and other items in my backpack jumped on a bus. There is a stop near my apartment in Redwood City, took that bus to Palo Alto transit center, changed buses to one that runs to the next county on the street the bike store is on. Got off the bus and road the new bike home.

Elf

bare_elf wrote:
Rent a roof rack for your car.

Elf


There's a small problem with that method.

P.S. I fully approve of the choice of yellow. (But not if those are blood-stains on the frame).

Can not carry a bike on a car like that. I approve of both the ride and the color of the ride. No blood-stains on the frame, just red accents.

Elf

Everything is going nicely except my ischial tuberosities (sit bones) are sore after a 40 mile ride. Not sure if the saddle (seat) is to far forward or is the wrong width. Did a bit of measuring between the old bike and the new bike. Measured the distance between the Specialized Body Geometry Avatar saddle on the old bike and the saddle that came with the new bike and the ischial tuberosities measurement is the same. However the distance between the the widest part of the saddle and the handlebars is two inches shorter on the new bike so I may not be sitting the same. Should I back up the seat or try a new one. I guess I should ask several bike shops what they would suggest. Oh crap there is a third possibility the new saddle may be to soft.
Elf

There are two factors here. One is the distance from saddle to handlebars, but the other is the effective angle of the seat tube. I.e. not the tube itself, but the angle of the line between cranks and saddle.

You'll sit at a "comfortable" position relative to the cranks and then lean forward to the handlebars, rather than assume a posture and see where you meet the saddle.

So there's the point at which you contact the saddle and the angle your body assumes relative to the saddle. If you move the saddle back, you may also have to tilt it a bit to compensate, or even up/down, given that you're not moving it along the arcs involved.

Plus, there's shape. You and the old saddle have come to an arrangement that's mutually acceptable. You need to negotiate further with the new one.

After 40 miles, I start feeling in the knees.

Thanks Ghastley
Checked the angle of the line between the cranks and saddle and there is only a slight difference between the two bikes with the newer one being less extreme by less than half an inch. I moved the seat back half an inch and reduced the tilt of the saddle such that it is level with the ground instead of leaning down at the nose. This seems to improve the feel. 36 miles and I am only a little butt sore. The saddle still feels a bit narrow but measuring everything I get only a 1.5 CM difference between the two saddles' width. I will give it a few more days before deciding what to do next.
Elf

Shape of the saddle and not the size, tilt or placement of the saddle. I really studied the old Specialized Avatar saddle in comparison to the new Diamondback Saddle that came with the new bike. The Avatar and the Diamondback saddles where both Narrow 135s but the Avatar was flatter in the back where the Diamondback kind of rolled down at the edges. I tried a WTB Silverado Race SE Saddle which had basically the same flatness as the Avatar across the back and now no soreness on a 50 mile ride. It did not cost me a dime to get the new saddle or have it installed as the bike store has a points system where you get points for things you buy and you get to use them on future purchases. Some additional teething problems with the new ride. Having some chain drops, not at high speed, not while climbing or descending hills, not while playing in the dirt and sand, but on city streets at low speeds. The chain jumps off the front chain ring, there is only one. On approaching and intersection with light or stop sign I slow down and down shift from 9 to 7 (SRAM PG950 9-speed, 11-34T) and all is fine. Start up again and cross intersection without up shifting. Once through intersection still moving forward at under ten miles an hour up shift from 7 to 8 no chain drop up shift from 8 to 9 and about 50% of the time the chain drops. I know it is just an adjustment (will have the shop look into it tomorrow) but it is exasperating, since in 33 years with the other bike the only time I would drop a chain is when I did something stupid like getting hit by a car or letting the chain wear out. The new bike does have some major advantages over the old bike. It climbs hills much better, is actually faster (average speed on old bike 12 mph average speed on new bike 17 mph) same crank rate (how many times I turn the peddles in a minute). Has lower center of gravity so is more stable on sand and mud. Is 50% lighter and being a small frame I can stand over the frame with both feet on the ground impossible with old bike. So points on the plus side and minus side for both bikes. Yes I plan to restore the old bike. Right now I am looking for a new 6 speed free wheel and 3 speed front gear set, bottom bracket, new derailers front and rear, original factory decals and paint color. When I am done it will look like the day it was new 33 years ago. And the rider rambles on. Sorry for all the non modding chatter from the elf but I have to talk to someone!
Elf

Just a minor adjustment to support my riding style in the chainguide. There is a chainguide on the front gear as there is no derailer.

All is well in cycle land.
Elf

Did you know that mountain bikes can fly. Taking flying lessons.

correct way to go down hill

wrong way to go down hill

Did your bike come with a men's, rather than women's saddle? Your ischial tuberosities should be further apart than mine, even with the height difference. We also need different accommodation for the tender parts.

ghastley wrote:
Did your bike come with a men's, rather than women's saddle? Your ischial tuberosities should be further apart than mine, even with the height difference. We also need different accommodation for the tender parts.

It came with a saddle that was unisex, generic or whatever. Once I found a flatter seat designed for a girl all was great.

A picture of the real bike outside, not a stock photo.

bare_elf wrote:

It came with a saddle that was unisex, generic or whatever. Once I found a flatter seat designed for a girl all was great.

"Generic" means suitable for men, boys, girls with undeveloped hips, but not women. Three out of four's not bad, eh? Beware of using the term "girl" with saddles, or you'll get narrower than you need.

Also beware of overloading that bag on your bars, or you'll be going downhill "the wrong way". I'm not all that convinced by the "right way" picture, either. That looks like a recipe for a saddle print on the sternum.

I have had the new bike exactly 30 days and have traveled 859 miles and I did not do any riding on 5 of the days, because I had other things to do.