I bought a thing

"Out, but with a W - has found the answer" (belg)
12/28/2016 at 06:27 • Filed to: Thunderbirds are go

Two wheels bad, mkay?

DISCUSSION (16)

pip bip - choose Corrour > Out, but with a W - has found the answer
12/28/2016 at 06:30

not a fan of the colour, otherwise how is it?

Out, but with a W - has found the answer > pip bip - choose Corrour
12/28/2016 at 06:39

A great workout: the singlespeed means I’m turning high cadences on asphalt and hardpack, while I need to keep my speed up through the muddy bits if I don’t want to start running. Not the most efficient or fastest way to cover ground, but a lot of fun.

BvdV - The Dutch Engineer > Out, but with a W - has found the answer
12/28/2016 at 06:42

I’m sure it’ll be hard to lose that one, it’s so pink you could see it from the moon, haha.

Also, going by the beefy tires and the fact that it has disks, my guess is it’s a cyclocross bike, right?

Out, but with a W - has found the answer > BvdV - The Dutch Engineer
12/28/2016 at 06:48

Cyclocross indeed, currently running 35mm tires. Plenty of room left, so I might move to 42s when things start to get muddy around here.

BvdV - The Dutch Engineer > Out, but with a W - has found the answer
12/28/2016 at 07:10

Awesome! Really love the sport (and the coverage on Sporza)

I’m still thinking of picking up a bike, but I can’t chose between an MTB and a road bike, maybe a cyclocross bike could be a nice compromise.

Out, but with a W - has found the answer > BvdV - The Dutch Engineer
12/28/2016 at 07:51

I’ve currently got a road bike and this SSCX in my stable, but for different uses: the roadie for long(er)-distance rides when the weather is decent, the CX for short but intensive offroad fun and winter training.
I’ve also done quite a bit of mountainbiking in the past, but it was a bit of overkill for the trails around here: most of them are doable on a CX, especially if you pick the right tire and pressure. More fun as well (in my opinion), since you can’t rely on suspension and steamroller tires to get you through a difficult bit. MTBs are a lot more comfortable though (but heavier), and generally the only decent option if you’ve got a lot of rocks around.

I wouldn’t call a CX a compromise between a roadie and a MTB though: the frame geometry is a lot more aggressive, as it’s not meant to be comfortable for more than an hour, two hours tops. You might want to look into endurance road bikes and gravel/adventure bikes: they’ve usually got a comfy and stable geometry, with room for wider tires if you want to go offroad. 28-30mm are usually sufficient for (light) gravel and hardpack, bigger if you’re planning to eat mud/sand or rocks.

BvdV - The Dutch Engineer > Out, but with a W - has found the answer
12/28/2016 at 08:18

Having done some mountainbiking on a borrowed bike, makes me share your opinion on MTBs, they are just a bit overkill for type of trails that can be found in the forests over here in NL too(mainly quite hard sand trails).

I’ll look into those. Ideally I’d get 2 or 3 different bikes, for different purposes, but my wallet begs to differ. If only I didn’t have so many expensive hobbies.

Out, but with a W - has found the answer > BvdV - The Dutch Engineer
12/28/2016 at 09:22

If you’ve got the opportunity, be sure to try a couple of bikes, and try to get a clear idea of what you want to be doing, since it’d be kind of a shame to get a compromise if e.g. you’re going to ride on the road for 90% of the time.

As with cars, you can spend as little or as much as you want, but it’s often tempting to spend more rather than less.

TheRealBicycleBuck > Out, but with a W - has found the answer
12/28/2016 at 10:48

My primary ride has been a cyclocross bike for many years. It’s twitcher than my old-school road bike, but plenty comfortable for long hauls (4+ hours in the saddle). Mine is configured for long rides with 35s, moustache bars, and a brooks saddle. It isn’t as capable as a mountain bike, but is more than adequate for the trails in south Louisiana.

I guess I’m agreeing with you on all points except steering someone away from a CX in favor of an adventure bike. I’ve never met a bike that couldn’t be improved and no person who’s going to ride the distance will stick with a stock bike. I would encourage them to try the CX if their intention is to make swaps/upgrades anyway. They may like the more responsive geometry over an adventure frame.

Out, but with a W - has found the answer > TheRealBicycleBuck
12/28/2016 at 11:05

You’re made from tougher stuff than me. ;) But you’re right, I was more thinking of stock for stock. Then again, you’ll always be working within the constraints of your frame, such as the higher BB on most CX, or the longer wheelbase of an adventure bike.

TheRealBicycleBuck > Out, but with a W - has found the answer
12/28/2016 at 11:29

Not tougher. I just softened it up with the right parts!

The BB height is definitely an issue, but I think the overall lengths are pretty similar. The extra chainstay length is necessary to get the tire clearance on both frames. The top tube length can’t be much different for a given size of bike, so any extra length in an adventure frame has to come from more slack in the head tube angle. They aren’t that different, are they?

Out, but with a W - has found the answer > TheRealBicycleBuck
12/28/2016 at 12:04

Top tube length can differ a couple of millimeters to even (one or two) centimeters, as can chainstay length (most ‘true’ CX are optimized for 33 + mud, some adventure bikes go up to 44). Lots of differences between manufacturers though, it’s like the difference between race and endurance geometry on road bikes: for some it means loads of extra height on the head tube and shorter TT, while for others it’s just some small adjustments. It doesn’t help that every manufacturer has a different definition of ‘adventure bike’.

The one thing an adventure bike (almost) always offers over a CX are mudguard, bottle cage and pannier mounts, but even those have been introduced on some more ‘recreative’ CX models these days.

TheRealBicycleBuck > Out, but with a W - has found the answer
12/28/2016 at 12:11

Top tube length has been somewhat of a crapshoot since they started building sloping top tubes and seat tubes so they could accommodate more body sizes with fewer frame sizes. I should have known better.

My “last” bike will have to be a custom build to get it just like I want. My Redline is close, but still could be improved. I’m thinking cross country adventure with slack angles, but a higher BB so it can handle some more serious trails and still be somewhat relaxed on the road.

TulsaMtnBiker (OkieRising) > Out, but with a W - has found the answer
12/28/2016 at 17:05

Silky smooth belt SS. Nice.

Out, but with a W - has found the answer > TulsaMtnBiker (OkieRising)
12/29/2016 at 01:48

Chain, sadly (picture quality isn’t the best), albeit a 1/8" with eccentric BB.

JohnH3ASP > Out, but with a W - has found the answer
01/07/2017 at 17:47

Be safe out there Hammond