bike thread

[spacehamster]

He enjoys looking like a complete asshole.

Yeah, looks like something for people who think riding a unicycle doesn't make them look like enough of an ass.

I mean, I sort of get that it's an interesting challenge or whatever, but then what? You gonna ride that thing to the grocery store?

[Fuck...I'm Dave]

He enjoys looking like a complete asshole.

Yeah, looks like something for people who think riding a unicycle doesn't make them look like enough of an ass.

I mean, I sort of get that it's an interesting challenge or whatever, but then what? You gonna ride that thing to the grocery store?

You ride your mountain bike to get groceries?

I wouldn't ride a tall bike but they're interesting exercises in bike building and probably fun to ride if you're into it. I don't think we have to grade bikes according to their usefulness as grocery getters.

[spacehamster]

I don't think we have to grade bikes according to their usefulness as grocery getters.

Yeah, I guess I just don't understand what you do with those things once you've built and practiced how to ride it. Mountain bikes are ultimately a means to an end - they allow me to do things and go places, and it's something I do all the time. What do you do with a tall bike that's fun? I mean, if it's fun for someone to just ride that thing up and down the street because they enjoy being able to do that, fine, I don't have to understand what other people think is fun, I just really don't get it.

[Fuck...I'm Dave]

I don't think we have to grade bikes according to their usefulness as grocery getters.

Yeah, I guess I just don't understand what you do with those things once you've built and practiced how to ride it. Mountain bikes are ultimately a means to an end - they allow me to do things and go places, and it's something I do all the time. What do you do with a tall bike that's fun? I mean, if it's fun for someone to just ride that thing up and down the street because they enjoy being able to do that, fine, I don't have to understand what other people think is fun, I just really don't get it.

Yeah, i agree on that. I don't really get them either but it's kind of cool to see someone riding one down the street sometimes.

I used to live up the street from a place that built tallbikes and other stupid things like that and every so often a bunch of people would just ride weird bikes around the neighborhood.

[hipster holocaust]

Tall bikes are the number one irrational anger in my life. Fuck it.

[Erik13]

Recumbent bikes get me pretty upset...

[krog]

Tallbikes are rad because they feel like flying. Plus they are usually janky and danger is fun and cool. Some people ride them on group rides, some people ride them to the grocery store and to work and generally all the time. That's a badge of honor because it is usually not easy to keep a tallbike (or any freakbike) running. They are usually the result of a welder, an hour, two or three frames, and five or six beers.

I never built a tallbike but I built and rode five choppers. For about two years they were my full-time rides. Eventually, all of them broke and I got sick of fixing them. Here is my ten-year-old page about them: http://ftso.net/bikes/

HH, you ought to enjoy this -- there's a tallbike gang in NY who've had not one, but two in-flight casualties. Both were shit drunk and at least one involved falling off an overpass. I met some of them at Brooklyn Bike Kill in '06, good people.

[hipster holocaust]

They know to stay huddled in places like...ugh..."Morgantown" and other spots where me, cabbies, and hoodrat kids won't be tempted to make fun of/clip them.

SPOILERSPOILER_SHOW

Seriously though, all ghost bikes suck. Even tall ones

[Geeheeb]

id rather have an annoying ghost bike than a hole in the ground for grass

[hipster holocaust]

Having trouble imagining a more humiliating way to go when it comes to pushing daisies as a result of falling off a tall bike.

[Necrophilic Mallard]

A few weeks ago I broke a couple tire levers fixing a flat. The route was HARD AS FUCK to pry back on the rim.
Friend today got a flat and was done in under 5 minutes...that tire popped on super easy compared to mine.
Other friend said the wheels make a lot of difference, and so I've been thinking about a spare set anyway...what should I look for?
Also, should I get wire bread tires, or foldables?

[Geeheeb]

I think it's more wheel+tire specific. Continental tires can be hard to mount, esp gatorskins. Try heat

[Necrophilic Mallard]

Actually they are gator skins, with the wire bead.
she got a pinch flat hopping a curb; went flat instantly.

[Erik13]

I have a really hard time with the gatorskins....they're really stiff

[Geeheeb]

Use a heat gun or throw them in the dryer. Also
I apply talc

[Erik13]

I can't bring a heat gun riding when i get a flat....

[Geeheeb]

Another thing you can try is being less weak

[hipster holocaust]

[Erik13]

Kevin I suspect you were right about all the flats I was getting...I've been checking pressure before every ride and none so far.

[Geeheeb]

I was using some giant brand tubes that seemed to leak about 5psi a day, I got some cheap tubes that are heavier and have to top off about every two weeks now. FUNNY

[Erik13]

got my first pair of bib shorts...



would it be ok to ride in only this on a hot day?

[Fuck...I'm Dave]

I think the only person it has to be ok with is you.

[Geeheeb]

Yep

[spacehamster]

I wouldn't recommend it, tbqh. Exposing your skin to the sun on a hot day gets pretty unpleasant pretty quickly, plus you look like a man who gets sunburns easily, if you don't mind me saying. The best thing to wear when it's really hot is a tight jersey.

[hipster holocaust]

Don't be rude to Erik.

You look beautiful, Erik.