Rather than uploading 20+ pictures to the gallery and linking to them here and doing the whole story thing. I'll just link to a flickr slide show of two rides from the past week (Click show info to see the captions. Here's just the set
The first was my weekend ride. Roughly 40 miles, and about as much climbing as say the first 3 Gaps, but generally steeper. If you map it right, you can get it to tell you that there's a a pretty big 11% section in the first climb. Unfortunately I started the ride, dehydrated and hungover w/o eating in 13 hours, so 1/4 up the first climb I wanted to pack it in an go home. Given that climbing, relative to my overall cycling performance, is the one thing that I'm half-way decent at, my ego got the best of me and I finished the climb. Then I figured I'd go do the second climb since it finished at the same intersection as the first. Then I decided to just go ahead and finish the whole ride. Definitely had to find a happy place during the last climb though.
Second ride is my commute home through Forest Park. It's a hard-packed gravel road, so perfect for a fat-tired road bike. I stuck to the main roads (Leif Erikson and Saltzman), but I plan on taking off the fenders and hitting some of the rougher fire lanes soon. It's been pretty dry lately, but on a moist day you can get good and covered in mud up there.
nice
is that a Soma Smoothie? (ES?)
indeed.
I love it! But the second bottle cage bosses are set too low :/
No biggie. I just switched my bottles once the first one is out, so it's not like I have to reach down there more than twice per ride.
errr
so is that a yes that it's the ES?
in either case, until you mentioned it, I hadn't noticed how low the bottle cage bosses are on those frames. looks like you don't even have a second cage on there. does putting one on interfere with the dérailleur or the downtube bottle cage?
oops, sorry.
Yes, it's an ES. I wanted room for fatter tires (and liked the color better, heh).
Currently, the derailer clamp is between the bosses. Nothing a plastic washer or two won't fix. I hadn't thought about it interfering with the DT cage. I was planning on working on the bike tonight (cable housing finally compressed a bit). I'll check it out.
thread jackin' and brain pickin'
I'm contemplating something along the lines of a Smoothie ES as a geared, fendered, sorta-fat-tired commuter / all-arounder (on pavement). I've also looked at the Surly Pacer (I like) and Salsa Casseroll (meh). I'm curious about aluminum frames, though... as you like to point out, they don't rust, and this bike will see some rain and get hung up wet. I'd consider a complete if the components and price are right, but I prefer building my own.
So, the start to a game of 20 questions:
Are there similar sorts of frames in aluminum in this price range?
Are there other steel frames in this price range I should consider?
What do you think of the Smoothie ES vs the others?
What standard-reach brakes do you like?
.
1) Don't know. Not that I did an exhaustive search, but I quit looking after I couldn't really find any that suited my fancy. Also consider that any shop worth its salt (assuming you go through a shop) will use frame saver. By the time you rust through a new, treated steel frame, you'll want something new anyway.
2) Check the Raleigh Sportsman. Seems like a nice bike, though I have an irrational distaste for STI. Saw one at the market the yesterday and it was lookin' sweet. (Tell Mike at Intown that I sent ya).
3) It's good except for the water bottle bosses thing. I got the cage on there, but it looks silly. Not a biggie since I can't see it when I ride and others are thinking about something different entirely as they pass me. It's far to reach down there, but I only do it once to switch the bottles. BUTBUTBUT it shows a lack of QC/QA and I don't like that. I wish I'd given the Pacer more consideration. I believe it takes fatter tires and fenders more easily. Ultimately I went with the Soma for the Fancier Steel and plastic fork. To its credit, with 32-spoke Aerohead/105 wheels, Rival, and non-fancy stem/bars + seapost/seat, the bike is probably lighter than the average mid-level aluminum road bike. Note that the plastic fork paired with the Soma has less clearance than the cheaper steel fork.
4) Tektro. They even make a fancier (but uglier) 57 mm caliper with a new style QR that opens the thing up more to get around fat tires sans preemptive deflation. I ended up with these on the Soma b/c they're black like my Rival components and I'm silly like that. Great stopping power when I'm coming into a switch back on a 12% descent so far. Shimano might make some 57's still, but the price difference makes it a silly option (to me).
.
1) yeah, I didn't do an exhaustive search either, but a preliminary search didn't yield much of anything.
2) hmmm, that is a pretty good looking bike (and, for the record, called the Clubman). I love STI, but have an irrational(?) distaste for anything less than 105. Web site doesn't indicate if it's available as just a frameset, but I'll ask Mike about it.
3) I wasn't really considering a plastic fork for this bike. Aside from weight, is there any benefit over steel?
4) Thanks, looks like a winner. V-O likes them too.
new question:
5) what fenders do you like, and what size fit the Smoothie ES?
Thanks!
.
forks: i only got the plastic fork b/c this is my first really indulgent bike. if you're gonna go, go big. plastic forks are lighter, but they don't absorb road buzz any better than anything else out there. that's what pneumatic tires are for. and since you're going for a plumper tires, that's even less of a issue.
fenders: this is my 'fast'* road bike, only with ample room for fatter tires so my glass wrist doesn't complain about having school on saturday throughout my whole ride. it's actually my dry weather bike (though in the future that might change). point is, don't have any fenders on it yet. BUT Planet Bike Cascadia fenders (attn: j.l.mckay) are pretty badass right out of the box. they have great mud flaps that keep crap out of your chain up front and the spray out of your riding buddy's eyes. I think fenders intended for tires up to 32 mm wide work just fine.
*in quote b/c i'm riding it.
another thread jack
Saw a sweet bike being built up in a shop this weekend:
Steamroller frame:
26" wheels w/ fat ass tires
3-spd rear hub
then to deal with the brakes they were using generator/roller brake hubs.
no brake calipers let them get huge ass fenders in there so easily.
now i want one :(
beautiful country
in those parts
on the plate for saturday
Larch Mountain
I'll probably leave from my house in N. Portland, but take the train back home from Gresham. Apparently there are some stiff head winds on the way back.
.
I'll just say this:
The ride started and ended at 200 ft above mean sea level. it was 67 miles long, had one big climb, and at some point, I got my bike up to here.
more photos (bottom two rows)
Psh, whatever. When I bought
Psh, whatever. When I bought my new bike the other day, I rode 24 miles, and according to mapmyrides, it was like, almost 600 feet of elevation. I nearly died. Also, my water bottle cage nearly rattled off.
psh. whatevz. one time when
psh. whatevz. one time when i was 15 i rode my mountain bike 6 miles to mcdonalds, ate 2 double cheeseburgers and a super size frys, and rode home.
nice!
I did around 3800 ft of climbing today, too! (Neel's, Woody's, Wolfpen, Neel's again)
I did not, however, get pics.
mmm...woody's
mmm...woody's
[single tear]
I miss those hills.
lolzzz
http://www.marriedtothesea.com/101909/fixed-gear-velocipede.gif
well
i do have two batches of kombucha going. haven't learned to weld yet though.
portland lolz aside
check out this guy. the ride that day was pretty much an epic fail*, but he and his brood made it somewhat worth it.
*the fireroads i wanted were sealed off for serious
related lolz
http://jakeaverill.tripod.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/emu...
HAR HAR HAR
Tripod hosting IS hysterical!