Official non-motorized motorcycle thread.

[OreoGaborio]

So I'm considering whether or not I want to pick up a bicycle for joy riding around & getting in shape.

Seeing as there aren't really any trails close by, I was thinking maybe a road bike.

Budget: Friggin cheap.

Was thinking maybe something like this...
Critical Cycles Fixed-Gear / Single-Speed Bikes with Pursuit Handlebars | With Flip-Flop Hub
But I think the main question is, will I enjoy riding it enough to actually ride it?

Or should I double my budget cuz I'd enjoy something more like this
Motobecane Gran Premio SL
or this
Motobecane Mirage S
Motobecane Mirage SLX
Motobecane Mirage PRO


Anyone have something I could "test ride"?



Likelihood of me actually buying a bike..... 50/50.

[union]

You're better off with one of the Motobecanes then the fixed gear. They will give you a wider range of riding opportunities.

One thing to remember is not to go super cheap. It's something my wife figured out this year. We bought her a very cheap bike to see if she would like it. When you would push on the pedal it would move but the bike itself wouldn't. Needless to say it was not easy for her to ride or keep up while I was on skates. This year we got her a much nicer bicycle and she has increased her distance by 1/3 and average speed by about 2mph with less effort.

You can try my bike if you want to come out here. We have a nice bike path. The catch is you will need to have size 9 feet because I have clipless pedals. Probably something you will want to get eventually.

If you don't need new it might be to your advantage to message PK. I know he has a motobecane that he bought for his son that isn't getting much use as far as I know. If its the size you're looking for maybe you can pick that one up.

[sedanman]

If you're gonna go single speed, get a bike with a freewheel not a fixed gear unless you like pain. It's impossible to coast on a fixie and stopping is an art form. I'm old and out of shape. I need gears and brakes.

[tls25rs]

Seeing as there aren't really any trails close by, I was thinking maybe a road bike.

So I'm guessing Lynn Woods is nowhere near Danvers. If you were to think about mountain bikes instead there are plenty of trails around the North Shore of MA. Admittedly you wouldn't necessarily be able to ride out your front door with them but there are trails.

[OreoGaborio]

Yeahhh I'm thinkin more along the lines of get home from work, change, grab the bike & roll right out my front door... not packing up the bike & driving somewhere.

Definitely a lotta trails AROUND, just not a lotta trail variety within riding distance of home.

[OreoGaborio]

If you're gonna go single speed, get a bike with a freewheel not a fixed gear unless you like pain. It's impossible to coast on a fixie and stopping is an art form. I'm old and out of shape. I need gears and brakes.

Yeah, the one I linked to has a reversible hub.

[NPDCPA]

Definitely a lotta trails AROUND, just not a lotta trail variety within riding distance of home.

Not true at all. Bradley Palmer in Ipswich has some mild to technical trails, rail trails are everywhere if you want to slice through the jogging yoga pants, Lynn Woods, Gloucester, Andover/Harold Parker, etc. With the traffic congestion and narrow roads in eastern MA road riding is brutal. The woods are where it's at - a challenge at every turn, no traffic, safe, etc.

[OreoGaborio]

I know there's Bradley Palmer & plenty of other trail systems around me... What I'm saying is I'm not going to ride a mountain bike to those trails from my home. That's a long friggin ride before you even get to the trails.

I'm not ruling out a trail bike, but my thought is that having a bike I need to load up in the back of my truck then drive somewhere before I even start riding is probably going to deter me from riding at all.

[OreoGaborio]

Anyway... anyone got a decent bike in good condition they're not using that I could buy or even just borrow for a few rides before the snow falls? I'm about 5'10"

Road bike, trail bike, whatever.

[sedanman]

That's a cool hub. I thought flip flop hubs were typically the same style (fixed or freewheel) with a different sized cog on each side.

[nhbubba]

Have you considered a mountain bike?!

I'm only half being a jackass. Another option is to consider getting a mild mountain bike and then putting a pair of more road oriented tires on it. I am not a serious cyclist. But I view this as kind of like putting a set of very road-biased tires on a dual-sport. Turns out to be great for riding around town (or NHMS garages). More comfortable than a real road bike. Front suspension works for potholes too.

Take mine for a whirl around the infield at round 7. It may be what you're after. Maybe.

[bryco13]

Single speeds and fixed gear bikes are cool, as a second bike. Buy the best you can swing at the time and you won't regret it. The other thing to remember is that almost any mountainbike you find is going to be a 29" wheeled bike. This makes it super easy to go to a local shop and grab some wider than normal road tires and throw on your mountainbike wheels. Yes, the gearing will be aimed more towards mountain biking, yes, if you want to go for a mountainbike ride it will take an extra 15 minutes to change tires and tubes. But, if you get a road or hybrid you are pretty much stuck on the road. A mountainbike with street rubber will actually pull double duty. Just my 2 cents. (From the guy with a collection of bikes, lol).

[number9]

Friends don't let friends buy fixies.

[JBAX]

Buy a CX bike and do it all.

[Imbeek]

Report from someone who doesn't claim to know a lot about bicycles but was in your spot recently:

Mountain biking is grueling as hell in my experience, and getting dinged up is a real possibility...I've owned one for a long time and the most use its gotten is as a pit bike. Maybe I just didn't find the right (easier, flatter) places to ride it. Tried to use it for training years ago while I was racing mx, but running or riding the dirtbike worked better for me.

Two years ago I bought a motobecane street bicycle for around 5 or 600. Very happy with it; injuries are less likely than mountain biking and workout intensity is easily chosen by where and how long you choose to ride. Excellent low impact workout with smells and rapidly changing scenery so you don't get bored. Like you said, it's nice to open your garage door and just start pedaling (especially where I live).

I already bought a second, nicer bike from bikes direct, so my kid could ride with me. My son has been using one of them quite a bit lately to go with his buddies. Around us, they've made a long "rail trail" where they paved the old railroad right of way for bicycles, hikers, and joggers...it's awesome, because it's flat, there are bars and cafes you can pedal to, and you don't have to deal with stop lights or worry about getting picked off by cars.

[OreoGaborio]

Nice. Which Motobecane did you get?

[Imbeek]

Nice. Which Motobecane did you get?

The first one was really similar to this:

Save Up to 60% Off Disc Brake Road Bikes - Motobecane Turino Disc

But it was called the "gran turino" I think. I dont think mine has a carbon fork and I don't see mine listed anymore. The second one was:

Save up to 60% of new Shimano Ultegra 6800 22 Speed Road Bikes | Motobecane Super Strada Road Bikes Sale | Save up to 60% off your next new Road Bike

The second one is freaking awesome. Can definitely tell the difference in the components. Would've been plenty happy with the first one, except, and if you learn anything from my mistakes learn this: the first one I ordered THE WRONG SIZE bike. Bike shops that I looked at literally wanted twice as much for bikes with the components I got on both bikes, but they would've sized me correctly, probably. Some of it can be corrected (which I did) with adjustable stems and such, but I learned that bike sizing is not as simple as height and weight...it has to do with the length of your arms, legs, torso, etc.

I'm 5'9 1/2. The first bike was a 52cm, the second that fits me well is a 56. My son is 6'2 and he's been happily riding the 52 even though it's clearly too small so I guess it's only as big a deal as you wanna make it...

If you feel like driving to Southwick you are welcome to try both out...Might motivate my ass to get back on one and go with you.

[jwm2k3]

I suggest you fuckin bastards stay the fuck off the road ferchrisakes...

[OreoGaborio]

[Chippertheripper]

Fairdale just announced a cheaper commuterish thing. And lord knows I their stuff.
http://fairdalebikes.com/bikes/2016-lookfar/
This thing will ride like silk, it's based off the same frame as my commuter. (The weekender drop)

[carsick]

I suggest you fuckin bastards stay the fuck off the road ferchrisakes...

Where does all this aggression come from Johnny?

[aldend123]

loading up a MTB is nothing like the process in loading up a dirt bike. Just throw it in the bed and go. Some like to hang the fork over the bed, and they make pads for that. If you consider a MTB and transportation, I prefer configurations which don't require removing the front wheel like most road bikes. Because I get that one extra step is just enough effort to get annoying.

I love MTB, though the more I ride dirt bike the more I wonder how much I'll keep riding MTB. It lets you work on the finer grain skills, get good at picking lines, and gets the heart pumping way more. It has some overlap, but the moments you strive for are different.

Whatever you get, make sure you put snow tires on it.

[lrrs313]

I could let you take my Venge for a ride at the last LRRS round, if you'd like. As a disclaimer, it might cause you to go a bit over your budget......

[Chippertheripper]

loading up a MTB is nothing like the process in loading up a dirt bike. Just throw it in the bed and go. Some like to hang the fork over the bed, and they make pads for that. If you consider a MTB and transportation, I prefer configurations which don't require removing the front wheel like most road bikes. Because I get that one extra step is just enough effort to get annoying.

I love MTB, though the more I ride dirt bike the more I wonder how much I'll keep riding MTB. It lets you work on the finer grain skills, get good at picking lines, and gets the heart pumping way more. It has some overlap, but the moments you strive for are different.

Whatever you get, make sure you put snow tires on it.

I use one to cross train for the other. Fitness for dirties, picking good lines at speed for the woodsy bicycle.

[Eric Baker]

Many good bike shops will usually let you test ride bikes, so you may want to at least start you search locally, vs. just ordering something online. That way you can at least find the size and type of bike you want.