A Clem with a dyno hub and a few accessories is a $2500 machine. That’s pretty expensive by most any standard.
Eric On Monday, August 7, 2023, Joe Bernard <joerem...@gmail.com> wrote: > I'm with Max on this. It's a good bike designed to be used as a > commuter/shopper/cruiser, and not so maddeningly expensive that it can't be > replaced* if need be. > > *Yes I realize this is relative and a Clem isn't cheap by 'Walmart bike' > standards. I'm talking in terms I can relate to, i.e., my custom would be a > huge expense to replace if lost, a Clem would be a bummer but not end of > the world. YRMV. > > Joe Bernard > > > On Monday, August 7, 2023 at 9:32:18 AM UTC-7 Max S wrote: > >> When I was a kid, I had a Specialized Ascent (?) MTB stolen from an >> apartment complex parking "garage". I had bought that bike with my paper >> route & other kid job money, so it really hurt! In grad school, I also had >> an XT seatpost & Ti Flite saddle stolen from my MB2 parked in front of a >> campus building at 8 am in the morning. In the first case, the thief >> snipped through a simple cable. In the second case, the thief used the seat >> quick release. These experiences taught me to use better locks and to >> replace QRs with bolts. >> >> I've owned decent bikes in college and grad school, and I have worked on >> a college campus for nearly two decades, and have parked my bike on campus. >> When I did use my nice MTB in college, I'd take off the front wheel and >> lock it together with the frame and rear wheel to a post. When I ride my >> nice bike to campus now, I protect my Brooks saddle and Nitto post and Phil >> Wood wheels with some security bolts, and use a good lock. >> >> But I also don't park my bike outside overnight, and I don't ride around >> in the slush much, without cleaning the bike after the ride. >> >> So, I think a lot is going to depend on the kid and their particular >> living situation, degree of awareness, and the kinds of activities they get >> up to in college... What if they want to ride dirt roads and coffeeneur on >> Wednesday mornings with the local bikies, instead of partying late at night >> and going to football games? What if they want to ride down to the farmers >> market for fresh veggies instead of eating crappy pizza 7 days a week, or >> hit up the handmade ice cream shop downtown after a day of studying for >> finals?.. Wouldn't it be nice to have a good bike on hand that can carry >> some apples and books and have lights for the way back when it gets dark? >> These bikes are meant to be used and are designed well for that. >> >> - Max "if it ain't got disc brakes, not many thieves will want it" in A2 >> >> On Monday, August 7, 2023 at 11:18:19 AM UTC-4 rus...@gmail.com wrote: >> >>> I'm currently building a bike for a good friend's son who is going off >>> to college. It's a mid-1990s Mercian. Its going to Boston. I'm having >>> second thoughts and thinking of just giving him the cash and telling him to >>> buy a decent enough beater off of the local Craigslist, and having a LBS >>> replace the chain and giving it a maintenance once over. Currently, I've >>> installed pit locks, replacing the skewers and seat post bolt. I've also >>> install Ezy MKS pedals that he can remove between classes and carry in his >>> daypack. All parts are used, low to mid range and do not match. The locks >>> and chain will be Kryptonite's New York lock standard. Heavy, yes, but >>> probably the best available. these locks will at least frustrate would be >>> thieves. I'm hoping that he'll be able to keep it in his dorm with him >>> overnight. >>> >>> Russell Duncan >>> Saratoga, WY >>> >>> On Sunday, August 6, 2023 at 8:34:18 PM UTC-6 Ryan wrote: >>> >>>> One thing, Leah...and believe me ,no offense meant, but I know your >>>> penchant for pretty things😊 If that bike goes to college, you might want >>>> to dial down the bling. Just sayin'. In this wicked world, it's stressful >>>> owning nice things. Your son SHOULD be able to ride his lovely Clem to >>>> college, but I would just hate to think of it being stolen for both your >>>> sakes. Especially given the history of the bike....so I'm leaning into the >>>> nice but understated beater more and more...worked for me when I was still >>>> commuting before I retired. My beater was the old battle-scarred, but still >>>> elegant PX-10 >>>> >>>> On Sunday, August 6, 2023 at 8:36:41 PM UTC-5 Roberta wrote: >>>> >>>>> This is really tough. A lot has to do with where he is going and how >>>>> much he will be using the bike. Someone above said to get the lay of the >>>>> land before deciding. I kept my bike vertical in my dorm room, but it was >>>>> outside and locked up when I went to work or class; even a long bike like >>>>> his doesn't need to take up that much room (or keep it behind the bed). >>>>> Johnny above said that the Clem L will be too long for bus racks. I can >>>>> attest that my 55cm Platypus is too long for bus racks and Amtrak, if he >>>>> needs those transportation options. From a purely logical perspective, >>>>> get >>>>> a beater. >>>>> >>>>> However, I know you (and you'll have to ask your son). How much joy >>>>> is he going to get riding a nice bike to class and thinking of his >>>>> grandfather when he does? How much will he be heartbroken IF the bike >>>>> disappears? If a lot of joy, get him Dynolights so you'll know he's able >>>>> to be seen, Hexlocks on the wheel set, saddle and seat post and two really >>>>> good U-locks. Take the bags off the bike when parked. Teach him good and >>>>> bad ways to lock up the bike. Show him what to look for (like unbolted >>>>> bike >>>>> stands and cut thru lock-to bars). Get good pictures of it and register >>>>> for >>>>> it on bike registry sites. Hide an air tag. Just make it harder to >>>>> steal. >>>>> >>>>> Although I'm sure you'll be heartbroken IF the bike disappears, since >>>>> it was your Dad's originally, you can physically replace it. >>>>> >>>>> Roberta >>>>> >>>>> On Saturday, August 5, 2023 at 10:54:39 PM UTC-4 Bicycle Belle Ding >>>>> Ding! wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> It nearly kills me to say it, but my older son will be heading to >>>>>> college in a year. Freshman aren’t to bring cars to campus, so that >>>>>> leaves >>>>>> buses, bikes, and your own two feet for transportation. My boys have >>>>>> grown >>>>>> up riding Clem Hs; this son rides a 52 cm cast-off from my husband (who >>>>>> doesn’t ride, sigh). >>>>>> >>>>>> My 6’3” Dad had a blue 59 cm Clem on order when he died suddenly in >>>>>> 2020, and his blue Clem has sat, boxed, waiting for my boy to grow into >>>>>> it. >>>>>> I lugged the gargantuan box up from the basement last week to see how if >>>>>> the bike would fit. “Now that I’ve obtained optimal height,” my son is >>>>>> fond >>>>>> of saying… >>>>>> >>>>>> Anyway, he’s 6’1” now (likely still growing) and I need him to decide >>>>>> if he wants to stick with his old Clem H (that he was fond of) or settle >>>>>> into this Clem L. Because whichever bike he chooses is getting new >>>>>> wheels, >>>>>> dyno and fenders and going to college with him. At first he was opposed >>>>>> to >>>>>> the idea of a new Clem; he liked his old Clem, thought it looked cool. >>>>>> But >>>>>> after the - as he calls it - Big Bike was assembled, he really began to >>>>>> like it. “It looks elegant,” he said. It really does, all long and lithe, >>>>>> in blue and silver. He put his saddle and bags on the bike and we test >>>>>> rode >>>>>> it tonight. He said, “I am really liking the Big Bike. I like that my >>>>>> knees >>>>>> don’t have anything to hit (geez, were his knees hitting his bars?!) and >>>>>> it >>>>>> looks elegant. It feels more at home now that I have my old saddle on >>>>>> it.” >>>>>> >>>>>> I have mixed feelings about sending him to college with this bike, >>>>>> because it’s so nice. I also doubt he’ll be able to get it on a bus bike >>>>>> rack - and I have no idea how often he will want to do that. His bike >>>>>> life >>>>>> is totally unknown at this point. All I know is that I’m getting him dyno >>>>>> because the kid has never remembered to charge a light in his LIFE and I >>>>>> will not sleep at night without it.The 52 takes 650b wheels and the 59 >>>>>> takes 700c, so I don’t want to buy the wheels until I know which bike he >>>>>> really wants. But as of now, he wants his new bike. >>>>>> >>>>>> I know people will say we should just get a beater. I know why that >>>>>> would be advisable, but I also hate to think of a Clem languishing when >>>>>> it >>>>>> could be serving a noble purpose. I’d love for him and his Clem to >>>>>> journey >>>>>> through undergrad together. >>>>>> >>>>>> I am wondering…has anyone gone to college or sent their kid to >>>>>> college with a Clem? What do you have to say about it? Photos in the next >>>>>> post… >>>>>> Leah >>>>>> >>>>> -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "RBW Owners Bunch" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/ > msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/28e679fa-0389-4589-8215- > 2f7f6133a50bn%40googlegroups.com > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/28e679fa-0389-4589-8215-2f7f6133a50bn%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > . > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. 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