[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder.
Howdy, Ronni. Is it me or do folks have bikes in odd numbers? Lots of sevens and fives. Here's a noble attempt at the quiver of five: http://www.symphonic-net.com/france1961/my%20bicycle.html On Sep 13, 11:55 pm, redlinero...@aol.com wrote: I have been lurking for a few years...I'm a woman...I own 7 bikes.I think about bikes and parts more than is normal Im sure. Just thought I'd chime in.Thanks for all you folks have taught me. ? Sorry I don't know how to cut the fat off the email.Happy wrenching! Ronni -Original Message- From: David Estes cyclotour...@gmail.com To: rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com Sent: Tue, Sep 8, 2009 5:31 pm Subject: [RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder. Uhmmm, Lesli, now is the time to chime in... On Tue, Sep 8, 2009 at 2:06 PM, Dave Craig dcr...@prescott.edu wrote: I wonder what we'd find if this question were answered by women. None have responded thusfar to this thread. ARE there any female members of this group?? cut ? As I consider my female bicycling buddies, students and acquaintences, I realize that none of them have more than two bikes and that most have just one. Do women think the all-rounder is a myth? ?I have to wonder whether they even care. DC -~--~~~~--~~--~--~--- --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder.
I have been lurking for a few years...I'm a woman...I own 7 bikes.I think about bikes and parts more than is normal Im sure. Just thought I'd chime in.Thanks for all you folks have taught me. ? Sorry I don't know how to cut the fat off the email.Happy wrenching! Ronni -Original Message- From: David Estes cyclotour...@gmail.com To: rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com Sent: Tue, Sep 8, 2009 5:31 pm Subject: [RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder. Uhmmm, Lesli, now is the time to chime in... On Tue, Sep 8, 2009 at 2:06 PM, Dave Craig dcr...@prescott.edu wrote: I wonder what we'd find if this question were answered by women. None have responded thusfar to this thread. ARE there any female members of this group?? cut ? As I consider my female bicycling buddies, students and acquaintences, I realize that none of them have more than two bikes and that most have just one. Do women think the all-rounder is a myth? ?I have to wonder whether they even care. DC -~--~~~~--~~--~--~--- --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder
Ian Hibell rode his bicycle all over the world under the most difficult conditions imaginable (I was lucky to read his book before it became unattainably expensive). I recall reading that he used one of those flimsy Pletscher racks. One of my Saturday morning shop ride regulars is sitting at 487,524 miles lifetime now (er, yesterday), including many long transcontinental tours. When he rides across the country (on his custom Rivendell, among various other steeds), he uses rack/bag equipment that most of us internet theoreticians wouldn't even begin to consider for a commute, let alone a 3000-mile adventure. One of his close friends noted that his companions look like they're on a long tour, and he looks like he's going out for a weekend. Rumor has it that he doesn't even carry a pump... On Sep 9, 12:13 pm, Robert Kirkpatrick spiralc...@gmail.com wrote: On Sep 9, 2009, at 10:01 AM, JoelMatthews wrote: Bikes set up to handle self-supported touring are not really the best choice for riding around town or - this is just speculation as I do not race (but well informed speculation as I know all to well the speeds I cannot reach on a touring mule) - for riding in club and other spirited recreational riding. This is just rubbish, as I said earlier I really only ride my Atlantis and it is set up for fully loaded self contained long distance touring - I rode most of the West Coast this summer. I also ride it around town, get groceries, do centuries, yadda, yadda, yadda. Arguably you could set up a bike with the Nitto big front rack with panniers on tour and basket for commuting duty. But the Nitto rack is not as good for distance touring as Tubus Tara or the Bruce Gordon Front Rack. Really? Based on what do you claim these racks are better or not? Let's see your peer reviewed studies. In my research I found the Nitto rack to be just as good if not better then either of those options. The BG I'd get but as an experienced tourer I'd never get the Tubus racks. Lot of presumptions in this thread that seem unnecessary. Face it some people could live with one bicycle. If you can't or don't want to, who cares? -Robert --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder
I recall reading that he used one of those flimsy Pletscher racks. I like Pletscher racks and have one, but do not have a bike it will fit on well. Grant for a while was trying to source an adapter to fit the pletscher on bikes with seat stay rack mount braze-ons. Appears as though he could not find a suitable source as there has been no sign of it on the Riv site lately. When he rides across the country (on his custom Rivendell, among various other steeds), he uses rack/bag equipment that most of us internet theoreticians wouldn't even begin to consider for a commute, let alone a 3000-mile adventure. I agree there is no one right way to tour. When I first started cycle camping I used a bike with no rack mounts and carried my stuff in a hiking back pack. In the end, the rider needs to use what they like, as they are the ones who have to live with the set up day in and day out. Perhaps I spoke out of turn to say one rack design was better than the other. I like how solid and well Tubus racks and Ortlieb(in front)/Arkel hardware on Lemolo bags(in back) keep my gear. When I am on the road, I see many others who use the same or similar, so there must be something to it. Rumor has it that he doesn't even carry a pump... I will probably jinx my upcoming October trip, but for the last three years the Schwalbe Marathons have not sprung a leak. Nevertheless, I make sure to carry a pump and patch kit always. On Sep 10, 8:34 am, Jim Thill - Hiawatha Cyclery thill@gmail.com wrote: Ian Hibell rode his bicycle all over the world under the most difficult conditions imaginable (I was lucky to read his book before it became unattainably expensive). I recall reading that he used one of those flimsy Pletscher racks. One of my Saturday morning shop ride regulars is sitting at 487,524 miles lifetime now (er, yesterday), including many long transcontinental tours. When he rides across the country (on his custom Rivendell, among various other steeds), he uses rack/bag equipment that most of us internet theoreticians wouldn't even begin to consider for a commute, let alone a 3000-mile adventure. One of his close friends noted that his companions look like they're on a long tour, and he looks like he's going out for a weekend. Rumor has it that he doesn't even carry a pump... On Sep 9, 12:13 pm, Robert Kirkpatrick spiralc...@gmail.com wrote: On Sep 9, 2009, at 10:01 AM, JoelMatthews wrote: Bikes set up to handle self-supported touring are not really the best choice for riding around town or - this is just speculation as I do not race (but well informed speculation as I know all to well the speeds I cannot reach on a touring mule) - for riding in club and other spirited recreational riding. This is just rubbish, as I said earlier I really only ride my Atlantis and it is set up for fully loaded self contained long distance touring - I rode most of the West Coast this summer. I also ride it around town, get groceries, do centuries, yadda, yadda, yadda. Arguably you could set up a bike with the Nitto big front rack with panniers on tour and basket for commuting duty. But the Nitto rack is not as good for distance touring as Tubus Tara or the Bruce Gordon Front Rack. Really? Based on what do you claim these racks are better or not? Let's see your peer reviewed studies. In my research I found the Nitto rack to be just as good if not better then either of those options. The BG I'd get but as an experienced tourer I'd never get the Tubus racks. Lot of presumptions in this thread that seem unnecessary. Face it some people could live with one bicycle. If you can't or don't want to, who cares? -Robert- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder
Ian's an inspiring rider -- you can see his bikes here: http://www.bikebrothers.co.uk/ih_touringbikes.htm Most of his bikes had racks custom built as part of the frame. He used a Pletscher on one of his bikes, but it had reinforcing stays and burly mounts. Jim M WC CA On Sep 10, 6:34 am, Jim Thill - Hiawatha Cyclery thill@gmail.com wrote: Ian Hibell rode his bicycle all over the world under the most difficult conditions imaginable (I was lucky to read his book before it became unattainably expensive). I recall reading that he used one of those flimsy Pletscher racks. --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder
Speaking of a bike to get groceries on . . . While I don't really consider it an all-rounder, I thought I'd put a plug in for my Surly Big Dummy as the ultimate grocery/town bike. My touring bike(s) pale in comparison. Using cloth grocery bags, I regularly use the BD in an absurd semi- truck configuration to do our big shopping trips every couple of weeks (BD plus a Burley Nomad Trailer). So far, the record has been: 8 bags of groceries, one watermelon, a 12-pack of Sierra Nevada beer and a baguette sticking out the back of one of the panniers simply for effect. My wife stood by offering to take some part of the load in her medium Wald basket, but I brushed that potential contribution off as insignificant - OK, I did concede that she could take the sandwich bread, peaches, bananas and tomatoes - Joel's right, those become victims pretty quickly. I've thought about putting a front rack and a basket on the front to handle those delicate items and take-out boxes from the local Thai place (made a mess once of my side bags with some Pad Thai juice!) and I'll probably do that some day. The BD has some limitations (slow, heavy and long) and it's definitely not as comfortable as my Riv's, but it has allowed me to reduce my auto use dramatically in a town with virtually no public transit options. Today, I'm taking our glass bottles to the recycling center - there's a couple of big boxes. I've gotta tell you, it is VERY satisfying to ride a bike to transport recyclables! DC On Sep 10, 3:05 am, JoelMatthews joelmatth...@mac.com wrote: Aha, but (breaking in to his Inspector Closeau voice) you 'ave not tried ze trash can pannier! Nozzing better. Baskets! Bah! Porteur racks! Pffft! (Back to his rational voice): four paper grocery sacks per load. Try *that* in you Wald Newsboy. Very well (and amusingly) put. I will readily concede as a single person, my concept of carrying groceries is probably far less than that of many other people! On Sep 9, 6:47 pm, PATRICK MOORE bertin...@gmail.com wrote: On Wed, Sep 9, 2009 at 12:12 PM, JoelMatthews joelmatth...@mac.com wrote: I give this one to Joel. No peer-reviewed research, though, Just one individual's biased prejudice. Certainly it is possible to get groceries, do errands with a tourer. I says as much. But as I say also, it is a lot easier to do errands with a top of rack basket or, as I do with my city bike, a bag on top of a porteur rack. Aha, but (breaking in to his Inspector Closeau voice) you 'ave not tried ze trash can pannier! Nozzing better. Baskets! Bah! Porteur racks! Pffft! (Back to his rational voice): four paper grocery sacks per load. Try *that* in you Wald Newsboy. Bending down to pull off side mount panniers, opening up and sealing roll down panniers, loading panniers with groceries when they were really designed for carrying clothes and gears - bread - avocados and soft fruit especially are frequent victims when I use the touring bike for groceries. As for doing centuries - I find all measured cycling a bore, and do not bother. Presumably most people who do centuries do so in a spirit of competition with like minded cyclists. Sure, you can ride 100 miles on an Atlantis. I have ridden up to 150 miles per day on my touring bike. Touring bikes are not going to do a century as fast as a bike designed for more spirited riding. I have neither toured nor done a century, so I am fully able to give a biased and useless opinion: that makes sense to me. Really? Based on what do you claim these racks are better or not? Let's see your peer reviewed studies. In my research I found the Nitto rack to be just as good if not better then either of those options. The BG I'd get but as an experienced tourer I'd never get the Tubus racks. So your opinion about the Nitto rack is better than mine? In mine, and other opinions I have seen on touring web sites, the Nitto is a compromised design. I, like thousands of experienced tourers use Tubus racks. They are wonderful, solid, and work very well with both Ortlieb and Arkel mounting systems. Ah, the Tubus Fly! 12 oz for a 45 lb load. Mm ... -- Patrick Moore Albuquerque, NM Professional Resumes. Contact resumespecialt...@gmail.com --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder.
I submit the following as evidence that the Atlantis can really do it all: http://www.flickr.com/photos/28720...@n02/3054501471/in/set-72157609908249398/ IIRC, he has 3 sets of wheels: A standard touring set for most of his riding; a set for the big honkin' snow tires (yes, you can fill in the chainstays on an Atlantis!) and a set for CX racing. Not to be missed are the photos of S24O aborted due to Alaskan weather. My Atlantis has been in transit to a tour for a week now (separation anxiety!) so I've been riding my ancient MTB w/street tires. It's really a pretty good ride and I'm much more comfortable leaving it locked up at the store or library for a while. So, OK, I'll make it 2 bikes. dougP On Sep 9, 10:06 pm, JimD rasterd...@comcast.net wrote: Well I guess one bike might fill my needs but I don't think it would take care of my desires. ;) -JimD On Sep 8, 2009, at 3:46 PM, Chilli wrote: I had at one time felt as though there was something that would fill all my cycling needs, but I have long since abandoned that idea. There are more reasons to have a lot of bikes than there are reasons to have just one, and if they all get used and help supersede trips- by- car, then as far as I'm concerned they can be said to be worth it. For me, that means having a fast club-ride bike, a rain bike, a cx race bike, a full-suspension mt.bike, my new and vintage steel to ride with the wife, plus her road and mt. bikes. That's a lot of bikes in the garage, but they all get used, and we get great enjoyment out of them, plus they are cheaper to operate than a car.- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder
With the Nitto big rear rack, I think my Atlantis is ready to haul anything. The last printer we had that died went to the e-recycling yard strapped to the Nitto. It's kinda funny because they have a big sign that says Stay in your car and they want to unload the stuff for you. Another time I volunteered to pick up something like 50 cloth grocery bags from a storage shed. With panniers on rack, it didn't take long to fill them up and I still had a lot to go. Not wanting to make 2 trips, I stacked them on top of the rack bags, strapping down with lots of bungees. Had to be pretty careful getting on so as not to tip the bike too far. With the load that high, something was wiggling pretty good at the back. Rack? Frame? Wheel? Don't know, but it held up for the delivery. dougP On Sep 10, 9:26 am, Dave Craig dcr...@prescott.edu wrote: Speaking of a bike to get groceries on . . . While I don't really consider it an all-rounder, I thought I'd put a plug in for my Surly Big Dummy as the ultimate grocery/town bike. My touring bike(s) pale in comparison. Using cloth grocery bags, I regularly use the BD in an absurd semi- truck configuration to do our big shopping trips every couple of weeks (BD plus a Burley Nomad Trailer). So far, the record has been: 8 bags of groceries, one watermelon, a 12-pack of Sierra Nevada beer and a baguette sticking out the back of one of the panniers simply for effect. My wife stood by offering to take some part of the load in her medium Wald basket, but I brushed that potential contribution off as insignificant - OK, I did concede that she could take the sandwich bread, peaches, bananas and tomatoes - Joel's right, those become victims pretty quickly. I've thought about putting a front rack and a basket on the front to handle those delicate items and take-out boxes from the local Thai place (made a mess once of my side bags with some Pad Thai juice!) and I'll probably do that some day. The BD has some limitations (slow, heavy and long) and it's definitely not as comfortable as my Riv's, but it has allowed me to reduce my auto use dramatically in a town with virtually no public transit options. Today, I'm taking our glass bottles to the recycling center - there's a couple of big boxes. I've gotta tell you, it is VERY satisfying to ride a bike to transport recyclables! DC On Sep 10, 3:05 am, JoelMatthews joelmatth...@mac.com wrote: Aha, but (breaking in to his Inspector Closeau voice) you 'ave not tried ze trash can pannier! Nozzing better. Baskets! Bah! Porteur racks! Pffft! (Back to his rational voice): four paper grocery sacks per load. Try *that* in you Wald Newsboy. Very well (and amusingly) put. I will readily concede as a single person, my concept of carrying groceries is probably far less than that of many other people! On Sep 9, 6:47 pm, PATRICK MOORE bertin...@gmail.com wrote: On Wed, Sep 9, 2009 at 12:12 PM, JoelMatthews joelmatth...@mac.com wrote: I give this one to Joel. No peer-reviewed research, though, Just one individual's biased prejudice. Certainly it is possible to get groceries, do errands with a tourer. I says as much. But as I say also, it is a lot easier to do errands with a top of rack basket or, as I do with my city bike, a bag on top of a porteur rack. Aha, but (breaking in to his Inspector Closeau voice) you 'ave not tried ze trash can pannier! Nozzing better. Baskets! Bah! Porteur racks! Pffft! (Back to his rational voice): four paper grocery sacks per load. Try *that* in you Wald Newsboy. Bending down to pull off side mount panniers, opening up and sealing roll down panniers, loading panniers with groceries when they were really designed for carrying clothes and gears - bread - avocados and soft fruit especially are frequent victims when I use the touring bike for groceries. As for doing centuries - I find all measured cycling a bore, and do not bother. Presumably most people who do centuries do so in a spirit of competition with like minded cyclists. Sure, you can ride 100 miles on an Atlantis. I have ridden up to 150 miles per day on my touring bike. Touring bikes are not going to do a century as fast as a bike designed for more spirited riding. I have neither toured nor done a century, so I am fully able to give a biased and useless opinion: that makes sense to me. Really? Based on what do you claim these racks are better or not? Let's see your peer reviewed studies. In my research I found the Nitto rack to be just as good if not better then either of those options. The BG I'd get but as an experienced tourer I'd never get the Tubus racks. So your opinion about the Nitto rack is better than mine? In mine, and other opinions I have seen on touring web sites, the Nitto is a compromised design. I, like thousands of
[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder.
Hello Anne Paulson, please email me off group at akesl...@pacific.nett about wanting a Bike Friday. I have a couple, Steve - Original Message - From: Anne Paulson To: rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com Sent: Tuesday, September 08, 2009 7:12 PM Subject: [RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder. On Tue, Sep 8, 2009 at 2:06 PM, Dave Craig dcr...@prescott.edu wrote: As I consider my female bicycling buddies, students and acquaintences, I realize that none of them have more than two bikes and that most have just one. I have four bikes I regularly use: the Atlantis set up for touring, the crappy mountain bike with an Xtracycle, the Klein Performance for faster rides, and my favorite, the Atlantis set up for roads and fire roads. The Klein, I'm afraid, is not long for the rotation-- a Roadeo will replace it, though I haven't ordered one yet. And I'm hankering for a Bike Friday for overseas travel. So I guess I'm not a typical woman, then. -- -- Anne Paulson My hovercraft is full of eels --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder.
I have four bikes I regularly use: the Atlantis set up for touring Anne, you beat me to the punch. I was going to say bike touring women I meet while out touring myself typically have a touring specific bike. Bikes set up to handle self-supported touring are not really the best choice for riding around town or - this is just speculation as I do not race (but well informed speculation as I know all to well the speeds I cannot reach on a touring mule) - for riding in club and other spirited recreational riding. A good touring bike is heavier and longer than most bikes. So it is not fast and will not turn or stop on a dime. The best touring rack/ pannier set ups hold gear tightly in place around axle height for most of the day. If you had to, you could use a good touring set up to lug work gear, gorcery shop, etc. But there are much better ways to do this. A portuer rack or front basket are much better to use. For example, the new Riv Sackville shop rack in a basket would be an ideal commuting, shopping set up. Arguably you could set up a bike with the Nitto big front rack with panniers on tour and basket for commuting duty. But the Nitto rack is not as good for distance touring as Tubus Tara or the Bruce Gordon Front Rack. It seems to me an important question here is whether the multiple bike owner also owns a motor vehicle. I do not. If I had a car, maybe I would not be so concerned about having a perfect commuter and could use the touring bike for those times I want to ride around town instead of driving. On Sep 8, 10:12 pm, Anne Paulson anne.paul...@gmail.com wrote: On Tue, Sep 8, 2009 at 2:06 PM, Dave Craig dcr...@prescott.edu wrote: As I consider my female bicycling buddies, students and acquaintences, I realize that none of them have more than two bikes and that most have just one. I have four bikes I regularly use: the Atlantis set up for touring, the crappy mountain bike with an Xtracycle, the Klein Performance for faster rides, and my favorite, the Atlantis set up for roads and fire roads. The Klein, I'm afraid, is not long for the rotation-- a Roadeo will replace it, though I haven't ordered one yet. And I'm hankering for a Bike Friday for overseas travel. So I guess I'm not a typical woman, then. -- -- Anne Paulson My hovercraft is full of eels --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder.
Didn't have time to read the full thread, but here is my two-cents. I often look at the bikes in my stable and wonder if I had to sell them and retain one, which would it be. It would be a toss up between my Co-Mo Norwester, or my AHH. The AHH would probably win out, especially if I had couplers installed on it :). I originally bought the AHH with the one bike project in mind. It's light enough to be trimmed down for faster club rides. It can carry the loads and distance for brevets (it has several 600k's under its belt). It has a dyno with lights for riding at night. It hauls a kiddo trailer just fine. I can put in bigger tires for light dirt. It is sturdy enough for light 1-2 day camping trips. If I had to keep one, this would probably be it... Bob H. Knoxville TN On Sep 6, 11:27 pm, JL subfas...@gmail.com wrote: I have always had a difficult time owning just one bicycle. It seems that no matter how many times I imagine the most ideal bicycle model and setup I change my mind after a few weeks or months and alter the setup. My solution to this is to have more than one bike, set up and designed for different purposes or types of riding. There is a correlation with how much I enjoy bicycling and how many bikes I own - they seem to feed off each other and both increase because of each other. This trend changed a little when I found Rivendell. The versatility of their bike gives the potential for one frame to take on many different lives and for one bike setup to have enough crossover into other areas that a near all rounder status can be reached. Has anyone been able to achieve a one-bike-for-everything-I-need goal? I think part of the situation is that with enthusiasts of anything the line between need and want gets blurry. Jason --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder.
I agree that it depends on the cyclist's willingness to tolerate shortcomings in an AR and that that willingness is probably going to depend on how specialized your activity is. I tend to think of bike utility as overlapping venn diagrams; there are areas in which more than one bike is going to work ok, but the more particular trips require a utility that is exclusive. Right now I essentially have the AR in my Bleriot and a back-up beater (paleolithic rockhopper). But I've been thinking a lot about getting a new bike, and have come to the conclusion (basically through lots of varied riding on my AR) that I actually want (not need) two more bikes. (This topic is occasionally discussed at home and with friends, and my conclusion is probably not the most popular one. In fact, it is usually attributed more to my own personal foibles, and not accepted for the logical and experientially-derived conclusion that I champion.) First and foremost, I need my daily rider/commuter, which can and has subbed as a light tourer (bleriot) and moderate off-roader. Frankly, it does almost everything I do regularly, and is a big whale of a circle on my venn diagram. I don't do triathalons and am generally not out to set any records, but I do still want (not need) a bike that provides me with (the illusion of) a sense of speed, and I don't have any inclination to modify the bleriot in this direction. So that's another bike (roadeo?). But practically speaking, I also want something that can take a heavy load in a pinch both in town and on the trails for self-supported business, which the bleriot is not totally up to (Atlantis/Bombadil?) I'm leaving to the side my interest in the quickbeam and my long term interest in (possibly) replacing the bleriot with the AHH for the sake of making this seem a bit more rational. But with three bikes I think I could cover my velo-universe, perhaps with some overlap but without the compromise of just owning something that touches most of these areas, like the Atlantis. I'm also pretty sure that the energy that has gone into my ruminations on this topic is symptomatic of a kind of late-period decline of the roman empire mentality. rbh. --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder.
It's funny, if I go out on my Hilsen I always end up thinking This is really the only bike I need. But then I'll go for a ride on my Rambouillet and think I sure am glad I have this bike too. as it feels just a little more lively. I also have my Surly CC which I commute on daily. The Surly has gone through so many changes since I bought it. I guess if I had room for all the bikes I want I'd probably wind up with a mixture of Rivendells and Surly. I don't own a car, never have. Public transportation here in Portland sometimes feels like a rolling MH/homeless drop-in center so I prefer to walk or pedal everywhere I go. I commute by bike everyday regardless of the weather. Funny that I do the least amount of maintenance on my CC and it continues to roll smooth. If I had a good secure space to store it I'd get a Big Dummy in a second but it's hard enough taking my regular bikes down into the basement for storage. I could definitely put a BD to good use. I regularly consider selling the CC frame and getting a LHT or SH to replace it. Right now I'm making some changes to the Rambouillet to see if I want to use it as my rando bike next year. It'll depend on how it handles with a HB bag. If it's the same as the Hilsen I'll probably use it. Every once in a while I'll be at River City Bicycles checking out their bikes and get a twinge of lust for a Seven road bike or something fancy. The twinge usually passes as soon as I leave the store. --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder.
How ironic! This past Sunday I was out on my nearly-new Bleriot thinking, You know, I just love this bike. It's really time for me to sell/give away all the others and simplify my life (and storage issues). And up pops this discussion. Now I'm waffling again. I've got 8 bikes right now, but I've had as many as 15, albeit dispersed at the homes of various out of town friends with whom I wanted to be able to ride. So I don't fit the typical woman profile either. And I waste untold hours lusting after the equipment on the Riv web pages. Ah, if only I could get a pair of those Jack Brown blues ... Melanie On Sep 8, 11:12 pm, Anne Paulson anne.paul...@gmail.com wrote: On Tue, Sep 8, 2009 at 2:06 PM, Dave Craig dcr...@prescott.edu wrote: So I guess I'm not a typical woman, then. -- -- Anne Paulson --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder.
Yesterday I said that the all-Rounder breaks down if you use a bike for a specific pupose like triathlon. I'd add to that today that everyone who uses a bike for more than recreation needs a cheap bike. If my Sam is out side then either my butt or hand is on the saddle. You don't lock nice bikes outside. But, I don't want to ride an errand bike 25 miles for fun On Wed, Sep 9, 2009 at 12:46 PM, james black chocot...@gmail.com wrote: On Sun, Sep 6, 2009 at 20:27, JLsubfas...@gmail.com wrote: Has anyone been able to achieve a one-bike-for-everything-I-need goal? I think part of the situation is that with enthusiasts of anything the line between need and want gets blurry. Every time I'm about to start my ride and I discover that a tire has gone flat or a spoke gone and broken, I am thankful that I have had the good sense to keep more than one functioning bicycle. One can spend a lot of time thinking about how, if one could have, for example, three bikes, what's the best way to distribute their functions to create that most efficient Venn Diagram that covers all necessities. I've had the commuter UJB road bike, the fixed-gear folding bike, and the custom cargo bike for the last few years - these are pretty different from one another. But now I don't have an off-road bike. None of them are quite enough beater-like for me to be really comfortable leaving them locked up in the city. None is presently set up for touring, and none of them have derailleurs, even. Back to the drawing board? I need more bikes. James Black Los Angeles, CA -- Fai Mao The Blogger who sometimes responds to comments --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder.
Okay, I'll bite on giving the female perspective. I've been debating the myth of the all-rounder of late myself. Still, not quite what you're asking. I have 7 bikes, most of them see regular action. Most of my riding is of the commute variety, and for that I mostly ride fixed gears. I have an old Surly Steamroller (Boston Baked Bean) and a mid-70's Peugeot conversion. I also have a custom Jonny fixed gear that awaits a new fork due to a debilitating toe overlap situation (long story). I also have a 1976 Raleigh Supercourse (geared), a 1976 Raleigh Sprite 5-speed mixte, a Trek mountain bike (winter bike) and an orange Rambouillet. My story is n+1 when it comes to bikes. I talk myself into and back out of an Atlantis on a daily basis. I also seriously lust for a Sweetpea. In a the house is on fire and you can only grab one bike situation, it would be the Riv. But I adore all of my bikes--they are all very different and are set up differently and the variety makes it more fun to ride, in my opinion. I tell myself I need to thin the herd but can't bring myself to let any of them go. There are worse vices out there, for sure. I am not particularly mechanically adept, which is why I like fixed gears so much. But, that still does not stop me from thinking about bikes, looking at bikes, talking about bikes and loving most things about bikes. But then again, I don't think I'm a very typical female in that regard--at least I haven't run across too many women that share my sentiments. Tracy Denver, CO --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder.
Gosh, isn't asking a bunch of bike nuts if they could get by with one bike about like asking Carrie Underwood (the main character on the Sex and the City television program) if she could get by with only one pair of Manolo Blahnik shoes? I do, by the way, have more than one bike so I'm just saying... Jim On Sep 6, 8:27 pm, JL subfas...@gmail.com wrote: I have always had a difficult time owning just one bicycle. It seems that no matter how many times I imagine the most ideal bicycle model and setup I change my mind after a few weeks or months and alter the setup. My solution to this is to have more than one bike, set up and designed for different purposes or types of riding. There is a correlation with how much I enjoy bicycling and how many bikes I own - they seem to feed off each other and both increase because of each other. This trend changed a little when I found Rivendell. The versatility of their bike gives the potential for one frame to take on many different lives and for one bike setup to have enough crossover into other areas that a near all rounder status can be reached. Has anyone been able to achieve a one-bike-for-everything-I-need goal? I think part of the situation is that with enthusiasts of anything the line between need and want gets blurry. Jason --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder.
I had at one time felt as though there was something that would fill all my cycling needs, but I have long since abandoned that idea. There are more reasons to have a lot of bikes than there are reasons to have just one, and if they all get used and help supersede trips-by- car, then as far as I'm concerned they can be said to be worth it. For me, that means having a fast club-ride bike, a rain bike, a cx race bike, a full-suspension mt.bike, my new and vintage steel to ride with the wife, plus her road and mt. bikes. That's a lot of bikes in the garage, but they all get used, and we get great enjoyment out of them, plus they are cheaper to operate than a car. --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder
Lot of presumptions in this thread that seem unnecessary. Face it some people could live with one bicycle. If you can't or don't want to, who cares? Uh, maybe the 50-odd folks who posted to the thread thus far? --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder
on 9/9/09 10:13 AM, Robert Kirkpatrick at spiralc...@gmail.com wrote: Lot of presumptions in this thread that seem unnecessary. Face it some people could live with one bicycle. If you can't or don't want to, who cares? Now, now... The purpose of this list is enable our Riv-addiction in a safe and supportive environment. - Jim / List Admin -- Jim Edgar cyclofi...@earthlink.net Cyclofiend Bicycle Photo Galleries - http://www.cyclofiend.com Current Classics - Cross Bikes Singlespeed - Working Bikes Your Photos are needed! - http://www.cyclofiend.com/guidelines I thought the idea was to waste the rest of our lives together.. -- Cyril, Breaking Away --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder
This is just rubbish, as I said earlier I really only ride my Atlantis and it is set up for fully loaded self contained long distance touring - I rode most of the West Coast this summer. I also ride it around town, get groceries, do centuries, yadda, yadda, yadda. Certainly it is possible to get groceries, do errands with a tourer. I says as much. But as I say also, it is a lot easier to do errands with a top of rack basket or, as I do with my city bike, a bag on top of a porteur rack. Bending down to pull off side mount panniers, opening up and sealing roll down panniers, loading panniers with groceries when they were really designed for carrying clothes and gears - bread - avocados and soft fruit especially are frequent victims when I use the touring bike for groceries. As for doing centuries - I find all measured cycling a bore, and do not bother. Presumably most people who do centuries do so in a spirit of competition with like minded cyclists. Sure, you can ride 100 miles on an Atlantis. I have ridden up to 150 miles per day on my touring bike. Touring bikes are not going to do a century as fast as a bike designed for more spirited riding. Really? Based on what do you claim these racks are better or not? Let's see your peer reviewed studies. In my research I found the Nitto rack to be just as good if not better then either of those options. The BG I'd get but as an experienced tourer I'd never get the Tubus racks. So your opinion about the Nitto rack is better than mine? In mine, and other opinions I have seen on touring web sites, the Nitto is a compromised design. I, like thousands of experienced tourers use Tubus racks. They are wonderful, solid, and work very well with both Ortlieb and Arkel mounting systems. On Sep 9, 12:13 pm, Robert Kirkpatrick spiralc...@gmail.com wrote: On Sep 9, 2009, at 10:01 AM, JoelMatthews wrote: Bikes set up to handle self-supported touring are not really the best choice for riding around town or - this is just speculation as I do not race (but well informed speculation as I know all to well the speeds I cannot reach on a touring mule) - for riding in club and other spirited recreational riding. This is just rubbish, as I said earlier I really only ride my Atlantis and it is set up for fully loaded self contained long distance touring - I rode most of the West Coast this summer. I also ride it around town, get groceries, do centuries, yadda, yadda, yadda. Arguably you could set up a bike with the Nitto big front rack with panniers on tour and basket for commuting duty. But the Nitto rack is not as good for distance touring as Tubus Tara or the Bruce Gordon Front Rack. Really? Based on what do you claim these racks are better or not? Let's see your peer reviewed studies. In my research I found the Nitto rack to be just as good if not better then either of those options. The BG I'd get but as an experienced tourer I'd never get the Tubus racks. Lot of presumptions in this thread that seem unnecessary. Face it some people could live with one bicycle. If you can't or don't want to, who cares? -Robert --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder.
Nice collection of bikes. I think an Atlantis would be the perfect addition. Then you would not need or want any more bikes :)Jim D. Massachusetts --- On Tue, 9/8/09, thalasin thala...@yahoo.com wrote: From: thalasin thala...@yahoo.com Subject: [RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder. To: RBW Owners Bunch rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com Date: Tuesday, September 8, 2009, 9:40 PM Okay, I'll bite on giving the female perspective. I've been debating the myth of the all-rounder of late myself. Still, not quite what you're asking. I have 7 bikes, most of them see regular action. Most of my riding is of the commute variety, and for that I mostly ride fixed gears. I have an old Surly Steamroller (Boston Baked Bean) and a mid-70's Peugeot conversion. I also have a custom Jonny fixed gear that awaits a new fork due to a debilitating toe overlap situation (long story). I also have a 1976 Raleigh Supercourse (geared), a 1976 Raleigh Sprite 5-speed mixte, a Trek mountain bike (winter bike) and an orange Rambouillet. My story is n+1 when it comes to bikes. I talk myself into and back out of an Atlantis on a daily basis. I also seriously lust for a Sweetpea. In a the house is on fire and you can only grab one bike situation, it would be the Riv. But I adore all of my bikes--they are all very different and are set up differently and the variety makes it more fun to ride, in my opinion. I tell myself I need to thin the herd but can't bring myself to let any of them go. There are worse vices out there, for sure. I am not particularly mechanically adept, which is why I like fixed gears so much. But, that still does not stop me from thinking about bikes, looking at bikes, talking about bikes and loving most things about bikes. But then again, I don't think I'm a very typical female in that regard--at least I haven't run across too many women that share my sentiments. Tracy Denver, CO --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder.
You don't lock nice bikes outside. While I certainly do not lock my nice bikes outside all day while at work or overnight, I have no problem locking them outside while I am in a grocery store, restaurant, or at the movies. On Sep 9, 12:48 am, Fai Mao i.am.fai@gmail.com wrote: Yesterday I said that the all-Rounder breaks down if you use a bike for a specific pupose like triathlon. I'd add to that today that everyone who uses a bike for more than recreation needs a cheap bike. If my Sam is out side then either my butt or hand is on the saddle. You don't lock nice bikes outside. But, I don't want to ride an errand bike 25 miles for fun On Wed, Sep 9, 2009 at 12:46 PM, james black chocot...@gmail.com wrote: On Sun, Sep 6, 2009 at 20:27, JLsubfas...@gmail.com wrote: Has anyone been able to achieve a one-bike-for-everything-I-need goal? I think part of the situation is that with enthusiasts of anything the line between need and want gets blurry. Every time I'm about to start my ride and I discover that a tire has gone flat or a spoke gone and broken, I am thankful that I have had the good sense to keep more than one functioning bicycle. One can spend a lot of time thinking about how, if one could have, for example, three bikes, what's the best way to distribute their functions to create that most efficient Venn Diagram that covers all necessities. I've had the commuter UJB road bike, the fixed-gear folding bike, and the custom cargo bike for the last few years - these are pretty different from one another. But now I don't have an off-road bike. None of them are quite enough beater-like for me to be really comfortable leaving them locked up in the city. None is presently set up for touring, and none of them have derailleurs, even. Back to the drawing board? I need more bikes. James Black Los Angeles, CA -- Fai Mao The Blogger who sometimes responds to comments- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder.
I could easily (and have in the past) have one bike. Though I do have a few of them (7ish) now. But, I also tend to ride one exclusively for a few months and then suddenly change to the next one for the next few moths. The one perfect bike? The one that does what you want it to do the best while doing the other things the least worst. For me, for years, that was an old Trek mtb converted to an all rounder/ touring bike. I would say an AHH, Bomba, Atlantis or other touring or CX bike would be it for me. I would probably choose my Bleriot or AR-- would need to flip a coin or something. I just spent the last year riding my AR exclusively; road, mountain, commuting, errands, touring. Loved it. One bike is a necessity, multiple is a luxury. Beware of the man with one bike, he may know how to use it Cheers! cm --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder.
The best things about this thread are all the intellectual justifications for multiple bikes. That and the idea that I'm not alone in possessing a flock. Esteban San Diego, Calif. On Sep 9, 1:54 pm, cm chrispmur...@hotmail.com wrote: I could easily (and have in the past) have one bike. Though I do have a few of them (7ish) now. But, I also tend to ride one exclusively for a few months and then suddenly change to the next one for the next few moths. The one perfect bike? The one that does what you want it to do the best while doing the other things the least worst. For me, for years, that was an old Trek mtb converted to an all rounder/ touring bike. I would say an AHH, Bomba, Atlantis or other touring or CX bike would be it for me. I would probably choose my Bleriot or AR-- would need to flip a coin or something. I just spent the last year riding my AR exclusively; road, mountain, commuting, errands, touring. Loved it. One bike is a necessity, multiple is a luxury. Beware of the man with one bike, he may know how to use it Cheers! cm --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder.
I own four bikes, my wife has three and we have two tandems. Any one of my bikes could easily be the only bike I owned and I'd be just fine. The best compromise of the bunch would be (appropriately enough) my 1996 All-Rounder. It is well suited to every type of riding I do. --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder.
A coupla points. First, when getting back into riding, actually hoped at the time to be a one bike person. That didn't last too long. If only one, at least for me, here in MN, it would mean no winter riding. Salt has a way of wreaking havoc on a bike frame. Let alone bike parts. As to locking up outside, my Hillborne is regularly locked out all day when I commute. And it's usually locked up near a co-worker's Bleriot. Then again, the argument could easily be made that these are not expensive bikes. (Regularly see Colnago, Osell and other fine bikes locked up outside.) Eric Platt St. Paul, MN --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder
On Wed, Sep 9, 2009 at 12:12 PM, JoelMatthews joelmatth...@mac.com wrote: I give this one to Joel. No peer-reviewed research, though, Just one individual's biased prejudice. Certainly it is possible to get groceries, do errands with a tourer. I says as much. But as I say also, it is a lot easier to do errands with a top of rack basket or, as I do with my city bike, a bag on top of a porteur rack. Aha, but (breaking in to his Inspector Closeau voice) you 'ave not tried ze trash can pannier! Nozzing better. Baskets! Bah! Porteur racks! Pffft! (Back to his rational voice): four paper grocery sacks per load. Try *that* in you Wald Newsboy. Bending down to pull off side mount panniers, opening up and sealing roll down panniers, loading panniers with groceries when they were really designed for carrying clothes and gears - bread - avocados and soft fruit especially are frequent victims when I use the touring bike for groceries. As for doing centuries - I find all measured cycling a bore, and do not bother. Presumably most people who do centuries do so in a spirit of competition with like minded cyclists. Sure, you can ride 100 miles on an Atlantis. I have ridden up to 150 miles per day on my touring bike. Touring bikes are not going to do a century as fast as a bike designed for more spirited riding. I have neither toured nor done a century, so I am fully able to give a biased and useless opinion: that makes sense to me. Really? Based on what do you claim these racks are better or not? Let's see your peer reviewed studies. In my research I found the Nitto rack to be just as good if not better then either of those options. The BG I'd get but as an experienced tourer I'd never get the Tubus racks. So your opinion about the Nitto rack is better than mine? In mine, and other opinions I have seen on touring web sites, the Nitto is a compromised design. I, like thousands of experienced tourers use Tubus racks. They are wonderful, solid, and work very well with both Ortlieb and Arkel mounting systems. Ah, the Tubus Fly! 12 oz for a 45 lb load. Mm ... -- Patrick Moore Albuquerque, NM Professional Resumes. Contact resumespecialt...@gmail.com --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder.
Well I guess one bike might fill my needs but I don't think it would take care of my desires. ;) -JimD On Sep 8, 2009, at 3:46 PM, Chilli wrote: I had at one time felt as though there was something that would fill all my cycling needs, but I have long since abandoned that idea. There are more reasons to have a lot of bikes than there are reasons to have just one, and if they all get used and help supersede trips- by- car, then as far as I'm concerned they can be said to be worth it. For me, that means having a fast club-ride bike, a rain bike, a cx race bike, a full-suspension mt.bike, my new and vintage steel to ride with the wife, plus her road and mt. bikes. That's a lot of bikes in the garage, but they all get used, and we get great enjoyment out of them, plus they are cheaper to operate than a car. --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder.
Where the AR type bike also breaks down is if you use a bike for a specialized type activity. A ddownhill bicycle and one for triathlon specific frame come to mind. My tri-specific frame is beyond even the MCFB bikes that you see everywhere and it is a steel frame. It was just hugely faster in a triathlon on that frame, even without a clip-on TT bar because it was made for a specific purpose. I tried to convert it into a commuteer and it didn't work very well. I doubt I could have even riden it on any kind of trail and have it remain in usable condition. Tour on it? You must be joking. But to go 110 miles at 30 mph while staring at the front tire; you bet! On Tue, Sep 8, 2009 at 9:56 AM, Bill Connell bconn...@gmail.com wrote: On Sun, Sep 6, 2009 at 10:27 PM, JLsubfas...@gmail.com wrote: I have always had a difficult time owning just one bicycle. It seems that no matter how many times I imagine the most ideal bicycle model and setup I change my mind after a few weeks or months and alter the setup. My solution to this is to have more than one bike, set up and designed for different purposes or types of riding. There is a correlation with how much I enjoy bicycling and how many bikes I own - they seem to feed off each other and both increase because of each other. This trend changed a little when I found Rivendell. The versatility of their bike gives the potential for one frame to take on many different lives and for one bike setup to have enough crossover into other areas that a near all rounder status can be reached. Has anyone been able to achieve a one-bike-for-everything-I-need goal? I think part of the situation is that with enthusiasts of anything the line between need and want gets blurry. I've come to think that the all-rounder situation is only possible if your riding is fairly limited. I consistently put over half my annual miles on one bike; my Surly Cross-Check. That's my main commuter and cyclocross racer and i'll take it on road rides that have light trail or gravel riding. Of course, i also ride my Redwood on roads and easy trails and gravel too, and it's my most comfortable bike for all-day rides (like today's 70-mile lunch run w/Timmac and 3 others). But there are lots of trails that are way more fun to ride on my mountain bike. I rode that mountain bike as my only bike in dirt and road setups for many years, but it wasn't a good road commuter. I also like riding singlespeed/fixed in my daily rides, but for mountain or long road rides i want gears. No single bike can possibly do it all, so i basically use four (those plus my 3-speed). So yeah, if you don't like to mountain bike, and want the same gearing options on all rides, the all-rounder is certainly feasible, but otherwise not. -- Bill Connell St. Paul, MN -- Fai Mao The Blogger who sometimes responds to comments --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder.
On Mon, Sep 7, 2009 at 3:49 PM, cmchrispmur...@hotmail.com wrote: The issue is whether or not the cyclist is happy with that level of performance. Exactly. For me, racing cyclocross on a touring bike, or doing an epic technical mountain ride in the Sierras on an AR bike isn't acceptable. I could get through those types of rides on an ill-suited bike, but it wouldn't be nearly as fun. I have-and-ride five bicycles, all with a specific purpose (plus one in the oven). They all get ridden every single week, with the exception of my singlespeed CX bike, which gets ridden a couple times a month until cyclocross season. Then it gets ridden a ton, and my MTB doesn't get ridden much in winter. I've had the same number of bikes for the past ten years or so... the bikes change, but that number doesn't. And even the bikes have started hanging around over the past few years. If I had to only have one bike, it'd be a lightweight 700c cyclocross bike with rack/fender mounts. But luckily I don't have to. :-) --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder.
Yes - why would anyone want only one bike? They're wonderful! When I think of my bicycles, I think of purpose: camping/touring; fast road riding; long distance; commuting/grocery-getting child hauler; off-road/knobbies; single-speeding... I suppose my Quickbeam can do all those things. That's a credit to the QB design! But why not have something special and dialed-in for each? Bicycles, even the priciest ones, provide a great amount of joy for your money (especially considering the price and maintenance of motor vehicles). So, why not have a few (even a few all-rounders!) and enjoy all the little differences? And I'll always have my Raleigh 3-speed, because it was my those bikes are my first true love (of bicycles, that is). I don't include that in my count. With the Jack Browns on my Romulus, though, I give it sinister glances every now and then - but I just remind myself I can put on 25s or 28s to justify its presence hanging in my closet when not on the road. Esteban San Diego, Calif. On Sep 8, 10:45 am, Gino Zahnd ginoza...@gmail.com wrote: On Mon, Sep 7, 2009 at 3:49 PM, cmchrispmur...@hotmail.com wrote: The issue is whether or not the cyclist is happy with that level of performance. Exactly. For me, racing cyclocross on a touring bike, or doing an epic technical mountain ride in the Sierras on an AR bike isn't acceptable. I could get through those types of rides on an ill-suited bike, but it wouldn't be nearly as fun. I have-and-ride five bicycles, all with a specific purpose (plus one in the oven). They all get ridden every single week, with the exception of my singlespeed CX bike, which gets ridden a couple times a month until cyclocross season. Then it gets ridden a ton, and my MTB doesn't get ridden much in winter. I've had the same number of bikes for the past ten years or so... the bikes change, but that number doesn't. And even the bikes have started hanging around over the past few years. If I had to only have one bike, it'd be a lightweight 700c cyclocross bike with rack/fender mounts. But luckily I don't have to. :-) --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder.
I have room for four bicycles in the shed, which helps me keep the number under control. The current collection is a custom Riv All- Rounder, a Brookstone MB-1, a BSA 3-speed and my old mid 70's Ron Kitching that I plan to convert to 650B. My wife, who rides more than I do, has never owned more than one bicycle at a time and she keeps them a long time. Her current ride is a steel Trek 730 step-through. --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder.
Gofast (fixed): light and geared slightly higher at 75. Commuter: almost identical to #1, but with fenders, rack and panniers, lights, and geared at 69. Why not commute on the best? Grocery and errand beater: for heavier loads or for locking up outside in dubious areas; otherwise, a very nice-riding, well-fitting road bike with fenders, heavier wheels and wider tires, and a 66 gear. Off-road bike, ss 29er that is also pavement capable. Others occasionally come and go, but these are the constants. --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder.
Doug has presented an interesting issue. I wonder what we'd find if this question were answered by women. None have responded thusfar to this thread. ARE there any female members of this group?? My wife, who is a lifelong rider and who rides quite a lot, is quite content with just two bikes - a Heron touring bike and a simple, Specialized Rockhopper MTB. I asked HER whether she could get by with one bike and she matter-of-factly said, Of course, the Heron. I suspect that this has to do with an emotional attachment to this bike as much as anything else. As evidence, consider that when I bought my Bombadil, she was more than a little disturbed that I would dare I break up the Atlantis/Heron team we had toured with for a couple of summers. She uses her touring bike for practically everything and uses the MTB only for occassional dirt rides and commuting. The MTB is set up with 1.5-inch tires, fenders, a kickstand and a rear basket. She told me the other day that she might like to set it up again with fatter knobbies for riding single track. Encouraged at this interest in bike- related change, I suggested that I might take off the fenders and the basket and . . . perhaps we could buy her a new Betty Foy for a commuting bike? . . . She was horrified at the thought of taking the useful basket off the Rockhopper and, while she indulged me by looking at the Betty Foy online, she wouldn't commit to pulling the trigger (certainly not a female choice of words, BTW). I believe her last words on the subject were, We'll see . . . Weeks later, the Rockhopper is still in commute mode. As I consider my female bicycling buddies, students and acquaintences, I realize that none of them have more than two bikes and that most have just one. Do women think the all-rounder is a myth? I have to wonder whether they even care. DC On Sep 8, 11:32 am, Doug Anderson velod...@mac.com wrote: I have room for four bicycles in the shed, which helps me keep the number under control. The current collection is a custom Riv All- Rounder, a Brookstone MB-1, a BSA 3-speed and my old mid 70's Ron Kitching that I plan to convert to 650B. My wife, who rides more than I do, has never owned more than one bicycle at a time and she keeps them a long time. Her current ride is a steel Trek 730 step-through. --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder.
On Tue, Sep 8, 2009 at 4:12 PM, William Hendersonwilliam.c.hender...@gmail.com wrote: Yes, Atlantis. wc. When I bought an atlantis this was my goal. One bike to rule them all. I bought davinci splitters for fast-swap of the stem/bars/etc. That's all well fine and good. One day I had a flat tire when I came out one morning and I realized I had no spare tube. Since I rely on my bike for EVERYTHING I realized how kinda screwed I'd be unless I had something else to use. I've considered just having spares of everything, except the frame. And, of course, I've considered just having a spare frame ;) but it is handy to have an extra bike for when guests show up. So I have 2.5 bikes: The primary bike (atlantis) the backup bike (castro valley), and half of the tandem. Maybe that backup bike will change over time. There's nothing saying it has to be the SAME backup bike - just A backup bike. :) -sv --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder.
Yes, Atlantis. wc. On Sep 6, 8:27 pm, JL subfas...@gmail.com wrote: I have always had a difficult time owning just one bicycle. It seems that no matter how many times I imagine the most ideal bicycle model and setup I change my mind after a few weeks or months and alter the setup. My solution to this is to have more than one bike, set up and designed for different purposes or types of riding. There is a correlation with how much I enjoy bicycling and how many bikes I own - they seem to feed off each other and both increase because of each other. This trend changed a little when I found Rivendell. The versatility of their bike gives the potential for one frame to take on many different lives and for one bike setup to have enough crossover into other areas that a near all rounder status can be reached. Has anyone been able to achieve a one-bike-for-everything-I-need goal? I think part of the situation is that with enthusiasts of anything the line between need and want gets blurry. Jason --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder.
My impression is that women generally simply are not as interested in equipment as men are. IBobwomen: is that true? On Tue, Sep 8, 2009 at 6:37 PM, Eric Daume ericda...@gmail.com wrote: Tinkering is a good point. Of my five bikes, it seems that one or two of them are down for service at any given time. And sometimes I just completely swap two or three bikes' functions: Hmm, the Crosscheck would really make a better single speed instead of a commuter, and the Gunnar a better commuter than a single speed... Time to fire up the iPod and crack open a beer. Eric On Tue, Sep 8, 2009 at 8:12 PM, EricP ericpl...@aol.com wrote: Dave makes a great point. My wife has just one bike. In fact, that's all she claims she wants. Sure there might be occasional lust for getting a folder, but then it passes as we don't travel that much. She also made an interesting comment to me this weekend about bikes. She is an off the shelf person. Just one bike, basically stock. (Well, except for rack, fenders, lights, handlebar bag.) In fact, shopping for her latest bike, she decided against a Surly LHT because too many parts would have to be switched out to make it right for her. On top of that, my spouse pointed out I have multiple bikes because I tinker with them. (Just got a Schmidt hub and dyno lighting for my Hillborne.) That's a very fair assessment. Eric Platt St. Paul, MN On Sep 8, 4:06�pm, Dave Craig dcr...@prescott.edu wrote: Doug has presented an interesting issue. I wonder what we'd find if this question were answered by women. None have responded thusfar to this thread. ARE there any female members of this group?? My wife, who is a lifelong rider and who rides quite a lot, is quite content with just two bikes - a Heron touring bike and a simple, Specialized Rockhopper MTB. I asked HER whether she could get by with one bike and she matter-of-factly said, Of course, the Heron. I suspect that this has to do with an emotional attachment to this bike as much as anything else. As evidence, consider that when I bought my Bombadil, she was more than a little disturbed that I would dare I break up the Atlantis/Heron team we had toured with for a couple of summers. She uses her touring bike for practically everything and uses the MTB only for occassional dirt rides and commuting. The MTB is set up with 1.5-inch tires, fenders, a kickstand and a rear basket. She told me the other day that she might like to set it up again with fatter knobbies for riding single track. Encouraged at this interest in bike- related change, I suggested that I might take off the fenders and the basket and . . . �perhaps we could buy her a new Betty Foy for a commuting bike? . . . She was horrified at the thought of taking the useful basket off the Rockhopper and, while she indulged me by looking at the Betty Foy online, she wouldn't commit to pulling the trigger (certainly not a female choice of words, BTW). �I believe her last words on the subject were, We'll see . . . Weeks later, the Rockhopper is still in commute mode. As I consider my female bicycling buddies, students and acquaintences, I realize that none of them have more than two bikes and that most have just one. Do women think the all-rounder is a myth? �I have to wonder whether they even care. DC On Sep 8, 11:32�am, Doug Anderson velod...@mac.com wrote: I have room for four bicycles in the shed, which helps me keep the � number under control. The current collection is a custom Riv All- Rounder, a Brookstone MB-1, a BSA 3-speed and my old mid 70's Ron � Kitching that I plan to convert to 650B. My wife, who rides more than � I do, has never owned more than one bicycle at a time and she keeps � them a long time. Her current ride is a steel Trek 730 step-through.- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - -- Patrick Moore Albuquerque, NM Professional Resumes. Contact resumespecialt...@gmail.com --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder.
Right you are. Men are consummate gear-heads. I have four bikes, only ride the Ram, yet I want more. I think we just can't help ourselves... - Original Message - From: PATRICK MOORE To: rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com Sent: Tuesday, September 08, 2009 5:41 PM Subject: [RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder. My impression is that women generally simply are not as interested in equipment as men are. IBobwomen: is that true? On Tue, Sep 8, 2009 at 6:37 PM, Eric Daume ericda...@gmail.com wrote: Tinkering is a good point. Of my five bikes, it seems that one or two of them are down for service at any given time. And sometimes I just completely swap two or three bikes' functions: Hmm, the Crosscheck would really make a better single speed instead of a commuter, and the Gunnar a better commuter than a single speed... Time to fire up the iPod and crack open a beer. Eric On Tue, Sep 8, 2009 at 8:12 PM, EricP ericpl...@aol.com wrote: Dave makes a great point. My wife has just one bike. In fact, that's all she claims she wants. Sure there might be occasional lust for getting a folder, but then it passes as we don't travel that much. She also made an interesting comment to me this weekend about bikes. She is an off the shelf person. Just one bike, basically stock. (Well, except for rack, fenders, lights, handlebar bag.) In fact, shopping for her latest bike, she decided against a Surly LHT because too many parts would have to be switched out to make it right for her. On top of that, my spouse pointed out I have multiple bikes because I tinker with them. (Just got a Schmidt hub and dyno lighting for my Hillborne.) That's a very fair assessment. Eric Platt St. Paul, MN On Sep 8, 4:06�pm, Dave Craig dcr...@prescott.edu wrote: Doug has presented an interesting issue. I wonder what we'd find if this question were answered by women. None have responded thusfar to this thread. ARE there any female members of this group?? My wife, who is a lifelong rider and who rides quite a lot, is quite content with just two bikes - a Heron touring bike and a simple, Specialized Rockhopper MTB. I asked HER whether she could get by with one bike and she matter-of-factly said, Of course, the Heron. I suspect that this has to do with an emotional attachment to this bike as much as anything else. As evidence, consider that when I bought my Bombadil, she was more than a little disturbed that I would dare I break up the Atlantis/Heron team we had toured with for a couple of summers. She uses her touring bike for practically everything and uses the MTB only for occassional dirt rides and commuting. The MTB is set up with 1.5-inch tires, fenders, a kickstand and a rear basket. She told me the other day that she might like to set it up again with fatter knobbies for riding single track. Encouraged at this interest in bike- related change, I suggested that I might take off the fenders and the basket and . . . �perhaps we could buy her a new Betty Foy for a commuting bike? . . . She was horrified at the thought of taking the useful basket off the Rockhopper and, while she indulged me by looking at the Betty Foy online, she wouldn't commit to pulling the trigger (certainly not a female choice of words, BTW). �I believe her last words on the subject were, We'll see . . . Weeks later, the Rockhopper is still in commute mode. As I consider my female bicycling buddies, students and acquaintences, I realize that none of them have more than two bikes and that most have just one. Do women think the all-rounder is a myth? �I have to wonder whether they even care. DC On Sep 8, 11:32�am, Doug Anderson velod...@mac.com wrote: I have room for four bicycles in the shed, which helps me keep the � number under control. The current collection is a custom Riv All- Rounder, a Brookstone MB-1, a BSA 3-speed and my old mid 70's Ron � Kitching that I plan to convert to 650B. My wife, who rides more than � I do, has never owned more than one bicycle at a time and she keeps � them a long time. Her current ride is a steel Trek 730 step-through.- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - -- Patrick Moore Albuquerque, NM Professional Resumes. Contact resumespecialt...@gmail.com --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from
[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder.
Tinkering is a good point. Of my five bikes, it seems that one or two of them are down for service at any given time. And sometimes I just completely swap two or three bikes' functions: Hmm, the Crosscheck would really make a better single speed instead of a commuter, and the Gunnar a better commuter than a single speed... Time to fire up the iPod and crack open a beer. Eric On Tue, Sep 8, 2009 at 8:12 PM, EricP ericpl...@aol.com wrote: Dave makes a great point. My wife has just one bike. In fact, that's all she claims she wants. Sure there might be occasional lust for getting a folder, but then it passes as we don't travel that much. She also made an interesting comment to me this weekend about bikes. She is an off the shelf person. Just one bike, basically stock. (Well, except for rack, fenders, lights, handlebar bag.) In fact, shopping for her latest bike, she decided against a Surly LHT because too many parts would have to be switched out to make it right for her. On top of that, my spouse pointed out I have multiple bikes because I tinker with them. (Just got a Schmidt hub and dyno lighting for my Hillborne.) That's a very fair assessment. Eric Platt St. Paul, MN On Sep 8, 4:06�pm, Dave Craig dcr...@prescott.edu wrote: Doug has presented an interesting issue. I wonder what we'd find if this question were answered by women. None have responded thusfar to this thread. ARE there any female members of this group?? My wife, who is a lifelong rider and who rides quite a lot, is quite content with just two bikes - a Heron touring bike and a simple, Specialized Rockhopper MTB. I asked HER whether she could get by with one bike and she matter-of-factly said, Of course, the Heron. I suspect that this has to do with an emotional attachment to this bike as much as anything else. As evidence, consider that when I bought my Bombadil, she was more than a little disturbed that I would dare I break up the Atlantis/Heron team we had toured with for a couple of summers. She uses her touring bike for practically everything and uses the MTB only for occassional dirt rides and commuting. The MTB is set up with 1.5-inch tires, fenders, a kickstand and a rear basket. She told me the other day that she might like to set it up again with fatter knobbies for riding single track. Encouraged at this interest in bike- related change, I suggested that I might take off the fenders and the basket and . . . �perhaps we could buy her a new Betty Foy for a commuting bike? . . . She was horrified at the thought of taking the useful basket off the Rockhopper and, while she indulged me by looking at the Betty Foy online, she wouldn't commit to pulling the trigger (certainly not a female choice of words, BTW). �I believe her last words on the subject were, We'll see . . . Weeks later, the Rockhopper is still in commute mode. As I consider my female bicycling buddies, students and acquaintences, I realize that none of them have more than two bikes and that most have just one. Do women think the all-rounder is a myth? �I have to wonder whether they even care. DC On Sep 8, 11:32�am, Doug Anderson velod...@mac.com wrote: I have room for four bicycles in the shed, which helps me keep the � number under control. The current collection is a custom Riv All- Rounder, a Brookstone MB-1, a BSA 3-speed and my old mid 70's Ron � Kitching that I plan to convert to 650B. My wife, who rides more than � I do, has never owned more than one bicycle at a time and she keeps � them a long time. Her current ride is a steel Trek 730 step-through.- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder.
Dave makes a great point. My wife has just one bike. In fact, that's all she claims she wants. Sure there might be occasional lust for getting a folder, but then it passes as we don't travel that much. She also made an interesting comment to me this weekend about bikes. She is an off the shelf person. Just one bike, basically stock. (Well, except for rack, fenders, lights, handlebar bag.) In fact, shopping for her latest bike, she decided against a Surly LHT because too many parts would have to be switched out to make it right for her. On top of that, my spouse pointed out I have multiple bikes because I tinker with them. (Just got a Schmidt hub and dyno lighting for my Hillborne.) That's a very fair assessment. Eric Platt St. Paul, MN On Sep 8, 4:06�pm, Dave Craig dcr...@prescott.edu wrote: Doug has presented an interesting issue. I wonder what we'd find if this question were answered by women. None have responded thusfar to this thread. ARE there any female members of this group?? My wife, who is a lifelong rider and who rides quite a lot, is quite content with just two bikes - a Heron touring bike and a simple, Specialized Rockhopper MTB. I asked HER whether she could get by with one bike and she matter-of-factly said, Of course, the Heron. I suspect that this has to do with an emotional attachment to this bike as much as anything else. As evidence, consider that when I bought my Bombadil, she was more than a little disturbed that I would dare I break up the Atlantis/Heron team we had toured with for a couple of summers. She uses her touring bike for practically everything and uses the MTB only for occassional dirt rides and commuting. The MTB is set up with 1.5-inch tires, fenders, a kickstand and a rear basket. She told me the other day that she might like to set it up again with fatter knobbies for riding single track. Encouraged at this interest in bike- related change, I suggested that I might take off the fenders and the basket and . . . �perhaps we could buy her a new Betty Foy for a commuting bike? . . . She was horrified at the thought of taking the useful basket off the Rockhopper and, while she indulged me by looking at the Betty Foy online, she wouldn't commit to pulling the trigger (certainly not a female choice of words, BTW). �I believe her last words on the subject were, We'll see . . . Weeks later, the Rockhopper is still in commute mode. As I consider my female bicycling buddies, students and acquaintences, I realize that none of them have more than two bikes and that most have just one. Do women think the all-rounder is a myth? �I have to wonder whether they even care. DC On Sep 8, 11:32�am, Doug Anderson velod...@mac.com wrote: I have room for four bicycles in the shed, which helps me keep the � number under control. The current collection is a custom Riv All- Rounder, a Brookstone MB-1, a BSA 3-speed and my old mid 70's Ron � Kitching that I plan to convert to 650B. My wife, who rides more than � I do, has never owned more than one bicycle at a time and she keeps � them a long time. Her current ride is a steel Trek 730 step-through.- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder.
On Sep 7, 2009, at 11:14, RoadieRyan rya...@hotmail.com wrote: Interesting I have always had this dream that goes in the opposite direction, essentially an over sized automatic tie rack but for bikes. I could press a button an slowly rotate thru the bikes..hmm is today a commuter, cross, IGH townie, light steel Italian racer, or should I just take the Bleriot again? You mean something like this? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wE4fvwTBtno --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder.
Uhmmm, Lesli, now is the time to chime in... On Tue, Sep 8, 2009 at 2:06 PM, Dave Craig dcr...@prescott.edu wrote: I wonder what we'd find if this question were answered by women. None have responded thusfar to this thread. ARE there any female members of this group?? cut As I consider my female bicycling buddies, students and acquaintences, I realize that none of them have more than two bikes and that most have just one. Do women think the all-rounder is a myth? I have to wonder whether they even care. DC -~--~~~~--~~--~--~--- --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder.
On Tue, Sep 8, 2009 at 11:12 PM, Anne Paulsonanne.paul...@gmail.com wrote: So I guess I'm not a typical woman, then. I think it's good to not be a typical anything :) I'm a little envious of you having two atlantises -sv --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder.
I guess if I had to, I could get by with 'just' my Riv Custom. I find I ride it most of all and other bikes languish. The 650b Saluki gets dusted off and ridden now and then. The MCRB sits forlornly in the corner. In the meantime I'm pondering how I might be able to wrangle a Roadeo. I guess carbon's days are numbered around here. I'm thinking more bikes is better than fewer -JimD --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder.
On Tue, Sep 8, 2009 at 2:06 PM, Dave Craig dcr...@prescott.edu wrote: As I consider my female bicycling buddies, students and acquaintences, I realize that none of them have more than two bikes and that most have just one. I have four bikes I regularly use: the Atlantis set up for touring, the crappy mountain bike with an Xtracycle, the Klein Performance for faster rides, and my favorite, the Atlantis set up for roads and fire roads. The Klein, I'm afraid, is not long for the rotation-- a Roadeo will replace it, though I haven't ordered one yet. And I'm hankering for a Bike Friday for overseas travel. So I guess I'm not a typical woman, then. -- -- Anne Paulson My hovercraft is full of eels --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder.
Good one Ryan W I have seen that video and that is a bit more than I had in mind but you gotta hand it to Japan for making such a cool public bike storage machine. Eric D Time to fire up the iPod and crack open a beer. Love it, that is going to be my new shop motto. For the record I have a Alu go fast, a Steel Almost-all rounder, a heavy costco special MTB , from before I knew any better, that is the errand/loaner bike, and then 3 project bikes (mixte, MTB, 10 speed) that will go to other homes when (if?) I ever get finshed with them! Ok I guess I do like to Tinker. Oh and I am saving the pennies for a nice lugged Steel bike at which point the current steel bike becomes an IGH townie/errand/commuter bike. Maybe my wife won't think I am such a nut when I finish the mixte project for her birthday. I can hope anyway. On Sep 8, 6:03 pm, Ryan Watson rswat...@nyx.net wrote: On Sep 7, 2009, at 11:14, RoadieRyan rya...@hotmail.com wrote: Interesting I have always had this dream that goes in the opposite direction, essentially an over sized automatic tie rack but for bikes. I could press a button an slowly rotate thru the bikes..hmm is today a commuter, cross, IGH townie, light steel Italian racer, or should I just take the Bleriot again? You mean something like this? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wE4fvwTBtno --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder.
I like the idea of one bike but it doesn't work for me. I ride my QB and my Legolas off-road as a fun change of pace, but if I really want to go fast on technical trails, I take a mountain bike. I have the same issue with fiddles and mandolins, though at this point, I'm pretty content with about 4 of each, which coincidentally is the number of bikes I have. Living so close to RBW is a bit of a hazard though, as I wouldn't mind getting a Roadeo and a Bombadil. --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder.
my magic number the past few years has been seven. When people gasp I tell them one for each day of the week. After a mini-purge I'm soon to be down to 5 ...but I have another on the way (I'll share it when I get it). I've kind of got the vintage bug so when I see an old beauty I've been coveting in my size it's hard to resist...If somebody posted a 63cm Jack Taylor Touring bike for sale tonight I'd probably take out a loan tomorrow. In spite of that my Bleriot is the bike that is becoming the one. I really love riding it and it truly is an all rounder...at least for me (but I'm still keeping the others :^)! On Sep 8, 9:03 pm, JimD rasterd...@comcast.net wrote: I guess if I had to, I could get by with 'just' my Riv Custom. I find I ride it most of all and other bikes languish. The 650b Saluki gets dusted off and ridden now and then. The MCRB sits forlornly in the corner. In the meantime I'm pondering how I might be able to wrangle a Roadeo. I guess carbon's days are numbered around here. I'm thinking more bikes is better than fewer -JimD --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder.
On Sun, Sep 6, 2009 at 20:27, JLsubfas...@gmail.com wrote: Has anyone been able to achieve a one-bike-for-everything-I-need goal? I think part of the situation is that with enthusiasts of anything the line between need and want gets blurry. Every time I'm about to start my ride and I discover that a tire has gone flat or a spoke gone and broken, I am thankful that I have had the good sense to keep more than one functioning bicycle. One can spend a lot of time thinking about how, if one could have, for example, three bikes, what's the best way to distribute their functions to create that most efficient Venn Diagram that covers all necessities. I've had the commuter UJB road bike, the fixed-gear folding bike, and the custom cargo bike for the last few years - these are pretty different from one another. But now I don't have an off-road bike. None of them are quite enough beater-like for me to be really comfortable leaving them locked up in the city. None is presently set up for touring, and none of them have derailleurs, even. Back to the drawing board? I need more bikes. James Black Los Angeles, CA --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder.
No, haven't been able to do that. And not sure I'd want to. For a few simple reasons. First off, the weather here in Minnesota isn't consistently nice. So having a bike I don't really care that much about for bad weather riding (aka winter) is a good luxury. Then there's travel. Nice to have a bike that can go on trips. Especially if flight is involved. Not common for me at least. But have a Brompton ready just in case. Lastly, there are times when I want a different ride. Not just the feel of a different bike, but a different setup. Say from drops to Albatross bars. It's easier to just grab a different bike than to switch out bars/stem, etc. Just personally unable to get down to one bicycle. Of course, am the same way about guitars. Can't seem to get down to that one perfect guit-box. So maybe that says more about me than about the bikes and/or guitars? Eric Platt St. Paul, MN On Sep 6, 10:27�pm, JL subfas...@gmail.com wrote: I have always had a difficult time owning just one bicycle. �It seems that no matter how many times I imagine the most ideal bicycle model and setup I change my mind after a few weeks or months and alter the setup. �My solution to this is to have more than one bike, set up and designed for different purposes or types of riding. �There is a correlation with how much I enjoy bicycling and how many bikes I own - they seem to feed off each other and both increase because of each other. �This trend changed a little when I found Rivendell. �The versatility of their bike gives the potential for one frame to take on many different lives and for one bike setup to have enough crossover into other areas that a near all rounder status can be reached. �Has anyone been able to achieve a one-bike-for-everything-I-need goal? � I think part of the situation is that with �enthusiasts of anything the line between need and want gets blurry. Jason --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder.
I used to feel a little guilty owning five fully functional bicycles and approximately a dozen more in various stages of disassembly. My parts bikes are mostly used junk but I can and do use them for parts from time to time. Most of my complete bikes are old stuff from the 80's except for a newer recumbent and one touring style bike. Actually I plan to sell three of them and reduce the herd to a single speed commuter and my touring style all rounder bike. I could actually use just one, probably the Atlantis clone with gearing since I live in the mountains. My single speed is a partial commute bike when I get to civilization but I'd like a folder (Bike Friday) for that. If you ride quite a bit then you really do need a spare, especially if you commute regularly. Tires wear, as do chains, wheels, bearings etc. and its nice to have something that you can ride while you service or repair your main bike. I suppose one could make a mountain style bike or cyclocross bike do everything with the option for different tires. I ride with fenders on all my bikes and ride trails with my street tires since they are wide but then I'm not a hard core dirt rider. I prefer to ride slow and precise in the dirt so I don't need shocks. I guess it boils down to what type of rider you are. My answer is yes, I could do all my style of riding on my touring bike with wide tires. On Sep 6, 8:27 pm, JL subfas...@gmail.com wrote: I have always had a difficult time owning just one bicycle. It seems that no matter how many times I imagine the most ideal bicycle model and setup I change my mind after a few weeks or months and alter the setup. My solution to this is to have more than one bike, set up and designed for different purposes or types of riding. There is a correlation with how much I enjoy bicycling and how many bikes I own - they seem to feed off each other and both increase because of each other. This trend changed a little when I found Rivendell. The versatility of their bike gives the potential for one frame to take on many different lives and for one bike setup to have enough crossover into other areas that a near all rounder status can be reached. Has anyone been able to achieve a one-bike-for-everything-I-need goal? I think part of the situation is that with enthusiasts of anything the line between need and want gets blurry. Jason --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder.
I could do it if I had to, and have an All-Rounder for just that reason. It's basically a Hilsen with cantis and fancy paint. I have two wheelsets for it, a 36h Phil with knobbies to turn it into a mtn. bike, and 32h Dura-Ace (spaced to 135mm) with 35mm Paselas for everything else. I could get a third lightweight wheelset for road use, but I do have a road bike to handle my lightweight racer visions of grandeur. I even have horizontal drop outs on it to convert to a SS or IGH if the need arises somewhere down the line. When I ordered it, this was all thought out as I could only justify getting a custom bike if it could do everything. Luckily at this point in life, I don't have to only own one bike. I have drastically cut down the number of bikes in the household (if five + a tandem could be considered cutting down). On Sun, Sep 6, 2009 at 8:27 PM, JL subfas...@gmail.com wrote: I have always had a difficult time owning just one bicycle. It seems that no matter how many times I imagine the most ideal bicycle model and setup I change my mind after a few weeks or months and alter the setup. My solution to this is to have more than one bike, set up and designed for different purposes or types of riding. There is a correlation with how much I enjoy bicycling and how many bikes I own - they seem to feed off each other and both increase because of each other. This trend changed a little when I found Rivendell. The versatility of their bike gives the potential for one frame to take on many different lives and for one bike setup to have enough crossover into other areas that a near all rounder status can be reached. Has anyone been able to achieve a one-bike-for-everything-I-need goal? I think part of the situation is that with enthusiasts of anything the line between need and want gets blurry. Jason -- Cheers, David Redlands, CA Bicycling is a big part of the future. It has to be. There is something wrong with a society that drives a car to workout in a gym. ~Bill Nye, scientist guy --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder.
Since getting an Atlantis in early 03, that's been my ride for 99% of my mileage. I bought it for touring and liked the fit, ride, etc, that I just didn't ride my other bikes, and don't do much fiddling with it. It's overkill for utility riding and I am selective in where I'll lock it up. Recently I dug out my 20+ year old MTB to use for utility trips so I could lower my anxiety level about bike out of sight. dougP On Sep 7, 7:38 am, Mike mjawn...@gmail.com wrote: For many years I had two bikes--a mountain bike and a road bike. I pretty much used the road bike for commuting and was fortunate that it never got stolen while locked up outside of bookstores and cafes. There were times when I was worried that someone would pop off the stem, cut the cables and walk off with my STI shifter levers but it never happened. This was in SF. Both bikes were well used and well loved. When I moved to Portland 3yrs ago I purchased a Surly Cross Check which became my all-rounder. I did have the road bike, a Lemond Zurich, and mountain bike, Fisher Rig, in the basement during this time but never rode them. My CC was a great bike that I used for commuting, running errands and would take out for long road rides. I had it set-up as a poor man's Rivendell but I was never able to quite get the position I wanted. I eventually got a Rambouillet and about a year and half later a Hilsen. I've sold the Zurich and Rig and so am down to three bikes--CC, Rambouillet and Hilsen. I think I could get by with just the Hilsen but I can't see myself not having a commuter/beater type bike which is the role my CC fills. Right now the CC is set-up as a singlespeed with flat bars, front rack, fenders, and Carradice bag. I commute by bike everyday regardless of the weather and so the bike gets a lot of use. I lock it up in the bike barn at the hospital I work at and have had no problems although I'd be hesitant to lock up a Hilsen there, especially if it was my only bike. I think for those looking to have one bike the Hilsen is a great call. Or the SH. Me... I'm just too much of a consumer and bike nerd. I'm pretty much doomed to always having at least two if not three on-hand. I have. I'd like to just leave it at three . I may in the future sell the CC and replace it with an LHT frame or maybe even a SH. We'll see. For now I have what I need and am focusing on upgrading/changing some parts on my Rambouillet. --mike --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder.
And you rode your mountain bike in the mountains yesterday (but with slicks just for kicks)! On Mon, Sep 7, 2009 at 9:48 AM, doug peterson dougpn...@cox.net wrote: Since getting an Atlantis in early 03, that's been my ride for 99% of my mileage. I bought it for touring and liked the fit, ride, etc, that I just didn't ride my other bikes, and don't do much fiddling with it. It's overkill for utility riding and I am selective in where I'll lock it up. Recently I dug out my 20+ year old MTB to use for utility trips so I could lower my anxiety level about bike out of sight. dougP On Sep 7, 7:38 am, Mike mjawn...@gmail.com wrote: For many years I had two bikes--a mountain bike and a road bike. I pretty much used the road bike for commuting and was fortunate that it never got stolen while locked up outside of bookstores and cafes. There were times when I was worried that someone would pop off the stem, cut the cables and walk off with my STI shifter levers but it never happened. This was in SF. Both bikes were well used and well loved. When I moved to Portland 3yrs ago I purchased a Surly Cross Check which became my all-rounder. I did have the road bike, a Lemond Zurich, and mountain bike, Fisher Rig, in the basement during this time but never rode them. My CC was a great bike that I used for commuting, running errands and would take out for long road rides. I had it set-up as a poor man's Rivendell but I was never able to quite get the position I wanted. I eventually got a Rambouillet and about a year and half later a Hilsen. I've sold the Zurich and Rig and so am down to three bikes--CC, Rambouillet and Hilsen. I think I could get by with just the Hilsen but I can't see myself not having a commuter/beater type bike which is the role my CC fills. Right now the CC is set-up as a singlespeed with flat bars, front rack, fenders, and Carradice bag. I commute by bike everyday regardless of the weather and so the bike gets a lot of use. I lock it up in the bike barn at the hospital I work at and have had no problems although I'd be hesitant to lock up a Hilsen there, especially if it was my only bike. I think for those looking to have one bike the Hilsen is a great call. Or the SH. Me... I'm just too much of a consumer and bike nerd. I'm pretty much doomed to always having at least two if not three on-hand. I have. I'd like to just leave it at three . I may in the future sell the CC and replace it with an LHT frame or maybe even a SH. We'll see. For now I have what I need and am focusing on upgrading/changing some parts on my Rambouillet. --mike -- Cheers, David Redlands, CA Bicycling is a big part of the future. It has to be. There is something wrong with a society that drives a car to workout in a gym. ~Bill Nye, scientist guy --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder.
Interesting I have always had this dream that goes in the opposite direction, essentially an over sized automatic tie rack but for bikes. I could press a button an slowly rotate thru the bikes..hmm is today a commuter, cross, IGH townie, light steel Italian racer, or should I just take the Bleriot again? I guess that kind of goes against the simplicty thing huh? On Sep 7, 9:56 am, David Estes cyclotour...@gmail.com wrote: And you rode your mountain bike in the mountains yesterday (but with slicks just for kicks)! On Mon, Sep 7, 2009 at 9:48 AM, doug peterson dougpn...@cox.net wrote: Since getting an Atlantis in early 03, that's been my ride for 99% of my mileage. I bought it for touring and liked the fit, ride, etc, that I just didn't ride my other bikes, and don't do much fiddling with it. It's overkill for utility riding and I am selective in where I'll lock it up. Recently I dug out my 20+ year old MTB to use for utility trips so I could lower my anxiety level about bike out of sight. dougP On Sep 7, 7:38 am, Mike mjawn...@gmail.com wrote: For many years I had two bikes--a mountain bike and a road bike. I pretty much used the road bike for commuting and was fortunate that it never got stolen while locked up outside of bookstores and cafes. There were times when I was worried that someone would pop off the stem, cut the cables and walk off with my STI shifter levers but it never happened. This was in SF. Both bikes were well used and well loved. When I moved to Portland 3yrs ago I purchased a Surly Cross Check which became my all-rounder. I did have the road bike, a Lemond Zurich, and mountain bike, Fisher Rig, in the basement during this time but never rode them. My CC was a great bike that I used for commuting, running errands and would take out for long road rides. I had it set-up as a poor man's Rivendell but I was never able to quite get the position I wanted. I eventually got a Rambouillet and about a year and half later a Hilsen. I've sold the Zurich and Rig and so am down to three bikes--CC, Rambouillet and Hilsen. I think I could get by with just the Hilsen but I can't see myself not having a commuter/beater type bike which is the role my CC fills. Right now the CC is set-up as a singlespeed with flat bars, front rack, fenders, and Carradice bag. I commute by bike everyday regardless of the weather and so the bike gets a lot of use. I lock it up in the bike barn at the hospital I work at and have had no problems although I'd be hesitant to lock up a Hilsen there, especially if it was my only bike. I think for those looking to have one bike the Hilsen is a great call. Or the SH. Me... I'm just too much of a consumer and bike nerd. I'm pretty much doomed to always having at least two if not three on-hand. I have. I'd like to just leave it at three . I may in the future sell the CC and replace it with an LHT frame or maybe even a SH. We'll see. For now I have what I need and am focusing on upgrading/changing some parts on my Rambouillet. --mike -- Cheers, David Redlands, CA Bicycling is a big part of the future. It has to be. There is something wrong with a society that drives a car to workout in a gym. ~Bill Nye, scientist guy- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder.
I don't think the all-rounder bike is a myth. I believe that there are plenty of bikes that could cover the different types of riding I do. The problem is that I want ten of those bikes. --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] re: The myth of the all-rounder.
I don't really think its a myth at all, though I guess really you aren't talking about the bicycle. Using myself as an example I own two bicycles, my Atlantis which I ride exclusively and then my old Novara Safari (another all-rounder type) which I ride only if my Atlantis is in the shop or has a flat when I'm already late for work. I do think the backup bicycle is pretty essential for me for those circumstance, but looking at my records its only gotten about a hundred miles a year. I clearly could just use the Atlantis and take the bus or something on those days, but I like the option. If I didn't already own the Safari when I got the Atlantis I probably would have just gotten a cheap garage sale bicycle for the back up purpose. Anyway I guess what I'm saying is that for me I can see owning two bicycles but I've never desired more. There have been occasions when I've ridden the Safari for a couple of weeks in a row and its poor fit leaves me sore and wishing my backup bicycle was as comfortable as my Atlantis. If though I got another better fit bicycle I'd sell the Safari. -Robert --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder.
One of the most interesting threads we've had . . . I've grappled with the larger concepts of consumerism and voluntary simplicity for much of my adult life. Spend any time in the developing world and it's hard not to question why one really *needs* more than one bike - let alone even one Rivendell at a cost of what many in the world may not make in salary in a year. I'll admit that I own many bikes and that I am seemingly always on the verge of one more. I use each of my bikes regularly for recreation and exercise and I seldom drive, so my bikes also serve most of my transportation needs. I've delighted in building up each of my diverse fleet of 6 bikes from the ground up from bare frames. Along the way, I've learned a lot about bicycle mechanics and solving build and fit problems that I've applied to helping others with their bikes. I volunteer at our College bike coop and I teach a College class on bicycling. I'm lucky that my avocation has, in part become part of my vocation. It has been the process of using and working on my bikes that has been the important thing for me. The question is often posed when one thinks about the value of consumer goods, If your house was on fire, and you could only save , what would it be? In relation to bikes, my answer is the one closest to the door! Luckily, most bikes are inherently cheap, useful and efficient transportation. Every bike that I'd care to ride is an all-rounder from that perspective. Dave On Sep 7, 10:14 am, RoadieRyan rya...@hotmail.com wrote: Interesting I have always had this dream that goes in the opposite direction, essentially an over sized automatic tie rack but for bikes. I could press a button an slowly rotate thru the bikes..hmm is today a commuter, cross, IGH townie, light steel Italian racer, or should I just take the Bleriot again? I guess that kind of goes against the simplicty thing huh? On Sep 7, 9:56 am, David Estes cyclotour...@gmail.com wrote: And you rode your mountain bike in the mountains yesterday (but with slicks just for kicks)! On Mon, Sep 7, 2009 at 9:48 AM, doug peterson dougpn...@cox.net wrote: Since getting an Atlantis in early 03, that's been my ride for 99% of my mileage. I bought it for touring and liked the fit, ride, etc, that I just didn't ride my other bikes, and don't do much fiddling with it. It's overkill for utility riding and I am selective in where I'll lock it up. Recently I dug out my 20+ year old MTB to use for utility trips so I could lower my anxiety level about bike out of sight. dougP On Sep 7, 7:38 am, Mike mjawn...@gmail.com wrote: For many years I had two bikes--a mountain bike and a road bike. I pretty much used the road bike for commuting and was fortunate that it never got stolen while locked up outside of bookstores and cafes. There were times when I was worried that someone would pop off the stem, cut the cables and walk off with my STI shifter levers but it never happened. This was in SF. Both bikes were well used and well loved. When I moved to Portland 3yrs ago I purchased a Surly Cross Check which became my all-rounder. I did have the road bike, a Lemond Zurich, and mountain bike, Fisher Rig, in the basement during this time but never rode them. My CC was a great bike that I used for commuting, running errands and would take out for long road rides. I had it set-up as a poor man's Rivendell but I was never able to quite get the position I wanted. I eventually got a Rambouillet and about a year and half later a Hilsen. I've sold the Zurich and Rig and so am down to three bikes--CC, Rambouillet and Hilsen. I think I could get by with just the Hilsen but I can't see myself not having a commuter/beater type bike which is the role my CC fills. Right now the CC is set-up as a singlespeed with flat bars, front rack, fenders, and Carradice bag. I commute by bike everyday regardless of the weather and so the bike gets a lot of use. I lock it up in the bike barn at the hospital I work at and have had no problems although I'd be hesitant to lock up a Hilsen there, especially if it was my only bike. I think for those looking to have one bike the Hilsen is a great call. Or the SH. Me... I'm just too much of a consumer and bike nerd. I'm pretty much doomed to always having at least two if not three on-hand. I have. I'd like to just leave it at three . I may in the future sell the CC and replace it with an LHT frame or maybe even a SH. We'll see. For now I have what I need and am focusing on upgrading/changing some parts on my Rambouillet. --mike -- Cheers, David Redlands, CA Bicycling is a big part of the future. It has to be. There is something wrong with a society that drives a car to workout in a gym. ~Bill Nye, scientist guy- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text -
[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder.
I have two bikes right now, a loaded tourer and a commuter. Arguably, one bike could handle both jobs, but I've not been able to get it right. The touring bike has Tubus racks, built to hold panniers tight and low. Ortlieb and a few other companies make a grocery bag that works well, but not as for multiple stops and loading as a basket or poteur mount bag. Also, the long chain stays, tubing and larger wheels make it a tab heavy and ungainly in my crowded urban neighborhood. It is harder to squeeze in to a spot on a crowded bike stand and up and down the back stairs to my 3rd floor condo. In the winter, Chicago snow means salt and street grime galore on the street which wreak havoc with the gears. Drop bars are great on tour riding on the open road. I prefer riding upright with swept back bars in the city. The old campy stradas, toe clips and straps are great for digging in and pedaling for hours. Not so great when you have to stop and start many times in a single ride (I stop for traffic controls). My commuter is a single speed, porteur racked, swept back bar bike. It is a couple inches short and pounds lighter than the touring bike. Ride is upright, bars swept back. Pedals are flat with a half clip. It is a muvh easier bike for city riding. I guess I could re-jigger the touring bike for city riding. That would be a lot of time and effort though. On Sep 6, 10:27 pm, JL subfas...@gmail.com wrote: I have always had a difficult time owning just one bicycle. It seems that no matter how many times I imagine the most ideal bicycle model and setup I change my mind after a few weeks or months and alter the setup. My solution to this is to have more than one bike, set up and designed for different purposes or types of riding. There is a correlation with how much I enjoy bicycling and how many bikes I own - they seem to feed off each other and both increase because of each other. This trend changed a little when I found Rivendell. The versatility of their bike gives the potential for one frame to take on many different lives and for one bike setup to have enough crossover into other areas that a near all rounder status can be reached. Has anyone been able to achieve a one-bike-for-everything-I-need goal? I think part of the situation is that with enthusiasts of anything the line between need and want gets blurry. Jason --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder.
The solution to this is to do as my brother does, and own up to 80 bicycles
but never pay more than $100 for any one; his average is probably more like
$50. So, $5K, that's the price of a top line, decked out Riv.
Among his keepers (since most flow through his garage almost like
Heraclitus's river) are a 1960s Paramount track bike that I have coveted for
years and that has ('s True!) room for 28s and fenders) and various other
Paramounts and top echelon Treks, not to mention ti Mountain Bikes.
It *does* help if you live in the rich part of LA and have true scavenger
skills.
On Mon, Sep 7, 2009 at 12:12 PM, Dave Craig dcr...@prescott.edu wrote:
One of the most interesting threads we've had . . .
I've grappled with the larger concepts of consumerism and voluntary
simplicity for much of my adult life. Spend any time in the developing
world and it's hard not to question why one really *needs* more than
one bike - let alone even one Rivendell at a cost of what many in the
world may not make in salary in a year.
I'll admit that I own many bikes and that I am seemingly always on the
verge of one more. I use each of my bikes regularly for recreation
and exercise and I seldom drive, so my bikes also serve most of my
transportation needs. I've delighted in building up each of my diverse
fleet of 6 bikes from the ground up from bare frames. Along the way,
I've learned a lot about bicycle mechanics and solving build and fit
problems that I've applied to helping others with their bikes. I
volunteer at our College bike coop and I teach a College class on
bicycling. I'm lucky that my avocation has, in part become part of my
vocation. It has been the process of using and working on my bikes
that has been the important thing for me.
The question is often posed when one thinks about the value of
consumer goods, If your house was on fire, and you could only save
, what would it be? In relation to bikes, my answer is the
one closest to the door! Luckily, most bikes are inherently cheap,
useful and efficient transportation. Every bike that I'd care to ride
is an all-rounder from that perspective.
Dave
On Sep 7, 10:14 am, RoadieRyan rya...@hotmail.com wrote:
Interesting I have always had this dream that goes in the opposite
direction, essentially an over sized automatic tie rack but for
bikes. I could press a button an slowly rotate thru the bikes..hmm is
today a commuter, cross, IGH townie, light steel Italian racer, or
should I just take the Bleriot again?
I guess that kind of goes against the simplicty thing huh?
On Sep 7, 9:56 am, David Estes cyclotour...@gmail.com wrote:
And you rode your mountain bike in the mountains yesterday (but with
slicks
just for kicks)!
On Mon, Sep 7, 2009 at 9:48 AM, doug peterson dougpn...@cox.net
wrote:
Since getting an Atlantis in early 03, that's been my ride for 99% of
my mileage. I bought it for touring and liked the fit, ride, etc,
that I just didn't ride my other bikes, and don't do much fiddling
with it. It's overkill for utility riding and I am selective in
where
I'll lock it up. Recently I dug out my 20+ year old MTB to use for
utility trips so I could lower my anxiety level about bike out of
sight.
dougP
On Sep 7, 7:38 am, Mike mjawn...@gmail.com wrote:
For many years I had two bikes--a mountain bike and a road bike. I
pretty much used the road bike for commuting and was fortunate that
it
never got stolen while locked up outside of bookstores and cafes.
There were times when I was worried that someone would pop off the
stem, cut the cables and walk off with my STI shifter levers but it
never happened. This was in SF. Both bikes were well used and well
loved.
When I moved to Portland 3yrs ago I purchased a Surly Cross Check
which became my all-rounder. I did have the road bike, a Lemond
Zurich, and mountain bike, Fisher Rig, in the basement during this
time but never rode them. My CC was a great bike that I used for
commuting, running errands and would take out for long road rides.
I
had it set-up as a poor man's Rivendell but I was never able to
quite get the position I wanted. I eventually got a Rambouillet and
about a year and half later a Hilsen. I've sold the Zurich and Rig
and
so am down to three bikes--CC, Rambouillet and Hilsen. I think I
could
get by with just the Hilsen but I can't see myself not having a
commuter/beater type bike which is the role my CC fills. Right now
the
CC is set-up as a singlespeed with flat bars, front rack, fenders,
and
Carradice bag. I commute by bike everyday regardless of the weather
and so the bike gets a lot of use. I lock it up in the bike barn at
the hospital I work at and have had no problems although I'd be
hesitant to lock up a Hilsen there, especially if it was my only
bike.
I think
[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder.
In my experience, the one-bike-for-everything bike is more in the head of the bike owner than the bike itself. The reality is that almost every bike is capable of doing (almost) everything. The issue is whether or not the cyclist is happy with that level of performance. You can ride on the road, commute, mt. bike, tour, and more on a mountain bike. I could ride my all-rounder for everything, though I may not be able to ride with a group of carbon race bikes, mountain bike with the FS crowd, or tour with tourists. But I am pretty happy with the performance of the AR in each category. No matter what bike I ride, I will never be the fastest, so the improvements in speed from switching bikes is purely for my own ego. A central component to a one bike is making do-- and that is something that people seem to have forgotten. As a side not, I currently have 7 bikes, 4 frames, and 3 unicycles. Cheers! cm --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder.
PATRICK MOORE wrote: I don't think the all-rounder bike is a myth. I believe that there are plenty of bikes that could cover the different types of riding I do. The problem is that I want ten of those bikes. LOL! Point. I have found that my all-rounder is... my All-Rounder. If you held a gun to my head and said pick one bike and lose the rest, I'd keep the All-Rounder. Even though I've said multiple times I should have gotten a LongLow (and it's probably true), the All-Rounder is my go-to bike for the majority of rides. My other bikes are each ridden as an alternative to the All-Rounder (Should I ride the All-Rounder or the (insert any other bike I own)?). With the 559-32 Paselas it is a superb riding road and trail machine. I just rode it 70 miles today with Bill C and three others. --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder.
You could have an Atlantis as a back up to your Atlantis! Grant should just start sending me bonus money for all the business I send his way! On Mon, Sep 7, 2009 at 10:54 AM, Robert Kirkpatrick spiralc...@gmail.comwrote: I don't really think its a myth at all, though I guess really you aren't talking about the bicycle. Using myself as an example I own two bicycles, my Atlantis which I ride exclusively and then my old Novara Safari (another all-rounder type) which I ride only if my Atlantis is in the shop or has a flat when I'm already late for work. I do think the backup bicycle is pretty essential for me for those circumstance, but looking at my records its only gotten about a hundred miles a year. I clearly could just use the Atlantis and take the bus or something on those days, but I like the option. If I didn't already own the Safari when I got the Atlantis I probably would have just gotten a cheap garage sale bicycle for the back up purpose. Anyway I guess what I'm saying is that for me I can see owning two bicycles but I've never desired more. There have been occasions when I've ridden the Safari for a couple of weeks in a row and its poor fit leaves me sore and wishing my backup bicycle was as comfortable as my Atlantis. If though I got another better fit bicycle I'd sell the Safari. -Robert -- Cheers, David Redlands, CA Bicycling is a big part of the future. It has to be. There is something wrong with a society that drives a car to workout in a gym. ~Bill Nye, scientist guy --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder.
With all the fires here in SoCal, I actually have a bike rescue plan in place. Don't get me wrong, there's a family rescue plan as well. You can have several plans you know. On Mon, Sep 7, 2009 at 11:12 AM, Dave Craig dcr...@prescott.edu wrote: One of the most interesting threads we've had . . . I've grappled with the larger concepts of consumerism and voluntary simplicity for much of my adult life. Spend any time in the developing world and it's hard not to question why one really *needs* more than one bike - let alone even one Rivendell at a cost of what many in the world may not make in salary in a year. I'll admit that I own many bikes and that I am seemingly always on the verge of one more. I use each of my bikes regularly for recreation and exercise and I seldom drive, so my bikes also serve most of my transportation needs. I've delighted in building up each of my diverse fleet of 6 bikes from the ground up from bare frames. Along the way, I've learned a lot about bicycle mechanics and solving build and fit problems that I've applied to helping others with their bikes. I volunteer at our College bike coop and I teach a College class on bicycling. I'm lucky that my avocation has, in part become part of my vocation. It has been the process of using and working on my bikes that has been the important thing for me. The question is often posed when one thinks about the value of consumer goods, If your house was on fire, and you could only save , what would it be? In relation to bikes, my answer is the one closest to the door! Luckily, most bikes are inherently cheap, useful and efficient transportation. Every bike that I'd care to ride is an all-rounder from that perspective. Dave On Sep 7, 10:14 am, RoadieRyan rya...@hotmail.com wrote: Interesting I have always had this dream that goes in the opposite direction, essentially an over sized automatic tie rack but for bikes. I could press a button an slowly rotate thru the bikes..hmm is today a commuter, cross, IGH townie, light steel Italian racer, or should I just take the Bleriot again? I guess that kind of goes against the simplicty thing huh? On Sep 7, 9:56 am, David Estes cyclotour...@gmail.com wrote: And you rode your mountain bike in the mountains yesterday (but with slicks just for kicks)! On Mon, Sep 7, 2009 at 9:48 AM, doug peterson dougpn...@cox.net wrote: Since getting an Atlantis in early 03, that's been my ride for 99% of my mileage. I bought it for touring and liked the fit, ride, etc, that I just didn't ride my other bikes, and don't do much fiddling with it. It's overkill for utility riding and I am selective in where I'll lock it up. Recently I dug out my 20+ year old MTB to use for utility trips so I could lower my anxiety level about bike out of sight. dougP On Sep 7, 7:38 am, Mike mjawn...@gmail.com wrote: For many years I had two bikes--a mountain bike and a road bike. I pretty much used the road bike for commuting and was fortunate that it never got stolen while locked up outside of bookstores and cafes. There were times when I was worried that someone would pop off the stem, cut the cables and walk off with my STI shifter levers but it never happened. This was in SF. Both bikes were well used and well loved. When I moved to Portland 3yrs ago I purchased a Surly Cross Check which became my all-rounder. I did have the road bike, a Lemond Zurich, and mountain bike, Fisher Rig, in the basement during this time but never rode them. My CC was a great bike that I used for commuting, running errands and would take out for long road rides. I had it set-up as a poor man's Rivendell but I was never able to quite get the position I wanted. I eventually got a Rambouillet and about a year and half later a Hilsen. I've sold the Zurich and Rig and so am down to three bikes--CC, Rambouillet and Hilsen. I think I could get by with just the Hilsen but I can't see myself not having a commuter/beater type bike which is the role my CC fills. Right now the CC is set-up as a singlespeed with flat bars, front rack, fenders, and Carradice bag. I commute by bike everyday regardless of the weather and so the bike gets a lot of use. I lock it up in the bike barn at the hospital I work at and have had no problems although I'd be hesitant to lock up a Hilsen there, especially if it was my only bike. I think for those looking to have one bike the Hilsen is a great call. Or the SH. Me... I'm just too much of a consumer and bike nerd. I'm pretty much doomed to always having at least two if not three on-hand. I have. I'd like to just leave it at three . I may in the future sell the CC and replace it with an LHT frame or maybe even a SH. We'll see. For now I have what I need and am
[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder.
That was pretty much the topic of self-congratulatory conversation during yesterday's SoCal ride. :-) On Mon, Sep 7, 2009 at 3:49 PM, cm chrispmur...@hotmail.com wrote: In my experience, the one-bike-for-everything bike is more in the head of the bike owner than the bike itself. The reality is that almost every bike is capable of doing (almost) everything. The issue is whether or not the cyclist is happy with that level of performance. You can ride on the road, commute, mt. bike, tour, and more on a mountain bike. I could ride my all-rounder for everything, though I may not be able to ride with a group of carbon race bikes, mountain bike with the FS crowd, or tour with tourists. But I am pretty happy with the performance of the AR in each category. No matter what bike I ride, I will never be the fastest, so the improvements in speed from switching bikes is purely for my own ego. A central component to a one bike is making do-- and that is something that people seem to have forgotten. As a side not, I currently have 7 bikes, 4 frames, and 3 unicycles. Cheers! cm -- Cheers, David Redlands, CA Bicycling is a big part of the future. It has to be. There is something wrong with a society that drives a car to workout in a gym. ~Bill Nye, scientist guy --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder.
On Sun, Sep 6, 2009 at 10:27 PM, JLsubfas...@gmail.com wrote: I have always had a difficult time owning just one bicycle. It seems that no matter how many times I imagine the most ideal bicycle model and setup I change my mind after a few weeks or months and alter the setup. My solution to this is to have more than one bike, set up and designed for different purposes or types of riding. There is a correlation with how much I enjoy bicycling and how many bikes I own - they seem to feed off each other and both increase because of each other. This trend changed a little when I found Rivendell. The versatility of their bike gives the potential for one frame to take on many different lives and for one bike setup to have enough crossover into other areas that a near all rounder status can be reached. Has anyone been able to achieve a one-bike-for-everything-I-need goal? I think part of the situation is that with enthusiasts of anything the line between need and want gets blurry. I've come to think that the all-rounder situation is only possible if your riding is fairly limited. I consistently put over half my annual miles on one bike; my Surly Cross-Check. That's my main commuter and cyclocross racer and i'll take it on road rides that have light trail or gravel riding. Of course, i also ride my Redwood on roads and easy trails and gravel too, and it's my most comfortable bike for all-day rides (like today's 70-mile lunch run w/Timmac and 3 others). But there are lots of trails that are way more fun to ride on my mountain bike. I rode that mountain bike as my only bike in dirt and road setups for many years, but it wasn't a good road commuter. I also like riding singlespeed/fixed in my daily rides, but for mountain or long road rides i want gears. No single bike can possibly do it all, so i basically use four (those plus my 3-speed). So yeah, if you don't like to mountain bike, and want the same gearing options on all rides, the all-rounder is certainly feasible, but otherwise not. -- Bill Connell St. Paul, MN --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: The myth of the all-rounder.
One doesn't putt with a driver . . . I've ridden all three of my all-rounder Riv's in less than 24 hours. Last night, I wore a suit and tie and rode my bike to a wedding. I've only got one tie, one suit, and one nice pair of shoes, but I had to think for a moment before I chose which bike to ride! The Atlantis looked the nicest according to my five-year-old neighbor, so he suggested I might look the most dressed up on that bike. This morning, we were presented with a lovely day. My wife and I took a long, dirt road ride into the mountains carting along a bunch of water and lunch. Thinking I might like to do a little single track, I naturally chose the Bombadil. We returned from the ride, sat for a bit and then decided to head on down to town for a beer at our local watering hole and then pick up some groceries for dinner on the way back. Nothing like a single speed for that kind of mission - the Quickbeam got the job done nicely. Tomorrow, I head back to work with a need to carry a bunch of awkward items to my office. I'm also picking up a wheel at the LBS at lunch. Let's see, I'll need to take my truck . . . the Surly Big Dummy. I could accomplish everything on any one of my versatile Riv's, my Soma Smoothie ES or the Surly. Perhaps even the old Fuji fixie would work. And ya know, I HAVE played an entire 18 holes with just a driver and it WAS fun. Still, there is a joy and a sense of style in doing a job well with just the *right* tool. The all-rounder isn't a myth, it's simply just one way to enjoy the beauty of bikes. Dave On Sep 7, 6:11 pm, PATRICK MOORE bertin...@gmail.com wrote: On Mon, Sep 7, 2009 at 4:49 PM, cm chrispmur...@hotmail.com wrote: In my experience, the one-bike-for-everything bike is more in the head of the bike owner than the bike itself. The reality is that almost every bike is capable of doing (almost) everything. The issue is whether or not the cyclist is happy with that level of performance. You can ride on the road, commute, mt. bike, tour, and more on a mountain bike. I could ride my all-rounder for everything, though I may not be able to ride with a group of carbon race bikes, mountain bike with the FS crowd, or tour with tourists. But I am pretty happy with the performance of the AR in each category. No matter what bike I ride, I will never be the fastest, so the improvements in speed from switching bikes is purely for my own ego. A central component to a one bike is making do-- and that is something that people seem to have forgotten. I disagree, to a point (or, perhaps that's after a point), with myself as a counter example. My custom Rivs will take, at most, a 35, 28 with fenders, and the wheels are small ones, 559 or 571. There is no way I could ride either of these, even with new tires, in the sandy soil of our bosque. There's even no way I could ride these on less soft off road surfaces, since they were built, per my instructions, for pavement riding only. In my own case (to continue talking about myself, which fascinates everyone, no?) the most versatile bike in the sense of, dammit!, choose one bike for everything and shut up!, would be the most extreme, the Redline Monocog 29er, since that *can* accept very fat tires with fenders, and also tires as narrow as you wish to mount (doubtless with disastrous results to the handling if below about 35 mm wide). Sure, one bike can do everything; you can climb Everest in a tuxedo. But it won't be fun. My idea of an all rounder is (1) that it be biased to do better either on road or off, and (2) that you accept compromises even with this bias. Personally (me again!) I have: gofast (fixed); commuter (fixed); grocery and beater (fixed); and off road bike (ss). -- Patrick Moore Albuquerque, NM Professional Resumes. Contact resumespecialt...@gmail.com --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
