Advice on "Comfort Bikes" (Gary Fisher Capitola vs. Giant Sedona)

Subject: Advice on "Comfort Bikes" (Gary Fisher Capitola vs. Giant
Sedona)
From: (Sverre)
Date: 7/19/2004 9:28 AM US Eastern Standard Time
Message-id:

Steve Knight wrote in message
...
On Sat, 17 Jul 2004 10:16:26 -0400, "Bruce Freeburger" "Bruce Freeburger"
wrote:

Dave,
Anyone who is shopping for the best $300 bicycle is a fool. These
are the people you see riding on the sidewalk with their back in a
vertical position, the seat 3" too low, spinning the crank very slow in
a high gear, and the (optional) helmet tilted back like a yamica.

you forgot the headphones and riding the wrong direction.

Well, I ride a "comfort" bike (Specialized Expedition Elite). I
commute to work every day (14 mile round trip), and also use it for
most errands like grocery shopping, trips to the post office etc. The
bike is loaded with rack, baskets, fenders and lights. It's a real
bicycle SUV. I do however, know and follow the traffic rules.

Just recently I have seen several "serious" bikers who don't. One was
a roadie who had all the right gear including pulling a BOB trailer.
He also ran a red light doing a left turn in a really busy
intersection. Another, on the same road, also a roadie with all the
right gear, was riding against traffic on a 4 lane, 45mph road.
Another roadie (a real speedster this one) I see almost every day in
rougly the same spot, inside a subdivision. This guy apparently think
he's a racer. He always wears headphones and speeds through the
intersections (running stop signs) like a maniac.

For the record, I see roadies that do follow the rules. My point is
that it isn't the gear or the type of bike that makes a good cyclist,
and making general statements against people riding comfort bikes, or
cheap bikes, isn't really fair.

Sverre

It's just kind of a usenet thing to generalize and insult I guess.
It's not about WHAT you ride...Some people don't get that.

On 20 Jul 2004 00:41:06 GMT, (Fx199) wrote:
It's just kind of a usenet thing to generalize and insult I guess.

All people who say that are assholes.
--
Rick "Me too!" Onanian

On Sat, 17 Jul 2004 10:16:26 -0400, "Bruce Freeburger" "Bruce
Freeburger" wrote:

Dave,
Anyone who is shopping for the best $300 bicycle is a fool. These
are the people you see riding on the sidewalk with their back in a
vertical position, the seat 3" too low, spinning the crank very slow in
a high gear, and the (optional) helmet tilted back like a yamica.
They are clueless as to what a bicycle is for, so they follow the
model of bicycle riding as a child: very short trips on the sidewalk.

While I do agree that more cyclists need to be out on the road, not
everybody can be an elite roadie. Road racing bicycles aren't the
best thing in the world for loose sand, gravel trails, or trips from
the market laden with groceries.

I use my bicycle--a tourer--for everything from quick trips to the
store to long rides in the country.

-Luigi

On Sat, 17 Jul 2004 22:15:59 -0400, "Dave DesRoches"
wrote:

I guess this "fool" should have been more specific.

I have a Trek road bike I use for breaking a sweat, so my interest in this
category was a quality, recreational ride that didn't necessitate my
clipping into pedals and skidding through sand. Because I have a good road
bike I'm happy with, I wasn't looking to break the bank with this
supplementary ride - but also wanted to purchase a quality bike that would
last.

Thanks to all for their opinions on the subject. Reputability of the shop
and service seem to be recurring themes. Much appreciated!

Why not pick up a good-quality used, rigid (no suspension) mountain
bike?

-Luigi


-Dave

On Tue, 20 Jul 2004 10:09:01 -0400, Luigi de Guzman
wrote:

On Sat, 17 Jul 2004 10:16:26 -0400, "Bruce Freeburger" "Bruce
Freeburger" wrote:

Dave,
Anyone who is shopping for the best $300 bicycle is a fool. These
are the people you see riding on the sidewalk with their back in a
vertical position, the seat 3" too low, spinning the crank very slow in
a high gear, and the (optional) helmet tilted back like a yamica.
They are clueless as to what a bicycle is for, so they follow the
model of bicycle riding as a child: very short trips on the sidewalk.

While I do agree that more cyclists need to be out on the road, not
everybody can be an elite roadie. Road racing bicycles aren't the
best thing in the world for loose sand, gravel trails, or trips from
the market laden with groceries.

I use my bicycle--a tourer--for everything from quick trips to the
store to long rides in the country.

-Luigi

I hesitate to post this, but I went in and test rode a couple road
bikes, (Trek 2200 among them). It was a bit too extreme drop such that
I couldn't really get into the drops with the left hip injury
stiffness, but the Ultegra components were sweet, as was the shifter.
Had never seen that type of shifter, but I could see it being nice.

Riding on the hoods was just fine, but lack of a brake lever set on
the bar seemed less than optimal for me.

So I looked at the only other bike in that category with dual brakes,
and it was the 1000C. That bike fit me -very- well. OK, I'm ashamed to
say I liked a 'comfort' road bike - so ditch the suspension seatpost
and I thought that ride would be nice for the next upgrade. So now I'm
eyeing the 1800C. Still a decent angle and fit, plus Ultegra. I'll
test ride it again in the early fall.

-B

On Tue, 20 Jul 2004 11:43:57 -0400, Badger_South
wrote:
I hesitate to post this, but I went in and test rode a couple road
bikes, (Trek 2200 among them). It was a bit too extreme drop such that
I couldn't really get into the drops with the left hip injury
stiffness, but the Ultegra components were sweet, as was the shifter.
Had never seen that type of shifter, but I could see it being nice.

Let me guess: They had the handlebar lower than the saddle by two
inches or more.

Riding on the hoods was just fine, but lack of a brake lever set on
the bar seemed less than optimal for me.

It doesn't bother me as I ride mostly on the hoods, where I can
reach the levers okay; but if you want to ride on the tops a lot,
you can get levers that go there, similar to classic "suicide
levers" but much safer.

With the bike fit properly, the hoods will probably be where you
want to be most often.

Attn post modifier extensionalization terminology methodology nazis:
Note a new flagrant violation, "brakeset", on
http://www.trekbikes.com/bikes/2004/road/2200.jsp

I can't wait to see "Cassetteset".
--
Rick Onanian

Rick Onanian wrote:

Attn post modifier extensionalization terminology methodology nazis:
Note a new flagrant violation, "brakeset", on
http://www.trekbikes.com/bikes/2004/road/2200.jsp

Well, I /suppose/ that a bike /could/ come with, say, 105 levers and Ultegra
brakes?

I can't wait to see "Cassetteset".

Now you're just being silly.

Bill "must be the black stuff in your stupid translucent bottle?" S.

On Wed, 21 Jul 2004 14:51:13 GMT, "S o r n i"
wrote:
Bill "must be the black stuff in your stupid translucent bottle?" S.

The bottle is stupid because it is speckled, not because it is
translucent. The translucence just augmentifies the problematic
issue. G
--
Rick Onanian

Rick Onanian wrote:
On Wed, 21 Jul 2004 14:51:13 GMT, "S o r n i"
wrote:
Bill "must be the black stuff in your stupid translucent bottle?" S.

The bottle is stupid because it is speckled, not because it is
translucent. The translucence just augmentifies the problematic
issue. G

You mean the problematic TISSUE!

Bill "get your affairs in order, man -- that stuff's deadly" S.

On Wed, 21 Jul 2004 16:14:42 GMT, "S o r n i"
wrote:
Bill "get your affairs in order, man -- that stuff's deadly" S.

No affairs, but I have some evidence of other things that I'll need
to clean up...
--
Rick Onanian