Let's see your bikes!

[Dirk Hofman]

I noticed the front chainring was pretty big and no eagle sized rear. What are you going to change? Front chainring?

[joe white]

After a long hiatus from riding I returned to my local bike trail just this morning and it sure was nice. This bike helped me get past a (re) ruptured disc in my lower back in '13 and I was able to drop 30+ pounds quickly that had accumulated from the down time from the disc. Upright bikes pound the heck out of my tail bone and lower back and make it unbearable to ride more than a couple miles so this baby allows me to get out there and get the heart and knees pumping, get the sweat flowing and clear the fog out of my mind. Here's a snap I took at the end of my 16 miler this morning. Other than my darn toes going numb, it was an excellent ride.




Then I have this guy for knocking around the house, riding to and from my shop and occasional rides down our county road. This bike is a blast!

[imwjl]

Originally Posted by Dirk Hofman

I noticed the front chainring was pretty big and no eagle sized rear. What are you going to change? Front chainring?

Hi,

It is 34t Shimano single in front and 11 speed 11-40t rear. My associate built it from OEM XT 11 speed 2x group. There's really no granny gear as is.

This morning I ordered a 32t WolfTooth ring because they also move the chainline 2mm inward. I'll probably put a 42t cassette on it at some point.

This is my 4th season of pushing bigger gears into big wheels. I'm an old fart so that won't last forever.

BTW: A little "lunch ride" 5 mi loop with pals was 3rd ride. It's radically different from anything they called a Fuel in the past. I got the Pike tuned well and now understand why so many like them.

I'm looking forward to your new build report.

[Dirk Hofman]

Originally Posted by joe white

After a long hiatus from riding I returned to my local bike trail just this morning and it sure was nice. This bike helped me get past a (re) ruptured disc in my lower back in '13 and I was able to drop 30+ pounds quickly that had accumulated from the down time from the disc.

My dad is a big recumbent guy as well, for very similar reasons. I spinal fusion surgery pointed him in that direction a couple of decades ago. He's gone across the country I think 4 times now on one. He's slowing down a bit now, but he has been my riding inspiration most of my adult life.

Cool bike!

[Dirk Hofman]

Finally done! Cannot WAIT to take this thing out.

[fitness1]

Anyone ridden or own one of the 2017 Kestrel Talon models? I'm about to pull the trigger on one and just curious if there's any first hand experience. The reviews seem to be glowing.....

[imwjl]

Originally Posted by Dirk Hofman

Finally done! Cannot WAIT to take this thing out.

Nice. The Following model? Looks like big wheels. They are supposed to be great bikes. I can't see everything in the pic, but it looks like XT brakes and a Pike.

I knew why everyone loves the XT brakes. Now I know why Pikes are so loved. Honestly, at 3rd season with XT brakes and 4th ride with the Pike tuned I think anything better would have to cost a crap ton.

I'll be curious to know how you leave the geometry. We've kept the Remedy 29 in low (67 deg, decent bb height for rough stuff). High for that new Fuel is 67 but lower bb. Low is 65.5 deg and less than 13" bb. I always smack pedals and cranks on rocks but that might be too much. 67 deg gets you around the corner in tight stuff. Thing is, there's miles of flow trail as good as it gets pedaling 12 min from my driveway.

Enjoy!

[Dirk Hofman]

Originally Posted by imwjl

Nice. The Following model? Looks like big wheels. They are supposed to be great bikes. I can't see everything in the pic, but it looks like XT brakes and a Pike.

I knew why everyone loves the XT brakes. Now I know why Pikes are so loved. Honestly, at 3rd season with XT brakes and 4th ride with the Pike tuned I think anything better would have to cost a crap ton.

I'll be curious to know how you leave the geometry. We've kept the Remedy 29 in low (67 deg, decent bb height for rough stuff). High for that new Fuel is 67 but lower bb. Low is 65.5 deg and less than 13" bb. I always smack pedals and cranks on rocks but that might be too much. 67 deg gets you around the corner in tight stuff. Thing is, there's miles of flow trail as good as it gets pedaling 12 min from my driveway.

Enjoy!

Yes, The Following. Never had anything but XT, so no insights there. The Pike replaced a Fox 32, and the difference is pretty dramatic–soooo much smoother and progressive, and much stiffer torsionally with the 35mm stanchions. Head tube angle is 67.4 (High Setting) and 66.8 on the low. 13.3 and 13.0 respectively on the bb. Should really be running 170mm cranks. The 67.4 is so much slacker than the 70 I'm used to I don't foresee changing it soon, but we'll see. From what little riding around I've done on it, it's enough of a change for now. Cool to have the option to slack it out even more.

Will post some thoughts in 10 days or so after I've wrung it out at Tahoe. Don't have that much experience with modern MTB's to compare it to, but will compare to the Ripley.

[Dirk Hofman]

Originally Posted by fitness1

Anyone ridden or own one of the 2017 Kestrel Talon models? I'm about to pull the trigger on one and just curious if there's any first hand experience. The reviews seem to be glowing.....

Looks like a lot of bike for the money! Ride on.

[imwjl]

Originally Posted by fitness1

Anyone ridden or own one of the 2017 Kestrel Talon models? I'm about to pull the trigger on one and just curious if there's any first hand experience. The reviews seem to be glowing.....

Sorry no intimate knowledge but a tri type bike that doesn't break the bank makes sense. Those things and so many road bikes are ridiculously expensive for what you get.

It's always worth keeping your eyes open for a motivated seller of a barely used bike. I've done that more than once over the years. Once a road bike where the first owner went a bit nuts and then had barely used bike with great upgrades. Last week the MTB I posted here.

My road riding is in a different era - steel bike with Campy parts are polished metal.

[fitness1]

Originally Posted by imwjl

It's always worth keeping your eyes open for a motivated seller of a barely used bike.
My road riding is in a different era - steel bike with Campy parts are polished metal.

That's what I've been doing - lots of stuff out there for sure.....I figure this will be my last bike - my last road bike went 20 years and about 30k miles, so I decided to go new with the next model up with Ultegra and standard road package. Got last years model for 1300 brand new.

[Tracy Perry]

My current trike above (Catrike 5.5.9)... after I made the mistake of letting my wife ride my "birthday present" below


This was when we were picking it up in the shop in Austin. It's a Catrike Road.

[imwjl]

Originally Posted by Tracy Perry

My current trike above (Catrike 5.5.9)... after I made the mistake of letting my wife ride my "birthday present" below





This was when we were picking it up in the shop in Austin. It's a Catrike Road.

Cool.

Today I saw a couple in a homemade quadracycle I guy made from a pair of recumbent bikes. It seemed like it was how he was getting his wife out and active.

I keep the trikes like yours or quads in mind as ways you can be pedaling if a conventional bike doesn't work.

My wife got in a first decent ride since surgery and I smiled seeing my brother couldn't drop one of my 13 y.o. boys. I was hiding the smile that realized he could drop his uncle like a hot potato.

[perttime]

A 'bent is something I want to try. A trike or a low racer, maybe. Not much chance of just trying one locally, though.

[lroyb]

Messing with photos because of the photobucket mess. Finally have pics of my newest bike. This fat bike thing is the most fun I've had on a bike in many years. Great for my local easy trails and even cruised on the beach at OBX.

This Framed 2.0 has 2 sets of wheels so I can go for regular sized tires on 29" wheels or 4" tires on 26" wheels.