The Acoustic Guitar Forum - NBD

The Acoustic Guitar Forum (https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/forums/index.php)

- Open Mic (https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=12)

- - NBD - New Bicycle Day (https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=548401)

I bought a wonderful 1970s Japanese 10-speed bike from a client for $85.
Works fine, lasts a long time. ;)

Hah! Me, too.

My last two bikes are sooooo last century - a Holdsworth Mistral that I built up from the spokes in ‘78, and a Trek Singletrack 970 that I bought in ‘97.

I went for a 2020 Specialized Roubaix Sport (disc) in “Dusty Turquoise” for my welcome-to-retirement ride. My, how technology has changed in only 40 years.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silly Moustache (Post 6076144)

We boys must have our toys eh? (and I'm certainly not knocking it!)

Some people are perfectly happy with one guitar, I have ... many, for differing purposes, but only one bike.

My stepson is bike mad and has a shedful, each one for different purposes, to be fair he commutes to work and back daily , a round rip of about 15 miles, and in all weathers. Physical guy, works at a race course, and loves the open air.

He made my bike for me, a '90s Kona Cindercone steel frame and everything else from ??? I love it dearly, but my off roading or long riding days are over, but it still feels like a sports car to me.

Hehe - yes, enthusiasts in any pursuit can tend to go overboard. I have friends into photography and that is an especially expensive hobby. With regards to bicycling, there is also a subset who are self sufficient and are the equivalent to those of us who can change our own strings or swap in a bone saddle. Tinkering is universal. Like us who are addicted to Stewart MacDonald, these type of bicyclists have Park Tools who sell highly specialized and accordingly (over)priced tools.

Nice. That's a very nice series of bike. You get some sure feeling MTB posture, lots of general capability, and drop bars are not for everyone.

I'm not stopping going after the off road riding until it stops me.

Guitar acquisition is well under control here but right now we have parents and twin teenagers who all ride and share the same fleet of bikes.

Anyone who can ride should. Enjoy it in good health!

I bought the same Trek DS 4 about 3 months ago. It's a great bike. Enjoy.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bluside (Post 6085096)

I bought the same Trek DS 4 about 3 months ago. It's a great bike. Enjoy.

It's a bunch of steps up from the DS4 I previously owned. I've swapped out the seat, got the Bontrager Duotrap and found a handlebar bag that will fit with the handlebar computer....

I love these posts. Interesting demographic, we all seem similar in many ways. I was very much into biking when I was in my teens and early 20's, 45 years ago. I haven't had a nice bike for years, so a couple of months ago, not knowing too much - but enough - I went into a LBS (Local Bike Store), gave them my specs and they came up with a Trek Checkpoint ALR 5. Light (22lbs) and comfortable. Never thought I'd spend this much on a bike - actually reminds me of my guitar habit - but such is life.

I live near Jupiter, FL and there are lots of nice places to ride. Route 1 goes for about 10 miles north of me with beautiful views of the ocean, and when it's not 95 degrees or raining (much of the case in South Florida right now) it's a blast!

I used to be really into cycling 20 years ago. I did road races and mountain bike races. Cycling was still kind of “underground” in my town back then. In those days we used to sneak onto private property to ride trails. Now the county has a huge, super fun, well-maintained mountain bike park with a parking lot, trail maps, and even restrooms (porta Johns). It’s gone mainstream.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tico (Post 6076379)

I bought a wonderful 1970s Japanese 10-speed bike...

My first decent bike was one of those too and it was great... got me through school. But if you do many hills, there ain't nothing like having 27 gears. :D

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve-arino (Post 6085218)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kerbie (Post 6085456)

My first decent bike was one of those too and it was great... got me through school. But if you do many hills, there ain't nothing like having 27 gears. :D

Now the trend is back toward 10 speed with lots of drop bar bikes having 11 or 12 speed cassettes and a single chain ring in front. I love the simplicity. It's only a really steep climb with lots of weight or a headwind while riding in a group that cause me to miss more than one ring up front.

The other beautiful thing is hydraulic disk brakes on drop bar bikes.

I fought hard against the inner weight weenie and surprised myself with how much I love our Salsa Fargo and Kona Sutra. They've been great for adventures but have also cut out 2 - 15 miles a day that used to be in a car. A lot of people think about a battery for hybrid but we've made that a bike. Heck with any ideas to save money or the planet. I earn a beer or cookie going to and from work or an errand.

Everyone here who's not been pedaling should get back at it. It's an instant trip to being a kid. It can be as useful as it is fun. The product and quality choices are incredible. Back in the day you needed to look at high end just for things to work well. It's a lot like my feeling you don't have to get the best to have a good guitar in this era.

:)

My wife's and my closest to NBDs, and machines that have had far more use than we ever expected.

https://i.imgur.com/N4sEFM6.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/xkVTwUJ.jpg

"Everyone here who's not been pedaling should get back at it. It's an instant trip to being a kid. It can be as useful as it is fun. The product and quality choices are incredible."

Completely agree. It's an instant trip to being a kid. Yes. I think my last high end bike was a Peugeot UO2 from the 70's. That one had rat trap pedals though :-). I smile when I get on the bike and smile again when I look at my fitbit app when I get home.

Quote:

Originally Posted by imwjl (Post 6085893)

That model checks off a lot of important stuff. I do wish it accommodated bigger tires. My wife and have not exactly gotten into the gravel riding craze but do a lot of mixed surface stuff and we're MTB riders. We like 50mm and bigger tires on a drop bar bike more than I ever thought we would.

Now the trend is back toward 10 speed with lots of drop bar bikes having 11 or 12 speed cassettes and a single chain ring in front. I love the simplicity. It's only a really steep climb with lots of weight or a headwind while riding in a group that cause me to miss more than one ring up front.

The other beautiful thing is hydraulic disk brakes on drop bar bikes.

I fought hard against the inner weight weenie and surprised myself with how much I love our Salsa Fargo and Kona Sutra. They've been great for adventures but have also cut out 2 - 15 miles a day that used to be in a car. A lot of people think about a battery for hybrid but we've made that a bike. Heck with any ideas to save money or the planet. I earn a beer or cookie going to and from work or an errand.

Everyone here who's not been pedaling should get back at it. It's an instant trip to being a kid. It can be as useful as it is fun. The product and quality choices are incredible. Back in the day you needed to look at high end just for things to work well. It's a lot like my feeling you don't have to get the best to have a good guitar in this era.

:)

My wife's and my closest to NBDs, and machines that have had far more use than we ever expected.

https://i.imgur.com/N4sEFM6.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/xkVTwUJ.jpg

It's good to hear some a comprehensive review. I'd love to see more such threads in the Open Mic section. I feel like we're hijacking the OP's thread.

FWIW I was A/B'ing the OP's bike with my Marlin 7 and see lots of similarities - and maybe even a little overlap - between the two. At about $350 I think I made a good choice with the Marlin 7 as the frames/geometry are strikingly similar.

I really like the 29" tires, but at the same time I am extremely jealous of the Deore 2x10 M6000 groupset on the DS4. Being 4 pounds lighter than mine with better gearing ratios the OP would certainly blow by me lol!

EDITED to add pics of my own:

Between my wife and I we have THREE Treks; we are Trekkies. Live long and prosper. Here are my two. I'm waiting for my son to grow into the 4900 so that we can hit a co-op and overhaul it:

https://live.staticflickr.com/7895/4...a58ec8_z_d.jpg

Here's my new one all gritty:

https://live.staticflickr.com/7819/4...ed652a_z_d.jpg

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neil K Walk (Post 6086070)

It's good to hear some a comprehensive review. I'd love to see more such threads in the Open Mic section. I feel like we're hijacking the OP's thread...

The OP doesn't think so. There's only so many ways you can say, "Nice bike." I think it's cool to hear about the cycling habits and passions from the rest of you. I especially enjoy hearing you'all share your first bikes - it brings back memories of the Schwinn Varsity I took to college followed by a Gitane Gran Sport, a Raleigh Grand Prix and so, so many other bikes since then. I'd say that this TREK DS4 is the best of lot, and it's amazing how much bicycles have improved and specialized over the past 50 years...

Quote:

Originally Posted by RP (Post 6086097)

My first bike was a girl's bike our dad fixed up from junk.

Chat about the old European and them Japanese bikes strike me. The Raleigh I got as a teen was a big deal and started something that never really ended. Parting with my savings sticks in my memory. Anyone who knew those should love these modern on/off pavement bikes.

A lot of people are getting e bikes too. I don't absolutely dislike them as some do, but for now take pride in my younger brother and his woman on e bikes barely able to keep up with our self-powered pedaling and bike handling.

:)

My first bike was a Schwinn Stingray. I lived on that thing. That was THE COOL bike back then. I think it just came out and all the kids in the neighborhood had one.