# bikes bikes bikes!



## Cush (Nov 2, 2007)

hey everybody, sorry it's been so long since i've shown my ugly face around here. let's start a general bike discussion.

a couple weeks ago i got a free english racer 10 speed and wheels. i put like 60 bucks into and it's so fucking sweet now. i'm probably going to see if i can get a job as a messenger in the city come spring time.

talk about your bike!


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## Cush (Nov 2, 2007)

P.S. if you call me a hipster for liking bikes i'll sack tap you with a crowbar.


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## DirtyRig (Nov 2, 2007)

There's a huge bikepunk scene around here, and the anarchists are always organizing these massive illegal bikerides through the city.


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## Matt Derrick (Nov 2, 2007)

i love my bike, it's an old 80's raleigh frame with the old 'made in london' logo on it. im having a really hard time getting new brakes for it though. i hope to solve that this weekend at plan b.

also, i want to take it cross country at some point.


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## Hoghead Bob (Nov 24, 2007)

Cush said:


> P.S. if you call me a hipster for liking bikes i'll sack tap you with a crowbar.



Fucking hipster!


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## iamcrkt (Nov 24, 2007)

I have a 56cm Long Haul Trucker touring frame that I built up with parts that I ordered through QBP. 

I'm biking from Columbia, MO to Seattle, WA in early April or late March.

http://www.surlybikes.com ... for real!


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## Mouse (Dec 3, 2007)

I've never learned much about bikes but i always wanted to. I'd love to pimp out a bike for myself and ride everywhere but alas i haven't the time right now and abotu 20 other projects ahead of that one. 

know any good books or zines or sites to teach me the not-so-basics.


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## Cush (Dec 5, 2007)

http://www.microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/title/1667/

that's the best bike maitinence book i've found. it's fairly cheap and it's from an awesome company.


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## rideitlikeyoustoleit (Dec 6, 2007)

I guess you could say I'm a pretty big bike nerd.

Bike #1: White Nishiki International that I have converted to single speed.

Bike #2: Black Raleigh Pursuit that I have also converted to single speed. Components on this one are a little better.

Bike #3: Pink Univega road bike.

I toured the East Coast this last summer on a Panisonic, and it gave me little to no problems. However, I was hating life some of the ride for not keeping my granny gear on.


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## wokofshame (Dec 6, 2007)

yeah i got a Giant not sure the name made in taiwan, 
i can't say i'm really into spending more than half an hour at a time tinkering but it sure is nice to know how if i have to, derailleurs, brakes all that shiznit
i'm going on a bike trip from san diego to punto laredo, mexico next week.
was reading this NG book on china the other nite and it had pictures of these chinese peasants hunting from bikes :-X


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## SimplemanChris (Dec 11, 2007)

Hi,

Bikes are my preferred means on travel too. I don’t have to wait around for a bus or sit for hours waiting to hitch a ride from a passing car. The only thing that can get in my way is maintenance when I have to ride in the mud and it clogs up the gears, chain and shifting cables. Oh yea, lets not forget flat tires.
I have a cool bike I got for free. It is an old Japanese 21 speed that had a free sign on it sitting in a driveway. I put new tires and cable on it and now it gets me around. You can score a good bike at Value Village or other hand me down stores. You should expect to pay around 20 bucks. Do the work yourself so that if you have a problem 50 miles from the nearest city, you can McGiver it to keep rolling along. The last trip I did was from the Puget Sound to the Columbia River. It was a 600 miles ride on old RR racks and dirt FS Roads. I think only about 30 miles of it was riding on paved surfaces. I did the entire trip stealth camping in the bushes for free. I have a old BOB Trailer that I pull behind my bike, I can carry about 90 pounds of gear and food with me. The best part about moving by bicycle for me is that I don't have to worry about money for gas, or my old P.O.S. truck breaking down every 200 miles

Chris


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## hellomonday (Dec 11, 2007)

i recently found and old schwinn stingray with a purple seat and pink rims on it on the side of the road that im planning on fixing up at some point. its sweet as hell.
im kindof a sucker for the schwinns, right now ive got a blue breeze and its my best friend really. the only thing about it is that i cant ride right now because i live in michigan and the city has been barfed upon by ice and snow and shit. i hate the winter. gah...


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## rideitlikeyoustoleit (Dec 11, 2007)

Old Schwinns are cool, but a lot of the old ones have internal three speeds and coaster brakes. My partner and I are always trying to disassemble them and to figure them out, but it is still a total mystery to us.


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## SimplemanChris (Dec 13, 2007)

Old Schwinns ROCK! Yeah, those internal hubs are one of life's great mysteries. You have more courage than me if you take one apart and dive into it. I prefer the exposed derailleur type of shifters. 
Most of the bike repair techniques I have learned are from Sheldon’s site. Here is the linkage,
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/english-3.html

You can make your own chains for snow and ice by using large zip-ties. I wrap them around the tire and cut them to length. Keep in mind, unless you have a coaster or disk brake, you can’t use your brakes as it will hit the zip ties and break your pads off. 
You can also make your own ice tires with short metal screws. Just google “homemade bicycle ice tires”. I am riding 12 months a year now. Man, I can’t wait until the warmer weather hits!!


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## rideitlikeyoustoleit (Dec 14, 2007)

Sheldon Brown is an awesome website! The how-to's are great! I'm using that site right now to learn frame geometry.


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## Matt Derrick (Dec 14, 2007)

SimplemanChris said:


> You can make your own chains for snow and ice by using large zip-ties. I wrap them around the tire and cut them to length. Keep in mind, unless you have a coaster or disk brake, you can’t use your brakes as it will hit the zip ties and break your pads off.
> 
> You can also make your own ice tires with short metal screws. Just google “homemade bicycle ice tires”. I am riding 12 months a year now. Man, I can’t wait until the warmer weather hits!!



whoa, that's some kick ass info! i had no idea about the zip tie thing, that's cool!


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## blackmatter (Jan 18, 2008)

hellomonday said:


> i recently found and old schwinn stingray with a purple seat and pink rims on it on the side of the road that im planning on fixing up at some point. its sweet as hell.
> im kindof a sucker for the schwinns, right now ive got a blue breeze and its my best friend really. the only thing about it is that i cant ride right now because i live in michigan and the city has been barfed upon by ice and snow and shit. i hate the winter. gah...


 michigan weather is poop right now


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## loam (Jan 20, 2008)

i'm going to take the front tire off of a bike and weld the frame to a shopping cart. i just need a place to do it.


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## Dillinger (Jan 20, 2008)

I wish I had a bike. =(


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## hellomonday (Feb 4, 2008)

once my friend was riding her bike really drunk this summer and she clotheslined it into this chain blocking off the entrance to a park driveway: funniest shit ever haha.
im trying to sort of just teach myself through books and stuff, 
i found this really shit bike but the frame was really fucking cool, so i took it home and im fixing it as a sort of experimental thing learning as i go.


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## finn (Feb 4, 2008)

I learned how to fix bikes by putting together bikes from bike graveyards, and trying to make them work. I wasn't always successful, but reading books did help, though those are geared towards newer parts than what I found. 

I've also become adept at riding semi-broken bikes.


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## hellomonday (Feb 5, 2008)

> I've also become adept at riding semi-broken bikes.


haha word.


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## rideitlikeyoustoleit (Feb 7, 2008)

finn said:


> I learned how to fix bikes by putting together bikes from bike graveyards, and trying to make them work. I wasn't always successful, but reading books did help, though those are geared towards newer parts than what I found.
> 
> I've also become adept at riding semi-broken bikes.



This is exactly how I learned as well. Seeing how bikes are my main form of transportation, I decided that I wanted to be self sufficiant and worked until I understood it. It really is pretty simple once you mentally accept the fact that bikes are simple machines. The only real work involved is overhauling and tightening things.


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## Mouse (Feb 8, 2008)

there was this really cool article in the most recent BUST about a chick biking cross-country. not so much about biking but about feminism and stuff but it had some interesting resources. I'm gonna scan and post it asap


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## finn (Feb 8, 2008)

rideitlikeyoustoleit said:


> finn said:
> 
> 
> > I learned how to fix bikes by putting together bikes from bike graveyards, and trying to make them work. I wasn't always successful, but reading books did help, though those are geared towards newer parts than what I found.
> ...



Oh, and LOOSENING things is hard work, particularly when they are very rusted. I have at least one bike whose fork is permanently rusted to the handlebar stem.


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## btimby (Feb 12, 2008)

i rode a bike from colorado to alaska last summer. it's a very independent form of travel. and you can't stop without making friends, everyone's inspired by what you're doing.

here's my journal:
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/bicyclingyank


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## tober (Jun 15, 2008)

rideitlikeyoustoleit said:


> Bike #1: White Nishiki International that I have converted to single speed.




how did you resize the chain after you took off the derailleur? did you get another wheel with a single speed cog, or just re-mount the chain onto the mountain bike wheel?


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## macks (Jun 15, 2008)

its easier to get another wheel with a single speed hub than to rebuild the hub. you can resize a chain prety eaily with a chain tool which lets you take out links of the chain and put it back together easily. they arent very expensive but a local bike shop can do it for cheap if you dont have any friends with a chainbreaker.


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## bryanpaul (Jun 15, 2008)

it's all about the muhfuckin beach cruiser..... wicker basket wired to front for haulin' 40's...spray painted flat black...small jolly roger flag for effect....tear-assin round the fuckin town...DAMN I MISS THAT BIKE


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## rideitlikeyoustoleit (Dec 21, 2008)

toberborgan said:


> how did you resize the chain after you took off the derailleur? did you get another wheel with a single speed cog, or just re-mount the chain onto the mountain bike wheel?



To resize your chain you use a chainbreaker. It's really small and all it does is push the pin out of the part of the chain your working on so you can take it apart. You measure with the chain what size your going to need, take the extra chain out with the chainbreaker, and put the chain back together.

The trick with this is to avoid a stiff link after resizing your chain is the flex the chain back and forth a couple times (in the direction it isn't supposed to bend) to loosen it a bit.


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## finn (Dec 22, 2008)

rideitlikeyoustoleit said:


> The trick with this is to avoid a stiff link after resizing your chain is the flex the chain back and forth a couple times (in the direction it isn't supposed to bend) to loosen it a bit.



Also, if you are using an semi-crappy chain, you might have to use the chain breaker again to push in the other side of the pin in, but the teeth of the chain breaker has to push again the inside of the link. Only one of the teeth will be really be in use, since the chain will want to go at a diagonal. That tooth will break after do this about a hundred times, depending on how sturdy the tool is.


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## Geoff (Dec 22, 2008)

my bike was stolen. i miss her alot


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## bikegeek666 (Dec 22, 2008)

bikes are rad. read sheldon brown. don't get your heart set on messenger work, it's hard to come by, especially these days. i have experience and i'm in a area that can sustain a couple hundred messengers, and i'm still having trouble getting work.

but bikes are rad. i only have one right now, and without a home i'm trying to justify buying a new one...i did have 5 at one point. it was fun, i could choose which one i felt like riding that day based on weather, or just for fun, or whatever. 

right now i just have a stickered up track bike with some nice track parts where it counts and cheap mountain bike parts where it doesn't and a basket for work.


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## Double-A (Jan 2, 2009)

i was once really pumped about moving to Minneapolis and finding messenger work, but then i watched Pedal. Granted it takes place in new york, but being pressed like that? nah. maybe in a podunk town it'd be rad, but there's no demand... although, now's the time to exploit the shit outta liberals who want to "go green"!

speaking of track bikes, if you were to get a flip-flop hub, which one would you prefer? i know quality shit and what to look for in the casting, but when it comes to track, i'm lost. i really dig on surly, but don't know if it's worth the money and save up for a phil wood...

warmshowers.org is pretty cool for anyone touring. i actually found it through btimby's journal. it slo doesn't seem as sketchy as couchsurfers can be.


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## Lint (Jan 12, 2009)

bikes are good. tall bikes are gooder.


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## Double-A (Jan 14, 2009)

you're damn right! since i don't know how to weld or have a welder, i made a flip tall bike. i made the handlebars out of steel conduit, definitely not the best idea, but it works and the retarded handlebars get a lot of attention.


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## jonahxx (Jan 15, 2009)

what city r u talkin about cush and dirty rig, I loveeeeeeeeeee bikes my its badass have no brakes but thas how ilove it and no its not a fixie

i travel everywhere but san francisco and new york city are like my hometown and theres sooo many fixies there insane

i only hopp with a bike once and i wanna do it again but this time the frame gotta b lighter


BIKES

OH YEAH 

BIKIN FROM SAN FRANCISCO TO SANTA CUX PRETTY AWESOME


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## bikegeek666 (Jan 16, 2009)

Double-A said:


> i was once really pumped about moving to Minneapolis and finding messenger work, but then i watched Pedal. Granted it takes place in new york, but being pressed like that? nah. maybe in a podunk town it'd be rad, but there's no demand... although, now's the time to exploit the shit outta liberals who want to "go green"!
> 
> speaking of track bikes, if you were to get a flip-flop hub, which one would you prefer? i know quality shit and what to look for in the casting, but when it comes to track, i'm lost. i really dig on surly, but don't know if it's worth the money and save up for a phil wood...
> 
> warmshowers.org is pretty cool for anyone touring. i actually found it through btimby's journal. it slo doesn't seem as sketchy as couchsurfers can be.




surly hubs aren't great. the bearings need lots of maintenance. they've been known to tighten and crap out on people while riding. even cheap formulas and the like are better. 

my personal favorite is miche primato, which are a little more expensive, but not too much. they're comparable in quality to things that cost twice as much, so i think it's worth the extra 40 bucks over a formula hub. they only come one-sided or fixed/fixed flip flop, though. you could try threading a bmx freewheel onto a fixed hub. it will only engage a few threads, but i know people who've done it.

and as far as pedal...it shows some realities of messenger work everywhere. i was the homeless, drunk messenger for a while in portland. i know plenty of dirty punks, ex-junkies, and drunks doing...it mostly old-schoolers, though, from before it was cool, and more punks were doing it.


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## dime (Jan 29, 2009)

i just built a bmx bike here in gainesville @ the kickstand. hopefully i can put a pic up soonish. i think someone stole my camera.


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## ziggyluscious (Mar 25, 2009)

I love my bike ! And I hate fucking hipsters !!

Need a bike ? Have little or no money ??
Check out your local bike co op.
Many bike co ops have 'work for a bike'.
It's how I built my last 2 bikes and I'm now training to be a bike
mechanic for my local bike co op - coooool !
Some bike co ops are cool and full of street people building bikes 
others are full of hipster fuckheads..
Just check it out.. and have some fun.

Does anyone have any links to websites that have instructions for building
bike trailers ? Especially trailers that I don't need welding gear for??

I'd also like to do some touring, but not a single gear racer type of gal,
love my mountain/hybrid bikes.
Anyone tour with/live on one of these ??

Linda


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## Angela (Mar 25, 2009)

ziggyluscious said:


> Does anyone have any links to websites that have instructions for building
> bike trailers ? Especially trailers that I don't need welding gear for??



Here you go. This is a great little zine that some fella made called Community Bike Cart Design and you can find it and download it at http://bikefarm.org/blog/docs/Educational%20Docs/bikecart-sequential.pdf


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## wartomods (Mar 28, 2009)

*Bike Topic*

I am a bike afficionado, i would love to get into bike touring, and i know some of you enjoy traveling by bicycle aswell. So lets share joy.
Currently i have a 49 euros bike (lame), rigid frame and fork, made of steel, 26inches wheels, i am working on doing some tweaking to it, will get some sleek road tires, oil it up, put a frame for carring rucksack and get on the go


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## wartomods (Mar 28, 2009)

*Bike Topic*

Some people say it is too slow, but it is for the ride


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## Supertramp (Mar 29, 2009)

*Bike Topic*

ohh fuck dude, i got a USPS frame from before lance got really big. all the parts are custom too, set my friend way back, but he needed some money, so i gave him 100 for it. i LOVE IT. also, my dad and his friends are all gearwhores, so i know my fair share, he owns a peugeot, a Felt, and a racing frame single speed fixed gear. I hear tell in PDX fixed gears with no breaks is realy popular, which in my opinion is really fucking STUPID, but what can you do


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## wartomods (Mar 29, 2009)

*Bike Topic*

fixed gear is pretty awsome, maybe i would ride it with a brake on the front instead of no brakes, but for long distances forget it


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## Supertramp (Mar 29, 2009)

*Bike Topic*

yea, i just found out the frame is a 2002 Trek 5200. fuckin $2400 frame! but yea, i used to have a peugeot fixed gear, but someone stole it. but i guess thats what you get for having a nice bike in Grants Ass, OR.


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## wartomods (Mar 30, 2009)

*Bike Topic*

I had never had the chance to ride a fixie for long distances. How good would they suit for touring ? I guess they would be alright. having in mind the lower maintenence required.


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## Supertramp (Mar 30, 2009)

*Bike Topic*

uhm yea, theyre really low maintenance, but i would rather have a single speed with a free wheel, but thats my preference


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## Supertramp (Apr 3, 2009)

where the fuck was i when this topic was made?? Bicycles are the greatest invention since vulcanized rubber and the printing press! I myself have a Trek 5200, but i really haven't investigated the other parts on it, since i bought it off of my father for $100, who, by the way, is a supreme gear whore. But my favorite company is probably Peugeot. I love their frames


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## wartomods (Apr 3, 2009)

i love travelling by bike, it is so good to travel in the road and then just pitch the tent and enjoy the sunset at some field


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## Nym (Apr 23, 2009)

im building a bike right now
and im going to ride it to new mexico
its gonna be sweet
im building it all from scratch and its
gonna be my own piece of art!


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## rideitlikeyoustoleit (May 14, 2009)

*Bike Topic*

I love touring but I always have problems finding a touring buddy that keeps the same pace. Their either to fast or too slow.

I have three bikes, but my main squeeze is my niskiki international.


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## dime (May 14, 2009)

*Bike Topic*

i have a old as fuck sears and roebucks bike that i converted to single speed. kinda a piece of shit but its ok. i need a new wheel set and someone stole my damn seat.


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## finn (May 14, 2009)

*Bike Topic*



dime said:


> ...and someone stole my damn seat.



You should use some old bike chain to secure the seat, you can put old innertube around it so it doesn't scratch everything up. All you need is a chainbreaker to get it on and off, but it does take some time to do.


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## dime (May 14, 2009)

*Bike Topic*

good idea. thanx


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## dime (May 16, 2009)

*Bike Topic*

well i finally got another seat. it is a mongoose bmx seat but it works until i get another saddle


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## wartomods (May 16, 2009)

*Bike Topic*

any sources on doing makeshift panniers rack for bicycles, specially a rear one?
Btw what wheel size do you guys usually ride, i ride 26 inches, maybe a bit small for road touring, but they are aways easy and fairly cheap to replace.


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## wartomods (May 16, 2009)

*Bike Topic*



rideitlikeyoustoleit said:


> I love touring but I always have problems finding a touring buddy that keeps the same pace. Their either to fast or too slow.
> 
> I have three bikes, but my main squeeze is my niskiki international.



yeah thats always an issue, but if i have a faster pace than someone i will just slow down and maybe have a nicer view on the landscape, or i say to meet me in the next intersection where i rest and stuff.


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## dime (May 16, 2009)

*Bike Topic*

i ride 27 inch wheels


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## lilylove (May 21, 2009)

I just rode my peugeot one speed from amsterdam to budapest, through the netherlands, belgium, france, germany, austria, slovakia and hungary... and had a great time. Anyways, got that bloody 'big rock candy mountain' stuck in my head more than a few days in a row and messed around with a new bike dedication.... haha, here it is  

One evening as the sun went down
and the bikes were all unloaded,
Down the path came a rambler peddlin’
And they said folks I’m-a-touring.

I’m headed for a land
that’s far away
And the miles I’m not a-countin’.
So ride with me, we’ll go and see
The Big Rock Candy Mountain.

In the big rock candy mountains,
the wheels go round and round
Where your big load feels like feathers,
And the hills always go down.

Where you reach the top without a sweat,
but the vistas take your breath
Where your wheels come true,
and you never need lube
The tyres stay new,
and the drive train too.
In the big rock candy mountains.

Where your fuel bills all are zero,
and you’ll never see a car.
There’s tandem bikes
and recumbant trikes
Where it’s never a race
at a natural pace
In the big rock candy mountains.

Where you’re friends with all the locals,
and the k’s just slip away
With an energy snack,
on a nice smooth track
and the wind at your back,
In the big rock candy mountains.

Where the campsites are all bramble free,
and the smoke don’t sting your eyes
There’s plenty of trees
and you never pay fees
Moss for a bed
and mosquitoes are dead.

In the big rock candy mountains,
your bum just don’t get sore
Where bright and shining rainbows,
light clouds that never poor.
Where each new day,
you choose your way
You can ride your bike,
Till the fall of night,
In the big rock candy mountains.

(whistle)

I’ll see you all this comin’ fall,
In the big rock candy mountains.


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## Turtles (May 22, 2009)

Worcester,MA has a thing called Earn-A-Bike witch is this awsome program where u help people (ussually for like 20 hours wich = out to 20 hours) by ybuilding bikes or helpin the local kids. In the end u get to build yer own bike. Its awsome!!!


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## madewithpaint (Jun 8, 2009)

I ride a GT Mach One Expert that I've had since 2006. 
I also have a yellow Chiorda that I found at the Bike Church in Santa Cruz not too long ago. I don't know what year the model is, but I know it's pretty old.


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## McKay (Jun 8, 2009)

I've built a cruiser with its 1940's frame
A Female framed bike for my girlfriend
and I am working on a few more projects out of my basement
a few kids bikes for the neighbor hood and such


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## dime (Jun 8, 2009)

This is my new bike, got it for $40. and it is only 22 lbs






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## Mogwai (Jun 9, 2009)

I personally would say fixed gears wouldn't be that good for touring, mostly because your legs NEVER get a break. If you're moving, so are they. No coasting.

That's not to say it can't be done, but if you're going 80+ miles a day, next to someone even on a single speed that can coast down those hills, or just give their legs a rest, it's pretty easy to see that you're going to be more tired than you would had you had a freewheel. A single speed really requires no more maintenance than a fixed, so I'd suggest that as a minimum, but most people that tour have a few gears. There's just such varied terrain, and you're usually packing a fair amount of crap.

I ride a fixed gear everyday, and I love it. It's a tiny little track frame and the responsiveness can't be beat, especially in downtown traffic, which is where I am usually. There are lots of pro's to them, but I'd say touring is not their best suit.


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## wartomods (Jun 9, 2009)

dime said:


> This is my new bike, got it for $40. and it is only 22 lbs
> 
> 
> 
> ...



sweet deal


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