[amol4184]

I have been on a biking purchase spree. Replaced the 105 cassette with Ultegra and chain with KMC X10. Next up, switched the ugly 35 degree stem with a slammed Zipp 5 degree 100mm stem - totally transforming how the bike feels. Its a new bike now!

One purchase though is especially turning out a “why didn’t I do this earlier” thing.
A hangar that holds bikes on top of each other. I tried using it as repair/maintenance stand and it works in a pinch. Great for me because my bike doesn’t have stand.
Got it used at a throwaway price. The guy said he made it himself based off of some popular brand’s design, which I was unable to locate online. Anyhoo, rather sturdy and stable, made of thick steel beams.

[AutoIndian]

Originally Posted by amol4184

A hangar that holds bikes on top of each other. I tried using it as repair/maintenance stand and it works in a pinch. Great for me because my bike doesn’t have stand.
Got it used at a throwaway price. The guy said he made it himself based off of some popular brand’s design, which I was unable to locate online. Anyhoo, rather sturdy and stable, made of thick steel beams.

Attachment 2336659

Lovely bike stand there Amol, you are very lucky to get it. Now both bikes have a well deserved corner in the house. Looks very neat.

[ninjatalli]

Originally Posted by amol4184

IThe guy said he made it himself based off of some popular brand’s design, which I was unable to locate online. Anyhoo, rather sturdy and stable, made of thick steel beams.

Not sure of the popular brand, but products like that used to be easily available on Amazon over there. Maybe post covid the supplies have reduced.

This is an image of a similar product I had over 6 years ago. (ignore the clothes - that's a long story). Pretty cheap and easy to setup/dismantle in a few mins, unless one nailed it to the wall. Used it for several years and was a boon for small apartments of NYC (unlike your open space ).




Edit: This product was more or less a similar design to what I had.

[amol4184]

Originally Posted by AutoIndian

Lovely bike stand there Amol, you are very lucky to get it. Now both bikes have a well deserved corner in the house. Looks very neat.

Yes tidying up the place was my aim and it did that to a great extent. Just discovered that I can push the bike all the way in and hang one more bike on each of the arms pair. That’s giving me ideas…

Originally Posted by ninjatalli

Not sure of the popular brand, but products like that used to be easily available on Amazon over there. Maybe post covid the supplies have reduced.

This is an image of a similar product I had over 6 years ago. (ignore the clothes - that's a long story). Pretty cheap and easy to setup/dismantle in a few mins, unless one nailed it to the wall. Used it for several years and was a boon for small apartments of NYC (unlike your open space ).

I did do some research around $100 or below mark and most popular are the ones what are called as gravity stands that stay put when you add weight to them (cycles) while self supprted ones like what I got are in the $125+ range going into 400 range (Velo). The cheapest of those ones are single thin bar with arms that move. None of those caught my fancy and looked chintzy like most of the stuff on Amazon. All in all, $20 well spent considering the amount of steel in it 😀 It was a garage sale.

[hajaar]

Originally Posted by hajaar

Thank you. I will try that shop out before buying a new bicycle.

My apologies for the self-quote, but I wanted to ensure the conversation continuity persists.

So, I purchased a Riverside 500. I got a much better sales rep at Decathlon who was good enough to take back the ST30. He was surprised that this bike was recommended to me, considering my fitness & age (hmph). He, instead, suggested the Riverside 500 or the ST520. Both of these bikes are significantly more expensive than the ST30. But then, both of them were much more comfy too - the riverside especially was more comfortable given its more upright stance. I decided to go for the Riverside.

It has been a couple of days and I have to say that cycling is now much more of a pleasure. My thighs still burn, but it is more of a good burn that goes away immediately and not the soul crushing, bone breaking pain I used to endure. My back pain has reduced a lot too, as well as the pain in my South Pole. I am able to cycle for longer and managed 5*km (which is not a lot of considering the 100/200K rides that experienced cyclists manage here). But it is still a step further to getting fit and having fun.

[AutoIndian]

Originally Posted by hajaar

It has been a couple of days and I have to say that cycling is now much more of a pleasure. My thighs still burn, but it is more of a good burn that goes away immediately and not the soul crushing, bone breaking pain I used to endure. My back pain has reduced a lot too, as well as the pain in my South Pole. I am able to cycle for longer and managed 5*km (which is not a lot of considering the 100/200K rides that experienced cyclists manage here). But it is still a step further to getting fit and having fun.

Don't worry, take baby steps, one at a time. None of us started riding 100+ kms overnight. Most of us started 5-10kms initially and slowly built our endurance. Do some stretching exercises before the start of the ride and even after finishing it. Wear proper gel padded cycling shorts, this will prevent your sitting bones from feeling the pinch. Go for small increments in every ride (e.g. 5kms)

[amol4184]

Bought a used Giant Revolt from 2021 yesterday and went on a ride. To my surprise the bike is not too sluggish compared to my roadie the Synapse Carbon which is a full 2kg lighter than Giant. The Giant is Aluminum frame with low-mid range components (Sora).

Some quick observations after a ride on my regular ride:
1. Quite agile despite heft and thick tyres (38c).
2. Comfortable. Like wayyyy more comfortable than Cannondale Synapse which is also a endurance bike but with thin pavement spec tyres.
3. Weak brakes even though they are hydraulic discs. The 105 rim brakes on Synapse are next level or rather 2-3 levels above the discs on Revolt. They are stupendously good.
4. 2021 Shimano Sora is nearly as good as 2015-16 Shimano 105 as far as shifting is concerned. One thing that it can't do as well as 105 is rapid shifting. The 105 on my bike (with Ultegra cassette and chain) is just QUICK but in normal shifting I would not be able to make out Sora from 105.
5. Thick tyres help a lot on sidewalks which are made from cement blocks and also on drain grills and manholes. The Synapse is borderline scary if you pass over a mismatched block. I already burst a tube once.
6. The geometry is similar to Synapse but not same. The stem is rather too slammed and flat on Giant, definitely more aggressive than Synapse. Not a difficult fix but something worth noting.
7. That stem is a giant pain (pun intended) though. For some reason, Giant decided to integrate hydraulic disc assembly into the stem. So what you have is a blob of metal around tightening screws that makes it impossible to fit stem extension GPS mount. I had plans to install stem mount from Synapse on Giant but that plan was foiled by this overengineered stem.
For now I am using "out-front" mount that has fitment issues because the brake cables come into way. I am sad. The handlebar/stem situation is overtly complicated.

[amol4184]

Originally Posted by amol4184

Bought a used Giant Revolt from 2021 yesterday and went on a ride.
Some quick observations after a ride on my regular ride:

Adding some more points in case anyone is interested.
Today I turned on Google maps and switched to bike mode. It's over eager to push you off the road onto the trails and that was precisely the reason I never used it because it doesn't know if you are on razor thin road bike or 45mm fattie.
Well not anymore because the Revolt goes anywhere baby!

Anyhoo, scary and down right dangerous moments on the gravel trail today made worse by squishy ineffective brakes on the bike. Hurling down the gravel at 50kmph is way more exhilarating than doing same on the road BUT you need as good brakes.

On slopes I kept braking intermittently and slowing down because I knew the bike simply won't stop in case of emergency like animal crossing. And then there were 90 degree turns since it's a specifically designed trail to avoid roads and steep inclines.

I can't appreciate simple rim brakes on Cannondale more. For once, it's super easy to adjust their grip and secondly cheap to replace pads (on the go even). I'm yet to figure out how to tighten the disc brakes.

I followed some simple troubleshooting steps and eyeballed the brake pad thickness which looks good, not yet at the point of replacement. So obviously there is a configuration problem. Someone suggested to "bleed" the brakes and release any air trapped in the pipes - not sure, it sounds.. not easy.

All in all, a different ball game to ride gravel versus road. I need to develop skills to tackle loose gravel. Thankfully on the road it rides almost like a roadie minus frantic steering.

[BaCkSeAtDrIVeR]

A Sora hydraulic brake system feeling inadequate is a clear case of inadequate maintenance. A "squishy" feel definitely points out the need to bleed.

[amol4184]

Originally Posted by BaCkSeAtDrIVeR

A Sora hydraulic brake system feeling inadequate is a clear case of inadequate maintenance. A "squishy" feel definitely points out the need to bleed.

Yup. I don't think the previous owner did anything after buying it.
--

In other news, Google Maps has added new features:
https://blog.google/products/maps/th...ext-adventure/

Of note for cyclists, it will now show elevation and if you will encounter heavy vehicular traffic - which is quite useful where there are no bike lanes or in my case who struggle on steep hills.

What I wish it had or should have in future is what type of cycle you are riding and then show you route accordingly. Or give me option to skip biking trails and stick to pavement. By default if you select biking mode, it takes you on trails.

[Bhupesh_2628]

Hello BHPians,

I want to sell my bicycle. Does anyone know which is the best way to sell it? Whether it's through websites like OLX etc., local cycle shop etc. Need to sell it in Delhi.
My bicycle is Hercules Rodeo A75 comprising of 21 gears.

Thanks

[Ragul]

Originally Posted by Bhupesh_2628

Hello BHPians,

I want to sell my bicycle. Does anyone know which is the best way to sell it? Whether it's through websites like OLX etc., local cycle shop etc. Need to sell it in Delhi.
My bicycle is Hercules Rodeo A75 comprising of 21 gears.

Thanks

Why are you selling it? It looks like a good daily use city bike to me. I saw this bike at a local shop just last week here in Bangalore.

I was looking for a 26” bike with quick detach wheels to commence my biking journey. I need 26” or smaller detachable front wheel because the smaller wheel size makes it easier to mount in the rear truck bed of my Gypsy. Perhaps I will build a roof carrier to transport this later in the year.

Please recommend some models with smaller 26” wheels for me. Looking at a walk-in immediate buy from local shops in Bangalore as my car will be in the garage for some mods for a whole week from today.

Thanks.

[gutsy]

Originally Posted by Bhupesh_2628

I want to sell my bicycle. Does anyone know which is the best way to sell it? Whether it's through websites like OLX etc., local cycle shop etc. Need to sell it in Delhi.

Besides OLX, please check the "Cyclop" forum on Facebook.

[Bhupesh_2628]

Originally Posted by Ragul

Why are you selling it? It looks like a good daily use city bike to me. I saw this bike at a local shop just last week here in Bangalore.

Hi Ragul,

It's a good city bike. I'm not able to find time to ride it. So, it's gathering dust.

Regarding the best fit for your use case, I'll suggest you to test ride all the bikes that you've shortlisted. Rest, I've also replied to your queries via PM chat feature.

Also, most importantly, you may ask queries directly in this thread itself. We've experts here in our forum who may guide you to the right direction and clear confusion that you're facing. I'm afraid I'm not an expert in cycling. Hence, my suggestion.

Originally Posted by gutsy

Besides OLX, please check the "Cyclop" forum on Facebook.

Thank you, gutsy. Though I've left Facebook long back, will try other options for now. If nothing clicks, will make one Facebook account and then proceed from there.

[mobike008]

Background

Ever since we moved to the beautiful PNW a year ago, I have seen a major difference on how people live here.

Washington is known for it’s infamous rains (Very light drizzle) for about 6-7 months of the year but, this does not deter people from stepping outdoors for their exercise like Walking, Skateboards, Bicycling etc.

Seattle is the capital of bicycle in PNW and it’s clearly evident as you can find beautiful trails and bike paths all over the state. Here folks seem to live a much more outdoor active life than most other states in US. I sometimes get a feeling that a track pant and hoodie is the “official” outfit of this state.

Having said that, we moved to our new home a some months ago and we bought the house without even knowing that right behind our community (100 feet from our main door) runs a beautiful paved trail with thick greenery on both sides for a total distance of 40 miles (64 kms)- can you believe that?.

This was almost a bonus gift of our purchase as I see so many people drive to this trail, park their cars and remove their bicycles from trunk and ride on trail.

We were not even aware about this trail till we moved. This trail is completely paved and cuts across different cities and is meant only for exercise and outdoor activities and no automotive are permitted on this trail.

I decided to get into bicycling (A huge downgrade from my motorcycling hobby but, a superlative upgrade to my physical routine ) as I just don’t seem to lose weight whatever I do (Well, as we all know being a foodie and enjoying best cuisines every other day does not help in weight loss).

With aforementioned trail motivation, I decided to buy a basic and cheap bicycle for $175 and practice on it and see if this sport is for me or not.

I have been riding on and off from the last 2-3 months and longest I have ridden in single ride is 6.5 miles.

I ride 4-5 miles each time I ride but, my objective is to ride in 20-25 miles range for each ride so it benefits health and also accelerates my weight loss.

Due to lack of stamina, I find the first 4 miles easy but, last 1-2 miles tough as I am exhausted and just want to get back home.

After riding the bike for a couple of months, I realize one thing-Riding a bike is best way to enjoy the gorgeous outdoors here. I plan to ride more often and build up stamina and continue this sport as I go along.

Here are some pictures of my ride and trail that is right behind our community which I frequent at least 3-4 times a week (sometimes for a walk or ride)

Any inputs, feedback and words of encouragement is welcome.