I used to race Mountain-Bikes... It was a blast...
Now, I just commute to work and play on the weekends with the Kids...
I have a Giant ATX880 with a Halson PDS (Pnuematic Dampening System) front fork, which is a cool upside-down design with air dampening system as opposed to oil... It's older (about 10-years old...) now, but still rides great...
I went with a hard-tail, but added a Crane Creek Thudbuster suspension seat post... That thing is a butt-saver!
I outfitted the bike a couple of years ago for commuting, so I have a set of 1.25 x 26" smooties on it right now... I just ordered a new wheelset to match the existing one, and have a second cassette, so I can just swap the mountain tired back on quickly... I hope to get some mountain riding in again with my son, and also just like the looks of the bike much better with moutain tires...
Commuting, I ride 15-miles each way to and home from work... I average about 17mph or so right now... but as I get back in shape, that usually ups to around 18-19mph... Great way to save gas and stay in shape, though the crap I have to buy for the bike to keep it maintained, as well as any special clothing I need to make the commute safe and work usually offsets this saving... (kind of like buying those wheels yesterday!)...
I think I paid $1500.00 for the bike back in 1996 or so... I've put a bunch into it in upgrades over the years... New RaceFace Bars... SRAM Carbon brake levers... Shimano V-Brakes (came with cantis!! ), wheels, lights, bottom-brackets...
Also bought TWO XT cassettes, each with different gearsets, and custom-packed a gear set for commuting... Since I'm usually in gears 5 or 6 when I'm cruising, I made the cassette have only a 1-tooth difference between 4-5-6, which allows me to maintain cadence better when I get tired, or step it up just a little when I'm feeling good... So I generally cruise in 5th (about 18-19mph on the flats, with 20-21mph if I'm really spinning that day), but can used 6th if I have good legs that day and get a decent 21mph or so cruise... 4th gets used if I'm tired or the wind is blowing in my face... Works out great... and I have the second cassete, still with a decent gearset, for the mountain wheels...
One of these days, I hope to get a real road-bike, but my tastes point me toward those killer $3500.00 versions, which are a long way off I think...
Darin E. Jordan - Renton, WA
"Self-proclaimed skill-less leader in the hobby."
Bookmarks