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Bike thread!

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ive owned the gamut of bikes from single speed steel mountain, aluminum mountain, mass produced modern bike (giant), semi boutique classic bike (mercian), boutique italian bike (de rosa), etc

i wouldnt hesitate to buy from bikesdirect.com

in fact, i might buy by next MTB from then

bikesdirect listed the series number of the component ("shimano ultegra 6600"). that should give you in on the vintage of the parts. if a manufacturer (and to be clear there are not many ACTUAL manufacturers out there [just a marketing company]) does not update the design of a bike from year to year... what difference is a 2008 or a 2009 built frame if theyre both brand new?
 
Originally posted by: LS21
ive owned the gamut of bikes from single speed steel mountain, aluminum mountain, mass produced modern bike (giant), semi boutique classic bike (mercian), boutique italian bike (de rosa), etc

i wouldnt hesitate to buy from bikesdirect.com

in fact, i might buy by next MTB from then

bikesdirect listed the series number of the component ("shimano ultegra 6600"). that should give you in on the vintage of the parts. if a manufacturer (and to be clear there are not many ACTUAL manufacturers out there [just a marketing company]) does not update the design of a bike from year to year... what difference is a 2008 or a 2009 built frame if theyre both brand new?
Click to expand...

The frame AND components are 3 years old. There's been changes in the interim, maybe not huge changes, but it's the same damn bike as the 06 Fuji. Identical, all they did was rebadge it. Rebadging happens all the time (Their Windsor Tourist is simply the Fuji Touring) but it's the year change that irritates me. They're pawning it off as a 2009 with 2009 components when it's a 2006, doesn't matter if it's unridden condition or not.

Of course, they've also knocked more than 50% off the price, so I think I'd still want it myself, if I was a tri freak. I just don't like them Photoshopping it to look like something it's not.
 
they didnt pass of shimano 6400 as shimano 6600, or 6600 as 6700

it happens many times that an entire bike does not inherit change through a model year -- they just paint a new color scheme and discount the old one by a lot.

a non-sophisticated buyer would think "well, i must have the 2009 model for it is clearly better than that discounted 2008 old stuff". but it is at all different? does it really matter the year number then?

i think these are the same types of buyers who disdain bikesdirect -- they need the reassurance of a good brand name. they need the reassurance it was "well-assembled". etc

for the rest who know about what these bikes are, where they come from, BD simply presents a great value
 
Saw this on craigslist about 2 weeks ago for 50 bucks and couldn't pass it up. The guy I bought it off of put a t-shirt of michael jackson's face on the seat.

bike
 
Seems this is a road bike thread...no mountain bikers here?

I have an old Devinci Saguaro

Just the one...i prefer technical offroading trails mainly, but it does get me around on pavement too.
 
I'm actually rather lucky here.

Edmonton has arguably one of the very best network of offroad trails all thru-out the city, as the city is built entirely around the North Saskatchewan river.

We've got maintained paved trails/gravel/dirt trails following most of it, but the best trails are all the non-maintained ones.

So many excellent offroad trails...quite frankly it's likely the reason i still live here, as other than that, i don't particularly love this city.
 
Originally posted by: alevasseur14
Hey buddy. I've got an idea! Find the nearest cliff and drive that Impreza of yours off of it as fast as possible. Portland has the highest percentage of people that bike to work, coming in ahead of Minneapolis by just a little bit every year. Some of those people will ride dangerously but it's unfair to apply that stereotype to everyone. Kinda like there are some really asshole car drivers out there like yourself, but then again, there are a lot of really nice ones too...
Click to expand...

I'm no asshole driver. I completely obey the laws, use my signal 50-100ft in advance, never cut anyone off on purpose, don't speed. But i'm so fucking tired of atleast 75% of all bikers thinking THEY are above the law and make U turns right in front of me from a non-turning lane and shit like that.

Saying that, I wouldn't feel bad if one of them cut me off and paid for it. They would deserve it. If you've never been here you have no idea how bad the problem is.
 
I just looked at their titanium road and mountain bikes -- anyone know who actually makes the frames?

I'd be too worried about quality, and just buy a Moots.
 
Originally posted by: Safeway
Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
Originally posted by: StevenYoo
I'm just beginning to get into road biking.

After consulting with a pro cyclist friend, we agreed that this would be a good starter bike for me:

http://bikesdirect.com/product...ane/grand_record09.htm

It should arrive Friday! yay!
Click to expand...

Those are nice bikes. I helped a friend of mine assemble a Motobecane Le Champion he purchased from Bikes Direct last summer.

Let me know if you have any questions on putting it together.
Click to expand...

Make sure you only ride it on the roads, though. 🙂

I saw a Motobecane cross-country bike frame snap in half after taking it off a small jump.
Click to expand...

Actually, he sold the frame on e-bay about 6 months ago and bought a carbon fiber frame from Performance Bike and we transferred all the components to his new bike. He had to buy a clamp on front derailleur but that was it.
 
Originally posted by: Agentbolt
Originally posted by: sygyzy
A Pro Cyclist friend recommended something from bikesdirect.com? Wow...
Click to expand...

Bikes Direct is pretty scummy. Check this out:

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=560926

Not a bad deal at all, but geez that's a shitty thing to do.
Click to expand...
That's the exact bike I bought. $1000 doesn't buy jacksh*t for tri bikes. It is equivalent to around a $1650 Fuji.

However, the person in that thread is, by my reckoning, a fvcking dumbass. I highly doubt this is a repainted Fuji. Nothing on mine indicates it was stripped and repainted. Furthermore, its parts are not exactly the same (where they differ they are actually better, I recall). I'm 99% sure that the manufacturer who makes the fuji frames simply sells to bikesdirect the same frame, then BD doesn't mark it up to kingdom come with high margins. All the other parts are standard. They are not Fuji parts; nothing on my bike is fuji; it's all shimano or Ritchey or whatever.

I got my bike two years ago and researched BD thoroughly beforehand. Despite people on bike forums sometimes hating the idea that an internet retailer can undercut the hell out of their LBS (local bike shop), I found nobody who had actually bought one and had a negative experience. I would use it as a first stop in buying a new bike. Local bikes I was looking for for $1500 couldn't even compare. The margins on them must be obscene.
I'd like to see one of your bikes beneath my Impreza with how every shit ass biker rides in Portland.

Seriously, I got cut off today by an old lady on a bike and was given the finger while she rode through a stop sign.
Click to expand...
Boo fvcking hoo. I almost got t-boned by a car on my bike earlier in the year. Car > bike in collision. Your attitude alone makes you more likely to get in an accident with one because you won't care, and then you'll be in court not to mention probably feeling like sh*t for it. I frankly see very few idiot cyclists. All the ones going INTO traffic DESERVE to get hit for being stupid, but the vast majority of the ones I see are trying to get a ride in without being killed. I don't drive through the city, though so I don't know if people are worse there. I mainly see recreational cyclists in the countryside out for a workout.

 
Originally posted by: Safeway
I just looked at their titanium road and mountain bikes -- anyone know who actually makes the frames?

I'd be too worried about quality, and just buy a Moots.
Click to expand...
Hell, buy the bike and throw away the frame. Part out the bikes and the parts alone are cheaper than you can buy them for individual in many if not most cases. When I bought my nemesis it was using Fuji's last-gen frames, so I think they just get them cheap from the same distributor/manufacturer. In other cases I don't know who makes their frames.

 
Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
Originally posted by: Safeway
Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
Originally posted by: StevenYoo
I'm just beginning to get into road biking.

After consulting with a pro cyclist friend, we agreed that this would be a good starter bike for me:

http://bikesdirect.com/product...ane/grand_record09.htm

It should arrive Friday! yay!
Click to expand...

Those are nice bikes. I helped a friend of mine assemble a Motobecane Le Champion he purchased from Bikes Direct last summer.

Let me know if you have any questions on putting it together.
Click to expand...

Make sure you only ride it on the roads, though. 🙂

I saw a Motobecane cross-country bike frame snap in half after taking it off a small jump.
Click to expand...

Actually, he sold the frame on e-bay about 6 months ago and bought a carbon fiber frame from Performance Bike and we transferred all the components to his new bike. He had to buy a clamp on front derailleur but that was it.
Click to expand...

Scattaname or whatever? 😛
 
Originally posted by: n7
Seems this is a road bike thread...no mountain bikers here?

I have an old Devinci Saguaro

Just the one...i prefer technical offroading trails mainly, but it does get me around on pavement too.
Click to expand...

you got shocks! pegs! Lucky!

Ever take it off any sweet jumps?
 
Originally posted by: Safeway
I just looked at their titanium road and mountain bikes -- anyone know who actually makes the frames?

I'd be too worried about quality, and just buy a Moots.
Click to expand...

Kinesis, IIRC.
 
Originally posted by: Skoorb
Originally posted by: Safeway
I just looked at their titanium road and mountain bikes -- anyone know who actually makes the frames?

I'd be too worried about quality, and just buy a Moots.
Click to expand...
Hell, buy the bike and throw away the frame. Part out the bikes and the parts alone are cheaper than you can buy them for individual in many if not most cases. When I bought my nemesis it was using Fuji's last-gen frames, so I think they just get them cheap from the same distributor/manufacturer. In other cases I don't know who makes their frames.
Click to expand...

It is probably Merlin or Litespeed. I know Moots hand builds their bikes in Colorado.

As for the comment on price, you are extremely right. A full set of Dura-Ace, from a bike shop, would run around $2000. Add in a set of killer wheels, and you are already saving money.
 
Originally posted by: scott916
Originally posted by: Safeway
I just looked at their titanium road and mountain bikes -- anyone know who actually makes the frames?

I'd be too worried about quality, and just buy a Moots.
Click to expand...

Kinesis, IIRC.
Click to expand...

Ah, thanks for that information. If I bought one, I'd have to be elitist and remove the Motobecane decals. I'm not tool enough to then add Moots decals, however. I'd just ride a naked Ti frame.
 
Originally posted by: Safeway
Originally posted by: scott916
Originally posted by: Safeway
I just looked at their titanium road and mountain bikes -- anyone know who actually makes the frames?

I'd be too worried about quality, and just buy a Moots.
Click to expand...

Kinesis, IIRC.
Click to expand...

Ah, thanks for that information. If I bought one, I'd have to be elitist and remove the Motobecane decals. I'm not tool enough to then add Moots decals, however. I'd just ride a naked Ti frame.
Click to expand...

how do you remove the decals?
 
Originally posted by: Gibson486
Originally posted by: Safeway
Originally posted by: scott916
Originally posted by: Safeway
I just looked at their titanium road and mountain bikes -- anyone know who actually makes the frames?

I'd be too worried about quality, and just buy a Moots.
Click to expand...

Kinesis, IIRC.
Click to expand...

Ah, thanks for that information. If I bought one, I'd have to be elitist and remove the Motobecane decals. I'm not tool enough to then add Moots decals, however. I'd just ride a naked Ti frame.
Click to expand...

how do you remove the decals?
Click to expand...

I work at a place that does automotive detailing also so I used some of their mild cleaner and a tool they have that looks like a razor blade, it's just plastic. It was a little slow but it worked and didn't damage the paint.
 
Originally posted by: alevasseur14
Originally posted by: Gibson486
Originally posted by: Safeway
Originally posted by: scott916
Originally posted by: Safeway
I just looked at their titanium road and mountain bikes -- anyone know who actually makes the frames?

I'd be too worried about quality, and just buy a Moots.
Click to expand...

Kinesis, IIRC.
Click to expand...

Ah, thanks for that information. If I bought one, I'd have to be elitist and remove the Motobecane decals. I'm not tool enough to then add Moots decals, however. I'd just ride a naked Ti frame.
Click to expand...

how do you remove the decals?
Click to expand...

I work at a place that does automotive detailing also so I used some of their mild cleaner and a tool they have that looks like a razor blade, it's just plastic. It was a little slow but it worked and didn't damage the paint.
Click to expand...

Use a heat gun to melt the adhesive, the decal will slip off. It's the same method used to remove automobile emblems (from low end BMW 3-series, most of the time 😛).
 
Originally posted by: Safeway
Originally posted by: alevasseur14
Originally posted by: Gibson486
Originally posted by: Safeway
Originally posted by: scott916
Originally posted by: Safeway
I just looked at their titanium road and mountain bikes -- anyone know who actually makes the frames?

I'd be too worried about quality, and just buy a Moots.
Click to expand...

Kinesis, IIRC.
Click to expand...

Ah, thanks for that information. If I bought one, I'd have to be elitist and remove the Motobecane decals. I'm not tool enough to then add Moots decals, however. I'd just ride a naked Ti frame.
Click to expand...

how do you remove the decals?
Click to expand...

I work at a place that does automotive detailing also so I used some of their mild cleaner and a tool they have that looks like a razor blade, it's just plastic. It was a little slow but it worked and didn't damage the paint.
Click to expand...

Use a heat gun to melt the adhesive, the decal will slip off. It's the same method used to remove automobile emblems (from low end BMW 3-series, most of the time 😛).
Click to expand...

Maybe it was the paint on my frame but the heat gun didn't do it for me. I was sad.
 
Originally posted by: Agentbolt
My Surly LHT all decked out for a tour

It's a wee bit outdated, because I've switched to some Ortliebs for the rear panniers, but I gotta say the surly LHT deserves all the praise it gets. The frame is nothing fantastic, but the components you get for under a Grand is pretty awesome.
Click to expand...

Nice LHT 😎 Yeah, they're a pretty solid buy for the money.

 
A lot of the decals are under the clear coat which makes it a bit harder to remove them.

There is a big thread over on mtbr.com about the titanium BD frames that I read through yesterday to kill time. Most people including all the people that owned them seemed to like them but of coarse there are the few that just plain hate BD and bash them at every chance they get.
 
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