The Cycling/MTB thread

[GreatBigAbyss]

I liked this thread in the old forum.  So I'm starting one again. 

Good topic to start on, too. I bought a new bike today.  My friends have been non-stop bugging me for the last few years to buy a fatbike so that the fun could continue through the winter.  I resisted, mainly due to just having too many bikes already (current count is 4 bikes, this one will make 5). 

Anyway, for the past two weeks my buddy lent me his Rocky Mountain Blizzard Carbon C30 while he was away for work.  I fell in love with it. 



These things aren't being made any more, and what's left are heavily discounted (like, $3500 -> $2200), so it seems like now seems the time to buy.  I ordered it from a bike shop in Calgary, along with a new pair of winter cycling boots that are clipless compatible (the Blivet Quilo Gen3).  They should arrive in a couple of weeks. 

I'm so psyched.  Our trail network here in MB is great in winter - lots of trails are groomed with snowdogs.  It's so much fun.

[Johnnymac]

Nice.  You have 5 bikes?  That seems like a lot but then I am not a cyclist so I don't know if that is normal for the hobby.

I have contemplated getting bike, I use my air bike 5 days a week for around 2.5 hours so I should be able to at least handle a decent ride.  I just can't pull the trigger as there are other things I would rather spend my money on.

[GreatBigAbyss]

Nice.  You have 5 bikes?  That seems like a lot but then I am not a cyclist so I don't know if that is normal for the hobby.

There's a saying in the community - the correct number of bikes is n+1, n being the number of bikes you already own.

So, my list:
Bike 1:  High end full suspension carbon Mountain Bike - 100% focused for trail riding.  This is purely a 'for fun' bike. Can handle any trail, but sucks to ride on pavement. It's very expensive and quite high maintenance as it has a lot of systems, including electronically controlled suspension.

Bike 2: Mid-range aluminum Gravel/Road bike.  Great for riding around the city.  Can handle rough roads and light trails, but also puts down the miles.  I use this for recreation city riding, longer bike commutes, and 'centuries' - rides of 100kms or longer.

Bike 3: Steel Fixie road bike - this is my commuter bike for shorter distances.  It doesn't have gears, so it requires minimum maintenance. I don't mind locking this one up, as it isn't worth thousands of dollars - I bought it used for $200.  It's also the one I use for bike pub crawls.

Bike 4: Single speed, Rigid Steel Mountain Bike:  This was my main mountain bike years ago before I got the Trance X, probably because I was a sadist.  No gears and no suspension.  This bike is sadly outdated, being on 26" wheels with 'old' frame geometry.  I use it now as a bike for when we go camping with the family.  If I was to get rid of any bike, this one could go, but I'm attached to it, as it's an oddball. It's the 'triumph TR6' of bikes. 

Bike 5: Carbon Fat Bike:  Dedicated for winter trail riding.  4.5" wide, studded tires.  It could technically be used in the summer if I replaced the tires with non-studded tires, but I have other bikes for that.

[Johnnymac]

Out of those 5, bike number 2 or 3 would be what I would consider.  I've thought about a fixie before, but worried about comfort and how much I would use it.

[GreatBigAbyss]

#2 is the way to go for must people.  Even better would be a road bike with flat handlebars for comfort and ease of use. 

Here's a Trek with a full carbon frame for $2250. This is an 'all-road' bike and would be a blast to ride. 

https://www.trekbikes.com/ca/en_CA/bikes/hybrid-bikes/fitness-bikes/fx/fx-sport/f/F421-1/fx-sport-sl-4/47243/5323693

If budget is a factor (which is usually is with people buying their first bike), then there's an AL version available for about half.

https://www.trekbikes.com/ca/en_CA/bikes/hybrid-bikes/fitness-bikes/fx/fx-sport/f/F421-1/fx-sport-al-3/58592/5339885


 Don't think you would ever regret a bike like this.  They're so much more fun than any stationary bike. 

[Johnnymac]

I tend to think something like this would be a good fit for my wants and needs.

https://www.primeauvelo.com/en_ca/fx-1-disc-0032976?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=paidsocial&utm_campaign=D%C3%A9cembre+2025+%7C+Sales:+View+Content+-+MOF+-+Catalog+-+EN&utm_content=Version+Apr%C3%A8s-No%C3%ABl+%7C+V%C3%A9los+en+solde+%7C+ONT,+QC+++PageView+90+Days+++Exclude+Purchasers+7+Days+++EN+++Interests&term=Catalog+V%C3%A9los+en+solde+-+EN&utm_id=6859299619446&utm_term=6867869853646&fbclid=IwdGRjcAPD2t5leHRuA2FlbQEwAGFkaWQAAAY_DPtjRnNydGMGYXBwX2lkCjY2Mjg1NjgzNzkAAR50vT5UmWMe0RSlcDOFUT284pxpkEWhRnjUgNqt5wRMMD22hs-HcJUjh46SiA_aem_t0P2Vpwae3Bc7J1sVZQs2A

[GreatBigAbyss]

That's a great first bike for somebody who is new to the sport and isn't ready to commit a ton of money. 
The only caveat is that it has mechanical disc brakes.  There's nothing inherently wrong with them, BUT, they will require adjusting from time to time. You'll either need to familiarize yourself with mechanical disc brake adjustment, or bring it to a bike shop every season for a tune-up. 

Trek FX 2 - This bike steps up to hydraulic discs, which are self adjusting until you need to replace pads, which will likely be many, many years.  The price bump from the FX1 to the FX2 is less than what a single basic tune-up will cost at a bike shop.

[GreatBigAbyss]

Uh, high end bikes can be frustrating to get dialed in sometimes. 

My fatbike came in on Tuesday, so I put it together that evening, and converted the tires to tubeless before studding them.  Tubeless tires have certain advantages - they weigh less where it counts - rotating mass - and you can run lower tire pressure in them, which is a huge advantage in fatbikes. 

So I went for my first ride yesterday with some buddies.  The damn front tire hadn't set the bead properly, but I didn't realize until I started riding it, which deformed the tire, and caused it to leak air at a fairly rapid rate.  I had to keep stopping every ten minutes to pump it back up.  Man, what a slog that was, especially pushing a nearly flat fat tire through snow. 

I played around with it a little this evening - pumped it way up to try to seat the bead, and I sloshed the sealant around to try to plug any leaks.  It seems to be holding.  I'll let the sealant set overnight, then take it for a fifteen minute ride in my neighbourhood park just to make sure that it actually holds air before I take it for an out of town ride on the weekend.  Worst comes to worst, I'll just have to throw the tube back in it. 

The rear tire was flawless.

[Gurgie]

Nice.  You have 5 bikes?  That seems like a lot but then I am not a cyclist so I don't know if that is normal for the hobby.

There's a saying in the community - the correct number of bikes is n+1, n being the number of bikes you already own.

The same can be said about skis