My commuter bike

Discussion in 'Chit-Chat' started by CanuckBur, Jun 2, 2008.

  1. CanuckBur

    CanuckBur Regular Member

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  2. ph_leung

    ph_leung Regular Member

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    Here's my commuter. It's a 2nd hand 1989 (?) Specialized Crossroads steel frame stripped of all original parts, changed to threadless fork and stem, converted to drop-style road bars, late 80's Deore group. I built up the front wheel using Campy Athena 32h hub with 15-16-16 butted spokes and the rear with STX 32h 14-15-14 spokes.

    In the photo, it's used on my favourite fun ride up the backside of Burnaby Mountain. It's so steep at this section, it is standing up by itself leaning on the pedal.
     

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  3. CanuckBur

    CanuckBur Regular Member

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    Specialized made very nice steel frame. I used to have a Specialized Allez Comp in 1995 (Fr: Veloce, R: Athena), also has a steel frame.

    I visited the trail a few times. 3 times by bike, and two times hiking. One time I was still on the trail with 15 minutes to go when it was sunset, and the trail went very dark. The dripping water on the leaves made it sounded like footsteps behind me. :eek:

    I usually took the road to go up the burnaby mountain.
     
  4. taneepak

    taneepak Regular Member

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    Good on you; this is one way to do the world a great favor by cutting down CO2 emission. Just an idea, you might want to claim carbon credit for this. Someone who is civic minded (Cooler?) and who feels guilty driving cars should pay you to buy your carbon credits. At least he will feel he is carbon neutral-for a price.
     
  5. CanuckBur

    CanuckBur Regular Member

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    :) I wish we could claim "carbon credits."
     
  6. ph_leung

    ph_leung Regular Member

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    The conversion from suspension forks is a good idea for commuting. It lowers the bling/steal factor and makes it more efficient when climbing out of the saddle or for emergency stops.

    You used to have an Allez? Did you happen to have it stolen?

    Instead of carbon credits or in addition, they should eliminate the PST for cycling goods in the province. Bikes are used for commuting or fitness. Both are good news for society.
     
  7. taneepak

    taneepak Regular Member

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    You can only claim carbon credits for the bike use if you use it to replace any CO2 emitting vehicle, like cycling to and from work instead of driving. By cycling to work you have taken your car off the road for the distance involved and in the process reduce the CO2 emission. If you still continue using your car to drive to work but use your bike for a weekend hobby, there is no carbon credit for you to trade or sell.
     
  8. CanuckBur

    CanuckBur Regular Member

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    It was a long story how it was lost. It all started when I biked along the Granville st and landed in a pothole left by the road maintenance crew. (there was no blocking sign). Then there was a series of events happened that led to its demise.

    The Allez comp had a very responsive steel frame; a dark red beauty. It was on the bicycling magazine's review article. The editor said he could steer it to where he exhale. I don't think he was exaggerating it if he was going down a long smooth hill.

    My first bike was an entry-level Giant mtb. Yeah it was stolen. After that, I bought an expensive Kriptonite lock. Then, a few years later, it was found that the Kriptonite locks were having a big problem; it can be hacked with a bic pen cap. Luckily, I didn't lose my current bike.
     
  9. ph_leung

    ph_leung Regular Member

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    Ah ha! I thought so. I'm the guy who used to work at that bike shop on Broadway in the early '90s.

    You do some fairly long commutes if I remember correctly.
     
  10. CanuckBur

    CanuckBur Regular Member

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    What a small world! You were that mechanic who worked at the European style pro bike shop on the Broadway st. (who has the rare talent of remembering every customer's name and face even after many years)! Lets meet together sometimes to play badminton! :D
     
  11. kwun

    kwun Administrator

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    that's incredible!! :eek: :eek: :eek:

    sounds like you guys should go out for a ride instead!

    i have a different take on my commuter bike. since my (already zigzagged) commute route is only 3 miles and mostly flat, i prefer to keep everything simple. i ended up converting my old road bike to single speed and stripped off all unneccessary weight. let's see if i can take a pic of it and share with you guys.
     
  12. demolidor

    demolidor Regular Member

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    Since the weather has been great here this last week it reminded me of the "Calgary weather" thread and bike commuters ;)

    4452174999_230a9e6046_z_d.jpg

    [video=youtube;xIe6hYAdw_I]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIe6hYAdw_I&feature=related[/video]

    Vid kinda reminds me of one incident near the train station where this guy got of the bus and headed for the train whilst engaged in a phone conversation. Already spotted him from 100-200 meters and thought I'd put a scare in him :D. They have to cross over the bike path to get to the train station and while most mortals are learned the left-right-left before you cross this a-hole thought he must've been indestructible not even looking left or right even once ... Anyhoo I rode straight towards him at high speed coming down the hill and he only noticed at the absolute last second and practically wet his pants [​IMG]. The skilled rider that I am ;) managed to evade him and some kid that came from the opposite way that also had to dodge the aformentioned a-hole. Actually passed the kid (teen) on the left (his right) and brushed lightly at high speed still and got back on my half before the rest of the opposite trafic got too close ... Wish I had a vid of that :p. Was on my MTB since the regular had a flat; the MTB doesn't have a bell (of course)

    In the meanwhile since (the Calgary thread) also mounted my new set (of tyres) [​IMG]:

    [​IMG]
     
    #12 demolidor, Sep 30, 2011
    Last edited: Sep 30, 2011
  13. Fidget

    Fidget Regular Member

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    That insane bike course should be an Olympic event! :eek:

    But how many Olympic events might be commentated on thusly: " A brilliant Flavela Run by Sanchez! Smooth over the stairs. Incisive cornering round the hovels and shanties. Effortless jump over the open sewage ditch. A near-perfect ride marred only by the unfortunate encounter with a stray dog at turn number eight which cost him the gold."
     
  14. demolidor

    demolidor Regular Member

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    I'd like to see regular downhill at the Olympics for sure (certainly instead of "BMX" cross or whatever this version is called :D). Would love to do the course above as well [​IMG].

    Perhaps an interesting channel I just bumped into:

    [video=youtube;K_o3chL8phA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_o3chL8phA&feature=related[/video]

    [video=youtube;ZMv3OB6XHvQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMv3OB6XHvQ&feature=related[/video]

    Etcetera, etcetera, ...

    [​IMG]

    [video=youtube;0R_nRPJIMR8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0R_nRPJIMR8&feature=related[/video]

    [video=youtube;lrY7JxTyoJQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrY7JxTyoJQ&feature=related[/video]
     
    #14 demolidor, Nov 18, 2011
    Last edited: Nov 18, 2011
  15. kwun

    kwun Administrator

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    nice.

    something that American really need to do more considering how fat we are. i am afraid i don't see that happening though.
     
  16. kwun

    kwun Administrator

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    how do everyone end up with almost exactly the same bike? does the government give them out for free or something?
     
  17. demolidor

    demolidor Regular Member

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    It is the most basic bike there is (like a T-Ford or the AK47 of bycycles [​IMG]), the traditional model "granny bike": steel, singlespeed, comfortable, pretty much indestructable and not to forget ... cheap ;). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omafiets

    Not sure if they can be spotted in one of the vids but there is one bike model, that was one of the prices in one of the national lotteries, that you see around everywhere the last few years. Apparently it was from the "postal/zip code lottery, which in some areas sparked complaints by the local bike shops as it has cost them quite a lot of income ...

    db03d88b-303b-4ede-b8fc-011ee6547c65_fiets_npl_I_506.jpg
     
  18. demolidor

    demolidor Regular Member

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    [​IMG] I don't know which one is more impressive: this one or the four storey parking in the above [​IMG]. This is near the Utrecht Central station which is the main train hub in Holland.

    "Uploaded by markenlei on 11 Jan 2009In a country with more bikes than people, parking your bicycle at a popular destination such as train stations can be a problem. The bigger the station the bigger the problem. Around this station there are a number of indoor guarded parking facilities with space for thousands of bikes. Still the street closest to the station looks like this.
    Taken on a Thursday afternoon at about 2:30 (14:30)."




    [video=youtube;Z12dc7300yc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Z12dc7300yc[/video]
     
    #18 demolidor, Nov 19, 2011
    Last edited: Nov 19, 2011
  19. demolidor

    demolidor Regular Member

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    Uploaded by markenlei on Apr 25, 2011Local authorities in the Netherlands face a constant challenge: where is the space to place racks to park all the bicycles Dutch cyclists bring into the centers of cities and towns. The number of parked bikes in the center of the city of Utrecht is amazing. Racks are placed everywhere to keep the bicycles from cluttering the streets but still no post or rail is unused. There are never enough parking spaces.

    [video=youtube;o_2zq-RZ_z4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_2zq-RZ_z4&feature=channel&list=UL[/video]
     
  20. demolidor

    demolidor Regular Member

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    [​IMG] The route I have to cover to the Dutch Open venue (well the way back from it in this instance and with bad luck, the same weather conditions; distance wise comparable to about the first 3 and a bit minutes which also happens to be in this vid the location of the dedicated badminton hall for one of the biggest clubs of the country; indicated in the vid by "schools (right)")​
    [​IMG] motion sickness warning :p. Wish the half speed option was available there :rolleyes:. Maybe I'll do one myself [​IMG]

    [video=youtube;FZtkVBlgT6E]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZtkVBlgT6E&feature=channel&list=U L[/video]

    City's dedicated bycyle infrastructure in general:​

    [video=youtube;eUTHljwWzDA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUTHljwWzDA&feature=channel&list=UL[/video]

    jeugd-beleid-top.jpg
     
    #20 demolidor, Apr 27, 2012
    Last edited: Apr 27, 2012

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