[Jishory]

with gas going up and up and me not getting any thinner i think its time to dust off my old bike, it needs some new grips and a seat but other then that its in great shape. its a specialized hard rock, first id like some suggestions for the grips and seat. id also like a bike light for night riding, rechargeable is a big plus, but id rather have leds for battery life and just use rechargeable aa's or whatever, not too expensive that i would cry if somebody pried it off my bike, is it necessary to have a lit rear light for safety reasons? what about storage if i want to go grocery shopping? i know we gave a few cyclists on here, help me give the finger to the oil companies

[ninefivezero]

Grips and seats are one of those things that are really just personal preference. Sure, one seat weighs a few grams less than another, but beyond that a seat is a seat; just find one that is comfortable for you. Granted if you haven't ridden a bike in a while no bike seat will be comfortable

I don't ride at night much these days, but believe me front AND rear lights are absolutely needed for safety. I bought a front/rear light pack for like $30 that uses LEDs and runs off AA and AAA, which as you pointed out could be rechargeable. Both lights clip on and off the bike easily so you just take them with you when you leave your bike locked up, otherwise they will be stolen in a hurry.

What do you mean by "storage if i want to go grocery shopping"?

[Jishory]

like baskets and such, all i can think of when i think baskets on bikes is the wicked witch of the west cruising with toto in the basket laughing her ass off, maybe they had something more "manly"

[ninefivezero]

Ah, got it. There are tons of different bags out there that usually attach to a rack over the rear wheel, but I don't know if there is much you could safely leave on the bike without being stolen.... Here is an idea of what is out there though:

Packs, Racks and Trailers from REI.com | 100% Satisfaction Guarantee | Customer Reviews

Clearly, hauling groceries is the bikes weak spot

[super_Chris]

The light situation depends on what night riding you're going to be doing. I don't have lights because my only night riding is to/from friends houses that are usually within a mile or so.

[ninefivezero]

Thats like saying you don't need to wear a seatbelt because its a short drive.

It doesn't matter if your going 5 blocks or 50 miles, if a car can't see you and runs you over, its going to hurt no matter what distance your ride is.

[super_Chris]

Originally Posted by ninefivezero

Thats like saying you don't need to wear a seatbelt because its a short drive.

It doesn't matter if your going 5 blocks or 50 miles, if a car can't see you and runs you over, its going to hurt no matter what distance your ride is.

Well, that and I'm riding on very small low speed residential roads. Then again, I do have off road portions too, not that going off road without light is safe(it isn't).

[jake]

For storage I would just use a backpack or if your cargo is small enough a sling bag over your back.

I ride an old road bike for a commuter when I ride to work. Calgary has a great biking community and tons of gear swaps so you can get close to the exact gear you want for next to nothing.

Tail light
Head light - It costs $10 and is solar powered. 3 hrs of sun gives you 5 hrs of light.
Extra - I use this attached to my helmet if I need extra lighting.

[fornik8her]

I've seen a front basket that mounts to the handlebars that is easily removed to carry in the store with you if just shopping for a few things. I think they've got it @ wallyworld. Other than that you can carry quite a bit of stuff ina messenger bag over yer shoulder also.

[Jishory]

im going to pick up my bike from my parents house right now because i dont have anything to do today, yay for getting out of school a week early, i think a backpack is the way to go, i can save shopping bags too that way

[Scooby]

^^^man and i decided not to call you up last night because i figured you had to work today.

[MSP]

K-Mart is selling these for about $200. How far is your commute?

Amazon.com: Schwinn Meridian Adult 26-Inch 3-Wheel Bike: Sports & Outdoors

EDIT: My bad, they want $299 for them. Still, an interesting option.

[Scooby]

No ones gonna call you a fag on that.

[ninefivezero]

And our dependency on foreign oil continues, because people are afraid to be called fags

[MSP]

No doubt. Call me a fag all you want, I'll have a wallet full of money and a strong ticker too.

[Coleman]

I ride one of these bad boys


The forks are lockable so I can change out my knobby off road tires for some road ones and it rides like a road bike. It also has double reinforced rims so it can take the beating that I give it while trying to learn how to ride trials.

I just use a backpack to go get some random groceries and such. I don't really live in an area that you can easily get around to anything that you need, but the grocery store is only 3 miles away.

[Scooby]

Originally Posted by ninefivezero

And our dependency on foreign oil continues, because people are afraid to be called fags

Its the same reason so many people refuse to drive hybrids

Honestly, if i'm going to not take a car to the grocery store, i'd be more likely just to get one of those old lady pull along carts. Really no reason to fuss about with what looks like the worlds heaviest bike (not to mention it cannot be fun to ride, so basically it will turn into a designated grocery bike). And if you live in an apartment forget about it. That thing just doesn't look practical.

[Jishory]

i rode around earlier today, pretty fun, its alot more "personal" getting around. i lost the keys for the old lock, a sawzall melted right through it so i got one a bit thicker




i found this light Cat Eye HL-EL520 Front Bike Light from REI.com on ebay for 37$ here eBay shipped so ill order it tonight, ill probably hit up walmart for a cheapie rear light

[ninefivezero]

If most of your riding is going to be on streets, investing in a pair of road tires will make getting around faster, easier and smoother.

I love riding around on my mountain bike around town with slicks.

[Jishory]

hmm thats a good idea, ill keep an eye out for a set, are they all about the same?

[ninefivezero]

Like anything there are a ton of different brands out there, but its a tire, they all do the same thing

Just go to a bike shop and tell them you are looking for some low cost street tires for your mountain bike, they will point you in the right direction.

[randomtask]

so, hows your ass feeling? nice and sore?