MTBking and cycling

rokguy · Feb 22, 2013

Hi there,  Anyone here like to fang down a mountain side on two wheels, well there's riding up aswell. Nothing like getting out in the wilderness on a bicycle. Some of the things you see first thing in the morning is amazing. Theres also urban mountain biking as I've been upto recently seeing I'm working in Sydney town at the moment. Riding kerbs, fountains and stairs are scary fun. The best set of stairs to ride down are the Sydney Opera House but don't let security catch you. Geoff

AltTransBikes · Feb 22, 2013

Long time cyclist, all in on alt trans.

Seraphim · Feb 22, 2013

Paved downhill runs on my Catrike 700 - yes!. Gave up my mountain bike many years ago due to back injury and pain, but can still do many trails on my mid- racer. They haven't found a way to build an effective recumbent mountain bike yet.

Don't have a handy photo of mine, but this one was trickedoutby an acquaintance of mine, minus the fairing. He calls it Silk

Found one of mine:

Carrier 4 by jglennhart, on Flickr

bobbert · Feb 22, 2013

Catrike rules...Best bang-for-the-buck-value when it comes to USA-made trikes-I miss my Catrike Pocket <img src="/images/boards/smilies/frown.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle">But I am totally diggin' the Bike Friday (also made in the USA-Oregon specifically).I can take the Bike Friday offroads too, (but not on high-tech single track trails & such) <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle">

Seraphim · Feb 22, 2013

Not familiar with it - got a photo?

rokguy · Feb 22, 2013

Love the trikes. Tri sled Aust did have an offroad trike I remember test riding on one of their track test weekends. This is their 4 wheel pick up they build...........and their website. <IMG class=bbc_img src="http://www.recumbent-gallery.eu/wp-content/uploads/trisled-workbikefat.jpg" rel="lightbox"> <A href="http://www.trisled.com.au/recumbent-trikes.asp" rel=nofollow target=_blank>http://www.trisled.com.au/recumbent-trikes.asp</A>

rokguy · Feb 22, 2013

and bike friday........ <A href="http://www.bikefriday.com/bicycles/mountain" rel=nofollow target=_blank>http://www.bikefriday.com/bicycles/mountain</A>

bobbert · Feb 23, 2013

Seraphim said:
Not familiar with it - got a photo?

I got a chance to break away to nab this off my harddrive... It's from my trip to The Greenbriar River Trail, Clover Lick WVA (gr8 place for late autumn bike-camping), this past Oct. 3rd. It's a Bike Friday New World Tourist, 2011 model. They make semi-custom frames in accordance to your measurements & comfort & riding preferences...<img rel="lightbox" src="https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc6/308583_10150361889008213_1647587145_n.jpg" class="bbc_img">

AltTransBikes · Feb 23, 2013

I've long been involved with bikes, whole family has and did quite a bit of touring, crossed the US twice, and a did a fair amount of local road touring and mountain biking as well. Having passed the six ohs in age, the hills have gotten steeper than I remember them being, lol. I've found a solution that works for me. Here's one of my bikes. Proflex was the brainchild of Bob Girvin, made in Woonsocket RI and the first production full suspension mountain bikes made. Always wanted one and mine started as a rehab project, came in pieces in a box. I rebuilt it from the bottom bracket up including front forks and swing arm pivot. It's been retired from serious trail beating. I detuned the suspension for use on the road and put street slicks on it, makes for a nice cushy ride. To level out the hills some, I added an assist, 33cc 4 stroke made by Subaru industrial duty motor, smooth, quiet and highly reliable. I don't use the assist all the time just when I need it. The system freewheels when not in use, adds approx just 14 lbs with fuel and averages somewhere around 175+ mpg. Frankly, at my age, my time on the bike would diminish greatly without it. This type of set-up I know will always be a part of any travel adventures in my future. The bike w/assist weighs in at 44 lbs, can easy be lifted and carried on a sturdy bike rack, offers both exercise and utility to cover extensive ground and be IMO a great complement to a nomad type lifestyle. This ends up IMO being far better than a moped or scooter, much lighter and able to effectively pedal it if and when you need to. Also, the small ICE (int comb eng) is a better solution IMO than existing electric options as I've built a number of eBikes (but that's another discussion).

rokguy · Feb 24, 2013

Nice bikes guys,  Two of my favourites, the bike Friday is used by so many cycle tourist here in Oz, easy to transport by plane, trians and automobiles. The Proflex, there was a time when every bike shop and everyone had this bike. I had Bob Girvans' Flexstem on an old "beast of the East Cannondale MTB. This was my first serious MTBike, bought secondhand, I striped the frame and hand polished i the alloy frame. Long before Cannondale did. I have since moved onto the bikes of my dreams the Cannondale Super V I love them. I'll upload some pics. Geoff

Seraphim · Feb 24, 2013

Thanks for the photos wt - you are definitely packed for touring. ATB - a friend owns the LBS, and he's a major 'bent seller.  A bunch of enthusiasts got togther there several years ago and put a motorized hub on a trailer. Worked too well - since it could propel the bike/trike over 20 mph, it made the combined unit a motor vehicle by Ohio law and it would have required license plates on the road lol.  Less powerful ones are now available from manufacturers. But yes, I agree the motors can really be an assist at times. Geoff - look forward to the pics.

rokguy · Feb 24, 2013

Hey,Seraphim, I always wanted to fit an electric drive to the BOB trailer to give me a boost up the hills when I was using it for work but was worried I might have a jacknife on the local railtrails here. He's some of my rides the three vintage Cannondale Super V's and a link to all my bikes on the website. <A href="http://stonemasoncarver.com/bicycles" rel=nofollow target=_blank>http://stonemasoncarver.com/bicycles</A> Geoff <IMG class=bbc_img src="http://stonemasoncarver.com/sitebuilder/images/Copy_of_cannondale_super_V_outside_wall-399x258.jpg" rel="lightbox"> highly modified 95'Super V700 <IMG class=bbc_img src="http://stonemasoncarver.com/sitebuilder/images/dale_lights_on-408x325.jpg" rel="lightbox"> modified 96 Super V900 Carbon <IMG class=bbc_img src="http://stonemasoncarver.com/sitebuilder/images/my_new_V1000-410x301.jpg" rel="lightbox"> New acquisition 97' Super V Active 1000

Seraphim · Feb 24, 2013

Nice web site! You could try a motorized hub on the bike's rear wheel, and put the battery on the trailer. Would affect the ride of the bike, though, when you pedaled.

Seraphim · Feb 24, 2013

This is identical to DW's bike, minus the wind screen:

To me, that's the ultimate tourer.

rokguy · Feb 24, 2013

Yeh I like the recumbents, they look real comfy and that nice low centre of gravity is a bonus. Geoff

bobbert · Feb 24, 2013

Seraphim said:
wt - you are definitely packed for touring.

I think that In case I lose it ALL (jobs, money, retirement fund, unemployment benefits, especially the Subaru Forester, friends & family & etc.) I will have this Bike Friday as long as no one steals it, rams it with a truck, or mows me down, until I die (or if something major breaks). I also have a few more smaller utility-type bags that I can also attach to my backpack. On a side note,,, I sold off this and the pic below so I could make way for the Bike Friday! Catrike Pocket sadly departed from my life (total phun lowrider)<img src="/images/boards/smilies/bawl.gif" class="emoticon bbc_img"> <img rel="lightbox" src="https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/66636_445643103212_4785794_n.jpg" class="bbc_img">

bobbert · Feb 24, 2013

2009 Bachetta Bellendare' (smooth rider machine, fast, fun handler. Rides almost as smooth like a Cadillac!!!) I dearly miss it <img rel="lightbox" src="/images/boards/smilies/frown.gif" class="bbc_img">  Total maximum phun!!! <img rel="lightbox" src="https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/35317_413877778212_534645_n.jpg" class="bbc_img">

bobbert · Feb 25, 2013

oops.. 

bobbert · Feb 25, 2013

I miss my Cannonball F200... I added Lots of lightweight-overpriced alloy parts in order to go super long camping distances without sacrificing my physical energy !Un-packed, it only weighed appx 23 lbs equipped with: Titanium rails on saddle, Titanium handlebars, Continental Kevlar Tires, carbon Fiber Seatpost, Australian-made Velocity Rims, and full-titanium hollowed axle-skewers.   It climbed technical 25% hills on a trail that were at least 500-ft high! So comfortable.Now on the paved automobile flat roads, the frame dimensions (set up for mountain Climbing) TOTALLY SUCKED!!! Overall with the add-on aftermarket components, I invested over $2000 in that bike. My fitness level and inability to drive all the way from the North End of Ohio down to the South-Eastern end (just to mtn bike ride in the Wayne Ntnl' Forest) of Ohio was just a total waste of gas, not to mention wear & tear on my truck. Thus I sold it on eBay for $300.00 <img rel="lightbox" src="/images/boards/smilies/frown.gif" class="bbc_img"> <img rel="lightbox" src="https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc6/7316_159240813212_7648339_n.jpg" class="bbc_img">

Seraphim · Feb 25, 2013

Sounds like you might be familiar with the MU trail that runs from Cinti up north of Springfield (?). That Bachetta is a nice bike, as well. I've never ridden one, but the owners at bentrideronline.com all rave about them. My first 'bent was a used Sun EZTad. First thing I did was build a set of custom brackets and put a 700c wheel on the back, and kicked up the gear inches. Did a lot of experimenting with it, so I nicknamed it MacGuyver. Sold it to a friend for way too cheap after I decided the Catrike was everyting I was trying to build. Should have kept it, ast the CT7 is a paved-surface-only trike. It was kind of like Big Cat read my mind, then built it.

MTBking and cycling

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