heathenist
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Post by heathenist on Jul 10, 2018 19:54:12 GMT -5
The old thread wasn't very active, but I just finished building a bike and wanted to post it. I encourage everyone to post some pictures of their rides for the new board. I just built up this Surly CrossCheck, whose frame was gifted to me by a friend earlier this year. issa bit of a frankenbike and has like 99% used parts, but they are mostly pretty solid components. It's been a huge pain in the ass building up. First, turned out the rear wheel had a hub that was only compatible with 10s Shimano road cassettes. I would have been okay with that were it not for the fact, that I wanted a slightly larger cassette than what was offered (30t was as large as I could go). That wasn't a huge deal breaker except that I'd have to spend $50 on a new cassette. Then I found a tiny crack in the rim, so I decided to just suck it up and buy a new rear wheel (which explains why they don't match). Next was finding a front derailleur. Because I'm running a mtb crank, I needed a short cage front derailleur. Not a huge deal, except the one I ordered didn't match the photo on the sellers website. I needed a clamp mount and they sent me a direct mount. So I ordered a clamp mount, but whoops, I ordered a top pull instead of the bottom pull or a dual top/bottom pull. That solved itself as the local bike coop had the exact same derailleur (Shimano XT) in the top/bottom pull model and it was only $8. I wanted to run V-brakes and bought some XT's from the coop along with the travel agents necessary to run them with road brake levers. Well when installing them the problem solver broke, and then for some reason there wasn't enough clearance from the brake pad to sit flush on the rim with out rubbing the tire. So I wen't back to the coop and grabbed a cantilever for $7. Between waiting on parts and traveling I've been putting this bike together for like 2-3 months. It finally just got finished today and it started raining right as I finished, so I haven't even gotten to take it on a shakedown ride yet, but I was able to snap some photos before it started raining too hard. The plan is to eventually get some platform pedals for it, and I'll probably throw my Brooks Cambium on it at some point. And hopefully I'll switch to tubeless after a while, but just wanted to get it running so it's regular old tubed right now. I'll try to get some photos of my FG conversion that I've been riding for the last 10 years soon, but it's nothing special.
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face of a pervert
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Post by face of a pervert on Jul 10, 2018 20:23:29 GMT -5
Hell yeah muchacho, I love Surlys. Looks like a nice rig! Why go to platform pedals though? I wen't clipless like 12 years ago and never looked back
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heathenist
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Post by heathenist on Jul 10, 2018 20:45:20 GMT -5
Hell yeah muchacho, I love Surlys. Looks like a nice rig! Why go to platform pedals though? I wen't clipless like 12 years ago and never looked back Thanks man! Don’t get me wrong, I love clipless, but I want to use this bike for commuting, biking around town, and some bikepacking and I don’t really want to bother with having to bring around extra pairs of shoes for any of those situations. I’ve tried it in the past and just always got annoyed with it, despite loving the efficiency of clipless.
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face of a pervert
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Post by face of a pervert on Jul 10, 2018 20:51:39 GMT -5
Do you ride your FG clipless? I've never ridden one, but that seems like a good way to get hurt
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heathenist
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Post by heathenist on Jul 10, 2018 21:17:38 GMT -5
Do you ride your FG clipless? I've never ridden one, but that seems like a good way to get hurt I have in the past, and prefer it to other foot retention, but because of not wanting to carry around shoes I ride with platforms/velcro straps now and think it’s ideal for city riding on a fg. But I think clipless is actually safer. I’ve never accidentally unclipped, but unclipping is way easier and more intuitive than pulling your foot out of straps. With straps you have to pull your foot backwards before reaching it to the ground, where as with clipless you turn it sideways, so it’s a more linear path to reach the foot to the ground if you need to unclip suddenly.
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DrewBlood
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poisoned Eve 6
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Post by DrewBlood on Jul 16, 2018 8:08:25 GMT -5
thinking about getting back on the commuter grind. i found a way to get back and forth to work via light rail and save some scratch in the process. i'd much rather bike the in-between's than rely on public transit, plus it would save me about 45 minutes a day. the road surface is hot garbage in philly so i was thinking about getting something with more cushion. my allez would be torn to shreds out there :/
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heathenist
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Post by heathenist on Jul 18, 2018 14:05:12 GMT -5
thinking about getting back on the commuter grind. i found a way to get back and forth to work via light rail and save some scratch in the process. i'd much rather bike the in-between's than rely on public transit, plus it would save me about 45 minutes a day. the road surface is hot garbage in philly so i was thinking about getting something with more cushion. my allez would be torn to shreds out there :/ I said it in the old thread, but if you're just looking for a cheap commuter, I'd suggest looking for an old hybrid from the early-mid 90s. Specialized Crossroads, Trek Multitrack, Schwinn CrossCut, etc. You can upgrade parts as needed (tires, saddle, handlebars, pedals would be the first things I'd want to upgrade). But they usually have room for up to around 38-45mm tires (700c), are made with high quality steel, and are usually available for really cheap. Alternatively, you can do the same with old MTBs if you don't mind 26" wheels. The downside is that these can quickly become much more involved projects than planned.
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stiffbreeze
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Post by stiffbreeze on Jul 18, 2018 14:54:38 GMT -5
Apart from fixing flats, adjusting breaks and riding, I know fuck all about bikes.
Been riding a K2 hybrid that I got in 07. It's got a new fork and front wheel, but apart from that the rest of the bike is stock. Tires are starting to dryrot, front break pads needs to be replaced, my front and rear shifter are just about ready to break. Back wheel can fall outta wack easily and I've had to replace a few spokes last summer. The chain has never been cleaned lol. There's also these crappy grips on the handlebars that 1) can't be removed 2) the rubber is really starting to wear down. Apart from all these things, I'm very comfortable on it.
Maybe one of you dudes can clue me in on if I should get a new bike, or fix what's going on. (really, I need to take it into the shop near me and get their thoughts too)
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teenxspirit
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Post by teenxspirit on Jul 18, 2018 16:19:10 GMT -5
I don’t know shit about bikes so this might be a stupid question so I figured I’d ask here since my local bike shop is about to close. As I said I don’t know shit so bear with me if I’m not using the right terms.
So I got a really shitty, cheap bike that is just a beater bike and for a while the non-drive side crank arm comes loose while I’m riding and I’d have to tighten the bolt every once in a while I ride but it got to the point where I couldn’t go a few feet without it coming off. So I talked to some dude at the shop and he said I’d have to buy a new crank arm since it could be possible that it’s just worn down from stress. Bought a new crank arm and I’m starting to get the problem again although not as bad right now but I can definitely see it getting worse over time. Do you think it’s the axle in the bottom bracket that’s fucked? How hard would it be to switch that out? Would I need specific tools and would I have to spend a fortune?
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heathenist
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Post by heathenist on Jul 18, 2018 17:37:36 GMT -5
Apart from fixing flats, adjusting breaks and riding, I know fuck all about bikes. Been riding a K2 hybrid that I got in 07. It's got a new fork and front wheel, but apart from that the rest of the bike is stock. Tires are starting to dryrot, front break pads needs to be replaced, my front and rear shifter are just about ready to break. Back wheel can fall outta wack easily and I've had to replace a few spokes last summer. The chain has never been cleaned lol. There's also these crappy grips on the handlebars that 1) can't be removed 2) the rubber is really starting to wear down. Apart from all these things, I'm very comfortable on it. Maybe one of you muchachos can clue me in on if I should get a new bike, or fix what's going on. (really, I need to take it into the shop near me and get their thoughts too) First, I don't know much about that specific bike brand so I can only give general info. Getting new tires and brake pads is easy and should be pretty affordable and easy to change yourself. What do you mean when you say your shifters are about to break? What makes you think that? Depending on what's going on it could be a simple fix. Also not sure what you mean when you say the wheel can fall out of whack, like it become untrue (as in the rim starts getting bent), or does it start wobbling at the hub? Clean your damn chain. Your bike shop should have chain cleaners in stock and they are really simple to use. Buy some orange degreaser from the dollar store and use that to clean the chain and then reapply some good quality chain lube/wax (again, your bike shop should have plenty in stock). Or better yet, if you've been riding the same chain for 10 years, just buy a new chain because yours is probably fucked. All handlebar grips are removable with a box cutter and you can just get some cheap replacement grips, or some nicer ones if you don't have a tight budget. If you're happy on the bike you have, I don't see why you should buy a new one. The only exception would be if it's gonna cost you way more in repairs than what the bike is worth, and sometimes that's the case if you are having a shop do everything for you. But youtube is your friend. Park Tools has a youtube channel where they walk you through almost every repair/adjustment imaginable. I think it's worth investing the time to learn how to work on your own bike. Trust me, it's a giant pain in the ass. And every time I start working on my bike I end up getting pissed off at some point. But it's cheaper, and it's nice to have the know how.
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heathenist
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Post by heathenist on Jul 18, 2018 17:46:44 GMT -5
I don’t know shit about bikes so this might be a stupid question so I figured I’d ask here since my local bike shop is about to close. As I said I don’t know shit so bear with me if I’m not using the right terms. So I got a really shitty, cheap bike that is just a beater bike and for a while the non-drive side crank arm comes loose while I’m riding and I’d have to tighten the bolt every once in a while I ride but it got to the point where I couldn’t go a few feet without it coming off. So I talked to some muchacho at the shop and he said I’d have to buy a new crank arm since it could be possible that it’s just worn down from stress. Bought a new crank arm and I’m starting to get the problem again although not as bad right now but I can definitely see it getting worse over time. Do you think it’s the axle in the bottom bracket that’s fucked? How hard would it be to switch that out? Would I need specific tools and would I have to spend a fortune? Did the shop install the new crank arm or did you? If the shop installed it and it's still fucking up, I'd take it back to them and ask that they fix it on the house or give you a refund for the crank arm (if you bought it through them). It's possible it is the bottom bracket, but it sounds more like a crank arm that wasn't properly torqued down/had the threads stripped somehow, but I'm not a bike mechanic so take that with a grain of salt. As far as changing out bottom brackets, it really depends on the type, and there are lots of different types. Chances are yours is a square taper bottom bracket if it's a cheap beater bike. In which case you'd definitely need a bottom bracket tool, and preferably a torque wrench to make sure you tighten it down enough. But this is something I've always had a shop do for me, and I'd probably recommend you do the same.
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face of a pervert
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Post by face of a pervert on Jul 18, 2018 18:05:05 GMT -5
thinking about getting back on the commuter grind. i found a way to get back and forth to work via light rail and save some scratch in the process. i'd much rather bike the in-between's than rely on public transit, plus it would save me about 45 minutes a day. the road surface is hot garbage in philly so i was thinking about getting something with more cushion. my allez would be torn to shreds out there :/ I said it in the old thread, but if you're just looking for a cheap commuter, I'd suggest looking for an old hybrid from the early-mid 90s. Specialized Crossroads, Trek Multitrack, Schwinn CrossCut, etc. You can upgrade parts as needed (tires, saddle, handlebars, pedals would be the first things I'd want to upgrade). But they usually have room for up to around 38-45mm tires (700c), are made with high quality steel, and are usually available for really cheap. Alternatively, you can do the same with old MTBs if you don't mind 26" wheels. The downside is that these can quickly become much more involved projects than planned. Second this, my first commuter bike was a Trek Multitrack, I loved that bike. Swapped out mtb tires and threw on thinner road slicks and pedal clips and was pretty much good to go.
I wen't from not knowing how to change a flat to being able to strip down and tune up my bikes from the ground up
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stiffbreeze
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Post by stiffbreeze on Jul 18, 2018 20:00:22 GMT -5
First, I don't know much about that specific bike brand so I can only give general info. Getting new tires and brake pads is easy and should be pretty affordable and easy to change yourself. What do you mean when you say your shifters are about to break? What makes you think that? Depending on what's going on it could be a simple fix. Also not sure what you mean when you say the wheel can fall out of whack, like it become untrue (as in the rim starts getting bent), or does it start wobbling at the hub? Clean your damn chain. Your bike shop should have chain cleaners in stock and they are really simple to use. Buy some orange degreaser from the dollar store and use that to clean the chain and then reapply some good quality chain lube/wax (again, your bike shop should have plenty in stock). Or better yet, if you've been riding the same chain for 10 years, just buy a new chain because yours is probably fucked. All handlebar grips are removable with a box cutter and you can just get some cheap replacement grips, or some nicer ones if you don't have a tight budget. Yeah, K2 are definitely not known for their bikes. Last time I got my back wheel trued (by out of wack I mean untrued - the hub seems fine), one of the guys told me that my rear shifter was about to break. During the last couple months of riding shifting my front gear has not been smooth at all and shifting my rear gears register most of the time, but sometimes not at all. Thanks for the info on the items to get regarding my chain - seems like a good investment whether I get a new chain or not. Regarding the handlebars....they're not just a simple wrap around the bar. There's this clunky ass plastic that serves as a base for the grip, and in all my attempts of trying to get them off I've never succeeded.
Thanks for that Sheldon Brown link chaospouch
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heathenist
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Post by heathenist on Jul 19, 2018 1:06:56 GMT -5
First, I don't know much about that specific bike brand so I can only give general info. Getting new tires and brake pads is easy and should be pretty affordable and easy to change yourself. What do you mean when you say your shifters are about to break? What makes you think that? Depending on what's going on it could be a simple fix. Also not sure what you mean when you say the wheel can fall out of whack, like it become untrue (as in the rim starts getting bent), or does it start wobbling at the hub? Clean your damn chain. Your bike shop should have chain cleaners in stock and they are really simple to use. Buy some orange degreaser from the dollar store and use that to clean the chain and then reapply some good quality chain lube/wax (again, your bike shop should have plenty in stock). Or better yet, if you've been riding the same chain for 10 years, just buy a new chain because yours is probably fucked. All handlebar grips are removable with a box cutter and you can just get some cheap replacement grips, or some nicer ones if you don't have a tight budget. Yeah, K2 are definitely not known for their bikes. Last time I got my back wheel trued (by out of wack I mean untrued - the hub seems fine), one of the guys told me that my rear shifter was about to break. During the last couple months of riding shifting my front gear has not been smooth at all and shifting my rear gears register most of the time, but sometimes not at all. Thanks for the info on the items to get regarding my chain - seems like a good investment whether I get a new chain or not. Regarding the handlebars....they're not just a simple wrap around the bar. There's this clunky ass plastic that serves as a base for the grip, and in all my attempts of trying to get them off I've never succeeded.
Thanks for that Sheldon Brown link chaospouch
Is it the shifter or the derailleur that's nearly broken. As for poor shifting in the front, check out this video: Is there an allen bolt anywhere on the grips? They may be the lock-on type.
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tyburn
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Post by tyburn on Jul 19, 2018 1:43:52 GMT -5
I'm still riding vintage, here's my current daily rider, 80's Tommaso built up with random parts from my collection: really wanna build it up properly with either Dura Ace or Chorus but I've got storage problems at my job and not sure if I wanna risk something that nice getting stolen.
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123456789
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Post by 123456789 on Jul 30, 2018 13:14:39 GMT -5
I need to take a pic of my bikes but I have one of the bluetooth speakers to listen to tunes with while riding to work. Really helps with the 40 minute ride but I need some new mixes because after a week my regular mix gets old.
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heathenist
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Post by heathenist on Jul 30, 2018 14:22:40 GMT -5
I'm still riding vintage, here's my current daily rider, 80's Tommaso built up with random parts from my collection: really wanna build it up properly with either Dura Ace or Chorus but I've got storage problems at my job and not sure if I wanna risk something that nice getting stolen. I'm not familiar with that brand. eyetalian? What kinda tubing? Looks slick though. Is it indexed shifting or friction?
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heathenist
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Post by heathenist on Jul 30, 2018 14:24:19 GMT -5
I need to take a pic of my bikes but I have one of the bluetooth speakers to listen to tunes with while riding to work. Really helps with the 40 minute ride but I need some new mixes because after a week my regular mix gets old. Yeah I do the same. I've been looking at getting a buckshot, but haven't pulled the trigger. The one I have now is a cheap $5 speaker from Ross, but I just throw it in my basket and it does the job.
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123456789
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Post by 123456789 on Jul 30, 2018 17:35:33 GMT -5
I need to take a pic of my bikes but I have one of the bluetooth speakers to listen to tunes with while riding to work. Really helps with the 40 minute ride but I need some new mixes because after a week my regular mix gets old. Yeah I do the same. I've been looking at getting a buckshot, but haven't pulled the trigger. The one I have now is a cheap $5 speaker from Ross, but I just throw it in my basket and it does the job. www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0779PJG63/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1I have this and I enjoy it. Loud enough to hear in traffic but not too loud where I can't hear anything or feel like I am being obnoxious.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 30, 2018 18:22:31 GMT -5
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tyburn
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Post by tyburn on Jul 30, 2018 22:41:40 GMT -5
I'm still riding vintage, here's my current daily rider, 80's Tommaso built up with random parts from my collection: really wanna build it up properly with either Dura Ace or Chorus but I've got storage problems at my job and not sure if I wanna risk something that nice getting stolen. I'm not familiar with that brand. eyetalian? What kinda tubing? Looks slick though. Is it indexed shifting or friction? Yeah eyetalian, built by Billato but branded in the US under Tommaso because they couldn't use that name in the states. It's Columbus SLX, It's indexed. Originally it actually had first gen STI levers but only had the rear derailleur and one brake from the rest of the dura ace 7400 stuff, so i'm not using them. If i do manage to collect the rest of the stuff I'd like to put it all back on.
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heathenist
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Post by heathenist on Jul 31, 2018 0:03:23 GMT -5
You’d be better off looking for an old Trek, Specialized, etc. Probably a hardtail with a rigid fork. From my understanding cheap suspension is crap and not really worth it, so unless you’re getting a bike with a decent suspension fork, I’d avoid it. Do some research on reputable bike companies that were making mtbs in the 80s and 90s and go from there. Unless you already bought that other bike, in which case, just go ride it until you can find something else.
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heathenist
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Post by heathenist on Jul 31, 2018 0:05:25 GMT -5
I'm not familiar with that brand. eyetalian? What kinda tubing? Looks slick though. Is it indexed shifting or friction? Yeah eyetalian, built by Billato but branded in the US under Tommaso because they couldn't use that name in the states. It's Columbus SLX, It's indexed. Originally it actually had first gen STI levers but only had the rear derailleur and one brake from the rest of the dura ace 7400 stuff, so i'm not using them. If i do manage to collect the rest of the stuff I'd like to put it all back on. Damn, that’s dope. So it’s a fairly new vintage then? Like early 90s probably?
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tyburn
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Post by tyburn on Jul 31, 2018 2:31:00 GMT -5
it's from 89 according to the serial, I'm guessing either the owner upgraded it a few years later or the frame sat for a while before being built up.
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123456789
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Post by 123456789 on Jul 31, 2018 10:24:00 GMT -5
I need to figure out a better front rack/basket situation. This works but I just hate how high it sits and I think it looks ugly. I broke my previous rack and forks (that had the right mounts) in a bike accident. I also have another beater cruiser that I ride when I'm on the train or just puttering around.
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heathenist
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Post by heathenist on Jul 31, 2018 11:46:30 GMT -5
Yeah a front rack would definitely help you lower it, the origin8 classique would be a good option, or a surly 8 pack, but I’m not sure it would fit due to the lack of eyelets on the fork. But I actually think it looks fine how it is, it might handle a little better if you brought the weight down, but who knows if it would even be noticeable. Sweet bike though. Really dig those bars.
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face of a pervert
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Post by face of a pervert on Aug 3, 2018 17:01:31 GMT -5
Just purchased a ss cyclocross frame via eBay, so stoked to get it up and running for trail riding this fall
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face of a pervert
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Post by face of a pervert on Aug 3, 2018 17:03:00 GMT -5
I need to figure out a better front rack/basket situation. This works but I just hate how high it sits and I think it looks ugly. I broke my previous rack and forks (that had tha right mounts) in a bike accident. I also have another beater cruiser that I ride when I'm on tha train or just puttering around. CETMA front racks are the business, they fit most bikes. cetmacargo.com/products/5-rail
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killthekool
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Post by killthekool on Oct 4, 2018 18:46:25 GMT -5
Looking for cheaper front bike racks(or basket) online and Im really not trying to spend hella money on it. anyone have any ideas? Been commuting lately and thought itd be nice to throw on something to carry stuff other than my backpack... Commuting about 15-18miles a day for work and Im loving it... the weather is getting a little sketchy tho so Im thinking about getting a car soon
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Percussionist Foster Grant
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32" inseam??
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Post by Percussionist Foster Grant on Oct 4, 2018 18:49:46 GMT -5
That's a good looking bike OP.
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