Bikes of BAFS 2017

[Judd]

@SolarBikeCar 154971 wrote:

Judd is in the lead in the rorschach bike test pointless prize.

https://www.google.com/search?sitesearch=bikearlingtonforum.com&q=dick&submit.x=0&submit.y=0&domains=bikearlingtonforum.com

I’m probably only in the middle of the pack.

[Emm]

I traded by husband (then boyfriend) tires for his car for this bike back in 2014. It’s a 2006 trek pilot 2.1. Aluminum frame with carbon fork, seat-stay and seat post. She’s got a mix of 105 and ultegra components. When I took her from my husband I changed out the handlebars after a bike fitting session at fresh bikes, and added a women’s specific saddle, both of which made a huge difference. I finally added a back rack to her last year too. I put Vittoria Rubino Pro Endurance G+ tires on her last fall, which have served me well on the C&O canal, muddy trail days, and in the cold. I’m actually thinking I may keep these on year-round since they’ve served me so well. This bike isn’t the fastest or lightest (don’t tell her that though…), but it’s fun to ride and has served me very well as a commuter over the past few years.

The bike has had it’s fair share of mishaps, from going down on the Mountain in Lake Placid after my husband got hit by a boat trailer, to my couple (luckily minor) crashes, but it’s passed all it’s safety checks at the shop so luckily the carbon has held up. During her tune up a week ago they said she was still in great shape, so I’m hoping she has another 5-10 years left in her.

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I expected to ride my flat bar bike with an igh and disc brakes more since it has wider tires, but it’s been such a mild winter I’ve been able to stay on this bike most days.

[cvcalhoun]

@Emm 155235 wrote:

I traded by husband (then boyfriend) tires for his car for this bike back in 2014.

Okay, I initially misread that as you traded your husband for a bike. And really, I think that would be taking N+1 a little too far!

[QuikAF77]

@Emm 155235 wrote:

This bike isn’t the fastest or lightest (don’t tell her that though…), but it’s fun to ride and has served me very well as a commuter over the past few years.

Who cares about fast or light if it is fun to ride! I also put my morning coffee in a Contigo into a bottle cage.

[EasyRider]

I put the same RackTime Topit front rack on my commuter bike a couple of years ago and have been very pleased with it. It’s a bit utilitarian, but can handle as much or more weight (~20 lbs) than comparable front racks costing twice or three times as much. I zip- tied a Wald basket to it, which I used mostly for beer runs and to hold fishing tackle.

@LhasaCM 155055 wrote:

Here’s my contribution to the thread.

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It’s a 2016 Breezer Beltway 8+ with a Burley Piccolo trailercycle. This is what I use for my daily commute and any other riding I do, save the occasional CaBi ride. (The bike-looking shadow in the upper right is my wife’s Linus Dutchi hanging up on the wall.) If I’m not responsible for transporting my daughter that day (or at least until some time after returning home), then I just unhitch the trailercycle and it’s like a whole new bike. Most days, I only have to pick up my daughter (taking her uphill – yay!), so only half of my commute is #kidical, plus any weekend rides I can convince family to join me on.

Modifications to the store-bought configuration:

• For extra cargo capacity: Added a front rack to my bike, rear rack to the Piccolo, and swapped the rear rack on my bike with the Burley one to accomodate the Piccolo.
• To accommodate the front rack, as a short-term kludge, added an L-bracket for mounting the dynamo-powered light. Longer term, I’ll need to get a longer wire so I can put the light at the front of the rack.
• Swapped the stem for a slightly shorter one (my hands were very happy when I figured that out)
• Swapped in Crank Brothers 5050 pedals for my bike, moving the Breezer pedals to the Piccolo
• Added a seat back/belt to the Piccolo to ensure that when my daughter gets tired of holding on/balancing, she can’t easily fall off.
• Added more (USB rechargable) lights! (Light/camera on the front, two rear lights on the Piccolo, including a Tern Vizy light that has a nice halo effect, and a rear light on the Breezer when the fender clip holding the wiring in place snapped and then cut the cable to the dynamo-powered one)
• Added handlebar mounted rear view mirrors (one for each of us)
• Got a frame lock/chain combination for the Piccolo (to make it easier to lock up with my bike when necessary)
• Swapped out the stock handlebars on the Piccolo for the cruiser-style ones to improve the reach (i.e., make it easier for my daughter to hold on) and added a rear fender.
• Oi bells (could be called “Meh”)
• Streamers!!!

[Emm]

@QuikAF77 155242 wrote:

I also put my morning coffee in a Contigo into a bottle cage.

YES! the newer models are amazing and do an even better job than the old ones at keeping coffee hot, and it first perfectly in a bike’s water bottle cage cage (although the cage is scuffing the cup’s paint a little). My coffee stayed warm through my entire 1 hr commute today, and was still adequately heated while I got showered and changed at work. It’s been a lifesaver to have a hot liquid to drink on some of the colder days during the winter. It really helps keep me warm. And during the summer they keep iced coffee cold on the bike too.

The blue and black ones are on sale for $12 on amazon right now so I just bought a few more

[consularrider]

BAFS bike #3, my Salsa Pistola.

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[Judd]

The commuter and bad weather bike. It’s a Trek CrossRip with a ton of stickers on it.

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[kwarkentien]

My gravel grinder was purchased two years ago for riding the GAP/C&O but also with BAFS in mind and has been a great all-purpose fun bike: Specialized Diverge Expert with 11-speed 700c wheels, Ultegra Ui2 mid-cage, 11-32 cassette, mid-compact 52/36 Quark crankset with power meter, with fenders and Topeak rack. I call him “Dusty Badass.”

And then there’s this year’s baby bought because well N+1 and it was a deal I just couldn’t pass up: Specialized Ruze Comp mid-fattie with 650b wheels, 3″ wide tires, SRAM 1-up 28-tooth front ring with 10-speed 11-40 cassette. He’s named after one of my cats (no crazy cat lady comments–everyone already knows I am), “Roo’s Ruze.”

But if I’m being honest, the bike(s) I’ve ridden the most is this big red monster, which is kindly parked right in front of my condo:

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[SurlyTed1187]

This is Margot, my brand spanking new Motobecane Omni Strada gravel/cross/commuter bike. She was a gift from myself to myself as a Christmas present this past holiday, and must say I am very pleased with her.

When she arrived, I did some parts switching and turned her into a 1×10 because all the cool kids are doing that these days. Other than putting some more street friendly treads on her, I haven’t done much else.

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[Judd]

@SurlyTed1187 155421 wrote:

This is Margot, my brand spanking new Motobecane Omni Strada gravel/cross/commuter bike. She was a gift from myself to myself as a Christmas present this past holiday, and must say I am very pleased with her.

When she arrived, I did some parts switching and turned her into a 1×10 because all the cool kids are doing that these days. Other than putting some more street friendly treads on her, I haven’t done much else.

I see your bike has an upside down heart shaped safety light. That bar tape is pretty sweet.

[kwarkentien]

@SurlyTed1187 155421 wrote:

This is Margot, my brand spanking new Motobecane Omni Strada gravel/cross/commuter bike. She was a gift from myself to myself as a Christmas present this past holiday, and must say I am very pleased with her.

When she arrived, I did some parts switching and turned her into a 1×10 because all the cool kids are doing that these days. Other than putting some more street friendly treads on her, I haven’t done much else.

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Nice bike! But pic should be driveside out for optimal ogling.

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[Vicegrip]

@Judd 155439 wrote:

I see your bike has an upside down heart shaped safety light. That bar tape is pretty sweet.

And yet it is referred to as “she” :p

[Rod Smith]

My weekend ride under a nice statue. (Sometimes used during the week when the workhorse is out for repairs)
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On a weekend ride. C&O towpath “winter” camping last weekend.
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[Sunyata]

So, since this year’s Freezing Saddles has been… less than freezing, I have been riding my new bike quite a bit. Well, the weather and Dirty Kanza training has me riding my drop bar bike more than I would have expected.

Here she is on yesterday’s Bicycle Fun Club Presidents’ Day Ride:
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Salsa Warbird, SRAM Rival 2×11 (50-34 up front and 11-32 in the rear), Hydro disc breaks, and a little bit of mud from racing Monster Cross the day before.

Despite drop bars being terrifying, this bike has been amazing. It is the perfect gravel race bike and a great “having fun while riding with friends” bike, too!

[Author]

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