"I saw this deal, and thought someone might like it" thread.

[ebubar]

At the risk of someone getting a deal that I may want, if anyone is interested in a good road bike deal, Takoma Bicycles is running a sale on 2013 model Giant bikes. Most of them are about 20 % off at the moment. Really great prices for great bikes! Plus the staff there is always top notch whenever I stop in on my commute.

[Tim Kelley]

@ebubar 63423 wrote:

Anyone have a particular pair that they’d recommend?

Just don’t try on anything out of your budget. Because then you’ll want to buy multiple pairs. I recommend ignorance is bliss.

[rpiretti]

Anybody that knows me knows that I love Velo Orange. See their new frame here…off-road touring frame. You don’t have to deal with the west coast to get one (Rivendell)!

http://velo-orange.blogspot.com/2013/09/camargue-frames-built-up.html

[cyclingfool]

@Rando Guy 63558 wrote:

Anybody that knows me knows that I love Velo Orange. See their new frame here…off-road touring frame. You don’t have to deal with the west coast to get one (Rivendell)!

http://velo-orange.blogspot.com/2013/09/camargue-frames-built-up.html

It’s a nice looking frame. Though I haven’t embraced it yet apart from a seatpost purchase for my old bike and following their Instagram feed, I too have a little bit of a soft spot in my heart for Velo Orange (though probably not as soft as the spot in my heart for Surly). I do like the burnt orange paint color option. It’s too bad the 26″ wheel version is only available up to a 53 cm frame size, otherwise I’d consider it as an alternative to the LHT when/if I decide to ditch my mid-90s touring/commuter-ized MTB frame in favor of a modern touring frame. with 26×2″ tires as they built that one up, it’s very similar that what I have done with my current build (26×1.85″ tires and intentions to go with 2″ Schwalbes when new tires are needed).

[rpiretti]

@cyclingfool 63562 wrote:

It’s too bad the 26″ wheel version is only available up to a 53 cm frame size, otherwise I’d consider it as an alternative to the LHT when/if I decide to ditch my mid-90s touring/commuter-ized MTB frame in favor of a modern touring frame. with 26×2″ tires as they built that one up, it’s very similar that what I have done with my current build (26×1.85″ tires and intentions to go with 2″ Schwalbes when new tires are needed).

For what it’s worth – here’s what they said when asked about the frame size question – “The big tires and higher BB mean that we needed to use smaller wheels on the smaller sizes.”

[vvill]

@Tim Kelley 63509 wrote:

Just don’t try on anything out of your budget.

http://www.bikeradar.com/road/news/article/the-worlds-most-expensive-bib-short-assos-new-s7-38367/

?

[jrenaut]

For $519 those shorts better be e-assist.

[vvill]

They do have a KuKu Penthouse. Not even kidding.

[cyclingfool]

@Rando Guy 63563 wrote:

For what it’s worth – here’s what they said when asked about the frame size question – “The big tires and higher BB mean that we needed to use smaller wheels on the smaller sizes.”

Makes sense. What I meant s that I wish that they had a 26″ wheeled frame in the 55-57 cm size range, like the way that LHTs are available for 26″ wheels in larger sizes, not just the smaller frames Regardless, it’s a nice looking offering from VO.

[rpiretti]

Cyclingfool – I’m asking this just for pure education but why would you choose a 26” rather than a 700c? Curious, I have 700c now…really, just asking because I am curious.

[cyclingfool]

@Rando Guy 63597 wrote:

Cyclingfool – I’m asking this just for pure education but why would you choose a 26” rather than a 700c? Curious, I have 700c now…really, just asking because I am curious.

I used to have a 700c Surly LHT and I loved it. So nothing against 700c. In fact I preferred 700c aesthetically for a long time. I thought that larger frames with 26″ wheels looked odd. I’ve warmed to them aesthetically, at least in my size range, after seeing how they look complete with fenders and racks, which I like to have on my bike, so that prejudice against 26″ is gone for me now. My Surly was stolen in the spring. I ended up replacing that bike with the one I have now, a 1995 rigid Trek MTB frame that I’ve converted to drop bars and added a rack and fenders to. So, the simple answer is that I already have a wheelset I really like that is 26″. If I were to buy a new frame (like the Camargue), it would be in order to swap everything possible over from my current MTB frame, so I’d want a bike that I could throw my current wheels onto, i.e., 26″

I’m picky about wheels because I am solidly in the ranks of the clydesdales, and when I hit upon a solid combo like the one I have now, I tend to want to stick with it. Not to mention that theoretically, all things being equal, a 26″ wheel will be somewhat stronger than a 700c wheel, or so it is often claimed. That alone would not be enough of a reason for me to switch to 26″ from 700c if I already had 700c. I had found a pretty solid rear wheel for my 700c Surly. But since I now have 26″ wheels, I see it as a very slight advantage and a reason to hold on to what I have. Plus I like running fatter (smooth) tires on my bike, and 26″ fits the bill better for that.

So, basically it’s a combination of circumstance and an evolving personal preference. Nothing more.

[rpiretti]

Yeah, totally get that. Thanks for elaborating, I suppose folks switch over to 650b wheel size (that might be the actually same size as 26″) for the reason of strength of the wheel as well – that and rolling resistance and speed.

Sorry to hear of your stolen Surly, I had a bike stolen a couple years ago and you don’t ever get over it, at least I haven’t. I’m always on the lookout.

[DaveK]

Another opportunity to build a bike – full Force groupset for $500

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/mld/bik/4064217120.html

[bikeeveryday]

A “penthouse” for $519 is quite a bargain. :p

@vvill 63585 wrote:

They do have a KuKu Penthouse. Not even kidding.

[DismalScientist]

@acl 63101 wrote:

sigh.

OK. Here’s one for you:

49 cm Trek 520 $275 (I think it’s an ’86)
Double butted Reynolds 531 (!!!)
Baltimore:(
Looks like 12 speeds, but should be 15 or 18.
Should have rack mounts
Maillard hubs might indicate heliomatic, in which case I would consider investing in newer 700 C wheels

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/mld/bik/4066404435.html

[Author]

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