Post Race!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Shaggy Hiker

I have a treadmill that can be programmed to different gradients. I can make up a 20 minute (or maybe 40 minute) program. I thought it would be pretty cool to make a video to play on the computer monitor I have rigged on the treadmill such that I would be watching a route as I hiked it. Unfortunately, the treadmill doesn't allow for continuously variable gradients. Every gradient has to be held for a minimum of one minute before changing grades. That would mean that I'd have to choose a route that had no short climbs (and I can't go to negative gradients).

---

Sounds like quite a good treadmill for at home use, and it sure beats getting wet in the rain, there's nothing worse than cold and wet feet and legs. I guess you use the monitor to watch television shows instead of the hiking routes you mentioned. I just use an old pair of shoes if the weather looks a bit iffy and then go out walking. It means that I get rained on from time to time, sometimes even when using an umbrella as the wind can pick up enough to soak me. That's when I need a treadmill.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Shaggy Hiker

That bike does fit the description pretty well as far as the handlebars and shift lever location. Those look like the same brakes and brake levers, too, so that's a pretty good match. I didn't go for the bars you mention. I've seen them, but there isn't any real point in them on my commute. They might offer my an extra mph, or so, but that's not so much in the long run.

---

You might want to try some, I have heard a lot of riders comment that once they put them on they never take them off again. I guess the position really can reduce the drag enough to make it easier to ride faster. Do you have a pic of what your bike looks like after all of your upgrades? It may look vaguely similar to that:
http://media.thehubsa.co.za/forum/up...1317496915.jpg

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Shaggy Hiker

The mountain bike is pretty much a standard bike. The frame is aluminum, rather than anything more exotic, and pretty rugged. The seat post was inadequate, and I'll have to replace it, but otherwise it was pretty standard. Adding the rack was a bit difficult, though the attachment points were present for the most part. The attachment at the front of the rack was at an awkward angle. I didn't have any trouble with the rack once I had attached it.

---

I see, I have no idea how strong a standard mountain bike is once you add lots of extra weight and start riding up and down steep inclines and declines over thousands of miles. You seem to be trying to upgrade a standard bike to a race edition, so you might want to ask at a bike store just to double check if they think that your bike can cope with the weight or if you need to upgrade to a stronger/race model with disc brakes.

For a second there I am sure we were all forced to race in a game of dday9's Tron Lightcycles -> http://www.vbforums.com/showthread.p...on-Lightcycles
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BZxGhNdz1k

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hH4WxXiTvug
Spooky.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Witis

Sounds like quite a good treadmill for at home use, and it sure beats getting wet in the rain, there's nothing worse than cold and wet feet and legs.

---

My legs don't get cold, and I don't really mind wet feet. It happens. Much of my hiking was on the US east coast, where rain is common. Now that I am in the desert, rain is not so common.

Quote:

---

I guess you use the monitor to watch television shows instead of the hiking routes you mentioned.

---

I do watch movies on there, but not TV. It's a computer monitor with a computer on a table beside the treadmill, so I can do a variety of things with it, but watching movies is the most common. I also hook the work laptop up to it and work on the treadmill at times. That's what I got it for, actually, I just find that there are things that can be done on a treadmill and things that cannot.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by dday9

Some of these breast are abnormally large. And I like that.

---

You bad boy!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Witis

You might want to try some, I have heard a lot of riders comment that once they put them on they never take them off again. I guess the position really can reduce the drag enough to make it easier to ride faster. Do you have a pic of what your bike looks like after all of your upgrades?

---

Nope, no pics. Those bars might help, but I'm not sure I can fit them anymore. There's so much stuff attached to the handlebars already that I'd have some difficulty finding room. I also don't want to look too into it. I prefer a more relaxed look. Besides, if I went to the trouble of reconfiguring the bike for a more upright stance, why would I want to add something that accomodates a MUCH less upright stance?

Quote:

---

I see, I have no idea how strong a standard mountain bike is once you add lots of extra weight and start riding up and down steep inclines and declines over thousands of miles. You seem to be trying to upgrade a standard bike to a race edition, so you might want to ask at a bike store just to double check if they think that your bike can cope with the weight or if you need to upgrade to a stronger/race model with disc brakes.

---

I already am upgrading to a model with disc brakes. In general, my feeling is that race models are based on decreasing weight not increasing load-carrying ability. They may be tougher, too, since they can be used for some crazy speeds over very rough terrain, but they should be trying to balance weight against toughness, whereas I'm only interested in toughness. I'm also not all that interested in shelling out big $$$ for a bike that will only be used a few times for this purpose. After this ride, I don't expect to be doing lots more. Too much hiking to get done.

Another point is that the place where I could stand for a more rugged bike would be in the shifting and the chain. Chains don't come in different degrees of durability, as far as I can tell. They're all made of the same stuff and in pretty much the same way (which is why the tools to work with them are all the same). Further, gears are gears, so that only leaves the shifters. There are some improvements that could be made to better deal with the dust (sealed springs and moving parts), but the cost of such components might be prohibitive.

I don't know who that is, but her IX keeps shifting shoulders.

A troglodyte

Attachment 116081

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Shaggy Hiker

My legs don't get cold, and I don't really mind wet feet. It happens.

---

Really? I read it but I don't believe it. :Þ

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Shaggy Hiker

Much of my hiking was on the US east coast, where rain is common. Now that I am in the desert, rain is not so common.

---

My theory is that your legs don't get cold and you don't mind wet feet 'cause you now live in the desert. One really cold, wet, and windy walk for at least a couple of hours where you are soaked to the bone should get you longing for a hot shower, warm clothes, and central heating.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Shaggy Hiker

I do watch movies on there, but not TV. It's a computer monitor with a computer on a table beside the treadmill, so I can do a variety of things with it, but watching movies is the most common. I also hook the work laptop up to it and work on the treadmill at times. That's what I got it for, actually, I just find that there are things that can be done on a treadmill and things that cannot.

---

Watching movies would be kinda fun, especially when there is no scenery and no one to interact with and you decide to go for a 2+ hour hike. How do you work when you are on the treadmill, I can't imagine it would be too much fun.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Shaggy Hiker

Nope, no pics. Those bars might help, but I'm not sure I can fit them anymore. There's so much stuff attached to the handlebars already that I'd have some difficulty finding room. I also don't want to look too into it. I prefer a more relaxed look. Besides, if I went to the trouble of reconfiguring the bike for a more upright stance, why would I want to add something that accomodates a MUCH less upright stance?

---

I thought it was about comfort. The drop bars are ok but they can be very uncomfortable on long rides so you have to sit upright with your hands on top of the bars for most of the time, the new inverted U shape is streamlined and comfortable which is why riders can use that position for the complete length of a time trial. But you never know unless you try them for yourself as everyone is different especially when you are talking about backs and comfort.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Shaggy Hiker

I already am upgrading to a model with disc brakes.

---

I thought you were going to fit disc brakes to a standard model rather than upgrading to a tougher model?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Shaggy Hiker

In general, my feeling is that race models are based on decreasing weight not increasing load-carrying ability. They may be tougher, too, since they can be used for some crazy speeds over very rough terrain, but they should be trying to balance weight against toughness, whereas I'm only interested in toughness. I'm also not all that interested in shelling out big $$$ for a bike that will only be used a few times for this purpose. After this ride, I don't expect to be doing lots more. Too much hiking to get done.

---

You may be right about the standard frame being strong enough for you, but remember most folks just ride their mountain bikes on the road so there isn't much incentive to over engineer them very much as anyone serious about mountain biking is usually going to have to buy a serious model knowing the extra stress that is put on the bike and they have shock absorbers and disc brakes unlike the standard model. I don't imagine that the race models would be weaker than the standard models even though they are lighter in the same way that F1 cars can withstand a crash at high speeds unlike regular cars. Hiking is definitely a safer option although you don't get the chance to see as much scenery.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Shaggy Hiker

Another point is that the place where I could stand for a more rugged bike would be in the shifting and the chain. Chains don't come in different degrees of durability, as far as I can tell. They're all made of the same stuff and in pretty much the same way (which is why the tools to work with them are all the same). Further, gears are gears, so that only leaves the shifters. There are some improvements that could be made to better deal with the dust (sealed springs and moving parts), but the cost of such components might be prohibitive.

---

I am fairly sure that the more that you spend on a mountain bike the more durable the entire bike including the sprokets and chain, for example in cheaper models you can hear the wear in the noise the chain and gears make after only a couple of years of infrequent use unlike racing kit which sounds good even after 5 years of heavy daily use when properly maintained. Ask at a store they might be able to tell you the different metals and compounds used for each part of the bike including the chain, sprokets, wires, and gears. Obviously you don't want to buy a world mountain bike championship bike for $6000+, but you might find that spending $1000-2000 gets you the kit you need for your 1000 mile all terrain trips.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Witis

Really? I read it but I don't believe it. :Þ

---

It's true. In fact, it's something I've relied on since I was fairly young. I generally don't have to wear much on my legs on the coldest of days. On the other hand, my arms DO get cold, so I almost never wear vests. That means that when it is -30, I was wearing a couple shirts, but nothing but a pair of jeans for pants, and was fine...until my moustache froze to my beard and I couldn't open my mouth anymore.

Quote:

---

My theory is that your legs don't get cold and you don't mind wet feet 'cause you now live in the desert. One really cold, wet, and windy walk for at least a couple of hours where you are soaked to the bone should get you longing for a hot shower, warm clothes, and central heating.

---

Only on the top half. I used to go for walks for hours in the winter in New Hampshire without my legs getting cold. I hike in the rain wearing only shorts. If I start to get cold, I put on a jacket, but never pants. I don't even carry pants hiking, except for a pair of rain pants that are necessary for bug protection some mornings and evenings.



Watching movies would be kinda fun, especially when there is no scenery and no one to interact with and you decide to go for a 2+ hour hike. How do you work when you are on the treadmill, I can't imagine it would be too much fun.[/QUOTE]

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Witis

I thought you were going to fit disc brakes to a standard model rather than upgrading to a tougher model?

---

I did consider that, and I may have said that at one point, but there was always another option, which is the one I am going to try out. My father has a very similar bike to the one I have, except that it has disc brakes. I'm going to swap bikes with him, so it may be the same as just putting disc brakes on the bike I have, except that there will be less expense and effort.

Quote:

---

You may be right about the standard frame being strong enough for you, but remember most folks just ride their mountain bikes on the road so there isn't much incentive to over engineer them very much as anyone serious about mountain biking is usually going to have to buy a serious model knowing the extra stress that is put on the bike and they have shock absorbers and disc brakes unlike the standard model.

---

That may be the case, but these frames seem pretty tough. Both bikes are hard tails, but have front shocks. I prefer the hard tail for climbing, as no energy is spent on compressing the rear shocks. Of course, rigging a rack on a full-suspension bike is virtually impossible because of the traveling distance of the rear shock. The rack would also have the same traveling range.

Quote:

---

Obviously you don't want to buy a world mountain bike championship bike for $6000+, but you might find that spending $1000-2000 gets you the kit you need for your 1000 mile all terrain trips.

---

Spending $0 works for me, too. I'll try that out, first, probably in September.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Shaggy Hiker

It's true. In fact, it's something I've relied on since I was fairly young. I generally don't have to wear much on my legs on the coldest of days. On the other hand, my arms DO get cold, so I almost never wear vests. That means that when it is -30, I was wearing a couple shirts, but nothing but a pair of jeans for pants, and was fine...until my moustache froze to my beard and I couldn't open my mouth anymore.

---

Heh, at that temperature you might even be able to splash a bit of hot water from your herbal tea and see it freeze in mid air.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Shaggy Hiker

Only on the top half. I used to go for walks for hours in the winter in New Hampshire without my legs getting cold. I hike in the rain wearing only shorts. If I start to get cold, I put on a jacket, but never pants. I don't even carry pants hiking, except for a pair of rain pants that are necessary for bug protection some mornings and evenings.

---

I guess it is possible - I have seen a documentary about a guy who could withstand sub freezing temperature, e.g. spending extending periods in freezing water, and he even ran a marathon in the snow in open sandals (for grip otherwise he would have done it bare footed), shorts, and a tshirt. It seemed legit, although there is always the possibility that it was CGIed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUQwFZ_xFdM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oO1sOZauU0I

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Shaggy Hiker

I did consider that, and I may have said that at one point, but there was always another option, which is the one I am going to try out. My father has a very similar bike to the one I have, except that it has disc brakes. I'm going to swap bikes with him, so it may be the same as just putting disc brakes on the bike I have, except that there will be less expense and effort.

---

Fair enough and an easy way to save $1000+.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Shaggy Hiker

That may be the case, but these frames seem pretty tough. Both bikes are hard tails, but have front shocks. I prefer the hard tail for climbing, as no energy is spent on compressing the rear shocks. Of course, rigging a rack on a full-suspension bike is virtually impossible because of the traveling distance of the rear shock. The rack would also have the same traveling range.

---

In that case the frame might be ok, how much did you spend on it?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Shaggy Hiker

Spending $0 works for me, too. I'll try that out, first, probably in September.

---

I can't argue with that.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by dday9

Some of these breast are abnormally large. And I like that.

---

DD does it for dday9.

10010011110

10010001000