Bike Forums - Southern Ohio

Hello All,

I've been lurking here via google search for some time now so I figured it is time for an introduction. My name is Gregg and I'm from a small town just south of Dayton, OH (Which is the small city just north of Cincinnati if you still have no idea). My experience with cycling is super limited. I have lived my entire life between Kettering and Xenia, Ohio on a major set of bike routes and after 27 years have just started to join the game.

My real passions come from my home. I live with my family next to a 600+ acre nature reserve with some of the best running trails around. In pursuit of running I have discovered a passion for bikes and a particular (and evolving) riding style. I have recently had some major life changing events and I've been bonding with my daughter (5 years old) over bicycles, art, and adventures.

So that brings us to the "zip tie bike". :roflmao: :bike2: :lol:

As all perpetual lurkers I spent hours reading the forums trying to pick a bike that was perfect. In the end I realized that I'm more likely to ride often if I can afford it, make it a part of my daily life, and leave room to grow. So I decided to look at "Vintage" bikes. I ended up completely taken by 80's bikes by way of univega, trek, gary fisher, klein, ect. So I started researching.

After several attempts to purchase other bikes I kept finding myself standing in front of Trek model 7xx, 8xx, and 9xx. The search ensued for a nice example and for just $200 I found what I thought was a pristine Trek 990. Mind you, the Trek 990 was black with white splatter and white on ivory logo's. It was all stock with an added rear rack, perfect for my bikepacking adventures in the near future.

When I arrived I found one side of the rack held on by a zip tie. The bike was caked in dirt and the components had never been gone through.... at least not recently. But the bike fit and due to my major life changing events that landed me injured and as a stay at home dad I could use the extra cash. So I paid significantly less than $200 and took home a 1990 Trek 990.

The purpose of the bike will be as a daily commuter, a fitness bike, and a pack mule for a 30 mile road and gravel trip to Ohio's deepest lake for a weekend stay.

Thank you for having me and if you want to see photos, laugh at the new guy, hear about adventures in the nature reserve/around the campground, or picking/flipping adventures keep an eye out for a thread titled "The Zip Tie Bike".