Ryan from Michigan
05-14-20, 06:06 AM
#1
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Ryan from Michigan
Howdy all, finally joined this place (mostly because I found a thread with a few other Giant CADEX owners)
Live in SE Michigan, love to bike, day job is development engineer for Subaru - slowly transitioning out of that for less travel though. I had a travel bike for a while, but some of the test trips were such that even bringing that along was a no-go sometimes.
I've owned quite a few bikes, my sweet spot is early to mid 90s stuff with a weakness for Slingshots (I've owned 8 or 9 of all types). Currently own an Ibis Ripley V1, a 95 ish Slingshot Mtn bike with multiple handlebar setups (dirt drop and flat bar), a 1989 or so Giant CADEX 980 C. My wife has a cool old Ritchey Swiss Cross and owns her Trek 930 that she bought new in High School back in 1991. Would post pictures of it all, but i guess I can't do that.
My son is 11 and I'm putting together an old 1996 Trek OCLV for him to move up from his Islabikes into.
Ryan
Live in SE Michigan, love to bike, day job is development engineer for Subaru - slowly transitioning out of that for less travel though. I had a travel bike for a while, but some of the test trips were such that even bringing that along was a no-go sometimes.
I've owned quite a few bikes, my sweet spot is early to mid 90s stuff with a weakness for Slingshots (I've owned 8 or 9 of all types). Currently own an Ibis Ripley V1, a 95 ish Slingshot Mtn bike with multiple handlebar setups (dirt drop and flat bar), a 1989 or so Giant CADEX 980 C. My wife has a cool old Ritchey Swiss Cross and owns her Trek 930 that she bought new in High School back in 1991. Would post pictures of it all, but i guess I can't do that.
My son is 11 and I'm putting together an old 1996 Trek OCLV for him to move up from his Islabikes into.
Ryan
05-14-20, 06:34 AM
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Welcome to Bike Forums from SW MI!
05-14-20, 02:54 PM
#6
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Location: Brighton, Michigan
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Bikes: Optima Baron LR, '14 Nishiki Maricopa,'87 Trek 330 Elance, '89 Miyata 1400, '85 Peugeot PGN10, '04 Fuji Ace, '06 Giant Rincon, '95 Giant Allegre, '83 Trek 620, '86 Schwinn High Sierra
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Another SE Michigan cyclist! Welcome aboard. I'm out in the NW suburbs of Brighton, and work in Plymouth. After work, I'll take my bikes from the work parking lot and hit up Hines Dr, I-275 trails, or down Ann Arbor Rd. On weekends, if I don't feel like traveling, I'll head out S from Brighton to A2, W to Pinckney and beyond, or N to Kensington MP/Milford/Fenton/etc/
Where are you riding in SE Michigan?
Where are you riding in SE Michigan?
05-14-20, 03:04 PM
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Hi @rmplum,
Dittoes to the above greetings. I’m a native of the East side of Detroit, and I got the cycling bug there. FYA, I posted recently to a current SE Michiganian:
Dittoes to the above greetings. I’m a native of the East side of Detroit, and I got the cycling bug there. FYA, I posted recently to a current SE Michiganian:
...Back in the 60’s in the Motor City, I had an “English Racer,’ and longed to tour at about age 14, but then joined the car culture. In Ann Arbor MI in the 70’s I really realized the utility of bicycles for commuting, and began touring on a five-speed Schwinn Suburban, but soon bought a Mercier as did my girlfriend, later my wife.
We toured in Michigan and Ontario.:In 1977 we moved to Boston on our bikes, as a bicycling honeymoon from Los Angeles to Washington, DC and then took the train up to Boston. We have toured in New England and the Maritime Provinces, and one trip to the DelMarVa peninsula.
Speaking of backdrops to cycling, in Boston (as well as Ann Arbor),
We toured in Michigan and Ontario.:In 1977 we moved to Boston on our bikes, as a bicycling honeymoon from Los Angeles to Washington, DC and then took the train up to Boston. We have toured in New England and the Maritime Provinces, and one trip to the DelMarVa peninsula.
…I have posted, "I recall Ann Arbor as a great place to cycle...
Besides cycling around town, favorite rides were round-trip along Huron River Drive to Dexter and back, and Whitmore Lake Road beyond North Territorial Road, and back.
My first weekend tour was out Pontiac Trail to visit relatives in Waterford Township, and back. I was a member of the then-fledgling Ann Arbor Bicycle Touring Society, and we did some weekend overnight trips to local state parts such as Pinckney.
I also did a few rides back to the East side of Detroit via Plymouth Road.
In 2011, I participated in a Fifty-Plus Annual Ride (gathering) on the One Helluva Ride from Chelsea. The day before, we did a ride on Huron River Drive. Thanks for the opportunity to reminisce.
I have met several Michigan grads here in Boston, and I liken Ann Arbor to a distillate of many of the finer points about Boston, and imbued with Midwestern sensibilities.
Besides cycling around town, favorite rides were round-trip along Huron River Drive to Dexter and back, and Whitmore Lake Road beyond North Territorial Road, and back.
My first weekend tour was out Pontiac Trail to visit relatives in Waterford Township, and back. I was a member of the then-fledgling Ann Arbor Bicycle Touring Society, and we did some weekend overnight trips to local state parts such as Pinckney.
I also did a few rides back to the East side of Detroit via Plymouth Road.
In 2011, I participated in a Fifty-Plus Annual Ride (gathering) on the One Helluva Ride from Chelsea. The day before, we did a ride on Huron River Drive. Thanks for the opportunity to reminisce.
I have met several Michigan grads here in Boston, and I liken Ann Arbor to a distillate of many of the finer points about Boston, and imbued with Midwestern sensibilities.
"Suggestions for next epic ride"...
FWIW, after decades I still have fond memories of my earliest cycle touring in my home state of Michigan. Tourism is, I believe Michigan’s second largest industry, and it’s largely a rural / forested state with a lengthy shoreline, an extensive road system, and numerous towns and facilities, including campgrounds, spaced at convenient cycling distances.
IMO, an excellent, though perhaps mundane getaway. Just sayin’…FWIW (even as a cross-country cyclist).
FWIW, after decades I still have fond memories of my earliest cycle touring in my home state of Michigan. Tourism is, I believe Michigan’s second largest industry, and it’s largely a rural / forested state with a lengthy shoreline, an extensive road system, and numerous towns and facilities, including campgrounds, spaced at convenient cycling distances.
IMO, an excellent, though perhaps mundane getaway. Just sayin’…FWIW (even as a cross-country cyclist).
Last edited by Jim from Boston; 05-14-20 at 03:14 PM.
05-15-20, 10:14 AM
#9
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Hi again all. I also have roots in northern Michigan, grew up in Traverse City and went to college in Houghton.
I live off Wagner Rd between Dexter and Maple, so lots of Huron River Drive bike traffic goes by. I usually ride there, out to Dexter or Chelsea etc. Most of my Mtn biking I do at the DTE trails north of Chelsea which are fantastic. It's nice because they have trails that can accommodate my full suspension 29er and my vintage 90s bikes.
I live off Wagner Rd between Dexter and Maple, so lots of Huron River Drive bike traffic goes by. I usually ride there, out to Dexter or Chelsea etc. Most of my Mtn biking I do at the DTE trails north of Chelsea which are fantastic. It's nice because they have trails that can accommodate my full suspension 29er and my vintage 90s bikes.
05-15-20, 05:59 PM
#11
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Excellent bob - my house is easy to spot - there's a large bike teeter totter out in the front yard!
05-19-20, 09:03 AM
#13
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A few fun past and present rides:
Current road project (not bad for $100, but needs work)
My current Slingshot (this is maybe the 8th or 9th I've owned)
Since it's a singlespeed I can swap setups quickly:
My "modern" bike (V1 Ibis Ripley)
Recent favorites:
My Jones Spaceframe
This lovely Ritchey SwissCross that I kick myself every day for selling
Surly Big Dummy that was a hoot for a couple of summers
My awesome Beargrease that I sold to make way for the Jones (and because snow in SE Michigan sucks)
Another Slingshot - this one converted to 650B
One of the few Rock Combos spent some time here:
Current road project (not bad for $100, but needs work)
My current Slingshot (this is maybe the 8th or 9th I've owned)
Since it's a singlespeed I can swap setups quickly:
My "modern" bike (V1 Ibis Ripley)
Recent favorites:
My Jones Spaceframe
This lovely Ritchey SwissCross that I kick myself every day for selling
Surly Big Dummy that was a hoot for a couple of summers
My awesome Beargrease that I sold to make way for the Jones (and because snow in SE Michigan sucks)
Another Slingshot - this one converted to 650B
One of the few Rock Combos spent some time here:
05-19-20, 09:52 AM
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A friend has a Rock Combo. Interesting bike.
05-19-20, 11:51 AM
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05-19-20, 12:53 PM
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I don't know that story. What's the deal?
05-19-20, 01:09 PM
#17
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Here's a cut and past from the designer (Bryant Bainbridge) that I've shared before on other sites:
"Well, it's kind of a sad story. The bike that got designed was not the bike
that got built due to a manufacturing screw up. The design was a 72 degree
parallel main triangle with 1 3/4" rake and about a 17" rear end. I don't
remember exactly but the BB height was down around 11". The idea was to take
a mountain bike, steepen it up a bit and then lower the BB height to gain a
little more stability, while still being higher than a touring bike so that
there was clearance for offroad use. The tubeset was to be lighter as well.
Ibis made me a prototype which rode very well indeed. But the manufacturer
pulled a fast one a delivered a bike with a heavier tubeset than I had in
mind and the BB height was wrong. I can't remember whether it was too high
or too low, but I didn't like the ride. We made exactly one production run
and then that was it. Two things killed it: 1) The factory execution was
crap 2) Grant Peterson and I picked a 26" wheel format and the rest of the
industry went 700c. They won.
Grant and I wanted the more durable wheel size and at Specialized I had the
ability to make 26" road tires, such as the Fat Boy.
If you found one today it would be well suited as an urban commute rig. I
saw one downtown just a couple of weeks ago. As you said, they almost never
turn up because there were only something like 500 of them."
"Well, it's kind of a sad story. The bike that got designed was not the bike
that got built due to a manufacturing screw up. The design was a 72 degree
parallel main triangle with 1 3/4" rake and about a 17" rear end. I don't
remember exactly but the BB height was down around 11". The idea was to take
a mountain bike, steepen it up a bit and then lower the BB height to gain a
little more stability, while still being higher than a touring bike so that
there was clearance for offroad use. The tubeset was to be lighter as well.
Ibis made me a prototype which rode very well indeed. But the manufacturer
pulled a fast one a delivered a bike with a heavier tubeset than I had in
mind and the BB height was wrong. I can't remember whether it was too high
or too low, but I didn't like the ride. We made exactly one production run
and then that was it. Two things killed it: 1) The factory execution was
crap 2) Grant Peterson and I picked a 26" wheel format and the rest of the
industry went 700c. They won.
Grant and I wanted the more durable wheel size and at Specialized I had the
ability to make 26" road tires, such as the Fat Boy.
If you found one today it would be well suited as an urban commute rig. I
saw one downtown just a couple of weeks ago. As you said, they almost never
turn up because there were only something like 500 of them."
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