5 Mile commute.
#101
StillNewbieButInGrey
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2024
Location: Wayne county, TN
Posts: 248
Bikes: 1982 Austro Daimler SLE, Eastern Alpaka 29er
Liked 209 Times
in
106 Posts
I ordered a set of Maxxis Hookworm tires.When the tires arrive and i get them on ill post the pics.
I want to keep these MTB tires incase I ever want to use the bike as intended, Is there a special way i should store them once i get them off?
I want to keep these MTB tires incase I ever want to use the bike as intended, Is there a special way i should store them once i get them off?
Likes For Strawbunyan:
#102
aka Tom Reingold
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: New York, NY, and High Falls, NY, USA
Posts: 40,678
Bikes: 1962 Rudge Sports, 1971 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Raleigh Pro Track, 1974 Raleigh International, 1975 Viscount Fixie, 1982 McLean, 1996 Lemond (Ti), 2002 Burley Zydeco tandem
Liked 2,637 Times
in
1,532 Posts
@Strawbunyan, have you started to bikecommute yet? I rode to work today, 13 miles one way. I only do it occasionally. Then I rode 10 miles to class. After class tonight, it's another 4 or 5 miles back home. Class is almost on the route between home and work.
__________________
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
Likes For noglider:
#103
StillNewbieButInGrey
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2024
Location: Wayne county, TN
Posts: 248
Bikes: 1982 Austro Daimler SLE, Eastern Alpaka 29er
Liked 209 Times
in
106 Posts
@Strawbunyan, have you started to bikecommute yet? I rode to work today, 13 miles one way. I only do it occasionally. Then I rode 10 miles to class. After class tonight, it's another 4 or 5 miles back home. Class is almost on the route between home and work.
#104
Happy banana slug
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Arcata, California, U.S., North America, Earth, Saggitarius Arm, Milky Way
Posts: 3,776
Bikes: 1984 Araya MB 261, 1992 Specialized Rockhopper Sport, 1993 Hard Rock Ultra, 1994 Trek Multitrack 750, 1995 Trek Singletrack 930
Liked 1,596 Times
in
949 Posts
Well, the time change is this weekend; that should help. I remember my first three mile ride; I was so proud of myself! You be proud too.
Likes For Korina:
#105
Full Member
Hookworms are good tires. Not as easy rolling as a true pavement slick but far better than a knobby while still giving you some degree of traction if you get off the pavement or hit some dirt on the road. Definitely keep the knobby tires it came with. Larger size tires are typically easy to remove, easy enough that you don't even need tire levers, so swapping for an afternoon trail ride will be relatively easy.
Another tire to log in the back of your brain is the Schwalbe Big Ben. Similar in what kind of terrain it's designed to be used for as the Hookworm and Schwalbe makes quality tires.
There's also the Schwalbe All Grounder. I'll admit I have no experience with it but it's billed as a mixed use tire, so pavement and trails. The tread design looks well designed in that regard.
Ride the bike for now and swap out parts as you improve your knowledge and skills with a bikes. You may very well want to swap the seat for something a bit more suited to your body, change out the handlebars for ones with a different shape or change the gearing. The more miles you put on, the better idea you'll get of how you want to tweak things to best suit you and your riding habits.
Even though your bike doesn't have the mounting points for a traditional bolt on rear rack, several companies make racks designed to clamp on to such bikes, such as this fairly inexpensive one from Rock Bros. Far as a bike bag, there's a thousand options out there and most of them will do the trick. Pick one with enough space of, if you really want to go cheap, just bungee your backpack to the rack or ziptie a milk crate so you can throw anything you want in it and not have it fall off.
Another tire to log in the back of your brain is the Schwalbe Big Ben. Similar in what kind of terrain it's designed to be used for as the Hookworm and Schwalbe makes quality tires.
There's also the Schwalbe All Grounder. I'll admit I have no experience with it but it's billed as a mixed use tire, so pavement and trails. The tread design looks well designed in that regard.
Ride the bike for now and swap out parts as you improve your knowledge and skills with a bikes. You may very well want to swap the seat for something a bit more suited to your body, change out the handlebars for ones with a different shape or change the gearing. The more miles you put on, the better idea you'll get of how you want to tweak things to best suit you and your riding habits.
Even though your bike doesn't have the mounting points for a traditional bolt on rear rack, several companies make racks designed to clamp on to such bikes, such as this fairly inexpensive one from Rock Bros. Far as a bike bag, there's a thousand options out there and most of them will do the trick. Pick one with enough space of, if you really want to go cheap, just bungee your backpack to the rack or ziptie a milk crate so you can throw anything you want in it and not have it fall off.
Likes For Pantah:
#106
Hoards Thumbshifters
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Signal Mountain, TN
Posts: 1,158
Bikes: '23 Black Mtn MC, '87 Bruce Gordon Chinook, '08 Jamis Aurora, '86 Trek 560, '97 Mongoose Rockadile, & '91 Trek 750
Liked 342 Times
in
194 Posts
I am familiar with where you live, I drive through there on the way to Savannah/Corinth/Iuka area. That's a nice place to commute! Pretty rolling hills.
I'd get some reflective gear if your riding early or late, it's dark at night there! Also a good idea around there is to wear jerseys of local sports teams you like (Tennesse, Alabama, or Titans, Grizzlies, or whatever). The people around there will treat you better than when you go full cycling kit.
Last edited by mechanicmatt; 03-08-24 at 01:59 PM.
Likes For mechanicmatt:
#107
Senior Member
Old tires can dryrot and crack, even without being ridden. They last for years, but not forever.
Likes For ScottCommutes:
#108
StillNewbieButInGrey
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2024
Location: Wayne county, TN
Posts: 248
Bikes: 1982 Austro Daimler SLE, Eastern Alpaka 29er
Liked 209 Times
in
106 Posts
Not really, just keep them in a garage or shed, need to be out of the sun for UV breakdown and not get the full on feel of the seasons.
I am familiar with where you live, I drive through there on the way to Savannah/Corinth/Iuka area. That's a nice place to commute! Pretty rolling hills.
I'd get some reflective gear if your riding early or late, it's dark at night there! Also a good idea around there is to wear jerseys of local sports teams you like (Tennesse, Alabama, or Titans, Grizzlies, or whatever). The people around there will treat you better than when you go full cycling kit.
I am familiar with where you live, I drive through there on the way to Savannah/Corinth/Iuka area. That's a nice place to commute! Pretty rolling hills.
I'd get some reflective gear if your riding early or late, it's dark at night there! Also a good idea around there is to wear jerseys of local sports teams you like (Tennesse, Alabama, or Titans, Grizzlies, or whatever). The people around there will treat you better than when you go full cycling kit.
Last edited by Strawbunyan; 03-08-24 at 11:29 PM.
#109
StillNewbieButInGrey
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2024
Location: Wayne county, TN
Posts: 248
Bikes: 1982 Austro Daimler SLE, Eastern Alpaka 29er
Liked 209 Times
in
106 Posts
Hookworms are good tires. Not as easy rolling as a true pavement slick but far better than a knobby while still giving you some degree of traction if you get off the pavement or hit some dirt on the road. Definitely keep the knobby tires it came with. Larger size tires are typically easy to remove, easy enough that you don't even need tire levers, so swapping for an afternoon trail ride will be relatively easy.
Another tire to log in the back of your brain is the Schwalbe Big Ben. Similar in what kind of terrain it's designed to be used for as the Hookworm and Schwalbe makes quality tires.
There's also the Schwalbe All Grounder. I'll admit I have no experience with it but it's billed as a mixed use tire, so pavement and trails. The tread design looks well designed in that regard.
Ride the bike for now and swap out parts as you improve your knowledge and skills with a bikes. You may very well want to swap the seat for something a bit more suited to your body, change out the handlebars for ones with a different shape or change the gearing. The more miles you put on, the better idea you'll get of how you want to tweak things to best suit you and your riding habits.
Even though your bike doesn't have the mounting points for a traditional bolt on rear rack, several companies make racks designed to clamp on to such bikes, such as this fairly inexpensive one from Rock Bros. Far as a bike bag, there's a thousand options out there and most of them will do the trick. Pick one with enough space of, if you really want to go cheap, just bungee your backpack to the rack or ziptie a milk crate so you can throw anything you want in it and not have it fall off.
Another tire to log in the back of your brain is the Schwalbe Big Ben. Similar in what kind of terrain it's designed to be used for as the Hookworm and Schwalbe makes quality tires.
There's also the Schwalbe All Grounder. I'll admit I have no experience with it but it's billed as a mixed use tire, so pavement and trails. The tread design looks well designed in that regard.
Ride the bike for now and swap out parts as you improve your knowledge and skills with a bikes. You may very well want to swap the seat for something a bit more suited to your body, change out the handlebars for ones with a different shape or change the gearing. The more miles you put on, the better idea you'll get of how you want to tweak things to best suit you and your riding habits.
Even though your bike doesn't have the mounting points for a traditional bolt on rear rack, several companies make racks designed to clamp on to such bikes, such as this fairly inexpensive one from Rock Bros. Far as a bike bag, there's a thousand options out there and most of them will do the trick. Pick one with enough space of, if you really want to go cheap, just bungee your backpack to the rack or ziptie a milk crate so you can throw anything you want in it and not have it fall off.
Likes For Strawbunyan:
#110
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Elevation 666m Edmonton Canada
Posts: 2,523
Bikes: 2013 Custom SA5w / Rohloff Tourster
Liked 342 Times
in
257 Posts
OTOH ... In 2017 I bought a mostly shiny 1973 CCM SA 3 speed. Turns out it had the plastic cap on the spring missing, so working poorly and got shelved for 40 years.
I decided to build new 650B wheels and did the rear right away, and both new tubes. But then I waited for the OLD nylon front tire to wear out, might have been the original tire. It went 1,930 miles, till I decided on this last 76 mile ride, a nail and prying the tire finished it off. Wobbled all the 26 miles home. LOL. Second last ride I took it to Jasper on a 2 day car trip. I climbed the hill better than the rental MTBs. LOL.
As for newer tires, I bought a Marathon in 2014 and just started using it in 2022. Rides as good as any new one. Any hardening actually helps toughen it.
After I got CCM tire home LOL. Half the missing chunks happened with the last dismountings, I guess. >>>
The nut holding my front caliper together disappeared, so I had to limp back 5 miles to town. Rode salmon side looking for it. LOL.
Last edited by GamblerGORD53; 03-09-24 at 01:16 PM.
Likes For GamblerGORD53:
#112
aka Tom Reingold
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: New York, NY, and High Falls, NY, USA
Posts: 40,678
Bikes: 1962 Rudge Sports, 1971 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Raleigh Pro Track, 1974 Raleigh International, 1975 Viscount Fixie, 1982 McLean, 1996 Lemond (Ti), 2002 Burley Zydeco tandem
Liked 2,637 Times
in
1,532 Posts
Oh that's nice! I hope you enjoy it.
__________________
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
Likes For noglider:
Likes For RangerTampa:
#114
StillNewbieButInGrey
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2024
Location: Wayne county, TN
Posts: 248
Bikes: 1982 Austro Daimler SLE, Eastern Alpaka 29er
Liked 209 Times
in
106 Posts
Had the day off today so I rode to work and back round trip on the new tires. Other than some saddle and cockpit adjustments I am ready to begin commuting. The ride was not nearly as bad as i thought it would be and 10Xs better than it was with the MTB tires on. The last time i tried i only made it about halfway to work before my legs started crying. This time i made it all the way around with no real struggle. Thank you all for your help. Ill keep coming back to update on my new lifestyle and ask questions that come up.
Likes For Strawbunyan:
#116
Full Member
Simply adjusting the seat can make a big difference in comfort, though I'll admit that some seats (saddles, whatever) will be uncomfortable no matter what you do.
Tweaking where the shifters and brake levers are and how they are angled is something worth doing as well.
For what it's worth, your bike appears to have had the cables and housing cut on the long side coming off the bars so if you decide to go with a taller stem and/or riser bars at any point, you shouldn't even have to redo any of the cabling. A handful of hex bolts and you're ready to roll.
Tweaking where the shifters and brake levers are and how they are angled is something worth doing as well.
For what it's worth, your bike appears to have had the cables and housing cut on the long side coming off the bars so if you decide to go with a taller stem and/or riser bars at any point, you shouldn't even have to redo any of the cabling. A handful of hex bolts and you're ready to roll.
Likes For Pantah:
#117
StillNewbieButInGrey
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2024
Location: Wayne county, TN
Posts: 248
Bikes: 1982 Austro Daimler SLE, Eastern Alpaka 29er
Liked 209 Times
in
106 Posts
Simply adjusting the seat can make a big difference in comfort, though I'll admit that some seats (saddles, whatever) will be uncomfortable no matter what you do.
Tweaking where the shifters and brake levers are and how they are angled is something worth doing as well.
For what it's worth, your bike appears to have had the cables and housing cut on the long side coming off the bars so if you decide to go with a taller stem and/or riser bars at any point, you shouldn't even have to redo any of the cabling. A handful of hex bolts and you're ready to roll.
Tweaking where the shifters and brake levers are and how they are angled is something worth doing as well.
For what it's worth, your bike appears to have had the cables and housing cut on the long side coming off the bars so if you decide to go with a taller stem and/or riser bars at any point, you shouldn't even have to redo any of the cabling. A handful of hex bolts and you're ready to roll.
#118
Happy banana slug
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Arcata, California, U.S., North America, Earth, Saggitarius Arm, Milky Way
Posts: 3,776
Bikes: 1984 Araya MB 261, 1992 Specialized Rockhopper Sport, 1993 Hard Rock Ultra, 1994 Trek Multitrack 750, 1995 Trek Singletrack 930
Liked 1,596 Times
in
949 Posts
Cool! I'm telling you, by summer you'll be looking for ways to make your ride longer.
Had the day off today so I rode to work and back round trip on the new tires. Other than some saddle and cockpit adjustments I am ready to begin commuting. The ride was not nearly as bad as i thought it would be and 10Xs better than it was with the MTB tires on. The last time i tried i only made it about halfway to work before my legs started crying. This time i made it all the way around with no real struggle. Thank you all for your help. Ill keep coming back to update on my new lifestyle and ask questions that come up.
Likes For Korina:
#119
StillNewbieButInGrey
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2024
Location: Wayne county, TN
Posts: 248
Bikes: 1982 Austro Daimler SLE, Eastern Alpaka 29er
Liked 209 Times
in
106 Posts
I believe that for sure. I got roasted for it in my OP but I plan on spending some of my extra time doing some urban freeride and trials in and around town for sure. We have some cool stuff around here that i want to jump off of.😁😁
Likes For Strawbunyan:
#120
Full Member
Back in my late teens/early 20's, I'd catch the bus 50 miles down to San Francisco and bring the bike with me. This was the very early days of smart phones (like first generation iphone) which I didn't have money for, so I'd bring a map and compass. Once in the City, I'd pull out the map, pick a spot that I thought might be cool to check out, stash the map and use the compass on the fly to make sure I was headed in generally the right direction. Had a bunch of fun checking out cool places, finding neat alleys and paths and really learned how to ride in traffic.
Likes For Pantah:
Likes For Strawbunyan:
#123
StillNewbieButInGrey
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2024
Location: Wayne county, TN
Posts: 248
Bikes: 1982 Austro Daimler SLE, Eastern Alpaka 29er
Liked 209 Times
in
106 Posts
I learned that people are very kind here. I had someone stop to make sure i was okay while i was on a water break. I need a bottle cage. My saddle post creaks and my saddle may be too close to my bars still but i cant really tell. This is the first pedal bike ive ever owned that i had to shift so I am still getting the hang of that but I got a couple in nice and smooth. At my current fitness level this definitly isnt something i coild do 5 days a week yet but, Lord willing, it will be soon.
#124
I am familiar with the area. A regular "road" bike with a double crankset is not low enough gearing, especially with someone just starting out. You want low enough to be able to "spin" up the hill while sitting, without pushing too hard that will hurt your knees. (As you get more in shape, you may be able to stand on the pedals and climb in a higher gear, but it's always nice to have sufficient low if you need it.) You want either a traditional mountain bike or touring bike with a triple crankset, or more modern with a "wide-range" double, or a newer bike with a single (1X, "one-by") gearing. You want a low gear near 20 gear inches, and a high gear at least 85 gear inches, that will be adequate but higher is fine for that. Look up Sheldon Brown Gear Calc and you will find a utility for entering tire size and gearing to output gear-inch range. (You'll need to change setting from "gain ratios" to "gear inches", look for that.)
Likes For Duragrouch:
#125
StillNewbieButInGrey
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2024
Location: Wayne county, TN
Posts: 248
Bikes: 1982 Austro Daimler SLE, Eastern Alpaka 29er
Liked 209 Times
in
106 Posts
I am familiar with the area. A regular "road" bike with a double crankset is not low enough gearing, especially with someone just starting out. You want low enough to be able to "spin" up the hill while sitting, without pushing too hard that will hurt your knees. (As you get more in shape, you may be able to stand on the pedals and climb in a higher gear, but it's always nice to have sufficient low if you need it.) You want either a traditional mountain bike or touring bike with a triple crankset, or more modern with a "wide-range" double, or a newer bike with a single (1X, "one-by") gearing. You want a low gear near 20 gear inches, and a high gear at least 85 gear inches, that will be adequate but higher is fine for that. Look up Sheldon Brown Gear Calc and you will find a utility for entering tire size and gearing to output gear-inch range. (You'll need to change setting from "gain ratios" to "gear inches", look for that.)