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A new addition to the bicycling stable

Around here, I usually ride on bike paths along the rivers, paved side roads, and paved beach bike paths. Its easy to social distance. There are E Bikes whizzing by at 30 to 40 mph, and their numbers seem to increase by orders of magnitude every year. Lots of irresponsible riding.

On the other hand, I do love anything with a motor. I did build a 2 stroke motorized bicycle kit once.

Schwinn went out of business in 2001. Supergo bought a lot of their inventory, and that's where I got a new Homegrown Pro for $995, which was $1000 less than list in 2001.

Pacific Cycle bought the name. http://www.pacific-cycle.com/brand There is no "Schwinn" as a company.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schwinn_Bicycle_Company

I disagree that you can't buy a decent bicycle in a department store. At the very least, you can buy a bicycle which can be pretty easily upgraded into a decent bicycle. Things I find wrong with cheap bicycles include:
Hub cones set too tightly with really crappy grease.
Head set and crank set not well greased.
Vee brakes which won't stay in adjustment due to a lack of temper in the return springs
Seats are crap, but most stock seats are.

I can fix most of those things for next to free. A set of cheap Vee brakes which will stay in adjustment are about $18.00. I found some real decent Shimano ones on close out at Jenson USA for about that and stocked up.

I found two sets of new unused wheels in the box for $150 for two sets. Shimano freehubs and front hubs, ans Rhino-Lite wheels, with tiny folding 26" tires. When I got them home, I saw the shipping date in 1998. The hub grease was hard, and the freehubs didn't work. I cleaned and relubed both, and used them on two Wal Mart aluminum framed Schwinn beach cruiser frames. The seller's husband was building a pair of tandem bikes, and died 20 years before. I tuned my wife's yesterday, and they roll really well. Park red grease, I think. Usually use Phil Wood grease.
 
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I hate seeing one out on the trails. Some trail networks have banned e-bikes, and I think that is wise. Too many folks get one and suddenly think they are the most capable rider on earth. These jack@sses try to pass going uphill, riding on the margins of trails, tearing stuff up. These are powered bikes, despite what folks say ("well, you still have to pedal," etc.), and they should not be allowed on mountain bike trails that don't also allow motorized traffic.
 
GS1150Pilot said:
I hate seeing one out on the trails. Some trail networks have banned e-bikes, and I think that is wise. Too many folks get one and suddenly think they are the most capable rider on earth. These jack@sses try to pass going uphill, riding on the margins of trails, tearing stuff up. These are powered bikes, despite what folks say ("well, you still have to pedal," etc.), and they should not be allowed on mountain bike trails that don't also allow motorized traffic.
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While there are trail etiquette issues I have several elderly friends (we're almost all in our '70s now) that have been mountain biking in this area since before there were mountain bikes. For health reasons they've recently switched to e-mountain bikes. You're saying they shouldn't be allowed on the trails, some of which they actually helped build. That's a stretch.
 
Yeah, I'm saying that. It is too easy to go down that slippery slope. If age keeps them physically unable to ride the trails, chances are they shouldn't be risking falling out there, either-and if we say okay to them, then we say okay to the younger, less trail-friendly set. People who have worked to maintain trails should get that. Maybe time to switch to gravel riding-or hiking?
 
GS1150Pilot said:
Yeah, I'm saying that. It is too easy to go down that slippery slope. If age keeps them physically unable to ride the trails, chances are they shouldn't be risking falling out there, either-and if we say okay to them, then we say okay to the younger, less trail-friendly set. People who have worked to maintain trails should get that. Maybe time to switch to gravel riding-or hiking?
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Trust me. No problem with fragility or skill level, just can't climb like they used to and around here other than boring rails to trails and improved trails our single track is all about hills and.decents. Be careful what you wish for because there is even a larger faction of hkers that would like to see all bikes banned from trails for exactly the reasons you mention. I think a little respect and tolerance from either side would go a long way.
 
I've been mountain biking since '87 and am also a regular hiker. I am careful about this, and I have followed the issue since it arose. The problem really isn't folks like your friends, who (I hope) ride category I e-bikes. Rather, it is the people on the other two categories of bikes, coupled with the inability of parks to police them properly. I'd put it back in your court and say the same to you. If these bikes are determined to be hazardous to trails and those who have been using them on real mountain bikes these past few decades, they could shut the door on the bikes that deserve to be out there. This is NOT about being selfish.
 
Just back from 5 days in Sedona. Riding was great, beautiful views. Son rode the double blacks and managed not to fall off a cliff. I did intermediate and expert and had a blast.

tBBRTRW.jpg
 
oldGSfan said:
Just back from 5 days in Sedona. Riding was great, beautiful views. Son rode the double blacks and managed not to fall off a cliff. I did intermediate and expert and had a blast.
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Very cool. Reminds me of the times we spent in the Moab area in the early '90s before it got crazy. Friends last year went to Fruita, AZ and absolutely loved it. Never been there but they said it reminded them of what Moab used to be like.

Are we having fun yet?


Moab1994107 by soates50, on Flickr
 
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Sedona is awesome riding. A good number of rides there are psycho (White Line/Hangover), and I avoid those. But Aerie, Chuckwagon, etc. are fantastic and still gorgeous.
 
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My son needed tires.
We ended up going to the local bikeshop, one that I visited countless time as a teen. Different owner, same building. There were only a handful of new bikes, and what I thought at first were used bikes for sale. Turns out that one half of the floor was pending work, and the other completed work. The girl at the counter said that business was great. I was happy to see a local independent shop doing well.

There were even two 20 plus year old Trek bikes of similar vintage to mine there. I left with a happy feeling, likely related to my youth, and realized that I still dig bicycles.

We swapped tires later. Nice meaty looking ones. Far better then the crappy ones from Dick's sporting goods that they replaced. I may use them on mine when it's time.

I'm planning a 5am photography ride again tomorrow morning and my son claims that he's getting up and coming with me.
 
It was nice. The ride was the bribe. He told me that getting up is easy with the right motivation - just like most of us... he LOVES bicycling and exploring. He did take a long nap after we got home. I did not and, am wiped out after two early mornings and late nights.
 
Nice.

With the gyms closed for over three months now i have rediscovered cycling.
Years ago i did some trail riding and then it was a bit of road riding.
With yesterdays ride i totaled 120 miles for the week. Nothing spectacular but LOTS for me.
 
Great to ride with your son, I'm doing the same as much as I can. I try to support LBS as much as possible but the other day my kid needed a tire - Maxxix Minion DHSII - they list for $65, one shop had them priced for $100. Ouch. At least another shop nearby had them at list, so I got it there. Online is only about $5 less.

Lots of folks are out riding the local trails, and the medevac helicopter is getting a workout. One trail nearby has lots of jumps and on my ride Friday an older guy had just broken his arm jumping a hard tail. I watched at one jump for a while and it was like a blooper reel, people splatting right and left.

I am getting more and more confident on descents, and much better on the climbs. I've lost 15 lbs since the Covid started. At nearly 59 (but in decent overall shape for that age) I don't want to do anything stupid ,so I stay within my limits. Those are less skill related and more about balance, vision, and reaction time. The trails are steep, rutted, rocky and sandy, so I pick my way down as my son just dusts me, literally. He has gotten into better shape on his MTB than I ever have been in my life.
 
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Around here its gravel or paved paths. There is one small sopt nearby with some slightly more challenging trails, but nothing crazy. He hasn't gotten to the point of asking to drive to more technical riding spots.
I try to take it easy as well. Weight hasn't been an issue with me, but despite loads of walking and climbing ladders, etc for work, I still tire quickly, particularly when really working my quads. I've seen some improvement though.
The hardtail comment reminds of the punishmet we gave ourselves in youth jumping our 20" BMX bikes. Its amazing we never broke any bones and still have working knees.
 
Don't like oiling or maintaining a chain? I saw a Cannondale Badboy1 with belt drive today. Cool and interesting but $2000? Yikes!!!
 
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