Geekzone Cycling Thread

Forums › Sports › Geekzone Cycling Thread

1 | ... | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | ... | 49

2103 posts

Uber Geek

#3334259 21-Jan-2025 17:49

Batman:

mudguard:

I wouldn't get too hung up on the weight side. It seems there are few mountain bikes being linked. Anything with actual trail tyres will be far, far harder to ride on tarseal with any speed (recently did a gravel/road road when visiting friends on a mountainbike with fresh downhill rubber, 40k in two hours with my heart rate pegged, no thanks!!)

why does a 13 year old need to pedal at 50kph to school?

Well I'm not sure about the 50KPH part, but it was about using the correct tool for the job. My analogy was a rather disgusting ride I did on a loaned mountainbike.

Batman

Mad Scientist
29727 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#3334262 21-Jan-2025 18:01

interesting. i've only buy MTBs. and i ride them everywhere - road, trail, grass, and everything in between. feels perfectly fine on the road. i don't like to see cars so i give way to all cars as i assume every car is out there to kill me.

i've tried the locally sold hybrids (below the $1000 mark) and they are terrible. i don't even know why people buy them. road bikes are too expensive.

geoffwnz

1559 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

#3334321 21-Jan-2025 21:32

Batman:

mudguard:

I wouldn't get too hung up on the weight side. It seems there are few mountain bikes being linked. Anything with actual trail tyres will be far, far harder to ride on tarseal with any speed (recently did a gravel/road road when visiting friends on a mountainbike with fresh downhill rubber, 40k in two hours with my heart rate pegged, no thanks!!)

why does a 13 year old need to pedal at 50kph to school?

Teenager? Running late? Sleeping until 10 minutes past the last possible minute? ;-)

MotorDrive Rallying

Batman

Mad Scientist
29727 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#3334346 21-Jan-2025 23:14

geoffwnz:

Teenager? Running late? Sleeping until 10 minutes past the last possible minute? ;-)

you get T boned by cars or run over by trucks when trying to do 50 on public roads in a bike. no cyclist needs to risk their lives like that.

Handsomedan

7225 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

Subscriber

#3334372 22-Jan-2025 08:49

JPNZ:

Pretty close to pulling the trigger on my 2nd ebike. A 2nd hand Trek Fuel EX-e. Then I can try it for a while and decide if I like the heavier full power Rail or the lighter and more agile Fuel.

Once Ive decided I'll be selling one. I can't financially justify having two

I always thought that a low or mid-power eBike would be the sweet spot for me coming from a heavy, long travel enduro meat bike.

Having been on my full-fat full-power eBike for around 6 months now, I have to say - I don't think I could go backwards to less power. I definitely should have gone lower power/lighter on the way forwards in my eBike journey.

I'm very interested to find out how you get on with this.

Handsome Dan Has Spoken.
Handsome Dan needs to stop adding three dots to every sentence...

Handsome Dan does not currently have a side hustle as the mascot for Yale

*Gladly accepting donations...

JPNZ

1520 posts

Uber Geek

#3334380 22-Jan-2025 09:05

Handsomedan:
I always thought that a low or mid-power eBike would be the sweet spot for me coming from a heavy, long travel enduro meat bike.

Having been on my full-fat full-power eBike for around 6 months now, I have to say - I don't think I could go backwards to less power. I definitely should have gone lower power/lighter on the way forwards in my eBike journey.

I'm very interested to find out how you get on with this.

Yea its an interesting one. I have 3200kms on my Rail which is 23.6kg, of which 95.6% of my riding has been done in the lowest 2 modes (Tour+ and Eco) including a measly 6km in turbo. I'd like to think I'm reasonably bike fit so very happy to try ride an 18kg bike with lower power.

As good as the Rail is generally, pointing it downhill the weight really limits how hard I can push the bike in technical terrain. Open flowy stuff is fine but sadly not much of the riding in Christchurch is machine made.

Panasonic 65GZ1000, Onkyo RZ730, Atmos 5.1.2, AppleTV 4K, Nest Mini's, PS5, PS3, MacbookPro, iPad Pro, Apple watch SE2, iPhone 15+

Handsomedan

7225 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

Subscriber

#3334384 22-Jan-2025 09:15

JPNZ:

Handsomedan:
I always thought that a low or mid-power eBike would be the sweet spot for me coming from a heavy, long travel enduro meat bike.

Having been on my full-fat full-power eBike for around 6 months now, I have to say - I don't think I could go backwards to less power. I definitely should have gone lower power/lighter on the way forwards in my eBike journey.

I'm very interested to find out how you get on with this.

Yea its an interesting one. I have 3200kms on my Rail which is 23.6kg, of which 95.6% of my riding has been done in the lowest 2 modes (Tour+ and Eco) including a measly 6km in turbo. I'd like to think I'm reasonably bike fit so very happy to try ride an 18kg bike with lower power.

As good as the Rail is generally, pointing it downhill the weight really limits how hard I can push the bike in technical terrain. Open flowy stuff is fine but sadly not much of the riding in Christchurch is machine made.

Yup - that's a bit like most of my riding, but I am tending to seek out machine built flow and jump trails more and more - and having a built-in shuttle is a dream scenario for me.
I think if I were living in ChCh, I'd live at the ChCh Bike Park.

Handsome Dan Has Spoken.
Handsome Dan needs to stop adding three dots to every sentence...

Handsome Dan does not currently have a side hustle as the mascot for Yale

*Gladly accepting donations...

Sharesies kids

Free kids accounts - trade shares and funds (NZ, US) with Sharesies (affiliate link).

JPNZ

1520 posts

Uber Geek

#3334411 22-Jan-2025 11:33

Handsomedan:
Yup - that's a bit like most of my riding, but I am tending to seek out machine built flow and jump trails more and more - and having a built-in shuttle is a dream scenario for me.
I think if I were living in ChCh, I'd live at the ChCh Bike Park.

As nice as it is to have a chairlift bike park, its not maintained at all well. Due to the volcanic dirt (I use that word carefully as its more like volcanic dust) its very hard to keep trails smooth and kept. The "greens" are almost blues and some of the single blacks approach double blacks. If you like steep tech descending then its great, there is only two blue flow trails out of 45 in the whole park. I look at places like Cardrona, Coronet, Rotorua, Queenstown Bike park etc as having much nicer flowy trails that are not just braking bump corner holes consistently.

Panasonic 65GZ1000, Onkyo RZ730, Atmos 5.1.2, AppleTV 4K, Nest Mini's, PS5, PS3, MacbookPro, iPad Pro, Apple watch SE2, iPhone 15+

mattwnz

20108 posts

Uber Geek

#3334456 22-Jan-2025 14:28

Batman:

interesting. i've only buy MTBs. and i ride them everywhere - road, trail, grass, and everything in between. feels perfectly fine on the road. i don't like to see cars so i give way to all cars as i assume every car is out there to kill me.

i've tried the locally sold hybrids (below the $1000 mark) and they are terrible. i don't even know why people buy them. road bikes are too expensive.

I do too, partly because NZ roads are so poor, so much of the time you end up on loose gravel or potholes, or lime chip bike tracks. Seem to average about 23-24km/h when cycling my MTB with knobby tyres. That has improved from under 20 when I first got back into it. I am doing it for fitness so speed doesn't really matter. But I suspect if I did get more of a road bike I would find it all a lot easier and faster. But I never actually see anyone riding road type bikes, everyone seems to ride MTB where I ride.

jamesrt

1601 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#3334468 22-Jan-2025 15:06

The last few days, my wife and I have been enjoying our new eBikes. Whilst we ride 'together'; we're not 'together' close enough for easy vocal instructions, check-ins, etc. Does anyone have/use any form of hands-free wireless intercom system for bicycles? Ideally, something that will last up to 6 hours 'real life' battery performance...

Batman

Mad Scientist
29727 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#3334470 22-Jan-2025 15:11

mattwnz:
I do too, partly because NZ roads are so poor, so much of the time you end up on loose gravel or potholes, or lime chip bike tracks. Seem to average about 23-24km/h when cycling my MTB with knobby tyres. That has improved from under 20 when I first got back into it. I am doing it for fitness so speed doesn't really matter. But I suspect if I did get more of a road bike I would find it all a lot easier and faster. But I never actually see anyone riding road type bikes, everyone seems to ride MTB where I ride.

I'm just trying to understand why one of the posters think a 13 year old needs to be going faster than 20kph around the neighbourhood. There are days where it's raining and the roads are slippery like glass, and the traffic is too dangerous even if you could go very fast a child is going to end up in ICU. So if my kids were to ride to school it'll be on a quality mtb instead of a terrible hybrid.

The only question is size. 155cm is on the smaller side to fit a 29/27.5" bike. But depending on how confident they are, it's a walk in the park for some kids and terrifying for some.

networkn

Networkn
32255 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#3334499 22-Jan-2025 16:11

99 Cycles told me if I want a Bike with a smooth gear change, the minimum to spend is $1200 and more like $1500. Sigh.

Going to go in store and see what I can find.

mattwnz

20108 posts

Uber Geek

#3334502 22-Jan-2025 16:18

networkn:

99 Cycles told me if I want a Bike with a smooth gear change, the minimum to spend is $1200 and more like $1500. Sigh.

Going to go in store and see what I can find.

What do they mean by smooth. My Shimano Acera gears are fine and smooth enough for me and that is a low end gear set. If you are wanting smooth and low maintenance, I have heard Rohloff hubs are good but pricey. But normal gears are always going to need maintenace and adjustment over time as cables stretch etc.

mudguard

2103 posts

Uber Geek

#3334508 22-Jan-2025 16:44

Batman: I'm just trying to understand why one of the posters think a 13 year old needs to be going faster than 20kph around the neighbourhood. There are days where it's raining and the roads are slippery like glass, and the traffic is too dangerous even if you could go very fast a child is going to end up in ICU. So if my kids were to ride to school it'll be on a quality mtb instead of a terrible hybrid.

The only question is size. 155cm is on the smaller side to fit a 29/27.5" bike. But depending on how confident they are, it's a walk in the park for some kids and terrifying for some.

The point is using the right tool for the job. I don't the OP's daughter is going to be riding to school quickly. But if she's just riding to school, on roads, then there's no point whatsover in getting a mountainbike. There are heaps of bikes for this purpose, flat bar commuters etc. Comfy handling, decent brakes, tyres and gears. Don't get me wrong, I do lots of kms on my mountainbike on the road, with 2.5" soft tires and 20 psi. But I'm also in my forties and it forces an extra fitness level. But I also die a little knowing I'm wearing out $100 tyres far faster than I should be.

I get on my partner's hybrid (she also has several mountainbikes) and three pedal strokes feels like it propels me 100m. It's almost effortless. The risk with getting a mountain bike, particular a lower priced one, is getting poor brakes, a fork that doesn't really work, all to just commute to school on.

It lives above her motorbike when she's not riding it.

networkn

Networkn
32255 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#3334526 22-Jan-2025 17:33

@mudguard that bike sounds like exactly what we need.

We will head to MEC in Mt Eden on Saturday to take a look.

1 | ... | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | ... | 49