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Hitch rack from 1UpUSA – ridiculously quick install & on/off of bikes, absolutely no wobble, no bike rubbing, expandable from 1-4 bikes…and they have a bottle opener that mounts on the rack – that alone makes it the indisputable winner!
Thanks ZipHead…that’s exactly what I needed to lift my spirits. And I do own a trike but can’t decide between platform or clipless pedals. Perhaps I should take a poll. 🙂
+1 for KTM recommendations from Alvin
I agree with Aaron’s comments. Love the SRAM GX set-up and also find I can swap out rings<span style=”font-family: ‘Helvetica Neue’, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 23.040000915527344px; background-color: #fbfbfb;”> without issue…and with the benefit of it being a super simple trailside change. Disclaimer…I’m not doing any major climbing and my original setup before I converted to 1X was 32T middle ring. So swapping out for 30T or 34T is not a big jump.</span>
Why not go with both elbow & knee pads? There’s no way to predict what body parts will get banged up in a wreck…or whether elbow or knee pads will be more helpful. After riding with pads a few times (especially those like the Bliss) you’ll start to forget they’re there.
Schwim – I have no idea what you’re even saying…or the reason for the venom. Was just making a simple, sarcastic joke. Thought this was a chill forum…guess not.
Its our own fault for making fat bikes so popular. Was just a matter of time before big box retail watered it down. Coming soon to the Home Shopping Network…fat bikes for seniors…look, a new type of bike with tires so big its safe & easy for anyone to ride!
Yep, schwim gave a great/simple explanation of something that can seem complicated.
Erlstn – From your post it sounds like you may be considering a couple bikes with different 3-ring setups. If you buy one of them, and after you gain some experience & confidence on the bike, pay close attention to which ring you use the most. I switched to a 1X set-up (32 works for me & the trails I ride) this past year b/c I was on the middle ring about 80% of the time. By removing the shifter, front derailleur & 2 rings I reduced some weight, greatly simplified my shifting, eliminated some parts that I never have to worry about servicing or replacing & cleaned up the look of my bars & bike. It also forced me to get stronger b/c I could no longer take the easy route & drop down to the 22 ring. You’ll be amazed to find how quickly you progress when the crutch isn’t there. The only (minimal) downside so far has been when I’m on a road en route to a trail and run out of gears. If I was racing and really needed to be able to crank at times I’d probably run a second ring. Just something to think about…not saying this is THE way for everyone or in all circumstances.
I use a tray style hitch-mount rack from 1up USA. First rack I’ve ever loved. In no particular order, the things I like about it are: 1. bike is on/off in seconds, 2. rack makes it easy to do basic maintenance trailside, 3. its 100% aluminum so no rust & lightweight, 4. install/remove rack from hitch in seconds with a simple allen key, 5. rack has zero shake in receiver hitch, 6. expandable up to 4 bikes – takes about 2 minutes to add/remove an additional rack. The rack is a little pricey but I don’t mind paying for quality & convenience.
First make sure your rims are TR…tubeless ready. If you’re still running the stock rims that came on your bike then I’m pretty sure they’re not. If you do have TR rims then you can by tubeless tires that are made specifically to create an air-tight seal on your rims. If you don’t have TR rims I wouldn’t suggest making the investment. Nothing at all wrong with the bike you have but going tubeless would cost as much as the value of your bike. Better to just buy a new set of tube tires. you’ve gotten good recommendation on make and model and size…2.40 front / 2.2o rear.
What type of riding are you doing? That drives a lot of the decision making for a new bike. Trek makes some nice women’s specific bikes (WSD) like the lush or top fuel but that’s just my personal bias (live in WI and my wife & I both ride Trek). You’ll know the bike fits you and meets your needs when you ride it…no substitute for a test ride. Check mfg web sites for demo days.
You’ve gotten good advice re: what to do during the winter. When its “regular” riding season again try mixing up your rides. Not sure if you have a running background but its similar re: building up more stamina. If you’re doing the same rides over and over and getting faster thats great but you’re probably continuing to exert the same high-end effort. To build stamina work in 1-2 longer rides per week at a more moderate tempo. Read articles on training with a HR monitor. Once you understand and implement that you can really make measurable progress. You can do that over the winter using a trainer or stationary bike at a gym and make some progress…but nothing like the real thing.
