Years ago I bought a Trek 750 Hybrid. That bike did everything right. I really enjoyed, but since moved on to road bikes.
Browsing for a new ride
- Thread starter MrQuackers
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MrQuackers
Site Donor 2024
Well, I went the craigslist route and purchased a '96 Raleigh m50 from the original owner. Good deal for a Benjamin. Looks to be fairly low mileage. Alivio rear derailleur, Altus crankset w/cartridge BB and Acera front derailleur. Shimano freehub rm-40 7 speed
RST 260 fork
RST 260 fork
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Is there still a bicycle shortage?
That's funny... my low spoke count Mavic Kysrium Elite has held up to my 200 lb weight just fine without a need for adjustments on truing. The guy at the LBS that sold me the wheels weighed a lot more than me, and also rides Mavic Kysrium (but 1 step above the Elites)
MrQuackers
Site Donor 2024
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MrQuackers
Site Donor 2024
Swung by to visit family
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MrQuackers
Site Donor 2024
I replaced what I was told from the original owner were the stock tires.
I picked up a pair of Blackburn (Innova) 26x1.75 Comfort Bike Tires
I was shocked how narrow they actually are. Fine with me, this is just a fitness/grocery getter not any off road duty.
I had a devil of a time fitting the innertube in the tire even though the tubes are compatible from 1.75-2.25
I am closing in on 1200 miles on the Raleigh m50 so far
I picked up a pair of Blackburn (Innova) 26x1.75 Comfort Bike Tires
I was shocked how narrow they actually are. Fine with me, this is just a fitness/grocery getter not any off road duty.
I had a devil of a time fitting the innertube in the tire even though the tubes are compatible from 1.75-2.25
I am closing in on 1200 miles on the Raleigh m50 so far
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It reminds me of schwalbe land cruiser plus , 700c35 on my cross bike . Puncture protect. 5bar and used it fast on road duty
Tested 120km trip all good
Tested 120km trip all good
MrQuackers
Site Donor 2024
Yes it does resemble Schwalbe. I have them set at 40 psi but I think I'll bump it up to 50 psi. Max psi is 65
Late to the party but I thought I’d chime in. I used to moonlight as a MTB mechanic, after I worked my way though college as one. I absolutely loved the art of building and truing wheels. Of course, I had to waste my own $ screwing up my own before the shop ever let me do it for customers…. But I learned the art trying to maintain my own - i probably rode up to 200 mpw back then.
it’s more than tension, especially once wear and some bending has set in. Repairing a warped wheel is a compromise between compensating tension and what the damaged rim *shouldn’t* be doing. It’s never right. And, spoke tension applies in a “community area,” whereas a damage spot is a specific place. Compensate for damage with spokes 2 and 3, and you’re reverse compensating with 1 and 4, along with the cardinal cross - 180 degrees, as well as possibly 90 and 270, depending. Truing works great for dealing with an egg shape - but for compensating side-to-side, it’s just that, compensating.
I learned - the way the metal deforms seems to depend on the speed of the offending impact. A hard hit at speed isn’t repaired by slow consistent tension from spoke tuning. Likewise, repairing it by slow pressure through whatever jig you can rig up doesn’t always work either. BUT, I learned that if you learned how to beat it sharply and expertly with…. Appropriately shaped instruments for the damage at hand, usually something heavy and different blocks of wood, a wheel can be coaxed back into the realm of which spoke tension have a chance. Now, the problem is, sometimes these kinds of repairs requires a full de-spoking of the rim for a proper adjustment, at which time due to labor rates it’s simply more cost-effective to buy a new rim- but if it’s your own time and $, the time learning was worth it. Knowing all this, it helped me build better wheels from the start. But I’ll say this, it was definitely a knack, and not everyone got it. My later builds would hold up to a lot of abuse. One lasted so long that its failure was being crushed by a set of Madura hydraulics in a panic traffic stop - miles of braking had just thinned the walls too much! … but … the art of learning this feel came from a love of simply spending the time doing it, again and again. I didn’t even have a proper jig - I used masking tape and sharpies taped to the frame when working at home - but i simply enjoyed it and wanted to save $ for other parts.
it’s more than tension, especially once wear and some bending has set in. Repairing a warped wheel is a compromise between compensating tension and what the damaged rim *shouldn’t* be doing. It’s never right. And, spoke tension applies in a “community area,” whereas a damage spot is a specific place. Compensate for damage with spokes 2 and 3, and you’re reverse compensating with 1 and 4, along with the cardinal cross - 180 degrees, as well as possibly 90 and 270, depending. Truing works great for dealing with an egg shape - but for compensating side-to-side, it’s just that, compensating.
I learned - the way the metal deforms seems to depend on the speed of the offending impact. A hard hit at speed isn’t repaired by slow consistent tension from spoke tuning. Likewise, repairing it by slow pressure through whatever jig you can rig up doesn’t always work either. BUT, I learned that if you learned how to beat it sharply and expertly with…. Appropriately shaped instruments for the damage at hand, usually something heavy and different blocks of wood, a wheel can be coaxed back into the realm of which spoke tension have a chance. Now, the problem is, sometimes these kinds of repairs requires a full de-spoking of the rim for a proper adjustment, at which time due to labor rates it’s simply more cost-effective to buy a new rim- but if it’s your own time and $, the time learning was worth it. Knowing all this, it helped me build better wheels from the start. But I’ll say this, it was definitely a knack, and not everyone got it. My later builds would hold up to a lot of abuse. One lasted so long that its failure was being crushed by a set of Madura hydraulics in a panic traffic stop - miles of braking had just thinned the walls too much! … but … the art of learning this feel came from a love of simply spending the time doing it, again and again. I didn’t even have a proper jig - I used masking tape and sharpies taped to the frame when working at home - but i simply enjoyed it and wanted to save $ for other parts.
if looking for a bike,go to a number of local bicycle shops and try some out in your price range,size and fit can mean alot in enjoying your new bike,plus service ,set up is done only by a competent bike shop,,,also to note 32 spoke rims work fine so as tensioned upon new bike delivery,,,,one important thing with a rim,is /proper air pressure helps keep the rim taunt and more ridged and true/runout
As someone who has been working on bikes and building wheels for over 30 years, I
this post.
MrQuackers
Site Donor 2024
Well, it is the one year anniversary and I have logged a paltry 1851 miles.
I can do better than that.
I can do better than that.
Is Bikes Direct a good place to purchase bicycles?
check out reputable local bike shops in the area you live is the best choice ,, if not yeah bikes direct is good,though some assembly is required. and do your own adjustments and of course fitting the bike to your liking ,if any problems, well they seem to be ok, however they have good prices.
Bike shops around here are few and far between.
My plan was to check with them and the local pawn shops first. Bikes Direct will be my last choice. I just needed some feedback on their products quality and their reputation as an online dealer.
I’m looking for a cruiser in 3 speed or 7 speed.