Biking is my latest passion. Whenever I get free time I always ride. So back in March I bought a real bike. It's an 07 Specialized Stumpjumper FSR that I paid $1800 on clearance. After upgrades I've easily got $2500 in the bike, and it's worth every penny. I ride a lot of trails so getting a road bike wasn't an option, and I think road bikes are boring as hell. Why would anyone want to be confined to riding on concrete or asphalt? On the rare ocasions that I only ride on the road I lock out my suspension and rip around town, but I usually find things to jump or head to the trails and really have fun. I easily ride 20-30 miles whenever I head out.

Nice ride Sixate! I ride a mountain bike see previous pages, but also this road bike. I like to jump sometimes, other times I like to ride fast. Real fast.

I think it all depends upon what you intend to get out of your bike. I have a coworker who has a bike riding group from her health club that regularly make 50-100 mile day trips. They are serious about their biking and I doubt one of them own a bike that retailed for less that 3k brand new.

If you are just thinking you want to get some exercise and go for short trips, bike 10-20 miles here and there I am sure you can easily find a bike that will suit your needs without bleeding your bank account. Know what it is you want to do with it, where it is you expect to be biking. Is it on bike trails with good asphalt surfaces or dirt trails. Go to a bike shop they will make sure that you are fit with a bike that you like, that will fit you properly as well. I think that is a big issue with a lot of people, finding a bike and getting it adjusted comfortably. Also keep in mind if you have back troubles for instance you may want to consider a recombinant bicycle.

to say i am a "rider" might be an understatement. biking for me is part of life. it makes me feel happy, excited, content, healthy, alive, lots of things. i'm on a bike every day, if not several bikes within the same day.

i would recommend for everyone to get into cycling, but you have to realize there are many different types of cycling. do you want to commute? do you want to race? do you want to do tricks? are you going to be on the dirt? on the road? all of these things are things to consider when buying a bicycle, but i whole-heartedly agree with what has been said already about avoiding walmart, etc. regardless of what kind of riding you want to do, having a decent bike to do it on can make all the difference in whether you love it or hate it.

since others are posting their bikes, here we go... ;)

Rocky Mountain road bike
http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/135/p8140073vk1.jpg

IRO fixed gear
http://img174.imageshack.us/img174/2...074033pdw2.jpg

Pake single speed
http://img509.imageshack.us/img509/8682/p8170028dw5.jpg

Giant mountain bike
http://img169.imageshack.us/img169/3317/p8170025ge7.jpg

bike for the winter snow (i know it's a summer picture)
http://img514.imageshack.us/img514/4599/p8024385ze7.jpg

Planet X trials bike
http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/3082/p8270047dr0.jpg

vintage Haro trials bike
http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/20/p8270049dt2.jpg

work in progress :thumbsup:
http://img514.imageshack.us/img514/3822/p8170031fj4.jpg

Our 4yo just got his first bike with training wheels and wants to go out riding at every opportunity. We've also got a kids seat on the back of my bike for the 2yo.

Nothing too strenuous yet, but Sydney is blessed with quite a few safe places to take a small child (Sydney Olympic Park and surrounds is probably the best example). We've been there a couple of times and are likely to return again soon.

Road Tires
 

Can anyone recommend a road tire for a Specialized Rockhopper Sport that will mount on the current rims (Specialized/Alex HR26)? What size tire will I need to get? The knobbies are 26x2.20. Budget: $15-40.

Thanks in advance.

Your local bike shop should be able to determine the correct size and probably have a few you can choose from for a less aggressive tire.

I currently have a set of IRC Metro's II's on my mountain bike for tooling around town and grocery getting. i swap them out when i am going off road.

IRC Tire | www.irctire.com

Would anybody here be interested in participating in a TFP group for cyclists? I'm not yet too familiar with how active the groups are or whether starting a group would be too exclusive, but I figured I'd ask.

My uncle gave me a bike a week ago, a trek 820, he had it 'tuned', new locks for wheels and the seat (we live in NYC). Did I mention it was the first time I had ridden a bike since July 1989. Rode it home 5.2 miles, and my butt hurt for 2 days I would guess. Since then this week I rode it twice for quick 2 mile spreads trying to learn the gears, but it is fun.

I do know I am definitely out of shape though!

Picked up a set of road/hybrid tires at the LBS, $20 each. Smoother, quieter, much better for pavement - just what I was looking for. Thanks.

2006 Specialized Rockhopper...good, solid, low cost bike. I think they look pretty good...for a hardtail.

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...7/IMG_6450.jpg

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...7/IMG_6446.jpg

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...7/IMG_6448.jpg

Knobby tire that was replaced.

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...7/IMG_6457.jpg

I joined the group you started, spinelust. :) Hopefully others will follow suit, and then we can figure out what these social group things do anyways.

Yay!!!! :D

With bikes you really get your dollar's worth. So, you really would be best off spending the little bit more money for the better bike.

I am a new user who is also a roadie as well.
I hail from the Denver metro area and commute as well. All together I average around 7000-9000 miles a year.
At that mileage I literally destroy xmart bikes. I either purchase mine at a bike shop or build up a frame.
My bikes are:
07 Tarmac Expert. Club rides and long distance rides.
07 Hardrock mountain bike. Mainly used to haul my son around on a trail-a-bike or for winter riding.
08 Salsa Casserole SS\FG. This is my main commuter that I built up.

My older bikes were terminated in various incidents with vehicles. One on a trunk rank and we were rear ended. The other when I was right hooked while riding in a bike lane.

Next year I plan on moving towards faster club rides with possibly some racing thrown in. That and upping my mileage to exceed 10,000 miles in a year for the first time.

Anyhow, I highly recommend bike store bikes. Also, if you have a decent store that sells used you can find some good deals. Well... you could before gas prices whent up. Plus cycling is getting insanely popular here in Denver. More so than the past.

I love you

Just a couple of pic's from my iphone from my latest ride. 110km ride out in the country, not realizing how much of a tail wind I had until I ventured out too far! Nothing like a 20km/h headwind on the way home argh!

Not many cars passed me, just lots of livestock and hawks..no dogs! I did have a stretch were a farmer had just spread his field with manure....upped the tempo for a km or two...

http://i374.photobucket.com/albums/o...IMG_0255-1.jpg

very boring here in ontario. I did have a nice place to take a picture on top of a small climb but there was a house right on the top and the home owner was hanging out some laundry. Thought she might be creeped out if she saw a camera since she was in her pj's.

http://i374.photobucket.com/albums/o...5/IMG_0251.jpg

http://i374.photobucket.com/albums/o...5/IMG_0269.jpg

turn away!
http://i374.photobucket.com/albums/o...5/IMG_0262.jpg

Stinky! There's a stretch on my morning ride that smelled distinctly like vomit for a while there, but it has subsided as of late.

Lovely pictures!

My commute goes by an open air sewage treatment plant. Yummy ... not