I want a new bike

I just completed my first metric century yesterday.

Had I finished the ride home I would have come close enough to 100
miles to be worth going around the block.

However, signing up for the long ride was a bit spur of the moment and
I had 15 dinner guests coming at 6:30, so I ended up getting a lift
from Chengmai to Haikou.

I learned a lot of things from this ride, not the least of which is - I
need to upgrade my bike. It isn't just a want thing. It's a need
thing.

Right now I am riding a Giant Speeder X
http://www.giant-bicycles.com/ch/030...002&model=6636

Comapred to the Giant US webpage, the Chinese one sucks for giving out
information. It basically says that my bike has a high carbon steel
frame, a high carbon steel front fork, and aluminum alloy wheel rims.

With water bottle cage, lock, odometer, gloves, helmet, jersey, and
bike shorts it cost under USD150. (No, I'm not missing a 0, that
really is 150).

My local bike shop currently doesn't have any carbon frame bikes in
stock and the one carbon fiber bike they have had isn't mentioned at
all on the Giant China website. However, since they have the
occasional Trek or Bianchi bike in stock it doesn't mean a whole lot
for them to be carrying something that isn't Giant and isn't Chinese.

From what they have in stock (and even though I'll be in Shanghai early
next month I'm somewhat inclined to buy local) my choices seem to be
Windmark, Windmark-1 and Windmark-2.

Windmark
http://www.giant-bicycles.com/ch/030...002&model=6649
is the only one of the above on the website. It seems to be made out
of something called CR-MO. I have no idea what CR-MO is.

I don't know how to ask in Chinese the questions I want to ask. Like
"why does this bike cost twice as much as that bike?" Or to understand
the answer when I get it.

I also don't know anyone local who is competent in English who also
understands bicycles.

Some of it is really obvious like quick release wheels, different
placement of the shifters, weight, different kinds of brakes, skinnier
wheels and so on. And the shop has a wide range of aftermarket goodies
to make my bike more what I want.

But I don't really know what I want. Other than better than what I've
got.

What are some of the things I should consider looking for?
And some of the things I should consider avoiding?

If I'm fiscally irresponsible I have enough money to buy the best road
bike currently in the shop and trick it out with the best accessories.
But, I don't need a wireless cyclocomputer or a brand name water
bottle. And my $100 bike is already an invitation to thieves.

-M

wrote in message
ups.com...

Windmark
http://www.giant-bicycles.com/ch/030...002&model=6649
is the only one of the above on the website. It seems to be made out
of something called CR-MO. I have no idea what CR-MO is.


C(h)ro-moly, or chromium-molybdenum steel. Chromoly is an alloy used in
bicycle frames. It is not as lightweight as some other steel alloys, but it
is strong, malleable, and easily welded.

--
Warm Regards,

Claire Petersky
Personal page: http://www.geocities.com/cpetersky/
See the books I've set free at:
http://bookcrossing.com/referral/Cpetersky

wrote:
I just completed my first metric century yesterday.

I learned a lot of things from this ride, not the least of which is - I
need to upgrade my bike.

But I don't really know what I want. Other than better than what I've
got.

What are some of the things I should consider looking for?
And some of the things I should consider avoiding?

You're not giving us much relevant information. What specific problems did
you have with this bike? What differences are you looking for? Quickly
jumping from one cheap bike to another may cost more in the long run than
making an informed purchase of a not-so-cheap bike. A good bike can last 20+
years. So if you paid $1000, that could come out to less than $50/year.

Don't get preoccupied with frame material. Concentrate on a bike that fits
you and is right for your kind of riding. BTW, Cr-Mo is Chrome-Moly, the
type of steel better bikes are made from.

Take a deep breath, slow down, test ride some bikes, and then make your
choice.

Art Harris

On 17 Sep 2005 06:26:46 -0700, wrote:

I learned a lot of things from this ride, not the least of which is - I
need to upgrade my bike. It isn't just a want thing. It's a need
thing.

Since you don't know much about bikes, it'd be silly to spend lots
on one in a foreign country, in a language you don't understand.

If you local shop doesn't have any carbon-frame road bikes on the
floor, they're not seriously into road bikes, and you should look
further afield. That's not to say you ought to buy carbon, but they
dominate the high-end market now.

Take your time, and don't rush into it. It's important to be properly
fitted to a bike, so avoid any shops that are reluctant to do this, and
try to get test rides of any you like. A mass-market
carbon/Ultegra bike (e.g. the Giant TCRC1) is good value - beyond that,
the price really starts to shoot up for small gains.

--
Home page: http://members.westnet.com.au/mvw

"Claire Petersky" wrote:
C(h)ro-moly, or chromium-molybdenum steel. Chromoly is an alloy used in
bicycle frames. It is not as lightweight as some other steel alloys, but
it is strong, malleable, and easily welded.

The weight of steel tubing depends on wall thickness. Cr-Mo steel is as
light as any steel, and is MUCH stronger than plain carbon steel.

Art Harris

Arthur Harris wrote:
wrote:
I just completed my first metric century yesterday.

I learned a lot of things from this ride, not the least of which is - I
need to upgrade my bike.

But I don't really know what I want. Other than better than what I've
got.

What are some of the things I should consider looking for?
And some of the things I should consider avoiding?

You're not giving us much relevant information. What specific problems did
you have with this bike?

My biggest problem is weight. It weighs a lot more than the other
bikes. A lot lot more.

On my recently finished ride there was a total newbie on a Trek 4500
mountain bike tricked out with everything extraspecial and imported
that was available to attach. I don't know whose money she was
spending for this toy but she told me where she works so I know we're
talking six months' of her salary. Even though she wasn't nearly as
strong as I am and had big big knobbly tires to deal with she was still
beating me going up the hills.

What differences are you looking for? Quickly
jumping from one cheap bike to another may cost more in the long run than
making an informed purchase of a not-so-cheap bike. A good bike can last 20+
years. So if you paid $1000, that could come out to less than $50/year.

Other than getting the weight down, I'm looking for something
nebulously designated as better. I don't want to spend too much money
because my current bike is already high-end enough to be a thief
magnet.

It will primarily be used in China. There is potential that it might
travel to other parts of southwest Asia such as Vietnam, Laos, or
Cambodia. I won't be taking it offroad but I might take it on poor
roads or poorly maintained roads.

Don't get preoccupied with frame material. Concentrate on a bike that fits
you and is right for your kind of riding.

I was mentioning frame material as a way to give people an idea of what
is and is not available in the shop.

BTW, Cr-Mo is Chrome-Moly, the
type of steel better bikes are made from.

Ok.

Take a deep breath, slow down, test ride some bikes, and then make your
choice.

Michael Warner wrote:
On 17 Sep 2005 06:26:46 -0700, wrote:

I learned a lot of things from this ride, not the least of which is - I
need to upgrade my bike. It isn't just a want thing. It's a need
thing.

Since you don't know much about bikes, it'd be silly to spend lots
on one in a foreign country, in a language you don't understand.

If you local shop doesn't have any carbon-frame road bikes on the
floor, they're not seriously into road bikes, and you should look
further afield. That's not to say you ought to buy carbon, but they
dominate the high-end market now.

Take your time, and don't rush into it. It's important to be properly
fitted to a bike, so avoid any shops that are reluctant to do this, and
try to get test rides of any you like. A mass-market
carbon/Ultegra bike (e.g. the Giant TCRC1) is good value - beyond that,
the price really starts to shoot up for small gains.


Michael has some good points. I would also point out that Cro-Moly
steel has a very good selling point if you expect to be touring away
from main cities. It can be bent and welded back into shape in many
cases. In a serious emergency it may mean getting back to a decent
repair shop. I don't believe that you can do something similar with
cargon fibre and it may be hard to find someone who can weld aluminium.

John Kane

wrote:

Even though she wasn't nearly as
strong as I am and had big big knobbly tires to deal with she was still
beating me going up the hills.

I suspect she was stronger than you think. If you expect a new bike to make
a huge difference in your climbing, I think you're going to be disappointed.
How much lighter are the bikes you're looking at?

Art Harris

Michael Warner wrote:
On 17 Sep 2005 06:26:46 -0700, wrote:

I learned a lot of things from this ride, not the least of which is - I
need to upgrade my bike. It isn't just a want thing. It's a need
thing.

And some of that 'need' is the innate human desire to belong. Everyone
else in the riding club has a nicer bike. Even the people who have the
same frame I do, who don't have a second (third, fourth, or seventh)
bike and who don't have the kind of money I have have made their bikes
nicer.

It's the cheapest available expensive bike.

(I could get a bike for $12. I wouldn't. But I could. I rode a $27
bike for most of a year.)

Since you don't know much about bikes, it'd be silly to spend lots
on one in a foreign country, in a language you don't understand.

I'm learning. Bikes and the language. When it comes to bikes in the
language we get into tech talk that goes beyond my Chinese skills.
When it is just bikes there is a lot of obvious physical differences
(such as weight, or components) that I am beginning to understand. But
only beginning.

If you local shop doesn't have any carbon-frame road bikes on the
floor, they're not seriously into road bikes, and you should look
further afield. That's not to say you ought to buy carbon, but they
dominate the high-end market now.

There is a difference between 'not serious' and 'what the market will
bear.'

If someone told you they thought driving in downtown Manhattan during
rush hour is fun you'd probably think they were an absolute nutter.
This is how the majority of people I know over here look at me and the
rest of the bike club. We deliberately ride bicycles. Not because we
are forced to. But because we want to. Even moreso we ride to places
that we could just as easily get to by bus. Or in some cases (one of
the people in the he-who-dies-with-the-most-bikes-wins game is a car
salesman) ride bicycles _instead_ of driving.

This is mainland China. I've got an acquaintance who is proud that he
makes $60 a month. His parents currently make a combined income of
about $30 a month (though they grow their own food).

They've had a Bianchi in the "expensive bicycle place of honor" on the
wall since late June or early July. It still hasn't sold.

Take your time, and don't rush into it. It's important to be properly
fitted to a bike, so avoid any shops that are reluctant to do this, and
try to get test rides of any you like. A mass-market
carbon/Ultegra bike (e.g. the Giant TCRC1) is good value - beyond that,
the price really starts to shoot up for small gains.

For road bikes at the local shop I've got perhaps ten options under
$600 and one option (an imported Bianchi) over $2000.

-M

17 Sep 2005 06:26:46 -0700,
. com,
" wrote:

What are some of the things I should consider looking for?

I'd be looking around for the grey-market Habanero frames. |:-{)
--
zk