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How Do These Airborne Specs Look?
Vis-a-vis the price, anyway -- $1,300 for 19-lb. bikes!!
http://www.airborne.net/eready/janet...TI-special.asp http://www.airborne.net/eready/janet...TB-special.asp The first link is to a TITANIUM frame upright, while the second is for the Thunderbolt with an aluminum frame. Oddly enough, the aluminum bike weighs slightly less than the titanium one?? Components, I suppose -- so what do y'all think of 'em? For example...caliper brakes?? 9-speed cassette?? Which one would you get, if these were the choices? How do they compare to your current bike -- etc.? |
#2
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How Do These Airborne Specs Look?
Actually, they're $1,200 -- hot deal? And how's this seat? http://pedalpusherbikeshop.com/site/...3rdcharacte r TIA! NYC XYZ wrote: Vis-a-vis the price, anyway -- $1,300 for 19-lb. bikes!! http://www.airborne.net/eready/janet...TI-special.asp http://www.airborne.net/eready/janet...TB-special.asp The first link is to a TITANIUM frame upright, while the second is for the Thunderbolt with an aluminum frame. Oddly enough, the aluminum bike weighs slightly less than the titanium one?? Components, I suppose -- so what do y'all think of 'em? For example...caliper brakes?? 9-speed cassette?? Which one would you get, if these were the choices? How do they compare to your current bike -- etc.? |
#3
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How Do These Airborne Specs Look?
NYC XYZ wrote:
Actually, they're $1,200 -- hot deal? And how's this seat? http://pedalpusherbikeshop.com/site/...3rdcharacte r Dude (or Dudette), you REALLY should visit a bike shop. You're all over the map -- and unlike most who want to spend, say, $60.00, you're actually talking about some real money. (Hint: why shop for a heavy, way-too-soft saddle until you actually TRY the one that comes with your new bike. A bike that OUGHT TO FIT YOU, by the way...) Bill "get thee to an LBS-ery" S. |
#4
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How Do These Airborne Specs Look?
Bill Sornson wrote: Dude (or Dudette), you REALLY should visit a bike shop. You're all over the map -- and unlike most who want to spend, say, $60.00, you're actually talking about some real money. (Hint: why shop for a heavy, way-too-soft saddle until you actually TRY the one that comes with your new bike. A bike that OUGHT TO FIT YOU, by the way...) Bill "get thee to an LBS-ery" S. So how's the bike? =) These particular models are sold exclusively through the manufacturer, and only online, too -- at least at this price. As for the seat, I've never known a bike seat to be "comfortable," so anything the least bit ergonomic gets my attention. Seriously, how do the specs look? I want my shifts to shift right away, and I'm leery of the claiper brakes...but I'm only just above-average when it comes to bike knowledge and know-how, so I was hoping you could help. =) |
#5
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How Do These Airborne Specs Look?
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#6
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How Do These Airborne Specs Look?
I submit that on or about 22 Jul 2005 20:56:55 -0700, the person known
to the court as "NYC XYZ" made a statement s.com in Your Honour's bundle) to the following effect: As for the seat, I've never known a bike seat to be "comfortable," so anything the least bit ergonomic gets my attention. I have. http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk/web/...optima_stinger But I have also known saddles to be comfortable (admittedly I rarely ride more than 100 miles in a day). The Brooks B17N works for me. Guy -- May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting. http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk 85% of helmet statistics are made up, 69% of them at CHS, Puget Sound |
#7
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How Do These Airborne Specs Look?
"Just zis Guy, you know?" wrote in message ... I submit that on or about 22 Jul 2005 20:56:55 -0700, the person known to the court as "NYC XYZ" made a statement s.com in Your Honour's bundle) to the following effect: As for the seat, I've never known a bike seat to be "comfortable," so anything the least bit ergonomic gets my attention. I have. http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk/web/...optima_stinger But I have also known saddles to be comfortable (admittedly I rarely ride more than 100 miles in a day). The Brooks B17N works for me. Guy The Terry's Liberator TiLite on Gino saw me trundle a fully loaded touring bike around Bordeaux last summer in comfort. Cheers, helen s |
#8
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How Do These Airborne Specs Look?
"NYC XYZ" wrote in
oups.com: Actually, they're $1,200 -- hot deal? And how's this seat? http://pedalpusherbikeshop.com/site/...438&Catalog=39 &sort=3rdcharacter TIA! NYC XYZ wrote: Vis-a-vis the price, anyway -- $1,300 for 19-lb. bikes!! http://www.airborne.net/eready/janet...TI-special.asp http://www.airborne.net/eready/janet...TB-special.asp The first link is to a TITANIUM frame upright, while the second is for the Thunderbolt with an aluminum frame. Oddly enough, the aluminum bike weighs slightly less than the titanium one?? Components, I suppose -- so what do y'all think of 'em? For example...caliper brakes?? 9-speed cassette?? Which one would you get, if these were the choices? How do they compare to your current bike -- etc.? You're paying attention to a 4-oz difference in weight, then contemplating putting on a 4-lb saddle? (FWIW, my sister-in-law has that saddle, and I guess she likes it, but it weighs more than her rear wheel). Low weight does not equal performance, except maybe psychologically. If you want to shave grams, pee before you ride. That's about the difference we're talking here. Performance is going to come from having a good-fitting bike that you ride a whole bunch. Like I say, fit is really the most important thing, and if you say you want comfort and performance, you are not likely to get either from a bike you can't test-ride first. Get yourself into a LBS and have them find you something that is just right for you. They can swap out stems and handlebars and seats (for a small upcharge usually, sometimes they'll do even trades) and get it dialled in. Mail-order shops can't do that for you. As far as caliper brakes...why not? These aren't mountain bikes. They're light enough and strong enough for 100% of the TDF field, and those guys descend at 50 mph. The _only_ reason they don't use them on dirt bikes is for tire clearance. Sorry if you're getting dogpiled here, but you really should do some test rides of both flat- and drop-bar bikes before you try to make your decision based on Ti vs. Al or 18.2 vs. 18.6. To answer your overall question, I'd go for the drop-bar bike, but that's because I like drop bars, not because of its componentry or frame material. Good luck! |
#9
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How Do These Airborne Specs Look?
Hank Wirtz wrote: You're paying attention to a 4-oz difference in weight, then contemplating putting on a 4-lb saddle? (FWIW, my sister-in-law has that saddle, and I guess she likes it, but it weighs more than her rear wheel). Holy Hell's Angels, that weighs more than my ass! Thanks for the info...hmm...wonder if there are any ergonomic seats that are very light? Low weight does not equal performance, except maybe psychologically. If you want to shave grams, pee before you ride. That's about the difference we're talking here. Performance is going to come from having a good-fitting bike that you ride a whole bunch. LOL -- of course! But the fit being equal, how do the specs read to you? I don't know why they bother with Shimano this and Bontrager that...do even the "pros" know what it means?? Reads like mattress advertising.... I'm a fast rider...I can keep up with my messenger friend who races on the weekends (though we've never actually raced per se, given our very different bikes). I say this so that you know I'm not stuck on components like they were magic or something. In this particular case, my natural inclination is to get the flat-bar bike, but it seems like the componentry on the drop-bar may be substantially better. Like I say, fit is really the most important thing, and if you say you want comfort and performance, you are not likely to get either from a bike you can't test-ride first. Get yourself into a LBS and have them find you something that is just right for you. They can swap out stems and handlebars and seats (for a small upcharge usually, sometimes they'll do even trades) and get it dialled in. Mail-order shops can't do that for you. Only problem is that these particular bikes sound like real sweet deals and aren't available except online from the manufacturer. What's the big deal with the "fit," though? An 18" frame is an 18"...and the seat posts adjust, etc. I really wanted to know what the components of the drop-bar are like compared to those of the flat-bar. As far as caliper brakes...why not? These aren't mountain bikes. They're light enough and strong enough for 100% of the TDF field, and those guys descend at 50 mph. The _only_ reason they don't use them on dirt bikes is for tire clearance. I thought the V-brakes stop better? I went from cantilever brakes on a chromoly to the old Trek 7500 (the old one, not the current one -- why did they change the frame geometry? It seems like everyone's hybrid line has got the angled top tube now) with aluminum and V-brakes...cool stuff. Sorry if you're getting dogpiled here, but you really should do some test rides of both flat- and drop-bar bikes before you try to make your decision based on Ti vs. Al or 18.2 vs. 18.6. I'm sure I won't like drop-bars since I think the typical flat-bar forces me to hunch over as it is! I always raise the headset (correct term?) myself...upright means comfort! To answer your overall question, I'd go for the drop-bar bike, but that's because I like drop bars, not because of its componentry or frame material. I suppose I could always raise the drop-bars too? When hunched over, my back really becomes the rear suspension! Good luck! Many thanks! What's it mean that the Airborne Thunderbolt comes in 10-speed (is that right, only ten speeds????) "double" or 10-speed "triple"???? |
#10
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How Do These Airborne Specs Look?
"NYC XYZ" wrote in
oups.com: Hank Wirtz wrote: You're paying attention to a 4-oz difference in weight, then contemplating putting on a 4-lb saddle? (FWIW, my sister-in-law has that saddle, and I guess she likes it, but it weighs more than her rear wheel). Holy Hell's Angels, that weighs more than my ass! Thanks for the info...hmm...wonder if there are any ergonomic seats that are very light? Low weight does not equal performance, except maybe psychologically. If you want to shave grams, pee before you ride. That's about the difference we're talking here. Performance is going to come from having a good-fitting bike that you ride a whole bunch. LOL -- of course! But the fit being equal, how do the specs read to you? I don't know why they bother with Shimano this and Bontrager that...do even the "pros" know what it means?? Reads like mattress advertising.... I'm a fast rider...I can keep up with my messenger friend who races on the weekends (though we've never actually raced per se, given our very different bikes). I say this so that you know I'm not stuck on components like they were magic or something. In this particular case, my natural inclination is to get the flat-bar bike, but it seems like the componentry on the drop-bar may be substantially better. Better? Probably, but I wouldn't say substantially. Deore LX is probably somewhere between Ultegra and 105, but it's not really something that can be compared. One's a mountain group, the other's a road group. Only problem is that these particular bikes sound like real sweet deals and aren't available except online from the manufacturer. A bike that looks nice on paper but sits in the hallway because it's not as much fun to ride because the geometry's weird is not a sweet deal. What's the big deal with the "fit," though? An 18" frame is an 18"...and the seat posts adjust, etc. Sort of, but not really. I have a 21" Peugeot Orient Express and an 18" GT Avalanche. Because of seat post length, slope of the top tube, and rigid vs. suspension fork, set the bikes side-by side, and the cranks, seat, and handlebars are all pretty much in the same places (but the GT has a shorter wheelbase). Geometry is a big part of fit. Sliding your saddle on its rails or installing a longer stem will give different ride characteristics than a different sized top tube, even though the overall reach is the same. Raise the saddle to compensate for a shorter seat tube, and you're also moving it backwards. Slide the seat forward to compensate, and you change the reach. Put on a different stem, and your steering changes. It all ties in together. You can compare geometry, but it's tough to say what's best for you until you ride it in real life. There's a great anecdote on good bike fit in the R&E Cycle (in Seattle) newsletter this month, which I'll quote: From http://www.rodcycle.com/07_05_news.pdf "A couple weeks ago, a man came in (we'll call him Jim) during a busy spot in the day on a Thursday afternoon. I had just walked up from the frame shop, and noticed that Smiley and Scott had their hands full, so I stepped in to help him. He said he was looking for a new 'go-fast' bike. I asked him what he was currently riding. He said "well, I've got a 25 year old Motobecane." I asked him if he'd been test riding other bikes, and if he'd ridden anything that he'd liked. He said "as a matter of fact, I've been test riding bikes for a year but I haven't ridden a bike that I liked better than my Motobecane." He was about to give up looking, but then a friend of his suggested that he look over our website (thanks friend). He liked our focus on comfort as well as performance, and thought our Rodriguez Arrow Race would be worth a try. I fit him to an Arrow Race, and set him up for a test ride. "As he left the shop for his test ride, a woman (we'll call her Jane) happened in to air her tires. Coincidentally, she was also riding a 1970-80's vintage Motobecane. As I helped her air her tires, I told her about the man that had just left for a test ride whose current bike is just like hers. She said "this isn't my only bike, it's just the bike I ride all the time. I have an expensive bike I bought 2 years ago, but I don't like it." I asked her what kind of ike it was. She said that it was a carbon fiber race bike that she thought would make her fast, but instead only made her uncomfortable. I suggested that she schedule with me for some fit work, but she said "I think I'll just keep riding the Motobecane....it's comfortable." She went on her way.Well, 30 minutes or so later, Jim returned from his test ride. The verdict...all smiles. "Wrap it up!" He said, "this one's mine". "After a year long search, Jim decided that the bike to send the Motobecane out to pasture would be a stock Rodriguez Arrow Race. "Our commitment to blending comfort and performance has grown out of listening to you, and listening to our own common sense. When we build a 16 pound race bike for a customer, we want that bike to be not only light and fast, but the most comfortable bike they've ever ridden....a bike they WANT to ride every day. If I were going to race in the Daytona 500, I would want to drive a Nextel Cup car. Comfort and convenience wouldn't matter as I would be hopped up on adrenaline. But if I were going to buy a high performance sports car to drive down the coast, I don't want to have to crawl in the window. I'm going to want a radio, air conditioner, a heater, and doors that open. I might even want somewhere to pack a small duffle bag, and a seat for my wife (I know what you're thinking Chris, and she didn't make me put that in). The point is, even though I would be driving a high performance sports car, it wouldn't be the same car that Dale Earnhardt Jr. would drive in the Daytona 500. The same is true in a bicycle. Jane was sold the "Lance Armstrong, 16 pound, gonna go win the Tour De France" model. But she's not Lance Armstrong, and she's not going to race in the Tour. She commutes, and she rides long weekend fun rides with her friends. She would be much more comfortable on a 16 pound bike designed for her style of riding. It should be set up by someone who listens to what she's going to do with the bike, and fits her to it accordingly." I really wanted to know what the components of the drop-bar are like compared to those of the flat-bar. As far as caliper brakes...why not? These aren't mountain bikes. They're light enough and strong enough for 100% of the TDF field, and those guys descend at 50 mph. The _only_ reason they don't use them on dirt bikes is for tire clearance. I thought the V-brakes stop better? I went from cantilever brakes on a chromoly to the old Trek 7500 (the old one, not the current one -- why did they change the frame geometry? It seems like everyone's hybrid line has got the angled top tube now) with aluminum and V-brakes...cool stuff. Any better stopping is likely due to larger pads. The V-brakes they use on some FBR bikes usually have road-sized pads. I have Kool-Stop salmon pads on my sidepulls and they stop as good as anything. Sorry if you're getting dogpiled here, but you really should do some test rides of both flat- and drop-bar bikes before you try to make your decision based on Ti vs. Al or 18.2 vs. 18.6. I'm sure I won't like drop-bars since I think the typical flat-bar forces me to hunch over as it is! I always raise the headset (correct term?) myself...upright means comfort! I think "stem" is the word you're looking for, and that can be very difficult with threadless stems, since the height is changed with spacers, and the steerer's often already been cut too short to add more. You can get a riser add-on, but I haven't tried one. To answer your overall question, I'd go for the drop-bar bike, but that's because I like drop bars, not because of its componentry or frame material. I suppose I could always raise the drop-bars too? Yup. And they give you more hand positions so hou can get some variety. Reduces numbness for me. When hunched over, my back really becomes the rear suspension! Then absolutely, raise the bars! What's it mean that the Airborne Thunderbolt comes in 10-speed (is that right, only ten speeds????) "double" or 10-speed "triple"???? 10 speeds in the back, with a double or triple crank, so a 20 or 30 speed system. The triple has a granny ring for the steeps. You're asking questions, which is a good thing. Hopefully the answers you're getting are leading you to more questions which will help you make your decision. Good luck! -Hank |
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