That is a purdy lil bike. I like the basic black.

I just broke a chain out in the snowy woods. It is always a pain with muddy fingers and compact tools. I was dropping pins left and right and saying to myself, you can build a freaking timberframe house, teach an emotionally disturbed child with ASD to read, cross log piles on a bike... then I got rational. The chain, being old, was stretched. I removed an extra link but didn't push the pin through the back plate, put the chain together and pushed the pin back through easy as pie.

Crossed one obstacle for the first time today. A tree fell against the root ball of another fall. The last couple times I went through I stacked limbs against both sides of it building a little ramp which I cleared today right across the root ball.:cool: Of course I fell later in the ride and my elbow is swelling up but let's stay positive.

The old Raleigh just has 12 gears - although I did fit a new mech that had a low ratio on it a couple of years back. I'll be interested to find out how the new bike compares and whether the addition of the extra lower set of gears proves an advantage or not (it might take some of the effort away but that might not necessarily be a good thing from a fitness point of view). Purdy could be a good name for the new bike BTW....

Haven't had a chain go on me yet (maybe I shouldn't risk saying that), but then I seldom go off-road (usually suffer punctures within minutes if/when I do!) - worst we had was on one of our France sorties a few years back - we were forced to negotiate a flooded village (no way around it) through 3 foot of water for about 50 yards - it rained most of the trip as well. Somehow the old Raleigh survived unscathed, but my pal's crank seized and he just about managed to limp (creak) into Calais (being a weekend there was no pace we could find to make a repair).

Nice bike CF! I have the Trek 7700 model

Looks like the same tires err, tyres... So far *desperately looks for wood to touch* no flats over very many miles! The Kevlar belts in these are very tough. I hit a piece of plastic the other day that had 2 spikes thru it. The thing was well embedded into the tyre and I thought for sure that this was going to be the first patch job. I pulled it out and nothing happened.

Black beauty was the first thing that came to mind, but I'm not very creative. I've never named my bikes, cars, body parts. Huh.

Think I'm in the minority?

Difficult to choose the right bike - the Trek range is so large to be bordering on the ridiculous. In te end went for the model the shop had in srtock that looked right for my type of cycling. Pleased to hear about the anti-puncture treatment - mind you, BS, your's could be different tyres on the 7700 - I'm not sure mine are the hardcase invert.... I guess there's one way to find out.

Griff said : Get on that bike Zip!

Ok Griff I think i'll take your advice .
I picked up this ride just today .
I am SO tired of being fat , tired , and sore all the fucking time that I have desided to do something about it .
So I am going to try rideing again .
Try and sweat some of this lard off , get stronger , get back on my game !!!
I beleve it was said in Fast times at Ridgemont High , " Going thru life fat , drunk and stoned is no way to be !!"

Get yourself a decent saddle Zippy - the backside's the place that hurts most. Legs and lungs adapt quite quickly, but the rear doesn't and starts to dictate the distances you travel if you're not careful. I use a Specialised Body Geometry saddle that is very comfortable and not too expensive...will post further details when I get home - my work pc is blocking pictures at the moment

Good man! Yep on the Specialized saddle as well. I've got one on my touring and one on my mountain bike. As you get in shape you'll find the wider saddle less comfortable. You can run it as is until you get firmed up though. Being Gomer Pyle, I know you'll take this advice ride through the pain

Here's the saddle - I have done a straight 65 miles using it and I can confirm that it works:

Thanks guys !! I Intend to ditch the granny seat SOOON !! Also the wheels are weird , it has been years but I still rember how a bike is SUPOSED to roll , these Wide semi knobbie thingees don't seen to be cutting it , WAY to much rolling restance !!!

You can get some good semi-slicks with kavlar or some other lining that provide a high level of puncture resistance for dry-semi-dry off-road cycling, while at the same time eliminating a lot of friction drag on road - below a good example, but plenty of others to choose from:

.

@ zippyt

Your bike looks like that one that was stolen from my patio about five years ago.


exactly. humm I am looking at your bike recomendations cyclefrance and taking them to heart too.

I'm on the fence about riding to work tomorrow. I'm not too fit yet so it will be painful, especially on the return flight. *chewing on it*

woosing out
excuse list
1) radio says rain
2) computer say wind (no rain?)
3) sick kid

I keep an old MTB at work which I've added slick tyres to so it works as a part-time road bike. If the weather looks dodgy or I am just not into the whole cycle, then I drive to work and at least manage a few miles on the spare bike at lunchtime. Do this all through the winter and occasionally during the summer (should say frequently given English summer weather!)