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The Bicycling thread

Rinty,

Frame was built by Firefly.

I will show more details at some point down the road. For now this is staying in bubble wrap and going on the shelf. It will be a while before I save enough nickels to buy components....

I get that, either drive me crazy stacking enough nickels or better chance of not
remembering where I put it away” safely” :doh
 
I get that, either drive me crazy stacking enough nickels or better chance of not
remembering where I put it away” safely” :doh

:D :thumb

Ha! I’ve been known to “lose track” of more than a few things, too.

But this is going to a “secure location” - - not my blackhole of a garage!
 
Love the Ti talk! Seven and FireFly make beautiful frames, for sure. Vark, hurry up with the saving so we can see that frame without the bubble wrap.

I've built up a number of bikes over the last 4 years - all with Shimano Ultegra mechanical. For me it is the best value/performance groupset. I do have 105 shifters on my gravel bike and I'm annoyed by the 'rattle' every time I ride gravel. Ultegra doesn't rattle. In my 9 speed days I used Dura Ace. It was really nice, and lasted a long time (still on the bike).

For full groupsets, I have purchased 3 sets from Merlin cycles in the UK. Each set was about $620 and included everything except for hubs and cable housing, free shipping & no tax. When I was sourcing parts, I wasn't able to find anything in the US that even came close to those prices. But COVID has raised the prices on parts: the same groupset is now about $740. Maybe check them out: they carry SRAM, the new GRX, and Campy. The MTB groupsets tend to be continually out of stock, though. Winter prices are definitely cheaper. February is a great time to make bike related purchases.
 
For the last 8 days I've been at my dad's place on the shore of Lake Champlain in the Adirondacks. He is getting up there in age and isn't as mobile as he used to be. He is struggling to maintain his house and COVID isolation got him pretty depressed so I went up to be company and clean/repair his place. I did a lot of work but I also found time to go riding every day. Usually early in the morning. The riding is spectacular. When riding near the shore, you get a view of the lake and the Green Mountains of Vermont. When riding in the 'valley', you get a great view of the eastern Adirondack mountains (Vermont gets the best view of the Adirondacks). The only downside is that there is very little flat. My dad lives at lake level - so every ride starts with a few miles of climbing. Not the best way to warm up!

I have been riding these roads for over 20 years on both bicycles and motorcycles so they aren't really new to me. I did find some new gravel, though. I only rode road bikes in previous years. 13 years ago Michelle and I rode around the lake staying at bed and breakfasts. I think it was about 300 miles to get around the lake, we took our time and did 50 miles or so a day. It was a really great trip.

Anyway, here are a few pictures from my time up there:

The first day I got up at sunrise and got on the road. These photos are from the village of Essex, a quaint little village with a little tourist activity because it is the NY terminus of one of the 5? ferries operating on the lake. Port Kent and Ticonderoga ferries are closed.

Sunrise.jpg

essex1.jpg

essex2.jpg
 
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There are lots of lakes and ponds in the Adirondacks. Most aren't visible from the road but at Lincoln Ponds they built the road right between the two ponds. Here is the northern pond. The southern pond has a state campsite on it's shore.

LincolnPonds.jpg

A view of the Adirondacks from the farmland in the valley. I'm actually on a hill where I stopped to take the photo. Like I said, not much flat.

Adirondacks.jpg

Wadhams, NY, is an old mill town on the Boquet (or Bouquet) River. Either way, you pronounce it 'bo-ket'. They have funny pronunciation up there. The Boreas river is pronounced 'boris'.

Wadhams.jpg

I thought this was a nice image at the Westport marina.

marina.jpg

I did other stuff beside ride bikes.

canoe.jpg
 
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Ended up putting about 200 miles with 15000 feet of climbing in my 6 riding days. My most adventurous ride was one where I had my dad drop me off at the top of a mountain and I was going to explore a gravel road that lead back into town. Now before you think I'm a wimp, I had ridden to the drop off point the previous day and it ended up being my biggest single climb on strava: 1440ft. This was also my second ride of the day and I was planning on finishing at the local brewery in town. It was just for 'fun'.

Within the first quarter mile I had missed the turn for the road I was trying to ride and ended up on a rough Jeep trail that went straight down for 3 miles. I was on road tires and rode the brakes the whole way! Here are a couple of pics of the easier sections. On the harder sections I had my hands full just trying to make it down. The beer at the end was worth it.

This should have been a warning to turn around. I had already descended a lot and didn't want to climb back up. Mistake.

stop.jpg

When is this going to end? The longest downhill 3 miles of my life.

GravelAdventure.jpg

LedgeHill.jpg
 
kurt,

Thanks for the tip on groupsets from Merlin in the UK. I will definitely compare prices with some of the on-line shops here in the US. I too like both the Ultegra and 105 components for their value.

But this is going to be a SRAM ETAP Hydro Disc groupset. This could be be my last bike ever - - certainly the only custom frame I will ever order - - so I am treating myself. Hence why it is going to be a while before I save up the jingle for the next big splurge after the frame.

That was some very nice riding up around Champlain area. And some seriously bumpy downhill terrain for a roadbike - - glad you made it without incident. Nice of you to lend a hand to dear old dad, too. Those are memories you won't regret in coming years. :thumb
 
Merlin does have Force ETAP hydro. Prices are meh.

I recently helped my nephew set up Ultegra hydro. PITA. I had an easier time bleeding the brakes after replacing my R1100S lines with Spiegler SS. Even after a couple of flushes, the lever feel wasn't as hard as I was expecting. Shimano uses mineral oil, I think SRAM uses DOT brake fluid. Good thing titanium isn't painted: I got that mineral oil all over everything. I wonder if anyone has had trouble with DOT fluid and painted carbon frames?
 
Awesome feat! Girl Power X 2

John Howard was a childhood hero I had the pleasure of riding with a few times around 1971-72 before his record attempts at speed record. I recall a huge chainring on his bike compared to drive system she used
That is crazy fast
 
Warm weather the last two days, 59 yesterday and 61 today, so I got a couple rides in. 22 miles yesterday and 20 today.
I think I only got out one or two times in November. When I got a nice day in November I did yard work instead of riding.
Highs in the low 30s for the next week so I may be done for 2020.
A little over 1,900 miles. I wanted a even 2,000 miles.

2020 Nov 10 (1).jpg
 
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I got the chainsaw out last emend to drop a few trees where the new shed will once be built. Off to the mill for new fence boards. But I went for a couple of little spins too.
 
I am another. I thought of this thread when I read the news of the tragic accident in Nevada yesterday. Be careful out there.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news...e-crash-bicyclists-killed-injured/3885268001/

That’s tragic, a chase vehicle with flashers on and still got hit. That can be any of us who try to share the road.

We have been riding, however, our usual exit from home has been changed with lane realignment, a continuous turn lane and way narrower shoulders ( three feet narrower) that just don’t feel safe at moment. We have to take bikes into town to start now which derails ... no pun... the ability to just get on and ride
 
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