Hmmm you were banned. I actually was really surprised that the thread was closed. Sounds like the administrators are cracking down, or maybe you were just unlucky. I've just seen so many cases of misplaced threads. Anyway, read the article about hydraulic brakes on road bikes and it made sense. Maybe they'll eventually catch on. I know the brakes on my road bike aren't nearly as good as the hydraulic ones on my mountain bike. In any case, we can go for a ride whenever it works out. I actually have been feeling slightly under the weather lately and that's been keeping me off my bike. Well, I've been riding, but less. It's pretty hard to keep me off my bikes completely! Cheers!
Well, well, well… this is to confirm that I´m in the game again!... David, I hope you feel better. It´s cold out there and it´s likely to be under the weather. All righttttttt.... After being banned for 7 days, I´ve realized how important the internet has become for us the people… Not just this forum –which I don´t like a lot except for certain people in here- but our lately way of life. I mean, Could anyone these days imagine a world without the net?. It´s shivering to think of some 10 years ago when people managed to live far from a computer. And so this is my return´s thought: What do you like the most, riding or surfing the net searching for information concerning rides?. I´m under the impression that using a computer to keep you updated on things that you like is as much a pleasure as it is to ride. Sometimes you feel like going to ride, sometimes searching for. While banned I gave a thought on this and I got surprised myself when I discovered that sometimes the “amount” of pleasure and joy looking for information on one particular hobby could be the same as practicing it. Besides, the internet is on its very first stage. You can watch a Tour video from the very cyclist´s same view, see what´s the next model from Orbea, chew the information related to anything you want, about your bike, your dreamed bike or the slightest thing you are curious on biking world. And that´s only the first step we have taken on the internet. Imagine what the future could be. Virtual rides, live sensations, incredible realistic videogames... Will we be in the future riding on a virtual scenario rather than on a material one?. Imagine what would be to ride in a Vuelta or Tour stage along with the pro peloton around you… Climbing or sprinting, rainy or sunny day, and without leaving home! It was Kennedy who said that nothing compares to the simple pleasure of a bike ride, right?. Has the time when it´s not really true already become?. To answer this question take into consideration the “amount” of pleasure that a ride gives you, and what´s the “amount” of pleasure your computer gives you while searching for your hobby… It´s not a significant difference, is it? Mamma mia, JFK at last was right to ask not what the forum can do for you when banned, but what you can do when banned from the forum… BTW, I will be out again for some time. Not banned but travelling... Cheers!.
Merry Christmas and a happy new year to all of you! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6pMO9ZUIWM Will be back in 2012!. CHEERS!
Glad to see you're back in action again, posting on the forum and talking about our favorite hobby. You make a good point: when you're not riding, you're talking about it. We just love telling our old war stories. Just love talking about it. I suppose that's why I understand football fanatics. I'm not really that into it, but some people can only seem to talk about one thing. Well, maybe one or two things, ha ha ha. Merry Christmas and happy New Year to everybody! And let's not forget that Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year, which is Thursday Dec 22nd. Happy Winter Solstice everybody! http://www.foromtb.com/showthread.php/816820-¡Feliz-Solsticio-de-Invierno!
I'll occasionally go for a ride in the Casa de Campo (Madrid), mainly because I have a friend who lives near there. But basically I feel it's for beginners, and hey, I feel I've just recently elevated myself to a higher level In any case, lately I prefer something a bit more challenging like El Pardo, though some people say it's not really too difficult either. But it's a good place to improve your biking skills, and that's what I'm aiming to do. In any case, today went for a little ride in the Casa de Campo and discovered some trails I didn't know about. They were in the area of Garabitas and a water reservoir, and near a forest fire Tower. So let me tell you, these were not beginner trails. I mean, you've got to have some skills to go down them. Actually the guy I was with did fall, but he's fine, though he doesn't want to do them anymore. After these trails there's a long fast downhill with berms at the end. Good for working on cornering skills. So today had a fun day at the Casa de Campo. Not many people either today being Christmas day. Well, tomorrow I don't have to work so I might go for a ride on my road bike, or I might go to El Pardo on my mountain bike. Decisions, decisions. Happy holidays!
Ey, I´m in Madrid for a couple of days. Yes, The Casa de Campo is a large vast city forest. The Garabitas point played a significant role in the Spanish civil war due to its position as an offensive one to take over the city of Madrid… Thousands of pieces of war machinery were located there along with other well known strategic locations in a time better to be forgotten. Yeah, there is a forest inside the CDC that runs along the railway towards the north part. I discovered it when looking for some white mulberry… ;-). Nice and relaxing place. This is a peculiar time in the year, when people travel a lot. In December I´m putting myself in a position where I´m getting rusty!, but I hope to get in shape again in 2012 via road bike! Nevertheless yesterday I managed to go for a morning ride… The only ride I took in several days on my roadie… Opps, what a great sensation… I almost forgot how it is to ride on skinny stuff… I´m also myself under the weather but it was a cold sunny day not to be missed! New 2012 bike models are coming. Have you ever followed how your Scattante, diamondblack or MTB specific model has evolved?. I mean, almost every year they change their colour, the paint job and some details until they are definitely out of the market. My Fuego 8.5 2011 model has an elegant dull silver paint job on it. This is how the black&red Fuego 8.5 will look like in 2012: As far as you know, Did your model bikes experiment such changes through time?. So, question… How do you like your bicycle paint job to be? Aggressive, modern, classic, dull…? Is it important for you to consider when getting a bike or is just the specifications sheet what you´re looking for? See ya in 2012!
Went for a quick ride in the Casa de Campo today. It is eerie thinking that it once was a battleground. Wonder how many people lost their lives there. In any case, it's an enjoyable natural park now. After the Casa de Campo went on to El Pardo. That's practically turning into my second home these days. As a matter of fact, am going there again tomorrow but with different people. Looks like my Tora has been dropped from the Conor line up. I don't see it on their web page anymore. It's hard to find information about my Scattante, so don't know what more recent versions look like, or even if they exist. Just checked on the internet for the Commencal Absolute and looks like more recent versions are radically different from mine, like they have full suspension now. I don't think I'll even bother to check my Diamondback, the bike's so old now that I'm sure it's ancient history. Have to say your road bike looks really good, and was a great deal. In a different vein, I've been thinking about my next bike, which will be for all mountain / enduro riding, perhaps a Mondraker Foxy or an Orbea Rallon. But I've been also thinking it should have Fox Talla forks because it has adjustable travel with makes it more versatile. Well, we'll see!
So true to my words, went for a ride today in El Pardo on the last day of 2011. A good way to see off the year: riding my bike! Here's a pic.
Hi, my name is Daniel, and i live in Asturias. I bougth a Orbea max flow 3 years ago but i didn't ride it too much. And now i want to ride my bike but i realize that is a small size for me and i don't feel confortable. I have a M and i need a L (I measure 1,84). Now i have to shell my frame and buy another one (rear suspension, of course)
That's a shame your bike isn't the right size for you. Did you buy it online or in a physical shop? How much travel does the suspension have? Actually I don't know that much about the max flow, and it looks like Orbea has stopped making it as well. It sounds like you want to sell the frame only, not the whole bike. What kind of bike do you want to buy now?
I bougth my bike in a Forum store, but the shop assistant was not very professional. I don´t know the rear suspension travel, but the bike is a XC bike, and the rear shock has got 165mm between eyes. Now i want to buy another frame, or whole bike (it depends if i shell the whole bike or only the frame) in my size, XC or enduro, you know.
As I mentioned a few days ago, I'd like to get an all mountain / enduro bike, one with 140 or 150 mm of travel. My current bike is rally / XC hardtale and has 100 mm of travel. I have to admit it pedals great, but once we get into the rough stuff it just doesn't cut the mustard. Actually I'd like a versatile bike, one for light enduro riding but still pedals well. Actually I was thinking that a bike with Talas front forks might be the way to go because you can adjust the travel. For example, a friend of mine has a Stumpjumper and he says it's great: 120 mm of travel for XC riding and 140 for technical downhills. But the Stumpjumper tends to come with a high price tag. I've also been considering the Lapierre Zesty. A friend of mine has one and he raves about it. Also the Mondraker Foxy, Orbea Rallon, Trek Remedy are good options. Actually there are lots of good bikes if you have 2,000 or more euros. Well, I must be patient till I can afford a super bike, meanwhile, my mid-range bike is getting plenty of use.
I assume that anyone can join in the discussions on this forum. Found the link to the website yesterday and registered. Maybe I can even add a new dimension. Location-Barcelona province, nearly twenty years here. Biking-all my life (40 odd years and counting). Bikes-various in various different build stages and states. Bike which gets the most use (but not necessarily the highest kilometres)-my Brompton. Riding preferences-nice flowing, downhill, gnarly single tracks on a good solid hardtail and long steady climbs. Dislikes-dust (give me good old Yorkshire mud anyday)! Job-bikes. Hobby-engineering. Biggest bike irritation-chain slap, but I think I've finally sorted it now by removing a lot of links from the chain. Best bike invention/application-the powerlink from Sram (and maybe others before). Nice idea to start a forum for english speakers and some interesting threads so far. Anyway got to get the bike sorted for the weekend (new DT Swiss Launch Control fork to fit and thrash). Family away at the in-laws for three kings so for me it is three days of hitting the trails and trying to master a particularly tricky forest trail close to here.
Hello Man-on-the-bike. Wow, 20 years in Spain!, though actually I've been here even longer: about 25 years now, but as you know in Madrid. That's great, you've got a Brompton. Interaptor will like that. Bromptons are great bikes and they've got a lot of devoted customers. In fact, I know one of them. Did you say you work with bikes? What do you do? The best bike invention is the Sram power link! I was actually thinking that some people nowadays go for single speed bikes, but that doesn't make sense to me when you have... gears!, the greatest thing since sliced bread. I suppose you mean the best recent bike invention, though another really good one is the telescopic seat post. I suppose you take off your chain to clean it. I'm actually going to start doing that. Dust, I don't know about Barcelona but Madrid in the summer is a dust bowl, tho in my case I prefer dust to mud. I guess I might change my mind if I lived in a rainy area, but we don't get much of that here in Madrid, and it's been a particularly dry winter, and that means we can look forward to a drought. DT Swiss Launch Control forks: sounds like you've got some good equipment.
I usually try to stay out of mud, but I suppose it isn't so bad if you're mentalized to the cleaning up afterwards. This isn't me, by the way.
I found a big pool to splash through yesterday, but there is already talk of drought later this year. Not nearly enough rain in the autumn, and the Pyrenees are not looking very white yet. Most of the snow on the pistes is artificial, so I think we're heading for a dusty year. Shimano or Sram? I recently decided to fit Sram X9 to my bike to give it a go. Very disappointing. After my first ride (approx 90 km) nothing arduous, virtually no climbing (following Canal Imperial de Aragon, and after the Rio Ebro back to Zaragoza) the lower pulley wheel was broken! The rear mech was new. Local bike shop would only sell me a complete new mech. So I have ordered new pulleys (have to buy the set) for 20 quid from Chain Reaction. So no, not impressed with Sram. I'll see how I get on with the repair, but I'll probably go back to Shimano. I recall that there was an attempt by retailers in Spain to get people to boycott Chain Reaction, but in my experience, if you want to buy small bits, most retailers (here) are not really interested. I've needed small bits, such as covers for Hayes master brake cylinders, crank bolts for Face Race chain wheels, etc and I always go directly to Chain. They seem to be the only people who stock all those tiny but essential bits. Also if you run with items such as Hope brakes, the prices here are virtually half as much again. However, having said all that, my philosophy is to support my local retailers. I live in a small town of 40,000. We have five bike shops! Five! One of those is a Specialized concept store. There is another in which the owner is one of the best bike mechanics I've ever met. He generally gets all my business (tyres, inner tubes, wheel re-builds, clothing, etc.) but for him selling that shiny new carbon fibre bike has to take priority.
Nice to see how new people is coming here!. Have a warm welcome motorplanet (Asturias, el paraíso natural!. You´re a very lucky man to live there… and man-on-a-bike (not a bad location to get out and ride)… After 20 years in Spain, what can I say?. You´re more Spaniard than Briton!. Chainring is one step ahead, he´s just a matador, the most wrong Spanish stereotype ever!. Anyway, kind anglospanish people in here. Well, I like some brands in a particular way. Above all I like the idea of not being the same as the next guy or doing things never seen before. This is –this was- certainly the case of Brompton when they decided to come up with the idea of an effective folding bike. That´s what I like the most of a brand, the idea behind it. You can apply this innovative idea not only for a top class brand but for any brand that is likely to risk & put some idea on the market. Even a cheap one could have been developing and risking as they go for it. That´s also why I like –and buy- some models from Berg. I can´t find better value for money. In a way, this is also an innovative process where money and quality is all about. The target for them is not to be technologically on the top, but to offer fantastic value for money. So, I admire whatever innovation that leads to some remarkable achievement. Saying so, I can see a good reason for almost every brand to consider innovative one way or another… Giant, Koga-Miyata, Specialized, Orbea, Trek, Focus… that´s the reason why I´m so reluctant to narrow my preferences down to two or three brands. I´m just open mind to almost everything likely to surprise me… I´m sure that even though deep inside, a Fliying Pigeon (This brand came to my mind after seeing Chainring´s photo) has something to be proud of, hasn´t it?. LBS have to also get into business that way. They´ll have to offer some kind of distinction and professionalism if they want to compete with the new on-line business. And no doubts about it, there are thousands of great smart ideas waiting for them to put into practice. So do we all!. BTW, I hate the idea of cleaning up your bike after a ride on mud or dusty terrain. I really love getting home mud free after riding on a road bike or a hybrid on a clean road… I know, I know… I´ll have to surrender if I want to ride a MTB like they do on the discovery Channel! Cheers!.
Thank you for the welcome!!! I think you have realised that i'm spanish, but i like to practice English. We can show some photos about innovation on cycling, or simply, amazing bikes. Here goes one: Ver el archivo adjunto 2719572
Spent pretty much the whole day yesterday riding in the Sierras of Madrid. We started off in El Atazar and passed through La Puebla. It was actually a long tough ride, and parts of it were quite technical. Unfortunately two of us fell, but they're basically OK, although I'm sure they have aches and pains. Personally I have been investing in protection. I mean, besides the obvious helmet, I have knee pads and elbow pads. But one of the guys fell in a rocky section and hit his mouth and messed up his lip. He says he was lucky not to lose any teeth. Now he's looking into buying a full face helmet, in fact a Viper Helmet with a removable chin guard. I may do the same sooner or later. I also have been thinking about getting hip protection and something to protect my collar bone (shoulder pads), tho I don't want to overdo it either. But none of that would have helped the other guy who fell. He ended up on some rocks on his butt. I suppose it could have been much worse, but even so he was hurting. It was hard for him to walk at first. That reminds me, something else to take with you on your bike: a first aid kit. But it was a beautiful clear day, and was great being out in nature with my bike, and with my friends. Biking is a great hobby. It's a little like war: it's a shared intense experience. You're way out in the Sierras, it's a bit dangerous, and you bond with the other soldiers. You depend on them, you help each other out, you talk. It's nice! So shifting gears, one of my bikes has a Sram X7 and it works just fine. Another has Deore XT and also very good, so I don't really have a stong preference for one or the other. I was unaware of what you were saying about Chain Reaction. I'll have to buy something from them sometime. I often think that if I had more time and money (and space) I'd probably have about 20 bikes. I'd be fun to have the one motorplanet hung above just to ride around the neighborhood. It'd certainly turn heads.
