This bike kicks ass!

[Pierre.Suave]

http://www.rei.com/product/784368

[HopeHoops]

1. $749???? Well FUCK that noise!!!

I've got a second-hand 18 speed that is just as good except for TWO things - front and back fenders. Why the HELL don't they put fenders on most bikes anymore? Who likes a line of mud up your back when you get done riding?

[Pierre.Suave]

2. This bike has fenders

front and back, and lights, front and back, and speeds, and on road tires, and a rack for stuff. The front hub is the generator for the lights. This bike is the awesomest I have seen, in a new bike, ever since I began looking. it has disc brakes too!

[HopeHoops]

12. Our tandem has a drum brake - so there.

:)

[jobycom]

3. heh!

[Pierre.Suave]

4. Picture Linking FAIL!

:P

[jobycom]

5. Not my fault!!1

I previewed, it worked. I posted, it X'd! Friggin' bandwidth nazis.

[Pierre.Suave]

6. Where is it linked?

Imageshack by chance?

[jobycom]

7. Not bad at all. Tires could be more exciting, but for that price, they can be upgraded

and they'd work quite well until they wore out, anyway.

:thumbsup: Raleigh's not my favorite bike, but that's a great setup, anyway.

[Pierre.Suave]

8. Whats wrong with the tires?

:shrug:

[jobycom]

10. Hot damn! I started a bike tire flame war! FEAR ME!!!

:rofl:

Nothing's wrong, they just aren't real exciting. I like a tire that has less tread for the road, but is still wide enough for loose pebble trails and grass. Something like (the first is mine) or

[Pierre.Suave]

13. I BET YOU DRIVE AN SUV TOO, FREEPER!

:P

Kidding, but I was just curious. I dont forsee any off-roading with this bike, considering I got a really cool bike for FREE from a relative that is designed for off-roading!

[jobycom]

14. I just like a bike that I can take on a shortcut across gravel.

Anyway, the treads on those tires are more for offroad. Treads on a road bike tire are mostly for show. You want the most tire possible touching the pavement, to give you better traction. People think treads give the bike added traction, but that's not true on pavement. The pavement itself is plenty rough enough to provide any grip necessary, and the more aggressive the tread on a bike tire, the less tire there is gripping the pavement, so the less traction you actually get. Also, cornering is less stable with a heavier tread, or knobbier tread. The best tire for pavement would be slick, but no one buys slicks, so they don't sell them on low-end bikes.

On a car tire, the only purpose of the treads is to channel water from under the tire so they won't hydroplane. Bike tires are like little blades slicing through the water, so they don't hydroplane (unless you are cornering and hit water). So the treads aren't necessary.

On a loose surface, though, like gravel or dirt or grass, or even sand on the road, treads help to grip by sinking in and basically pushing. Good treads even grip the material. So an offroad tire needs tread.

So to me the best daily use tire has a slick or smooth tread in the center of the tire, and some tread on the edges to grip sand or gravel if you run offroad or hit a pocket of sand. The may help in cornering, too, if the tread isn't too agressive. Too agressive, and you've got less rubber on the road when you need it most (cornering), but too slick and you run the risk of wiping out on a thin patch of dirt or even water.

That's my tire theory, anyway. :) The tires on the OP bike have a mild tread--nothing to really get in your way on the road, and enough to grab sand if you hit it along a curb, or run off the pavement onto a grass shoulder, or something. It's a good tire for an urban bike or commuter, where the roads aren't going to be racetrack smooth and you might encounter different conditions every day. It's just not real exciting tire.

Good bike. I wouldn't replace the tires, but when they wore out, I'd buy a different pattern, is all I'm saying.

Think I analyze things too much? You should see me trying to pick out a shampoo. Nothing funnier than a bald guy reading shampoo labels. :rofl:

[Pierre.Suave]

15. LOL

I knew all that about tires by the way... :P

[jobycom]

16. Heh. Sorry, then

I work for a car tire company. And I can't shut up. So, bad combo.

[Pierre.Suave]

17. If you feel like sharing

Which Tire Company?

[jobycom]

19. It's a tire shop in Austin, actually.

It used to be a chain, but in the last few years it has become one store. :(

[Pierre.Suave]

20. AH, I thought you worked for the manufacturer

I was about to get freaky technical about tire construction with you!

:P

[Justyce]

23. Is this what you had in mind?

[Pierre.Suave]

24. ...

:rofl:

[jobycom]

27. I can't answer.

I can't stop laughing... :rofl:

[sammythecat]

9. That is an awesome bike. Seriously

Fenders, no "ball-breaker" in the frame, lights, practical handlebars, rack in the back. It makes perfect sense for non-competitive, fun bike riding. I like it a lot. Lot of money though.

I could never understand why so many ordinary people want to ride a bike built for the Tour de France. That always seemed, and looked, stupid, and ridiculous to me. Like grandma in a sprint car.

[jobycom]

11. The Tour bikes are good for other purposes.

Long rides in the hills, for instance. The bike in the OP is perfect for a commuter bike for all weather (especially the fenders). The 700 wheels make it fast, the wider tires make it stable, and it's got everything for carrying a briefcase or for a quick shopping trip. On the other hand, if you are cruising on a Saturday ride, the fenders will drag a little at top speeds, and the setup isn't good for stretching out. Different styles for different needs.

The ones who crack me up are the ones who buy a $3K racing frame to commute 5 miles to work and back.

[sammythecat]

18. Good points

that I didn't really consider. "Different styles for different needs". True, and can't be disputed.

I'm pretty much a luddite when it comes to bikes and a since I ride mostly for outdoor exercise, an old-fashioned 3-speed girl's bike with fenders suits me fine. Although I can see situations where more gears would be nice, I don't think I'd ever want to ditch the fenders. A few seconds lost here or there wouldn't matter to me.

[bikebloke]

21. What moved me over to fenders.

I was preparing my trek of New Zealand, reading whatever books on touring the library had to offer. They said if your riding a country with lots of sheep and/or cows, fenders protect your gear from shit on the road. Especially if you're going to climb into a tent with your gear at the end of each day.

For everyday riding, it's nice not to have that mud stripe down my back during rainy days.

[DS1]

22. Wouldn't pay more than 200 for it

[Pierre.Suave]

25. Around here I can barely get a decent USED bike for $200

It is crazy.

[Kali]

26. looks like the bike I wanted to get rid of as a kid.

So I could get a Stingray!!!