"Felt" bikes...anybody know anything?

[Cacia]

No, I was going to put it in the truck and park at the "windsurfing park" and then ride to Ko-ko marina. I do have a fear of being hit by a car. I have had so many close calls with cyclists (and pedestrians). Only here, not in SoCal. It seems more chaotic on the roads here.

 

[MoonWrasse]

I am interested in a bike. Anyone know of "Felt" or something in the 8 range?

I am not a cyclist but I want to start riding to the Ko-Ko-marina about 5 miles or less away.


http://www.feltracing.com/06/splash/ Hey, Ron Frank---should this shutter speed be faster? (and you thought I would never catch on!)

any other name I should look at, comparable?

What are some strategies for finding used bikes? e-bay (shipping to Hawaii is high)

downside to not buying from a local dealer? I am thinking maybe this is one purchase you might want to buy from a local dealer...don't you get tuned and tweaked a lot?

5 miles, LOL. I ride about 100-150 miles a week, maybe 50 miles tomorrow.

You don't need to buy a fancy $1000 bike. Bikes don't really wear out, one I have is 25 years old for example. So I'd go used. Also you can learn how to maintain it, simpler than dive gear.

Fit is important - and I would avoid the women's frames.

Try looking at craigslist, an online classified ads site. You should be able to find a used bike for $200.
http://honolulu.craigslist.org/bik/161233732.html
http://honolulu.craigslist.org/bik/160813451.html
http://honolulu.craigslist.org/bik/

Oh, and please don't ride your bike on the corals

 

[justleesa]

Oh good...I was already seeing you flying down that hill staight out into the bay!

Oh, and please don't ride your bike on the corals

Don't give anybody ideas here...lol

 

[Smokegrey]

Fit is important - and I would avoid the women's frames.

I'm curious... why would you avoid the women's frames?

I live in Singapore, and I've been thinking about riding to work. (It's not that far, even if the traffic is a little scary, and my office is in an apartment, so I get to shower. ) I'm kinda small though (5') and I'm afraid I might have some trouble getting a bike to fit. Any suggestions? I've looked at a couple of Trek bikes so far; haven't really seriously shopped yet.

 

[Cacia]

STARTING with 10 miles round trip Moonie.

 

[DivePartner1]

5 miles, LOL. I ride about 100-150 miles a week, maybe 50 miles. . .

You don't need to buy a fancy $1000 bike. Bikes don't really wear out, one I have is 25 years old for example. So I'd go used. Also you can learn how to maintain it, simpler than dive gear.

There is something to this. I've just gotten back into biking again. I love the bike and the improvements they've made in weight and gearing, but it's so nice I'm afraid to put it in my office's bike rack -- even chained up. Instead, every time I use it I have to dismantle it and keep it in my car.

In retrospect, a tawdry looking 'sleeper' might have suited my needs more, although I do love the bike and Northern Virginia's wonderful bike paths.

 

[MoonWrasse]

I'm curious... why would you avoid the women's frames?

I live in Singapore, and I've been thinking about riding to work. (It's not that far, even if the traffic is a little scary, and my office is in an apartment, so I get to shower. ) I'm kinda small though (5') and I'm afraid I might have some trouble getting a bike to fit. Any suggestions? I've looked at a couple of Trek bikes so far; haven't really seriously shopped yet.

They aren't as stiff as men's frames.
However, for simple short distance commuting it may not matter for you. You might even consider a folding frame. Dahon makes several models.
http://www.airportshoppe.com/bikes/dahon_2005/sweet_pea.html

 

[fishoutawater]

I'm a somewhat avid biker, and I ride about fifty to a huindred miles per week (when I'm into it). I went to a bike store about a year ago and got fitted up with a brand spankin' new Fuji for 1200 bucks. He measured this, he measured that, adjusted this, adjusted that, and proclaimed it a perfect fit just for me.
I took it home and immediately road it for forty miles. It did feel nice for a while. I liked the new fangled index shifters and such, and it weighed about sixteen pounds.
But after the first twenty miles my back became very sore. I figured maybe I just have to get used to it. Over the next two weeks, I rode it a few more times, and each time my back got sore, and the seat was horrid. Never got used to it.
I ended up selling it, and jumping back on my old trusty rusty, '70's vintage Viscount ten speed, which I've had for over twenty years, and only paid thirty bucks for it at a garage sale.
And the guy told me the Fuji would be faster then my old bike. Wrong. Stilled cruised at 19mph on flat ground in top gear.

The only difference I noted was, it was easier to shift the Fuji when going into high gear down steep hills. The front end on my Viscount wobbles violently when I let go of the bar to reach the shifter on the down tube when I'm going about fortyfive down a hill. Gets quite thrilling sometimes.
And the fuji made the uphills much easier with the granny gear triple chainring thingy. But using such a low gear to climb hills just seems counterproductive to my fitness goals. The granny gear takes all the work out of it.

All in all, I'd say I get a lot more out of my 30 dollar garage sale special than I would ever get out of a 1200 dollar techno graphite whiz bang bike any day. Plus, I get a certain perverse pleasure out of passing those folks on the hills with the expensive bikes wearing Lance Armstrong outfits, while I'm on my old clunker wearing a Tshirt, shorts and Chuck Taylor gym shoes.

BTW, after you get into it, you'll find out that five or ten miles is hardly a ride at all. Soon fifty will be the norm. You'll be doing centuries in no time.
I would suggest on getting something with 26" wheels. Tires and tubes for my 27 inchers are getting harder and harder to find.

I just happen to have a pic of my old faithful steed:

 

[cyklon_300]

The front end on my Viscount wobbles violently when I let go of the bar to reach the shifter on the down tube when I'm going about fortyfive down a hill.

like a major problem, I wouldn't ride a bike that did that.

 

[fishoutawater]

Not really much of a problem. I just make sure I'm already upshifted before I head down the hills. She doesn't wobble at all with both hands on the bar. The only time it's a problem is when I'm actually racing somebody, and I have to get the shift timing exactly right.
Plus, I rode and wrecked dirt bikes all my life. Kinda used to face plants by now. And I do wear a helmet.

OTOH, I like my scuba stuff to be absolutely flawless.