bestbike85

Mine is dialed how I originally envisioned it as of this weekend. Super happy with the turn out and deals I got on the bags with patients. Planning to do some light touring trips in a few months when it cools off a bit. Heading to Bastrop SP, Pedernales SP, and Inks Lake SP. Then plan to do the big loop in Big Bend SP in the winter. Bike: Salsa Journeyman size 54, apex 1 build, 700x43 gravel king sk tires, 2 salsa anything cages on the fork Bags/gear: Saddle bag is a 14 liter Revelate Designs terrapin system. Inside is a spare can of cooking fuel, sleeping bag, and my clothes which are just bibs, poly shirts and socks. Fork bags are Road Runner Buoy Bags. Did a lot of research looking for the biggest I could run here these are 7.5 liters each rolled 3 times. Great capacity for the fork. Right leg is my entire Cloud Up Ultralight tent including footprint and my pillow. Left leg has gas canister, cook system, rain jacket and a liter of water Handles bar carries 3 bags. 1 stasher bag 3 can (Orange) that carries my sleeping pad. 1 stasher bag 2 can (black, hard to see, attached to orange) that holds all my spare tools and parts, pump, and spare tube. On top is a Revelate Designs Egress pocket which nutrition/food and battery pack, wallet and a few small nic-nacs. Top tube is the salsa bolt on top tube bag that has easy access nutrition for riding snacks, phone, chap stick and the small things I will always need to grab in motion. Carrying 3 20-21oz bottles in Power Cages. Bigger, more isolated rides and I may throw on a camelbak for 3 more liters of water, but it would have to be cooler weather for that. Looking forward to many trips on this thing!

There is currently a hardly used size Large Karate Monkey on Craigslist here in Austin. Rad bike. If that fits you, offer him 1k and go get that bike.

Agreed with others here, anything like YT, Canyon, Commencal, or the likes of reputable direct to consumer bike companies make it extremely easy to get up and running. Your standard bike tool set, shock pump, torque wrench, and a 6 pack of decent beer will do the trick just fine. Note that many of the direct to consumer brands are even including a shock pump and a torque wrench, so those would make things even easier on you.

Little too much tire for the gravel bike. 30 miles per strava, 90% which was road. Asking $60 for the pair. https://austin.craigslist.org/bop/d/cedar-park-wtb-nano-tires/6943742810.html

Sold.

Got 2 of them available that were pulled off of the salsa journeyman’s. https://austin.craigslist.org/bop/d/cedar-park-sram-40t-11spd-sync-narrow/6933410927.html

I don’t get out there too often, but I really enjoy riding reimers. Count me in for dig days in the fall.

I second the walnut group ride Sunday morning. Will be hard to miss if you get there early enough. Look it up in meetup dot com. Ask around for the beginner group and you’ll be set. That’s what I did when I moved here almost 3 years ago.

I’m going to do an upgrade sometime over the next 12 months, and I keep looking over all options and demoing when I get a chance. Some things are weighted heavier than others, and I’m debating if I'm going about this the right way. I suppose I’m not really willing to budge on wheel size and the suspension/dropper I have in mind, but a ton of flexibility on drive train, brakes, cockpit and even an aluminum bike is fine in my book. There’s also just building it up completely how I want over time, which I’ve never done but It seems like I can get everything I want in the ballpark of my budget. Where do you compromise? What’s the most acceptable thing to be willing to upgrade/change immediately (or over time) from your experience? Just build it up completely for nearly the same costs, but a bit more time and effort with exactly what you want?

Yes, basically. It’s just a location scouted out before the ride. Post it here with a time. Transport supplies to location however possible. I have anything cages on my gravel bike, so I’ll have one with coffee, mug, and drip coffee setup, another with nalgene and water, backpack with donuts and kolaches. Make coffee and eat donuts trailside somewhere that changes month to month. Spots on the radar: random location on Mulligan random location on Peddlers Pass random location on Snow White random location on Suburban Ninja

Well part of coffee outside is to actually bring coffee and breakfast supplies to a trail side location, not necessarily a coffee shop. Setting up a location on suburban ninja is a good spot though.

This is the type of feedback I’m looking for. I too ride bright and early on most weekend days, but this occasional change up would be okay by me. I’d probably ride from the coffee location.

Slack but not too slack. Long stays but not too long. (i.e. 69-70 degrees, 435 - 450 stays) Apex 1 on a budget. Force 1 not on a budget. Salsa cow chipper bars. Mechanical brakes for gravel, but some will argue against. Wheels are the biggest debate I’ve found. 650b or 700c. I have a set of both. 700x43 gravel kings and 650x2.1 nanos. If I had to have 1 I’d run 650x48 gravel kings.

So I’ve been following this trend called “coffee outside” around the world. Essentially people on bikes gather at a location they choose once a month, bringing coffee making supplies or a thermos, donuts, kolaches, whatever, and just check out each other’s bikes and shoot the shit for an hour or two. Usually on a weekend. Usually starting at 7-8am. I’m wondering if you guys would have interest in this? It just gives a chance to ride bikes to some Brush Creek location to have coffee and breakfast with like minded people. After it’s established a bit we could branch out to other MTB trail areas like walnut and the green belt with adequate preparation. While this is a heavy MTB group on here, all bikes are welcome and I’d say even encouraged. It would be fun to learn and laugh about your frankenbike. If this gains some traction I’ll organize it and get things rolling maybe for a Saturday or Sunday later this month.

I’m real close to this area. I’ll keep a look out.

PP is good to go. Watched the guys drop the chains and did a lap with them.

11 hours ago he pitched his tent in the airport. He’s got to be done.

I got the Mrs. a Charge Ladle saddle. Haven’t heard her complain since.

My setup whenever it’s less than a 2.5 hour ride, and less than 90 degrees out. Slam a 20oz or larger Gatorade right before heading out. 25oz camelback water bottle in the frame. Osprey Savu with wallet, phone, key(s), tire levers, pump, bacon strips, multi tool. Tube strapped to the saddle with voile strap. I’ve yet to have a problem. Had this setup for 16 miles at reveille yesterday and it works great. Had to use a bacon strip In the middle of nowhere on the rear tire.

I wonder if sofaine lost his spot tracker or something. Can’t find him on the course. He scratched! Wow. That’s crazy to be the stead fast leader for half the race to scratching.

I’m going to gripe a bit here. Went to RPR this morning and it is in awful condition. The dirt and rocks are fine, that’s not what I’m complaining about. How overgrown the trails are is ridiculous. Not to mention there are 4 trees (that I came across) down in the middle of trails. 2 of which I had to lock up the tires and hardly was able to stop, completely slamming into one of them. One of the semi table tops on flow trail got a face lift recently and holy shit it bucks you straight up That’s not a good jump. Even jaws is over grown outside on one little skinny line. For a private ranch it’s really disappointing the condition. I attribute much of this to spider mountain opening and putting a hit on it in terms of bike traffic and revenue for the ranch, but there needs to be some effort by the owner. I don’t plan on returning any time soon.

Sofiane has come off the throttle a good bit it seems. Kato has tons of experience out there. He’s been pretty steady.

Green and grey Scott Genius. Lime green helmet, black shorts, grey shirt. Plate 121 I think it was.

Cat 3 here. I’m slow as shit but my bike and beard looked great out there.

As a geologist who is infatuated with bike packing, I just went 6 to midnight.