mack_turtle

Austin Ridge Riders and Austin Yellow Bike Project is hosting a class for mountain bikers on Saturday, Aug. 3. There are 12 slots for students available. All ages and abilities welcome. Bring your bike and learn basics to keep your bike running safely and smoothly.

https://austinyellowbike.org/events/modern-mountain-bike-basics/

background: after a break-in and theft of about $10K in inventory at Yellow Bike earlier this year, Austin Ridge Riders stepped up and offered to help Yellow Bike with a fundraiser. ARR has been behind the scenes helping YBP set this up, so please thank them for their tireless work!

I'm shopping around for a smart trainer. I'm glad some people can ride in this heat, but after nearly 20 years of trying different things, nothing makes riding in a Texas summer fun, let alone safe for me. no amount of hydration helps when my brain is boiling inside my skull. 

On 6/6/2024 at 8:43 PM, TAF said:

A bold statement. Where I am in Colorado, the singletrack is usually one bike wide. To have an ebike rider fly up behind and ask you to move over is pretty fucking annoying.

Sorry to hear someone is having more fun than you, mister grumpy-pants.

E-bike hate is still around but most people have gotten over it. It's mostly just weird old retrogrouches who don't like seeing other people having fun.

It's safe to say that any natural park is going to get hiking trails if it's open to the public. That's a given. We will need to advocate to mtb trails. A connection to Reimers would be AMAZING. I'll post here if I hear anything about public meetings.

Travis County is buying RGK Ranch, which is close to Reimers. Maybe another mtb trail system that close would be redundant, but has anyone here heard if that might be included in the plan? Too early to say?

https://www.bizjournals.com/austin/news/2024/05/15/rgk-ranch-austin-park.html

Who has navigated around Roy Guerrero Park lately? I rode down there on Sunday after all the rain, when singletrack was too wet, and found that much of the trails were fenced off. I gave up and crossed the river on Pleasant Valley and wiggled my way up to Walnut Creek South. It looks like there's currently no point in entering the park, but crossing into the main trail from Lakeshore Blvd. to get to the Montopolis Bridge is still doable.

I had a good time. What was the head count?

Forecast for Saturday looks wet.

when I worked at REI, every Diamondback bike we assembled came with a "fork direction" sticker, but it was not affixed to anything. I started collecting them and now I have a decent stack. I like to keep one in my pocket and stick it to forks at Target, Walmart, Academy, etc. There was a fat bike at Target with a backwards fork to which I adhered one of these stickers, and I came back to check on it every few months. it was still there, with the backwards fork, for several months.

Singlespeeds are stupid. I'm going to buy a FS e-mtb and be done with it. What should I get?

See ya on the trails next week! Or rather, you'll see the back of me as a brap away.

[Edit: happy April 2.]

I've been off the bike since January 1 this year with a shoulder injury. Riding any bike in any configuration is agony... until now.

As I'm working my way through rehab, this is my new ride.

Built around a Univega beach cruiser I found at Yellow Bike, I ditched most of the parts and started over. I had to buy the bottom bracket adapter cups and a shim for the handlebar, so I've spent less than $25 on it.

56 minutes ago, Ridenfool said:

 

How many "standard" freehubs are there? this is tricky and I think it makes sense that freehubs are not interchangeable. otherwise, I can think of four: HG, Microspline, XD, and Campy. Four is not a lot, if that's what you are thinking.

Which "standard" seatpost diameter does your bike have? Oh? Mine is the other standard. I can think of four sizes that cover 99% of the bikes out there (aero bikes notwithstanding): 27.2, 30.9, 31.6, and 34.9. personal opinion: four is not excessive, and some of those will might out over time.

Handlebars have at least two "standard" mounting diameters. two is not a lot, but you forgot 25.4 and 26 for old road bikes. 22.2 for BMX. still, two is all you need to worry about for mountain bikes, and one of those mis-matches can be easily solved with a shim.

Drivetrains cover a plethora of the "standard" number of gears, shifter/derailer combos that cannot be mixed between brands, chains are in many varieties, an abundance of cassette mounting options, etc. Drivetrains require practically arcane knowledge in order to assure buying the part that will work. CUES is one attempt to solve this. I also wonder why these are not a little more simple to mix.

Brakes have at least two "standard" mountings for rotors, as well as proprietary brake/shifter combo mounts. Mineral oil or DOT? two standards for each of those interfaces doesn't seem like a problem to me. 6-bolt or CL, post-mount or flat mount, mineral oil or DOT. it's not difficult to navigate.

Axle types. How many unique ones are currently found in production based upon the "standard" dimensions? are you talking about how the thru-bolt attaches to the frame and fork dropouts? I haven't found there are really as many different ones as you might think. it would be nice if they would simplify that a bit, though.

Buying a replacement rear wheel is very complicated due to all the options that must be accounted for. Freehub type, hub width, brake rotor mounting, rim width, wheel diameter, etc. naturally. we have choices, but compatibility is not the same thing as options. 

Yes, the industry is "incredibly" standardized. 🙄

The rate of development in bicycles really does not lend itself to standardization in many cases. However, with batteries it might be possible to have two or three standard sizes based on a common dimension for mounting, and contacts, varying by amp hour capacity and which share a common firmware/BCM/communication/charging standard.

notes.

I agree that the trend does lean toward standards of one sort or another. there are often a few different standards, but you don't see every single bike company making its own specific size seatpost, bottom bracket, hub sizes, etc. new standards arise, but they are few and far between. the same could be done for mounting batteries and motors. IIRC, boost spacing was a collaboration with Trek and ... SRAM? the UHD is another example. If a heavy-hitter like Shimano or Bosch worked with Specialized, Giant, or Trek, the others would follow suit and we would have something that more closely resembles a "standard" within a few short years. I don't know why bike manufacturers keep shooting themselves in the foot.

15 hours ago, AustinBike said:

But what the industry needs is some standardization. 

That's crazy-talk!

I don't plan on leaving my neighborhood that day. a bunch of schools have closed because the traffic will be so nuts. I feel bad for people stuck on the highways in Hill Country.

Get the most out of the tires. If they don't have enough bite but still have enough rubber to be functional, down-cycle them until bald.

When tires are really gone, Yellow Bike recycles them. Recycling tires, as you probably know, is a hassle.

coming soon! found a beach cruiser with canti posts, so it's getting th SS treatment, swept-back handlebar, and some sort of very un-serious baskets for hauling picnics.

On 1/25/2024 at 8:18 PM, Sluggo said:

For anyone interested, the bridges were torn out by the local Karen Kommission a long time ago. that was a fun place to ride. fortunately, it's still totally rideable without the bridge.

I've seen a lot bike/ luggage/ fish scales for sale online and they're often the same product with slightly different hardware. That would do it.

11 minutes ago, gotdurt said:

Not sure yet, have to find a way to weigh it.

Use the scale in the produce section at HEB. 

JK

Ask around to borrow a kitchen scale or luggage scale.

I got ta ask: weight?

$50 for the pair.

Tubeless ready but no sealant goop inside.

(These were donated to Yellow Bike in very good condition. As a shop coordinator, I've been deputized to sell specialty items locally.)

I can't help myself. I wanna try these brakes.

https://www.mtbatx.com/bigassride2024

April 20, 2024 - 8:00 AM

Rainout Date: April 27

This is a social ride around South Austin Trail Network (SATN) focused on the east theatre, open to everyone, with no registration, entry fee or donation required… this is just for fun!  

There are 2 routes totaling 42 miles: a 16-mile loop with Mary Moore Searight as the most westerly point. Or the full big east loop of 26 miles. 

This event is organized by volunteers from the SATN community and sponsored by Fast Friends Beer.

The purpose of the Big Ass Ride is to share the joy of The South Austin Trail Network. Not only the 130 miles of single track, but also the fantastic SATN community of mountain bikers!

Schedule
8:00 AM: Ride begins; please be ready to roll at this time. Do Not start early!

12:00 PM:  Food, Brew, and prize drawing (sponsors announced soon).

Location
Fast Friends Beer313 N Interstate 35 Frontage Rd NB
Austin, TX 78744

Routes TBA? I don't know, I'm out of the loop and just copy-paste stuff from the website. Im mostly stoked that I might be back on the bike in time to join, and Fast Friends is my current favorite spot in Austin for drinks and food.