Members' bikes

[PaulF]

Very nice!!

I too, have no need for a fat bike but not having a need has never stopped me in the past

[marcusjb]

Interzen, I am jealous.

I have absolutely no need for a fat bike here on the mean streets of Chiswick, but, blimey, it looks so much fun.  I want one!

I hope it brings you so much joy as it just looks superb in a comedy bike kind of way.

So, when's it's first audax outing?

[MacB]

Maybe you need to get yourself a bike specific vehicle, one of those mini van type things that can accomodate bike stands and take at least 3 bikes without any dismantling.

Another thing I lust after

[Frere]

Maybe you need to get yourself a bike specific vehicle, one of those mini van type things that can accomodate bike stands and take at least 3 bikes without any dismantling.

Another thing I lust after

a VW Transporter T5, something like that would do very well. Another item on my "need" list......

Frere

[GruB]

I too am totally jealous, mainly because I don't need one but it does look uber cool.  It would be a great head turner. 

[interzen]

So, when's it's first audax outing?

Probably a 100km DIY next weekend by way of a shakedown ride (for both bike and rider ) - my 'usual' route between Selby and Howden uses the Trans-Pennine Trail which is predominantly off-road. Whilst it's doable on a bike with 'cross tyres or similar, there's a rocky section of farm track near Howden which could be immense fun on the Pug.

There will, of course, be pictures

Somebody has already asked me if I was going to the Easter Arrow and the Mille Alba on it - I think doing a 1000km ride on a monster truck might be a bit too much like taking the mickey

[GruB]

Does it feel REALLY heavy?

[interzen]

Does it feel REALLY heavy?

Not really - it rides like, well, a bike, albeit one with slightly fatter tyres.
The steering feels a bit sluggish to begin with, particularly on snow, but you get used to it surprisingly quickly.

The biggest problem I've found is that if you ride on hardpack or tarmac with the tyre pressure too low you do bounce around a bit, but increasing the pressure to 30-35psi(!) sorted that. On the other hand, running the tyres at 15psi on snow results in an awesome amount of traction, and Surly rate the tyres down to 5psi(!) for really deep stuff.

I'm still getting over the fact that it weighs a lot less than my first 'proper' touring bike!

[GruB]

On the way home last night I was hitting 10 - 12 mph on the snow covered frozen cycle path.  But I struggled when I hit uneven surface underneath.  The Marathon Winters were too high a pressure I think coz they bit and my ride was a bit like a roller coaster at times.  But that is the catch 22 of having 7 miles on road that was slush but could have been icy, then 7 miles of cycle path then 7 more miles of road again.  Because I drop from 458ft above sea level to 35 ft the temp can vary quite a lot and there appears to be micro climates within the Vale and then again when I hit the plain.

I think I need a Monsta Bike like yours.  At least on the tarmac sections I would be stupidly grinning at myself so the sluggishness wouldn't get me down, while on the snow I would be giggling away me thinks. 

[Frere]

Does it feel REALLY heavy?

Not really - it rides like, well, a bike, albeit one with slightly fatter tyres.
The steering feels a bit sluggish to begin with, particularly on snow, but you get used to it surprisingly quickly.

The biggest problem I've found is that if you ride on hardpack or tarmac with the tyre pressure too low you do bounce around a bit, but increasing the pressure to 30-35psi(!) sorted that. On the other hand, running the tyres at 15psi on snow results in an awesome amount of traction, and Surly rate the tyres down to 5psi(!) for really deep stuff.

I'm still getting over the fact that it weighs a lot less than my first 'proper' touring bike!

Hope you have a decent, robust track pump to get all that air in

Frere

[MacB]

I think Interzen could set up a dedicated Fat Bike/Monster Truck thread where we could all drool properly, and endlessly 

[interzen]

I think Interzen could set up a dedicated Fat Bike/Monster Truck thread where we could all drool properly, and endlessly 

Start here: http://www.pugsley-on-patrol.org.uk/  - this site is nothing at all to do with me, but it's quite entertaining and very informative - a lot of the stuff on this site has influenced my build.  I *think* it's the same guy who posts as 'coastkid' on the Singletrack forums - he also has a blog here: http://coastkid.blogspot.com/

If you have a look on Youtube there's a video of him riding across an unfeasibly rocky beach on a Surly Moonlander, whose tyres make those on the Pug look positively anorexic

Finally, this is worth a read: http://www.freespiritwear.com/akadventures.htm - if you can get past the extensive use of That Font, it's very good reading and their 'Arctic Bike Adventure' is totally off the scale even by my rather lax standards.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/EbPERR2aybc&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/EbPERR2aybc&rel=1</a>

[pixieannie]

She has had a face lift and is well on her way to becoming a thing of beauty.

[gordon taylor]

I don't think I've posted a picture of our tandem before.



The BMX stoker bars were a recent addition to help get a child securely on the rear seat - whilst giving her a bit of a view.

We bought it in 2003 (?) so that my son and I could ride 300 miles to Edinburgh. It's hardly been used since then, but is a hoot when we drag it out of the shed and do tiny trips. It's a KHS Tandemania Alite - American company, Taiwanese frame (I think.)

[LittleWheelsandBig]

Isn't KHS an evolution of Kuwahara? Kuwahara has been making tandems (and road/ MTB/ etc) bikes since at least the early 80s. They started making tandems because the owner wanted to ride them. Nice bikes in general.

[Cudzoziemiec]

I always thought KHS was a German firm, but I never had any evidence for that, I'd just assumed it for some reason - possibly the style of the bikes - kind of sensible? Or possibly no such reason!

[LittleWheelsandBig]

Wiki suggests I'm wrong and I can't remember what may have linked the two brands, so figure I am wrong.

[Oscar's dad]

Here a few pictures of my as yet unnamed new bike.  It is a Dahon Cadenza XL bought at a substantial discount from Chain Reaction.  It looks like the Cadenza is being phased out which is a shame as the 26" wheeled bikes in Dahon's current range look awful (in my opinion).

The bike was purchased for a specific purpose.  I now spend some of my working week in London and have foolishly decided to try for a SR Series this audax year.  Therefore I need to get some serious miles in.  The plan is to take the bike on the train one day a week and then ride home in the evening, a distance of 40-ish miles.  The first trip will hopefully be this Wednesday.  The bike folds in the middle (I will post some folded pictures at a later date) so will be allowed on the train if the experiences of Oaky of this parish are anything to go by, he has a Cadenza too.

The bike came without mudguards, a rack and bar ends but did come with Schwalbe Big Apple tyres.  The Big Apples have been replaced by Marathon Pluses which I already had.  The saddle has already been taken off as have the pedals.  The saddle you see is temporary pending the purchase of another Brooks.  All the bits taken off are up for sale so get in touch if you're interested.





The disc brakes and very high rack mounts made fitting the rack a right nightmare.  I managed to find this one with adjustable legs but I still had to get busy with a drill and hack saw.



The disc brakes also caused problems with the mudguards so on the rear I had to use the rack mounts and on the front the low rider mounts.  Again much hack sawing was required.

The bike has an 8-speed Alfine hub.  This is my first experience of gears inna can since the the 3-speed Sturmey Archer Elswick Safeway I used to ride to school.  I'm impressed and keen to know what they will be like for climbing.  I have yet to pit the first gear against The Mighty North Hill.



The stupid tapered bars make fitting stuff on them difficult.




I've done about 60 miles on it so far and I like it.

[corshamjim]

I like the look of that Cadenza - hugely practical, but distinctive.  Those accessories all go with it very nicely too.   

[Cudzoziemiec]

I'm not a great fan of folders (though I dare say I would be if had to commute involving train or bus) but one attractive thing about that Dahon is that the wheels look larger than the usual folder - what size are they?

[Oscar's dad]

I like the look of that Cadenza - hugely practical, but distinctive.  Those accessories all go with it very nicely too.   

Thanks 

I'm not a great fan of folders (though I dare say I would be if had to commute involving train or bus) but one attractive thing about that Dahon is that the wheels look larger than the usual folder - what size are they?

They are proper 26" wheels.  The fold isn't small but it qualifies to get on the train.  And it rides like a real bike.

[Dinamo]

My Dawes Horizon taken in the morning sunshine at Bristol Harbourside, the Bristol YH is across the water.
Photo taken whilst I was sat in the Wetherspoons sipping an espresso 

[Oscar's dad]

^^^  Very nice 

[Rhys W]

Here a few pictures of my as yet unnamed new bike. 

There are only two sane responses to this statement:

 - let's keep it that way.
 - it already has a name - Dahon Cadenza XL

 

[Oscar's dad]

Here a few pictures of my as yet unnamed new bike. 

There are only two sane responses to this statement:

 - let's keep it that way.
 - it already has a name - Dahon Cadenza XL

 

But all my bikes have names!

Here are some folded photos.





As you can see it's not a small fold, the bike literally just folds in half.  You can swing the bars round and drop them down.  Two sizes of allen key are required.  The operation is relatively straightforward but clearly is nowhere near a Brommie's folding abilities.

The cat is called Smokey and belongs to Miss Frith.