HC Bike/Cycling Thread

[morphsci]

Anybody riding with the Sidi genius have an opinion?

[boomana]

Love mine. I don't know if the men's fit differently from the women's, but I needed a wide toe box and narrow heel, and was having a hard time until I tried the Sidis. I've plenty of room for my insoles and I can tighten or loosen the straps easily while riding, which I almost always do at least a couple times on longer rides. No hot spots, etc. I'd get another pair if/when these wear out.

[Dreadhead]

I love my Sidi Ergo3 when compared to the Specialized I used to ride.

I will likely go to Bont for my next shoes though I will have to adjust my saddle height because the soles are thinner.

[CD44hi]

That's quite a tease. What's the scoop?

if this goes through, it is going to take a few weeks for the whole thing. tease...I know, but I am looking forward. , more later.

Anybody riding with the Sidi genius have an opinion?

The standard Sidi genius is a bit narrow for my wide feet to go in comfy for a long ride. I have tried the "mega" version of the genius and those fit me well. To give you a relative size comparo:

Sidi genius 5.5 42.5 std, tight,

Sidi genius 5 mega = good fit;

Sidi Ergo1 42 =good fit

2011 Northwave Aerlite SBS, 42, excellent fit,

2011 Northwave evolution SBS, 42 = good fit;

2011 Fizik R1 41.5 = good to very good fit

So you can appreciate that the big conundrum of cycling shoes is that even between models on the same brand there is variance.

In terms of stack height the sidis with speedplay adapters, have the less ammount. The Fizik the more amount of stack. My favorites are the Ergo1 and the Fizik in terms of the quality of the ride.

I thought twice about posting all this, since shoe fit is soo subjective, but I figure, at least the relative ball parks will help you.

[Dreadhead]

if this goes through, it is going to take a few weeks for the whole thing. tease...I know, but I am looking forward. , more later.

Good luck

[mrarroyo]

Thanks, Miguel, but I need to check it out myself before dropping $1100. I'm going on Monday evening. Maybe you should start cycling and ride with us

I really should, I still have 6 bicycles hanging from a wall. This from my cycling days of 1986 through 1997, used to race a bit but loved touring. My longest tour was about 400 miles, from Chattanooga, TN to Savannah, Ga. Lots of fun!

[boomana]

^ Damn, Miguel. Get back on those bikes!

So, I'm officially insane. I'm next in line for possibly this bike, which, if I bought it, would definitely mean I'm not getting the Calfee.

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=119962

The size is right, but do I really need it other than the rare/cool/gorgeous bike factor? 650 wheels (this may be the deciding factor)? He said that the bike has about 15,000 miles on it, some scratches, emailing me pics, etc. I need to tell him by 8PM tonight if it's a go or not as I'm definitely not the only one interested. If I went this route, I'd have to take some time to build it up, sell the Gunnar, etc.

[Dreadhead]

In my opinion that bike is massively overpriced.

Edited November 25, 2012 by Dreadhead

[boomana]

Yah, well, I'm over my insanity flash. I'm not going to go for it as I really don't want 650s. It was just a fleeting "wow, a very cool, impossible-to-get-bike that's actually in my size, and I can have it" moment. I'm over it.

EDIT: I really need to get off these crutches and out of the house asap. I notice how I'm perfectly happy with the bike I have when I'm actually on it.

[Dreadhead]

Not that impossible to get but it would take patience. A Sachs is impossible to get as best I can tell.

[n_maher]

I'd much rather have the Calfee, personally. Actually I'd rather have your Gunnar as well. Seems like you already came to that conclusion and I share your desire to get out of the house. So much that despite the temps in the mid 30s and a stiff breeze I'm going for a MTB ride this afternoon.

[MexicanDragon]

Vicki, get the Calfee, ride it around, get your Kirk, ride it around. Have it built on the racier side of things, b/c you've wanted that at times. Once you have the Kirk and Calfee both in-house, if they're close, dump the Calfee for what you paid for it when you come across ANOTHER bike that you want to buy on a whim. Make the Gunnar the touring bike you talk about, and there's a chance, if you quit trying to be Mike for a while, you can be happy with your bike stuff!

That's what I'm thinking. 2 made-for-V bikes, one floating "try something different" bike. Do it.

**BRENT**

[boomana]

Good plan.

[guzziguy]

Yah, well, I'm over my insanity flash. I'm not going to go for it as I really don't want 650s. It was just a fleeting "wow, a very cool, impossible-to-get-bike that's actually in my size, and I can have it" moment. I'm over it.

EDIT: I really need to get off these crutches and out of the house asap. I notice how I'm perfectly happy with the bike I have when I'm actually on it.

Vicki, you seem to have a "nice bike" addiction. Do you know of a good place where you could get that treated?

[tyrion]

If it were not for the 650 wheels, that Vanilla would be the way to go. You can buy a Calfee anytime and have it delivered in a couple of months but it would be a minimum of 5 years to get a bike built by Sacha White. Nothing against the Calfee, it's a great bike. I might wait 5 months for a bike but not 5 years but if a Vanilla came up for sale in my size for $2000, I'm all over it.

[Dreadhead]

To me artificial rarity doesn't make a 6 year old frame with 15k miles worth $2300 . The Vanilla bikes I have seen (10 or so at NAHBS) were nice but not any nicer than a lot of other bikes I have seen by people with a lot more bikes produced. I will never own one but if I was doing steel Ellis would be it if build quality was job #1.

[boomana]

Vicki, you seem to have a "nice bike" addiction. Do you know of a good place where you could get that treated?

But if you notice, I only have one bike. Team Minimal and all that.

If it were not for the 650 wheels, that Vanilla would be the way to go. You can buy a Calfee anytime and have it delivered in a couple of months but it would be a minimum of 5 years to get a bike built by Sacha White. Nothing against the Calfee, it's a great bike. I might wait 5 months for a bike but not 5 years but if a Vanilla came up for sale in my size for $2000, I'm all over it.

Actually, you can't even get on a waitlist anymore from my understanding. That was my thinking when I saw it, but I don't plan on getting a bike just to have it. I plan on riding the crap out of it. I don't want 650 wheels, and also I'm less afraid of beating up my Gunnar than I am a Vanilla. The plan was always to have two road bikes: one speedy, one touring/all-around. That Vanilla would be more of the all-around, but the Gunnar fills that need. I wasn't planning on the Calfee, or a carbon bike at all, but for $1100, if it fits, I'll throw my Enves on it, and ride it around once I can start riding again (hopefully in a month) and see how I like it. I won't be getting the Kirk until mid/late Spring, and I can make whatever new decisions I need to at that time.

[n_maher]

You can buy a Calfee anytime and have it delivered in a couple of months [snip]

Yeah, but could you get one for $1000?

[deepak]

Vicki, you seem to have a "nice bike" addiction. Do you know of a good place where you could get that treated?

Somewhere, on some hobbyist forum there might be a thread saying "you have how many high end headphones??"

Besides I think V works plenty hard to enjoy her toys

[n_maher]

So I haven't felt well since Thanksgiving night but thankfully felt well enough to get out for a ride this afternoon. Less than ideal conditions, temps in the mid 30's, gusty wind and overcast. But that's why they make long underwear. The only thing that got really cold was my feet, despite having newer, less ventilated shoes on. Might have to break out the booties if I go out again. There's snow in the forecast though and I'm not prepared to run studded tires...yet.

Ride Data

Icy Marsh

[parris]

Vicki Vicki Vicki... Don't be afraid to beat the heck out of the Kirk when you get it as they're built to take it . I've actually put a few chips in the paint of mine due to some of the roads I've ridden down. Also the thought's I've seen for the Gunnar seem to make a lot of sense so having the Kirk built as a go fast road bike is good. My JKS is built for road racing although I haven't raced in many years and at that it's still better behaved than any of my other bikes that I've had.

[Dreadhead]

Ride the snot out of them: I rode up a mountain on my Giant including 5 miles of loose gravel unpaved road which was awesome. I'm hoping to do that ride again this spring.

Edited November 25, 2012 by Dreadhead

[boomana]

Plans to ride the crap/snot out of the Kirk are in place. I just need the bike and the ability to ride again. All this new bike lust happens when I'm stuck inside. It was gorgeous out today. So sad.

Chris, have you gotten out more on the Calfee yet?

[Dreadhead]

Vicki I have done 3 rides on it and I am still in love. It's a great bike. I am very happy with the whole package but I should be with a bike worth/costing well north of $10k.

I am just shaking out the last bugaboos with the seat post slipping (adjusting on the fly is a bad idea) , headset tightness and brake toe in (some pulsing on the front brake), and a cable issue to do with the SRAM Red brake free floats alignment (which is an awesome thing). All these are fixed and I put my name stickers on yesterday.

Looking forward to another ride next weekend if I don't take a day off before...

Edited November 26, 2012 by Dreadhead

[tyrion]

I am not saying not to get the Calfee at $1100, if it fits you'd be crazy not to. I was only pointing out that the Vanilla, other than the wheels is a bike that do not come around often, if at all. Vicki, I think you are right, he hasn't taken deposits since '11 so probably can't get a Vanilla, other than used.