Australian Cycling Forums - Bicycles Network Australia

mikesbytes wrote: Got a link?

Hi Mike

You can check out rec.travel.air via Google groups. This is the link.

Personally I prefer to use a proper newsreader and the one I use is Agent but Mozilla Foundation's email program, Thunderbird, is also good and of course there is Outlook Express already mentioned.

Regards
Andrew

europa wrote:I still don't understand how you lot find flat bars comfortable - my wrists just don't work that way (bar ends forever )

It's a different fit. I have no problem with it, apart from going very long distance.

europa wrote:You may never use the drops on a drop bar bike, but the first time you hit a head wind and drop down onto them, you'll bless the day you bought the things.

Richard I have no doubt you are correct, but I have to clock up 10,000 km first before I get a proper one and in the meantime I really want to gear up for my MTB touring so I am focusing on finding a good MTB first

I still don't understand how you lot find flat bars comfortable - my wrists just don't work that way (bar ends forever )

.

I guess it comes down to bike fit or something. So far I have had no problems and I do lean over more than on say Joe or folks I see on hybrids so I do get some reduced wind resistance.

Regards
Andrew

It's not bike fit, it's the angle it places your wrist - I need to !! BAN ME NOW FOR SWEARING !! my elbows out too far to ride on the flats. Look at any flat bar rider and you'll find they've all got their elbows cocked out a bit. On flat bars, there's enough sideways angle on my wrists to cause pain. The Noodle bars on the Black Beast have a slight pull back on them and I can ride them quite comfortably ... with my elbows cocked out. It's not bike 'fit', it's the shape of the bars (which technically is part of 'fit' but not how you set things up).

Richard

europa wrote:It's not bike fit, it's the angle it places your wrist - I need to !! BAN ME NOW FOR SWEARING !! my elbows out too far to ride on the flats. Look at any flat bar rider and you'll find they've all got their elbows cocked out a bit. On flat bars, there's enough sideways angle on my wrists to cause pain. The Noodle bars on the Black Beast have a slight pull back on them and I can ride them quite comfortably ... with my elbows cocked out. It's not bike 'fit', it's the shape of the bars (which technically is part of 'fit' but not how you set things up).

I know exactly what you mean. One cause of the acute angle relates to the width of the bar. Wide bars opens out that angle, or you can get flat bars with a built-in angle that can neutralize the abnormal wrist angle you talked about. In some ways, the bar adjustment is even more critical on a flat bar than drops.

I'd recommend going with the flat bar roadie in this case. 40-60km is a fair ride.. not one I'd want to do on my mountain bike.

I've had my Giant CRX3 for a few months now and it does the job. However now that I'm starting to ride further and wish to go faster, I'm already eyeing off drop bar road bikes. Just received a generous salary increase so I think I'm going to treat myself within the next month or two.

europa wrote:I still don't understand how you lot find flat bars comfortable - my wrists just don't work that way (bar ends forever )

I guess if the frame and stem are set up correctly so that you're not supporting all your weight on the hands, you just don't get the stress in the wrists. I'm referring to the process you've been going through recently where you've been altering your position so that you can let go of the bars and maintain your stance without placing undue stress on your back.

Cheers,
Graeme

europa wrote:It's not bike fit, it's the angle it places your wrist - I need to !! BAN ME NOW FOR SWEARING !! my elbows out too far to ride on the flats. Look at any flat bar rider and you'll find they've all got their elbows cocked out a bit. On flat bars, there's enough sideways angle on my wrists to cause pain. Richard

I understand your point and my elbows !! BAN ME NOW FOR SWEARING !! out a small amount but not enough to bother me. However, if you elbows are bent so much that it is causing you pain, that does seem to suggest a bike fit problem. From the little I have learnt from you amongst others is that it sounds like your top tube length (seat to bars) is too short.

I am actually considering longer (wider bars) as I often have my hands just edging off the bars. I don't have bar ends BTW.

Regards
Andrew

lukas wrote:I'd recommend going with the flat bar roadie in this case. 40-60km is a fair ride.. not one I'd want to do on my mountain bike.

I've had my Giant CRX3 for a few months now and it does the job. However now that I'm starting to ride further and wish to go faster, I'm already eyeing off drop bar road bikes. Just received a generous salary increase so I think I'm going to treat myself within the next month or two.

It's a big difference in what you can do.

You can go faster on your own on the flats by getting onto the drops and tucking in better, and still have access to the controls.

You can climb better because it's easier to stand on the pedals and lean forward. If you try climbing out of the saddle on an MTB afterwards it just doesn't feel right.

It's easier to ride in a group because your arms are outside the edges of the bars, so you'd bump shoulders rather than tangle bars.

You get access to the shifters and levers from a more natural riding position - bar ends on flat bars takes your hands away from the levers.

You can move your hands around more, because there is more bar to use.

Aushiker wrote:

europa wrote:It's not bike fit, it's the angle it places your wrist - I need to !! BAN ME NOW FOR SWEARING !! my elbows out too far to ride on the flats. Look at any flat bar rider and you'll find they've all got their elbows cocked out a bit. On flat bars, there's enough sideways angle on my wrists to cause pain. Richard

I understand your point and my elbows !! BAN ME NOW FOR SWEARING !! out a small amount but not enough to bother me. However, if you elbows are bent so much that it is causing you pain, that does seem to suggest a bike fit problem. From the little I have learnt from you amongst others is that it sounds like your top tube length (seat to bars) is too short.

I am actually considering longer (wider bars) as I often have my hands just edging off the bars. I don't have bar ends BTW.

Regards
Andrew

You don't notice it, but there actually is a small discomfort in riding on the flats. Your wrists just weren't made to work in that position. I'd always only had plain flat bars, so when I bought my bike, I thought I'd be fine with flats, but since my bike came standard with bar-ends (which simulate the top of hoobs) I find myself riding on them most of the time, just cos it's more natural to hold your hand in that position.
Only really use the flats when in stop-start traffic, or to reach the brakes.

Kalgrm wrote:Dave,

You'll probably notice I take the piss a lot. That's just me.

But you'll also notice in this case I haven't strayed from the topic. If the choice is a flat bar roadie over a hybrid for doing 40-60km rides on only road or bike paths (refer to original question), I'll take the flat bar roadie every time!

I wouldn't call the Apollo a flat-bar road bike - just look at the frame geometry! It's a high-end hybrid.

And the GT Timberline runs 26" wheels, so it's more a MTB, not a hybrid.

Thanks for all the replies.

I have been looking for a secondhand road bike now. I have found this one on ebay.

The ebay item numbers is 120157119481

I can't post hyperlink as I haven't had enough posts yet.

Is it any good?

Thanks

Looks good to me. Does appear to be a Triathlon bike though so you might find the riding position less comfortable than a conventional road geometry. It is light for an old bike though.

I guess if you got it for cheap and didn't find it comfortable, you wouldn't have lost much, just re-advertise it.

Hey,
Ive been reading this thread and just from browsing around online bike shops...
Got me thinking, found this bike that i think looks pretty sweet....
It's a fast hybrid, but I just want to hear what you guys think....
It's a Gary Fisher Mendota...
Might be a nice bike as an inbetween b4 i get a roadie...
You can look at it on the official website or http://www.cyclery.com.au

Was checkin out the specs and the tyres, the sizing just says 32 x700...
so 32" wheels x700cc?
Is this correct!??!?

HyperHorse wrote: the sizing just says 32 x700...
so 32" wheels x700cc?
Is this correct!??!?

Thats 32mm wide tyres by 700mm diameter rims.

I read this thread with interest as I've gone from a cheap mtb to a flat bar road (Apollo Swift) to a carbon roady (giant TCR C1) in a matter of 8 months.
This thread http://www.bicycles.net.au/forums/viewtopic.php?t=2662

I have found another flat bar bike that is in my price range, the Progear RS-20. Is this bike any good?

I would post a link to the website, but haven't had enough post yet.

progear dot net

Thanks,

Michael

hoich wrote:I have found another flat bar bike that is in my price range, the Progear RS-20. Is this bike any good?

I would post a link to the website, but haven't had enough post yet.

progear dot net

Thanks,

Michael

The website is ProgearS.net unless you are into ...

Looking at the bike, I couldn't see a price but it seems a basic specification. Do you have a price?

Andrew

I have a dealer offering it to me for $399 retail is $499