Welcome to the biking forum.

[Rick]

This forum is mainly for bicyclists.

Have at it.

[Deitz Dittrich]

Anybody else like to pedal off their weight? I like to stay in shape, but my knees cant handle running much any more. I find that biking is still a very good work out, yet a lot easier on my body.

I have a Trek 1500 I believe... not sure the exact model, it doesn't have any number on it.. I also have a cannondale Mountain bike..but do not ride it nearly as much(way too much confidence and I crash to much.. LOL)

[Dbl]

Quote:

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Anybody else like to pedal off their weight? I like to stay in shape, but my knees cant handle running much any more. I find that biking is still a very good work out, yet a lot easier on my body.

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Same here, exact same reasons. This could be a fun forum for trail info etc, and there must be some good mechanics out there for those days when bikes don't work like they should.

[jonny_redhorse]

I hear you on the weight loss thing........my wife and I both purchased bikes here last summer.....she owns a "trek" and I bought a "giant"....is fun a cool summer nights for sure...glad the new forum is here...i just may have some questions down the road.........jonny

my "Giant"

[Powerstroke]

I bought a Gary Fisher last year through a rewards program at work. I've ridden my bike to work on ly once, but I want to do it more......really I do.

I tried riding the LRT trail this week and I did about 10 miles round trip in about an hour. NO too bad. I hope to use it to stay in shape.

[TurnUpTheFishing]

I love biking. Its my second favorite hobby after fishing. I ride BMX.

My ride....

[Down to Earth]

Pretty cool. I'm probably a bit out of the norm for most here as I'm a triathlete. Ran in high school, got turned on to cycling by a friend about 6 years ago and last year transitioned (pun intended) to the world of triathlon.

I ride a Trek 5200 carbon fiber frame road bike. I'll post a picture when I get a chance.

Andy

[Greg T]

I rode quite a bit of mountain bike a few years ago, and after a few incidents involving bent rims and somehow sliding across a paved parking lot on my back, I think I'd like to get the old rig out again. I haven't found much for off road biking near Rochester, so any leads on trails would be great!

[hovermn]

I used to ride quite a bit in college. In fact, that really isn't accurate. I biked through college! I went to Vermilion up in Ely for Forestry/Wildlife and biked to school every day, rain/shine/snow/hail...I biked through it all. I didn't have a car, so I didn't have a choice.

Here I am bundled up ready for one of my 1.5 hour 10 pm rides before bed, not to school. Yup, rode the trails all year long. When they weren't rideable, I'd bike down dirt roads far out of town on my Trek Y-3

During the second yr of college, I entered my first race at Giants Ridge and took second place in my class. It felt so good to cross the finish line, I did a little dance. lol

For a number of years, I flew out to the Seattle area twice a year and met up with an old grade school friend. We'd drive up to North Vancouver and ride Grouse Mountain. Wow, what a blast that was! First, you bike up the mountain on dirt road switchbacks for an hour or so. Then, you pick one of the many nasty trails and try to get back to your car in one peice. Good times! I rode my current bike, a Specialized Stumpjumper Comp with all the fixin's. Actually, only the bars and frame are stock :-)

Now, the poor bike sits in the basement calling me everytime I walk by to take it for a spin. This summer, I have to pick it up again. I guess since my biking partner is so far away and it isn't as easy to fly out there anymore, I've just let it go. That needs to change.

Anyway, that's my story and I'm sticking too it. I haven't been up on the Mt. Bike scene since college and really just ride around on the trails found at Hidden Falls and Crosby when I do get out. If anyone is up for trying some of the trails around the metro, I'm always up for a go. It would be nice to find some other people with similar interests to hit the trails with.

Thanks for the forum, Rick!

[Aberdak]

I just ordered a Trek 1000 on Monday! Size 58 it that good? They said it would take about 10 days to get in. I will have to pass the time fishing to maintain some sanity. knee started hurting when long distance running and I had to switch venues. Fishing has been great this spring and early summer but I miss the long runs.

[Down to Earth]

Aberdak,

That should be a nice starter bike for you. It is an aluminum frame so the ride won't be as forgiving as a Carbon Fiber frame. Hopefully you have smooth roads to ride on. Also, the Shimano components are on the lower end of their product line, but will suit you just fine if your just starting out in the cycling realm.

If you got fitted at a bike shop the 58cm frame size should be good for you. I'm 5'8" and ride a 54cm frame from Trek (or maybe its a 56).

Good luck with your riding.

Andy

[Deitz Dittrich]

I own a Trek 1500 and love it to death... The 1000 is a very nice bike as well.. expecially as a starter bike. I hope you were sized at the shop that you ordered it from. If you were, I would think you will have no problem. I have a 32" inseam and am 6'3"... and my Trek 1500 is a 60cm.

[Aberdak]

You are right guys! I was offishally measured at the bike shop. Even to the point of my current flexibilty, between knee cap and ankles, would that be the shin range. Fished last night one crappie caught and released.

[federline]

Biking! Wow, didn't expect to see this forum here! I have a long more-than-casual biking history:

- the usual elementary school bike discovery... but I *did* have one of those choppers, the original... :-)

- middle school BMX racing, rode Schwinn

- high school freestyle riding (quarter-pipes, short ramp and flatland), combined with skateboarding and three school sports per year - can you say "wrecked body for life?" :-) Rode Schwinn again...

- college at the U of M in Mpls brought the need for a tough mtn bike to rocket off stairways with and ride down the Missisippi ice in winter! Rode a GT first, followed by a Pro-Flex (yes, the pre-cursor to the K2 bikes... I still have it!) I spent a lot of time in Freewheel renting bike tools...

- Then, as I established a career, got married, raised kids (still finishing that part...) I pretty much quit riding. One of the things I regret in life.

- Recently acquired a mint older Fuji touring bike. Have been riding that in the countryside, while I search for a suitable replacement elastomer suspension bumpers for the Pro-Flex.

- presently looking at recumbents for fun, not really seriously.

I can pretty much fix any bike, I used to tear them down to the frame and build them back up over the winter, since I used to bike as rabidly as I fish now. :-)

As noted, my body is torched from all the fun I had as a kid. I can't last more than 10 minutes running, or 5 miles walking in one shot - knees are destroyed, got sand in them. But biking, swimming and elliptical machines are my friends now.

I have recently discovered the Heartland Trail near Park Rapids, and will definitely be back up there to ride it.

I've ridden then Williard Munger south out of Duluth a few times. I've rode TRAM (The Ride Across Minnesota), too. Just last month, I drove SAG for a 216 mile, 5-day Boy Scout bike tour.