tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587240313352829236.post9128117495312757840..comments2023-10-03T04:02:47.102-07:00Comments on Fiets of STyLe: Bike Kirkwood & Grant's Trail Photo-TourRebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08394396285606442977noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587240313352829236.post-59880390426638773502014-10-10T09:40:37.642-07:002014-10-10T09:40:37.642-07:00I do think you're right about weight. My ten s...I do think you're right about weight. My ten speed's only about 7-10 pounds lighter than the upright bike. I also have a hard time shifting because of the downtube location and imprecise gear positions, which can affect pedaling up a hill for sure. I mostly want to switch the handlebars on the mountain bike because they are REALLY narrow - more so than on other bikes so you fit through small spaces more easily. Like trees and rocks on singlepaths.Rebeccahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08394396285606442977noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587240313352829236.post-74195145793757564142014-10-09T15:26:54.050-07:002014-10-09T15:26:54.050-07:00I put Continental slicks on my old cromoly hybrid ...I put Continental slicks on my old cromoly hybrid and it made a HUGE difference - much less road resistance so easier riding. I thought about replacing the handlebars but ultimately I just raised them about an inch or two (that was as far as I could without replacing the stem) and I got Ergon grips. That was enough to get rid of the wrist pain I was having. <br /><br />Still... I find that weight is the primary issue when dealing with hills. Lower gears help, but only to the extent that you can still go fast enough to keep up any momentum. My hybrid has plenty of gears, but it's just sooo heavy that when I'm in the low gear on a steep hill I can barely go fast enough to keep the bike upright! On my road bike I'm in a much higher gear, but I can actually get enough momentum so the bike will keep rolling forward if I stop pedaling - at least for a few seconds - something I can't do on the heavy bike.EcoCatLadyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15704811319510740473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587240313352829236.post-12495761125778766512014-10-01T15:00:10.520-07:002014-10-01T15:00:10.520-07:00That's fascinating, Cat! I do think I'd be...That's fascinating, Cat! I do think I'd benefit from additional gears and a lighter bike for some commutes. I need to get my MTB converted, as it has 21 gears and an aluminum frame. If I get better handlebars and slicker tires, replace the rigid fork (there's a SHOX on there now), and get some fenders and a back rack, I'll be curious to see how it handles the hills that feel like they thwart me on the 3/10 speeds.Rebeccahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08394396285606442977noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587240313352829236.post-60047029832934978972014-10-01T13:12:17.527-07:002014-10-01T13:12:17.527-07:00Yes... connectivity is a HUGE issue - especially s...Yes... connectivity is a HUGE issue - especially since the trails usually run along creeks and rivers which don't exactly run in a grid system! Though Denver is planning to add a number of "bike boulevards" to help with that issue.<br /><br />And I had to laugh at your comment about the hills. I think perhaps "hill" is defined differently in different parts of the world. A few weeks ago CatMan and I took a new route up to Red Rocks - we mistakenly thought it would be easier. Ha! I thought I was gonna have a coronary! After we got home he used Google Earth and calculated that over about a 7 mile stretch we gained 1000 feet in elevation! No wonder I felt like dying!<br /><br />It does get easier with time though. The first time I tried to ride up one of the big hills in my neighborhood I got passed by a small child pulling a wagon! Not kidding! Of course, switching out my 35 pound cromoly hybrid for a 17 pound carbon fiber road bike helped a bit. Anyhow, interesting tidbit... pretty much all the road bikes sold here in Denver are outfitted with "compact" gearing to make it easier to deal with the hills.<br />http://www.active.com/cycling/articles/what-are-the-advantages-of-compact-gearing<br /><br />Anyhow, sorry to blather... Happy Riding! <br />xoxoxo,<br />CatEcoCatLadyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15704811319510740473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587240313352829236.post-23271509071734011632014-09-30T08:49:11.975-07:002014-09-30T08:49:11.975-07:00I love multi-user trails, largely because I bike s...I love multi-user trails, largely because I bike so slowly and love that they are usually pretty flat. We have some great trails in the metro area, but I would love to see them better connected so that we could use them to go places instead of just as recreation. :)<br /><br />I was in Colorado this summer, and we drove from Denver to Grand Lake. There were so many paths along the way! (Many connecting singlepaths for MTBs, which isn't my preferred style of biking, though.) I was shocked at how many folks I saw riding on highways IN THE MOUNTAINS, climbing these crazy, windy STEEP hills. I feel badly about complaining about the little hills on my way to and from church and work. Eep!Rebeccahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08394396285606442977noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587240313352829236.post-72031164500747866342014-09-30T02:42:41.073-07:002014-09-30T02:42:41.073-07:00Oh... I am so totally feeling the impending darkne...Oh... I am so totally feeling the impending darkness closing in. Sigh. Aren't trails like that wonderful? I feel so blessed to live in a city with hundreds of miles of bike trails at my fingertips.EcoCatLadyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15704811319510740473noreply@blogger.com