Cycling Miscellany

[mtnbiker]

I've decided to get a decent bike for my nine year old daughter (4'9 and a half). I have a son who is 21 months younger than her who will be taking it over in around a year. I bought him a bike for Christmas when he was five with 18 inch wheels that was a bit too big for him with the idea that my daughter would end up riding it around until he could grow into it. Now she's way too big for it and my son rides that bike around all the time. I think we've moved beyond Walmart or Target bikes for her.

There are no shortage of bike stores where I live, at least with respect to mountain bikes. Getting a Specialized, Trek, Giant, Santa Cruz, GT etc is not a problem. I'm thinking about getting a 24 inch bike for her -- she doesn't mind getting a boys bike and in fact probably prefers it. In the alternative, I can get a bike with an extra small frame with 26 inch wheels but it appears as if Giant is one of the few who makes those. Specialized and Trek appear to be skipping 26 inch wheels and go directly to 27.5 inch wheels. The issue is my son is easily going to grow out of his current bike in around a year and I don't think he'll be able to ride a bike with 27.5 wheels with the XS frame.

So, I'm thinking about this bike right here.

https://www.gtbicycles.com/usa_en/stomper-ace-24

I had a Raleigh bike on mission and have had two different Specialized after. The comparably priced Specialized 24 inch bike doesn't have disc brakes. I've never had any experience with GT. I'm worried because they're in the same conglomerate with Schwinn (but also Cannondale).

My wife has a 2009 Specialized FSR Expert Carbon with small frame that she would be willing to sell. My wife is 5' 1", so your daughter could probably fit it (lots of adjustment in the seat post). She's probably only ridden it a dozen times or so, and loves the bike, but after multiple shoulder and elbow surgeries, she doesn't think she'll get back on it.

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[Shaka]

I've decided to get a decent bike for my nine year old daughter (4'9 and a half). I have a son who is 21 months younger than her who will be taking it over in around a year. I bought him a bike for Christmas when he was five with 18 inch wheels that was a bit too big for him with the idea that my daughter would end up riding it around until he could grow into it. Now she's way too big for it and my son rides that bike around all the time. I think we've moved beyond Walmart or Target bikes for her.

There are no shortage of bike stores where I live, at least with respect to mountain bikes. Getting a Specialized, Trek, Giant, Santa Cruz, GT etc is not a problem. I'm thinking about getting a 24 inch bike for her -- she doesn't mind getting a boys bike and in fact probably prefers it. In the alternative, I can get a bike with an extra small frame with 26 inch wheels but it appears as if Giant is one of the few who makes those. Specialized and Trek appear to be skipping 26 inch wheels and go directly to 27.5 inch wheels. The issue is my son is easily going to grow out of his current bike in around a year and I don't think he'll be able to ride a bike with 27.5 wheels with the XS frame.

So, I'm thinking about this bike right here.

https://www.gtbicycles.com/usa_en/stomper-ace-24

I had a Raleigh bike on mission and have had two different Specialized after. The comparably priced Specialized 24 inch bike doesn't have disc brakes. I've never had any experience with GT. I'm worried because they're in the same conglomerate with Schwinn (but also Cannondale).

GT started out as a BMX company and then morphed when mountain bikes became a thing. It's a good company but is now a conglomerate just like you stated. They make good bikes and just like the others the models get broken down by component groups.

I wouldn't worry too much about the brakes as she's not going to need anything special to stop. I'd focus more on weight. The last thing a nine-year-old needs is a heavy bike.

[Color Me Badd Fan]

I've decided to get a decent bike for my nine year old daughter (4'9 and a half). I have a son who is 21 months younger than her who will be taking it over in around a year. I bought him a bike for Christmas when he was five with 18 inch wheels that was a bit too big for him with the idea that my daughter would end up riding it around until he could grow into it. Now she's way too big for it and my son rides that bike around all the time. I think we've moved beyond Walmart or Target bikes for her.

There are no shortage of bike stores where I live, at least with respect to mountain bikes. Getting a Specialized, Trek, Giant, Santa Cruz, GT etc is not a problem. I'm thinking about getting a 24 inch bike for her -- she doesn't mind getting a boys bike and in fact probably prefers it. In the alternative, I can get a bike with an extra small frame with 26 inch wheels but it appears as if Giant is one of the few who makes those. Specialized and Trek appear to be skipping 26 inch wheels and go directly to 27.5 inch wheels. The issue is my son is easily going to grow out of his current bike in around a year and I don't think he'll be able to ride a bike with 27.5 wheels with the XS frame.

So, I'm thinking about this bike right here.

https://www.gtbicycles.com/usa_en/stomper-ace-24

I had a Raleigh bike on mission and have had two different Specialized after. The comparably priced Specialized 24 inch bike doesn't have disc brakes. I've never had any experience with GT. I'm worried because they're in the same conglomerate with Schwinn (but also Cannondale).

[Scott R Nelson]

The winner turned out to be the Specialized Roubaix Expert.

Dang! When did bikes get so expensive?

That's about as much as two of the three motorcycles in my garage. I think I'll stick with my two 20+ year old mountain bikes.

[PaloAltoCougar]

That is awesome.

I am looking for a used bike for my wife and would be happy to take this off your hands, but I think your wife may be a bit taller than mine in my recollection.

I can think of no finer potential home for her Look than with Mrs. BP. But the missus is 5'7" and rides a 54 cm bike which would almost certainly be an uncomfortable fit.

I am very interested to see what she thinks of the electronic shifters after a few months. My main bike is going to be 20 years old next June and it still works great and feels like an old friend but I am starting to think about a new one. I hope you'll report more in the future.

I am, too, as I had been under the impression that the reviews would be mixed. But I polled a few friends with electronics, I was surprised that everyone one of them raved about them. But we'll see how it holds up and I'll let you know.

[creekster]

Racked up some major bonus points as I announced Mrs. PAC's main Christmas gift, a new ride. I had done a fair amount of research of the latest bikes, although mainly Specialized, Trek, Cervelo, Orbea, Look, and Pinarello. I then told her she was getting a new bike (she hadn't asked for one and this was very unexpected) and the price range I was looking at but had her make the ultimate decision after some test rides. The winner turned out to be the Specialized Roubaix Expert. She has enjoyed her Look 566, but it has ten years and around 50,000 miles on it, so it's certainly time for a change. She's already in love with the electronic shifters.

I am very interested to see what she thinks of the electronic shifters after a few months. My main bike is going to be 20 years old next June and it still works great and feels like an old friend but I am starting to think about a new one. I hope you'll report more in the future.

[BigPiney]

Racked up some major bonus points as I announced Mrs. PAC's main Christmas gift, a new ride. I had done a fair amount of research of the latest bikes, although mainly Specialized, Trek, Cervelo, Orbea, Look, and Pinarello. I then told her she was getting a new bike (she hadn't asked for one and this was very unexpected) and the price range I was looking at but had her make the ultimate decision after some test rides. The winner turned out to be the Specialized Roubaix Expert. She has enjoyed her Look 566, but it has ten years and around 50,000 miles on it, so it's certainly time for a change. She's already in love with the electronic shifters.

That is awesome.

I am looking for a used bike for my wife and would be happy to take this off your hands, but I think your wife may be a bit taller than mine in my recollection.

[PaloAltoCougar]

Racked up some major bonus points as I announced Mrs. PAC's main Christmas gift, a new ride. I had done a fair amount of research of the latest bikes, although mainly Specialized, Trek, Cervelo, Orbea, Look, and Pinarello. I then told her she was getting a new bike (she hadn't asked for one and this was very unexpected) and the price range I was looking at but had her make the ultimate decision after some test rides. The winner turned out to be the Specialized Roubaix Expert. She has enjoyed her Look 566, but it has ten years and around 50,000 miles on it, so it's certainly time for a change. She's already in love with the electronic shifters.

[Topper]

For all you jingoists out there, Americans showed very well in the UCI worlds in Yorkshire. Today an American kid, Quinn Simmons, soloed to a victory in the Junior mens road race and another american took third after out-sprinting the bunch he was riding with. https://www.cyclingnews.com/races/uc...-race/results/

Two days ago an American woman absolutely dominated the ITT, winning by over 1:30. https://www.theguardian.com/sport/li...ime-trial-live

In the Mens elite ITT Rohan Dennis, last seen quitting the TdF by throwing down his bike and climbing into the team car mid-stage, won by over a minute. Lawson Craddock, the plucky Texan who finished as the Lanterne Rouge of the 2018 TDF after cracking his scapula in the first stage (while wearing number 13, for those fo you pay attention to the numbers), finished in 6th.

The elite road race is the 29th with none of the usual suspects (Alaphilipe, Sagan, Gilbert, etc.) being American.

Thanks for keeping us informed. Good job so maybe there's hope down the road in the TdF?

[creekster]

For all you jingoists out there, Americans showed very well in the UCI worlds in Yorkshire. Today an American kid, Quinn Simmons, soloed to a victory in the Junior mens road race and another american took third after out-sprinting the bunch he was riding with. https://www.cyclingnews.com/races/uc...-race/results/

Two days ago an American woman absolutely dominated the ITT, winning by over 1:30. https://www.theguardian.com/sport/li...ime-trial-live

In the Mens elite ITT Rohan Dennis, last seen quitting the TdF by throwing down his bike and climbing into the team car mid-stage, won by over a minute. Lawson Craddock, the plucky Texan who finished as the Lanterne Rouge of the 2018 TDF after cracking his scapula in the first stage (while wearing number 13, for those fo you pay attention to the numbers), finished in 6th.

The elite road race is the 29th with none of the usual suspects (Alaphilipe, Sagan, Gilbert, etc.) being American.

[mtnbiker]

This one was worse. Check it out at the 3:00 mark.

[Moliere]

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[Moliere]

Nice to see Sepp Kuss ride well today taking top 10 on the stage in the Vuelta and crossing with Quintana.

Kuss takes the stage win today. Dude is awesome and I hope he gets many more. He a good enough climber to do it.

[Moliere]

Nice to see Sepp Kuss ride well today taking top 10 on the stage in the Vuelta and crossing with Quintana.

[bluegoose]

After taking most of last year off the bike due to marathon training and the terrible wildfires, I've been riding quite a bit this year. Last winter, my cousin closed his bike shop and offered me a great deal on a 29er mountain bike. So I rode a ton on the trails this winter and spring.

This summer I've been putting in some quality road miles. The family is out of town this week, so last night after work I was able to meet a buddy in Mount Shasta and do the Mount Shasta hill climb. It's a monster climb, at about 14 miles and 3,700 feet of elevation. We made it up at to the top at about 7:30pm, just in time to head back down the mountain before it got too dark and too cold. The first few miles were pretty chilly, as the top is about 8,000 feet elevation. But the descent was incredible! Long, sweeping turns and glass-smooth road surfaces. My buddy is a really timid descender, so I didn't open it up until the bottom half of the mountain, hitting about 42 mph on one stretch. The scenery was stunning, and I was able to get a good look at my recent slip-n-slide path down Avalanche Gulch.

This evening I am headed up to Tahoe with a buddy to ride the downhill trails at Northstar. Can't wait! Its just over the hill from the Tyrolean Descent that mtnbiker, bigpiney and I rode 10 years ago during that first CUF bike adventure.