Sometimes I miss my former bike ignorance

Recently I've been thinking (and stressing) too much about my bike and its bits, trying to sort out noises, fiddling with awkward techy shit, thinking about what to buy next... Yesterday when I realised I'd damaged my new expensive cycling shoes, sitting surrounded by bits of metal and stripped bolts and getting angry with myself, I started reminiscing about when I used to ride a battered old racer every day without a single clue how it worked, what any of the parts were called, oblivious to any noises or just thinking they were meant to be there, and never spending any money on it. I almost think riding then was more fun than now, and I can never go back. Wah wah wah.

if it starts making a funny noise while your riding it put some headphones on and crank them up.
its the noises when its not moving that you need to worry about, when your lying in bed and you can still hear them....

The noises inside your head that wake you up at 3:45 am because there's an NOS italian threaded campagnolo record non drive side BB cup going on ebay in Alberta, Canada.

Totally know what you mean. I've been chasing noises round my bike for a while - everytime I eliminate one I find another slightly quieter one that was being masked by the old one. And there's some that just come and go with no reason at all!

the noises inside your head that wake you up at 3:45 am because there's an nos italian threaded campagnolo record non drive side bb cup going on ebay in alberta, canada.

dibs!

I bought a bike cause i thought it would be a cheap mode of transport. I bought a single speed cause it would be simple.

I started with a Unipack and i joined this forum... You can see where THAT went.

Ive bought a new bike and have now ploughed in as much as the 'floor' price in bits and pieces. Ive owned it for 3 weeks...

Cheap, simple mode of transport.

hahaha i know the feeling, I got me a crappy Dawes which creaks and grinds all over the bloody place, ive spent so far 170 quid on tools and parts for it, and its still no where near finished, damn damn damn!

its the noises when its not moving that you need to worry about, when your lying in bed and you can still hear them....

fucking lol's

Yeah I've spent a lot of money on little bits, accessories and tools.
But in the end it's worth it. I love having the tools I need. It's always a bother to keep popping to your LBS.

I'm not very experienced with bikes, but I'm learning along the way. I've been replacing bits and converting things for the first time, and just buying the tools even though it's expensive. I've gotta learn somehow.

Still, bloody cheaper than a car, motorbike and public transport.

I've noticed a bit of a noise the other day, like something is about to snap in half. I need to check that out... I think 44/11t is causing stress on something... I've noticed it happening since I went to that ratio. Getting me worried that I'm going to have to fork out a bit more cash. I'm on JSA you see... £101 every 2 weeks I can't do... Someone give me a job already god dangit.

nice thread.. is it french or swiss?

ah yes, swiss, oh good.

If you'd all UTFS in the first place maybe you wouldn't have made so many expensive mistakes.

Just a thought...

I smashed my ankle last summer, browsed this forum whilst convalescing and soon went from owning a ridgeback genesis, that I have used for years as a commuter to now x2 colnago's & a condor (plus the ridgeback).

The boxes on that adolescent bike wish list have been well & truly ticked....

But it's safer than a Ducati!

I think there's thre stages to bike ownership, the first as described is happy ignorance, followed by learning from you mistakes, it the final phase where you discover n+1 that I call bike nirvana... I'm still at stage 2

My girlfriend thought she caught me watching a girl cycle by. I was actually looking at the bike, didn't even realise it was a girl on it. I thought it was best not to admit that ;)

I think there's thre stages to bike ownership, the first as described is happy ignorance, followed by learning from you mistakes, it the final phase where you discover n+1 that I call bike nirvana... I'm still at stage 2

I was thinking along the same lines, I feel bogged down with niggling problems (yes UTFS is bloody helpful but adds a headache-inducing element, and isn't so practical when your hands are covered in grease). 98% of the time I love the maintenance, but during that other 2% I just wish I could ride off without thinking "oh yeah I need to sort that out.. " whereas before I'd think "WHEEE I'M ON A BIKE".

My girlfriend thought she caught me watching a girl cycle by. I was actually looking at the bike, didn't even realise it was a girl on it. I thought it was best not to admit that ;)

My Mrs has resigned herself to this happening a long time ago, at first she thought I was checking out 'talent' but I was actually checking out bikes.

Top thread.

I wish I was still a long haired 16 year old listening to Dead Kennedies and acid house riding my weird Peugeot 'mountain' bike that I never once cleaned or oiled.

"WHEEE I'M ON A BIKE".

Please submit this as a T shirt design for the forum when the next lot get done.

My girlfriend thought she caught me watching a girl cycle by. I was actually looking at the bike, didn't even realise it was a girl on it. I thought it was best not to admit that ;)

I had the opposite... Cruising along with g/f and her Pashley, so it's at a really leisurely pace. A bike passes us and a moment later she says:

"God did you see her bottom?"
"Huh?"
"She was HOT!"
"Who was?"
"The girl who just passed us. Her figure was amazing."
"Which girl?"
"You were looking right at her!"
"Was she on a red men's road bike with a really flash looking purple anodized groupset..?"
"I didn't see what she was riding, I was too busy looking at her backside!"
"Ah. I didn't see her, I was checking out the bike..."

It's officially - I am now "velosexual". It's just so sad...

My girlfriend thought she caught me watching a girl cycle by. I was actually looking at the bike, didn't even realise it was a girl on it. I thought it was best not to admit that ;)

I've done similar, saw a bike, and someone riding it so I shouted DO A SKID, MISTA! My friend was then like..... it was a chick.

I wish I was still a long haired 16 year old listening to Dead Kennedies and acid house riding my weird Peugeot 'mountain' bike that I never once cleaned or oiled.

My last bike, I found in a hedge with no chain. Reported it to the police who had no room to store it, nobody claimed it, 28 days later (no Rage virus involved, luckily) it was officially mine. I rode it for about 2 years with nothing done to it but a new chain to get it up and running, put my old super-fat MBT tyres on it to give the roads a bit of bounce and the occasional squirt of oil. When the gear cable broke, I just ran it in toppest most gear (108GI), which I grew to really like (except up hills - fucking brilliant going down though) and that got me my love of single speed bikes.

Now I have an OTP, which was supposed to have solved all my problems. But I've changed the tyres (rear one twice, about to be a third time), handlebars (twice), seat (three times - although two of those were old saddles I already owned), bought new brake cables because of the extra reach needed from the higher bars and I think it's finally getting to how I need it.

But really, the plan is to get the old bike back on the road with all new parts eventually, as a cheap looking bike with quite good components. I'm really enjoying the process of learning about bikes and servicing them along the way. I used to do so little maintenance, but then with dirt cheap bikes it's hardly worth spending the cash - they're almost a throwaway thing. Good bikes need work - it's official.

All I need to do now, is work out where that little creak from the chain ring/BB is coming from every time I put my foot down really hard...

I had the opposite... Cruising along with g/f and her Pashley, so it's at a really leisurely pace. A bike passes us and a moment later she says:

"God did you see her bottom?"
"Huh?"
"She was HOT!"
"Who was?"
"The girl who just passed us. Her figure was amazing."
"Which girl?"
"You were looking right at her!"
"Was she on a red men's road bike with a really flash looking purple anodized groupset..?"
"I didn't see what she was riding, I was too busy looking at her backside!"
"Ah. I didn't see her, I was checking out the bike..."

It's officially - I am now "velosexual". It's just so sad...

HAHAHA

My girlfriends all shake their head when one passes... Im now a bikeperv.

I get txts from them saying, " heard someone say 'fixie..' i thought of you"

They make fun of me by pointing out MNT bikes just to see me go "where where?!?! ahhhhhhh... you suck"

I love them

I think 44/11t is causing stress on something...

your knees?

My girlfriends all shake their

Dat's me Yo,
with a hip hip hippy hop fixie skidda!

I think my girlfriend gets a bit jealous of the looks I give pretty bikes, so I try not to do it in front of her.