# Any bikers out there?



## bobberboy (Jun 6, 2015)

I'm gonna be 65 in a few months and I'm trying to stay fit so I can get a few more years out of the ol' bod. I used to run but had to quit in my early-mid 50's because my joints couldn't take it any longer. At the time I quit I ran 4 days a week and did about 16-20 miles/week. I only ever did a 10 mile run once at age 50. Nearly killed me. I have a friend who was an avid biker and got me interested and for several years I rode half heartedly. Now that I'm retired I've been trying to get more serious about it but at my age you can only get so serious. I'm having trouble learning to pace myself and so I run out of steam too soon. I can't seem to break the 30 mile mark. I ride with a friend who's half my age and regularly does 75 mile rides. He takes mercy on me when we ride together and I have to try harder as not to embarrass myself. My city is very bike friendly and we've got lots of paths and trails. I live close to the Mississippi River and there are several good trails that follow it both through the city and along the park lands. I am riding a 35 year old Peugeot 12-speed that I really like and recently got a city bike to run errands. 





The Peugeot is mostly original. I'm going to put the drop bars back on it now that I have a city bike.






This one is an Origin 8 and it's a 7-speed. Just got it.


----------



## Keystone (Jun 6, 2015)

> Any bikers out there?




Umm,,, yeah. But probably not what you are thinking! :LOL2:


----------



## KMixson (Jun 6, 2015)

When you say "bikers", I think Harley Davidson' Boss Hoss and the like. I do not have any motorized bikes myself but I do have a bicycle. I use it at work. I work at an airport. The distance can be a good ways to walk especially if you want to cover distance quickly. It is a Murray Beach Cruiser with a front basket and a rear rack. It is excellent at transporting tools to my remote work area and back. It is a single speed with brakes on the pedals. Not exactly a speed demon but I have had it up to 17 mph in short burst. I use it a good bit. I do have a CatEye speedometer on it. It shows speed, max speed, trip miles and total miles. It has a reset button that will reset the max speed and trip miles to zero when pressed. The speedometer is good but when you change the batteries in it you loose to odometer miles accumulated since the last battery change. I usually get about 400 miles before the battery dies.


----------



## Jim (Jun 6, 2015)

I have a bike I use every day going biking with the kids. Its a cyclocross style bike for $299. I got it from Bikes Direct!

https://bikesdirect.com/


----------



## Abraham (Jun 6, 2015)

Keystone said:


> > Any bikers out there?
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Nice rack...on the back of the trike :beer:


----------



## Captain Ahab (Jun 6, 2015)

I have a canal cruiser with rod racks for fishing  

Kinda like this but my basket is set up in the front


----------



## JMichael (Jun 7, 2015)

I rolled this baby off the showroom floor in 1981 and we've been riding together every since. It's changed colors once and had a few other modifications over the years but we're both still going. I just came back from the first night time ride of this year about 45 minutes ago. Nice cool ride on a warm night.


----------



## Keystone (Jun 7, 2015)

That LTD 1000 looks awesome Mike! I recall when those were the hottest bike out there. Many of them ended up with Vetter fairings and bags. They made a great touring platform as well as a very nimble hot rod.


----------



## JMichael (Jun 7, 2015)

Keystone said:


> That LTD 1000 looks awesome Mike! I recall when those were the hottest bike out there. Many of them ended up with Vetter fairings and bags. They made a great touring platform as well as a very nimble hot rod.


Thanks, you've had some nice looking bikes yourself. I stripped mine down to the frame about 6 years ago and went through the whole thing. Had the frame blasted and powder coated before going back together with it. It's due for a new seat cover now so I'm thinking it's time for a gel insert or something to make things softer on the south end. I ain't as young as I was when I bought it. :lol:


----------



## poolie (Jun 7, 2015)

I have two road bikes and one mountain bike. Ride every time I get the chance. The only way to build up your endurance is to ride, ride, and ride some more. Four years ago when I got started riding a 20 mile ride would cause me to come home crash in the floor and take a nap. Last night I went out for a quick 32 miles just for fun.


----------



## bobberboy (Jun 8, 2015)

I went out yesterday to ride, ride, ride and took a digger. In Minneapolis there is an old railroad right of way that has been turned into a bike path called the Greenway. I made the mistake of going on Sunday afternoon. It was very busy. Bikers, skaters, wheelchair-ers, walkers and runners. Like one of those auto thrill shows. Long story short, dislocated finger, stitches to forehead and broken glasses. Thank goodness for helmets or I'd have gotten hurt. Saved the ol' head bone for sure. Maiden voyage of my new bike. Love the folks at Methodist Hospital emergency room!

Does anyone know about athletic glasses? They're supposed to bend and not break. It was my broken glasses that caused the cut to my forehead.


----------



## Jim (Jun 8, 2015)

Ouch! glad your OK! I need to get a brain bucket myself. I make the kids wear one but I don't. #-o


----------



## duckfish (Jun 8, 2015)

Beautiful bike Mike!!

In the late 70's, early 80's, I went from a KZ400 to KH500 to a KZ1000. When we first had kids, my wife offered me a "deal", I could go on all the hunting trips I wanted, but no more motorcycles and no more sky-diving. Now that our kids are grown and gone she says I can have a bike again. Must be she wants rid of me now. I sorta keep an eye out 'cause I told her if I found a really nice shape KZ1000 again, I'm gonna jump on it. You're pristine bike would have me stroking a check immediately.

As for bicycles.... I have a K2 mountain bike I should get my fat butt on more often.


----------



## TexasLoneStar56 (Jun 8, 2015)

:LOL2: :LOL2: :LOL2: 

I'm thinking Harley's, too!
Yes, we do....a His and a Hers.

I haven't ridden a bicycle in 10 years, or longer. Hard on old knees.

Nice Bikes posted! _All_ of them!

Nice thread Bobber! 8) 
M
Tyler, Texas


----------



## Johnny (Jun 8, 2015)

Careful there B.Boy - - - you are way too young to be messing up the noggin !!




I just purchased a nice Bridgestone Crossfire M-4000 from my local Salvation Army.
This is my first multi-speed bicycle so is taking a little getting used to. It appears to
be the general offroad type.
I do have a question on the gears - - - there are 7 on the right and 3 on the left.
Can't find anything on the net to see how to really get the most out of it. I do have some
"hills" here but not mountains.


This photo is of a M-3000 I pulled off the net. Mine is a silver M-4000.
Is in very good condition, gears shift like velvet . . . the price I got it for ??? *$15.00*




.


----------



## jethro (Jun 11, 2015)

Barefoot_Johnny said:


> I do have a question on the gears - - - there are 7 on the right and 3 on the left.
> Can't find anything on the net to see how to really get the most out of it. I do have some
> "hills" here but not mountains.



The 3 on the left handlebar control the 3 front gears or chainrings. The 7 on the right control the rear cog or cluster. If you are in the little chainring in the front and the big cog on the back, that is the lowest gear you have. Low = slow and is for climbing. One thing you want to avoid is being in the small ring up front and the small cog in the back (or vice-versa, large ring and large cog). That is called cross-chaining and puts unnecessary stress on the chain and rings. You may technically have 3 gears up front and 7 in the back for a total of 21 speeds, but there are many ratios that can be duplicated. A 21 speed bike in actuality might only have 14 gear ratios.

I'm a little out of the loop but at one point bicycles used to be my life. I raced semi-pro mountain bikes in the late 1980's when it was a new and emerging sport. I managed a very high end specialty sports store for 10 years and then eventually went on to work as an outside sales rep for the 2nd largest bike company on earth. I don't ride that much anymore but sometimes.


----------



## nowgrn4 (Jun 14, 2015)

I have a late sixties Raleigh Super Record. Hand made, butted tubing and lugged frame. It is a work of art. I paid what seemed like a small fortune for it in the early seventies. Still runs great. My other bike is a '00 Moto Guzzi Quota I bought new in '02.


----------



## Johnny (Jun 14, 2015)

Thanks Jethro - - I sort of thought that is how it went. sort of like Hi/Low 4x4 in a Jeep.
and I completely understand about the mis/match and stress . . . will avoid that.
Thanks !!


----------



## Moedaddy (Jun 17, 2015)

I need to buy me a bike


----------



## jasper60103 (Jun 18, 2015)

bobberboy said:


> ... *It was very busy. Bikers, skaters, wheelchair-ers, walkers and runners. Like one of those auto thrill shows. * ...



Good grief ! The bike path sound as busy as boat ramps on weekends. Hope all is well.
-jasper


----------



## bobberboy (Jul 12, 2015)

Like poolie says, ride, ride and ride some more. This week I made 90 miles including two 30 mile rides and 2,448' in elevation. I've been using an app called Strava to keep track of my rides. You can use it for biking, running etc. It keeps track of routes, route segments, personal records, ride times, average times, miles for the season. It's pretty cool and it's free. I'm really slow but I'm giving it hell. Well, at least what I've got left...


----------



## Pappy (Jul 12, 2015)

Lesa and I do a fair bit of riding......We just got back from an 11 day/9 state ride at just over 2300 miles. Mostly stayed in Maggee Valley then headed as far West as Missouri before heading home to Florida. 

Lesa's bike. 





Mine.........





And we still have Lesa's red and white that she started riding Valkyries on.


----------



## bobberboy (Jul 12, 2015)

Nice


----------



## crazymanme2 (Jul 13, 2015)

Here's my ride.


----------



## Keystone (Jul 13, 2015)

crazymanme2 said:


> Here's my ride.



Nice!


> Lesa and I do a fair bit of riding......We just got back from an 11 day/9 state ride at just over 2300 miles. Mostly stayed in Maggee Valley then headed as far West as Missouri before heading home to Florida.



Love riding that part of the country. Those Valkyries were some nice looking bikes. The new version doesn't have the same appeal to me.


----------



## TexasLoneStar56 (Jul 13, 2015)

Beautiful bikes! 8)


----------



## JMichael (Jul 13, 2015)

Dang Pappy!!! Those bikes look massive. Never seen one before, how much does one of them weigh? Those seats sure to look comfortable for making long rides.


----------



## Pappy (Jul 13, 2015)

The one with the bags (Tourer) is around 800# wet. The naked ones are prob around 760-770# wet. 
Plenty of cylinders for smoothness and tons of power when you want it. Both are nice features when touring the country. 

On our way West from Maggie Valley. Loaded up.
Lesa on hers.





Me, trying to keep up!


----------



## lovedr79 (Jul 13, 2015)

heres mine. 2007 - 883R. FOR SALE!


----------



## earl60446 (Jul 13, 2015)

The KZ1000 I bought in 1978, aftermarket muffler and sissy bar, rest is stock. Bought it new for $2300, gave it to my brother in 2008, he sold it for $3500 in 2012.



Bike I have now, 2003 honda sabre



Tim


----------



## Pappy (Jul 31, 2015)

Am thinking when we sell the Red/White Valk Tourer that the next bike will either be a:
Suzuki GS1100 (old school)
Triumph Legend (old school) 
Honda GL1200 Wing (naked version)


----------



## bobberboy (Jul 31, 2015)

Pappy said:


> Am thinking when we sell the Red/White Valk Tourer that the next bike will either be a:
> Suzuki GS1100 (old school)
> Triumph Legend (old school)
> Honda GL1200 Wing (naked version)



Which is the Triumph Legend? The old school Triumphs I know are the Tiger and Bonneville.


----------



## jethro (Aug 5, 2015)

Pappy said:


> Am thinking when we sell the Red/White Valk Tourer that the next bike will either be a:
> *Suzuki GS1100 (old school)*
> Triumph Legend (old school)
> Honda GL1200 Wing (naked version)



Oh no kidding, I have owned a half dozen of these, 81 EX's and 83 ED's. I used to restore them and averaged 15k miles a year. Here is the 83 ED I was most proud of:






This is my current sport tourer, 2006 Yamaha FZ1 pretty heavily modified to put 147 hp to the pavement. 438lbs. It's a little bit quick:





Pappy, if you get interested in picking up a GS, make sure you join up at www.thegsresources.com. I have 15k+ posts over there and that doesn't include what was on the previous site changed over like 12 years ago.


----------



## bobberboy (Aug 22, 2015)

What a summer. After my bike crash in June I managed to break a couple of barriers in July - some personal bests - until I took a little trip to to the bottom of the shower and managed to break a different kinf of barrier - 4 ribs (6 fractures in all) and wasn't able to ride for five weeks. I got out this morning and like the Phoenix of old, rose from the ashes of my former self. Not a great ride at 21 miles but enough to feel like I'm back in the saddle again. 

I should also relate my tale of shame related to the above. I laid in the bottom of the tub till the first responders came and then found myself standing bare-assed naked in front of three perfect strangers who dried me off and helped my into my underwear and clothes. It was a pretty low point and a window into the future :mrgreen: . And I should also mention that the cost of a bath mat is pretty minor when compared to a $9000 hospital bill. I was at my daughter's and they have very soft water. No mat and very slippery.

Finally, hats off to first responders!


----------



## KMixson (Aug 23, 2015)

bobberboy, That reminds me of a time I was taking a shower and when finished I heard the phone ringing in the living room. I ran from the shower through the master bedroom (which has carpet) into the kitchen (which has linoleum) where I slipped down with my wet feet and slammed into the wall of the washroom. There I lied naked, dazed and confused for a minute wondering what happened. I didn't manage to break anything but my pride and confidence. After gathering my wits I limped back to my shower to continue to dry off.


----------



## bobberboy (Mar 1, 2017)

I've been out three times already this year - at least two months ahead of usual. We had 65° here in MN a couple of weeks ago. If this is global warming, I'll take it. I have friends (younger and more fit) who can ride 3-4k miles in a season. I've set my goal at a grand. At my age (66) a 20-30 mile ride is about all the gas I've got at one time. To reach 1000 I've got to have 20 weeks of 50 miles @. It's doable but something always seems to get in the way. I'm usually off to a good start but then seem to let it go mid season. Sometimes it's the heat - sometimes I fall and break some ribs! Laziness is often a factor.

I've been tinkering with my gears this season. My early season bike is a 7-speed and I just changed the crank gear to a smaller one to give me more bottom end (to help move my bottom end!). By the time it's safe to get on my road bike I'll have got some strength back in my legs and will be good to go for the season. 

Woke to snow this morning...


----------



## RiverBottomOutdoors (Mar 1, 2017)

I started riding about 6 months ago looking for a way to exercise that didn't make my back hurt. I was really surprised how much I liked riding. Right now I'm avg 7 to 10 mile rides; my longest ride is 26 miles. Now that Spring is sprung here I hope to ride more and get my avg distance and speed up.


----------



## JL8Jeff (Mar 1, 2017)

I've been out 10-12 times since the beginning of the year but I never really stopped since this winter has been pretty mild. I still ride in shorts if it's in the upper 30's or warmer, 29 and flurries was just too cold and dangerous. I generally ride for around 1-1/2 hours, sometimes take the 2 hour loop, but every way back to my house finishes with an uphill climb. I have no idea how far I go, I just have several routes that take the right amount of time. I got 2 bike rides in last week, took the boat out fishing 4 times and played golf twice, not bad for February! :mrgreen:


----------



## paper (Mar 10, 2017)

Well, I did just pick this up.. An older Trek 730..






But I'm not a biker.. I'm a motorcyclist who owns a bicycle.. 

My regular ride is a 2014 Yamaha Super Tenere, but I have 7 motorcycles from the S10 to a 50cc scooter.. I ride about 20K miles a year, but I'm not a biker.. [-X 






to






And everything in between.. Including dirt..


----------



## stinkfoot (Mar 10, 2017)

The Legend was a cheaper version of the 3 cylinder T-Bird.


----------



## bobberboy (May 1, 2017)

I got hot wheels! Last week I got a new road bike - a new used one. It's a 2004 Specialized aluminum frame with carbon forks, seat post and seat stays. To buy this bike in 2017 would have cost between 3-4 times what I paid for it. The PO had more money than ambition and the thing had only a couple hundred miles on it. The original tires looked new. What a sweet bike and a good deal for me. I love my old Peugeot but have come to realize I'm probably going to get killed while riding my bike and wanted to go out on something really nice! Weather's been crappy but gonna get out soonest.


----------



## gnappi (May 10, 2017)

Captain Ahab said:


> I have a canal cruiser with rod racks for fishing
> 
> Kinda like this but my basket is set up in the front



I'm a sport biker, if it's not fast, I'm not on it. 

Anyway, your lures are bigger than some (actually many) of the fish I catch!


----------

