Messages

1

Gear Talk / Re: Elephant NFE build up.. components, suggestions please!

« on: February 01, 2016, 01:37:25 pm »

I'll check it out, thanks!

2

General Discussion / Re: Careful where you buy stuff

« on: January 31, 2016, 09:31:53 am »

I work in a large downtown area where a lot of bike thefts occur in our city. The vast majority of criminals that are stealing the bikes here are addicted to meth and thus are  stealing them and trading them for dope, or changing their appearance by spray painting them changing out parts and then riding the bikes themselves for transportation (getting around town to buy/sell more dope). They almost always carry a set of large bolt cutters in their backpacks so the U locks are one of the only types of bike locks that actually prevent them from being stolen.. Most of the cable locks, chain locks, etc. are not even the slightest deterrent to these types of thieves from stealing someone's pride and joy. I suppose a cable lock will prevent the opportunistic criminal that's just looking for an easy boost, but for the professional thieves that are actively hunting bikes to steal, you'd better have a cable lock on it or better yet, have your bike in your possession at all times (in these types of areas). It amazes me how many people don't actually record their bike's serial numbers down as well, just in case the worst scenario does actually happen and it gets stolen. There's been dozens and dozens of bikes that I've seen criminals using that I absolutely knew were stolen, but sadly the owners hadn't recorded the serial # down, and thus didn't have the # when they reported it as stolen. I've seen some of these criminals breaking down a stolen bike, swapping parts out, and spray painting them in mere minutes! It's like watching a NASCAR pit stop. Sad.

3

Gear Talk / Re: Elephant NFE build up.. components, suggestions please!

« on: January 31, 2016, 01:13:36 am »

So far I have collected some Shimano Saint flat pedals, a Brooks B17 CS saddle, and am looking hard at the Jones H bar handlebars. Anybody currently using the H bars and like em?

4

Gear Talk / Elephant NFE build up.. components, suggestions please!

« on: January 31, 2016, 12:14:08 am »

I am just about to purchase a new XL Elephant National Forest Explorer (aka NFE) and will be getting only the frame/fork. I have been out of the cycling world for well over a decade and understandably, things have changed! I would really appreciate any and all of your suggestions for the components that I will eventually be putting on this bike. The style of riding that I will be doing is mostly short day trips, some over nighters, and I'll be traveling on some major paved roads but primarily on mountain gravel roads, and forest service roads. I have always been a mountain biker so any sort of road style components (shimano dura 150, etc) are completely foreign to me. I will be doing this on a budget so I'm not necessarily looking for the best (although I always gravitate towards it!), just something that is proven, and most importantly, reliable. I've always used Shimano components but I'm open to SRAM, any others? I am looking for suggestions on the whole build. Should I buy my components all separately, look for a bike on Craigslist with good components and switch them all over and then sell the frame/fork? What has worked for you guys? Please feel free to ask me any questions, and I welcome all of your input. I will update as I build it, and post pictures as well. Thanks in advance!

5

General Discussion / Re: Careful where you buy stuff

« on: January 30, 2016, 11:29:29 pm »

I agree with both of you. Ideally, buy it ahead of time so you can save a few bucks. But in the long run, $30.00 extra dollars protected your investment. Oakland is kinda scary btw.