CBBaron

Left at 5 this morning.

6.5 hours from Dublin to my dads work in warrenton Virginia.

Sounds like you had a decent ride.

And now you know 5 hours on the freeway is nothing like 5 hours of back roads. I know I can ride 8+ hours of backroads and not feel too fatigued but 1 hour on the freeway and I start worrying about when I'm going to stop  

The little Ninja is not a bad ride for a long trip. Not many options for luggage but its comfortable and the engine will do 70+ mph all day.

Craig

No hitch on my car. The family suv has one though. Just looked i ride my bike down to rt 82 now on the bike path. It would be kind of a hike to ride there do the trail then ride home. Maybe that is what i could work u to.

If you are going to do a trunk mounted rack get a Saris Bones. Far better than any other I have tried. Thats what I usually use to carry my fat bike on the Beetle.

Craig

Better as how its kept up or more challenging? I am just looking for some easy trails to break my cherry on.i been doing the paved metropark trails so far.

I will say that the Royalview trail is a great trail to start on, especially if you are close. Any competent rider should be to complete the loop on a knobbie tired bike without much difficultly.

Craig  

IMO, hitch receiver mount>roof rack>strap-on tail mount.

 

Spent last weekend on the trails at Stonewall Jackson Lake in WV. So, so fun! The trails were kinda raw and unkempt, but nice and challenging, and muddy! Good times. Our first ride there we did 10 miles and climbed 2000+ feet!

+1

If you already have the load bars for a roof rack then that is probably much cheaper than a hitch mount, otherwise get the hitch mount. Unless you have a short car getting the bike into a roof mount is a pain, and Im 6'2".

I really like the tray type systems like 

http://www.performancebike.com/bikes/Product_10052_10551_1122106_-1_400170__400170

However it does not fit my fat bike easily

Craig

So where is a good total noob trail near the west side of cleveland?

Royalview trail in Millstream metroparks, Strongsville.

Nice easy trail and not too long. I would guess it will take a while to dry out from the recent rains though.

Canalway center in Cuyahoga is shorter and more challenging but is on a hillside so holds up pretty well to wet conditions.

Ive heard that Regan park in Medina is much better than either in the Cleveland metro parks and just a few more miles south, but I have not been yet.

Craig

Vstrom is a good bike at about everything but not a great bike at any one thing. Just a great bike over all:D

DL1000 and DL650 are the same frame except 1000 has a taller stock seat. Two up and all day comfort is good once you figure out the buffetting. Suspension is long travel so soaks up the big hits, but basic so brake dive is a little problem as is bouncing on rough corners. Pauly added Ricor intiminators to my forks which helps both issues in the front.

The motor is same as the SV650 tuned for slightly less peak power with a little more torque. Less power than your FZ1 but will still get to triple digits pretty quick.

I like that it is an any road bike. Exploring back roads are something the Strom does very well. Also there is a ton of rack and luggage options and other accessories.

Doubt I will ever get rid of mine.

Craig

Sent from my KFTT using Tapatalk 2

Pontiac Vibe/Toyota Matrix is quite a bit smaller than the SUVs but does have a surprising amount of interior space. 

Small SUVs have been increasing in popularity so more people are shopping for them now than bought them a few years ago. So the resell prices remain high as supply exceeds demand. 

Small wagons like the Vibe, Impreza, Fit etc will probably sell for less on the used market and get better fuel economy too. You will give up some space and usually a little noisier cabin compared to the bigger vehicles, but they are usually cheaper to buy and operate.

Craig 

i rode with a dude during mohican 100 who was riding a fat bike.  work for all those miles!

Wow

Thats my goal. To do the mohican 100k on my fat bike. Ofcourse the goal will just be to finish before dark

Craig

If buying new shimano 105 components would be as low as I would go

Shimano 105 are an excellent value. Lower and quality is a little questionable. Higher and you are mostly paying for lost grams. 

I guess my problem is I have never been into mainstream bicycle types. I have had several recumbents, a fixed gear, a CrossCheck single speed and 45mm tires (commuter) and a fat bike for my mountain bike. Never owned a performance road bike or a mountain bike with suspension. 

I think it depends on what you want out of the bike.

Me personally I dont care for the common road racing wanna be bicycles that are the norm. The riding position is too extreme, the rock hard tires make the ride harsh and handling is twitchy. Same reason I don't own a supersport motorbike.

You can get 90+% of the performance with a much more comfortable bike. Cyclecross and light touring frames like the Surly CrossCheck and Jamis Aurora are good all around bikes with better "manners" than the race bikes.

I am a fan of wide dropbars as the extra hand positions allows for more long term comfort and better aerodynamics than most flat bars. 

28mm tires are the narrowest I go, prefer even wider.

But if you want the fastest road bike then look for the race replica bikes. Carbonfiber is usually lighter and more aero than the other materials.

Craig

Though to be fair, just about everybody is having their frames built in China, now.

True, though I feel there is difference between a rebrander who drop ships to your house and a manufacturer who distributes through your local bike shop (LBS).

I do have a bike purchased from one of these rebranders, and while the price was great and the frame good the assembly and component choices were more questionable. There was obviously some serious cost cutting going on to get to the prices they are sold for.

My Surly CrossCheck built up by the LBS is a much nicer bike and has had fewer problems despite being abused by years of all weather commuting on Cleveland "streets". 

Craig

I have not seen many bars or beer stores as well stocked  

Very Impressive.

Craig

Well thats dumb

Its because the company is really just an importer from China. So CA is were the container lands. They just direct ship to the customer. 

Cheap labor in China and minimal overhead is the reason the bikes cost so little.

Craig

You sir are hardcore

+1 

Congratulations. It sounds like you did really well.

I may have to consider doing the 100k version in the next year or 2, but if I do my goal ill be to finish that in about 10hrs. 100 miles in that time is way out of reach.

Craig

I've done similar before and several coworkers drive that or worse.

Consider the economic and time costs of the commute and weigh that vs the job, pay and alternatives.

If I had to I would commute like that again but I very much prefer my 8 mile, 20 min commute

Craig

Come take my surround sound system off my hands.

Every thing needed to add surround sound to your home theater.

Dolby Digital 5.1 receiver/amplifier

Remote

5 compact speakers

Subwoofer

Speaker wires

Brackets to mount rear channel speakers.

Receiver has inputs for digital optical, component, Svideo

Make me an offer. Need to get rid of it.

About 10 miles. There are 5 different sections so you can loop around your favorite parts. Some areas you can get a ton of speed plus there are some technical sections too! Royalview is only 1/2 mile from me but takes 30min for me to get to Medina but its WELL WORTH IT. Hit me up to ride if you want, am going again sometime this weekend.

Ill PM you if I can get away. 

Between the weather and packed family activities this weekend, its unlikely I can get the 1/2 day off needed to get to Medina and ride, but maybe I can work in something.

From the map seems like the "moderate" is similar to Royalview. Might be a little tougher than Canalway but Canalway is only one 2 mile loop.

Craig

Nope it does feel appropriate for me now that I have over 100 miles on it now. I LOVE this bike i also freaking LOVE the medina trail. Rode again on tuesday

 

 

Can't wait to see the ski. Come up this weekend with your man 102nd7

So how long is the trail there?

How difficult?

Been meaning to get down there but it is a 50min drive from here

Ive done Royalview a few times. Its pretty easy. I had no problem doing both loops. Would have done more but didn't have time.

May have to try to squeeze in a trip to Medina this weekend sometime.

Craig

Non super slab will add considerable time to your ride and it doesn't get the slightest bit curvy until you hit the PA border.

That said if I wasn't pushed for time I would take 422->88->358 then it looks like 62 and 322 gets you to your destination. 

422 gets you out of the suburb congestion and slow limits. then 88 is not a bad ride through farm country. 

Most of the way through OH you can go 1 mile north or south and find a smaller rural that run parallel. I find these fun but I ride a Vstrom not a sportbike.

Craig

Took the day off yesterday for my last training day before Mohican 100 race.  did two loops in 5 hours 10 minutes.  I'm race ready!

Impressive!!!

Good luck next week in the race. Are you doing the 100 mile or 100km?

I have thought about doing the 100km at some point but I am a long ways away from that in fitness. 

Craig

Not very confusing. Maybe just some mixed terminology.

There are 2 methods to get a full Motorcycle license in Ohio.

First

1. Pass written test

2. Get temporary permit

3. Pass riding test

4. Get motorcycle endorsement / MC license

Second

1. Pass written test

2. Get temporary permit

3. Take MSF course and pass final test

4. Get MC endorsement

The second method is the recommended method for new riders as you learn alot during the couple days on the course. Plus you get to use their bikes and dont have to worry about dropping yours during the initial learning stage.

i separate test and license steps because these are actually different government agencies and may have different site or at least different desks in your location. 

Your temporary permit is good for one year and restricts you from freeways, riding at night and with passengers. 

Your full endorsement restricts you to riding with a helmet for the first year.

Ohio has no engine size or power restrictions for any riders. 

Craig

PS take the MSF course. Try walk in if local courses are full. Or schedule in a different county. I noticed that less populous counties seem to have more slots available.

Disagree

Time exists same as distance and mass exist.

Clocks are used to measure time, and years, days, hours, etc are units, same as meters and grams are units or distance and mass.

Now whether we are a slave to time, clocks or hours is a different discussion but it should not start with a false statement.

Craig

I'm pretty sure my receiver is rated for 500 lb tongue load. It could have to do with the vehicle' date=' itself. [/quote']

Tongue weight rating is a vehicle rating, based on suspension and frame.

200# is probably a reasonable number for a car but I would be surprised to see a 2" receiver available for such a vehicle.

Craig

What class is your hitch? 200 lbs seems low to me.

200 does seem low. 350 or 400 is what Ive seen for most that can actually mount a 2" receiver.

Remember you have to account for the weight of the rack in your limits. Since a stock crf100f is 174 you are probably over when including the rack. A steel rack will be worse than the aluminum one. However at 350# rating you should be good.

Craig