Posts by Dana Reyes5

Keith Ward said:🙂 , I actually quit smoking four months ago... !

It’s great that you finally kicked the habit, though it certainly wasn't good that you were doing it in the first place. Realistically, it will take at least two years for your lungs to fully clear out and regain the capacity needed for high-intensity training. Still, everyone has to start somewhere, so sooner is always better. Just keep up with the training and stay on the bike.

Keith Ward said:Having someone point you in the right direction certainly takes the edge off compared to stumbling through everything on your own.
I

It’s definitely easier with guidance, but at the end of the day, you’re still on your own. For anyone just training for fitness rather than competing professionally, it's nearly impossible to sync up your schedule with a team or a group. You'll end up doing most of the work solo anyway. Plus, you'll eventually need to invest in better gear and get much more disciplined about your nutrition.

You’re never too old to get into cycling. You don't even need to be part of some official club just to start competing; there are plenty of local charity rides and community events where you can sign up as a recreational rider to test the waters. If you find you actually have a knack for it, then you can look into joining a team. Most clubs are happy to take people of all ages because their whole goal is to grow the sport and increase their membership numbers.
To kick things off, you'll obviously need a bike and the right gear. The guys at a local club will be your best resource here—they can give you solid advice on what to look for, and they might even help you hunt down a decent used bike to save some cash.
Just keep one thing in mind: unless you've already put in massive mileage, you won't stand a chance against a seasoned pro. If you're serious about competing, expect to face some grueling training sessions and a lot of hours in the saddle.

The pipes are full of stainless steel, full of what exactly???🤔

analogtrucker13 said:It’s basically this: I’m currently running mechanical Tektro brakes, but I’m considering upgrading to hydraulic Avid Juices—specifically the 5s$283 per brake.

Look, if you're just riding recreationally, an upgrade like that isn't strictly necessary. Mechanical brakes will serve your needs perfectly well enough. But, if you happen to have extra cash burning a hole in your pocket and simply don't know what else to do with it...🤷

darkmason40;27489268. said:Honestly, I have to admit, I’d take a computer too. 😂

Forget the computer. Honestly, technology is nothing more than a necessary evil. When you’re out on your bike, you aren't looking at a screen; you're testing the absolute limits of your own endurance. And the best part? Every single time you push past those boundaries, you end up moving the goalposts even further, leaving yourself genuinely stunned by what you've actually achieved.
Just keep riding and putting in the training hours. Eventually, you’ll build up enough strength to actually feel confident stepping into a recreational amateur cycling event. Once you hit that level, everything starts to click naturally, and you'll find yourself tackling increasingly difficult and demanding stretches without even thinking twice about it.
Sports and recreation are fundamentally about health. It doesn't have to be cycling—it could be anything from walking and running to swimming. When you consistently push your heart rate up and get that blood pumping, you aren't just building physical stamina; you're sharpening your mind. Over time, people who maintain high circulation through regular activity tend to think more clearly and lead significantly healthier lives.
That’s all there is to it—just keep moving forward.👍

For most of us, the beginnings follow a pretty predictable pattern, so I’ll skip over that part. Usually, after that initial phase of youthful cycling, people move on to mopeds, motorcycles, or cars, before eventually circling back to two wheels. When they do, the motivation is almost always centered around increasing physical activity.

Following a period of physical decline and various health issues—where modern medicine failed to provide much relief beyond a few minor procedures—I was faced with a stark choice: either rely on a wheelchair or build enough muscle mass to get back on my feet.
At that point, my capacity was limited to walking about eight hundred meters before being sidelined by pain and a cocktail of medications that felt more like a burden than a cure.
My first attempt at returning to cycling was meticulously planned; it took place after a summer of disciplined swimming and physical therapy exercises under professional supervision.
Then came that very first kilometer. I was physically and mentally crushed. I tried again a few weeks later, and then again, slowly chipping away at those initial kilometers. Success meant managing five or six miles, though I dealt with neck and back pain, numbness in my hands and feet, and aching knees.
8.7 milesI maintained that level for a few months, and then I started feeling the ability to push toward twenty miles. Day by day, the mileage increased and my strength grew. Many of my ailments vanished. To be fair, some issues remain that will likely never be fully resolved, but overall, things have improved significantly.
What once seemed impossible and completely out of reach is now effortless after nearly two years of consistency. I can cruise through fifty to sixty miles in one go, hit a hundred with a bit more effort, and I don't feel any intimidation when looking at distances exceeding a hundred.
Ultimately, regular physical activity is what keeps a person healthy. The problem is that many people give up because they cannot handle the initial physical strain or endure long enough to see those first results—which are the foundation and the whole reason for doing this in the first place.

melloworca said:Oh yeah, because nothing says "enjoyable ride" like pushing a bike by hand.

Look, it’s simple. You carry one tiny little tool in your saddlebag—something that costs maybe 60 bucks$27—you use it to shorten the chain so you're locked into just one gear, say middle-middle, and suddenly you're pedaling away instead of walking. Problem solved, and you'll be back home in no time.

melloworca said:To be fair, I’m still fairly green when it comes to cycling, so my main "what if" scenarios were always centered around flat tires. I never once imagined that at the 30-mile mark, my rear derailleur would just decide to detach itself from the bike. facepalm

Anything can happen out there. You could snap a derailleur or have a cable failure, and honestly, you can fix quite a bit on the side of the road to make it back home. I'm actually curious—how did you manage to handle it?😁

Please tell me you didn't have to walk it home.😁

restlesssurfer5 said:Just stick some Kevlar strips between the tire and the tube, one around $20 for both tires. Then just ride...

I don't share that sentiment, and my own experience has been entirely different.

The price tag is a bit higher, though that’s a minor grievance. The real issue lies with the overlap where the strip meets; you can try to hide it, but it's always there. That extra thickness creates a noticeable bump, causing a slight, rhythmic skipping sensation when riding on smooth asphalt. But even that isn't the dealbreaker. The overlapping section eventually "acts up," and after enough miles, the edge of the strip ends up puncturing the tube itself. Since you can never perfectly align that seam, the puncture site looks as if someone took coarse sandpaper to the tube.
Whether you rotate the overlap in the direction of travel or against it, the result is the same; it catches.
My track record with these strips has been decidedly poor.
And if anyone wants to get pedantic about it, those strips increase the rotational mass of the bike, which is far from negligible.

melloworca said:Given my body weight and the fact that I have absolutely zero interest in calling for a rescue when a tire fails out in the middle of nowhere, I’m looking for some solid advice.
I’m willing to pay for good advice with a round of drinks at any bar you choose.

one awl

three tire levers

one bike pump

one tube sealant

twenty patch kits

one sheet of coarse sandpaper

Just puncture the tires with the awl, strip them down, patch them up, and repeat that cycle until you've burned through every single patch in the kit. Then, go buy a new kit and get back on the road.

Good luck.

Alexander Carter87 said:I’m looking for some advice. I recently restored an old Google bicycle with 24-inch rims, but there's a bit of a snag: I'm relatively tall, and the geometry just doesn't work for me. My knees are practically hitting the handlebars, even with the stem raised to its absolute limit. I was wondering if there is any realistic way to raise the handlebars further.

...

A small bike is a small bike. There isn't much you can do here; trying to raise the bars would be a temporary fix at best and would likely just prolong your discomfort. The frame is simply too small for your build. Sell it, give it away, or toss it in the trash—then go out and find, buy, or "liberate" a bike that actually fits your height.

That's about it.

ruggedharbor77 said:... you're just minding your own business, eating a banana, and then suddenly lightning strikes you right in the backside..

I'm not entirely convinced that bananas act as lightning rods, though perhaps they've become more attractive to the elements in this modern era.😁

ruggedharbor77 said:- what happens when lightning hits an electrified vehicle

Don't bother overthinking it; it’s never actually going to take off.

jadehound5 said:Alright, that settles it. It’s time to get building.

Wise move. You might as well spend it all now before you kick the bucket.😁

Why leave anything behind for the rest of them?🤣

There are plenty of much more elegant ways to go out; I'm not sure why you settled on a bicycle.

Dana Reyes5 said:No matter how much you fiddle with the front derailleur adjustment, there is absolutely no excuse for the chain to jump over the largest sprocket or slip underneath the smallest one. Those two tiny limit screws aren't just there for decoration; they serve as physical boundaries specifically designed to prevent that exact kind of mess. Use them as intended. Once you get them properly tuned, there’s really no need to mess with them ever again. Adjusting the gear linkage is strictly a matter of tensioning the cables. You can either go the blunt route by shortening the cable at the adjustment screw itself, or you can opt for more precise, fine-tuned regulation directly at the shifter.

Elizabeth Myers32 said: I’ve spent quite a bit of time tinkering with those adjustment screws, tightening and loosening them in an attempt to get everything perfectly aligned, but I simply cannot get them to sync up.It’s hit or miss depending on the speed. For some velocity profiles, it performs adequately; for others, it fails entirely.

Well, I’m glad you managed to snag that deal—it was a smart move on your part. Just a bit of advice for next time: if you read a little more closely, you’d realize they’ve actually laid out most of those details quite clearly already.
When you finally get those two little adjuster bolts dialed in, for heaven's sake, just leave them alone. It seems like everyone’s first instinct is to rush over, grab a wrench, and start tinkering—tightening this bit, loosening that bit—until they inevitably cause the chain to jump the sprocket. And then, suddenly, everything is ruined. Let's just remember what these things actually are: they are limit screws, not toys. Set them once, set them right, and walk away.

You’re going to have to hunt for something pre-owned if you want that "like-new" quality without the retail markup. My advice? Keep a close eye on the local listings, or better yet, just post your own ad stating exactly what you're looking to buy.

John Lewis91 said:So, I went ahead and installed this Shimano Deore FD on my Trek.

And if anyone is thinking about upgrading the derailleur on their 21-speed bike like I did, let me save you the trouble right now: don't bother, because it’s fundamentally flawed.😠

This Shimano Deore FD is designed for setups with 44-32-22T chainrings. Most 21-speed bikes, however, run a 48/38/28 setup... which means when you try to shift into the largest front ring, the derailleur cage hits the teeth of the middle one. You could technically "fix" this by mounting the derailleur higher—positioning the cage about 1.5 cm above the largest ring—but while it might function, there's a high probability the chain will just drop off the teeth during the shift from the middle ring to the large one. That’s a recipe for a nasty crash mid-ride.

I just hope I've saved someone else the headache...

You've made several mistakes here, and you'll never get your derailleurs tuned correctly using that logic.
Your assessment regarding the tooth count versus the number of speeds isn't quite accurate, though that's beside the point.
Under no circumstances should you raise the front derailleur more than 5-7 mm above the largest chainring.
Regardless of how you tune a front derailleur, the chain should never jump over the top of the largest ring or fall below the smallest one. Those two small screws are limiters; once they are set, you shouldn't touch them again. Adjustment should be handled solely by adjusting cable tension, whether that's via the barrel adjuster on the cable or the fine-tuning dial on the shifter itself.
In any case, you've completely botched the setup. Time to go back and do it all over again.

Most magicians don't just grab a pack off a shelf; they typically build their own custom decks. You usually take two or three identical sets of Bee playing cards and merge them into a single, highly modified deck. Of course, you can't even start the assembly process until you have the trick fully memorized. While there are certainly pre-made decks available for purchase online, there's an unwritten rule in the community that using store-bought cards just isn't the same thing.