Who got a new bike for Christmas?

[biknut]

I didn't, but I did get to ride 25 miles on Christmas day with my son. Came in pretty handy avoiding the mother in law. On the ride we saw one new Christmas bicycle, and a skate board, but that's about it. Even though the weather was sunny and warm, there weren't many kids out playing with there new toys. It's not like it used to be. I guess they're all inside now playing computer games.

 

[George S.]

I bought a Fezzari carbon road bike on Black Friday. I like the simplicity and the efficiency, and the company is in Utah. Have to agree about kids and bikes. To me it is a little sad. Bikes were freedom when I was a kid.

 

[EddieJ]

No new bike, but I did get a Park Tools handlebar clamp.



Ride wise, I completed a very scary 27 mile e-mtb ride on the 23rd. Scary because the wind was so dangerously strong. I then went out for 17 mile mtb ride with one of my cousins on Xmas day morning. Him on the e-mtb and myself on the pedal bike shown above with the handlebar clamp fitted. We also had a very miserable person rant at us and take our photos for riding off road. We didn't respond, and just figured that he was spoiling his own Xmas, not ours..
The weather is very wet and miserable over here at the moment, and I had planned a 30 mile plus e-mtb ride for tomorrow, but that one is now looking doubtful. The ground conditions are just so wet and muddy, and making any kind of forward progress isn't easy.

Sadly I have yet to see any youngsters out on new bikes.

Any excuse to show my two favourite toys.

 

[Shea N Encinitas]

Well I did meet one very polite young man with a new scooter, we talked briefly on xmas eve while he was riding an electric scooter, then today I saw him on a new rear caster wheel scooter. I got an Xmas day ride in but also got a nice washing from a brief rain shower, at one point it was hard to see in the downpour so I hung out under a tree. Once home a proper 2 hour cleaning was performed, good time to get the salt (from the Ocean) off anyway. Cheers, -S

 

[Brambor]

We have had a very wet and warm weather over last 7 days. I went fatbiking on Christmas day with my son and again fatbiking yesterday with my older son. Both times to a different beach as the trails are a muddy mess and prone to be destroyed by bikes.

 

[George S.]

Winter weather, winter bike. It doesn't snow 45 minutes south of here, and there are very nice bike paths.

 

[Brian Lee]

Santa brought a new set of wheels!

(Link Removed - No Longer Exists)

 

[Shea N Encinitas]

But it was an Elf that put the BodyFloat on it! -S

 

[Brian Lee]

Guilty as charged! And an Adamo Typhoon seat and Ergon grips...

 

[biknut]

Looks like Santa was very nice to you Brian.

 

[Brian Lee]

Yes, I am very fortunate and thankful. I just returned from a 20 mile ride that I've never even attempted on a regular bike. This enables me to participate in a hobby that was otherwise impossible.

 

[Gus]

I got a non-electric (gasp!) fat bike. I never thought going so slow would be so much fun.

I really have no desire to electrify it at this time since I mainly only ride singletrack and there is no snow yet. I'm sure once the snow falls and I'm going 5 mph pushing through 6" of fluffy stuff that I'll be scrambling to put something on it.

 

[Brambor]

what'dyaget Gus?

 

[JoePah]

I got a non-electric (gasp!) fat bike. I never thought going so slow would be so much fun.

I really have no desire to electrify it at this time since I mainly only ride singletrack and there is no snow yet. I'm sure once the snow falls and I'm going 5 mph pushing through 6" of fluffy stuff that I'll be scrambling to put something on it.

Gus do you really like that thing? I tried one for about a 1 mile and had enough.. maybe i should give it another try.

 

[Gus]

what'dyaget Gus?

After testing riding a bunch from Surly, Salsa, Specialized, Trek, and Borealis I was set on getting something with the Bluto front suspension but the prices at the LBS for anything with a Bluto fork is insanely high. So, I got the cheapest fat bike I could find with a Bluto fork, which was the Gravity Monster Pro. Never test rode it and I had all intentions of stripping the bike down for parts and using a steel frame I knew I liked. To my surprise the bike fits like a glove as-is and rides great. I'm not changing anything expect maybe the tires.

 

[Gus]

Gus do you really like that thing? I tried one for about a 1 mile and had enough.. maybe i should give it another try.

Ohh yeah! BUT the amount of fun depends on where it's used and what the tire pressure is set to. It's dreadful on dry paved roads. I'd never use this thing for commuting. On asphalt the tires make a lot of noise. With the wrong tire pressure, it will feel either like you are pedaling through mud all the time or it will be a bouncing ball. Finding the right tire pressure for the situation is key.

However, for off-road and when conditions get really bad is where it really shines. It goes down or up any hill no matter the condition of the trail. It goes over curbs like they aren't even there. On really rocky/bumpy/nasty terrain it rolls over it like a Cadillac. Its a lot of work to get it up and going but the rotational inertia of the big tires make this thing feel like a freight train that just rolls over everything.

The main reason I got it was to continue to bike when it snows. The midwest got so pummeled with snow last year my 29'er could not get through it. I'm hoping it's a different story this year.

 

[Brambor]

The local xc place has opened its trails to fat bikes tomorrow from 12-4. I'm going.

 

[Gus]

Just got dumped on with snow today in Chicago. I took the fat bike out and was able to get through 8 inches at about 4 mph but it was a TON of work. It was also really squirmy in turns.

For yucks, I then took out my Surly LHT with 26x1.75 studded tires and Bafang middrive. Holy sh!t! This thing shredded through the snow at about 14+ mph. Tracked much better. It was still squirly in the turns but easily correctable. I have full fenders front and rear and it looked like a freakin' snow blower with the amount of snow being thrown straight out the front fender.

Studded Tires > Fat Tires even in snow this deep.

 

[Brambor]

I have studded tires on my fat bike.

 

[Gus]

I have studded tires on my fat bike.

Nice! If I only had a electric fat bike with studded tires I would actually be able to ride to work tomorrow. I'll have to take the car Depressing