Cycling: Show us your sexy bicycle
Heeeyho Readers! Let's talk about bicycles!
Talking about bicycles is like saving for new parts — it never ends.
The cycling community is getting sexier everyday. It's inspiring to see people talk about bicycles/rides again. Way to go! To get to know each other's style, @friendlymoose asks about our beloved two-wheelers. So, this post is all about my bicycle and how I got it in the first place, which is quite a story.
Some of you know me for mountain biking races, but prior to that comes some cycle touring experiences, which is the prelude of how I bought Beast (my bicycle's name). To wrap it up before talking to the actual thing: In Nov. 2018, I cycled from Krakow (Poland) to London (UK), where my bicycle was stolen {bastards}. After much help and working my ass off as a delivery cyclist, I began an endless search for a suitable replacement. We can never find something that does it all. Right?
The Sonder Frontier is a British-made bicycle. After the incident, I wanted a mountain bike first of all. Not specifically a race machine, but something sturdy to withstand trails that could also endure multi-month tours. A road bicycle is undoubtedly faster to tour, a gravel bike lays in between; none capable of shredding trails. A proper XC bicycle doesn't carry a lot of weight, although I've always loved race bikes. Anyways. With a list of brands in hand it was a matter of ticking the boxes.
The Frontier seems to do it all, like a Swiss knife of the bicycles. Its only flaw for competitive racing is the weight (~12,9kg). However, what it lacks in nimbleness it compensates in trail capabilities. In other words... it's a tractor. And when I want to rest from the races, loading a bunch of bags and going camping isn't a problem for this bike. Would you load bags on a carbon fiber racing machine? Hell no.
Specs
My frontier came originally with a single chain-ring 11-speed Sram NX drive-train. It has now been upgraded to a 12-speed NX Eagle system. I use 36-T on the front; would use a 38 if the frame allowed. If altimetry is really serious I consider setting a 34 or 32-t chain-ring (only happened once for a climbing challenge).
I've been using 2.35 Maxxis Ikon tires. They are 3C (triple compound), TR (tubeless ready), EXO, Max Speed... all that means they are strong as hell. I'm running tubeless (more about that in the blog). Suspension is an air-sprung RockShox Recon; not the lighters but is super smooth.
The bag you see attached to the frame is only used in longer rides. I'd just completed a 77km ride on vicinal roads, explaining why the bag is there. It contains some utilities, such as emergency tube, pump, tools, etc.
Longer rides require extra precautions. Sometimes I use a backpack, though having my back free of anything feels better. I also don't like to load the little pockets in my cycling jersey with anything but snacks. On super long rides (read more than 100km) there's no option but wearing the backpack, since it holds a 2.5L water bag.
I forgot to take a picture of the cockpit. It's simple, to be honest. I don't have a GPS unit as they are kind expensive. Cellphone records Strava rides and I monitor the rest in a rather old cycle-computer (still using that magnet on the wheel xD).
That's what I've been riding since coming back home from the UK. I wish I had a nimble bicycle for races only, but not in my current reality. Until then, Beast has to work it out.
Now I'd love to know about your bicycle!
How to join?
Create a blog post in the Cycling community about your bicycle.
What kind of bicycle is it? Why did you choose this bicycle? Are there any interesting details about the bike? And maybe share some pictures of your bicycle.
Add the hashtag #mybike
Optionally tag other cyclists in your post or in the comments under this post.
Peace.
Did you know that I have a book out? Check this!
Access Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/6500272773?
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Find me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/mrprofessor_
~Love ya all,
Disclaimer: The author of this post is a convict broke backpacker, who has travelled more than 10.000 km hitchhiking and more than 5.000 km cycling. Following him may cause severe problems of wanderlust and inquietud. You've been warned.
Caramba, muito legal sua história e meu sonho é ter uma bike legal assim. Eu pedalo desde os 14 anos, mas em bicicletas normais, porque na cidade onde eu morei a maior parte da minha vida é cultura fazermos tudo de bicicleta quando não temos outro veiculo próprio. Mas, a verdade é que eu sempre quis fazer pedaladas mais interessantes além de pedalar só pra resolver coisas pra lá e pra cá, kkkk. Um dia realizo.
Feel free to share your own cycling stories in the Cycling Community. They don't have to be as adventurous as this one 😀
Thank you for the invite, I'm considering this. Who knows soon? (:
O que falta pra realizar o sonho? Go go. O legal do mundo das bikes é que o pessoal é muito inclusivo e sempre se ajuda. Um bom começo é se interar nos grupos de pedal, sempre surgem bikes usadas boas a bom preço. A bem da verdade é que qqr bike bem mantida vai a qqr lugar.
A verdade é que eu já deveria ter ido atrás disso mesmo. Mas, acabei colocando outras coisas como prioridade principalmente por ter o pensamento de que pode ser caro ter e manter uma bike legal assim. Mas, vou te falar, que ver seus posts e conversar com vc sobre isso acendeu a chama que eu precisava, e eu já tenho até pesquisado. Obrigada!
O que eu sempre digo é que a bicicleta pode ser cara, tudo varia do bolso de cada um e dos objetivos. A sacada pra iniciar é ir pela simplicidade.
Wow! Great story! From Poland to the UK, that's mustbhave been an adventurous trip!
You probably cycled through the Netherlands then or not?
I would love to do such a trip once, but with a family my holidays look a bit different 😀 (although I do take my bike with me on holidays).
And your bike is very! It really fits your purposes. And then that name; BEAST 👊
Thanks for sharing your #MYBIKE story.
I hope more cyclists will follow!
Thank you! It was quite a freezing experience to cross Europe in November,December and most of January 🥶
I didn't reach the Netherlands. Route was Poland, Czech Republic, Austria, Slovakia, bit of Hungary, Slovenia, Italy and France. After that I entered the UK through Calais-Dover.
I know @stortebeker has some wild bicycle stories as well. Where's he?
That isn't particularly the best time. You probably also had a lot of rain, didn't you?
@stortebeker just posted a few days ago in the Cycling Community about a trip in Berlin.
Thanx for the mention, @friendlymoose ! Yes, I had my first trip on my new old bike. Unfortunately my sexy Zorra Roja is not with me. But let's see if I can dig up some pictures to post something for this contest.
Cool!
It's not really a contest. It's more a way to get some more posts and interactions in the Cycling Community.
But sexy Zorra Roja makes me curious.
I should think of a name for my bike too 🤔
A lot of rain and snow.
Yikes!
There is a family that I once met who cycled through Mexico, from Ensenada to Tlaxcala, with another family. They had a caravan of four adults and six kids (7-15), and they did it in five months. It was amazing to see on their example what was possible, even with children, in a country like Mexico.
Give me those kids! My 14 year old thinks cycling to her school is far and that is just 2 kilometers 🤣
No, I love them, but cycling together isn't a good plan, haha.
Well, you can phrase it the opposite way: She really wants to cycle all day every day for months on end, she just doesn't know it yet!
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Thats a really nice bike @mrprofessor and sorry to hear your original bike was stolen. I don't think it is acceptable, but it seems to longer you are into riding, it will happen occasionally.
Yoo, thank you. Out of bad comes the good, as the saying goes. If my old bicycle wasn't stolen I would've never bought a better one. I will just make sure to take better precautions when going near large cities again xD