Which Bicycle for the XT?

I have a storage problem here too. I purchased one of these:

http://www.livingincomfort.com/demi2grbistr.html

Keeps the bikes off the floor and inside for security. It is lightweight and looks good too.

Never thought that these products existed! Thanks for the recommendation. I will look them up. I think it is just solution to my storage problem!

Jesse Ayers said:

I have a storage problem here too. I purchased one of these:

http://www.livingincomfort.com/demi2grbistr.html

Keeps the bikes off the floor and inside for security. It is
lightweight and looks good too.

Click to expand...

--
Explore The Immortal Mind...
http://www.theteh.com/

I have a flat bar messenger style of bike. It's a specialized sirrus. It has thinner tires (not quite as thin as pure racing bikes), but specialized makes an excellent "Armidillo" tire that is VERY resistant to punctures....so the tires are thin and fast AND reliable.

Cannondale makes a super excellent bike called the "Bad Boy" of which there are two versions. The more expensive $1200 (US) version has a very smooth front shock (the head shock) which makes for a very smooth ride for you and the gear you have up front. It too, is a messenger style of bike. It's light and quick.

Kelton

I bike, I fish, and I take pictures. They can indeed all work together. I would much prefer not to take a single lens reflex along on a bike, though. A small point and shoot would be so much more realistic.

The easiest bike is a mountain bike. There are so many brands and levels that it can quickly become frustrating. I have mostly high end stuff with disk brakes and in the mid 20 pound range, but something in a major brand in the low 30 pound range is just fine. Most of the 200 to 400 dollar range bikes fit that range and have good components and probably 8 speeds in the back and three in the front. That will be fine for most any biking you want to engage. I really don't think brand is of much consequence in mid to lower priced stuff. I have a couple GT's, a Jamis, a KHS, a Schwin, a Raleigh, a couple Trek's, a couple Canondales, you get the idea. All have their strong points. All are more than adequate. Spend some time at a good bike shop. Don't expect to get anything worth taking home from Walmart. Consider Walmart bikes the equivalent of those 4 megapixel point and shoot cameras you never heard of being sold on ebay.
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Dave Lewis

Yep, I have a tandem.I can just imagine my wife dragging me around while I drink a beer.
--
Dave Lewis

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Dave Lewis

HI Dave,

I can see that you are an expert in biking!! Good to hear from someone with indept experience about bikes. Most people (in this thread) recommend me a hybrid as I will be using mainly in the city but also the countryside at times. I do think hybrid is for me but I do like the stronger wheels. Unless my main aim is for off road riding, I would have gone for a mountain bike. Furthermore, I think mountain bike is heavier than the hybrids and therefore less efficient for longer distance riding on the road.

On the other hand, the hybrids have less suspension compared to mountain bike and therefore less ideal for carrying camera gears.... nothing is perfect..

Dave Lewis said:

I bike, I fish, and I take pictures. They can indeed all work
together. I would much prefer not to take a single lens reflex
along on a bike, though. A small point and shoot would be so much
more realistic.

The easiest bike is a mountain bike. There are so many brands and
levels that it can quickly become frustrating. I have mostly high
end stuff with disk brakes and in the mid 20 pound range, but
something in a major brand in the low 30 pound range is just fine.
Most of the 200 to 400 dollar range bikes fit that range and have
good components and probably 8 speeds in the back and three in the
front. That will be fine for most any biking you want to engage. I
really don't think brand is of much consequence in mid to lower
priced stuff. I have a couple GT's, a Jamis, a KHS, a Schwin, a
Raleigh, a couple Trek's, a couple Canondales, you get the idea.
All have their strong points. All are more than adequate. Spend
some time at a good bike shop. Don't expect to get anything worth
taking home from Walmart. Consider Walmart bikes the equivalent of
those 4 megapixel point and shoot cameras you never heard of being
sold on ebay.
--
Dave Lewis

Click to expand...

--
Explore The Immortal Mind...
http://www.theteh.com/

Hey Dave,
That's some bike collection you have there!

I ride a Avanti Mountian Bike. I don't do a lot of road work but I do have a road bike for that. It always seems real weird when I get onto the road bike after being on the mountian bike, seems so flimsy. Give anything you are looking to purchase a good try out.

I've always been nervious taking the 300d on the bike with me. I find I ride with a totaly different style when I've got the camera in a backpack on my back.

The other thing I'm not all that comfortable with is packing my rehydration pack and my camera gear in the same pack. I usually settle for water bottles on the bike.

Dave Lewis said:

I bike, I fish, and I take pictures. They can indeed all work
together. I would much prefer not to take a single lens reflex
along on a bike, though. A small point and shoot would be so much
more realistic.

The easiest bike is a mountain bike. There are so many brands and
levels that it can quickly become frustrating. I have mostly high
end stuff with disk brakes and in the mid 20 pound range, but
something in a major brand in the low 30 pound range is just fine.
Most of the 200 to 400 dollar range bikes fit that range and have
good components and probably 8 speeds in the back and three in the
front. That will be fine for most any biking you want to engage. I
really don't think brand is of much consequence in mid to lower
priced stuff. I have a couple GT's, a Jamis, a KHS, a Schwin, a
Raleigh, a couple Trek's, a couple Canondales, you get the idea.
All have their strong points. All are more than adequate. Spend
some time at a good bike shop. Don't expect to get anything worth
taking home from Walmart. Consider Walmart bikes the equivalent of
those 4 megapixel point and shoot cameras you never heard of being
sold on ebay.
--
Dave Lewis

Click to expand...

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Regards
--
Greg

Yep, sounds like you're making a good choice. I used to ride road bikes as an obsession. Did over 5000 miles a year for a good while. As I've gotten older, I just don't have the flexibility to ride road bikes. The crouch is too much for my neck. I have an older Schwin I bought back in the 80's that I ride on the road now. It is light and smooth, has no suspension and mountain bike tires, but handles very comfortably on the road for me. It would be the equivalent of the hybrid bike now, definitely a good choice for you.

I live in the Virginia in the winter and ride the Schwin there. Out here in Montana in the summer I ride a selection of pure mountain bikes. My favorite is a high end full suspension KHS bike. It is the best of all compromises, smooth, extremely light, rides very smoothly, has good pedal attack, just about anything you could ask for. If I want to go fast, though I ride my Jamis hardtail which is nearly as light as a road bike and nimble and quick and just eats up the trails if they are smooth enough. The GT is a good compromise bike. I keep a less expensive one at a second home and ride both town streets and light trails with it. I have a high end GT hardtail I use over here some for heavy pounding - mostly pounding me.

So many bikes, so little time, so many cameras so little light.

Take advantage of everything you can seize. We are only here for a very short time.
--
Dave Lewis

Greg_C said:

Hey Dave,
That's some bike collection you have there!

Click to expand...

Oh, but that's over a period of 25 years. I've had a passion for bikes since my early 40's and have never gotten over it. Most of those bikes were road bikes. I probably have owned 20 or more road bikes, mostly ones I built up myself from components and frames. I've only had a few mountain bikes. My current favorite is my KHS full suspension bike, light and smooth, great machine.

I'm older than most folks riding bikes in the woods, but hold my own. I'm lucky to be a little guy with absolutely no extra baggage around the middle.

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Dave Lewis

Hi there,

I'm a biker and yes, I'm bringing my new XT with. My equipement is as follow:

• I'm riding a 'hybrid' bike, good for city and gravel, or simple trails. Mud fender in front, nothing rear (yet...)
• The XT resides in a Lowepro beltpack (look at http://www.lowepro.com/Products/Beltpacks/modular/Off_Trail_1.aspx ), I find it better than a backpack (and I have only one lens, the 17-85 IS).

An advantage of the beltpack is that you get your camera faster in action. Also you can look at the LCD screens while the camera is is the pack. On my back I have my water reserve, plus some 'energy bars', because I'm running out of juice faster than the XT...

• The XT can be operated with light biker gloves (I have small hands too, this helps...)

My next purchase might be a foldable rain cover for the camera.

Enjoy your ride, and try to avoid hard landings...

B.

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Bernie

Get the Giant Yukon - It's under $500 and is a great starter Mountain Bike. Add a Giro helmet and Canon 200EG Backpack ($37 from amazon) and you're set.
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Chris B.