dwv@ihu1g.UUCP (D. W. Vollman) (09/16/85)
I am an ex-runner whose equipment (i. e. legs, feet) have given out. My doctor has suggested taht bicycle touring would give me tha same type exercise and not be as hard on my body. Consequently, I have been looking for a touring bike for both my wife and myself. I've been looking at the following models: Peugeot P8 Connondale st400 Shwinn letour Miyata 210 If anyone has had experience with these models or can steer me to ones Iv'e overlooked, please reply to me by mail. I'll keep the responses if anyone else is interested. Also, any advice in getting started will help. My wife and I are in pretty good shape (I ran around 75 miles/week up to a couple weeks ago). Thanks In Advance Dave Vollman (your favorite route to)!ihnp4!ihu1g!dwv
becky@cylixd.UUCP (Becky Bates) (09/17/85)
> I am an ex-runner whose equipment (i. e. legs, feet) have given out. > My doctor has suggested taht bicycle touring would give me tha same > type exercise and not be as hard on my body. Consequently, I have been looking > for a touring bike for both my wife and myself. I've been looking > at the following models: > > > Peugeot P8 > Connondale st400 > Shwinn letour > Miyata 210 > > If anyone has had experience with these models or can steer me to ones > Iv'e overlooked, please reply to me by mail. I'll keep the responses if anyone > else is interested. Also, any advice in getting started will help. > My wife and I are in pretty good shape (I ran around 75 miles/week up to > a couple weeks ago). > > Thanks In Advance > Dave Vollman > (your favorite route to)!ihnp4!ihu1g!dwv I own both a Connondale model 600 don't know if its st or whatever but it is the top touring model and I LOVE IT!!. I also own a Schwinn Letour which I have had for over a year now. I will tell you what I did before I got into bicycling seriously. 1.) Made up my mind that it was going to be a lifetime sport, purchased books on bicycling and read all about it before I entered a bike shop. 2.) I tried aerobics, weight training, jogging (never got up to running) and was BORED with it all. I realized that the one thing I had always done over the years, although not as consistintently (sp) as I do now, is riding my bike. It is easy on your joints or at least more so that most other sports besides swimming, and it can give you a real sense of freedom. I usually ride early in the morning or after work to clear my mind and change my concentration from the days troubles to a relaxed state in which I can deal with everything and keep it in persepective. (that was a breath full) Back to the bikes: My Schwin Letour has served well in the over 2500 miles I put on it this year. It has been out west and was great on the bike path along the beach. It really depends on what you want to do. If you are strictly going to tour, get a touring bike, etc. I would suggest you get a Sport-Touring model, much of what you indicated seems to be in that category. This way you can decide whether you want to race or tour, if you want to do both at a minimal level your Sport-Touring should do the job forever. Don't go out and buy the super duper racer or touring model the first time around. You may discover you wasted your money and your desire with the type of bike you chose. Once you have made up your mind what type of biking you want to do along with learning all about biking repair, rules, etc. then you will be more confident to make a decision before you plop down 400- + for a quality bike and equipment. Take a sport-touring bike and use it in both touring and racing if you choose, then select your special bike for the sport you have chosen. Be careful not to get too excited about equipment, that is where the real money is spent. Get a HELMET and WEAR IT!! get gloves just to start. If you get into distance seriously then you will soon disccover the wonders of the padded chamois that you are NOT WEARING!! and the balls of your feet get numb as well as you toes and hands into about the 25th or 30th mile down the road. But just get the gloves and helmet to start unless you know your going to get serious. The Le Tour is a good model for touring, the Cannondale is lighter and serves as well. I think the proper fit is most important, and it is hard to really determine that if your not an experienced rider or not able to take the bike on a 5 to 10 mile ride from the bike shop. I haven't helped much but hope you can start from where I did and that is reading about biking. Becky Bates Memphis, TN. !ihnp4!akgua!cylixd!becky
marc@bmcg.UUCP (Marc Lee) (09/19/85)
I would agree with about everything Becky Bates said, with the following
comments about the Miyata 210.
This is the closest thing to a "bulletproof" bike I have seen, short of a
mountain bike. I bought one about a year-and-a-half ago, for "sport-
touring" reasons (I also had to give up running), and for $270 I was
very impressed with Miyata's component selection, eg. aluminum rims, QR
hubs front & back, excellent Dia-Compe brakes, etc. Can't comment on
the Schwinn or Cannondale, but I remember when I was shopping around,
the Miyata was the only bike with the features I wanted for under $300.
One slight negative -- Miyata makes their own tubing, and their bikes are
known for being strong (stiff) but a little on the heavy side. The 210,
at least the year I bought it, used straight-gauge tubing, which makes
it a little heavier. I also discovered that the inside two chain rings
are steel, a fact which is obscured by the outside aluminum ring. This
makes the bike a little heavier still -- mine runs around 27 lb, with
triple crank and rear rack. The bottom line, though, is that I put on
over 3000 mi. (before "graduating" to a Vitus and learning how much
maintenance an all-out racer needs) without doing a thing except clean-
ing the chain once.
Marc Lee
Burroughs DSG
San Diego