Appreciate your Thorn - fix-up an inexpensive bike

[JimK]

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/225969167

Back home... took a little spin on my Fearless Nomad to get the 3 hr drive out of my legs. Oh, I do like my bike! It is probably no lighter than the Suburban... especially since I am carrying locks etc. Hard to say exactly what makes it nice. Low gears, oh yeah. I was cranking up hills and discovered I was in 5! Yeah, the wheel are essentially circular... it'll take a lot more fussing with the spokes on the Suburban to get those wheels in proper shape! The upright posture of the Suburban is comfy enough but makes it harder to get real power to the cranks. Easier to stand up on the Suburban than my Workcycles Transport bike, though! The Nomad... no point in standing until the hills get way nastier!

I like to stop at Campmor on the way - nasty getting on and off route 17 in Paramus, but fun inside the store! Got a pair of cycling shoes:

http://www.amazon.com/FiveTen-Mens-Impact-Bike-Shoe/dp/B002AMUNQC

They're really nice at least for 5 miles! Stiff grippy soles and good ventilation. Platform pedals!

[Danneaux]

Yeah, I'll bet it does feel good to get back "home" to your Fearless Nomad, Jim; it is a very nice bike!

Ooh! Campmor! I've received their pulp-paper catalogs with the hand-drawn pictures since I was a kid and always enjoyed them. Only ordered from them once...a Swiss Army knife that was stolen in-transit as it passed through Chicago! The perpetrators had replaced the knife with a handful of large washers and bolts to keep the weight similar. When I called Campmor, they replaced the knife with nary a quibble, saying it had happened before. Nice folks to deal with.

The shoes look nice, Jim; the mesh will be ideal for warmer summer riding, and I could see them gripping platform pedals really well. Now, you've got to take some more rides with them and let us know how they do (with photos, of course!  )

Best,

Dan.