What kind of bike for this terrain
Thread started by
kaslik at 06.1.10 - 1:00 pm
All the roads in town have 2 feet deep gutters on each side, horrible road conditons, even worse parking rules, and the most dangerous drivers I've ever seen. So biking was out of the option until recently.
We started the road building phase on my project, and with my sea wall growing, I now have over 4km of roads to ride on now! But its definitely not road tires material. Its all flat, and has over 3000 tons of rock being transported by tipper trucks, so needless to say the road conditions will never be optimal. I also have over 250 acres of sand around me.
What kind of bicycle is good for this kind of riding? The photo shows two of the three roads available to me. Thank you! -Marc
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Doesn't have to be a MTB. Any road bike would suffice with 26 inch tires or bigger. Get some Gatorskins with some slight treads on them.
I've been really happy with my Vittoria Randonneur Cross Tires. I ride a road bike and there isn't many places I can't go on them.
Joe Borfo06.1.10 - 1:24 pm
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What's your budget.
Any old MTB in good condition would be fine.
Since it's flat, a path racer / wide-tired SS/Fixie could be fun.
A cyclocross bike might be good if you wanted something that would have gears if you ever wanted to take it somewhere else.
JB06.1.10 - 1:32 pm
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The absence of hills renders multiple speeds unnecessary. I use a 24" cruiser class BMX with a 400mm long Azonic seatpost to make the riding position feel more like a roadbike. My bike would be right at home on the dirt roads in that photo. There is not a pothole or jump that my bike cannot handle. Attached is a photo from before I got the longer seatpost. And yes, feel free to laugh at the fact that the seat appears to be located in my ass in the photo. Haha!
petr0lb0mb06.1.10 - 1:40 pm
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Is the BMX comfortable? Say I'm trying to ride for 30 mins, not in the saddle the whole time that is. The salt water and humidity here literally eats metal, so I'm not buying anything expensive because whatever I buy, I'm buying again... and again.
I like the SS/Fixie Idea, but I can't find a shop that sells path racers.
Thank you for your input thus far.
kaslik06.1.10 - 2:32 pm
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Come on Mark, fight for those bike lanes to be put in!!! lol
X-Large responding to a
comment by kaslik
06.1.10 - 2:35 pm
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Personally, I find it to be extremely comfortable. I take it on long rides without any discomfort. Prior to getting the longer seat post, I was rarely in the saddle and so I would get a little bit tired of standing and pedaling. I see decent 24" BMX cruisers on craigslist for $200 complete, but that's here in California. I doubt they are very popular in Nigeria (or wherever it is that you are) so you may be better off with something else.
I wish I could be there for a day or two to enjoy the scenery. It looks nice.
petr0lb0mb responding to a
comment by kaslik
06.1.10 - 2:42 pm
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Good bikes are non-existant here. The bikes you see here are generally for those portable market guys. Whatever it is I choose, I'm going to have to have it shipped in, but that is no biggie, people always have containers arriving from the states that I can throw them into.
200 is pretty good for a bike that will rust and erode pretty quickly. Got an existing link to ready made solution?
If you can get here (Victoria Island, Lagos), you got my couch. But I tell you for the money, I'd vacation elsewhere.
What you see is 2km outside of the city, the city is nothing like you can imagine.
kaslik06.1.10 - 2:56 pm
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LOL XL, Let me first fight to get regular lanes put in!
Lanes here don't mean anything, they're more a light suggestion than anything.
Also, right of way doesn't mean anything. I.E. on the street of my old office, its one way, but when its less trafficked, people don't know its one way and turn it into a two way.
Traffic cops only exist during the day, at night its just police check points.
kaslik responding to a
comment by X-Large
06.1.10 - 3:05 pm
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Mountain bikes would leave you covered in crap (which probably already going to happen, but let's focus on a better type of bike).
I recommend a trekking bike (or a touring bike with cyclo-cross fittings).
A couple of Dutch companies do bikes made for tran-asian tours and off-road rlong distance rides: Gazelle, Batavus, Koga-Miyata. These tend to run in the $1,600 to $2,600 range but they work, they really work.
If you took a Long Haul Trucker from Surly and did a little bit of modifying, I think you'd have an excellent bike for super shitty conditions like this.
ubrayj0206.1.10 - 7:08 pm
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