Posting this from my phone so have to be brief. I've been looking for a new bike...is this a good deal? http://neworleans.craigslist.org/bik/2609831225.html

Seems like those bikes usually sell for more unless it's a scam...

That's too cheap. It has problems or it's stolen.

yeah, it's cheap. but so many people have no idea what bikes resell for. you can tell from the photo that the tires are flat, and it's probably because of non-usage. someone just wants this gone.

Yeah, I got my wife a pretty sweet cruiser bike a few months back for next to nothing off of CL. Pictures showed it looking almost brand new, but turned out it was a woman who bought it and then decided to get something more "sporty". So, deals are out there.

Best thing to do, check it out in person.

That a nice old MG Midget behind it?

So the bike ended up being in great shape, and she even cleaned it up and pumped the tires up and everything before I rode it away. I guess it was worth waiting around to find a good buy.

Anyone ever got any bike questions, *please* hit me up: http://www.twitter.com/KevinPHaley. I'd be happy to help. I don't know that I love bikes more than musics these days, but they're for sure in competition.

(of course if you post on hpn, just hit the bike thread)

I'm in the same boat. I'm bummed that listening to music while riding is, on the roads that i ride at least, incredibly stupid, because it's a lot of fun.

how many miles a week do you get? I struggle to hit more than 50 or 60. i usually commute a few times a week, but there are days when I have to meet with people across town that make commuting impossible. I also need to prep the wife for the amount of money I'm about to spend on bib tights, but I'm just not quite ready to do that yet.

I need to post pics of the walnut front basket I finally finished.

Oh man, riding is basically the only time I get quality listening in these days. I don't keep it so loud that I can't hear traffic or anything, but I always have an ipod with me. Great for podcasts and the like. Not that I would encourage anyone to do it if they were uncomfortable with the idea, but after years of cityriding, blizzards, I'm comfortable in any conditions. And reckless.

I do a minimum of ~60 during the week right now, with a single long ride on the weekend. Alas, I don't have enough time to do more than a few hours, so the long rides top out at 40 these days. A year ago, I was at 150-200, but I also bike commuted, wasn't in school, etc. These days I mostly focus on hills and intervals during the baseline training rides. It's kinda windy around here (Finger Lakes), but the roads are well-maintained and frequently traffic-less.

The upfront costs are stupid high, but out of necessity, I seem to get by with only marginal component upgrades and I'm not very picky about my riding gear (bibs are for another time when I have a real job again).

Yeah I do a very different kind of riding I guess. Slow-mid pace around town with a kid and a ton of crap attached, with the occasional jaunt down the cape or around Belgium.

Nice Cap. So it's bolted in?

How did you do that? Power drill?

1. Drilled two holes down the center on the basket that line up with slots on the bike's front rack
2. Put two stainless carriage bolts that have square sections under the head of the bolts through the holes
3. Marked the square part with a pencil, chiseled the square shape down into the wood a few millimeters, so now the bolts sit flush and they won't rotate
4. Drop the whole thing in place and snug up 2 stainless wing nuts from underneath like this:

That is friggin awesome Cap.
It looks REALLY sturdy but I would be paranoid as hell about hitting potholes.

The basket is fine on potholes - it ain't coming off. But whatever is inside may not fare as well. That rack flexes a little on hard bumps, so it kinda "diving boards" a little...

It's really a gorgeous basket. I'm sure it gets you compliments everywhere.

I have a rear rack that I slide my u-lock into and lots of times when I hit an unexpected hole that lock goes flying up into the air. It'd be easy enough for me to bungee it but I never think of it until I hear that lock fall out.

The basket looks nice and all but just curious why. I mean, why not just use some saddlebags?

I use saddle bags too. Two things: first, it's nice to have an open basket up front too for stiff that you can just toss things into. Especially one that looks good (sad but true). Second, I had the wood and it was already profiled into these dimensions... Made perfect sense to cut the pieces short and make a basket. I need projects.

ive had a bike sitting in my garage with flat tires for 7 years. my project might be to inflate the tires. seems like too much work.

Agreed, Cap--really gorgeous work there. Very impressed with your handiwork. I love the look of the wood, and definitely am digging the 2 shades of wood.

Have you thought about doing cork handlebar wraps as well? Might tie it together really well.

i just got this a couple of weeks ago. (not my picture, i don't have a fannypack thingy)

That is one hot, gay bike.

i just really like purple.

needs a purple chain and purple handlebar grips.