Insightdriver
captain
Reged: 03/07/04
Posts: 472
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So I did this medium fast 24 miler the yesterday, late morning. In the early afternoon I felt like taking another ride. On my second ride something started feeling weired in my bike handling. I stopped and found my rear tire was going flat. First flat I've had on my new Calfee since I finally got it back from it's factory fix-up. I checked for anything that might be imbeded in the tire, found nothing, then changed the tube and pumped the tire up. Since it held air fine, I went on my ride and put around 20 more miles on my bike. I've got over 300 miles on her now.
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NateM
new member
Reged: 12/22/03
Posts: 16
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Did you ever post pix of your fendered Calfee with the relaxed geometry? I put my Tetra back on the road today(my warm weather ride)and for the 9th year in a row marveled at how nice a ride it is. I've always wondered what it would ride like if it had more relaxed angles,lower BB,and a slightly longer wheelbase.Would the magic dissapear? Sunny and 66 degrees in NYC today,damn near perfect.NateM
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Insightdriver
captain
Reged: 03/07/04
Posts: 472
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Sorry, Nate, I never did get any pics good enough to post when I had the fenders on my bike. I have the fenders off now and can post some pics soon. At this moment, as I am typing this, I'm stuffing food in my face because I just got home from taking a 47 mile ride. Where I live it's Bike Commute Month and I wanted to put a good first day in. I am really beat now, still sweating and I'm gradually cooling down.
I can say now with over 350 miles on my bike that I really like the relaxed geometry. Handling is nimble enough. Yesterday coming around a bend in the trail around 15 mph, I spied a rattle snake in my lane. I was able to steer to the right, staying on the pavement, missing the snake by a couple of inches. I had to maneuver fast and the bike did not feel sluggish. I think a lot of the good handling feel is due to the good balance of my weight on the bike as well. The cockpit suits me to a T.
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Dave_Thompson
prophet
Reged: 12/19/03
Posts: 717
Loc: Spokane, Washington
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Rattlesnakes and Calfees, oh my!
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Steel lover, but then I like Ti with carbon too.
Licensed bike geek.
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RDP
captain
Reged: 12/18/03
Posts: 243
Loc: Kansas
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A Calfee with relaxed geometry is the sweet spot of carbon fiber...I have a nomimal 52cm Tetra-custom with a 72.5 seat tube angle. The ride is smooth, responsive, with a stable centered position for tempo or climbing.
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It is about the bike.....BikeFanClub Forums
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skuke
captain
Reged: 12/22/03
Posts: 321
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Quote:
Insightdriver wrote:
Yesterday coming around a bend in the trail around 15 mph, I spied a rattle snake in my lane.
Yikes!
Better get in more bunny hop practice!! 
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Skuke
95 Carbonframes Tetra Pro
92 Bridgestone MB-1
90 Moser 51.151
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skuke
captain
Reged: 12/22/03
Posts: 321
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Quote:
Insightdriver wrote:
I spied a rattle snake in my lane.
Since this thread started out about flats, I'm trying to come up with something witty related to "snake bite" flats. But alas, my brain is fried (midterm this week) and I'm tired too. 
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Skuke
95 Carbonframes Tetra Pro
92 Bridgestone MB-1
90 Moser 51.151
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Insightdriver
captain
Reged: 03/07/04
Posts: 472
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Skuke,
Just so you feel even more disapointed, it was only a little rattlesnake. I've seen them as big around as baseball bats and 6 feet long. I have not heard of anyone being bit by a rattlesnake. I do believe, however, that along the trail more than one has been run over by bikes.
I found the hole in my tube and patched it. It was on the edge of a thickened spot on the tube (apparent molding defect). It's possible the tube was twisted in the tire. I put another repaired spare tube in my kit as well, so I have two spare tubes.
On a similar subject, one dejected guy was walking his mountain bike with a flat tire down the trail while I was lounging on a bench letting what little strength I had left ooze slowly back into my muscles. He asked if I had a pump, and I gladly pumped up his tire (he had replaced the tube and had broken his frame pump). I have a Serfas MP-02 and I think it's a great little pump. It has a little foot peg and the nozzle is on a pull-out rubber hose. Makes it easy to pump up a tire to full pressure, as well. Even that fat mountain bike tire was easy to pump up, it just took a lot more strokes.
This brings me to another subject. I am very pleased I got a rack and rack trunk on my bike. Since I like riding more than 20 miles from home, in an area where flats are common due to local thorns that get on the trail, it's saved me more than once having a full kit. Besides, apples, bannanas and oranges are good fruits to bring along on a ride. They are as good for quick energy as the packets of drinks people pay for, and a whole lot cheaper. I can carry extra water bottles as well. I also carry a handkerchief or hand towel with me. The convenience of having the storage space on my bike which, behind me, is not even noticeable, even going up hills. At most, I'll hear a rattle of stuff inside when going over bumps. It suits me very well.
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