Bikes for Sale: Surly Long Haul Trucker, Public V7, & Bridgestone MB-S

Once again our bicycle herd is changing (or maybe thinning is a better word), and we have a few bikes up for sale. I thought I'd put up a post in case anyone is looking for, has interest in, or knows anyone who might be looking for any of these bikes.

The first bike is the Surly Long Haul Trucker. SOLD

The frame size is the 46cm... and other details can be found on e-Bay here. Sam got another bike over the summer that he has been riding more often, so he's decided that the LHT really does need to go to a new home.

Next up, the Public Bikes V7  SOLD... I would prefer to sell this to someone locally, but will consider packing and shipping within the U.S.

This one has been Sam's "city bike," but he tends to like to just ride his road bike as a city bike, so this hasn't been getting the use it really should. It's the Standard size model (ideal for someone approximately 4'10"-5'6"). You can find more details on CL here. If you aren't local and would need shipping, just get in touch and we can discuss this as a possibility. As forewarning, bike shipping costs seem to have increased, so it's generally somewhere in the neighborhood of $110-140. Also, if anyone would like better pictures, I can email those as well.

The final bike for sale is the 1994 Bridgestone MB-S.

My mountain biking career doesn't seem to have taken off, and since I'm still terrified of the rocks, we've decided to let this one go. I'm sure someone out there could make great use of this beauty. You can find additional information on CL. She (he?) has several scratches, but I still think it's a gorgeous ride (and am in love with the lugs, of course). This one is a 16 inch size (or a size small). Again, I'd prefer to sell this locally, but will consider shipping, if need be.

I'll take this post down and remove specific bikes as they sell, so if this post is still up, then we still have the bikes. Feel free to inquire with questions: endlessvelolove {at} gmail.

Have a beautiful day!

Lesson in Bicycle Packaging/Shipping: Trusting the Carrier You Use

Early this month, Sam sold his Surly LHT. He purchased this LHT about 8 months ago, and really hasn't ridden it much. The reason for the sale was not so much that he dislikes the bicycle, nor that he didn't want to ride it, but rather that we needed to cover the costs of purchasing the Public Bikes we bought while on vacation. He was willing to sacrifice the ride and obtain a vintage Trek that he could ride for long distance hauls. The cost savings between the sale of the LHT and purchase of the "old school" (as he calls it) Trek was going to be enough to make things come out pretty close to even. Seems simple enough: sell a more expensive bicycle to fund a less expensive one and you'll have money left over. What a nightmare the entire ordeal became! I (we) hope that this experience can serve as a lesson to anyone else who ever ships bicycles via any of the major carriers.  Here is the tale in simplified form...

- J. contacts Sam and requests purchase of LHT
- J. pays Sam for bicycle, and for shipping
- Sam packs up LHT with bubble wrap, foam, etc (as he has done with many, many other bicycles in the past) and sends it off to J.
- A few days later, J. receives LHT... sort of

Large dent in top tube

Completely mangled Honjo fenders

- Sam immediately contacts carrier and requests damage refund (as it is quite obvious that the carrier knocked this box around quite a bit.
- After pick up, carrier nearly immediately denies the claim citing "too little packing material in box." We have to wonder if they even looked at the note left in the box from J.

"Feel top tube with pad on before removing it. Crushed area matches dent perfectly..."

- Sam apologizes profusely for carriers ineptitude and asks J. what he'd like to do: send LHT back or keep with a partial refund paid by Sam
- J. requests partial refund and will keep the LHT; Sam agrees
- The following day, Sam and J. discover that the LHT is actually on its way back to Colorado to Sam (per carriers mysterious and unknown) "damage inspection policy"
- J. attempts to stop the return to Colorado since package is still in his state. Sam does same. Both are assured it will remain in J.'s state and that he'll have it the following business day.
- A few days later, LHT shows up in Colorado (at our old address nonetheless)

When the box is picked up at the old address, there is severe damage to the box.  Here are just a few images (and believe me, there are holes, slashes and gashes everywhere on the box).

LHT hub poking out of box

Gigantic slit/gash in side of box carrying LHT

Top of LHT box gash

This box was indeed used when it was sent out, but it looked like a very close to new box. Unfortunately, it's just an addition to the recycling can now. We are now out the cost of this bicycle plus shipping back to us... and the worst part is, it really isn't sell-able now, as we need to have the structural integrity checked out on the top tube. Fortunately, we have welders in the family, so hopefully we can get this resolved relatively inexpensively.

Though it's disappointing and stressful to go through something like this, "Lumpy," as Sam has now decided to call the LHT, is back with us. This was an expensive lesson to learn, but hopefully it can serve as a tip to others down the line: make sure you pack your bicycles well beyond what you think they will need for shipment, and definitely trust your carrier.

Saturday, Fun Day

Today, Sam and I decided to take the bikes into town to do errands and to have breakfast. It was a beautiful day full of mid-70s sunshine and a light breeze. Our first stop was the post office to drop off a package for mom and the mortgage payment (that for some reason we can't seem to pay online) and a few other bills. We'd gotten off to a late start for the morning, but we decided to ride over to the Egg and I for some brunch.

As the sign on the door states, it's a locally owned/operated breakfast and lunch establishment, which is quite tasty. Even though it was closing in on 11 am, I was still in the mood for breakfast, so while Sam played with his phone and looked quickly over the menu,

I went ahead and ordered one of my favorites here: the Texas skillet (minus eggs/meat). It came out looking a little overly cheesy (if there is such a thing), but it was tasty, and we were both so hungry, they probably could've put anything in front of us at that point in the morning.

It's basically mushroom, green pepper, onion, and of course cheese and potatoes with an english muffin. Probably enough fat for the entire week on this plate, but I definitely enjoyed it. I also enjoyed the festive little decorations on the table... much fun for Halloween and autumn time.

After pretty well cleaning our plates, we went to get the bicycles, which were waiting patiently at the bike rack outside the restaurant.

We rode over to Hobby Lobby because I was considering getting a second large easel for my paintings, as I always seem to be working on multiple projects at the same time, and it's nice when they're wet to have a place to put them. We also wanted to look for some fabric for the kitchen table chairs, as they are in need of a makeover. After leaving and deciding to think things over, we opted for the St. Vrain Greenway route home, instead of riding the highway... much more pleasant. While it wasn't quite as pretty as the trees in town, it was much nicer than having to hear the roar of engines racing down the highway.

Overall, it was a beautiful autumn day, full of fun bicycle riding, being together, and accomplishing some research for items that need to be taken care of at home.

Columbus Day Quick Ride

Columbus Day is one that few have off from work, but because Sam works for a bank, he is one of those fortunate few. Even I don't have the day off from school, but while I was home this afternoon, we decided to take a quick ride over for some tortilla soup and naked burrito lunchy-type food via bicycle. I love these days when it's not brutally hot or cold out, and we can just enjoy a quick ride somewhere.

Sam rides a bike... 

The last shot I attempted to get of Sam riding behind me was mistakenly deleted, but this one kind of cracked me up because I also got a nice shot of the top of my head. It's not often one gets to see such things, and while I could've just cropped it out, it made me laugh, so I kept it. Regardless, the ride was beautiful and reminded me why I love to be outside, especially during Colorado's 'two weeks of fall' as we have come to call it. Winter will, whether we want it or not, soon be here.

Ride to the Auto Parts Store

Things are completely crazy for the next few days while I attempt to get everything done that is coming to completion. At least I'm feeling a bit better about abstraction. Last night, a small group of us decided to go to First Friday in Denver's Arts District to check out the sights and to get a feel for current ideas and art work. While in the car driving, I realized that my passenger side headlight was out, and though I knew I had a bulb at home, there was nothing I could do about it at the time. In addition, my interior light has been out for some time now, and since I spend a great deal of time driving in the dark from campus, we thought it would be a good idea to replace it. Since I was letting paint dry this afternoon, Sam and I decided to ride over to the auto parts store to get the interior bulb that was needed.

Waiting outside for Sam to purchase a bulb

I realize there is a bit of irony in riding our bicycles to an auto parts store, but if you consider that most people who are there are purchasing something for a car that isn't working, or has some kind of broken part, it doesn't seem that off the wall to me to be riding a bicycle to the auto parts store. Of course, there are no bicycle racks, so I amused myself by watching the traffic go by and admiring the bicycles.

Surly and Pashley sittin' in a tree, er, sittin' on cement

I feel as though the Hillborne has taken over as the most ridden bicycle in the house, but I do enjoy the Pashley too. I also realized how heavy it is today while we were riding. Good for building leg muscles, definitely. While waiting for Sam to return, I also noticed that I managed to get two goat heads stuck in the rear tire. Ugh!

Two goat heads (one barely visible lower on the tire)

I am such a magnet for these critters, especially this time of year when all the weeds are dying off and these thorns just end up in the shoulder where we're riding. I pulled them out, so I could test the durability of the Schwalbe Marathon tires.  As I was pulling them out, I looked up at the sky and was in complete awe of the strange cloudiness that had formed around us. It was beautiful and eerie all at once.

Cloudy Autumn skies quickly formed this afternoon

Sam finally managed to make it back outside, despite being told by two different assistant managers that they 'couldn't' ring him up.

Sam has bulbs!

We headed home, shaking our heads but laughing about the ineptitude of some workers. The ride home was pleasant, as we pedaled along, both of still being able to wear shorts during this gorgeous time of year.

Riding home (that nice bruise on the left leg from falling on the Hillborne seems to be healing nicely though)

After arriving home, my tires seemed to be in good shape, but unfortunately, Sam had also picked up a couple of goat heads, and his tires didn't fair so well. As soon as he pulled them out, the air came wooshing out quite audibly. I felt bad, but at the same time am grateful that I can trust the thorn protection of the Marathon tires. I think the extra money is well worth it to have the extra protection. And now, I have exterior and interior lights once again. I am very happy that I'll at least have a way to see my attackers in the late night parking lot now.

The Slow Descent to Hell

Well, I finally gave in and purchased the Sam Hillborne frame. I wanted it. I didn't want it. Okay, I always wanted it, but I certainly didn't want to part with the $$. After sleepless nights (literally) and (on the few nights I

(Photo acquired from Rivendell) Sam Hillborne frame

did sleep) random, crazy, scary dreams about bicycles, I decided that it wasn't worth the agony of trying to talk myself into a bike that I clearly didn't want, e.g. the Surly LHT. While the ride was lovely on the Long Haul Trucker, I just couldn't bring myself to love its looks, particularly, the small frame that I would need to suit my needs. The decision to get the frame brought about some additional frustrations. The first was realizing that there were no longer any Taiwan built frames in my size, and I'd have to fork out the extra dough for the Waterford, WI model. Additionally, when I found the appropriate size frame in stock, it had been assembled as a complete bike. While it would've been easier to just take the bike whole, the cost was more than I could handle, particularly for what was, in my opinion, an incomplete bike (lacking fenders, racks, etc). So, the guys are disassembling the bike, only for it to be reassembled here by the talented Sam with me "assisting" in the process.

Locating and purchasing all of the components has also been a challenge. I wanted to try to have things arrive on or around the same time so I don't have to sit for weeks or months waiting to see and ride the bike. The tires I wanted, the Grand Bois Hetre tires in White/Ivory, have been a challenge to secure, as it seems that all

Grand Bois Hetre 650b tire in white

of the distributors are out of this color. I realize I could simply get a set of black tires, but it's not what I was after. I did find a distributor who was willing to put me on back order and send them when they come in, and I have also discovered that a local bike shop has one set in their store, but they have very, very limited store hours, and I don't want to pay to have something shipped that I could simply pick up.

Additionally, I'm finding that I'm closing in on a price tag that I really hadn't hoped to reach. The only comfort I can find in all of this at the moment is to say that I hope it is the most comfortable bicycle I've ever ridden. Sadly, it will be a time before I can make that sort of judgment call.  Until then, the pain of spending money I don't have is leaving me with new kinds of scary day dreams... like living in a ditch with my bicycle covering me at night, or being forced to tour the country because it's all I will be able to afford. I suppose I should enjoy my slow descent to hell though... after all, this is what I wanted, right?

Saturday Test Rides

Having an opportunity to ride a variety of bicycle brands when attempting to make an educated decision seems to make a lot of sense to me. As you are likely aware, I've been tooling around on the '75 Raleigh Super Course for several days now, but I thought it would be interesting to see how some newer models of similar bicycles might compare. The SC is pretty impressive for a bike that's virtually lived its life not being well cared for - a true testament to the quality of this vintage ride.

The first stop was at Boulder's own University Bicycles. This was my first experience inside this shop, and I have to say, it was quite overwhelming. They have so many different kinds of bikes that I wasn't sure where to turn. It's in a lovely spot (Just north of the crazy tourist trap, Pearl Street Mall), and the day was off to a beautiful start. Unfortunately, they didn't quite have what I was looking for. However, if you are in the market for a mountain bike, a super racer street bicycle or even possibly a cruiser, this could be a spot to try since they have so many options available. The people seemed friendly enough, and wanted to make sure everyone was properly greeted. Unfortunately for me, this is a recipe for disaster as I can only handle so much energy coming at me on any given day.

We then decided to roll down to Denver to the REI. While I tend to get a little aggravated in the REI flagship store in Denver (for many reasons), they had a smaller sized Raleigh Clubman that I wanted to test ride. So, it was either deal with the craziness of this store on a weekend day, or not have the chance to ride this possible future tourist/road bike. The picture that I was able to locate is of the 2011 model, but despite the color

change, it seems to be the same bike. While it seems to have some decent components for the approximately $1,100 USD price tag, the bike didn't ride as I'd hoped. It seemed to drag quite a bit and it felt slow. I realize some might say, "Well, pedal faster," but it really went beyond the pedaling speed. It just didn't feel good to me. I know there are many people who love this bicycle, but I was fairly disappointed in the ride. Honestly, when comparing it to the '75 Raleigh I have here at home, I thought there was no comparison. Sadly, I'd take the hooptie any day over the new Raleigh.

After the disappointing ride on the Clubman, we made our way a little deeper into Denver to one of my favorite, if not my absolute favorite bike shop in Denver: Cycle Analyst. I knew that they had two models that I absolutely felt I needed to test ride. The first one was the Salsa Casseroll. While the currently available model on the Salsa website is a "double," the model I rode was the "triple" that is being phased out. It was a

pretty interesting ride and, in my opinion, was much more comfortable than the Clubman. The price tag is right around $1,700 USD, and I wasn't sure I could justify this cost for the ride. While it is an attractive looking bicycle, I wasn't completely sold on the feel of this bike. Again, I know there are a ton of reviews on this particular model and that many love it, but for me, it still didn't feel ideal. I did really like it, but was unsure I'd be willing to invest the money for this specific bicycle.

The second ride at Cycle Analyst was the Surly Long Haul Trucker. This bike has to be the most sinfully awful looking bike on the market. I'm not sure they could've made it look worse if they'd been trying. While the mid-to large sizes of this bike look okay to my eye, I don't find the small version attractive in the least.

The LHT comes in two colors in the current model: the black (as pictured above) and a sort of royal blue color. I am not fond of either of these options. Additionally, the 26 inch tires look hideous on this frame, making it look like a bike for someone who has no desire to even look remotely good on a bike. While I realize it should be function over form, I can't help but have a bit of vanity about the ride I'm rolling on. I keep thinking there must be a way to put larger wheels on it because there seems to be a ton of room between the tire and the frame. I'm sure that I'm wrong, but regardless, it just looks funny. On the up side, this bike seemed to ride like a dream. I loved, loved, loved the bar end shifters on this bicycle, and it just felt comfortable to ride. I've even mulled over the idea of having the frame painted a better color and looking into larger wheels just to avoid the severe dork factor. Plus, at less than $1,100, it's a relatively decent price for this type of touring/hauling capable sort of bicycle.

Overall, I was pleased with the results of today's visit to the various bike shops. What will become of it all? I'm still not entirely certain, but, I do know that the hooptie is really a bit large for me, and I think a smaller frame will have to come about at some point down the line if I intend to do some longer rides.