Illinois Avalon

[Biscuit]

I went to Michigan over the weekend and was also able to cut, bend and weld my seat post to finish my conversion. When I arrived home yesterday afternoon I finished the seat and tightened everything down.
About 25 minutes of riding like a drunken sailor, which included being ejected and what can be described as a forward roll into the street when I got the tire stuck between the concrete and the lawn at the end of the drive way.
Tonight I completed about six miles that had a few hills, gravel and some pretty good wind all that would have cause me considerable consternation on my previous bike. Even being as new as I am, I am hooked. Here are a couple of pictures.

What trainer would work well once I have to bring the bike inside for the winter?

Thanks for a great product,
Rod

 

[Doug Burton]

Excellent bike, Rod.

These are proving to be good donor bikes.

2 trips and 31 miles is great progress.

Any MTB-compatible trainer will work; the load cell will probably wind up behind the front wheel underneath you.

Well done.

Doug

 

[buyagain]

No Doug;
Not 31 miles. He spent 25 minutes bucaneering. :lol:

Biscuit wrote: About 25 minutes of riding like a drunken sailor and then Tonight I completed about six miles

That said; He's done considerably better than me. I spent the first few days building up the nerve to keep my feet on the pedals. The following week my buccaneering amounted to keeping people from jumping in the lake to get out of my way.

Hi Biscuit; Did I mention that Hardtailcruzer influenced me over the edge to take the plunge.

I see now that I've got to get all that cheesy sticker stuff off mine now. The Avalon does make a clean build though. Sweeettt!!!!
Biscuit, you must be pretty young to speak of "ejections" that way. And pretty agile at that.

Now I hope Teacher Bill decides to do one of these Avalons too.
Regards

Bob

I forgot to mention that pictures of the Avalon on the internet are a misnomer. In other words you'll not spot it on the net the way it actually looks like here or in the store.

 

[Biscuit]

Doug thanks for the kind words and the info on the trainer.

Bob, I am a few weeks shy of 49, so I cannot say that I am too young.
Marital arts (Aikido) training over the years helped me from getting too banged up.

After posting last night I road another 6 miles and I have completed 6 today so far.
Went to the LBS and had him help me adjust the derailleur.
His words were, you have the only one of these around.
When he was working on the derailleur he wiggled the BB which seemed too loose, so I took the bike path home @ 4 miles and took the BB apart. I found that the one bearing was in pieces. I picked up 2 new ones and it sure rides better now.

I'll keep you posted.
Rod

 

[Biscuit]

Hi again,

I picked up a CycleOps Fluid2 Trainer and I am not sorry for spending the money.
This thing is almost as good as riding out side.
I have found for me the best thing is to warm up starting in 3rd gear for 5 minutes
in each gear through 6th (mine is a seven speed).
I then ride for 5 to 10 minutes in 7th and start my cool down.
10 minutes in 6th, 5th, 4th & 3rd.
This takes about an hour and it is an incredible work out.
I do not know how many miles I go but I was getting in 16.5 to 19 miles a
day in prior to bring the bike into the house and I never worked up a sweat like this.

It is too bad that more people do not know about this bike.
After any of my rides my knees (or other parts) do not hurt.
I am down 30 pounds and can not wait to get in my ride today.

Rod

 

[teacherbill]

buyagain wrote:
Now I hope Teacher Bill decides to do one of these Avalons too.

Probably will not happen with the Avalon. Sent out my older son to do some dumpster diving looking for a flexing frame. He came home with a Mongoose with suspension in the rear. Made the swap to the frame and not have retired the stiff Mongoose to the pasture land. Starting to get on my recumbent trailer to ride at night so that I can build back up to summertime mileage before having to go off to Kansas for educational endeavors. Plan on riding the flexing Mongoose at the 12 / 24 hours of Sebring after the new year. So far I have permission from the boss of the house as long as I finish the remodeling job of the current one. Life is full of surprises etc. to keep one always trying to do the proper thing to keep all happy.