cannondale
EDIT: You got one EA? Congrats you lucky sod.
Here’s the bike for Maoman when he hits 85kg or 10% body fat, whichever comes first.
mmm very lovely - picked mine up tonight
Took my new shoes to the spin class and found the cleats don’t fit their Shimano spd only pedals - the old bikes were a much better multi clip design - bugger
Anyways long story short I may based on advice here earlier try and get some early morning rides in - I’m in HK most of the time and its not very bike friendly on the island mid week. I figure I may be able to get an hour in before work though.
Maoman I look forward to riding with you - whats the weight goal? I’m at 104 and hoping to be around 95/96kg by mid June. Down from 120kg last summer though so its all good.
Fk me its a quick wee thing - goes up hills like a rocket and I’m on the brakes a lot going down hill. Left my buddy for dead on his mountain bike a few times but have been home for a few hours and my legs are TIRED.
Big ride tomorrow, whilst today was just play - let you know how I get on.
Got 60km in around Hong Kong island yesterday with the tour group. Up the Peak, out to Repulse Bay and Sheko and then back again. Amazed how ok I feel today after all that but clearly need to work on the fitness as keeping up was an issue… and I ate masses on the way round - energy bars, apples, bananas - I was starving…is that normal?
I was at 107 three weeks ago. I’m at 101 right now. I eat less of everything and nothing after 6 pm, except for Sundays and occasional Saturdays. I feel ok, for the most part. I want to get below 90, but I’m not sure if I can do it. I’m definitely going for 95, though - come hell or high water.
I’m looking for a bike that I’ll be comfortable on whether I’m taking a daughter for a ride around the lake, or on a longer ride with the boys. ( I do aspire to that!)
My budget is 20k, 25k max, but I won’t have that kind of extra cash until late August (Have to pay for my family’s summer vacation in Canada first, and with flights at 50+k, it’s going to cost me over 180k just to get us all to the airport!) 
Wow 6kg in 3 weeks is good work - jia you.
Are you sure you will be able to maintain your new lifestyle, or is this just a “get it all off first and then work on maintenance” kind of gig.
Flights are certainly pricey when you start traveling en mass!
FYI I was amazed at how comfy the new bike was once I settled into it. The new gear shifter things built into the brakes threw me a little at first but it all works surprisingly well.
Well, I’m down 13 kilos, and starting to get psyched about a new bike. This bike is looking good for me right now: specialized.com/tw/en/bc/SBC … emId=11687
Question: Why would anyone NOT doing trail riding want wheels smaller than the 700c size?
Is the front suspension on this bike a waste? Obviously there’s a comfort vs. weight/performance issue here, right? It’s 15k - what other similar bikes are out there? Hybrid/cyclocross bikes seem to be the way I want to go…
Keep in mind that while I might aspire to a long three-day bike ride, I’ll very rarely be going over 50kms in a day, and will often be toting a child on the back.
The front suspension is a waste if you won’t be riding off road
That’s a sleek-looking bike, maoman. I like the lines. Doesn’t need the telescopic forks, though. Can you get it without?
because they don’t fit over the crossbar on a bike with 700c wheels but just manage on a smaller frame with 650 c wheels?
You’ve met my wife.
They were also popular for a while among the triathlon set due to perceptions about them being more aerodynamic as they were smaller, but those calculations generally ignored the much larger wind resistance formed by the lump of meat sitting on the bike.
because they don’t fit over the crossbar on a bike with 700c wheels but just manage on a smaller frame with 650 c wheels?
[/quote]
Toe overlap, too. On a small frame with 700c, when you make a tight radius turn, your toe typically rubs the tire. My cycling shoes have wear marks on the insides of the toe. There are a handful of frame geometries that don’t accomodate 700c well. I think Cervelo would put 650s on 50cm frames a while back.
I have some spare carbon forks if you want to switch them out?
Which shop did you get your bike at Maoman?
He’s like Tommy – still diddling himself over pictures without having actually put his hands on one yet.
He’s like Tommy – still diddling himself over pictures without having actually put his hands on one yet.[/quote]
Here’s my latest bike-interest: the Giant Accend.
David Reid took some pictures of them at the last bike show:
I thought sloping toptubes like that were for girls?
Or for men with really huge…erm…saddlebags. 
So which bike did Maoman get, if any? Update, please.
Go directly to road bike. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200.
Maodude, come down to Taichung. James will put you on a nifty light road bike with much better performance than that Accend for less than the price of the Accend. Todd Alperovitz just bought this one:
It’s a carbon fork/chainstay, very smooth and comfortable ride with excellent handling and acceleration. It has the SRAM Apex, 50-34 in front and 11-32 in back. You can get this for under $45K.
I just upgraded to that frame and the Apex groupset, took it out for the first ride today, 85K of mostly flats. I think climbs as well as my old Giant OCR 2 with a mountain triple 48-36-26 in front and an 11-28 in back, lighter, better mechanical performance, much better geometry. Super comfortable. I have to take it out for some sustained climbing, hopefully tomorrow if the Bike Gods send the rain away, and sprints/intervals too. I’m recommending it to everyone who wants to switch from a mountain bike to a road bike with good climbing ability.
Or you can get a basic road bike for around $20K with excellent road performance and good hill climbing, with the mountain triple above and an 11-28 cassette in the back. James has some really great deals.
If you want to come down, I’d be happy to pick you up at HSR and run you over to his shop.
Michael
PS: that Accend looks like an update of a previous Giant bike that my friend Michael Cannon used to ride. Not recommended. Here’s a pick:
flickr.com/photos/comprock/4824951555/
Agreed with Vorkosigan… Get a road bike if you are not going to do any offroading.
And, I got my road bike for just
$10,000NT
, new, in Taipei. taiwanho.com/talk/viewtopic. … 4&start=15
For those who want higher-end stuff, the shop in Taipei where I bought my bike from will build a bike with components you specify. They offer a setup with full Tiagra-level components (including STI paddle shifters) and carbon fork for $25,000NT.