My bikes

As an archive of my /bikes page.

Specialized Roubaix SL4 Sport (2017)

"Third life crisis"
2024– (not tracking mileage)

A serendipitous purchase from a neighbor. Very fast, very fun. Perhaps what I needed but I had the wisdom to ground that bird before I did anything dumb. I got a few good local 1-3h rides to get a taste of what carbon feels like. For now it will be my zone 2 garage workout machine. Quite luxurious.

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Tern HSD S11 (Gen 1)

"Fat fly"
2021– (10,000+ mi)

We got this one from a local shop in Berkeley for about $4000. We debated it but the wife made a case for it. We both love it. She even went to all of her pregnancy appointments on it. Check-in at 3000 mi went well, only the chain and brake pads needed replacement... which is apparently impressive considering that we lived on a hill. The thing is heavy but I like to ride it without assistance just for a bit of cardio. I rarely need to go beyond the second level of assistance since we moved to a flatter area. Easy to maneuver and lift. The rack is a bit awkward with the baby sitting very close to the saddle. It's clearly a poor person's GSD - Still, I like it, and the little one likes it too.

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Giant Talon 1

"Fat fly"
2021–2024 / sold (~2500 mi)

I switched back to MTB craving for lower gear and a more upright posture. Original square taper cranks were super creaky but aside of that, I can't complan for a $900 bike. I upgrade the crank and made a few ergonomic adjustements. The quick release seatpost is great, I got in the habit of changing the height. I appreciate the modesty in SLO where everyone rides some big brand carbon full-suspension machine. I've done more groceries and sanity check rides than actual trails with it so far.

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Tern Link C8

"Petit Rouge"
2020-2022 / sold (~2000 mi)

I fantasized about getting folding bikes for a long time and finally got this one from REI after getting my MTB stolen. It was nice to be able to share a bike. It matched expectations, fine but not a fun bike. The geometry worked decently well for me. I was able to get 30ish miles in one go (rarely tho). Certainly not geared for loaded climbs. Frequent brake pads were necessary. The anti theft axles were really weird, glad I never needed to change a tire. Lots of groceries and quick rides in the hills. We even went on vacation to Larkspur with it.

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Surly Straggler

"Baby Goat"
2020-2021 / sold (~3200 mi)

My pandemic bike. I wanted to get back on the saddle and got this one in a shop in Alameda. I was appealed by the gravel potential and the nimbler riding style. The transition was rough, I was expecting too much. That thing is heavy and not geared for long hill climbs. Living on top of the Berkeley hills and doing groceries with a heavy backpack took a toll and I should have considered this. maintenance was a breeze. The mechanical brakes were great and the bumpiness was super (type-2) fun. I miss it.

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Surly Straggler

"Bikepacking fantasies"
2019-2020 / Stolen (~1800 mi)

I discovered Bikepacking and got into a riding trail in the Dublin hills. I discovered goat heads and hated it in the beginning. The Crank was creaky since day 1 but got used to the different kinds of riding. I used it for everything: groceries, technical uphill in the Pleasanton ridge, long road excursions in Marin and quick rides back in Berkeley. Until I got it stolen.

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Specialized Allez Elite 2017

"Real bike"
2017-2019 / Sold (~3000 mi)

I explored Berkeley and the bay on this one. Did a lot of grocery shopping. Learned to change a tire and fix things on the bike. The chain broke once because of leaning it against another bike in the Train. This thing was fast, I loved most of the time I spent on it. It was my first real bike with all the good that comes with a first experience. I got close to crashing a few times but never had major incidents.