Travel. Explore. Dream.
I got my first bike in 2009. My brother wanted to spend less time in front of a computer and to get rid of my overweight. After two years I attended my first mtb race in my life. The course was 20 km long in Keszthely Mountain. My muscles burned in my entire body, and my face looked like its going to explode. I used so much oxygen like a normal man in two weeks.
After 10 years, competing is not less challenging. The technic is better, the muscles are less flexiable, but the feeling remained the same.
Aside of competition me is a touring me too. I think they can get along each other well. Without the first one I wouldn’t looking for new challenges, without the last one I couldn’t know so many new places and landscapes.
In 2017 I moved to Somogy Hills for university practise. It wasn’t a mountainbiker’s paradise. The biggest uphill in the are was the highway overpass. I got my first ever road bike in that year. I was always amazed about road cyclists. I watched celebrated cycling events around 2010: Tour de France, Classic cycle races etc. Sometimes I watched TV for whole etaps.
I really wanted to experience the flatbar feeling of life. I am really open minded. I want to try downhill/e-bike/gravel/fatbike as well.
But back to the road bikes: they look quick and uncomfortable. And they are in deed in the reality. Because I don’t attend races on road, I deceided to connect the pleasant with the useful.
I like flatbars, because its give you at least 3 different hand positions. You can change position before your muscles would be tired and sore. On the other hand I would like to make multiple day tours with bike. My aspects for the new bike were:
- min. 105 equipment
- frame with rear rack bolts
- good size
- the cheaper the better.
A new bike costs about 2500$. Unrealistic. Disc brakes are fancy, but they don’t change the world. It is practical that you can take out the wheels without adjusting the brakes afterwards. But I think everyone can adjust two bolts. They can be useful in winter, the rims would not be so dirty. But the brake paddles are more expensive. The successor of my Neuzer bike became a Pinnacle. It’s made in Taiwan, bought in England. It costed me about 600$.
A Neuzer utódja végül egy Pinnacle lett. Taiwanban gyártották, Angliában vették meg a bringát. 185.000 Ft-ba került. It has a couple of paint flaws, traces of accidents, and two big 8s in the wheels were also included in the price. The bike has a one generation newer black 105 equipment (11 speed). And the most important thing is: the framesize is S, which is perfect for my 171 cm height. I was watching advertisements from earli autumn, and small framed bikes are rare. I found this bike in Budapest, I had to travel 200 forth and 200 back. (Vienna-Budapest)
My plan: after the spring finally arrives, I will mount a rack on the bike and I will use my old side bags. This way I don’t need to commute with a backpack (I am a sweaty person). And at weekends I will be able to make multiple day tours. I should get a lighter tent and a 32 cog in the back and I will be 100% fine.
