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I've pedaled over 6,000 miles on this rig and still get compliments about her looks. She's my touring bike, my grocery getter, and my daily driver. Fediverse friends, meet Steely Fran. (lemmy.dbzer0.com)
submitted 4 months ago by to c/bicycling@lemmy.world
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cross-posted from: https://lemmy.dbzer0.com/post/71252573

Frannie is a 2019 Salsa Vaya.

Steel frame with a Shimano 105 drivetrain. We roll tubeless. She typically hauls between 20 and 40 pounds of gear depending on the season. I used to ride carbon, but once I hit my 40s every ride started to hurt a little more, so I moved to steel. Unloaded, the frame weighs about 19 lbs, but it handles smooth as silk.

I would spend 8 hours a day on this thing if I didn't have a job.

Dat azzzz

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[–] [S] 4 points 4 months ago (4 children)

Those front bags were a game changer. Love how sturdy they are and how well they grip the rack. No rattle at all.

That's a speaker on the fork! I can hear it a lot better there than on the tube.

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  • [–] 2 points 4 months ago (2 children)

    I only tried front bags on a friend's setup briefly but don't they ruin the handling, especially those big and heavy ones?

    Nice bike!

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  • [–] [S] 3 points 4 months ago

    Less than I expected them to, but I definitely take tight turns more slowly when they're on.

    It's more a weight distribution thing than anything; if I've got 30 lbs of gear in those rear bags and nothing up front, handling gets super hairy on hills, gravel, or rain/snow. Fishtailing on a bicycle at 20+ mph is fucking terrifying.

    If the weight is spread out, it's significantly smoother. And the low center of gravity is great for gravel.

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