I have an old steel frame and it feels great riding around the city. Grab something used off craigslist. One of the best $200 i ever spent.
Related Recs
Like an old Cadillac, they aren’t the fastest or most efficient, but I’ll be damned if you can find a more stylish or comfortable ride out there than a high end steel bike from the late 80’s or early 90’s. Those old touring and mountain frames are capable of handling almost any conditions and generally simple to repair, highly recommended for a solid commuter or all-rounder.
If you know what you’re looking for, sometimes you’ll stumble upon a real steal. My Miyata 615-GT (little sister to the legendary Miyata 1000) shown here came off Craigslist for $200.
Feb 16, 2024
seriously the only form of exercise I look forward to. feels more like exploring and enjoying the weather/scenery, gets you more in tune with the city, and suddenly it’s been an hour and you've gone 20 miles. you dont need to break the bank and get a top of the line micro-carbon-fiber italian roadbike that weighs half an ounce or anything either, plenty of used bikes are at shops or on facebook marketplace for a good price. all cardio and NONE of the joint pain, my hips are gonna love me in my 50s and runners stay mad about it
Mar 15, 2024
echoing skiphursh that surly is the move. this is an OLD photo of mine from like 3 years ago when i first had it built (wore out the lavender gravelkings, got black tires now), but this bike was my first big adult purchase after graduating undergrad and it's served me well since as a general use rider. would go out and do 20-30 miles regularly on mixed pavement/gravel. the frame is super easy to customize for like bottle cages or front/back racks, fits a good range of tire sizes, and is crazy durable, this thing is a tank. designed with touring in mind too.
cons would be weight since it's a steel fixed-frame, so don't expect to be lugging this with ease if you're touring fully loaded. not sure the exact weight but surly's site has all the specs. also on the fixed frame it can be a bit of a bumpy ride without shocks but i like feeling in tune with the bike or whatever, and a good saddle mitigates this IMO.
Feb 29, 2024
Top Recs from @lucius
Alright y'all, standards have gotten a little lax around here and rec quality has taken a dip (I'm including myself in this). Here are some pointers for High Rec Standards.
ANATOMY OF A REC:
TITLE—This is the rec or recommendations. This is NOT a lead in. Type exactly what you're recommending here. What appears in the Title should finish this sentence, "I recommend _____."
BODY—This supports the rec and anything goes. Supporting statements, supporting essays, additional recs, you can get silly, you can pontificate. You can do anything you want. Except putting the main rec down here. Where does it go? That's right. In the Title 👆
IMAGE—No rules. Add one to preference. It can be relevant or a non sequitur.
LINK—I highly recommend links but it's not as important as the Title or Body. If you are recommending something that has an online presence (music, movies, websites, products, etc.), Piffies want to click on it immediately. Don't make us google. Be kind a leave a link.
EMOJI—No rules. Express yourself.
ANTI-RECS:
They exist and they are valid recs. "Anti-Rec: _____" clearly communicates this is something best avoided. But a better way format this type of Rec is to use a modifier or verb that flows with "I recommend _____." Ex. I recommend... Not Eating Tacks, Avoiding Area X, Leaving Off the Anchovies, etc.—(Formatting Anti-Recs this way first recommended by tyler the Creator)
ANATOMY OF AN ASK:
TITLE—This is the question or topic of the Ask. Asks can solicit advice or start a discussion. You have some flexibility here because the Ask is expected to be expounded upon in the body if it needs more context. Just be clear. Again, this is not a lead in. Be direct and ask the question or state the topic.
BODY—Provide more context. Narrow the recommendation field. Add relevant links. Remember, the Ask goes in the Title 👆
EMOJI—No rules. Express yourself.
ANSWERING AN ASK—Recs on Asks can break style as dictated by the Ask. If the Ask is looking for Recs, give Recs following style. If it's asking for opinions, give your opinion. Asking for links? Give links! Respond however you would respond some someone IRL. Asks start a conversation so you can be more conversational. But keep in mind that these Recs will appear in the main feed. So where you can maintain Rec style, do so.
Example: WHAT’S YOUR CURRENT LETTERBOXD TOP 4?
A response to this with High Rec Standards would look something like this:
TITLE—Lists your current Letterboxd top 4. You are recommending these four movies.
BODY—Free reign here. Drop your Letterboxd @. Talk about the movies. Make a quip. Emoji. Relevant links. Nothing.
IMAGE—Optional. Screenshot of your top four. Frame from a movie. Dealer's choice.
LINK—Add your Letterboxd profile only if you want to be found.
EMOJI—Whatever. But it'd be nice if it was relevant.
DISCLAIMER:
This is a living community document! These are only my recommendations for a foundation. Debate and Discussion of proper style are Encouraged. Any editions and changes to the PI.FYI STYLE GUIDE will be notated with attribution.
Changelog:
07.26.2024—Clarified a Rec is not limited to one recommendation. Recs can recommend multiple things. Thanks to shegoestoanotherschool for identifying the issue. / Added guidance for Anti-Rec format.
02.11.2025—Moved SpongeBob Bubble Blowing Technique video link from the top level into the body ("some pointers") so the embed wouldn't override the High Quality instructional graphic.
Jul 25, 2024
🐸
This combo has just been here the whole time?!
Feb 6, 2025
🥯
i will eat one every day i do not give a fuck anymore
Jan 30, 2024