After spending three hours and ten minutes pummeling the goods on this certified haunch hatchet I was glad to return to the comfortable quarters of our long-term Altima SE's front seat for the drive home.
Mountain bike racing is officially hard on the body so it was with much relief that I found myself coddled in climate-controlled, leather-clad comfort for the 100 or so mile return trip from Idyllwild last Saturday. The Altima's seats are among the most comfortable of any car in our fleet, offering a perfect comfort/support compromise. The wife, who nurses a strained ligament and requires ample lower back support, agrees.
Although the Altima might not seem like an ideal vehicle for hauling a bike and two people into the mountains it handled the job with far more poise than any truck or SUV would have -- its effortless power and taut chassis are superior on winding roads.
Dual climate control didn't hurt either. The wife, who "likes it how she likes it" got to have the temperature on her side of the cabin tuned with exacting precision.
Josh Jacquot, Senior road test editor @ 9,930 miles
jaeger1 says:
04:30 PM, 05/14/07
I could not agree more on the seats. Having logged my first longish trip in the Altima (2hrs each way) I came away very impressed with their comfort an supportiveness. The lingering effects of two prior car accidents is such that I am usually squirming around after an hour at the wheel, but I felt I could have gone quite a bit longer than the two hour stretch in the Altima.
sodaguy says:
02:13 PM, 05/15/07
How many miles does the Altima really have on it? This entry says 9,930, but the most recent entry by James Riswick says 6,690?
boxermike says:
06:43 PM, 05/15/07
Specs on bike please. It looks like you could ride urban, but no bash guard and step-ins are throwing me....
I see srams (XO?); Easton seatpost which leads me to believe Easton monkey bars; hydro discs...and lastly, what I believe are Maxxis hookworms? (which I roll on)
Let's see if I've come off as a knowledgeable bike-guy, or a misguided jerk!
SubyTrojan says:
10:56 PM, 05/15/07
Mike, as far as I know, Josh's bike was custom-made. :o)
jjacquot says:
04:59 PM, 05/21/07
Yup, custom.
It's a Ti Quiring 29er -- built for long-haul XC racing.
Custom Bontrager/Sapim/DT240 wheelset w/ Kenda small block 8 rubber
Easton carbon post
Salsa Pro Moto carbon bar
Boon Ti chainrings w/KMC chain and Race FaceTurbine cranks
SRAM XO rear deraileur w/ SRAM halfpipe shifters
Shimano XT front deraileur
Rock Shox REBA fork
Formula Oro Puro disc brakes
Selle Italia SLR haunch hatchet
Ti hardware all around
22.5 lbs.
Josh
amnarch says:
07:48 PM, 08/26/07
Question:
I'm a cyclist too. Do you carry your bicycle inside your car or on a rack outside the Altima? I love my bike, a custom Seven, and I wonder how easy it would be to fit inside the trunk with the seats down or in the passenger seats. Also, do you haul your bike with the wheels on or off?
Thanks.