I was under the impression that double chainsets allow you to use the full range of the cassette without the chain-line becoming too bad.

I have been reading up on the choice between compact and traditional rings because I’ve started racing with a double, and it seems that the pro’s have began to use smaller gears when climbing since riders lice Lance Armstrong have done well by ‘spinning’ up climbs. The actual increase in top speed at the same rpm is not much when you go from 50 to 53, therefore if you wish to maintain the small gaps between gears (and racers do because it allows them to keep in the cadence sweet-spot) the best option is to run a close cassette with a compact. Running a 53-39 with a wide range cassette results in gaps between gear that are too big. Perhaps this justifies the 11 speed of campag…

Source: http://www.slowtwitch.com/mainheadings/techctr/gearing.html

My specialized has a small hole in the seat tube (Stumpy with interrupted design like yours) – that hols is the minimum insertion, maybe worth a check if you can see your bike.

I don’t think it’s too bad for the money, but if you know what you are doing you’ll get much better 2nd hand – just make sure it isn’t in need of lots of wear and tear items.

Road bikes brakes are almost ineffective in the wet for the first few seconds of braking – scrub!

I think that he is right to get them out asap. He was unhappy with the jouralists etc who were not obeying the rules which risks infection etc… Although he could have done it in a less aggressive way in front of the PM!

You will probably suffer in the winter – my LBS (where I work) takes on extra mechanics in summer, and repairs/fitting drop off a lot at points during the year – if you’re not selling bikes in winter, I suspect you won’t be selling much!

If you ride a full suss, particualrly the single pivot variety, check what size chain-ring the pivot works best with.

drop bars or flats?

Drops: Look at the genesis croi de fer (not spelt that way I’m sure) and the Day-One alfine.

Flats: Whyte Caledonian? Lovely bike. The shop I work in sell both and they are the ones I would buy.

AWESOME! 😈

What about a raw frame, just lacquered?

Topeak floor to ceiling here – very good.

This is purely a guess: adjust the pre-load perhaps? Coils generally have better small bump sensitivity.

If it is chattery on high speed hits, perhaps you need more rebound damping winding on.

You could also call Mojo – very helpful chaps there 🙂

People’s lives used to be fairly shite – apart from the rich as usual.

I agree, however people do not seem to realise that most of us now live a luxury life by comparison. Even if motorised personal transport were too expensive for everyday use, look at the rest of our lives.

TV, any food we want, carbon fiber bikes and binge drinking…

If fuel is so expensive, how come it’s cheaper for me to drive my car to Brighton (without any passengers) than to take the train ?

I suggest that you organise demonstrations to protest at the cost of public transport project.

I totally agree with this(ernie_l), Ton and miketually. I choose to drive 30 miles each way, the cost is worth it in the short term until my career plans can move me closer to where I want to live. I bought an efficient car and only use it for long journeys. I car share and sometimes ride the 30 miles to work and/or back.

Why do people think that fuel is some sort of ‘right’? It’s a luxury in my opinion – how ever did people manage before internal combustion?!?

Leyzene – medium pressure drive is a perfect all-rounder, road pressure drive is better for higher pressure and lower volume. Had mine for almost 3 years I think – ace.

For the record, I used that tool, but you cannot use it on some higher end pedals – predictably they need a different tool. Adjustment of the bearings is only needed if there is any play, but fresh grease and a clean should be periodic 🙂

I’ve had 3 successes so far using this method:
1 – make the seller aware that you are looking at other cars
2 – don’t get excited
3 – find some faults as you very carefully check everything
4 – make calls after viewing to get prices to repair any faults etc
5 – offer less than you want to pay and see what they say. Don’t be afraid to let them think, i.e. if they go quiet, wait.

All in my experience – I get £450 off a £5200 car and £400 off a £2500 car last year, but both private sellers. If the cars did not have faults (due cambelt, old perished tyres etc) I would not have haggled so much.

I think you’ll be fine as you are, but would benefit from the bigger wheels or a bigger ring for longer gearing – just in case the road bikes are travelling quicker and you spin out. I can’t imagine that you would need to do both – the bigger wheels should give that extra bit of gearing. If you do bigger wheels you can save yourself the faff of changing tyres for road and off-road too 🙂

You can service them, and I have – you need a tool from SJS cycles and the park tools ‘how to…’ on their website. I ride M520s btw.

Excellent, thank you mrmo! I was just starting to look at how to do it myself. I will have a go myself I think 8)

Another one here that’s tried and tested winter tyres on a FWD – you won’t believe the difference and you will feel smug if we get heavy snow. Do it 🙂

If the feel changed I’d be happy – it couldn’t be much less comfy! Haha

I just don’t like throwing things away, I’d rather re-cycle it even if it does’t save money.

Not a bad idea, thanks thepodge 🙂

Has anybody had their saddles done please?

I consider myself to be excellent at track stands! Try what you are doing using a harder gear, and also perhaps practice with low tyre pressure and with firm/no suspension. FWIW I use the front brake sometimes, but can do without now. Oh and practice on a slight uphill too!

ernie_lynch:
Furthermore, it pales into insignificance when compared to Britain’s £15 billion per year tax fraud. Yes that’s right, tax evasion is FIFTEEN TIMES more serious than total benefit fraud. And that’s not even tax ‘avoidance’ ……. it’s just straight forward tax fraud.

I think you are over-looking the moral significance of benefit fraud. Lets not forget that whilst these people are not working, they are not paying tax, and more importantly in my experience they are bringing up children who will have similar values. Tax evasion is equally serious however people claiming benefits is also stealing from every person who pulls their weight – hence I don’t care how little they are stealing, I would rather it went to something worthy and not in the pocket of a thief.

Who ever said it was a ‘drop in the ocean’ should consider the effect that that drop could have if it were spent in a school, hospital or charity.

I suspect you may spend a bit more than £300 for new Pro 2s with Stans etc, but why not look second hand? There seems to be a decent amount of pro 2 wheelsets that come up in the classifieds, and they are easily and cheaply converted.

Hi,

I had some 2004 that went the same way (also none serviced, before I was educated!) and when mojo received them, the air springs were so worn that they advised to bin them – so I suspect your’s would go the same way. I’ve also ridden the RC-31 (Ti) and they were quite good – slower, but noticeably lighter and the flex does help! Run a fat tyre at lower pressure and away you go.

For XC and trail centers they are more than OK for you. They use fairly stiff 32mm lowers, the same as Fox etc. You may want to think about 15mm drop-outs for extra stiffness.

5spot – that orange 5-spot is the only one I have ever actually liked the look of! Very nice

The ratios are:

1. Shimano 7/8/9 speed MTB and 10 speed road
2. Shimano 10 speed MTB
3. SRAM 9 speed MTB
4. SRAM 10 speed MTB/Road

Yeah, I think you’re right here – I though i’d read something like that but couldn’t find time to check. IIRC there are similar compatibility problems with shimano and campagnolo road stuff, but I won;t look into that until it affects me! Back to work… Teachers get loads of free time don’t they… 🙄

Call centers are sometimes hard work (foreign) and the prices are very flexible once you have been with them for a while. Seemingly OK (family member with a contract under my name).

After re-thinking this I am not convinced that the 9 speed mech will not work… has anybody actually tried it with MTB components??

So long as the shifter and use the same mech pull ratio, the shifter wil determine how far the mech moves and therefore would move it less between gears.

I wouldn’t consider the Saab FWIW. At least the jag looks nice and drives nice, and I imagine that it is cheaper to run but hopefully somebody will be able to tell you that with some experience 🙂

My dad owns a 9-3 – it has had a couple of annoying troubles that should not happen (windscreen motors electrical problem, bonnet hinge) and the local garage tell me they think he made a mistake because they are vecras and they see a lot of them come in with problems… Saying that he had a Mondeo diesel (obviously related to the x-type) and that had a lot of auto gear-box problems… The mondeo was the nicer to drive though!

I am pretty sure that you need an electrical conductor to powder-coat, and something that like higher temperatures. Carbon fiber is the opposite of these two, and is usually painted – I’d approach a painter. Less durable and more expensive, but looks nice 🙂

Gee – I haven’t tried it but wondered why?? the casette width is the same and shifters control the indexing. That leaves the jockey wheels – which could be changed if they cause a problem. Just curious!

Or different cable pull ratios…

Are those frames steel/alu/ti? I would be shocked if some sort of repair wan’t possible.

I must admit I was half way through the article before I clicked! Vert good fool 🙂

😀

What’s the date today?