|
Montreal, just yesterday I threw my chain and derailer, one big tangled lump, into the trash, straight after the cassette and chainring.
|
#
?
Mar 30, 2022 01:00
|
|
|
|
| # ? Jun 3, 2024 12:16 |
|
|
SimonSays posted:Montreal, just yesterday I threw my chain and derailer, one big tangled lump, into the trash, straight after the cassette and chainring. Three winters, which was frankly one too many.
|
|
#
?
Mar 30, 2022 01:01
|
|
|
evil_bunnY posted:Normalize working from home and riding at lunch Normalize not working, just riding your bike and chillin'
|
|
#
?
Mar 30, 2022 01:32
|
|
|
EvilJoven posted:Wait you guys clean your winter drivetrain? I just throw it in the garbage and put new stuff on. 1 speed chains are great. Just cut the old one off in the spring and put on a new.
|
|
#
?
Mar 30, 2022 08:39
|
|
|
ExecuDork posted:For Winnipeg, "throw it away in June when winter pauses" is presumably the correct answer for many things. Lmao it's the last week of March and there's still snow. So much snow. I hate it here.
|
|
#
?
Mar 30, 2022 13:36
|
|
|
God Hole posted:Normalize not working, just riding your bike and chillin' this is what i do, highly recommend
|
|
#
?
Mar 30, 2022 21:57
|
|
|
 commuter is back in action after having to replace the wheel when I discovered that one of the axle's threads were stripped while installing the fenders. Older wheel had smaller axles that are not standard anymore and the dropouts were pinched, so I had to bend them back into place. Fenders installed now, but I need to cut off the excess support wire thing that overshoots the wheel axle. I ordered a rear rack and I'll eventually replace the fake leather bar tape with real leather (and replace that one black cable housing with yellow), so that'll complete my pretty grocery getter. It's been loving wimdy though. P.S. don't get an old rear end bike unless you want a lot of headaches keeping it running. Mauser fucked around with this message at 00:20 on Apr 2, 2022 |
|
#
?
Apr 2, 2022 00:17
|
|
|
Mauser posted:
Dont listen to this cyclist, old bikes rule. Just don't buy old French bikes. Also, this French bike is also rad. Happy New Motobécane day!
|
|
#
?
Apr 2, 2022 00:41
|
|
|
Ok, let me qualify that: don't buy yourself an old rear end French bike unless you want to carry one of these around all the time (gifted to me by my father-in-law) and also want to have a really cool ride Every bolt is a different size on this thing
|
|
#
?
Apr 2, 2022 01:43
|
|
|
It could be worse. It could also have a 7mm allen quill stem bolt.
|
|
#
?
Apr 2, 2022 02:49
|
|
|
At least its not some English bullshit from the 70s. I have an old bike that has a derailleur mount that's threaded something like 12mm x 15 threads per inch. I tried every metric and inch bolt that exists before I looked it up and figured out why none of them fit. Solved the issue by using a IGH. 
|
|
#
?
Apr 2, 2022 03:42
|
|
|
I completely killed the middle chainring on my commuter so on the annual yeeting of the drivetrain into the trash I tried to find a ring, failed, and instead threw on some takeoff 46/30 crank and said gently caress it and installed the thing. Kinda hard to properly gear an 8 speed bike with a narrow wide so it's good for both higher speed commuting and also pulling a trailer with 90lbs of Costco loot on it. My god having a fresh drivetrain and non studded tires is wonderful. Also while I still think front derailleurs are great gently caress triples forever (until I go touring somewhere with hills). I can't wait until things dry up for proper summer bikes
|
|
#
?
Apr 2, 2022 04:14
|
|
|
The Wiggly Wizard posted:I’ve had some 3m stuff on my commuter bike for 6 years and it hasn’t shown signs of peeling or losing its luster. It’s on the frame though, not the wheels I've heard good things about 3m but its difficult to find where I am. No idea why. Hadlock posted:I started off putting this stuff on my bike, and after I got married and had a kid, bought more and put it on my stroller I'll check some of this out if I can find it. I don't think they still make the black reflective tape?
|
|
#
?
Apr 2, 2022 05:50
|
|
|
Animal Friend posted:I don't think they still make the black reflective tape? https://www.amazon.com.au/3M-Scotch-Scotchlite-Reflective-Striping/dp/B0010ASWF4 I'm not sure what you'd do with a roll that big....
|
|
#
?
Apr 2, 2022 06:17
|
|
|
I usually commute on a gravel bike with pannier. Last week my freehub seized up completely, and I’ve been waiting on a 11mm Allen key to arrive so I can take it apart, so commuting on my winter road bike for a week, and using a backpack. It’s been surprisingly OK, no punctures, and I’ve gotten in a couple of 30 mile extended commutes after work. Now tempted to make it a permanent change and use the gravel bike for gravel again. Only issue is I can’t use the 35c marathon plus tyres I used to commute on, and I suspect commuting on 28c Vittoria Rubino Pros will become a problem shortly.
|
|
#
?
Apr 2, 2022 09:22
|
|
|
Re: reflective tape chat- This stuff is also great for jackets/bags- it's very thin and as long as you get a good initial application, it will stay stuck on pretty much any fabric even when crumpled. I probably wouldn't put it on a jersey or something else that is going to be constantly washed. https://smile.amazon.com/Gear-Aid-Tenacious-Reflective-Running/dp/B00URO2XY0
|
|
#
?
Apr 2, 2022 11:21
|
|
|
Animal Friend posted:I've heard good things about 3m but its difficult to find where I am. No idea why. Mine was at the hardware store in the section with house and mailbox numbers and “beware of dog” signs
|
|
#
?
Apr 2, 2022 21:03
|
|
|
I bought that two wheel gear garmet bag - will report on how functional bike commuting for suit wearers is!
|
|
#
?
Apr 4, 2022 00:42
|
|
|
Today is commute #200. I only stopped once going up the hill, which is unusual and I doubt that will be a consistent thing in the near future. But still, about 1400 km under my own power over about two years. 
|
|
#
?
Apr 5, 2022 02:17
|
|
|
Shred that lettuce my friend.
|
|
#
?
Apr 5, 2022 02:31
|
|
|
I was lubing my chain and the bike slipped from where I was resting it. It fell away and as I moved to grab it I somehow got a drop of lube into the disc brake pads. Just in awe of how unco I am. Brakes still work but are now extremely loud. Just an added safety bonus. ExecuDork posted:Today is commute #200. I only stopped once going up the hill, which is unusual and I doubt that will be a consistent thing in the near future. But still, about 1400 km under my own power over about two years. excellent
|
|
#
?
Apr 6, 2022 03:43
|
|
|
Honking brakes are convenient, you don't need to use a bell. I'm actually kinda annoyed when we get a stretch of weather dry enough that my brakes don't honk. BB7s with semi metallic pads 4 lyfe.
|
|
#
?
Apr 6, 2022 03:46
|
|
|
EvilJoven posted:Honking brakes are convenient, you don't need to use a bell. I'm actually kinda annoyed when we get a stretch of weather dry enough that my brakes don't honk. BB7s with semi metallic pads 4 lyfe. There's the one drawback that you have to shed speed in order to proclaim you are going fast. I still want all the bells and horns because I like options. When my bell has raindrops on it it gets really muffled so it's convenient that my brakes get honky when the bell don't work right.
|
|
#
?
Apr 6, 2022 05:04
|
|
|
EvilJoven posted:Honking brakes are convenient, you don't need to use a bell. I'm actually kinda annoyed when we get a stretch of weather dry enough that my brakes don't honk. BB7s with semi metallic pads 4 lyfe. I put metallic pads on my cross bike
|
|
#
?
Apr 6, 2022 10:43
|
|
|
Invalido posted:There's the one drawback that you have to shed speed in order to proclaim you are going fast.
|
|
#
?
Apr 6, 2022 16:29
|
|
|
CopperHound posted:More oil on the brakes will solve that problem. My friend didn't know what he was doing and put wd40 on the rim brakes because they were too tight and dragging on the rim. That poo poo got loving everywhere in my apartment when he brought it over for me to fix
|
|
#
?
Apr 7, 2022 04:06
|
|
|
Thanks god for giving us the shittiest winter ever and after months of bullshit just enough of a warm break to convince me it might be OK to switch to normal tires, just to poo poo all over everything with a layer of snow and ice tonight. At least the studded tires I run now aren't the terrible schwalbes that are the hardest tire to install ever in the history of tires.
|
|
#
?
Apr 7, 2022 04:25
|
|
|
Frequent Handies posted:I had a Kona Dew Deluxe about a decade ago that I just absolutely loved, it fit perfectly and rode like a dream. It was stolen out of my car I ended up getting a used road bike and trying that whole thing out for awhile, getting up to 50-75m rides and using it as a car replacement in Portland. I ended up test riding a 2022 Kona Sutra LE and think I've fallen in love. The end shifters were a bit odd to get used to but it felt fantastic to ride, especially with that saddle. Think I might've found The One for the next good long while. The place was generous enough to hook up a trailer and let me pull the dog around a bit and the gearing seemed pretty well suited to making that easy, especially when I hit a small hill. Edit: Went for it, and definitely do not regret. 
Frequent Handies fucked around with this message at 03:22 on Apr 10, 2022 |
|
#
?
Apr 8, 2022 07:54
|
|
|
I have a Gore jacket which is lovely. It has a removable hood and is slim fitting. It however is 8 years old and the zips have failed to the point where they can't be replaced. Does anyone have a good suggestion for a possible replacement? I use it for commuting and hiking. I want it to have a hood, be slim-fitting and be properly water/windproof. I'm OK with paying for that. I'm tall (6'4) and slim (170lbs) I looked around and am struggling. The Endura MT500 was strongly recommended when I was looking online but when I got it to try it the fit isn't great. You can make it tighter by pulling a variety of cords but that's a lot of faff and it still seems like it'd catch the wind way too much. Thanks!
|
|
#
?
Apr 12, 2022 10:09
|
|
|
that looks good as hell EvilJoven posted:My god having a fresh drivetrain and non studded tires is wonderful. Also, taking corners at maximum cargo-lean will never get old. evil_bunnY fucked around with this message at 14:05 on Apr 12, 2022 |
|
#
?
Apr 12, 2022 14:02
|
|
|
It takes me a few weeks of ice clear roads to actually lean into corners like a normal cyclist again. Then I hit a patch of sand from 5 months of sand trucks and low side my bike anyway.
|
|
#
?
Apr 12, 2022 18:37
|
|
|
Yesterday my chain broke, about halfway up the hill of my daily commute. I dropped the bike off at the LBS this morning and he diagnosed a stretched chain so rather than a quicklink I'll get a new chain. He warned me that the new chain might have some problems with the wear pattern on the cogs, but mainly at the highest gears where I don't tend to push very hard - if I'm going fast downhill I'm usually happy to just enjoy the ride. That chain lasted about 1400 km, which seems reasonable. I asked for a general look-over of the bike too, they'll probably tell me I need new brakes (pads and maybe rotors) and maybe one or more of the cables will need something more than an adjustment. I'm not worried, this bike has been trouble-free besides the occasional chain lube and it's been treating me very well for the past many months; it's time to spend a few dollars I guess.
|
|
#
?
Apr 13, 2022 03:09
|
|
|
Mauser posted:My friend didn't know what he was doing and put wd40 on the rim brakes because they were too tight and dragging on the rim. That poo poo got loving everywhere in my apartment when he brought it over for me to fix Wait what, can you expand on this He applied the WD40 at his house, then dragged it to your house and there was still so much on there, it was dripping off?
|
|
#
?
Apr 13, 2022 03:30
|
|
|
ExecuDork posted:stuff about wear and tear Stuff breaks and wears, sure - it's a good things that bike parts are generally cheap. But honestly 1400km out of a chain before catastrophic failure sounds way too soon to me, unless you forgot a zero there and it was long overdue. I don't treat my chains all that well especially in the winter but they tend to last several multiples of that distance before I toss them. Granted there's all sorts of factors in play here that I don't know anything about, but in my mind either it was a bum chain, you live where the road grit is extremely abrasive or you abused the poo poo out of that chain (or you forgot a zero I guess)
|
|
#
?
Apr 13, 2022 05:19
|
|
|
My bike computer is the cheapest little thing I could find at KMart when I started commuting by bike. I reset it when I bought this bike about a year and a half ago, and again when I passed 1000 km (it is a very cheap and limited glorified speedometer/odometer). It could easily be mis-calibrated, but not by a factor of ten. Yeah, less than one thousand five hundred kilometres on the chain. I don't *think* I'm especially hard on any part of my bike and my riding conditions seem rather gentle. I could be applying lube rather badly, I suppose, or perhaps my riding decisions are bad. Maybe a sanity check is in order. 21-speed hardtail, a Norco Storm 5. Three chain rings, 1 is smallest. Seven cogs at the back axle, 7 is smallest. I spend probably 70% of my commute in 2/5, rolling along on pretty flat, pretty smooth multi-use-path (asphalt) at around 25 km/h. Climbing the hill to the university where I work, a rise of about 70 meters over 1.5 km I'm in 1/4, 1/3, or 1/2 (the really steep bit near the top). There's about a kilometre near my house that goes near a playground and some sports fields, and very often has more pedestrians, dogs, and children so I limit my speed and stay in 1/5 and about 15 km/h. Coming home down the hill is usually the only time I get into the big ring, working all the way up to 3/7 if there isn't a headwind; the fastest I've ever gone is on that part, on a road, was 51 km/h. The whole commute is about 6.5 km one-way, much shorter than many others here. I often cut across a wide curve, on a dirt path through a grassy field, and bits of grass and other debris often get caught in my drivechain in various places. I pull them out when I notice them but sometimes a little stem or leaf will sit in the gap between chain rings or somewhere else for a few days. Would the angle imposed on the chain from the smallest ring to the third-smallest cog (1/5) lead to much faster wear on my chain? Are those bits of grass causing more damage than I think? Could it be something about my body size/shape and my geometry on the bike (I feel like I'm not doing anything very differently there, but I don't know much at all about this stuff)
|
|
#
?
Apr 13, 2022 08:42
|
|
|
It could be a bum k-mart chain I suppose. I haven't had one snap since I was a kid and that was due to a bad installation job, but I'm more of a spinner than a grinder. Just lube it when it starts making noise or the rust offends your eyes, ride and be happy. If you need to replace the coggy bits in the rear a 7-speed is cheap and chains are like  even if you get a name brand one. I'm pretty sure whatever your LBS put on there will last significantly longer than your previous chain though.
|
|
#
?
Apr 13, 2022 16:48
|
|
|
Thanks for the sanity check. Yeah, it was basically a low-cost/low-quality chain. I picked up the bike this morning and the guy at the LBS told me the new chain was better quality than the cheap one Norco shipped with the bike from factory. It was skipping badly - he'd told another employee to test ride it but I guess it hadn't happened - and he replaced the rear cassette for free. He said something about a recall that might or might not have already been done to my bike but he had a spare ready to go and onto my bike it went. My commute this morning was lovely! There's something very pleasing about a well-functioning bike. tl/dr - bikes are good EDIT: Here's a photo of the old, worn cassette sitting on the bench at the LBS  Old rear cassette by ExecuDork, on Flickr(the smallest cog is missing, it fell off and was on the floor at this point) ExecuDork fucked around with this message at 05:02 on Apr 14, 2022 |
|
#
?
Apr 14, 2022 03:36
|
|
|
third week of my 5 mile commute to and from work and i'm already riding up all but one hill to and one hill from work. they are both monsters so it will be a hot minute till i can tackle them. a few others are pretty big and/or steep but mostly manageable. pretty happy with my purchase even if a peugeot road bike that's older than me may be a bitch to work on when needed.
|
|
#
?
Apr 14, 2022 14:51
|
|
|
Hadlock posted:Wait what, can you expand on this yeah basically. It wasn't dripping off exactly, but after a while I had noticed that my hardwood floor was covered in gross oily/grimy smears. I showed him how you can adjust it out and we cleaned the rim and break pads thoroughly.
|
|
#
?
Apr 14, 2022 16:42
|
|
|
|
| # ? Jun 3, 2024 12:16 |
|
|
Just found out a friend of mine got hit by a car running a red light and needed brain surgery. Wanted to say that there are things outside your control and it's a good idea to wear a helmet while commuting.
|
|
#
?
Apr 14, 2022 22:19
|
|