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I have a Kona Jake the Snake of that era and it's a fun bike to ride
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Apr 20, 2022 11:43
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Kuule hain nussivan posted:My new job is making it possible to get my first proper bike, with a budget of 1000-2000€. I only know that I should avoid hybrids. I would be using it for day trips in the countryside, so a mix of asphalt, gravel/sand and paths of varying quality. Any help on what I should be looking for in general and regarding specific manufacturers is appreciated. Are you based in Finland? If so I'd check Kona (the rove models in specific) or if you're in Helsinki the Active brand from larunpyorä is also decent. These seem to be in stock which is a bit of a surprise. Touring, gravel or cyclocross is the genre you're looking for. A comfortable riding position is a complicated question and will change the more you ride. Easy thing to check is that you can get the handlebars high enough. Like well above the saddle. This not the only thing that matters but something that can be expensive to fix later. The kona rove st has the most upright position of the bikes I mentioned. For a quick check list of the top of my mind: 1. Test ride, so you know the bike fits you. Ask the sales person for help on this. 2. You want proper mudguards for the Finnish weather. Some frames can't mount full length ones. 3. Tire clearance for at least ~37mm tires with mudguards if you're gonna ride in the winter. This gives enough room for decent studded tires. 4. Hydraulic disc brakes are a worthwhile upgrade over mechanical ones. 5. 650b tires are good but have limited options of mudguards and studded tires.
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Apr 20, 2022 14:35
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TobinHatesYou posted:I'd far rather have mechanical disc than rim brakes.
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Apr 20, 2022 15:10
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it finally happened, I had my first flat on my road bike today, after 7150 km ridden. I'm bound to have one every other ride now, aren't I?  (at least
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Apr 20, 2022 15:16
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a hot dad posted:Looking at a lightly-used 2015 Kona Jake for $1000 NZD / $675 USD shipped. This was my first 'real' bike and it's rad. I don't know if the price is right as covid has changed everything, but it's a good bike  
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Apr 20, 2022 15:50
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Havana Affair posted:Are you based in Finland? If so I'd check Kona (the rove models in specific) or if you're in Helsinki the Active brand from larunpyorä is also decent. These seem to be in stock which is a bit of a surprise. Touring, gravel or cyclocross is the genre you're looking for. Thanks very much for the info. I had a look at Konas since I remember them being good quality bikes for the price, but now I'll know to check out the Roves specifically. I'm Helsinki-adjacent, so I'll be sure to check out Larunpyörä as well. I'll definitely keep mudguards and proper wheels in mind, though I doubt I'll do much biking in the winter. The roads here are rough enough for cars, so I can't imagine being able to get far on them with a bike. What's the advantage of hydraulic brakes over mechanical ones? Just more braking power? Are they harder to adjust and fix compared to the dead simple mechanical ones?
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Apr 20, 2022 16:58
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Hydro discs: can be annoying to install (needs a lot of specialist stuff), but once up and running have better and more reliable brake power and you don't need to worry about adjusting the pads as they wear.
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Apr 20, 2022 17:40
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MrL_JaKiri posted:Hydro discs: can be annoying to install (needs a lot of specialist stuff) It can be worth spending a lot of extra effort narrowing your choices down to frames that have completely external routing, which will let you install them at home (with just zip ties for specialty parts). Might still need to bring to a shop to eventually get the hoses trimmed down to a reasonable length, but rideable sooner. That Jake has internal shift cable routing but external brake routing, so you could do the aftermarket install of hydro brakes without opening up the hydro hoses.
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Apr 20, 2022 17:53
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MrL_JaKiri posted:Hydro discs: can be annoying to install (needs a lot of specialist stuff), but once up and running have better and more reliable brake power and you don't need to worry about adjusting the pads as they wear. This. I hate adjusting mechanical disc brakes and with hydros you kinda don't have to worry about it.
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Apr 20, 2022 18:02
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A disc road bike can be upgraded to hydros but with the cost of integrated levers, and probably in this case an upgraded drivetrain to match the indexing on the new levers, you're well into "might as well buy a new bike" territory disclaimer: I got some RS505 levers and brakes on clearance for $250 a few years back so I'm giving advice I definitely did not follow
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Apr 20, 2022 18:11
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Clark Nova posted:A disc road bike can be upgraded to hydros but with the cost of integrated levers, and probably in this case an upgraded drivetrain to match the indexing on the new levers, you're well into "might as well buy a new bike" territory This would be true before the supply chain hellworld.
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Apr 20, 2022 19:13
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A while back I asked about getting a Stans Dart plug tool for my tubeless setup and someone said that they don’t work too good on gravelking slicks and suggested a tubeless road tire tool. I can’t for the life of me find that post, anyone know what the tool I’m talking about is?
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Apr 22, 2022 03:18
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Ordered new shoes and pedals, should be getting here on Saturday. Making the transition from SPD pedals and amazon special hybrid shoes to proper 3-hole cleats with decent shoes. Bonus points for being "radioactive yellow" to match my Bearpope kit. I've done a couple 30mi rides in between lovely Ohio weather. I started last year at 15 and made it to 50 before the weather drove me inside, planning on hitting the trail harder this year and making it to 100 this fall.
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Apr 22, 2022 03:34
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Pittsburgh Fentanyl Cloud posted:A while back I asked about getting a Stans Dart plug tool for my tubeless setup and someone said that they don’t work too good on gravelking slicks and suggested a tubeless road tire tool. I can’t for the life of me find that post, anyone know what the tool I’m talking about is? DynaPlug. The Racer Pro and Micro Pro are both good.
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Apr 22, 2022 04:15
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TobinHatesYou posted:DynaPlug. The Racer Pro and Micro Pro are both good. Cool beans, thanks!
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Apr 22, 2022 04:31
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 gently caress E: not sure why but when I undid the top cap to switch stems the whole expander plug fell apart and the bottom fell into the fork. Also there's a few threads of carbon fibre loose at the top of the fork tube, maybe I did it up too tightly before? Oh also I'm a total idiot and undid the stem bolts before the top cap  Ok so I slid the whole expander sleeve out and was able to get the nut out. What happened was the smaller bolt of the top cap seized in the top cap, since I had loosened the stem already I guess that was done up tighter than the much larger bolt that goes through the expander sleeve into the bolt that fell into the fork. I managed to get the top cap bolt out by clamping the expander bolt along with some sandpaper for extra friction. Heliosicle fucked around with this message at 10:00 on Apr 22, 2022 |
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Apr 22, 2022 09:23
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Heliosicle posted:Oh also I'm a total idiot and undid the stem bolts before the top cap You’re meant to do this, not doing it can instantly crush your carbon steerer.
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Apr 22, 2022 14:37
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wooger posted:You’re meant to do this, not doing it can instantly crush your carbon steerer. That was my thought when I did it initally, but then quickly watched a GCN video to try to work out what I'd done wrong. They did the opposite and I assumed I had messed up on that step. So maybe I'm not a complete idiot.
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Apr 22, 2022 15:05
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wooger posted:You’re meant to do this, not doing it can instantly crush your carbon steerer. The top cap is non-structural once preload has been set
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Apr 22, 2022 16:11
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wooger posted:You’re meant to do this, not doing it can instantly crush your carbon steerer. gonna need you to show your work on this one
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Apr 22, 2022 17:38
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It's possible not undoing the stem bolts first would have crushed or damaged the steerer in my case, since I removed all the preload on the expander plug when I unscrewed the top cap + expander bolt
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Apr 22, 2022 18:17
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wooger posted:You’re meant to do this, not doing it can instantly crush your carbon steerer. 
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Apr 22, 2022 18:59
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didn't you switch sides like 18 hours ago?
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Apr 22, 2022 19:47
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Heliosicle posted:It's possible not undoing the stem bolts first would have crushed or damaged the steerer in my case, since I removed all the preload on the expander plug when I unscrewed the top cap + expander bolt While technically possible, this is exceedingly unlikely to happen. You’d have to reduce the ID of the clamp so much that you’d delam the steerer as it’s crushed against the expander. If you simply used the recommended torque on the steerer clamp bolts, the ID of the stem's clamp would shrink less than the OD of the steerer when you take the expander out. The system would go slack. TobinHatesYou fucked around with this message at 01:37 on Apr 23, 2022 |
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Apr 22, 2022 20:30
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Kuule hain nussivan posted:Thanks very much for the info. I had a look at Konas since I remember them being good quality bikes for the price, but now I'll know to check out the Roves specifically. I'm Helsinki-adjacent, so I'll be sure to check out Larunpyörä as well. I'll definitely keep mudguards and proper wheels in mind, though I doubt I'll do much biking in the winter. The roads here are rough enough for cars, so I can't imagine being able to get far on them with a bike. I'm about to rent a Kona Rove DL for a few days, I'll let you know how it goes.
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Apr 23, 2022 00:54
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Carbon bikes sound like a lot of fun
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Apr 23, 2022 19:12
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Speaking of carbon bikes, here's a thing I absolutely don't need but it's in my size and I could get it without needing to ship thanks to some family: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1542805712601337/permalink/3077505835797976/?sale_post_id=3077505835797976
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Apr 23, 2022 19:20
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Oldsrocket_27 posted:Speaking of carbon bikes, here's a thing I absolutely don't need but it's in my size and I could get it without needing to ship thanks to some family: Make sure they've never undone the stem bolts out of order
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Apr 23, 2022 19:39
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this weekend the PNW is having the best weather so far this year and i managed to fall on stairs last night and now have a fracture in my wrist 
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Apr 24, 2022 02:51
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I'm right in the exact middle of a race right now. 170 down and 170 to go. But maybe I'll just sit inside this Casey's for a bit.  But hey, at least I've got plenty of nutrition for the next 100 miles. 
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Apr 24, 2022 03:57
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Crumps Brother posted:I'm right in the exact middle of a race right now. 170 down and 170 to go. But maybe I'll just sit inside this Casey's for a bit. Very nice - how’s your stomach? Are you just riding straight through or is there a planned stop for you?
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Apr 24, 2022 04:21
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I was going to ride straight through. I had to scratch out though. Apparently falling asleep while riding is frowned upon. I could have taken a ditch nap, but the storm put me pretty far behind schedule. A nap wouldn't do that any favors. Oh, stomach is fine. I really like candy.
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Apr 24, 2022 10:31
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Sanity check- good deal or not?
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Apr 24, 2022 16:49
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Took my front wheel off with the quick release and now when I put it back on the pads (v brake) are rubbing on the wheel. Feel like it’s something simple I’m not doing but would I need to adjust the pads now?
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Apr 24, 2022 17:55
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V brake you can just move around a bit with your fingers till they're in the right place
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Apr 24, 2022 18:05
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dew worm posted:Took my front wheel off with the quick release and now when I put it back on the pads (v brake) are rubbing on the wheel. Feel like it’s something simple I’m not doing but would I need to adjust the pads now? Make sure the axle is fully seated in the dropouts by loosening the quick release and giving the wheel a little wiggle while applying downward pressure on the fork before clamping it back down. Also check that the end of the brake noodle (little curved metal tube at the end of the housing) is fully seated in place, and make sure that the end of the cable housing at the brake lever is fully seated. If it's still rubbing after that and the pads are centered in the brake track and just uneven side to side there should be a small screw on the side of the brake arms next to the pivot on one or both to adjust the spring tension. Tightening the screw will move the pad on that arm away from the rim and pull the opposite pad closer. Play with both until you find a balance that keeps them centered. Dog Case fucked around with this message at 18:15 on Apr 24, 2022 |
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Apr 24, 2022 18:10
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Dog Case posted:Make sure the axle is fully seated in the dropouts by loosening the quick release and giving the wheel a little wiggle while applying downward pressure on the fork before clamping it back down. Also check that the end of the brake noodle (little curved metal tube at the end of the housing) is fully seated in place, and make sure that the end of the cable housing at the brake lever is fully seated. Yep…turns out the wheel wasn’t seated correctly. Just needed to open the quick release and tap it a bit. Also!I probably should have filled tires with air beforehand. The wheel just seems to bounce off the pad a slightly now but doesn’t seem major. Thank you!
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Apr 24, 2022 18:17
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Crumps Brother posted:I'm right in the exact middle of a race right now. 170 down and 170 to go. But maybe I'll just sit inside this Casey's for a bit. Hell yeah! But also please don't forget to brush your teeth.
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Apr 24, 2022 22:04
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Could I get thoughts on these bikes? I've been looking at bikes on Bikes Direct since that was in the OP. My main constraint is that I need like a 61 cm frame, ideally 62 cm but that's a bit of a pipe dream. I was looking at local bike sellers, but they have few to none in my size at a reasonable price -- e.g. they had some options if I went up to like $3k, but I was really trying to spend more like $1-1.5k on a bike. I had been just sitting on Craigslist for a few months, but failed to find anything in the right size. Anyway these are the two bikes which were in my price range and which had a 61+cm frame available: The Fantom Cross Comp http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/motobecane/fantomcrosscomp-flatbar-disc.htm Vent Noir http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/motobecane/ventnoir_xii.htm I sort of like the idea of the gravel bike just so I have the option of going on to trails, but I really have no idea how to evaluate if that's a good deal. The one other bike was the Gran Premio, but some reviews mentioned its brakes were not good. Any help would be appreciated! For context, I used to bike a bunch, but haven't had one for awhile and want to get back into it.
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Apr 25, 2022 00:47
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nwin posted:Sanity check- good deal or not? Not a good deal.
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Apr 25, 2022 02:23
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