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Mederlock posted:How willing are you to wrench on your bike at a shop? I'll bet your area has a community bike co-op shop that can help teach you how to do some work on your bike. When's the last time the bearings were re-greased? Brakes and shifters still working fine? I’ve changed the tubes a few times and fiddled with the brakes. That’s, uh, all the maintenance I’ve done. I grew up on Walmart specials and this is the first “nice” bike (ie, better than whatever Walmart had for $100) I’ve owned and didn’t really know I was supposed to do anything. I did order some chain lube. I’m willing to learn though and decently mechanically inclined. Shifting is good but not great. If I’m going at a good pace the shifting is fine though. Currently my front brakes work fine. The rear brakes keep needing constantly adjusted and I know something is wrong with them. They stick really bad and I probably need to lubricate something. If I decide to stick with this bike I’ll need to get this finally figured out. Tires do sound like a good thing to try out, especially if I could use them on a potential new bike down the road. Do you need to change; like; the entire wheel? Or can you actually put narrower tires on the same wheel?
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Jul 22, 2023 22:59
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Tires can be removed from a wheel, if you've got old tradesman hand strength you can do it by hand but most mortals will need what's called a "tire bead jack" to lever them off. There's a range of tire widths that will fit a given rim size. This chart from Sheldon Brown's website gives the basic range If you're lucky your wheels will have the rim width and diameter either engraved in the rim or on an intact sticker, and you can go from there. Worst case you can just look at the tire size that's on there now and you're probably safe to go up or down one width. E: I should add that narrower tires are not /necessarily/ faster, and in fact can be slower (but may feel faster due to increased road feedback through the bars) but a lower rolling-resistance road tire will be faster than a higher-resistance hybrid/off-road tire. Here's a comparison of the same tire in different widths for the sake of seeing the difference between them . Aerodynamics play a big part too, and the easiest thing you can do to reduce aero drag is by getting your body down lower and not wearing baggy clothes If you're interested and mechanically inclined, then it's definitely worth bringing your bike down to the local bike co-op shop. They'll have all the specialty tools needed and ideally have a bunch of volunteers helping people diagnose and fix the problems with their bike. I went from 0 bicycle-specific mechanical knowledge at all, to stripping and rebuilding 2 bikes from the frame up and getting frisky with cheap as borscht part swaps over the course of a few weeks with guidance from the wonderful volunteers at my local co-ops. I'm having a lot of fun wrenching on the bikes, personally, the mechanics of how it all works is pretty cool. They'll be able to help you with your rear brake, it could be your brake cable/housing is adding a bunch of friction, or it could be something with the brake caliper. Mederlock fucked around with this message at 23:54 on Jul 22, 2023 |
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Jul 22, 2023 23:26
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Fork of Unknown Origins posted:I’ve changed the tubes a few times and fiddled with the brakes. That’s, uh, all the maintenance I’ve done. I grew up on Walmart specials and this is the first “nice” bike (ie, better than whatever Walmart had for $100) I’ve owned and didn’t really know I was supposed to do anything. I did order some chain lube. I’m willing to learn though and decently mechanically inclined. Shifting is good but not great. If I’m going at a good pace the shifting is fine though. E: f, b. ilkhan fucked around with this message at 00:09 on Jul 23, 2023 |
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Jul 23, 2023 00:07
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Mederlock posted:Tires can be removed from a wheel, if you've got old tradesman hand strength you can do it by hand but most mortals will need what's called a "tire bead jack" to lever them off. There's a range of tire widths that will fit a given rim size. This chart from Sheldon Brown's website gives the basic range I’ll look around for a co op shop. I live in a well populated area and I see a ton of people biking so I’m sure there’s something around. Edit: holy poo poo that tire bead Jack is the thing I never knew I needed but may end up being my best friend. Fork of Unknown Origins fucked around with this message at 01:03 on Jul 23, 2023 |
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Jul 23, 2023 00:59
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Mederlock posted:Tires can be removed from a wheel, if you've got old tradesman hand strength you can do it by hand but most mortals will need what's called a "tire bead jack" to lever them off. sad https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YW-DUx-eeKk&t=71s
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Jul 23, 2023 04:51
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 My wheels only take wire bead tires, maybe that's why they were hard to do >.>
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Jul 23, 2023 04:57
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Gear list for a woman cycling on her own from Ireland (actually Dunkirk) to India in the 60s  From Dervla Murphy's book
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Jul 23, 2023 13:37
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I’m the four rounds of ammunition. Potassium permanganate is an O.K. disinfectant but does not counteract snake venom. Paludrin works but would not be taken as a sole antimalarial today. Platystemon fucked around with this message at 14:11 on Jul 23, 2023 |
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Jul 23, 2023 14:04
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Platystemon posted:I’m the four rounds of ammunition. I'm at page 16 and she's already used the ammunition twice, on wolves/wild dogs and to scare off a man entering her room in a Turkish hostel. Her bike is 16.7kg unloaded, and she removed the 3 speed derailleur as she didn't think it would survive the rough roads, so I think she's doing the whole thing on a single speed?? I suppose she could change gear by hand before uphill sections, not sure if that would work.
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Jul 23, 2023 14:24
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Bicycle Megathread: Tires can be removed from a wheel
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Jul 23, 2023 14:26
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distortion park posted:Her bike is 16.7kg unloaded 
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Jul 23, 2023 14:47
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Mederlock posted:
i wouldn't worry too much, they didn't even post a video of someone taking a tyre off! Some wheel/tyre combos are more annoying than others. I had a friend who had some cheap wheels which were a huge pain in the butt to do anything with. He punctured both tyres in one go on a bike tour 
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Jul 23, 2023 18:02
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eeenmachine posted:Bicycle Megathread: Tires can be removed from a wheel Lol I knew that part as I’ve changed tubes a few times, I didn’t know that you could put different sizes of tire on the same wheel. Went over 15 miles today (previous max was 11) and focused on pacing myself better. Still felt good at the end and considered going for more but had to be back by a certain time. Going to go for a 20 mile ride next weekend. The market here seems pretty good on used road bikes so I’m keeping an eye out.
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Jul 23, 2023 18:07
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I think having the seat just slightly angled up or flat is better for my crotch numbness. For the seat, do you set it so your butt touches the absolute back of the seat? Because I think I might need to move mine forward just a tad.
actionjackson fucked around with this message at 22:24 on Jul 23, 2023 |
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Jul 23, 2023 22:21
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Pantsmaster Bill posted:Aside from being an rear end in a top hat, Hambini works in the aerospace industry and expects things to be made to the same tolerances as a plane, for some weird reason. Rojkir posted:Hambini finds everything hilariously out of spec though. I find it really hard to assess if the problems he finds have any real life meaning, both in size (the man can explode over a mm) and frequency. Not gonna disagree on the rear end in a top hat part but if there's a loving BB aperture/landings spec AND YOU MARK IT PASS ON YOUR QC SHEET, and then it's ovalized to the point you can stick a loving feeler gauge through, I don't want your bike. Angryhead posted:Huh? Not sure what you mean by "fender lines". evil_bunnY fucked around with this message at 22:47 on Jul 23, 2023 |
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Jul 23, 2023 22:44
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Fork of Unknown Origins posted:The market here seems pretty good on used road bikes so I’m keeping an eye out. If you want crowd sourcing, post your budget and measured inseam along with the CL area.
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Jul 24, 2023 01:07
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kimbo305 posted:If you want crowd sourcing, post your budget and measured inseam along with the CL area. If anyone's bored it's https://ventura.craigslist.org/ inseam is 31 (it's measured to the floor right?), I'm 5'10, and my absolute max is $600 but I'd like to keep it to $500. I've been checking FB market and have sent a couple messages out but haven't gotten replies yet. I'm looking for something to ride for fun/exercise, with an eye toward being able to take it on longer distance rides (50+ miles). And I've got a Schwinn Discover Hybrid right now so I'd like it to be a good upgrade over that if I'm going to drop the money. If nothing available would be a good upgrade then I'll just keep riding what I've got.
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Jul 24, 2023 01:54
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Went to the LBS to buy some gloves because my super-padded gloves are falling apart. The damage from the accident in April has been growing with each ride, and it was time to move on. Got some cool Pearl Izumis in teal blue. But, I'm a cyclist, which means that there's a 99% chance that I hate money. So, I got a Topeak trunk for my Escape--this one is better than the one I currently have for it. It is the DXP version of their MTX trunk line. I can't wait to go on a grocery run with this thing. I also have fenders on order for this bike. I'm kitting out the cheapest bike Giant makes (which I assume the Giant Escape 3 probably currently is) as a utility bike.
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Jul 24, 2023 02:51
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This thread made me realize I'm not the only one who suffers from crotch numbness. I swear to god it feels like my dick has fallen asleep when I get off a long ride. Its just now that I'm realizing others suffer from this as well. Also I biked in pouring down rain this past few days for like a hour it loving sucked but also felt good?
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Jul 24, 2023 03:26
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I don't get crotch numbness, but on my almost-70-mile ride the other day, my big toes went numb, particularly my left one. This is something that happens to me. My road bike only does this after many miles, but on my hybrids, it'll happen sooner: big toe numbness.
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Jul 24, 2023 03:50
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Fork of Unknown Origins posted:If anyone's bored it's https://ventura.craigslist.org/ inseam is 31 (it's measured to the floor right?), I'm 5'10, and my absolute max is $600 but I'd like to keep it to $500. This is hard to argue with for $500 if it's functional. I'm the same size as you and 56 is usually a good fit for me. https://ventura.craigslist.org/bik/d/thousand-oaks-cannondale-caad-10/7645700337.html
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Jul 24, 2023 05:09
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Hollismason posted:This thread made me realize I'm not the only one who suffers from crotch numbness. I swear to god it feels like my dick has fallen asleep when I get off a long ride. Nah dude that ain't right. Get a better saddle.
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Jul 24, 2023 05:37
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Hollismason posted:This thread made me realize I'm not the only one who suffers from crotch numbness. I swear to god it feels like my dick has fallen asleep when I get off a long ride. this is not good or normal and you need to fix it with a better fit and/or saddle
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Jul 24, 2023 05:47
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resident posted:Heading to Iowa to bike 500 miles and eat countless slices of Casey’s pizza. I’m legitimately concerned about small towns running out of food before my team of laggards rolls in 4 hours after the peak crowds. It's already showing stress from the sheer size today. When our support vehicles tried to get to Washta today, they were stopped about a mile outside of town on the official support vehicle route with a trooper saying that there simply were no places left in town to park vehicles. Later on after Quimby, as we went up a good sized hill, a virgin rider next to me started to yell about a cramp, stood straight up on the pedals, toppled over onto the shoulder, and then started yelling that he broke his arm. I started yelling for a medic and several Team Air Force folks and someone presumably a doctor or nurse got to him, and while they were assessing him, the only remaining ambulance on that hill took off in the other direction with lights on. It also sounds like a lot of new riders are trying to sag early and often and that system is being strained pretty badly. Stay safe, but make sure you have your own safety net in place just in case.
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Jul 24, 2023 06:07
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I have a Raleigh Grand Prix I bought 9 or 10 years ago that, by all accounts seems like a great bike.  Problem is that I bought it on Raleigh’s website before I knew what I was doing and the frame is too big for me to ride comfortably. I’ve since then purchased an All City Space Horse which does fit well and rides great. It’s honestly mostly every I’d want in a gravel bike. I have this Raleigh that’s been sitting around though and I thought about pulling the wheels and groupset (Campy Veloce) off and finding a frame a fork that would fit me better. I have a bike stand and can do all the basic maintenance stuff but have never tried matching components from one bike to another. Is there anything in particular I should look out for if I start digging through used bikes and frames? I don’t know how significantly the mounts for different bits have changed over the years or whether some manufacturers make their stuff compatible with only some equipment and not others.
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Jul 24, 2023 14:19
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rockear posted:This is hard to argue with for $500 if it's functional. I'm the same size as you and 56 is usually a good fit for me. Awesome, thanks. I’ve reached out to them.
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Jul 24, 2023 15:07
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Good riding around there too. I used to almost crash on Kanan road regularly haha
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Jul 24, 2023 15:19
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A MIRACLE posted:Good riding around there too. I used to almost crash on Kanan road regularly haha I live below the grade so I’ve done all my biking down there so far. My long term goal is a Camarillo to Santa Barbara run. I’m going to do a Camarillo to Ventura very soon (20 miles and I felt great after a hillier 15 mile ride so I’m confident in it) then a Ventura to Santa Barbara run (30 miles) in the medium term. It is a great place to bike, and the weather is good year round.
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Jul 24, 2023 15:22
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Hekk posted:I have a bike stand and can do all the basic maintenance stuff but have never tried matching components from one bike to another. Is there anything in particular I should look out for if I start digging through used bikes and frames? I don’t know how significantly the mounts for different bits have changed over the years or whether some manufacturers make their stuff compatible with only some equipment and not others. The one thing I was trying to ascertain was the bottom bracket standard. Some website listed this Veloce build as having Power Torque outboard cups, so most likely it’s English/BSA. If they decided to use Italian threading, that’d really limit your options. It also uses long reach brakes despite 28mm stock tire size. So unless you find a frame where the brake mounts are appropriately spaced, you might have to swap down to mid or normal reach calipers. Rim brake means a road bike with 130mm rear spacing, and enough clearance for those 28mm, which a lot of early carbon forks wouldn’t fit. You could size down tires, but that’s yet another cost. If all cable routing is the same, you could try reuse all the housings and cables, though the clamped ends end up being annoying — either cut them to run easily through the housing and risk not being long enough or gouge the inner liner if you can’t get the clamped bit smooth enough. Depending on tools you already have, it still might be cheaper to have a shop swap things over. This frame has the Ritchey Breakaway fittings, so I imagine either way, it would have resale value. Might be faster to sell as a complete bike, but could get a bit more totally value selling piecemeal.
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Jul 24, 2023 16:14
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bicievino posted:Nah dude that ain't right. I started with adjusting the angle - how do you know if the issue is related to the height or angle of the saddle, vs. the saddle itself?
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Jul 24, 2023 17:00
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actionjackson posted:I started with adjusting the angle - how do you know if the issue is related to the height or angle of the saddle, vs. the saddle itself? Trial and error. But to start, set the saddle level; put a large book over the top of it, then use the spirit level app on your phone to make sure it’s flat front to back. No one will ever recommend setting your saddle with a backwards tilt as you posted - that probably means your saddle is at the wrong height. Then set the saddle height with a tape measure, measuring to some point in the middle. My saddles have a mark at the point where they reach 80mm wide. Then check how far the tip of your saddle is from the stem cap. Fore-aft position can be as important as anything else. Write down all this information. Go for a 20 minute ride, then tweak as necessary.
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Jul 24, 2023 17:08
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wooger posted:Trial and error. cool, thanks! what I heard about adjusting the seat angle at my LBS was just a very tiny amount, no more than a couple degrees
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Jul 24, 2023 17:22
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Huh did I level mine wrong? It curves up in the back and down in the front so I leveled the middle section of it.
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Jul 24, 2023 17:50
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Yeah I mean some saddles do curve or tilt up a little at the back so maybe level across the high points isn't always perfect but still "level" is a good starting point. If you're feeling pressure on the front part or numbness a saddle is probably either too high and/or angled up a bit too much. Saddles do also wear out and start to sag down more.
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Jul 24, 2023 18:08
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wooger posted:No one will ever recommend setting your saddle with a backwards tilt as you posted - that probably means your saddle is at the wrong height. This is incorrect, general rule is start level and then creep up or down a few degrees to suit. All my saddles are 1-3 degrees nose up, across road, mtb, gravel, trainer, etc.
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Jul 24, 2023 18:20
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brand engager posted:Huh did I level mine wrong? It curves up in the back and down in the front so I leveled the middle section of it. Yeah it’s very hard to be consistent and depends on the saddle. My own saddles I set angled down at 5 degrees (via the book method) due to the same thing - which make then approx level for the main part. It’s just hard to measure any angle on a curved saddle - having a consistent measure that you can adjust and compare is the important thing, so that you can hopefully move towards a more comfortable setup without forgetting how things were setup. Same when you swap saddles - other that height there not much comparable to get the position perfect without some trial and error.
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Jul 24, 2023 18:22
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I tilted my saddle up just a tad so my butt would not move forward, but as I said I think I should probably move the seat a bit forward too.
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Jul 24, 2023 18:22
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brand engager posted:Huh did I level mine wrong? It curves up in the back and down in the front so I leveled the middle section of it. There's a degree of personal preference involved. Take the profile of the old Specialized Romin:  The rear has that curving kick up. When I push back on mine, it's nice to feel the curve of my sitbones match up to the ramp in the saddle. But it's a little wide at the wings for me to stay there for normal pedaling. If that feels natural, then you could be better served biasing the tilt to fit sitting on the ramp instead of the flat. For anyone who's suffering from glans numbness, your first experiment should be in saddles with a cutout. The Romin classic and Romin Evo are a pretty safe starting point. There's more extreme cutout options, but no cutout to cutout is a huge jump in pressure on your junk.
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Jul 24, 2023 19:12
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amenenema posted:This is incorrect, general rule is start level and then creep up or down a few degrees to suit. All my saddles are 1-3 degrees nose up, across road, mtb, gravel, trainer, etc. Never seen a saddle nose up on any road bike ridden by someone experienced in my clubs, or on any bike fitting video on YouTube. I’m pretty sure I was replying to someone who was having problems with crotch numbness after riding with an nose up tilted saddle. If it does somehow work for you go for it, but it’s definitely not generally recommended. I don’t see how anyone on a road bike with any normal saddle to bar drop can ride comfortably and use the drops with a saddle pointed nose-up.
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Jul 24, 2023 19:27
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Fork of Unknown Origins posted:I live below the grade so I’ve done all my biking down there so far. My long term goal is a Camarillo to Santa Barbara run. I’m going to do a Camarillo to Ventura very soon (20 miles and I felt great after a hillier 15 mile ride so I’m confident in it) then a Ventura to Santa Barbara run (30 miles) in the medium term. We lived in Ventura for a few years, my favourite ride was around Lake Casitas to Carpinteria and back to Ventura along the coast.
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Jul 24, 2023 20:29
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