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Well, since I am taking this week off from the gym, I find myself with the kind of time that I never really seem to have: spare. So, with my new bike cable tool thing, I figured I'd see just how much trouble I could get into by swapping out the worst mechanical disc brake calipers in the universe with some cable-actuated hydraulics with Shimano-compatible pads that are supposedly a lot better. This time, my wrenching didn't require a trip to the bike shop!   I did a test ride up and down my block a few times (I live at the bottom of a hill), and these feel so much better. The levers feel better, the stops feel better, the sound of the pads on the disc feels better, it's all better. I was able to lock the rear wheel, too. I can't give it much of a proper test today because it's raining, but even in the rain, I could tell the difference. Getting the rear caliper dialed in took a bit more work than the front. The new screws they sent have thicker washers, and I think that when I tightened one of the rear bolts down, the thick washer forced the screw to go askew slightly because of the recess in which the bolt head goes. I couldn't get it right until I reused the bolt from the old caliper; it had a thinner washer. As for why I didn't just swap washers, the old washers would not come off of the old screws. It was like the threads were locking them in, and I couldn't even unscrew it easily. So, I just reused it. My parts bin groweth. I don't know why these mechanical units suck so bad, but they do. The ones on my Contend AR are infinitely better. Heck, I almost bought a set of those. 
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May 15, 2024 01:24
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tarlibone posted:I don't know why these mechanical units suck so bad, but they do A lot of slop in parts that all stacks up. Possibly the wrong cable pull ratio?
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May 15, 2024 01:53
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Picking up my bike tomorrow morning!!!
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May 15, 2024 02:06
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kimbo305 posted:Possibly the wrong cable pull ratio? This counts for a lot And Shimano has made a lot of changes in the last 15 years
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May 15, 2024 02:13
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kimbo305 posted:A lot of slop in parts that all stacks up. Possibly the wrong cable pull ratio? I don't know. The pull felt OK--not great, but not clearly wrong. They were stock, so I'm hoping they had the right pull ratio. I'm really starting to think that the main problem (or at least one of the problems) could have been really poo poo brake pads. I could squeeze the brifters as hard as I could, and they came to full compression well before contacting the handlebars, but the brakes would just emit this harsh hiss. I'd slow down and stop, but not with the confidence I get from my Contend AR, and those are entry level brakes on an entry level road bike. My ride to the Gateway Arch a couple/few weeks ago has a spot right by Old Chain of Rocks Bridge where you come down a short but not insubstantial hill, and there's a stop at the very end of the hill at a highway crossing. It's flat for just a few bike-lengths before turning hard to cross the road, and I was able to control my descent but not stop until the flat spot. Just bad, bad brakes. I think tomorrow is a dry day. I'll see if I can give the bike a proper shake-down then.
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May 15, 2024 02:13
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speaking of brake problems I left my bike at a shop while I'm traveling for work because the rear brake was totally shot they texted me to say that it needed a bleed and replacement pads. the bleed I expected from reading/talking to them, but the bike is only 6-7 months old and probably only has 600 miles on it is that a reasonable lifetime for pads?
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May 15, 2024 02:21
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I've talked a friend into going for a bike ride Sunday. Goal is to make sure it's fun and possibly gain a riding buddy. My thought is to go 10-15 min out, turn around, then assess how they're feeling at the car. I figure they'll be done there. Let them set the pace. Does this sound reasonable? I don't think they've been on a bike in 10+ years.
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May 15, 2024 02:36
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The Fool posted:speaking of brake problems riding daily in sf i got about that out of my pads which is to say, it's the short end of normal. i rarely bombed hills but i had about the hilliest urbanest commute possible. if you're toodling along in florida or some similarly flat place, they should last way longer Cactus Ghost fucked around with this message at 02:41 on May 15, 2024 |
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May 15, 2024 02:38
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wow, looks like mechanical discs suck
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May 15, 2024 03:17
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I've been focusing on touring poo poo for low maintenance on the roadside and it's becoming increasingly clear that low maintenance is about what you can actually reach and easily replace, and not about whether there's fluid inside it
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May 15, 2024 03:22
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Pittsburgh Fentanyl Cloud posted:wow, looks like mechanical discs suck Those ones did. The ones on my Contend AR are just fine.
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May 15, 2024 03:39
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Looks like they tried to do their own thing versus using Shimano or some other proven brand. Whoops https://www.statebicycle.com/products/state-bicycle-co-all-road-disc-brake-caliper-mechanical
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May 15, 2024 04:05
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Peggotty posted:Yesterday I rode my road bike for the first time in 7 months because of (Post-)Covid bullshit. Turns out, bikes are still awesome. gently caress this stupid disease.   I've had it once ever, and still have lingering effects almost two years later. It is not to be taken lightly. Congrats on your continued recovery.
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May 15, 2024 04:17
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honda whisperer posted:I've talked a friend into going for a bike ride Sunday. Goal is to make sure it's fun and possibly gain a riding buddy. My thought is to go 10-15 min out, turn around, then assess how they're feeling at the car. I figure they'll be done there. Let them set the pace. Does this sound reasonable? I don't think they've been on a bike in 10+ years. Their butt and wrists will start to hurt around the 20 minute mark, so you'll want to be arriving back not long after I'm out of shape and recently got back on the bike my butt and wrists start complaining* around the 15-18 minute mark (3.5 miles) based on Strava data as a real world data point Good luck *Not a whole-whole lot, but I'm aware of it
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May 15, 2024 05:23
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Skill issue.
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May 15, 2024 05:32
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Rode 50mi, excellent weather, listened to MF DOOM the entire time, felt amazing.
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May 15, 2024 07:27
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OBAMNA PHONE posted:Rode 50mi, excellent weather, listened to MF DOOM the entire time, felt amazing. Nice, well done! The weather here has been great too, so I've been trying to ride about 80 km a week, and both my cardio and my strength are definitely improve. Interesting to see you're listening to music while reading, tho. Despite having some of the best cycling infrastructure in the world, and constantly listening to podcasts or music when I'm riding my regular bike in my day to day life, I've always been pretty wary about potentially losing my focus or spatial awareness while riding 30+ km/h. I really don't want to risk hurting myself or other people.
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May 15, 2024 12:54
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I listen to podcasts with Shockz bone conduction headphones that leave my ears clear. Music imo needs better quality and isolation to be worthwhile, so I’d be concerned that OBAMNA PHONE can’t hear anything else. Even if not riding on road, plenty of things I want to hear to stay safe. Runners using over-ear noise cancelling headphones are scary enough.
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May 15, 2024 14:17
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Pittsburgh Fentanyl Cloud posted:Looks like they tried to do their own thing versus using Shimano or some other proven brand. Whoops Yeah, they ordered a run of aliexpress disc brakes with their logo on them. Shimano and TRP mech disc brakes are powerful and reliable even if they don't feel as nice as hydro
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May 15, 2024 15:23
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Reminds me of how Peleton used some cheapass pedals for their stationary bikes instead of buying the proven stuff and ended up with a bunch of people injuring themselves when the spindles broke.
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May 15, 2024 15:46
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Pittsburgh Fentanyl Cloud posted:Reminds me of how Peleton used some cheapass pedals for their stationary bikes instead of buying the proven stuff and ended up with a bunch of people injuring themselves when the spindles broke. My mouth almost dropped at how dirt cheap Pelotons feel the first time I used one in a hotel. The whole thing is bottom of the barrel home grade equipment.
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May 15, 2024 16:25
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What? I haven't used their pedals, but have had a basic Peloton at home for a couple years and it feels perfectly solid. Have Look Keo pedals on there. But, maybe I don't know what nice bicycle equipment feels like?
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May 15, 2024 16:54
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dema posted:What? I do spin class at a studio and the Peloton parts just feel more plastic-y across the board. The flywheel is also lighter which just feels strange when doing intervals, probably for shipping cost purposes. It’s sort of similar to the difference between a wal-mart bike and a big name bike brand. Everything just feels off. resident fucked around with this message at 20:21 on May 15, 2024 |
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May 15, 2024 20:19
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A quick google says the Peloton has a 38 lbs flywheel, I found that surprising in that it's heavier than all direct drive trainers afaik, even the beefy 20 lbs Saris H3.
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May 15, 2024 22:58
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Peloton and their stock went to the moon in 2020 when everyone was stuck inside due to covid Then sales tapered off and cratered. They closed their factory and switched to contract manufacturing (and fired their CEO) in 2022 I haven't seen a 2020 model and a 2024 model side by side, but it would not surprise me if there are large differences between the two There's still a press release on pelotons website dated may 24, 2021 about how excited they are to open a manufacturing plant in Ohio. They're now made under contract in Taiwan Hadlock fucked around with this message at 23:15 on May 15, 2024 |
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May 15, 2024 23:13
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I’d also be more surprised if there wasn’t a difference in build quality between a spin bike (commercial, used for heavy efforts by a variety of people for many classes a day) and a Peloton bike (personal, used a few times a week when you can bother moving the laundry off of it) I will say that I have seen quite a few in various states of disrepair at hotels, but it’s usually the seat that’s all jacked up. The ones I used to ride at my office were pretty much fine.
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May 16, 2024 01:04
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dema posted:What? The stock Look Delta pedals do feel cheap (I have Keos on my road bike). The frame welds are pretty ugly. The control knob is oh so slightly loose and has no weight to it. The texture on the bars is like truck bed liner. The seat rail clamp is 70s bike boom cheap. The adjusters for seatpost and bar height are cheap, squeaky, and difficult to move up and down (especially the bars since the screen is cantilevered off the front). It is very "solid" overall (aka heavy as gently caress and doesn't rattle or anything), but every touch point and adjustment area is cheap as hell
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May 16, 2024 03:09
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 Got an used rear rack. Did not die during a test trip. Bike might be a success.. 
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May 16, 2024 09:34
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Matches the front rack too. Now all you need is a pic of that thing fully loaded.
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May 16, 2024 17:10
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If the libs (and the dutch i guess) weren't so hellbent on building windmills all over the place maybe it wouldn't be so drat windy all the time
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May 16, 2024 17:24
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Attach a wald 1372 basket on the front rack for added holding.
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May 17, 2024 01:21
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I love it so much I did drop the seat down because lol that was ludicrously high set by the guy from the bike shop
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May 17, 2024 01:27
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Looks great! Ideally you want the saddle height so that when you're at the bottom of your pedal stroke, your knee is slightly bent when the ball of your foot is on the pedal. It feels high at first when you're not used to it, especially if you're used to being able to put your foot flat on the ground while on the saddle, but it makes a big difference in power transfer and comfort in the long term. I've been lending my bikes out to friends and it always throws them off when doing the fit.
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May 17, 2024 01:44
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Does anyone have any experience with the REI ADV bikes?
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May 17, 2024 04:12
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Nissin Cup Nudist posted:Does anyone have any experience with the REI ADV bikes? Have a 3.2. It’s a tank. What do you want to know?
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May 17, 2024 04:59
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verbal enema posted:I love it so much Bike owns and I love that you photographed non drivetrain side
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May 17, 2024 05:15
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Currently in Copenhagen and just lolol. We are so loving useless in America at anything bike related in comparison.
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May 17, 2024 12:20
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Any goons that use / have used a Specialized "Mirror" saddle? I've got the cheapest Specialized Power on one bike and I'm generally pretty happy with it. Not perfect, but the closest I've gotten. So I'm thinking about getting a second one for the other bike and there's a lightly used Mirror version on sale locally, wondering if it's worth the extra. I'm like 90% "yes", but perhaps some goon has had a bad experience?
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May 17, 2024 12:30
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Angryhead posted:Any goons that use / have used a Specialized "Mirror" saddle?
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May 17, 2024 13:25
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Angryhead posted:Any goons that use / have used a Specialized "Mirror" saddle? I have a power mirror on all of my bikes. I like it but it’s not magic. On the indoor trainer I definitely notice some soreness after 90 minutes. Less of an issue outside. Part of me wonders if going to romin would give me more room to play with. Worth trying if you can get a good price imho.
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May 17, 2024 14:22
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