Pompinos on Sale - some questions

[drossall]

Blimey. I've just got a good deal on an unused frame second hand. I'm going to struggle to build it up for that price.

Still, mine will be unique and have my choice of parts

[LindaG]

I am the proud mother of a MASSIVE CARDBOARD BOX!!!

Squirming with excitement!

SCISSORS!  NOW!!!!!

[Feline]

I am the proud mother of a MASSIVE CARDBOARD BOX!!!

Squirming with excitement!

SCISSORS!  NOW!!!!!

w00t! Can we see too? 

[Deano]

I am the proud mother of a MASSIVE CARDBOARD BOX!!!

Squirming with excitement!

SCISSORS!  NOW!!!!!

I'm surprised you took the time to post that

So?

[drossall]

I've got two cardboard boxes and some odd bits

However, I need to start by building my wheels, so it's going to be some time before mine takes shape.

[LindaG]

I am the proud mother of a MASSIVE CARDBOARD BOX!!!

I'm surprised you took the time to post that

So?

It took me ages to open the box.  Savouring the excitement.

It's a lovely looking bike.  The delivery chap told me he's delivered lots of these parcels in Toytown recently, so I'll have to keep my eye out for people who have copied me.     The saddle and seat post will have to go, but I expected that - I'll just swap the ones from the tourer.  I've only ridden it round the block a couple of times after adjusting the saddle height,  attaching pedals, etc, as I was at work last night.  I've just missed Uni by being asleep   so can have a play when I've woken up properly.  But so far so good.  The braking surface on the wheels is completely slick.  Braking using levers is more of a gentle suggestion that perhaps we might slow down now, rather than a means of stopping the bike, but leg braking as well I was fine.  A bit of toe overlap.

We haven't been far enough for me to judge properly, tbh.

[mrcharly-YHT]

Are the brakes cantilevers rather than V brakes?

If so, they need careful adjustment to get the best out of them. Mostly getting the pad -- rim distance and the straddle wire position right.

[LindaG]

w00t! Can we see too? 

Purty, ain't she?



See the shininess of the rim?

[mrcharly-YHT]

Oh, those look like empella frogleggs, great brakes.

They are set up wrongly. The straddle wire is far far too long, so you are losing all leverage.

The angle of the straddle wire should be more than 90degrees when the pads contact the rim.

Very purty bike, much much nicer than the blue ones.

[LindaG]

They're PlanetX Frogs Bollox.  Possibly a copy of the empellas?

I think the levers are a factor.  My hands (quite big for a woman, actually) can't get much leverage from the hoods.

I need to get out there and ride, before I can feel what needs to be done.

mrcharly, could you elaborate on the straddle wire thing?  I can't quite see what you mean. If I shorten the straddle wire won't the brakes just engage?

[Chris N]

You just need to wear through the top layer of paint/anodising on the rims.  Take it out and get it mucky before fiddling with the brakes.

Nice colour BTW.

[Feline]

w00t! Can we see too? 

Purty, ain't she?

Yes she certainly is! Oh dear this is making me want one again (I had taken the price rise to be someone telling me I shouldn't get one, but they have come down again now so hmmm!)

[mrcharly-YHT]

It's a bit fiddly.

There two types of straddle (also called Yoke) wire. If your brakes are like the Mafac/empellas, they will be the simplest design, and have one cable coming down from the brakes to a connection at the yoke. That's the nut shown at the top of the pic below.

What you will need to do is slacken that nut off. Then shorten the yoke until when the pads are on the rims, the yoke makes an angle that's much wider than 90degrees. The pic below shows the sort of angle you need to aim for.

Then adjust the length of wire from the brake to suit - you can have it a bit longer so that the brake pads don't engage until the lever is squeezed shut a bit.

It's a bit fiddly, and a bit of a black art. But trust me, those brakes will work great once set up right, and take much less looking after than dual pivots.



http://www.sheldonbrown.com/cantilever-geometry.html
Empellas are a copy of Mafacs, so everything comes back to mafac

[LindaG]

Wow.  Thanks mrcharly.  I'll have a play tomorrow.

[CrinklyLion]

So when are you bringing her out to play?

[Deano]

Reet nice.  So you'll bring it along to the Y(C)PR, then?

[LindaG]

Possibly.  We'll see.    I don't know about trackstanding, mind, there's a lot of toe overlap on that bike.  Specially now it has mudguards.

[drossall]

Toe overlap isn't really an issue because you can't trackstand with the wheel pointing forwards...

[Deano]

Possibly.  We'll see.    I don't know about trackstanding, mind, there's a lot of toe overlap on that bike.  Specially now it has mudguards.

I must admit, I'm more edgy when trackstanding on my Dave Yates, for that reason.  That has a LOT of toe overlap, though.

Fetch it along anyway - leave the poncy trackstanding to the rest of us.

[Frenchie]

Nice colour BTW.

+1

[LindaG]

I see they're now offering the brand-name Frogglegg empellas as an option.

[Frenchie]

Frenchie, I always disagree with you about this, the Pomp is not as slow as you think.....Its because you ride that bastardised track bike half the time!

... that I find my Pompino lazy you mean? Maybe. My ex- (grass) track bike feels a lot nicer to ride though. It just does.

[LindaG]

And they've bumped the price back down to £399.99.  Blimey. I got Velox rim tape included with mine tho'.

[kyuss]

I can't afford £400 at the moment but I see they also have a pick n' mix thing happening. Pompino frame, fork, choice of bars, saddle, seatpost and tyres for £200. That'll do me.  Just need to decide if I can pull off the glow in the dark one.

[drossall]

Definitely couldn't put mine together for £400. Still haven't found time to build the wheels and the bike yet. Maybe I should have bought it complete