Members' bikes

[oncemore]

For reasons which I can't really nail, this seems to have become my most used and best liked bike. Having sold my carbon race rep (definitely at the opposite extreme) for a "good price" I've been looking for something similar but a bit (or better still a lot) lighter, but with little success - other than an expensive custom job!

The excess lbs are mainly in the frame, so maybe I'll just have to get used to it being HEAVY.

[MSeries]

  I'm unsure whether to keep it as is,

at least do something with that handlebar angle. I know you implied the brakes are poor, I am surprise you are able to actuate them at all.

[clarion]

Bar tops have to be flat.  Levers are in a better position now.

[clarion]

For reasons which I can't really nail, this seems to have become my most used and best liked bike. Having sold my carbon race rep (definitely at the opposite extreme) for a "good price" I've been looking for something similar but a bit (or better still a lot) lighter, but with little success - other than an expensive custom job!

The excess lbs are mainly in the frame, so maybe I'll just have to get used to it being HEAVY.

What is it?

Btw, should have said - it's good to enjoy riding a bike, even if you're not sure why.

[Maverick]

Audax bike rebuild. Finally completed the rebuilding of my audax bike. I bought this secondhand last year but the steerer was cut way too short also I didn't get on well with the compact chainset so over the winter it was stripped down for a major rebuild and equipped to do the long and hilly rides planned for this year (BCM, Mille Cymru, H-B-K-H). So it has new: forks from Mercian (that took 12 weeks to deliver), Campag Comp Triple front & rear mechs. Chorus Triple 50/40/30 chainset, 13-29 rear block, front wheel (SON hub on Open Pro rim}, rear wheel (Campag Chorus hub on Ambrosio Excellence rim), Nitto bars and stem, Supernova E3 front and rear lights and finished with Nokon sealed cables. Out tomorrow for its first 200.

[Rhys W]

So much seatpost, so many spacers... why such a small frame?

[eck]

Nothing to get too het up about.
It's "only a Mercian" after all. 

Well, I think it's come together rather well, actually. 

[Climberruss]

Audax bike rebuild. Finally completed the rebuilding of my audax bike. I bought this secondhand last year but the steerer was cut way too short also I didn't get on well with the compact chainset so over the winter it was stripped down for a major rebuild and equipped to do the long and hilly rides planned for this year (BCM, Mille Cymru, H-B-K-H). So it has new: forks from Mercian (that took 12 weeks to deliver), Campag Comp Triple front & rear mechs. Chorus Triple 50/40/30 chainset, 13-29 rear block, front wheel (SON hub on Open Pro rim}, rear wheel (Campag Chorus hub on Ambrosio Excellence rim), Nitto bars and stem, Supernova E3 front and rear lights and finished with Nokon sealed cables. Out tomorrow for its first 200.

Thats a great spec and will be a superb Audax machine!

[Wobbly John]

Finished building my new summer bike last night.   





Hope the weather is nice enough tomorrow for a spin down to Cambridge & back, via Reach fair. 

[clarion]

Purty

[Chris S]

Wobbly John - That has a rather pleasing Old School look. Nice.

Just an observation. Quite a short gear for Fenland?

[Maverick]

So much seatpost, so many spacers... why such a small frame?

Because this position is too uncomfortable for really long rides

Actually I have left the steerer long to give me the chance to mess around with the position in order to get it right, I've only ridden it for about 20km so far. The longer run tomorrow will give me the chance to get it sorted by which time both saddle and steerer maybe shorter.

[Wobbly John]

Wobbly John - That has a rather pleasing Old School look. Nice.

Just an observation. Quite a short gear for Fenland?

It's got a 15 tooth on the back 42 front = 73.5" -  too high a gear for our club 'medium gear' time trial on Tuesday. I had intended fitting the 41T chainring I had to give me 72", but the hole spacings were not what I expected. 

[rdaviesb]

That is a beautiful steed Wobbly John.

[SpaceBadger]

Here's mine. Nothing too special I know, but it's mine and I like it.



The pic was taken at my work, Upnor castle in Medway. Technically, that's my office door.

Nice. I especially like its red belly!

[rogerzilla]

The pic was taken at my work, Upnor castle in Medway. Technically, that's my office door.

Are you the King's principal torturer?

[jogler]

should that be Principia torturer

[SpaceBadger]

Spacebadger, the red bits are added entirely due to my belief that red ones go more fasterer.

I'm sure that's an age old principle of physics, rather than just a belief. Or something. Regardless, it works for me 

[fuzzy]

Here's mine. Nothing too special I know, but it's mine and I like it.



The pic was taken at my work, Upnor castle in Medway. Technically, that's my office door.

The bit I bolded is the most important bit of your post. That sentiment is the ONLY one that matters

[Tail End Charlie]

That is one impressive office door aswell !!!!

[rogerzilla]

Alas, the only torture is my mangling of history when a visitor asks a question I don't know the answer to ("The castle was built in 1904 by Oliver Cromwell, to prevent the Romans from invading").

It reminds me of this passage in Hardy's "A Pair Of Blue Eyes":

'Oh!...Well, his family is no better than my own, 'a b'lieve.'

'How is that?'

'Hedgers and ditchers by rights. But once in ancient times one of 'em, when he was at work, changed clothes with King Charles the Second, and saved the king's life. King Charles came up to him like a common man, and said off-hand, "Man in the smock-frock, my name is Charles the Second, and that's the truth on't. Will you lend me your clothes?" "I don't mind if I do," said Hedger Luxellian; and they changed there and then. "Now mind ye," King Charles the Second said, like a common man, as he rode away, "if ever I come to the crown, you come to court, knock at the door, and say out bold, 'Is King Charles the Second at home?' Tell your name, and they shall let you in, and you shall be made a lord." Now, that was very nice of Master Charley?'

'Very nice indeed.'

'Well, as the story is, the king came to the throne; and some years after that, away went Hedger Luxellian, knocked at the king's door, and asked if King Charles the Second was in. "No, he isn't," they said. "Then, is Charles the Third?" said Hedger Luxellian. "Yes," said a young feller standing by like a common man, only he had a crown on, "my name is Charles the Third." And——'

'I really fancy that must be a mistake. I don't recollect anything in English history about Charles the Third,' said the other in a tone of mild remonstrance.

'Oh, that's right history enough, only 'twasn't prented; he was rather a queer-tempered man, if you remember.'

'Very well; go on.'

'And, by hook or by crook, Hedger Luxellian was made a lord, and everything went on well till some time after, when he got into a most terrible row with King Charles the Fourth.

'I can't stand Charles the Fourth. Upon my word, that's too much.'

'Why? There was a George the Fourth, wasn't there?'

'Certainly.'

'Well, Charleses be as common as Georges.'

[Mike J]

Alas, the only torture is my mangling of history when a visitor asks a question I don't know the answer to ("The castle was built in 1904 by Oliver Cromwell, to prevent the Romans from invading").

I assume that's a hyperthetical mangle as anyone round here knows it was built to protect the dockyard 

[ed_o_brain]

The bit I bolded is the most important bit of your post. That sentiment is the ONLY one that matters

Absolutely!

Excepting a sprocket on a fixie which was nicked (the whole bike!) within days of getting said new sprocket, chain and chainring, this is the only piece of dura ace (or equivalent) kit I've owned.



Really rather nice they are too! It's a shame Kona have gone all conventional for the 2010 Honky Tonk.
I've put mine on a bit of a diet, the wheels probably accounting for most of the reduction in weight. (They were quite bargainous too from Decathlon)




Decent rear mech and cassette for very positive shifting with those d/t shifters


And that's all I'll bore you with for now.

[citoyen]

Love that Kona, Ed. 

d.

[Sigurd Mudtracker]

I have Dura Ace 7-speed DT shifters on my winter bike.  Shift very smoothly and immediately.  I keep reaching for them on my other bikes and wondering why there's nothing there...