Members' bikes

[redshift]

I must be odd too cos that's exactly the sort of thing that I'd be interested in.  Or at least I would be if it was an off the shelf option rather than a presumably pricey custom build...

It's a standard Cheviot SE, Reynolds 725 frame with a Kona P2 fork.  The only customised part is the extra braze-on mount and the brace in the left side of the triangle (for the disk), which were done in-house.  The rear rack has to be a type that goes over a disk, the spokes are all different gauges on each side, because both wheels are dished.  Apart from that it's mostly standard bits.  Mostly.

If you were after an off-the-shelf version, have you looked at this year's Kona Sutra?  I went to Paul Hewitt to get the correct fitting, since I'm a short person.  If you're more normally proportioned, the Sutra might be to your liking...

[Torslanda]

. . . and Pedaldog of this very Parish has one for sale as we speak.

[Chris N]

Tasty tourer! Why do you have (what looks like) a centre-lock rotor on what I assume is a 6-bolt dynamo hub? If I'm not mistaken, aren't they mis-matched front to rear anyway?

[redshift]

I hadn't noticed.  The SON is actually a centrelock, which comes with a 6-bolt adaptor.

[Torslanda]

Liz.  If your front and rear hubs are both centre lock I have a pair of brake discs you can have. New, unused and matching.

If only to satisfy the OCD ones

[Chris N]

If only to satisfy the OCD ones

 

[Andrew Br]

Dear all,

redshift has a shiny new bicycle.  Mr Hewitt said 'it's a bit of an odd one' but he built it anyway.  Purists should look away now.

May I present the Hewitt Cheviot SE with Kona Project 2 fork, SON dynohub, and Avid BB7 disks:

I'd like to think that Mr Hewitt got some inspiration from my Enigma spec 
Apparently he's now thinking that he'll need to offer a Rohloff option on his tourers. He's converting my Enigma (again to my spec) as we speak............
I'm a genius.
Nice Lovely bike Redshift 

[redshift]

<Lightbulb>Ting!</Lightbulb>

Chocolatebike, did we meet on the train...?

[Andrew Br]

<Lightbulb>Ting!</Lightbulb>

Chocolatebike, did we meet on the train...?

<Senior moment, perhaps>
What train ?

[Rig of Jarkness]

I must be odd too cos that's exactly the sort of thing that I'd be interested in.  Or at least I would be if it was an off the shelf option rather than a presumably pricey custom build...

It's a standard Cheviot SE, Reynolds 725 frame with a Kona P2 fork.  The only customised part is the extra braze-on mount and the brace in the left side of the triangle (for the disk), which were done in-house.  The rear rack has to be a type that goes over a disk, the spokes are all different gauges on each side, because both wheels are dished.  Apart from that it's mostly standard bits.  Mostly.

If you were after an off-the-shelf version, have you looked at this year's Kona Sutra?  I went to Paul Hewitt to get the correct fitting, since I'm a short person.  If you're more normally proportioned, the Sutra might be to your liking...

Thanks for that, that's given me some ideas.

(Sadly, Pedaldog's for sale item is too big for me)

[Ham]

I've ordered a set of red hoods, which are already in the post.  I'll hang onto the white ones, just in case I need the spares at some point.

Can you change the hoods without having to take the levers and the tape off the bars?

Generally yes, you can roll them up the levers, and then manipulate them off.  It helps if you do something like soak them in hot water first, to make them more flexible, but that'll be difficult to do with the white ones!

Hairdryer.

I use an electric paint stripper with the heat turned down for such jobs, works a treat.

[TimO]

I've ordered a set of red hoods, which are already in the post.  I'll hang onto the white ones, just in case I need the spares at some point.

Can you change the hoods without having to take the levers and the tape off the bars?

Generally yes, you can roll them up the levers, and then manipulate them off.  It helps if you do something like soak them in hot water first, to make them more flexible, but that'll be difficult to do with the white ones!

Hairdryer.

I use an electric paint stripper with the heat turned down for such jobs, works a treat.

They came off very easily, I certainly didn't need to use any heat source.  In fact I had to manipulate the new hoods a bit, to make sure that the various little blobs in the inside were properly engaged with the holes in the levers, so the hoods stayed in place.

[redshift]

<Lightbulb>Ting!</Lightbulb>

Chocolatebike, did we meet on the train...?

<Senior moment, perhaps>
What train ?

When I was returning from the fitting, I had a nice chat on the train with a chap who had a titanium bike, who was talking about another build that Paul was doing for him.  It probably wasn't you, but I just wondered.

[Andrew Br]

When I was returning from the fitting, I had a nice chat on the train with a chap who had a titanium bike, who was talking about another build that Paul was doing for him.  It probably wasn't you, but I just wondered.

No, not me but Paul is converting my stolen/recovered Enigma tourer to Rohloff and I've got another bike (also an Enigma) on order. This one is a lighter bike but it will also have BB7s.

I'll keep an eye open for your Hewitt around town 

[border-rider]

Rejigged the Pompino to be a local shopping/pub/town trips bike; an afternoon's work today.  Slightly odd colours, because it was dusk when I grabbed a few pics



It's now got a SA 2-speed kick-operated coaster brake hub: kick back to change gear, back-pedal to brake. No cables, so it's no more cluttered than when it was fixed.



I also replaced the old burned-out roller brake bit of the dynohub with one with a cooling fin - which involved bodging carefully fabricating a fork bracket and cable hanger.  You can't buy this part, and the old one had an integral hanger on the reaction arm.



It's got a 19T sprocket (came with the hub) and a 43 1/8 chainring (that I had lying around).  I thought it might be a bit undergeared (61/44") but since it has Marathon Plus tyres it needs low gears

The brakes are a bit of a sod to disconnect so the M+s are probably a necessity.

It was interesting to use the kickback gear change, and I love the backpedal brake.  With a big old ex-MTB canti lever the roller brake is pretty effective too.  The old brake was ineffectual.

[Sergeant Pluck]

Rejigged Pompino

Excellent concept and fettlage

[oncemore]

Functional yet neat!

[Sergeant Pluck]

but since it has Marathon Plus tyres that bloody great mudflap on the front it needs low gears

 

[border-rider]

but since it has Marathon Plus tyres that bloody great mudflap on the front it needs low gears

 

I doubt that aerodynamic drag is likely to be a problem at the speeds I envisage

Climbing hills is - the lane from our gate has defeated me every time on that bike on fixed, though I can do it on the Matt Chester.   It's the heavy wheels and incredibly heavy tyres, I'm sure.

[Ham]

It was interesting to use the kickback gear change, and I love the backpedal brake.  With a big old ex-MTB canti lever the roller brake is pretty effective too.  The old brake was ineffectual.

Doesn't that make it an "On Two"?

As a convert to s/s + coaster brake I've come to the realisation that there is a small arc in the 360 degrees of the pedal cycle where, if you are unfortunate to stop in conjunction with the wrong degree of incline, you are condemned to a  degree of embarrassment that makes you wish for trainer wheels as an excuse.

[gene hunt]

Bit the bullet so to speak and reframed the Giant today.

[border-rider]

If you're running SS, why not a Pompino frame rather than a Kaff ?

No need for a chain tensioner that way

[gene hunt]

If you're running SS, why not a Pompino frame rather than a Kaff ?

No need for a chain tensioner that way

Only running it as a SS for the winter will be switched back to gears in the spring.

[border-rider]

ah, ok

makes sense 

[gene hunt]

ah, ok

makes sense 

No worries,  I also had wheels etc spare so seemed the easier option.