Members' bikes

[ed_o_brain]

Nice bike

Keep the old stem tho. You might find you want to put the bars back as you get used to the riding position and maybe a bit more flexible with it.

[Tewdric]

New toy



Well new to me, thanks Noggy. It doesn't appear to weigh anything compared to my other bikes. Just need some new pedals and a slightly shorter rising stem now.

Lovely.  Just flip the stem to start with (make sure it doesn't have a warning not to flip it, most are fine) and see how you get on.  You always have the option to move the saddle forward slightly to get the clamp in the centre of the rails.

[alan]

What gear inch is it running on?

[toekneep]

New toy



Well new to me, thanks Noggy. It doesn't appear to weigh anything compared to my other bikes. Just need some new pedals and a slightly shorter rising stem now.

Lovely.  Just flip the stem to start with (make sure it doesn't have a warning not to flip it, most are fine) and see how you get on.  You always have the option to move the saddle forward slightly to get the clamp in the centre of the rails.

I'm not sure how much difference flipping it would make, it is almost horizontal. Moving the saddle is an option which I will try. I'm going for the maiden voyage this evening so I'll know more after that.

Alan: It is on 72" at the moment. I don't have any other options yet.

[Tewdric]

I'm not sure how much difference flipping it would make, it is almost horizontal. Moving the saddle is an option which I will try. I'm going for the maiden voyage this evening so I'll know more after that.

Try it - you'll probably be pleasantly suprised!

[toekneep]

I'm not sure how much difference flipping it would make, it is almost horizontal. Moving the saddle is an option which I will try. I'm going for the maiden voyage this evening so I'll know more after that.

Try it - you'll probably be pleasantly suprised!

OK, I will flip it after this first ride, probably a better comparison.

[Tewdric]

I'll prepare to eat my words if you don't find it any better! :^)

[Paul]

Lovely.  Just flip the stem to start with (make sure it doesn't have a warning not to flip it, most are fine) and see how you get on.  You always have the option to move the saddle forward slightly to get the clamp in the centre of the rails.

I'm inclined to agree with robb - especially for a no cost experiment. Your stem appears to have a slight drop from the perpendicular, maybe only 5 degrees. But flipped, that's a 10 degree difference. And your saddle seems to have maybe 2cm available at the back. Both those would amount to quite a change in position.

However, I recently got a shorter stem (90cm, I think) with a 40 degree rise for my commuter bike. It's a fugly bit o kit , but I am a happy bunny now , so if the above tweaks don't work, do what you've got to do. After all, you don't see it from this angle when you're riding it, and riding it is the important thing.

[MSeries]

sliding the saddle around will change the pedaling action since you'll be closer or further behind the BB. This is the first measurement you should set,  then the saddle height above the BB, then set the bar height and reach relative to the saddle. It's the BIG DRAWBACK with threadless steerers, it's a pig to raise the bars and generally makes a bike look STUPID with slopey stems due to to short a steerer.

[Hot Flatus]

sliding the saddle around will change the pedaling action since you'll be closer or further behind the BB. This is the first measurement you should set,  then the saddle height above the BB,.

Perhaps the other way round, as raising/lowering the saddle changes the saddle fore/aft position.

[toekneep]

sliding the saddle around will change the pedaling action since you'll be closer or further behind the BB. This is the first measurement you should set,  then the saddle height above the BB, then set the bar height and reach relative to the saddle. It's the BIG DRAWBACK with threadless steerers, it's a pig to raise the bars and generally makes a bike look STUPID with slopey stems due to to short a steerer.

That is pretty much what Paul Hewitt was saying when he was measuring Gill for her new bike. Makes lots of sense since the pedalling action is critical. On the first outing last night I had to raise the saddle a couple of centimetres so I will look at the fore aft position again today in consideration of MP's comment.

It might also help if I get a saddle that suits me rather than one that seems to fit perfectly inside my sit bones and supports me entirely on my gonads.

[rdaviesb]

Got the wheels on the Etape sorted. PMP hubs, Ambrosio rims 28h front 32h rear. Magic dust sprinkled to connect the parts by Paul Hewitt. Photo taken somewhere on NCN7 north of Dumfries. TA chainset is very shiny.





Shame the Centaur left hand gear lever decided to disintegrate 30 miles down the road........... That's gone back to the Campag service centre, and I'm back with some 2004ish levers and some rather lary red tape as a temporary measure. I've got the position spot on, so when the carbon levers come back I am going to go the whole hog and stitch on some Velo Orange  Elk hide covers.

Anyone know where you can buy carbon fibre effect mudguards?

[gene hunt]

New project finished today, Brand new Trek Soho Single

What I started with


Short while later including replacing / upgrading the headset to delete the top spacer.


And finished, let me know what you think.

[Zoidburg]

I would stick some One-One Midge bars on it.

[alan]

The chain's not slack.See to it
Otherwise it's fit to grace any discerning cyclist's fleet.

[Deano]

...
And finished, let me know what you think.
...

It's hideous.  Sorry.

[Deano]

New toy

Cor that's nice, mister.  Can I have a go?

[gene hunt]

...
And finished, let me know what you think.
...

It's hideous.  Sorry.

Should have gone to specsavers 

[Deano]

Well, you did ask

[Bledlow]

Got the wheels on the Etape sorted. PMP hubs, Ambrosio rims 28h front 32h rear. Magic dust sprinkled to connect the parts by Paul Hewitt. Photo taken somewhere on NCN7 north of Dumfries. TA chainset is very shiny.......

What's the saddle? And what bag do you have tucked under it, & on what mount?

[oncemore]

Is the Soho fixed or single free? Either way very nice indeed!

[gene hunt]

Is the Soho fixed or single free? Either way very nice indeed!

Single free, 50t / 16t.

[rdaviesb]

Got the wheels on the Etape sorted. PMP hubs, Ambrosio rims 28h front 32h rear. Magic dust sprinkled to connect the parts by Paul Hewitt. Photo taken somewhere on NCN7 north of Dumfries. TA chainset is very shiny.......

What's the saddle? And what bag do you have tucked under it, & on what mount?

The saddle is a Brooks Swift with Titanium rails  and the bag is a Carradice Barley on an SQR block mount.

[nic]

More pictures of "Russian titanium". Interestingly on LEL, Russian titanium got a lot of unexpected interest from one of the volunteers at Coxwold. He had the very same bike complete with the same mounts for the race numbers and for droping the chain as well as the same Look forks. He bought his bike on ebay and was curious know know where I got mine.

I don't know much about its history. I got it from a friend of a friend (Jon) who got it from Sheffield cycles. Sheffield cycles got a batch of frames from Russia and this  This one was too big for Jon. Jon is  a bit of a handy bike mechanic too so he adjusted the rear stays to fit to modern wheels.

Lucky me.

It's just perfect. Its geometry indicates it's a pure race bike. Its ride is fairly neutral and steady. I don't think it takes a lot of the road buzz out unlike a VN Yukon or similar but it saw me through LEL without any spot of back pain so I am not complaining.

I love my bike

[rogerzilla]

Anyone know where you can buy carbon fibre effect mudguards?

The SKS 35mm ones?  Pretty much anywhere: even the yacf bike has them.