ACME Miscellany

[tedshred]

I know Malcolm reasonably well.

Funnily enough, I asked him to service my Harry Rowland wheels for me.  After the usual huffing and puffing about Open Pro rims and how tight Harry had tuned the spokes, he did actually say they were very well built wheels.  He was amazed at the condition they were in after all the abuse they had taken and barely charged me for servicing them.

Malcolm does a lot of time trialling on fixed so I might just get him to do the honours. It was he who recommended the Flyer in the first place.

I quite fancy the Pacenti rims (or Pancetta rims as OD calls them  ).  It's the hubs I need the advice on.  Tempted to go tubeless on the fixed though after the palaver in changing the tube on the rear wheel during the DTDO ride. 

I have a severe hankering for a really light bike with really light wheels to play on in the summer.  All I need to save is all the money it would cost 

[The Retiree]

It's the hubs I need the advice on.

I thought your chief engineer had provided all the information you required earlier in the week  Do you need more from him then........

I have a severe hankering for a really light bike with really light wheels to play on in the summer.  All I need to save is all the money it would cost 

Why don't you go direct with Canyon or Rose even Condor/Planet X and Schils worth considering. Alternatively the brother of my colleague still has his Emonda for sale £5.5/6k 

[Oscar's dad]

Funnily enough, I asked him to service my Harry Rowland wheels for me.  After the usual huffing and puffing about Open Pro rims and how tight Harry had tuned the spokes, he did actually say they were very well built wheels.  He was amazed at the condition they were in after all the abuse they had taken and barely charged me for servicing them.

That's heartening to know.  Yes I know Harry is a bit grumpy (which is one of the reasons I like him) but his wheels are amazing in my experience.  With my love of CORing I too give wheels abuse and have yet to break a Harry hoop or even a spoke.  Harry did once tell me about what he does with spoke tension, it went over my head but he clearly has a special method.

As much as I rave about Harry hoops I've never has hand built wheels from anyone else so Malcolm's hoops could be every bit as good.

[tippers_kiwi]

I've just put a post ont he MEBS thread about heading up to Glemsford next Saturday for anyone interested.

On hubs, White Industries, Phil Wood, Paul and Chris Kind all came with good recommendations. All pricey (some more than others) but for the Disc versions I was out of luck. White industries don't do a disc version, Paul and Phil no stock and Chris King just plain out of budget. White Industries ENO looks pretty good and after thinking about it I quite liked the fact they have a splined cog holder instead of a thread on (kind of like the Miche carrier that the BFC suggested) but that all came crashing down when I realised they only did disc for freewheels! I was getting ready to go for a full White Industries drive train, the Cranks look lovely and I think their idea with the Chainrings also being splined is quite good (not that I have much experience).

I am kind of glad it didn't work out as the drive train and hubs had well overtaken the cost of the frame and other bits! Specing components is a very dangerous business!

[tippers_kiwi]

Funnily enough, I asked him to service my Harry Rowland wheels for me.  After the usual huffing and puffing about Open Pro rims and how tight Harry had tuned the spokes, he did actually say they were very well built wheels.  He was amazed at the condition they were in after all the abuse they had taken and barely charged me for servicing them.

That's heartening to know.  Yes I know Harry is a bit grumpy (which is one of the reasons I like him) but his wheels are amazing in my experience.  With my love of CORing I too give wheels abuse and have yet to break a Harry hoop or even a spoke.  Harry did once tell me about what he does with spoke tension, it went over my head but he clearly has a special method.

As much as I rave about Harry hoops I've never has hand built wheels from anyone else so Malcolm's hoops could be every bit as good.

Agreed, nothing against harry and the wheels he built for me were brilliant, until my home mechanicing fucked them up, Twice! He never answered my last email, I suspect he gave up on me, in a way that was the preferable option .

Where I got a bit put off was when I was after disc wheels and he still pushed down the rim brake rims, while I know that works and good rims are good rimes the whole idea of the discs is that you can get some benefit from not have to build the rim with the brake track and that was what I was keen to stick to, I don't expect I can feel any difference but I just fancied a wheel with no shinny brake track on it. Add to that Malcolm is a nice drive or ride away and that is what won it for me.

[bobb]

HR sounds like a bit of a bellend to me. He seems to insist on building the wheels that he wants, rather than what his customers actually want...

[tedshred]

He's an interesting guy.  Seems to know all sorts of people in the world of cycling.

However, like all people who work for themselves at home  , there is a bit of a cranky side (no pun intended) and he is set in his ways.

My wheels have been brilliant and they were not expensive.

[tippers_kiwi]

HR sounds like a bit of a bellend to me. He seems to insist on building the wheels that he wants, rather than what his customers actually want...

I think there is some truth to that BUT, I also think that sometimes what his customers want is just wrong and he is not afraid to tell them so. This is actually a good thing I think and if you don't like it you will only ever speak to him once.

He has his trusted components and he seems to stick to them which I guess has it's good sides but with technology moving things on I think you have to be willing to try new things and that is why I ended up speaking to Malcolm and going with his recommendations.

[tedshred]

He certainly has some firm opinions about various components and isn't afraid to voice them, it's quite amusing when he gets going.

He is also fairly firm about what people should be riding in terms of the strength of the wheels versus their weight, again quite amusing.

He was also a frame builder in the past so has a pretty good understanding of what is what.

Bobb is ignoring my dig about people who work for themselves at home    In fact HR is a very nice chap.

[tippers_kiwi]

He certainly has some firm opinions about various components and isn't afraid to voice them, it's quite amusing when he gets going.

He is also fairly firm about what people should be riding in terms of the strength of the wheels versus their weight, again quite amusing.

He was also a frame builder in the past so has a pretty good understanding of what is what.

Bobb is ignoring my dig about people who work for themselves at home    In fact HR is a very nice chap.

I thought you were talking about yourself.

[bobb]

Bobb is ignoring my dig about people who work for themselves at home 

 

I'm sure HR is a wonderful chap and obvioulsy builds fine wheels.

One of the reasons I stopped getting my wheels built by Chelmer Cycles was the intolerable bullshit you had to go through when speccing your wheels: "You don't want that, you want this..." etc... I know what I want thank you very much, just fucking build them or I'll go elsewhere!

[tedshred]

What was I saying about cranky ?

The difference is, of course, that I don't have a clue so am quite happy to be led by people who sound like they might have.

[tippers_kiwi]

Oh yeah...anyone up for the Colchester Rovers Reliability Ride....looks like it might be a bit of a blow out to get Gold or Silver! (28th Feb from Great Bromley) It had been posted on the Witham Cycling Facebook page.

50 MILES EVENT

GOLD AWARD ~ 2hrs 30mins

SILVER AWARD ~ 2hrs 45mins

BRONZE AWARD ~ No Time Limit

More Details

[tedshred]

That is more the style for the two Doggers - Danbury and Lane.

They love a bit of sportive posturing.

There is a Revolution ride the week before when we are doing the brazier.  The 50 mile route gold group has to maintain and 18mph average.  DL would love it.

[The Retiree]

Oh yeah...anyone up for the Colchester Rovers Reliability Ride....looks like it might be a bit of a blow out to get Gold or Silver! (28th Feb from Great Bromley) It had been posted on the Witham Cycling Facebook page.

50 MILES EVENT

GOLD AWARD ~ 2hrs 30mins

SILVER AWARD ~ 2hrs 45mins

BRONZE AWARD ~ No Time Limit

More Details

In all seriousness if anyone fancies 'going for gold' there appears to be an informal MADCC group forming to have a go with anyone welcome to join in and not expected to take a turn on the front!

[The Retiree]

There is a Revolution ride the week before when we are doing the brazier.  The 50 mile route gold group has to maintain and 18mph average.  DL would love it.

Are you aiming to average 18mph on fixed or with gears?

[tedshred]

Are you aiming to average 18mph on fixed or with gears?

I am aiming to ride to the 'Uts and do the Brazier ride as an ECE.  It's part of my I'm not doing RRTY program.

When I get there I will be mainly riding at a slower speed than Tomsk's gang of audax royalty were going at last month.

[Carlosfandango]

Are you aiming to average 18mph on fixed or with gears?

I am aiming to ride to the 'Uts and do the Brazier ride as an ECE.  It's part of my I'm not doing RRTY program.

When I get there I will be mainly riding at a slower speed than Tomsk's gang of audax royalty were going at last month.




I've just entered Braziers Run and rather wonderfully its 51km from the cashpoint on Nayland road Coop to the Uts! (according to google maps, walking) I just need to get my head around the ece form and ride proof.

Do I need gps track proof? How do I send this to the ece organiser? Can I just use cashpoint receipts as proof of passage? Any advice gratefully accepted.

[tedshred]

Tipper, Tomsk - over to you to advise Sister Carol...

[tippers_kiwi]

Carlos, if you go electronic brevet you will need the gpx file. If you want to go receipts my understanding is that you need to order the physical brevet through the entry.

Recording the gpx on your phone then exporting it and sending it would work, you only need to record the out and back.

info here and the rest becomes evident on the entry form.

Tomsk might be able to explain more clearly though 

[Carlosfandango]

Carlos, if you go electronic brevet you will need the gpx file. If you want to go receipts my understanding is that you need to order the physical brevet through the entry.

Recording the gpx on your phone then exporting it and sending it would work, you only need to record the out and back.

info here and the rest becomes evident on the entry form.

Tomsk might be able to explain more clearly though 

Thank's tippers, it seems to make sense now. I'm almost as good at the electronic stuff as I am navigating so I think a physical brevet might be the best option. I'll have a crack at the ece form later this weekend.

[jiberjaber]

Carlos, if you go electronic brevet you will need the gpx file. If you want to go receipts my understanding is that you need to order the physical brevet through the entry.

Recording the gpx on your phone then exporting it and sending it would work, you only need to record the out and back.

info here and the rest becomes evident on the entry form.

Tomsk might be able to explain more clearly though 

So this has confused the heck out of me (though I am full of cold hence one of the reasons I am not out on my bike today...)

100  0       Extended Calendar Event - Randonnee + 100km       
  200  0       Extended Calendar Event - Randonnee + 200km       
  300  0       Extended Calendar Event - Randonnee + 300km       
  400  0       Extended Calendar Event - Randonnee + 400km       
  500  0       Extended Calendar Event - Randonnee + 500km       
  600  0       Extended Calendar Event - Randonnee + 600km       
  100  0       Extended calendar Event 100km + 100km             
  200  0       Extended Calendar Event 100km + 200km             
  300  0       Extended Calendar Event 100km + 300km             
  400  0       Extended Calendar Event 100km + 400km             

I'm assuming its one of the two red ones above, but which?  the 100km+100km seems to make sense as its a 100km cal event with 2x50k rides involved in getting there and back??

[tippers_kiwi]

Yep, 100km calendar + 100 km of ECE.

From memory though (need to sort mine this weekend) you just put the name or link for the event and the the start, control and end points for each of your ece legs.

Not to confuse things but an ECE doesn't have to be out and back. You could ride 100km to the start, do the event then get home by other means. Just the total of extra riding will only be done in chunks of 100km.

Sorry, I'm probably doing a Crap job of explaining that

[jiberjaber]

No that's fine Nik, I get the distance bit, I was just being specific to the one we are going to....   I think I have intercept points for your outbound and inbound legs ...  I already have a couple of virtual brevets, assume I just use up one of them?

[tippers_kiwi]

When you apply you shouldnt have to pick I think. Just make sure your ECE total is 100 and that the calendar event name is in the field it needs to be.

The ECE brevet is different to the DIY so you have to pay that on its own.