Members' bikes

[clarion]

And a lorra seat tube too.

[Kevina9]

That's because Van Nic equate Rohloff to Flat Bars, so all their frames with EBBs have relatively long top tubes. So, to get the shorter reach I need for drops, I had to get their smallest frame, and jack up the seat and bars. I did umm and aah a bit over this before hitting the buy button, but finally decided that at the price it was a compromise I was willing to accept to give me a hub-geared Ti bike with EBB and drops, especially since it's not visible when riding. Plus I get a lighter bike, and there's absolutely no problem with the stand-over height!     And if you think that's a long seat tube, you should see my Brompton!   

[pdm]

On the same theme, I have converted my existing VN Amazon winter commuter to Alfine 11 speed after 3 gritty winters using an Ultegra triple 52/39/30 and 12-27 hub, wearing out a rear mech, 2 cassettes, 4 chains, one rear rim  and a chainring in the process. PlanetX/On One are offering the Alfine 11 speed plus Versa 11 speed shifters for a knockdown price of £399 so I went to for it. 
Another order for 280mm spokes was make on the same day. Chainreaction had the BB7 road version brake on special offer and their discount on the 39 tooth Alfine Chainset was very favourable. I decided to go for the disc brake because the existing canti interferes with the fitting of my rear rack (in case I want to carry heavier loads) and also to the save on replacing rear rims being destroyed by winter grit and rim brakes.
All the kit duly arrived from the various sources and, being on leave, I set to work.
Building up the wheel was an easy 40 minute job - good tools make all the difference (Park jig and spoke tension meter) The rest took a little longer but I eventually got it all done...
No Eccentric bottom bracket on my frame but the Alfine chain tensioner is fine and does not add anything to chain resistance the way it is used - bolted in place just to take up the slack. I did have to file an edge of it away and respray it to clear the right mudguard stay bolt.
The disc brake was quite easy to fit - just had to put a slight bend in the mudguard stay to clear it.



The Versa shifter seem to work well - a little "clunkier" than the Ultegra it replaces but it seems to provide easy and positive shifting - less effort than the Rohloff. An initial spin around the block showed promise - will test it on a commute next week.



For the price, the hub seems well built and solid. Gear range is about right with 39x20 (27"-113") as opposed to the 31"-118" gear train it has replaced. Time will tell once the miles build up. Will I regret not paying almost double for the Rohloff?? I hope not! I will have to invest in a spare 17mm spanner to go in the saddlebag in case of (thankfully very rare) punctures.

[PH]

Two examples of hub geared titanium, what's not to like
pdm - I'd be interested in your impression of the Alfine 11 when you've done a few miles.

[Kevina9]

I'd be interested in your impression of the Alfine 11 as well!  I have been keeping an eye on On-One's Alfine/Versa 11 package, but missed the dip to £399 - it's back to £499 now.  Nice bike, BTW. 

[GruB]

What is the weight like Pieter - Alfine vs traditional gears?

[pdm]

What is the weight like Pieter - Alfine vs traditional gears?

Stuff I took off: ~2920g
Stuff I put on: ~3610g

Of that about 90g is the extra weight of the disc brake, so the Alfine is about 600g heavier than the Ultegra geartrain and kit it replaced; not a great deal considering the all up weight of ~114kg including rider, tools and other "necessaries".

[Andrew Br]

That's very nice Pieter !
Now all you need is a disc fork and another BB7 

[Frere]

@ kevina9 and pdm, very nice bikes indeed, what PH said, hub geared titanium bikes, seems really suited for winter commuting. And yes, am also very interested to hear how the alfine 11 performs. Have in mind likely for next winter's commuting, something like Spa Cycles' Ti touring frame with alfine 11 or rohloff.

Frere

[rdaviesb]

Alfine 11 looks lovely! Could be the perfect commuting setup!

[interzen]

Alfine 11 looks lovely! Could be the perfect commuting setup!

Works a treat off-road, I'll tell you that much ...

[Tewdric]

Strictly speaking not a member's bike yet, but I've just built this up for my brother-in-law and he's going to sign up soon.
 


Thorn Audax Mk3 frame, Shimano 105 triple, Pro PLT finishing kit, B17, Tewdric wheels, 36h Chrina rims on XT hubs with DT Competition spokes, Paselas, SKS 'guards, yucky blue profile bar tape that wasn't my choice!

[Feline]

Thorn Audax Mk3 frame, Shimano 105 triple, Pro PLT finishing kit, B17, Tewdric wheels, 36h Chrina rims on XT hubs with DT Competition spokes, Paselas, SKS 'guards, yucky blue profile bar tape that wasn't my choice!

Nice bike, but I agree about the bar tape, get some black tape on that asap!

[Chris N]

Thorn Audax Mk3 frame, Shimano 105 triple, Pro PLT finishing kit, B17, Tewdric wheels, 36h Chrina rims on XT hubs with DT Competition spokes, Paselas, SKS 'guards, yucky blue profile bar tape that wasn't my choice!

You've got the gear adjusters on the down tube on the wrong sides.

[Tewdric]

Thorn Audax Mk3 frame, Shimano 105 triple, Pro PLT finishing kit, B17, Tewdric wheels, 36h Chrina rims on XT hubs with DT Competition spokes, Paselas, SKS 'guards, yucky blue profile bar tape that wasn't my choice!

You've got the gear adjusters on the down tube on the wrong sides.

Deliberately so - makes adjustment on the fly a bit easier if you fit them upside down.  My own audax bike is the same if you look back through!    He did have the choice, natch.

[TOBY]

Thorn Audax Mk3 frame, Shimano 105 triple, Pro PLT finishing kit, B17, Tewdric wheels, 36h Chrina rims on XT hubs with DT Competition spokes, Paselas, SKS 'guards, yucky blue profile bar tape that wasn't my choice!

You've got the gear adjusters on the down tube on the wrong sides.

Deliberately so - makes adjustment on the fly a bit easier if you fit them upside down.  My own audax bike is the same if you look back through!    He did have the choice, natch.

so what you're saying is you're crap at setting the gears up right in the first place? 

[zigzag]

Deliberately so - makes adjustment on the fly a bit easier if you fit them upside down.  My own audax bike is the same if you look back through!    He did have the choice, natch.

for the adjustment on the fly which needs to be done like once in a blue moon is it worth having the adjusters wrong way all the time?

[Tewdric]

so what you're saying is you're crap at setting the gears up right in the first place? 

Actually I have been having trouble getting the cable tension right on my fixie..

[Frere]

Well people, since I have asked many questions about this and that, it's time to post a couple pictures of the bikes which those queries related to. One is of the Argos tourer, easily my best bike, and here it is:-




Recently fitted out with a dynamo and lights, the tidying up of the wiring is one of the two outstanding fettling jobs, other being to get the brake and gear cables behind the T Bar on the stem. Tis a very lovely bike to ride and comfortable. A mile eater this one. Bullhorns rather than drops since I can't just get comfortable on the drops. A recent fettling job was to sew on some nappa leather on the top tube and chain stay. Its first tour will be from Tynemouth to Edinburgh in September.

And here is the Commuter bike, shimano nexus 8 and dynamo wheel set and some kit transposed onto a British Eagle Touristique frame, along with a chain set from Interzen, lights from MacB. The merging together has worked very well, surpassing my expectations.



This will be the regular commuter from home to Bristol Parkway/Temple Meads, for taking on trains to Cardiff/Newport and offices therein, and occasional meetings in the Big Smoke. It's slightly smaller than the Argos, giving a more upright stance. It is also very comfortable and rides very well indeed.

Frere

[PH]

Two good looking bikes.  It took me a while to get the second photo.

Its first tour will be from Tynemouth to Edinburgh in September.

Our paths may cross, I'm doing the same 12th - 17th

[hulver]

My new bike. A Revolution Trailfinder. Pretty good for £212, with a free rack because my girlfriend is a fantastic haggler

[StuAff]

New to me, Chutney. A Dahon Speed Pro TT, formerly owned by woollypigs. Looks fast, not much slower even with me on it

[Aidan]

Bling new wheels!

[mike]

brave man, posting a pic of a carbon bike **without a brooks** on this thread...

(nice wheels!) (not sure about the white spokes)

[border-rider]

The MC in readiness for PBP today