Author Topic: ACME Miscellany (Read 522256 times)

The Retiree · « **Reply #350 on:** 02 February, 2016, 09:00:43 pm »

I haven't read it all though as I didn't ask the question

Oscar's dad · « **Reply #351 on:** 02 February, 2016, 09:10:57 pm »

Quote from: tedshred on 02 February, 2016, 08:43:07 pm

You can explain it all to me.

Easy, give your bike to BFC for a week or two and return with a wad of cash. Job done!

Tomsk · « **Reply #352 on:** 03 February, 2016, 09:04:28 am »

Re: 1/8 chainwhips: 'as common as rocking horse poo' - indeed, I bodged one by substituting an old bit of 1/8 chain for the original, using nothing more sophisticated than a large hammer to force the pins through the holes in the handle...this was a very old and simple design - modern ones might not be so forgiving!

...an alternative to a vice to hold it, is a length of copper pipe or similar, fitted over the handle for greater leverage, failing that a few taps with a mallet on the end should get a cog moving. Hand and eye protection might be a good idea, as things tend to move suddenly

bobb · « **Reply #353 on:** 03 February, 2016, 09:10:01 am »

I've never had a chain whip that wasn't 1/8"! My weapon of choice these days is the Shimano track tool...

Oscar's dad · « **Reply #354 on:** 03 February, 2016, 09:20:19 am »

Good grief! I thought going fixed simplified your life! I'm sticking with gears, far less complex and I appear to have all the right tools.

tedshred · « **Reply #355 on:** 03 February, 2016, 09:35:01 am »

Quote from: Oscar's dad on 03 February, 2016, 09:20:19 am

Good grief! I thought going fixed simplified your life! I'm sticking with gears, far less complex and I appear to have all the right tools.

But you are missing out on all this technical fun.

Oscar's dad · « **Reply #356 on:** 03 February, 2016, 09:44:05 am »

Quote from: tedshred on 03 February, 2016, 09:35:01 am

Quote from: Oscar's dad on 03 February, 2016, 09:20:19 am
Good grief! I thought going fixed simplified your life! I'm sticking with gears, far less complex and I appear to have all the right tools.
But you are missing out on all this technical fun.

There is a sufficiency of fun in my life thank you.

tedshred · « **Reply #357 on:** 03 February, 2016, 10:20:21 am »

Penelope sees to all your needs does she ?

The Retiree · « **Reply #358 on:** 03 February, 2016, 02:24:07 pm »

Ted's our MEMWNS version of an F1 driver..... no doubt he will be chatting to his Chief engineer the BFC tonight about the upgrade package for his machine, I just hope he has taken the time to read all the material up thread from the BFC of said suggestions!

jiberjaber · « **Reply #359 on:** 03 February, 2016, 02:37:25 pm »

This is a fantastic tool, much easier than a chain whip. About £11.

*edit*
As long as you have 11, 12, 13 or 14t cog

tippers_kiwi · « **Reply #360 on:** 03 February, 2016, 02:46:03 pm »

So anyway....after Christophe's Bike not quite feeling right I have been on a mission to sort myself out with a Fixie and things have taken shape quite nicely. Unfortunately I do have to wait until April for my Cycle Scheme voucher but the trigger is all but pulled so I will be learning to ride with no gears for the majority of the summer (might try and aim for the Flitch 200 as a first Audax....or Hereward the Wake because 200 just ain't hard enough

)

Planning on going the Genesis Day One Decade frame and set up and wheels with the same rims as my Croix and Surly Hubs. Miche Crankset and thinking I will probably go 47T chain ring with 16/17/18 tooth cogs to have a bit of range to play with......and Tubeless Tyres because they don't puncture

tedshred · « **Reply #361 on:** 03 February, 2016, 03:03:49 pm »

47x16, go Tippers !

tippers_kiwi · « **Reply #362 on:** 03 February, 2016, 03:24:52 pm »

We'll see where I end up....I suspect it might be the 47/17. The 47/18 last week felt a little bit under but then I have no idea what the extra few inches means in effort terms....you can laugh at my learning curve!

What are you running on the flyer?

bobb · « **Reply #363 on:** 03 February, 2016, 03:36:04 pm »

Quote from: tippers_kiwi on 03 February, 2016, 03:24:52 pm

We'll see where I end up....I suspect it might be the 47/17. The 47/18 last week felt a little bit under but then I have no idea what the extra few inches means in effort terms....you can laugh at my learning curve!

I would say 47/17 is a fast summer gear. Perfectly doable though - a ran 48/17 for years but more recently, 48/19 - which is nice and spinny for winter...

tippers_kiwi · « **Reply #364 on:** 03 February, 2016, 03:50:22 pm »

Cool. I generally push a slightly larger gear anyway so I think the combination I am looking at will do OK for a start. I know it doesn't compare directly but I have been working back from the gears I can deal with on the geared bike and kind of taking the Gear Inches from that as a guide to know where to start.

2 whole months to be changing my mind

BFC · « **Reply #365 on:** 03 February, 2016, 05:57:19 pm »

I have tried 48/14, a bit of a pig up North Hill though.

Current favorite for the summer fixed is 49/15 with 17 cog on the other side of the hub for limp home mode.
The winter rig is currently running 48/19 - trying to finish off the 3/32nd bits before changing to a 47 tooth 1/8th ring.

Oaky · « **Reply #366 on:** 03 February, 2016, 10:13:14 pm »

Quote from: tippers_kiwi on 03 February, 2016, 02:46:03 pm

So anyway....after Christophe's Bike not quite feeling right I have been on a mission to sort myself out with a Fixie and things have taken shape quite nicely. Unfortunately I do have to wait until April for my Cycle Scheme voucher but the trigger is all but pulled so I will be learning to ride with no gears for the majority of the summer (might try and aim for the Flitch 200 as a first Audax....or Hereward the Wake because 200 just ain't hard enough )

Hereward was my first fixed brevet. Ideally suited, I'd say.

tedshred · « **Reply #367 on:** 04 February, 2016, 06:43:47 am »

I am running 46x18 which is ok for now. May go to 16 in the summer. I am aiming to do G&Y, A&S and Flatlands as a fixed SR

tippers_kiwi · « **Reply #368 on:** 04 February, 2016, 10:39:44 am »

48/14 it is then, I'll just avoid North Hill (and several others)

Going on what I have read and knowing that I usually like to push a slightly bigger gear anyway I think I will stick with the 48 that has been suggested to me on the Front and get 3 cogs of 16, 17 and 18 or 19 which I think will probably give me what I need to start with.

I have been using the All City Gear Calculator and I am making the assumption that Skid Patches will be irrelevant as I have not intention of skidding...well no on the bike anyway...I'm sure I'll have a few moments while I learn that might have skid patches elsewhere

Oaky · « **Reply #369 on:** 04 February, 2016, 01:19:29 pm »

I completely ignored skid patches when choosing ... the only times I've ever skidded the rear have been a couple of forgetting to pedal moments a long time back. I figure following OD routes down Tyre Mangler's Lane etc. has much more bearing on the state of my rubber than a once in a blue moon accidental fixie skid.

BTW - I run 42x16 all year round. (I am quite spinny, though).

The Retiree · « **Reply #370 on:** 04 February, 2016, 01:31:59 pm »

Quote from: Oaky on 04 February, 2016, 01:19:29 pm

I figure following OD routes down Tyre Mangler's Lane etc. has much more bearing on the state of my rubber than a once in a blue moon accidental fixie skid.

If OD had his way Oaky the whole peloton would be running Marathon +'s

tippers_kiwi · « **Reply #371 on:** 04 February, 2016, 02:56:25 pm »

Tubeless is the way forward, I tell you!

What I have come to learn about tubeless is that getting punctures leads to white fluid around parts of the bike and some very awkward looks from your fellow cyclists.

I do get the Marathon + thing, it makes perfect sense but since they squashed my wheel (probably not helped by the fact I put 18 stone on top of the squash) I figured I might as well look for an alternative. Others have thousands of miles on Tubeless and I do think with my new tape in I will be fine. I think it was the tape being a bit to narrow on the rim that was causing most of the good stuff (the blocking agent essentially) to be used sealing around the tape. Since redoing it last week they have lost bugger all pressure and I must the the ride on the Hutchinson's is very smooth and pretty darn quick. I think the Fixie might end up getting them Hutchinsons and the Criox will become the recipient of my very lovely Schwalbe S-Ones that are on the shelf at the moment.

tippers_kiwi · « **Reply #372 on:** 05 February, 2016, 11:54:06 am »

Ted, not sure if you have decided on the wheels but I have to say Malcolm at the Cycle Clinic up in Glemsford is probably worth speak to. I think his prices are pretty reasonable and he is a bit less fixated on specific products like others I have found can be (Harry Rowland springs to mind). I am going to stick with the Pacenti rims for N+1 as I like them on the Croix. Stiff, Light, slightly deep section and I personally like the fact you can remove the Decals and have a plain black rim. They do a non disc version as well (SL23) but Malcolm has a lot of rims in stock and wheel building is his 'thing'.

Oscar's dad · « **Reply #373 on:** 05 February, 2016, 11:59:18 am »

Quote from: tippers_kiwi on 05 February, 2016, 11:54:06 am

Ted, not sure if you have decided on the wheels but I have to say Malcolm at the Cycle Clinic up in Glemsford is probably worth speak to. I think his prices are pretty reasonable and he is a bit less fixated on specific products like others I have found can be (Harry Rowland springs to mind). I am going to stick with the Pacenti rims for N+1 as I like them on the Croix. Stiff, Light, slightly deep section and I personally like the fact you can remove the Decals and have a plain black rim. They do a non disc version as well (SL23) but Malcolm has a lot of rims in stock and wheel building is his 'thing'.

One day I must get myself up to Malcom's at Glemsford. He sounds like a useful chap to know.

tippers_kiwi · « **Reply #374 on:** 05 February, 2016, 12:06:59 pm »

indeed he is. And his shop is like the ultimate cyclists Man cave. His collection of bikes alone is a joy to look at, it took me a while to twig they were all his and not client bikes in for repair or service.