Education We Like to Ride Bicycles

This may help with the cassette wear, you can tell by a visual check usually signs of hooking - might not look like much but if compared to a brand new cassette its easier to see the difference - http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/article/workshop-transmission-wear-20788/

I got something like this for an 'everything' toolkit - http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/x-tools-bike-tool-kit-37-piece/rp-prod55963. There was a few more specialist bits I needed over the years and when I did wear out tools I bought park tools for the most used ones. Worth keeping an eye on the online bike retailers as usually someone has an offer on a tool kit

 

That is fairly similar to the set I got from CRC, and likewise, I then expanded with a few more specialist bits, and then also replaced worn out tools with park tools. I think I managed to get my tool kit in a sale for about 35 quid.

 

I have this tool kit and its pretty good.

I did also buy myself a good set of cable cutters which are brilliant.

As above I'd buy a kit and then upgrade to Park Tools as you wear stuff out as you'll work out that way what you're going to need better quality of.

If you can get one of the Aldi work stands a good workstand makes a major difference. If you can't buy one maybe borrow one. I have the park tools one, but I'd say its more than you'd want to spend. The benefit is that you can spin the wheels and have access to the handlebars to set everything up nicely.

 

Cheers guys, that's some great material for me to be getting on with. Thanks for the link to the transmission wear article, dynamis

 

If you guys were building/buying now would you go 26, 27.5 or a 29er.

 

Depends on the type of riding its for and your height.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

There's a deep, deep question.

My next bike will probably be a 650b frame, but with 26in wheels on it, because that's a viable option too.

 

I'm 6ft3

 

650b. I'm 6'6", riding a L Whyte G150. The 650b wheel is brilliant for AM riding. Still retains the manoeuvrability of the 26" wheel but can the roll over of a 29".

29ers are starting to look less like a clown bike now as frame geometry is beginning to catch up. What sort of riding are you planning on using it for?

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

 

Just signed up for this:

Somerset Levels 48 mile ride

Anyone else having a bash at it??

And as i've been open about my heart surgery on here - i'd be really grateful for any donations made.

Donate here

 

You have 1 donation.

On a similar note, will anyone be at the 'Ard Rock Enduro this coming weekend?

Lookout for the very slow man on a Cotic.

 

You have a 2nd donation.

What Cotic do you ride? There's a Roadrat on Ebay at the moment (ends in an hour), I'm very tempted with to swap my Forme Calver over too just so I can add discs to my Cyclocross bike. But the geometry is something like 50mm longer and my Calver is so comfortable, I just can't make myself buy it.

On top of that it's guatenteed to me heavier with it being steel. Then I'd need to spend extra cash on disc wheels and discs. Though banging on a Hope V-Twin is a great option.

 

Thank you very very much

Training ride today - 20 miles = 1hr 25 mins, much more undulating course around Yeovil (90 meter up and down at least) than the real course around Glastonbury so should be on for around 3.5 hours for the 48 miles if training goes as I plan

This is on a 26" hardtail mountain bike rather than road bike - mostly due to the fact that ...... I don't have a road bike

 

Rocket FS bike, I like it, nicely made, dead reliable, but it's a tank and slightly too small.

New bike next year , as for the Road rat I know nothing about them, but the finish on my Rocket is great.

 

I ended up not getting it, though it only went for £85 + £15 P&P. I do fancy something new though. I've been contemplating giving my Giant XTC to my bro and getting either an Giant Anthem or Trance 27.5. See what's at the trade show in 2 weeks and have I think.

 

One for the more technical bods.

I'd like to replace my xt m770 11-32 cassette with an ultegra cs-6500 11-25 (or thereabouts) to narrow the gearing on my hardtail. I'll still be running triple rings on the front for the time being - can i keep my xt m772 sgs rear mech with the cs-6500 cassette or will i need to purchase a medium gs cage rear mech??

Research thus far indicates i can keep my existing mech, just swap the cassettes and bash on a new chain - can anyone confirm this is the case

 

Yeah you should be okay. Once you fit the new cassette, be sure to reset your gears and stop screws to make sure the chain isn't coming off and ripping your wheel to bits.

The deal with the cage sizing is depending on your chainset sizing. A longer cage will give you more chain because of the increased cage length, enabling you to use your larger rings.

Edit: ripped from here

Short cage = Normal double chainset and rear gears upto about 27T big sprocket.
Medium cage = Campag' say for "Compact chainsets"? ie 50/34T and Shimano advise 27T rear max'.
Long cage = Triple chainset and sprocket again upto 27,ish for the road range of dérailleurs.

 

I went to Afan a few days ago, and I died, couldn't get the fluids into me quick enough. Very tough day riding.

Here's a shite little video I threw together of parts of it:
http://vimeo.com/101569462

And now for a generic bike photo:




Also decided to go 1x10, so I went with a narrow-wide chain ring and a chain guide with a bash guard as well:



It's a 32t chainring, the stock was a 36-22 2x10 set, I rarely used the granny ring except on all but the largest climbs, so hopefully my endurance should jump up with this as well! Looking forward to give a try out.

 

The looks like you're using a bashguard chainguide, without a guard or a new top plate it's not going to do much for your chain!

Anyway, I went the other way last month, from 32t only to 26/36 on the front, my legs just didn't want to play ball.

 

First ever set of spd shoes, pedals and cleats purchased and (eventually) installed and tested today. Non-drive side pedal refused to come off and broke....

1 x 6mm hex key (snapped after being hit with a hammer to try and undo the pedal)
2 x 7mm adaptors for a drill (torque overcame the glue in the adaptor and it span while the 6mm hex key stayed in one place)

also caused serious cosmetic damage to my pedal spanner and a small ouch to my thumb where i missed the hex key with the hammer .......

Eventually defeated it by blowtorch to heat pedal thread/crank to loosen thread a touch and then melted the plastic bearing shroud off, tightened my bahco 9031 slim jaw adjustable spanner onto the remains of the semi-rounded pedal nut and ................... smashing the shibobble out of it with a hammer.

On teh plus side - I can ride the bike with the spd pedals and can safely unclip with either leg and clip in easily too