Well, to whoever was questioning about specialized, there are dealers here in the states, infact this is my bike at least for another week or two until I ebay it in order to buy a mountain bike. I just find mountain biking much more casual friendly than road biking.
Upside down. Note how the fork is pointing straight down instead of sloping outwards.
Detail shot of the damage to one side of the fork.
The handlebars were flat (parallel to the stem) before.
The brifter is pushed askew. You can also see that the bars and the fork are no longer in line.
Sorry about the size of the images. Fortunatly, the fork seems to be the only damage to the bike. The brifter still works just fine, and the frame looks otherwise undamaged. I don't even think my front wheel is out of true. O_o
Turner, bear in mind that most of these questions are from people asking about commute cycling or spending little time on the bike. You're right about most of these things, but they aren't exactly necessary if you are spending that little time with the bike (ie riding in lycra, etc), and not going for the pro option makes things vastly less expensive.
I gather you're a mechanic, so I'll take your word on rebuilding the wheel (new spokes, obviously), but still I've never had any problems with mix'n'matching hubs and rims from old wheels, so I'm fairly sure that if it can take 200+ miles a week, it will be ok for most people here.
PS Optical, how much are you hoping / planning to sell the Elite for?
How is this bike in terms of quality? I noticed it has Shimano 105, which is pretty nice I take it for a $1000 price point. I'm not sure whether I want cyclocross or road yet, so I'm just trying to see what prices I should expect for certain components. I kind of want to stay in the $750-$1000 range, so I don't know if I should expect Sora, Integra, or 105 components, or push for a better frame at a cheaper price so I can upgrade later.
Surly Cross-Check built up as my commuter.
Components: Shimano 105 drivetrain, Shimano STI Shift/Brake levers and tektro secondary levers, canti brakes to clear the fenders and Brooks b17 saddle. Love it.
I always wear my helmet. It'd be stupid not to.
Proto on
and her knees up on the glove compartment
took out her barrettes and her hair spilled out like rootbeer
What's the naming convention for Shimano's road bike groupsets? For mountain bikes it goes (or did go, I need to remember I haven't discussed this in ages) something like STX, Deore, LX, XT, XTR, in ascending order of quality/price.
700c wheels do smooth out bumps better, theoretically... Here, the roads are bad. Potholes, repairs, dead things, yorkshire folk all waiting out there to get in the way. I run 28mm 700c tyres at 90 or so psi and it hurts my wrists sometimes.
I've commuted on both that bike and my Coiler. If you haven't guessed the teeny tyres on the road bike have slightly less rolling resistance than the 2.4" freeride tyres on the mountain bike!
Optical, damn fine choice of bikes for both of them I think.
I have a shiny new (to me) thirty-ish year old Raleigh Grand Prix. Got that from my grandfather not too long ago after he heard the horror story of my previous bike. The piece of junk Walmart special decided to drop a crank arm about five miles from home one day the summer before last. Needless to say I was a good bit pissed after I walked that pile of crap home.
But after reading this thread, I'm not so sure I wanna jump on the new bike until I get some new rims and tires. The tires are holding pressure, but they don't look all that great, and I feel even less sure about them now.
I've come to realize that if I haven't spent atleast 1k on a bike, then it's probably not built to last.
Having said that, I bought one of those retro cruisers from costco for 99 bucks (for use as a shiny cycle purely to impress dates and stuff), and it pretty much comes in second place for sturdy/stability to my "1k" bike. I was *astonished*
Whelp, broke my chain yesterday, bought a new one, and half the teeth on the cassette are too sharktoothed to grip it. Time for some new shiny parts. Anyone have a favorite 9 speed cassette?
Turner, bear in mind that most of these questions are from people asking about commute cycling or spending little time on the bike. You're right about most of these things, but they aren't exactly necessary if you are spending that little time with the bike (ie riding in lycra, etc), and not going for the pro option makes things vastly less expensive.
I gather you're a mechanic, so I'll take your word on rebuilding the wheel (new spokes, obviously), but still I've never had any problems with mix'n'matching hubs and rims from old wheels, so I'm fairly sure that if it can take 200+ miles a week, it will be ok for most people here.
I realize exactly what you mean, it is just that on older bikes (like say 20-25 years old) the rims were horribly constructed to begin with.
They have now been in tension for a quarter of a century, which doesn't make it a whole lot prettier.
Really, the main problems with using old-school rims from bikes that old are:
1 - Lack of real braking surface. There isn't the same kind of braking surface that rims have now, which makes them a helluva lot more dangerous.
2 - Poor rim construction leads to poor fitting tires. A lot of times with the older rims, it is very hard to use nicer quality tires that have been made recently. A lot of times you are stuck with using the old-school cheaper tires that don't offer very good puncture resistance or durability. You can try using the newer tires, but a lot of times they won't seat properly.
If he was saying that he wanted to use rims and hubs from a bike that was only 5-10 years old, it would be a totally different matter. As it stands, it is a very scary proposition.
Come to think of it, he might even be running 27 inch wheels. Sometimes you can find old-school 27 inch wheels brand new for cheap, as most shops can still order them. The problem is that they are the same horrible quality as the old-school ones, they are just newer.
What I have always wanted to try, and I honestly have no idea whether it works (since I have never tried it!), is to try putting a BMX freewheel or Track cog straight onto one of those older wheels. Since they have the threaded cassette, they are made incredibly similar to a track or bmx wheel. The only problem would be the threading. Theoretically, you could just re-thread it yourself to the proper threads...interesting.
If he could do that, then he really wouldn't need to buy anything, other than the bmx freewheel/track cog.
Well, since I'm going for a fixed wheel, the rear brake isn't going to be part of the equation, and I'm not too worried about the tire suddenly going out on me. Again, though, thanks for the info, it's very helpful to know why you people in the know recommend the things you do.
that thing is so much fun. instead of coiled cable for gear shifts that relies on a spring in the deraileur, it's just a solid wire. you push, you pull.
It clicks into set spots for set gears. Easiest fucking thing i've ever handled. impossible to find parts for though, pretty much phased out in the eighties. go retro me.
Seaborn111 on
</bush>
It's impossible for us to without a doubt prove the non-existence of God. We just have to take it on faith that he's imaginary..
Speaking of chains, is it poor form to put a master link into a chain? I was perusing Sheldon Brown's site and he mentioned taking the chain completely off and shaking it in a can of degreaser is easiest to clean. The LBS mechanic told me that Shimano's rule is: breaking the chain more than three seperate spots voids the integrity of the chain. Does this rule apply to using a master link? I'm so in the dark about chains.
Holy crap, I've ridden on my Trek hybrid for over a year and I still haven't gotten the shark tooth effect on my cassettes. When was the last time you replaced those?
Shmoepong on
I don't think I could take a class without sparring. That would be like a class without techniques. Sparring has value not only as an important (necessary) step in applying your techniques to fighting, but also because it provides a rush and feeling of elation, confidence, and joyful exhaustion that can only be matched by ... oh shit, I am describing sex again. Sorry everyone. - Epicurus
Holy crap, I've ridden on my Trek hybrid for over a year and I still haven't gotten the shark tooth effect on my cassettes. When was the last time you replaced those?
Several thousand miles ago. The chain had held on quite awhile, too; probably longer than I should have expected it to.
The LBS mechanic told me that Shimano's rule is: breaking the chain more than three seperate spots voids the integrity of the chain. Does this rule apply to using a master link? I'm so in the dark about chains.
No, he's talking about actually breaking the chain, when you have to use the pin screwy pushy chain breaker tool that pushes the pin out of the link. This is usually only done to correct the length of the chain when you first buy it, and putting it back in is an inexact art which can make that link in the chain quite stiff. Doing so many times would make the chain bugger all use, would skip and grind like anything.
Master links (snap locks) work totally differently, and are much looser, so you can snap them in and out as much as you like.
So in researching some bikes/components online so I'll be able to know what I can afford/want to look for when I shop for a bike in a few months, I've been pretty attracted to two in particular. The Bianchi Brava, which seems to be all Sora, and The Felt F85, which looks like it has Ultegra components for barely over $1000.
I've read good things about the Jamis Satellite, Giant OCR-x, Specialized Allez, and some others, but those are the two that keep me interested. Maybe I should be deciding between the Allez Sport and Giant?
Since I'm just trying to work myself up to being serious about cycling, I don't want to break the bank. It it worth the extra money for the Felt and it's spiffy components? The biggest thing would be to get a nice bike with a good frame so that I could upgrade to 105/Ultegra the more I ride it, but I'm not sure if that's the most prudent course of action. The Jamis Satellite actually looks like it has good components for the same price as the Bianchi too.
So I'm pretty confused. What mostly affects the price of these different bikes with different components? What combinations of frame/components should I be looking for?
I think the only original part of the bike is the frame tho and its a heavy one too... I so need a new bike but I don't ride anyway so it kinda just takes up space in my garage
I rode a Diamondback Sorento for a good long while, it was a 1999 and I loved it. I got bar extensions and whatnot so I had more leverage going up hills in Bidwell Park (Chico, California). I think I paid 745$ for it out the door with toe clips and decent rims. I'd definitely recommend one as an all-around ride without breaking the bank. I like a big frame, and a lot of the styles never seemed to fit me right with other brands.
A side-effect of being able to tilt forward and go up those hills, is that you can then roll down the hill.
Alas poor bike, I knew yee well.
Ive actually been thinking about getting something again, its been years and Im out of shape. A guy I work with spends all his time buying bikes and fixing them up, he's done some real classy jobs, as well as some modern workhorse street-minor mountain style bikes.
Not sure what to get, but I do miss the rides to/from work, easy way to clear the head before you go in, and a slick way to drop stress on the way home. Too bad I now live like 45 miles from where I work
So the other POS bike I was riding bit the dust today (well, it would actually be an easy fix, but the thing was honestly like the Yugo of bicycles, and was sized for somebody half my age) so I picked up the following instead of getting my other broken bike fixed, as I'm tired of hand-me-downs for something that I use so often:
Taking the floor model for a test drive, I was absolutely amazed; it has been so long since I've ridden a bike that actually fits me I had almost forgotten what it feels like. The one I got has got a flip flop free/fixed, and I'm also excited about getting to try a fixed wheel for the first time. Go me!
I had a nice mountain bike, but for the life of me cant remember what it was. Started with an S - mid-level, not high end. Sweet thing. Shame it got stolen.
Posts
My specialized allez elite:
My future mountain bike (kona caldera):
Upside down. Note how the fork is pointing straight down instead of sloping outwards.
Detail shot of the damage to one side of the fork.
The handlebars were flat (parallel to the stem) before.
The brifter is pushed askew. You can also see that the bars and the fork are no longer in line.
Sorry about the size of the images. Fortunatly, the fork seems to be the only damage to the bike. The brifter still works just fine, and the frame looks otherwise undamaged. I don't even think my front wheel is out of true. O_o
The brake-shifter assembly that you see on most new road bikes.
I gather you're a mechanic, so I'll take your word on rebuilding the wheel (new spokes, obviously), but still I've never had any problems with mix'n'matching hubs and rims from old wheels, so I'm fairly sure that if it can take 200+ miles a week, it will be ok for most people here.
PS Optical, how much are you hoping / planning to sell the Elite for?
Surly Cross-Check built up as my commuter.
Components: Shimano 105 drivetrain, Shimano STI Shift/Brake levers and tektro secondary levers, canti brakes to clear the fenders and Brooks b17 saddle. Love it.
I always wear my helmet. It'd be stupid not to.
took out her barrettes and her hair spilled out like rootbeer
decending order/price
i think
took out her barrettes and her hair spilled out like rootbeer
took out her barrettes and her hair spilled out like rootbeer
I've commuted on both that bike and my Coiler. If you haven't guessed the teeny tyres on the road bike have slightly less rolling resistance than the 2.4" freeride tyres on the mountain bike!
Optical, damn fine choice of bikes for both of them I think.
But after reading this thread, I'm not so sure I wanna jump on the new bike until I get some new rims and tires. The tires are holding pressure, but they don't look all that great, and I feel even less sure about them now.
Having said that, I bought one of those retro cruisers from costco for 99 bucks (for use as a shiny cycle purely to impress dates and stuff), and it pretty much comes in second place for sturdy/stability to my "1k" bike. I was *astonished*
You never know, eh.
Well, since I'm going for a fixed wheel, the rear brake isn't going to be part of the equation, and I'm not too worried about the tire suddenly going out on me. Again, though, thanks for the info, it's very helpful to know why you people in the know recommend the things you do.
The one they have on clearance is the XT-M960. I don't know which year it is... I assume it's on sale because it's being phased out.
It's actually really nice. Light weight frame, 700 tires, 2x5 gears and, get this, positron shifter
that thing is so much fun. instead of coiled cable for gear shifts that relies on a spring in the deraileur, it's just a solid wire. you push, you pull.
It clicks into set spots for set gears. Easiest fucking thing i've ever handled. impossible to find parts for though, pretty much phased out in the eighties. go retro me.
Holy crap, I've ridden on my Trek hybrid for over a year and I still haven't gotten the shark tooth effect on my cassettes. When was the last time you replaced those?
Talking something like this?
You can undo them until the cows come home.
Shush ;-)
We made it five whole pages.... I was expecting that a lot sooner. :P
No, he's talking about actually breaking the chain, when you have to use the pin screwy pushy chain breaker tool that pushes the pin out of the link. This is usually only done to correct the length of the chain when you first buy it, and putting it back in is an inexact art which can make that link in the chain quite stiff. Doing so many times would make the chain bugger all use, would skip and grind like anything.
Master links (snap locks) work totally differently, and are much looser, so you can snap them in and out as much as you like.
I've read good things about the Jamis Satellite, Giant OCR-x, Specialized Allez, and some others, but those are the two that keep me interested. Maybe I should be deciding between the Allez Sport and Giant?
Since I'm just trying to work myself up to being serious about cycling, I don't want to break the bank. It it worth the extra money for the Felt and it's spiffy components? The biggest thing would be to get a nice bike with a good frame so that I could upgrade to 105/Ultegra the more I ride it, but I'm not sure if that's the most prudent course of action. The Jamis Satellite actually looks like it has good components for the same price as the Bianchi too.
So I'm pretty confused. What mostly affects the price of these different bikes with different components? What combinations of frame/components should I be looking for?
I think the only original part of the bike is the frame tho and its a heavy one too... I so need a new bike but I don't ride anyway so it kinda just takes up space in my garage
stout's Amazon Wishlist | my lastFM
http://forums.penny-arcade.com/showthread.php?t=19754
I'll be test riding some bikes tomorrow. I've revised my budget to $800 for a road bike.
A side-effect of being able to tilt forward and go up those hills, is that you can then roll down the hill.
Alas poor bike, I knew yee well.
Ive actually been thinking about getting something again, its been years and Im out of shape. A guy I work with spends all his time buying bikes and fixing them up, he's done some real classy jobs, as well as some modern workhorse street-minor mountain style bikes.
Not sure what to get, but I do miss the rides to/from work, easy way to clear the head before you go in, and a slick way to drop stress on the way home. Too bad I now live like 45 miles from where I work
So the other POS bike I was riding bit the dust today (well, it would actually be an easy fix, but the thing was honestly like the Yugo of bicycles, and was sized for somebody half my age) so I picked up the following instead of getting my other broken bike fixed, as I'm tired of hand-me-downs for something that I use so often:
Taking the floor model for a test drive, I was absolutely amazed; it has been so long since I've ridden a bike that actually fits me I had almost forgotten what it feels like. The one I got has got a flip flop free/fixed, and I'm also excited about getting to try a fixed wheel for the first time. Go me!
I had a nice mountain bike, but for the life of me cant remember what it was. Started with an S - mid-level, not high end. Sweet thing. Shame it got stolen.
I bought a nice road bike, a Felt F75 from my local bike shop recently, and have been riding it for a few weeks. Just today I started out on the big ring and when I hit a hill I went to shift to the smaller ring, only to my surprise, it wouldn't shift. It seems like the front dérailleur is stuck or something.
Any of you enthusiasts know what might be going on?
Anyhoo, I'm stoked to be getting into the world of cycling. The shorts are the greatest thing ever.