Thread To Tell Everyone What Fettling You've Just Done

rjsterry

Asprilla wrote:

edhornby wrote:

Asprilla wrote:

Went out on the singlespeed today for the first time in a few weeks. It really is the most comfortable bike I have and I appear to be able to generate the most power / speed on it (given the limiting factors of it being single speed and not having a power meter on it).

So I've spent this evening with a spirit level, set square and tape measure going over every square inch of the Peugeot and the Cervelo.

Initial measurements are:

Pug Reach 400mm
Pug Stack 560mm

Soloist Reach 394mm
Soloist Stack 560mm

So pretty much the same, and yet they feel very different.

First I looked at the stem. The bars are 20mm lower on the Soloist so I raise them 15mm. Quite a big jump. The stem on the Soloist is also 10mm shorter but I'm going to see how I get on.

Quick test ride but still not the same.

So I check saddle position. Distance from bb centre to saddle top is the same (765mm) but the saddle tip on the Soloist is 60mm back from the bb centre compared to 40 mm on the Pug. Obviously the seat post angle on the Pug is substantially greater than Soloist.

The saddle on the Soloist is already as far forward as it can go so there is only one thing for it; flip the seat post........

have you factored for the BB height difference ? maybe try the floor to bars, floor to saddle heights as well ??

The BB is the fixed reference point for all measurements so the difference in BB heights (if there is one) doesn't have any impact.

Rode in in it this morning. Arms and shoulders were in a much better position. Saddle wasn't quite right but I think that's because it needs to be down at the front a fraction.

I think a 120mm stem is needed as well.

For reference; I'm an odd shape. Scoliosis means I'm 5'9" with a 32.5" inside leg.

Here is the SS as I have it;

Yikes. At what point are you going to admit that the Soloist isn't the right shape for you?

More seriously, what do you mean by "feel very different"? Even if you get the geometry of the contact points exactly matched up, the wheels probably in a different position relative to the contact points, and that will feel very different when ridden.

asprilla

rjsterry wrote:

Yikes. At what point are you going to admit that the Soloist isn't the right shape for you?

More seriously, what do you mean by "feel very different"? Even if you get the geometry of the contact points exactly matched up, the wheels probably in a different position relative to the contact points, and that will feel very different when ridden.

By 'feels different' I mean; the position isn't as comfortable. It's ok on the Soloist but I'm trying to see of I can achieve the same level of comfort and perceived power as I get on the Peugeot.

The stack on both frames is the same and there is 6mm difference in the reach on each. The 1 degree of difference in seat tube any only causes a saddle position difference of 13mm with a saddle height of 765mm which should be well within the adjustment limits of the saddle rails, and yet I'm struggling to get them set up the same.

This is just me experimenting.

rjsterry

I don't know if you have any drawing or CAD skills, but if you do, you could pretty accurately plot the two geometries and overlay them to see where the differences are.

FoldingJoe

Really bad job of a bar wrap with 3mm Fizik tape.

Now, I'm not massively experienced at wrapping my own bars, but have probably done about 3 or 4 wraps successfully and neatly. This 3mm stuff was a buggar to work with.

Being replaced with Lizard Skins this weekend!!

elbowloh

rower63 wrote:

EKE_38BPM wrote:

I've had a slow p*ncture for about a week. At what point should I address the problem head on rather than just the symptom by pumping a little more air in every morning?

I've had same thing for ages too but couldn't find puncture or flaw anywhere. Turns out it was extra-long valve stem with an extension-break in the middle which was slightly loose. Tightened it up and all good again.

I bloody hate the continental tubes with the removable valve. They keep coming undone and I bought a job lot of them.

Gonna have to get some thread lock.

veronese68

Asprilla wrote:

...position...comfort...

The drop from saddle to bar looks a lot more on the Soloist than the Pug, could be exaggerated by the difference in the angle the pictures were taken from though.

asprilla

Veronese68 wrote:

Asprilla wrote:

...position...comfort...

The drop from saddle to bar looks a lot more on the Soloist than the Pug, could be exaggerated by the difference in the angle the pictures were taken from though.

You are right. I took the picture and then realised I hadn't lowered the seat post after flipping the saddle. Turning the seat post adds about 15mm to the saddle to bb centre so I did lower it after taking that shot.

I might flip the stem tonight and I need to pop into sigma tonight so I think I'll look at saddles that allow a little more forward movement......

asprilla

Flipped the stem and put the seat post back to normal before coming home.

Bingo.

gingaman

Sorry for the rain yesterday, everyone. I cleaned bike and put on a pannier rack, forgot to replace mudguard, so got a bit of a wet behind

itboffin

elbowloh wrote:

rower63 wrote:

EKE_38BPM wrote:

I've had a slow p*ncture for about a week. At what point should I address the problem head on rather than just the symptom by pumping a little more air in every morning?

I've had same thing for ages too but couldn't find puncture or flaw anywhere. Turns out it was extra-long valve stem with an extension-break in the middle which was slightly loose. Tightened it up and all good again.

I bloody hate the continental tubes with the removable valve. They keep coming undone and I bought a job lot of them.

Gonna have to get some thread lock.

yep i found that out by the roadside in the rain, i've fixed it on my remaining 2 spares with two pairs of pliers, but now I only use Vittoria tubes or PX, cheap too

EKE_38BPM

EKE_38BPM wrote:

I've had a slow p*ncture for about a week. At what point should I address the problem head on rather than just the symptom by pumping a little more air in every morning?

It turns out the point I address the problem is when I have to top up the pressure three times in one day. Luckily I had a track pump with me that day, so it wasn't an issue, well, not a big one anyway.

rower63

Veronese68 wrote:

I've known my chain is worn for ages but hadn't changed it. Finally changed it about 6pm tonight, slipping on the cassette. Balls! New cassette tomorrow.

May sound like a strange request Veronese, but do you still have the old chain? I want a badly worn chain to clean and take apart to see exactly how it's worn, as I'm in the process of writing an article about chain-wear, cleaning, lubrication and maintenance. Perhaps pm me or look up my email address, you can work it out from the contact page of my little site referred to in my sig.

goonz

New chain, cleaned the road bike up and fitted speedplay pedals.

veronese68

rower63 wrote:

Veronese68 wrote:

I've known my chain is worn for ages but hadn't changed it. Finally changed it about 6pm tonight, slipping on the cassette. Balls! New cassette tomorrow.

May sound like a strange request Veronese, but do you still have the old chain? I want a badly worn chain to clean and take apart to see exactly how it's worn, as I'm in the process of writing an article about chain-wear, cleaning, lubrication and maintenance. Perhaps pm me or look up my email address, you can work it out from the contact page of my little site referred to in my sig.

It's in the bin in the garage, I'll fish it out and drop you a line when I've found it.
I've had a few people from this forum turn up at my place for various reasons, my wife thinks we're all mad anyway. I can just imagine what she'll say if I tell her somebody is coming round to pick up a knackered used chain.

rower63

Veronese68 wrote:

rower63 wrote:

Veronese68 wrote:

I've known my chain is worn for ages but hadn't changed it. Finally changed it about 6pm tonight, slipping on the cassette. Balls! New cassette tomorrow.

May sound like a strange request Veronese, but do you still have the old chain? I want a badly worn chain to clean and take apart to see exactly how it's worn, as I'm in the process of writing an article about chain-wear, cleaning, lubrication and maintenance. Perhaps pm me or look up my email address, you can work it out from the contact page of my little site referred to in my sig.

It's in the bin in the garage, I'll fish it out and drop you a line when I've found it.
I've had a few people from this forum turn up at my place for various reasons, my wife thinks we're all mad anyway. I can just imagine what she'll say if I tell her somebody is coming round to pick up a knackered used chain.

Brilliant, thanks. Don't bother cleaning it up at all, I want it dirty, just drop it into a freezer bag or something.
I advised someone on the forum a while ago, hedley miller I think it was, that using a new chain on an old cassette was fine, on the reasoning that the cassette teeth can't change pitch, whereas the chain does elongate and change pitch.
I was dead wrong, and apologise to anyone who followed my advice. I found out the hard way very soon after, tasting my own medicine. I put on a new chain just before a long Surrey Hills ride, and could only use sprockets 1,2,3 and 9,10,11, which weren't worn. Made for a very interesting ride.
Your wife is right, by the way, but you know that

rolf_f

rower63 wrote:

Veronese68 wrote:

I've known my chain is worn for ages but hadn't changed it. Finally changed it about 6pm tonight, slipping on the cassette. Balls! New cassette tomorrow.

May sound like a strange request Veronese, but do you still have the old chain? I want a badly worn chain to clean and take apart to see exactly how it's worn, as I'm in the process of writing an article about chain-wear, cleaning, lubrication and maintenance. Perhaps pm me or look up my email address, you can work it out from the contact page of my little site referred to in my sig.

You'll be doing well if you can add much to this! http://sheldonbrown.com/chains.html

A good explanation of the significance of the difference between pin and roller wear though and what impact that has on the use of chain wear measuring tools would no doubt be useful though.

rower63

Rolf F wrote:

rower63 wrote:

Veronese68 wrote:

I've known my chain is worn for ages but hadn't changed it. Finally changed it about 6pm tonight, slipping on the cassette. Balls! New cassette tomorrow.

May sound like a strange request Veronese, but do you still have the old chain? I want a badly worn chain to clean and take apart to see exactly how it's worn, as I'm in the process of writing an article about chain-wear, cleaning, lubrication and maintenance. Perhaps pm me or look up my email address, you can work it out from the contact page of my little site referred to in my sig.

You'll be doing well if you can add much to this! http://sheldonbrown.com/chains.html

A good explanation of the significance of the difference between pin and roller wear though and what impact that has on the use of chain wear measuring tools would no doubt be useful though.

I agree, I'm a big fan of that site, it's generally my first port of call, and I try to avoid writing anything that has already been properly covered elsewhere, unless I disagree with the received wisdom*. The focus of my article will be more on the cleaning and subsequent maintenance/lubrication side of a "mid-life" chain, as I can (and do, once a week) now clean a used chain perfectly in around 20 minutes. With that in mind I'm interested in looking inside a worn chain, to see for myself the wear-patterns and to see how much of the "black stuff" when lifted off in solvent sticks to a magnet, for example etc etc

* which happens a lot. Like rowing, cycling abounds with received-wisdom myths.

MonkeyMonster

rower63 wrote:

I agree, I'm a big fan of that site, it's generally my first port of call, and I try to avoid writing anything that has already been properly covered elsewhere. The focus of my article will be MASSIVE LEVELS OF BIKE NERDINGS, yes even more than Sheldon managed

Hmmm

rower63

MonkeyMonster wrote:

rower63 wrote:

I agree, I'm a big fan of that site, it's generally my first port of call, and I try to avoid writing anything that has already been properly covered elsewhere. The focus of my article will be MASSIVE LEVELS OF BIKE NERDINGS, yes even more than Sheldon managed

Hmmm

guilty as charged m'lud

veronese68

Found it, just sent you an email. I also have a few left over bits after shortening chains if you want some new bits to open up, also the old cassette with two sprockets that wouldn't work with the new chain.
You can pop by or I can post it, the kettle is nearly always on.

redvee

Cured the high pitched rattle coming from the rear end after lubing the chain.

rower63

Veronese68 wrote:

Found it, just sent you an email. I also have a few left over bits after shortening chains if you want some new bits to open up, also the old cassette with two sprockets that wouldn't work with the new chain.
You can pop by or I can post it, the kettle is nearly always on.

I'll swing by your place Tuesday/tomorrow evening if that's OK? Would do today but need to leave work v early tonight so would likely get there before you're home.

veronese68

rower63 wrote:

Veronese68 wrote:

Found it, just sent you an email. I also have a few left over bits after shortening chains if you want some new bits to open up, also the old cassette with two sprockets that wouldn't work with the new chain.
You can pop by or I can post it, the kettle is nearly always on.

I'll swing by your place Tuesday/tomorrow evening if that's OK? Would do today but need to leave work v early tonight so would likely get there before you're home.

OK. I'll have it ready for you. May not be able to chat as my Dad is over for his birthday, we don't let him visit other than special occasions.

itboffin

I getting royally pissed off now with my front brake situation on the single speed.

No matter what I try once the cables connected it sticks shut!?!?!

But everything looks fine, I don't get it???

veronese68

itboffin wrote:

But everything looks fine, I don't get it???

Have you tried turning it off and on again?

EKE_38BPM

itboffin wrote:

I getting royally pissed off now with my front brake situation on the single speed.

No matter what I try once the cables connected it sticks shut!?!?!

But everything looks fine, I don't get it???

Time for a new bike.

Kieran_Burns

itboffin wrote:

I getting royally pissed off now with my front brake situation on the single speed.

No matter what I try once the cables connected it sticks shut!?!?!

But everything looks fine, I don't get it???

Have you put the cable on upside down?

itboffin

EKE_38BPM wrote:

itboffin wrote:

I getting royally pissed off now with my front brake situation on the single speed.

No matter what I try once the cables connected it sticks shut!?!?!

But everything looks fine, I don't get it???

Time for a new bike.

It has crossed my mind

redvee

itboffin wrote:

I getting royally pissed off now with my front brake situation on the single speed.

No matter what I try once the cables connected it sticks shut!?!?!

But everything looks fine, I don't get it???

Let somebody who knows what they're doing have a look at it.

UndercoverElephant

Brake's clogged full o' clart. Take it apart, clean it up, regrease and repent.