Can I use this to commute

Maxticate

Thanks to a nice guy on freecycle I am the new owner of a Vitus 787 Futural.

I currently commute 6 miles each way on the redways of milton keynes and have been using my MTB to do this. However i don't like changing tyres and as it is all on 'road' I am wearing my knobblies down too fast for my liking.

So I have a beautiful looking 787 and I'm wondering what I'll have to do to get it so it'll be good for commuting. Any tips or pointers will be gratefully received. I am unused to the road riding position but am willling to give it a go.

I'll put the spec below with my thoughts.

Stronglight France Headset
3ttt drop bars (I'm a bit uneasy about the drop bar position, I never feel like I brake positively enough when on the hoods, considering a change to a flat bar)
Mavic MA40622x13 rims on Exage hubs.
Shimano 105 brakes and levers
Shimano down tube friction/sti shifters
Shimano 105 derailleur front and rear
Shimano 105 pedals and cranks
Double ring up front
Didn't count the back
The seatpost locking allen bolt is stripped but the seat is in roughly the right position.

So what should I consider before taking it in on Monday? II took it up the road and back earlier, the shifting is sweet front and rear, no bad noises and everything feels smooth. Very twitchy steering, I felt quite folded over on it. I'll examine my position more in depth tomorrow. I think with a backpack on it'll be quite uncomfortable though.

cjcp

Did a quick search and found this:

http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?t=55027

and this:

http://www.bikeforums.net/archive/index ... 97987.html


If you're "folded up", is it the right size?

laughingboy

Maxticate wrote:

So I have a beautiful looking 787 and I'm wondering what I'll have to do to get it so it'll be good for commuting. Any tips or pointers will be gratefully received.

Sounds like a nice bike. I don't think you have to do anything to it to make it suitable for a 6-mile commute*. Although, if you are worried about the drop handlebars, consider buying 'interrupter' brake levers also called 'in-line brakes' or 'cross brakes' (these fit on the flat part of the handle bar, in addition to your existing brakes).

Just set it up so that it is comfortable, lubricate it, pump up the tyres, test the brakes and bearings, etc, and ENJOY.

*Of course, if it were up to me, I'd put a rack and mudguards on it - but I'm perverse like that.

posh_pedaller

Wow! A fellow Vitus owner! Albeit with a bike from a different era...
Something I heard was that the old Vitus frames tended to come apart rather easily, so worth checking the frame if you haven't already.
And pics pics pics please!

Maxticate

Thanks everyone. I am a little worried by everyone saying about them falling apart. I'm not exactly a lightweight! After doing a bit of digging I found that the 787 is a cyclocross bike. Would that mean it was a little stronger than the 987 and therefore less likely to fall apart?

I tried it up the road and back again (hence the wobbly riding picture below) and I couldn't feel much movement although things that scraped slightly went quiet with the application of some force on the crank so it must be flexing.

I'm not quite sure what I mean by folded up. I'm not used to a road bike position at all and it feels foreign to me like I'm all hunched over.

I don't feel like I can force much pressure on the brake levers with my hands on the hoods. In the drops I can brake better but don't feel particularly comfortable. I read somewhere else on here that interupters weren't worth it as they never work as well.

Here are some pictures anyway.

biondino

You should be able to put enough pressure on the brakes from the hoods unless you have tiny hands (or are descending at speed). Practice your emergency stops - if you still have a bit more braking power left then you're fine.

If you got your bike for free, then it's worth splashing out a small amount for a full service, as much for peace of mind as anything else.

CiB

If you're commuting in MK I'd save your stress and use the roads instead, esp when the schools go back. The redway system there was set up full of good intentions but when I used to live there & use it, it was a right PITA, having to avoid any or all of the following:

School kids
dogs
schoolkids with dogs
peds with dogs
pot holes
furniture
glass
shopping trolleys
trees
muggers
etc etc

I used the roads - in all the time I did I never had any reason to be worried any more than you would on any other road network. Spidey senses to norm and away you go. It's a sight quicker too.

Maxticate

Ok so I took it into work today on the red ways after giving it a good shake down last night and practising braking whilst on the hoods.

I still can't brake super hard (like with the discs on the GT avalanche 1.0) but I can bring myself to a halt, I just have to look further ahead and predict better what might happen.

Things I found out on the ride into work.

The position is pretty painful, my lower back was aching madly and I found it hard to look up to see what was going on ahead, this makes things difficult when combined with the braking. I found myself head down looking over my glasses. I think maybe the top tube is too long?

The ride was extremely hard. I think slightly lower pressure in the tyres will help here. Getting off the redways and onto the road wuld probably help too as Chris suggested but I don't think I'd be too happy doing that yet.

Wearing a backpack, albeit a small one, makes everything 10 times worse. I would definitely need paniers if I were to use this biek to commute regularly.

Everything people said about the frames falling apart weighed on my mind. I kept expecting the headstock tube to seperate away from the rest of the frame and for me to eat redway.

Despite the bike being lighter I don't think I got in any quicker, and it was more uncomfortable.

I'll see what it's like on the way home. it's more uphill on the way back.

CiB

Which way are you going? The worst redways are those around the centre, specifically Springfield & Fishermead, and these also have a big climb up & back down again. Despite my prev post, the newer redways seemed better but it's been a few years since I used them.

Sounds like you've been given a bike that doesn't fit and you don't trust, and you're trying to make the commute work. Might be worth getting something that you want, rather than something that someone else didn't. The roads are ok - their width means that you have plenty of space and the lack of corners gives drivers time to see you. Like I said, it was never a problem in the few years I was on them, and still do occasionally. Just make sure you've got plenty of hi-viz on.

Maxticate

Cheers for the advice Chris.

I'm trying to vary my route a bit but I travel from Two Mile Ash over to Walton Hall and back. Currently I head to the railway station then drop out of the bottom of the city centre.

I mapped it for you here

http://www.mapmyride.com/route/gb/milton%20keynes/468125120119729395

I'm going to look at the fit later today and see if I can get it right. the trust thing I think is down to being warned it may fall to bits!! If it survives a little while then I'll relax a little more.

Actually your list is pretty accurate for what is encountered on redways. I have only been commuting on them 2 months maybe but I have encountered

School kids
dogs
peds with dogs
pot holes
glass
trees

I don't look forward to tangling with shopping trolleys or muggers!

CiB

Ha - you don't live where I used to do you? I'll PM you rather than broadcast your address.

I used to do TMA to Willen Lake, and then later on Shenley CE to Willen. It was easier going straight across from west to east rather than your north-west to south-east journey tho.

Personally I'd just blast down the Watling St V4 and then hook left onto the H8 Standing Way and down past the hospital, taking extra care on the oddball offset roundabouts at Peartree Bridge. I used to do the H6 in all seasons and except for the odd numpty I always felt safe, either because the traffic was light, or because it was so heavy that it was always queuing at the roundabouts. Each to their own though. Don't put yourself in situations that you aren't comfortable with.

Best plan - stick your bike back on FreeCycle, then pay a visit to Twenty3C in Stony Stratford, just behind Cycle <cough spit> King. Bicycle p0rn, all for you.

biondino

The bike won't fall apart, so don't worry about that at all.

By the look of the stem, you've got a fair bit more within the head tube that you can bring up to give you a less racy position. You also have a good inch in either direction to move the saddle back or forward. But the first thing I'd do, if you haven't already, is rotate the handlebars so the top surface (the U-shape, as viewed from above facing forwards) is horizontal - at the moment at the corner where it goes to the drops, it's pointing downwards, will will stretch you out and lower you.

easywheeler

ChrisInBicester wrote:

Best plan - stick your bike back on FreeCycle

I live in MK and will kindly take it off your hands if you decide you dont want it :-P

woodford2barbican

Looks like a nice bike to me!

Stuey01

first few rides on a road bike my lower back killed me. no such problems now. It does take some getting used to the different position, don't give up on it yet.

laughingboy

biondino wrote:

The bike won't fall apart, so don't worry about that at all.

By the look of the stem, you've got a fair bit more within the head tube that you can bring up to give you a less racy position. You also have a good inch in either direction to move the saddle back or forward. But the first thing I'd do, if you haven't already, is rotate the handlebars so the top surface (the U-shape, as viewed from above facing forwards) is horizontal - at the moment at the corner where it goes to the drops, it's pointing downwards, will will stretch you out and lower you.

Do everything this man says.

Until he tries to convince you to buy something pink.

Maxticate

Thanks Biondino, I will try and do the things you describe and see if I can improve my comfort on the bike. I haven't yet got the seatpost screw out but I will have a go when I get some time. So I can't do seatpost height but I should be able to move the seat back and forth.

Before that though I'll adjust the handlebars as you have said and see if that helps.

Thanks for the selfless offer of taking it off my hands easywheeler. I'm going to perservere for now. But should I get rid of it I'll PM you

Stuey 01, the ride back without so much weight in my backpack was much better. However I still needed to give it a stretch near the end, probably only 5.5 miles. I'll alternate days on it for now with the mountain bike and hopefully with the changes biodino suggested and more rides I'll sort out the back pain.

b0y1nterupted

very cool 8)

easywheeler

Maxticate wrote:

Thanks for the selfless offer of taking it off my hands easywheeler. I'm going to perservere for now. But should I get rid of it I'll PM you

Hehe worth a try. I have been trying MK freecycle for a road bike for a while but have had no luck so good on you for getting it, looks pretty sweet!

Maxticate

Just wanted to come back and update on how it's going with the vitus.

I made the changes that Biondino suggested. The real test will be the ride into work tomorrow but in a short run up the road and around it felt much more comfortable. I think the biggest change was angling the bars more horizontal.

I even managed to free the stuck seatpost screw. I did it by letting it soak in penetrant spray all day while I was at work. Then I came back and hammered in a size 40 Tork head socket.
This is a trick I pick up freeing rounded out allen heads whilst working on my motorbikes. I then just used a breaking bar on the socket to turn the rounded allen head out. A bit of a clean up and some anti seize and it went right back in to hold the slightly height adjusted seat post.

What I really want to do now is change the pedals. They are an old 105 7400 pattern shimano pedal. Like these ones but with a plastic toe grip.
http://www.businesscycles.com/tped-shim.htm
They hurt to use because of the sharp flat metal at the back. I don't want to use the SPD system.

Can anyone recommend some decent road pedals? Or does anyone want to do swapsies for these ones?

Maxticate

The ride into work was much much better.

I had more fun on the bike than the last time and the back pain was much less. I remembered before I left that I had some old pedals in the garage that came with the MTB. I checked them for size and they fitted so I attached them quickly and in I went.

The headwind was more a sidewind for me and I'm wobbly enough on this bike without it. I went quicker today probably because of my greater comfort and the red ways felt even worse at higher speed. So bumpy and broken up.

I may try a trip in on the road next week as a comparison.

Hi-Vis at the ready.

vorsprung

It's difficult to tell from the photos but the bike looks a bit small for you

How tall are you, and what is the measurement from the centre of the pedal cranks ( the axle ) to the top of the seat tube ( where the seat post is plugged in)? And the top tube? How tall are you? What is your inside leg measurement?

I'd say from the photos that the seat needs to go up a couple of inches and the bars need to go up too

Maxticate

I'm 6ft dead on. My inside leg measurement is 32". I was digging around for my tape measure last night to get some figures on the frame size but couldn't find it.

Since that photo was taken the seat has come up about an inch or so. I have moved the seat forward about an inch.

I looked at raising the bars at the headtube as Biodino recommended but it was already at or near the maximum mark. I may have gained a couple of mm there but not much.

I watched a video on fitting bikes and the handle bar does not obscure the hub at the moment so I think the seat needs to go back a touch?

I'l try and get some of the bike measurements later.

Maxticate

The top tube from the middle of the seatpost to the middle of the headset is about 54 cm.

The height from the middle of the bb to the seatpost start is about 56 cm.