Finally n+1

Koncordski

Picked up the +1 from a mate last night. Needs a bit of TLC to some paint chips on the frame and a new saddle but the wheels, brakes and bar tape are all new. Mismatching pedals will be sorted this weekend for some spd-sl's and then some FG/SS commuting is ready to go. It's a 'Boeris' whatever that is and looks like it used to have the full mech at some point as there are lugs for downtube shifters etc..

Wallace1492

A BORIS? :shock: :shock:

EKE_38BPM

I'm loving the Turbo saddle.
So, FG or its ugly cousin SS?

Koncordski

SS all the way, FG in london traffic = mental. IMHO of course.

bigmat

Is that an actual Turbo? Looks slightly different somehow, Concor? Nice bike anyway, definitely the way to go if going FG/SS (for my tastes) rather than a brand new effort.

Koncordski

I'll get a better pic of the saddle at lunch, it's pretty chunky compared to the bontrager stick that I have on my trek so i'm not sure it's suitable for commuting. My only concern is the hill when you turn right after kingston gate in the park, not sure i'll make it up without gears! :shock:

Wallace1492

Koncordski wrote:

I'll get a better pic of the saddle at lunch, it's pretty chunky compared to the bontrager stick that I have on my trek so i'm not sure it's suitable for commuting. My only concern is the hill when you turn right after kingston gate in the park, not sure i'll make it up without gears! :shock:

You will be surprised at what you can make it up without gears.... I struggeled for first couple of weeks, then suddenly muscles appeared. What ratio you got on it?

bigmat

Koncordski wrote:

I'll get a better pic of the saddle at lunch, it's pretty chunky compared to the bontrager stick that I have on my trek so i'm not sure it's suitable for commuting. My only concern is the hill when you turn right after kingston gate in the park, not sure i'll make it up without gears! :shock:

I can commute on a Turbo without padded shorts - very comfortable saddle.

EKE_38BPM

I know its a personal thing, but I think a fixie is perfectly fine in London traffic. I don't enjoy riding my fixie along country lanes as much as I do in traffic. To me, fixies are more at home in an urban environment. YMMV.

notsoblue

EKE_38BPM wrote:

I know its a personal thing, but I think a fixie is perfectly fine in London traffic. I don't enjoy riding my fixie along country lanes as much as I do in traffic. To me, fixies are more at home in an urban environment. YMMV.

I'd really like to try fixed, but already having a road bike, and a sensible/touring bike I'd need to make more room!

EKE_38BPM

notsoblue wrote:

EKE_38BPM wrote:

I know its a personal thing, but I think a fixie is perfectly fine in London traffic. I don't enjoy riding my fixie along country lanes as much as I do in traffic. To me, fixies are more at home in an urban environment. YMMV.

I'd really like to try fixed, but already having a road bike, and a sensible/touring bike I'd need to make more room!

Did you try my old one? Next Morpeth drinks you can take mine for a spin. Its front brake only and that is on the left, so it takes a little getting used to, but you're a big boy (so the graffiti in the Morpeth toilets say anyway*) so you'd be fine.

*What were you and ITB doing in there for so long?

Koncordski

No idea on the ratio but it picks up speed quickly? Anyway the saddle has this logo on it.....

EKE_38BPM

Koncordski wrote:

No idea on the ratio but it picks up speed quickly?...

If you want to know the ratio, count the number of teeth on the chainring and on the sprocket and then punch those numbers into this website.
Generally speaking:
quick acceleration = low gear ratio = lower top speed but easier to climb hills
slow acceleration = high gear ratio = higher top speed but harder to climb hills

Most people talk about gear inches when talking about SSFG gearing.
This goes back to the days of Penny Farthing bikes where the size of the big wheel dictated what gear you had. A smallish wheel (~50" diameter) would have a low gear, a big wheel (~70" diameter) would have a high gear. On 'modern' bikes, chainwheels and sprockets mean you could have a bike with a gear that would have been impossible to have on a penny farthing (I think LiT used to ride a fixie with 100"+ gearing) as no-one has legs able to straddle a massive diameter wheel. With too high a gear (like LiT's 100" fixie) you risk knackering your knees (like I think LiT did).

I think its fair to say that most fixie riders are in the 55" to 85" range.

Koncordski

Holy resurrected thread batman.

Ok got the dodgy brakes sorted out and it now stops as well as it goes. I'm not really happy with the bar height as I seem to be too far down at the front to be comfortable. I've taken a couple of pics becuase I can't honestly work out what I need to buy/replace in order to raise the bars up a touch. Also the top of the steerer seems to be missing a cap and it just look a bit unfinished. Take a look:

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/L ... directlink
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/s ... directlink

Can anyone help me out in terms of what i need, getting confused between stems and steerers. Threaded and threadless. :?

veronese68

That looks like a threaded steerer with some sort of adaptor fitted to take a stem from a threadless steerer. You could loosen the allen key down the steerer, strike it with a mallet if it won't budge and see if it can be refitted a bit higher. It would look nicer if you got a traditional quill type stem for a threaded steerer.
Hard to describe in type, easier in person whilst pointing and testiculating.

Koncordski

Veronese68 wrote:

That looks like a threaded steerer with some sort of adaptor fitted to take a stem from a threadless steerer. You could loosen the allen key down the steerer, strike it with a mallet if it won't budge and see if it can be refitted a bit higher. It would look nicer if you got a traditional quill type stem for a threaded steerer.
Hard to describe in type, easier in person whilst pointing and testiculating.

You're telling me, no wonder I'm baffled. :oops: Think the only thing for it is to take it apart and see what's what. I'd like to fit a taller and simpler setup. Quil stems I think they're called???

In other news the gear ratio is 52 - 18

rick_chasey

76 inches - seems quite big to me?

veronese68

Koncordski wrote:

Veronese68 wrote:

That looks like a threaded steerer with some sort of adaptor fitted to take a stem from a threadless steerer. You could loosen the allen key down the steerer, strike it with a mallet if it won't budge and see if it can be refitted a bit higher. It would look nicer if you got a traditional quill type stem for a threaded steerer.
Hard to describe in type, easier in person whilst pointing and testiculating.

You're telling me, no wonder I'm baffled. :oops: Think the only thing for it is to take it apart and see what's what. I'd like to fit a taller and simpler setup. Quil stems I think they're called???

In other news the gear ratio is 52 - 18

Yes, quill stem. I have a large selection of hammers and mallets and do a good line in baffled if you need any help.
You need something like this:
http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/kalloy-alloy-road-quill-stem-to-fit-254-mm-bar-clamp-150-mm-18-deg-prod21760/It's only a cheap one but the picture gives a good illustration. You'll need to check the diameter needed.

anonymousblackfg

Koncordski wrote:

SS all the way, FG in london traffic = mental. IMHO of course.

Hmmm... i'm not sure about that, I get bored of seeing all those soft feckers freewheeling everywhere.

Koncordski

Veronese68 wrote:

Koncordski wrote:

Veronese68 wrote:

That looks like a threaded steerer with some sort of adaptor fitted to take a stem from a threadless steerer. You could loosen the allen key down the steerer, strike it with a mallet if it won't budge and see if it can be refitted a bit higher. It would look nicer if you got a traditional quill type stem for a threaded steerer.
Hard to describe in type, easier in person whilst pointing and testiculating.

You're telling me, no wonder I'm baffled. :oops: Think the only thing for it is to take it apart and see what's what. I'd like to fit a taller and simpler setup. Quil stems I think they're called???

In other news the gear ratio is 52 - 18

Yes, quill stem. I have a large selection of hammers and mallets and do a good line in baffled if you need any help.
You need something like this:
http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/kalloy-alloy-road-quill-stem-to-fit-254-mm-bar-clamp-150-mm-18-deg-prod21760/It's only a cheap one but the picture gives a good illustration. You'll need to check the diameter needed.

Well if you can figure it out I'll happily compensate you with a beer. I'll have a go taking it apart (tomorrow, i'm going to ride it tonight and don't want an accident!) and see if a quill will drop straight in there.

rolf_f

Veronese68 wrote:

Yes, quill stem. I have a large selection of hammers and mallets and do a good line in baffled if you need any help.
You need something like this:
http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/kalloy-alloy-road-quill-stem-to-fit-254-mm-bar-clamp-150-mm-18-deg-prod21760/It's only a cheap one but the picture gives a good illustration. You'll need to check the diameter needed.

Just bought one of those for my Dawes - it's perfectly fine (assuming a Boeris is no Colnago ) - basically, it is pretty much the same as the original Dawes stem (only shorter - which is what I wanted). So perfectly fine for a mid range sort of a bike. Not really worth spending more; it's a bargain!

The only bother with the quill stem is you'll probably need to take the tape off one side to get it onto the bars. Otherwise it should be a doddle.