Upgrading a Landrover Khartoum

shaddaz

Well after a long time getting fat and eating pizza maybe not in that order I have started using my bike again and i am enjoying it

so this weekend I changed the tyres over to some Schwalbe City Jet 26 x 1.95 see how I get on with them

anyway on a 3 mile commute that i am doing atm I have a 60m difference going low high low again what I am considering is changing the front crank as it is using a 22 32 etc now i dont use the 22 at all unless off road and I dont do that any more so what I am wondering

Is it possible to remove the 22 and move the others down adding a 50(ish) to the mix ?

as you can see I am still a bit of a noob so noob talk required lol

craker

shaddaz wrote:

I have a 60m difference going low high low again

/Bekindtonewbie/ Sorry, what?

What's wrong with your bike? Do you run out of gears?

Just enjoy riding your bike

The Rookie

His commute descesnd 60m and then rises 60m so he finishes at about the same altitude, not really relevant as it's gradient that matters.

You can remove the 222, but the others can't shift down as they are a different mounting size.

With a 42T front and an 11T rear you can hit well over 30mph, so do you really need more gears or do you need to learn to pedal at the right speed (which is 80-90 rpm not the circa 50rpm most people naturally think is right).

shaddaz

The Rookie wrote:

His commute descesnd 60m and then rises 60m so he finishes at about the same altitude, not really relevant as it's gradient that matters.

You can remove the 222, but the others can't shift down as they are a different mounting size.

With a 42T front and an 11T rear you can hit well over 30mph, so do you really need more gears or do you need to learn to pedal at the right speed (which is 80-90 rpm not the circa 50rpm most people naturally think is right).

Thanx Rookie for the reply

I am atm trying to get my cadence higher suffering with a knee complaint as well makes this a little harder but i am working on it

And you have my commute the wrong way round I clime 60m to have a bit of flat (soon running out of gears on the top) then a nice down hill just as I get to work to help kool me down

Looking at the post you did answer my question as well that they can not move down I dont no about the mounting points as I have never changed them although I dare say it will not be long before I have to make changes to it any way I had a look last night and the 32T showing signs of chipped teeth I guess that goes back to the days when I was towing 100+ kg on trailers :P that soon builds up some leg muscles on a hill lol

Anyway thanx for answering

The Rookie

The signs of chipped teeth may be the forming to create shifting ramps, steel (almost certainly on yours) don't chip anyway.

I have knee problems, (have doen since the age of 7), a higher cadence reduces the load on your knees (double the cadence and you half the load for the same power output) so even more important to learn to spin!

I would get your commute back to front, mine is a descend 55m over 3.5 miles and then a climb back up over the next 3.5 miles leaving me hot and sweaty at work!

shaddaz

Well i think i beat you on the clime total trip is 3.4mi clime 60m a small flat (ish) then drop again hot and sweaty is not the word i would use lol

it takes me around 20mins on the bike I think that is super saves me £3.40 in bus fares helps to keep this 30 year old body fit and I get to p!$$ off loads of drivers that want to run me over :P

important to learn to spin!

I have heard of that term a few times but still not 100% sure what you mean by it

Big_Paul

Exactly what it sounds like, Imaging your pedalling cadence is like the RPM of an engine, you wouldn't try and drive at 20mph in top gear in a car at 1000rpm, you'd be in 3rd at 3000 rpm, the same applies with your legs, try lower gears and higher revs instead of struggling with a higher gear with low revs.

The Rookie

Most riders 'feel' that about 50rpm is right for the pedal speed (so less than once a second for a complete revolution), in reality about 90-100rpm is the most efficient speed, the key being to do this by good use of gears and not trying to go 30mph everywhere in a high gear as you'll fail!

shaddaz

Well at least I am starting to understand some of the terms that I may not have before lol....

I am pretty sure (without counting and timing) that I am somewhere in the 70-100 cad range as I no I do make more than one revolution per sec as more on the hills I try to link my breathing with my pedal strokes

Breath in on one rev out on the next I dont no if that is the best way to do it but seems to work for me but always open to suggestions for improvement

New Question

Just popped into my head as I was typing the above

now having a cycle since I was a kid like most people but I have always used standard run of the mill oils in the chain it is cheap multi purpose stuff on there atm

now we all no if it is a lubricant it will work to varying effect although this stuff is messy seems to spray on the lower parts of the frame and very easy to transfer to me

so wondering whats better than this stuff for cleaner running oil stains on my jeans are a pain

The Rookie

Use a dedicated chain lube, they can be wet/dry or wax.

I like Muc-off wet lube for the commutre, it's a bit mucky and doesn't look pretty but sticks like poo to a blanket and doesn't wash off easily. Being jetwashed by salty water (in winter) from a commuters front tyre is not good for a chain!

shaddaz

Thanx Rookie I will take a look at that although will have to wait till payday as I am waiting for my new topbag and AirZound to arrive atm as I am fed up getting a sore throat shouting at arrogant D!cks on the road

I did also drop into the shop yesterday (30.08) see about getting my front end changed getting rid of the suspension forks did not have anything in stock so got to get back to me with price and options but that should take some off the frontend

and pretty P1ssed off yesterday as well I always run with a flashing rear light anyway hit a bumpy section going into town and my Moon Gem 2.0 snapped its rubbers flew off somewhere and I could not find it so another £15-£20 to replace that. Although I do have one of them wind up emergency light setups so if I do need to do any night running I can manage it I just do put much faith in them systems as they are not very bright

The Rookie

Urgh, please not an airzound, they are pretty pointless, by the time you can make a sound you're usually OK or squashed anyway......

Get some forks off ebay or classifieds, will be expensive new!

shaddaz

Airzound I have had a few moments where is have been hollering that much my throat hurt that was the point of getting it

Not sure what measurements etc to look at for forks thats why I went to the shop for them see first post I am still a noob :P

I should really get one of my kids bikes out and play with it to learn a thing or 2 just not sure the kids will be very happy with me lol