Any road bikers?

[machine gewehr]

I assume that since it's high end Ti, they're cutting all the tubes to perfect lengths for the rider. Carbon involves a lot of molded parts, which makes customization a little difficult, so we compensate with the stem.

Yeah, that makes sense spade.



I've been experiencing "splenomegaly" (is that the word for it?) since I've got my clipless pedals. I don't know how it can be related, it never used to happen to me but after riding for 15-20 minutes I get that sharp pain to the left, lower side of my torso. Like a fatigue, but not really a fatigue. I hope I could explain myself, it's sometimes hard with the second language.

I come home around 1900, have a quick half a plate of pasta and get out. I drink lots of water too but I've been doing this for 2+ years, why now? Why right after the day I went clipless?

Any ideas?

 

[spade2you]

It's not just "side stitch"? I get that on a few occasions when I'm going to hard and taking deep breaths.

Got the Giro Air Attack Shield. Not very comfy on my head. Seems to dig in. I know it's probably alright, but I don't like how much space there is between my ear and the helmet. I'll probably just use it for Merckx style time trials (where time trial bikes, disc wheels, and elongated time trial helmets are banned).

Link Removed

 

[machine gewehr]

That's the word, side stitch. I never used to have those.


Spade, for a moment I thought it was you in the picture and I though "He's in Garmin Sharp and didn't tell us??".

 

[spade2you]

That's the word, side stitch. I never used to have those.


Spade, for a moment I thought it was you in the picture and I though "He's in Garmin Sharp and didn't tell us??".

I'm definitely not good enough to be a pro. I used to ride on a club variant of Team Type 1, which is now Team Novo Nordisk. A few local diabetic riders started that up and there were a few other cities with a local Team Type 1 chapter. One of my former team mates made it to pro. I used to be able to get last year's clothing for a steal of a price tag. I'd pay ~$30 for a DeMarchi skin suit. This year I'm riding on another team and my skin suit was closer to $200. Glad I stocked up on Team Type 1 kits for regular riding.

 

[Bocete]

I did another 36 mile yesterday, the first time I took my new road bike on a longer ride. It was easy, I stopped only once to adjust my seat. No pain anywhere, I didn't feel too tired either. I should have gone for a longer ride but it was getting dark.

My hands didn't get as numb as on the flat bar too. I'm really happy I made the switch, thanks for recommending that. They did go numb a little bit, and every time I'd notice that my arms are completely straight and keeping my torso up. I start doing that as soon as I stop paying attention. I need more core strength.

Related to that issue, I've been trying to keep my arms and hands as loose as possible. As a result, I started balancing better, and I can let go of the bar for a few seconds without swerving. I still feel panic, but I think I'm getting there.

 

[fdeck]

Okay, you roadies, here's a question. My "fun" bike has 27x1 double wall alloy rims and Presta tubes. Over the years, I've had a number of tube failures around where the valve stem joins the rubber. Today it happened again, got out to the garage, flat. I have never had a Schrader tube fail in this way.

What am I doing wrong? Are Presta tubes inherently weaker? I inspected the rim, and can see nothing wrong that might be cutting the tubes.

 

[carl h.]

Front or rear?
What size tire, is the tube appropriate for it?
How much PSI are you running?
Do you tighten the heck out of the stem nut?
What brand tube do you ride?

 

[fdeck]

Front or rear?
What size tire, is the tube appropriate for it?
How much PSI are you running?
Do you tighten the heck out of the stem nut?
What brand tube do you ride?

Rear tire, 27x1-1/8, 90 PSI, which is the rating of the tire. I don't tighten the stem nut at all, just barely finger tight. The tube brands are all over the place, some "specialized," some "avenir," which I think is a re-branding operation because other brands are molded into the rubber.

Sizing is more of a crap shoot these days, the tube is marked for 27x1-1/8 to 27x1, but also 700c. I can no longer find 27 inch specific tubes, though I first had this problem ~ 15 years ago when inch specific tubes were still available.

Thanks for the help. Thinking about it, there's a decent possibility that the tubes are just old. Do they start rotting with time?

 

[1958Bassman]

Rear tire, 27x1-1/8, 90 PSI, which is the rating of the tire. I don't tighten the stem nut at all, just barely finger tight. The tube brands are all over the place, some "specialized," some "avenir," which I think is a re-branding operation because other brands are molded into the rubber.

Sizing is more of a crap shoot these days, the tube is marked for 27x1-1/8 to 27x1, but also 700c. I can no longer find 27 inch specific tubes, though I first had this problem ~ 15 years ago when inch specific tubes were still available.

Thanks for the help. Thinking about it, there's a decent possibility that the tubes are just old. Do they start rotting with time?

If you don't tighten the stem nut, the tube can slide inside of the tire, putting stress on the tube where it joins the valve. How much do you ride and what kind of bike?

I started riding again two weeks ago (saddle was too painful and it turned out to be a simple matter of finding the correct placement- DOH!). Last weekend, I decided to do a bit of cleanup, lube and re-installing the original crankset, so I needed to dig out my bag of parts and tools. I found that I have two sets of inner tubes and checked them out, finding that they still have the talc on them. I asked one of the local shops about how long they last in storage- he said they're fine as long as they aren't becoming gummy.

Try tightening the nut- that's why they put it there.

 

[fdeck]

If you don't tighten the stem nut, the tube can slide inside of the tire, putting stress on the tube where it joins the valve. How much do you ride and what kind of bike?

I started riding again two weeks ago (saddle was too painful and it turned out to be a simple matter of finding the correct placement- DOH!). Last weekend, I decided to do a bit of cleanup, lube and re-installing the original crankset, so I needed to dig out my bag of parts and tools. I found that I have two sets of inner tubes and checked them out, finding that they still have the talc on them. I asked one of the local shops about how long they last in storage- he said they're fine as long as they aren't becoming gummy.

Try tightening the nut- that's why they put it there.

Thanks for the tip!

It's an ancient Trek 311 from 1983, that I converted to a 3 speed with upright handlebars. Between my two bikes, I ride between 30 and 50 miles a week.

 

[1958Bassman]

Thanks for the tip!

It's an ancient Trek 311 from 1983, that I converted to a 3 speed with upright handlebars. Between my two bikes, I ride between 30 and 50 miles a week.

You call that ancient? I ride a Trek 400 from 1982!!!!!!!!!! HA!

Mine is a 12 speed road model, but I put slightly wider tires on (can't go wider because the fork won't take them), changed to straight handlebars with a 3" raised stem and for a long time, I had longer crank arms and elliptical chain rings. I rode once, the saddle was killing me and once again, I was reminded of the reason I haven't been using it. After the conversation about new saddles and seat posts (when I realized that I had positioned the seat clamp wrong), I changed it so the bolt was at the rear and immediately found relief. I put the original crank/chain rings on and am moving the shift levers to the handlebars, so I won't need to take my hands off, become unbalanced and take my eyes off of the road, which is a bad thing because of the terrible MKE roads.

I like the bike. If I was going to buy a new one, I think the Verve 1 would be a good choice, but I can't justify it. If I start going off-road, I'll get something for that but I ride on paved/fine gravel trails and roads that aren't too torn up.

I rode twice before moving the saddle (30 miles) and started looking for options because there was no way I could have ridden two consecutive days. Since I repositioned it, I have ridden five of the last seven days and put on almost 70 miles (only about 5 yesterday, due to time).

I was thinking about the inner tube problem at the valve stem- what kind of pump do you use, and how much movement occurs when you inflate your tires? If you use a compressor, probably not much but if you use a Thule-style pump, it's almost impossible to avoid violently jerking the stem while pumping.

 

[fdeck]

You call that ancient? I ride a Trek 400 from 1982!!!!!!!!!! HA!

Mine is a 12 speed road model, but I put slightly wider tires on (can't go wider because the fork won't take them), changed to straight handlebars with a 3" raised stem and for a long time, I had longer crank arms and elliptical chain rings. I rode once, the saddle was killing me and once again, I was reminded of the reason I haven't been using it. After the conversation about new saddles and seat posts (when I realized that I had positioned the seat clamp wrong), I changed it so the bolt was at the rear and immediately found relief. I put the original crank/chain rings on and am moving the shift levers to the handlebars, so I won't need to take my hands off, become unbalanced and take my eyes off of the road, which is a bad thing because of the terrible MKE roads.

I like the bike. If I was going to buy a new one, I think the Verve 1 would be a good choice, but I can't justify it. If I start going off-road, I'll get something for that but I ride on paved/fine gravel trails and roads that aren't too torn up.

I rode twice before moving the saddle (30 miles) and started looking for options because there was no way I could have ridden two consecutive days. Since I repositioned it, I have ridden five of the last seven days and put on almost 70 miles (only about 5 yesterday, due to time).

I was thinking about the inner tube problem at the valve stem- what kind of pump do you use, and how much movement occurs when you inflate your tires? If you use a compressor, probably not much but if you use a Thule-style pump, it's almost impossible to avoid violently jerking the stem while pumping.

Good idea about the pump. Mine is a "Park" brand with dual head. I'm pretty careful not to jerk it on and off. I've got the nut on there now, and will see what happens.

I know what you mean about old bikes and comfort. My Trek was also a 12-speed road model. I got it for road rides, but I was in college at the time, and also got an old beater that I could leave outdoors and ride to class without worrying about theft. Well, the beater was always more convenient, so guess which bike I rode everywhere. A couple years ago I tried the Trek again, and the drop bars are just too much of a stretch for me now. So I installed upright bars. Then I broke a rear spoke that required removing the freewheel, and it was stuck on there. I couldn't make it budge. The shop guy couldn't make it budge, though he was happy to sell me a new wheel for north of $150. So I went home to consider my options, and ended up rebuilding the wheel with a salvaged 3-speed hub.

 

[1958Bassman]

Good idea about the pump. Mine is a "Park" brand with dual head. I'm pretty careful not to jerk it on and off. I've got the nut on there now, and will see what happens.

I know what you mean about old bikes and comfort. My Trek was also a 12-speed road model. I got it for road rides, but I was in college at the time, and also got an old beater that I could leave outdoors and ride to class without worrying about theft. Well, the beater was always more convenient, so guess which bike I rode everywhere. A couple years ago I tried the Trek again, and the drop bars are just too much of a stretch for me now. So I installed upright bars. Then I broke a rear spoke that required removing the freewheel, and it was stuck on there. I couldn't make it budge. The shop guy couldn't make it budge, though he was happy to sell me a new wheel for north of $150. So I went home to consider my options, and ended up rebuilding the wheel with a salvaged 3-speed hub.

I dumped the drop bars because it hurt my neck to keep my head raised.

I couldn't work with only three speeds- if you call around, I'm sure most of the shops have used parts that would work. I think I saw hubs at a store for less than $20 and a cassette isn't much more. Craig's List is another good source for parts and I know someone in Palmyra who buys/sells/refurbs a lot of bikes. If you look on Craig's List and see Palmyra as the location, it's usually him. He might have something you can use. Plays guitar, too.

I found a set of used thumb shifters yesterday, so I'll be installing those on Saturday. Cables, shifters, cable housing, cable stops and ferrules- $35, tax included.

 

[fdeck]

I dumped the drop bars because it hurt my neck to keep my head raised.

I couldn't work with only three speeds- if you call around, I'm sure most of the shops have used parts that would work. I think I saw hubs at a store for less than $20 and a cassette isn't much more. Craig's List is another good source for parts and I know someone in Palmyra who buys/sells/refurbs a lot of bikes. If you look on Craig's List and see Palmyra as the location, it's usually him. He might have something you can use. Plays guitar, too.

I found a set of used thumb shifters yesterday, so I'll be installing those on Saturday. Cables, shifters, cable housing, cable stops and ferrules- $35, tax included.

I'm finding that I really enjoy my 3-speeds, but I realize it's an unusual setup. I switched my commuter bike to 3-speed, 15+ years ago, mainly out of curiosity. The hub is a Sturmey-Archer from the early 60's. Then I grabbed another identical hub when my mom got rid of her old bike. That's now on the Trek. It's likely that neither hub has ever needed maintenance, save for occasional lubrication.

The appeal is similar to single-speed: Simplicity and the challenge of getting around with a limited gear range. Of course, I can't justify it on utilitarian terms, but since when have we bassists ever tried to explain our gear choices?

 

[1958Bassman]

I'm finding that I really enjoy my 3-speeds, but I realize it's an unusual setup. I switched my commuter bike to 3-speed, 15+ years ago, mainly out of curiosity. The hub is a Sturmey-Archer from the early 60's. Then I grabbed another identical hub when my mom got rid of her old bike. That's now on the Trek. It's likely that neither hub has ever needed maintenance, save for occasional lubrication.

The appeal is similar to single-speed: Simplicity and the challenge of getting around with a limited gear range. Of course, I can't justify it on utilitarian terms, but since when have we bassists ever tried to explain our gear choices?

Sturmey-Archer? Sounds like it may have been on a Schwinn, JC Penny,etc.

On mostly level grade, single speed/3-speed might be fine, but climbing hills is no picnic without low gearing.

Bass gear choices? We explain them but others just don't understand. Men & women of mystery, we are.

 

[spade2you]

Had 5 days off in a row. Was on my bike all 5 of those days. Saturday was on a time trial route. Was sick the week before and had perhaps my worst time trial performance in years. Sunday was indoors and on the rollers due to potentially serious storms brewing, which turned out to be nothing. Mon+Tues were some nice 40 milers. Not very windy. Fairly pleasant, although Tues got really humid. Wednesday I wanted to do another 40, but settled for 30 miles because of a 30mph headwind.

I'm back at work right now. Might work on abs tonight.

 

[fdeck]

Sturmey-Archer? Sounds like it may have been on a Schwinn, JC Penny,etc.

Indeed. They both have 36 holes. The English bikes had 40. Sturmey-Archer was the premium brand. Also, they made so darn many of them that you can have your pick of an old unit that is still in perfect working order 50 years later.

On mostly level grade, single speed/3-speed might be fine, but climbing hills is no picnic without low gearing.

The low gear is determined by one's choice of cogs. Sturmey-Archer advised dealers to help the customer choose an appropriate cog, but that idea never made it to department stores in the US. The result was that most American 3-speeds were geared too high.

I've got mine set up so the low gear is actually pretty close to the lowest gear of a typical road bike. It's not bad at all on hills. What I give up is on the high end, but I can go pretty fast, and am happy to coast if I'm on a long downgrade.

Would I recommend it to everybody? No, but I figure that with 45 years of cycling behind me, I'm not exactly stumbling into this blindly.

 

[1958Bassman]

Indeed. They both have 36 holes. The English bikes had 40. Sturmey-Archer was the premium brand. Also, they made so darn many of them that you can have your pick of an old unit that is still in perfect working order 50 years later.

The low gear is determined by one's choice of cogs. Sturmey-Archer advised dealers to help the customer choose an appropriate cog, but that idea never made it to department stores in the US. The result was that most American 3-speeds were geared too high.

I've got mine set up so the low gear is actually pretty close to the lowest gear of a typical road bike. It's not bad at all on hills. What I give up is on the high end, but I can go pretty fast, and am happy to coast if I'm on a long downgrade.

Would I recommend it to everybody? No, but I figure that with 45 years of cycling behind me, I'm not exactly stumbling into this blindly.

Right- look at all of the people who ride single speed bikes- those skinny rat-bastiges Maybe there's something to that- I could stand to lose fifty. Or more.
My three speed was fast, but a bear to start quickly.

I definitely notice a difference after two weeks of riding, for the good.

 

[fdeck]

Right- look at all of the people who ride single speed bikes- those skinny rat-bastiges Maybe there's something to that- I could stand to lose fifty. Or more.
My three speed was fast, but a bear to start quickly.

I definitely notice a difference after two weeks of riding, for the good.

Well, the most important thing is a bike that motivates you to get on and ride.

The 3-speed gives me that single speed look, without as much work, and I can make people think I'm on a fixie by thrashing around at stop lights. Still working on getting into the pants.

 

[1958Bassman]

Well, the most important thing is a bike that motivates you to get on and ride.

The 3-speed gives me that single speed look, without as much work, and I can make people think I'm on a fixie by thrashing around at stop lights. Still working on getting into the pants.

And preferably, without being a literal PITA, like mine was. I did 4 out of 5 days, which is something I haven't done in decades. I don't wear padded britches, either. I want to be down at least one waist size by Winter.