Bicycle Tech/Gear Discussion Thread

Feb 28, 2014 at 06:23 PM

I will always choose Castelli over Pearl Izumi. I've had great pieces of one, and terrible of the other.

Feb 28, 2014 at 06:56 PM

To me, Pearl's strength is their winter gear. I had the castelli a few years back, but the mediums were too big. I also think the Pearls don't have a windproof layer from the knee to ankle.

The problem with buying these online is determining fit.

Writing of which, I'm selling a pair of Mavic Cyclone Bibs in small. New with Tags. The Smalls were too big on me. $75. These have windproof panels going all the way down.

Brendan Rigby

Feb 28, 2014 at 11:12 PM

Tim, regarding upgrades:

Wheels: At the < $600 price point, get a pair of Ritchey WCS Zeta II aluminum clinchers (article). Ride quoted me at $497 with our discount (I forget if that includes tax and shipping, sorry). It's nearly half off! If I hadn't decided to build my wheels that's what I would've bought. Apparently out of stock until April. They are tubeless compatible and feature the wider rim that is increasingly preferred. They are also lighter than your current wheels, with less and more elastic spokes; they may feel a little less stiff but that might be a good thing. Actually, as I look at these wheels, I really want to buy them. Dammit. *stares at potentially inferior wheel that is in stand being built with the money he didn't spend on the Ritchey wheelset*

Anyone looking for wheels on a budget should really consider our Ritchey deals. On the wheels I priced out, the discount tends to hover around half off. Even for the carbon, which looks to be new this year. I hear that Reynolds manufactures Ritchey's carbon rims. That's a good thing.

Rear derailleur: I upgraded my rear derailleur from Rival to Red. Subjectively and without any sort of methodical testing, I perceived faster and more reliable shifting. Note that I didn't pay for the upgrade so I was probably less biased than someone who wanted to justify their new purchase.

Saddle: friction will always exist, but the romance of suffering is inversely proportional to the pain in one's gonads. You don't always need a $300 saddle (I have a stock Cannondale saddle and I'm 100% satisfied) but you do need to eliminate the saddle as a source of unnecessary pain. In my experience long rides always produce some tenderness. If you experience tenderness lasting four or more hours...

Brendan Rigby

Feb 28, 2014 at 11:22 PM

Marc, consider the Competitive Cyclist return policy and whether you should just buy both and return the one that doesn't fit your needs. You'll get store credit.

I wear Castelli thermal tights but they are too small. Read their sizing chart carefully and do actually measure yourself. Pearl Izumi's were too baggy and the windstopping fabric in the bibs I tried didn't stretch like the Gore Windstopper fabric in the Castelli bibs did, exacerbating the fit issues. So ultimately I went with Castelli even though they are uncomfortably tight.

Jules

Mar 01, 2014 at 02:13 AM

Ok,

What's the skinny on replacing your own BB30 bearings?

Totally doable, or "dude, don't go there?"

eragot

Mar 01, 2014 at 02:31 AM

super easy. come on by, takes 10 minutes at most, I have the tools.

mperlberg

Mar 01, 2014 at 03:10 AM

@Jules‌ eric replaced my bearings in sub 10 minutes and he didn't even use a hammer

@Tim Heckman keep in mind that the shimano 105 and ultegra cassettes are the same weight... you pay much more for ultegra. I'm sure there is some difference but I sure can't see it.

twoyacks

Mar 01, 2014 at 03:46 AM

Please also consider the intrinsic rewards one gets by beating other racers on top shelf kit with what is perceived to be inferior components. It never gets old...like ever.

Jules

Mar 02, 2014 at 03:26 AM

eragot said:

super easy. come on by, takes 10 minutes at most, I have the tools.

Thanks for the offer. Chez Ragot; free wrenching and race stories always hard to pass up. I was more inquiring in the abstract.

A follow on question; how do you brace your bike when you knock the bearings out? Seems like a seatpost clamp might be the worst possible setup...

eragot

Mar 02, 2014 at 05:06 AM

You cannot use the park tool to put them in. Seatpost clamp or seat tube clamp is fine. Get the FSA consumer grade tool and sette headset press from? I just can't remember. Just search.

Of course, the number of times you need to perform this operation does not justify the tools.

I justify tools for the sake of owning tools though.

Against, happy to replace with some $5 bearings I have here that work great.

Jeff Owens

Mar 02, 2014 at 02:28 PM

You don't need the most expensive tools made. However, over 20 years I've learned that cheap tools are hard to use, wear out, and are apt to ruin your stuff.

Learning to work on your own bikes is a great idea b/c it's fun/interesting, will help you out in a pinch, and in understanding how your machine works, possibly make you a better rider (okay probably not; there's a reason we're amateurs. But maybe safer?). Over the long haul it will save you money as well. All of this of course takes time and some of us don't have it.

About the only thing I don't do is build wheels from scratch b/c that seems really time consuming and something that takes a long time to master. Sounds like a retirement hobby for me!

Jules

Mar 02, 2014 at 02:58 PM

Jules said:

A follow on question; how do you brace your bike when you knock the bearings out? Seems like a seatpost clamp might be the worst possible setup...

Brendan Rigby

Mar 02, 2014 at 04:45 PM

I don't brace it, I just use that Park Tool that you pictured and hammer. The stand holds it firmly enough. By the seatpost.

I have used that tool to make a homemade press but ultimately peace of mind is achieved by going to a shop. My issue was that I wasn't certain when the bearings were pressed in sufficiently but not over-pressed. There is no good way to tell other than experience, and I don't change out my BB30 bearings frequently enough to really know.

Brendan Rigby

Mar 02, 2014 at 04:46 PM

Also, Jeff, you're right about wheelbuilding. The learning curve has been steep for me so far. Front wheel is easy (each side is symmetrical, equal tension) but the rear wheel is hugely tedious to build correctly. It's easy enough to lace it together and get it true, but if you want each spoke to be within 5% of that side's average spoke tension, it takes FOREVER when you're learning as you're doing. I'm still trying to get my rear wheel together. I've spent far too long on it. It's becoming more frustrating than enjoyable.

dstokes

Mar 02, 2014 at 05:50 PM

Brendan Rigby said:

I'm still trying to get my rear wheel together. I've spent far too long on it. It's becoming more frustrating than enjoyable.

I have a feeling you are trying too hard. You might want to get on it and ride it and let the spokes settle and stretch. Then put it back on the truing stand and tune it up. If it's true, it's probably fine. This isn't rocket science (or a legal brief for the Supreme Court).

ian ellis

Mar 02, 2014 at 06:30 PM

@Brendan. Even spoke tension on either wheel, but more pronounced on the rear, is dependent on how round the rim was to start with.

I've found Velocity rims to be so-so when it comes to roundness from the factory. But HED to be exceptional. The rest of my wheelbuilding has been with vintage rims, some worked out well, some I took a hammer to.

The need for roundness becomes more important as the spoke count decreases, since you need a nice high, even tension for the wheel to be round and true. With a nice old school 36h wheel you can compensate for a flat spot in the rim with some lose tension spokes, because there are just so many of them, that no single spoke is that crucial.

The other thing to be aware of is the actual spoke itself. If you are using thinner spokes (DT Revs for example) they twist and 'wind up' as you true the wheel. This means the wheel comes into true because of the spoke nipple + spoke wind up. So you think you have everything done and then the spoke unwinds again - taking the wheel out of true. Highly frustrating.

Unknown

Mar 03, 2014 at 06:04 PM

No formatter is installed for the format not-found

dstokes

Mar 03, 2014 at 06:09 PM

Another way to settle the spokes is to place axle of the wheel on the ground and push firmly on opposite sides of the rim. Work your way around the wheel and enjoy the creaking noises. Turn the wheel over and repeat on the other side.

I used to greatly prefer annodized rims because they were stiffer and thus arrived more round and true than their cheaper relatives. This made it easier to achieve equal spoke tensions (as assessed by pitch after plucking the spokes). But there is no such thing as the perfect wheel. Just get on it and ride!

Jules

Mar 03, 2014 at 06:17 PM

This is unbelievable. Use this guide to "help you steer clear" of counterfeit 3T bars.

ZERO DETAILS ON HOW TO SPOT THEM.

Clowns.

http://www.3tcycling.com/fakes-just-say-no/

David Yang

Mar 03, 2014 at 06:18 PM

The ground trick that Stokes mentions works great.

twoyacks

Mar 03, 2014 at 07:16 PM

You don't want a handlebar to fail !!!

mugwump

Mar 06, 2014 at 02:43 AM

ian ellis said:
I've found Velocity rims to be so-so when it comes to roundness from the factory. But HED to be exceptional. The rest of my wheelbuilding has been with vintage rims, some worked out well, some I took a hammer to.

@Ian,

After having an easy time installing and removing tires on Zipp Firecrest rims, I was surprised that my Velocity A-23 was rather difficult in comparison. How are the Heds in the installation/removal department?

ian ellis

Mar 06, 2014 at 02:59 AM

I have built 3 sets. I set of clinchers for a friend and 2 sets of tubs for me. I heard from my friend that the install of tires was easy. But I only have his word on it and he did mount Veloflex.

My 2 sets of tubs were easy. The set I put Vittoria's on, were an absolute breeze. The other set I put conti comps on, which are generally a PITA, but they were better that usual.

Jules

Mar 07, 2014 at 02:26 AM

Having fun building up the replacement for my (snif) deceased Dark Knight. Question on BB30's again. There seems to be a "sleeve" between the actual bearings - does that slide out when the bearings are removed?

I'm asking because the second Di2 junction box has to go inside the frame "down there" and I'm guessing that once the BB30 is taken out that's how one puts it all in.

twoyacks

Mar 07, 2014 at 03:07 AM

post is being moved to hysterectomy forums....

Jules said
I'm asking because the second Di2 junction box has to go inside the frame "down there" and I'm guessing that once the BB30 is taken out that's how one puts it all in.