My All-City Mr. Pink is due for new tires. I've defaulted to Conti 4-seasons for an all seasons puncture-resistant tire that still feels fast. I have no complaints about them, but want to broaden my horizons and also see if there's a comparable tire that anyone would recommend. Bonus points if it comes in a tanwall color variety (the Conti's do not).

What does the Kissena hive mind think? What others should I consider?

ShaneMurphy said:

@mugwump try a little olive oil on a rag for the saddle (try it on the least visible spot first as a test)

Seems to work.  I'm adding a little, rubbing a little, waiting a little, rubbing a little more, then wiping off.

thanks for the tip.

And, bonsus, I think of olive oil with fresh bread when I get a whiff of my saddle.  

JohnPowell said:

My All-City Mr. Pink is due for new tires. I've defaulted to Conti 4-seasons for an all seasons puncture-resistant tire that still feels fast. I have no complaints about them, but want to broaden my horizons and also see if there's a comparable tire that anyone would recommend. Bonus points if it comes in a tanwall color variety (the Conti's do not).

What does the Kissena hive mind think? What others should I consider?

I love the Vittoria Corsa Control , they have slightly thicker rubber than the regular Corsa ,Tan walls also

Just bought a pair of the above based on them being thicker than the normal Corsa G's but still quick...going to take them to North Wales so we will see...

Bought some of those and flatted with a nice slice in the tread on the first ride but maybe if you don't ride over much broken glass you'll be okay

posting here on the tech gear, have not yet checked the web for this... but watched today's romandie stage... was a fun stage..., there's was swiss EF rider in the break that was clearly riding a Shimano DI2 derailleur WITHOUT ANY CABLES. SHIMANO WIRELESS PRO. 

Yesterday I had the day off from work due to things being done at the house, so after my ride I decided to clean up the Roubaix.

Anyone riding on Neugent wheels? If so, which do you have and what's your opinion of them?

JohnPowell said:

Anyone riding on Neugent wheels? If so, which do you have and what's your opinion of them?

We still get a 20% discount, ask John Nuegent (owner), or just leave a comment when you place an order, he will likely comply.

I have ridden multiple version of clinchers and tubular alloy Neugent/Neuvation wheels for cross over the years.

The wheels are pretty good, 100% utilitarian, no nonsense, practical. Relatively easy to service too. He is good addressing any issues that could arise.

If you're using 2 sets of wheels with the same bike (and same chain), is it necessary to use the same cassette on both rear wheels so that the chain and cassette wear together?  Or should it be alright to have a separate cassette for each wheel?  If you have separate cassettes, can they vary slightly in size (+/- a couple teeth) and still fit with the same chain? 

I've heard varying opinions from mechanics and the internets so wondering if there is a consensus here.

Each wheel should have their own cassette. Anything else is nonsense.

Slight variations, say one cassette is a 11/30 and another 11/28 should be totally ok. Usually perfectly fine to go to smaller cassette, say you have 11/32 that works fine, installing a 12/25 should also work perfectly fine.

@RichPolk  What Eloy wrote.

I have even spread from a 11-36 to 11-42 on the same chain without any issues. Just required tweaking the b limit and the barrel adjuster as described above. 

B-limit screws are dark magic. Don't tell too many people about them.

The Profane Engineer speaketh.
tldr; Time is the Hotness, Campag cranks not so much...

https://youtu.be/INPx9-YtgCA

Calling Kissena Hive Mind: I just installed a tow hitch on my car and am looking at the various bike rack options. Can anyone recommend anything that they have/had and are fans of? Looking to hold 2 bikes, would prefer to leave wheels on, am indifferent if it rests on the top tube, holds the frame or holds the wheels (really looking for a relatively simple and secure system that isn’t too in the way when not in use)

I'm a huge fan of Kuat. If you want to go more than 2 bikes though, i think the vertical hanging racks are the way to do it.

Matt Budofsky said:

(really looking for a relatively simple and secure system that isn’t too in the way when not in use)

We've addressed the rack issue a few times recently, I think, both at the asking of Nate and Remy.

This last issue to me is the achilles heel of hitch racks, and make them tough for NYC.  Most of the systems I've seen are big and heavy and you need a garage to store it in.

Came across this company/website earlier today, a kit that converts 10 speed Sram shifters to 12 speed mechanical (don't know too much about Sram but believe their 12 speed is electronic only).

I have a pair of first generation Sram Rival 10 speed shifters in my parts box and I had planned to put them on my LeMond Poprad cross bike. If I had a set of 12 speed compatible wheels (only have the stock Bontrager wheels) I would definitely try this kit out. Seems like a fun project to install these.

https://cyclingtips.com/2021/05/ratios-new-sram-axs-road-12-speed-mechanical-upgrade-kit/

Very cool and the price is right, but there are some added expenses or updates if you're going from 10 to 12spd, mostly around rear wheels/hubs + chaines + cassettes and RDs. I'm so behind modern standards, can 12spd cassettes fit into an 11spd hub? If not, do they even make rim brake, 130mm rear hubs for 12spd?

David Yang said:

Very cool and the price is right, but there are some added expenses or updates if you're going from 10 to 12spd, mostly around rear wheels/hubs + chaines + cassettes and RDs. I'm so behind modern standards, can 12spd cassettes fit into an 11spd hub? If not, do they even make rim brake, 130mm rear hubs for 12spd?

Not 100% certain on this stuff, but I believe it definitely requires the proprietary XDR hub, and possibly special chainring too as Sram uses that flattop chain.

The upgrade is not simply shelling out $100 for the kit, but if you compare the all in cost vs buying the stock electronic shift only 12 speed group, it looks like a steal.

I'd think it may be possible to use a 12-speed Shimano cassette with 1x12 SRAM gearing.  Don't know if you'd be able to go either low or high enough in terms of gearing.  

Been looking into this possibility.  Seems like some mixing and matching can work in some cases.  The spacing however, might not be the same, which would be a limiter, but I don't known if it's so far off as to make using a Shimano cassette with SRAM shifter and derailleur possible.

TomWasko said:

David Yang said:

Very cool and the price is right, but there are some added expenses or updates if you're going from 10 to 12spd, mostly around rear wheels/hubs + chaines + cassettes and RDs. I'm so behind modern standards, can 12spd cassettes fit into an 11spd hub? If not, do they even make rim brake, 130mm rear hubs for 12spd?

Not 100% certain on this stuff, but I believe it definitely requires the proprietary XDR hub, and possibly special chainring too as Sram uses that flattop chain.

The upgrade is not simply shelling out $100 for the kit, but if you compare the all in cost vs buying the stock electronic shift only 12 speed group, it looks like a steal.

No doubt, this is less than upgrading to electronic.

David, you would need an 12 speed XDR hub/freewheel, most hubs today allow to simply replace the freewheel.

12 speed XDR hubs should fit 130 rear spacing and can be used with rim brakes (although they are way more often used with discs)

You'll also need a 12 speed flat top SRAM chain. Depending on who you believe you'll need a new chainring to accomodate.

Of course, duh, you'll need a 12 speed cassette. 

The article points out that this upgrade is limited as a 10-36 12 speed cassette is not that different than a 11-36 10 or 11 speed cassette.

Worth note, Tom, if cheapest is what your are looking for, replacing your XDR freehub with a 10/11 speed one, could maybe be the cheapest/easiest route.

Interested on how this project goes, Tom. Keep us in the loop. Good luck!

mugwump said:

I'd think it may be possible to use a 12-speed Shimano cassette with 1x12 SRAM gearing.  Don't know if you'd be able to go either low or high enough in terms of gearing.  

Been looking into this possibility.  Seems like some mixing and matching can work in some cases.  The spacing however, might not be the same, which would be a limiter, but I don't known if it's so far off as to make using a Shimano cassette with SRAM shifter and derailleur possible.

I had terrible trouble with the chain skipping ,in higher gears, using SRAM 10 speed shifters and a Shimano RD in the past .

I think there are some cheaper workarounds with the ratio stuff. I’ve been looking into it yoo and the road kit seems super intriguing. I saw a YouTube video of a guy using the mountain bike 12spd adapter with a force rear derailleur. You could run that with a 12spd HG cassette from Sensah or some other eBay sites that have tighter ratios without a new free hub body. If you want super wide, you can also get an NX sram cassette which is 11-50 (non XD) and run a MTB rear derailleur. 

I read through their compatibility guidelines and they called out Sensah cassettes as being incompatible. Have to think that is Ratio trying to avoid customers calling them and complaining about the shift kit when it's probably the cheap $25 cassette's issue (it probably works fine 90% of the time).

If I had a newer and nicer bike, this is something I would look into. My 18 year old canti brake LeMond Poprad has 8 speed Sora shifters now and is going 10 speed Sram. I think my head would explode if I went 8 speed to 12. Have to say I will miss the Campy style thumb shifters on the Sora shifters. 

The news today is the New Wahoo Bolt. Got me excited, maybe time for an upgrade? but then this is one of the worst DCR reviews ever.

TLDR: DC has not been to complete a ride without issue.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-IHDyiPK7Q

Just watched GPLama's review and he had one small hiccup but nothing nearly as bad as DCR. At least it seems like Wahoo knows what the software issue is and just needs to fix it?