gentle tapping with soft faced mallet or hammer onto wood touching spindle...

eragot said:

gentle tapping with soft faced mallet or hammer onto wood touching spindle...

Ah, so it is actually free, its just tight? I wondered about that but didn't want to force if it wasn't actually loose.

@Mike I'm not sure about the magnet and putty that Quarq provide, but I am assuming it is the same low grade junk that SRM include.
Use a rare earth magnet instead (1/2" x 1/10" http://www.kjmagnetics.com/proddetail.asp?prod=D8H1) these are way more powerful and placement isn't so much of an issue.
I have success using 3M Double sided automotive tape to fix the magnet, and this can be pealed off the frame cleanly, but to be honest, once you have the thing set up you may as well use 2-part epoxy and permanently glue the magnet to the frame. (3M 2216 epoxy is designed for the aerospace industry and is especially resilient to shocks and vibrations; the outside elements and temperature changes. It's only about $3. Once it has cured though you won't be removing that magnet ... ever)

I suspect that the fit of the bearings is quite tight and you have to overcome the friction to get the crank out. Wiggling may also be helpful. Once slightly disengaged, it may come out easily. I had a similar issue installing my bb30 for the first time.

It is free. Go for it.

Ryan J said:

eragot said:

gentle tapping with soft faced mallet or hammer onto wood touching spindle...

Ah, so it is actually free, its just tight? I wondered about that but didn't want to force if it wasn't actually loose.

@mperlberg,

There's this. Still going strong after 80 races last year. Used some crazy glue to get the magnet to stay put. Didn't fuck up the frame.

@ Vlad what is that?

I had a similar thing come with my quarq but i didn't fit my frame. Is that aftermarket?

Jersey Mike,

You might also consider calling Quarq to ask them what they recommend. They're super friendly. Some of the best customer service I've experienced.

You might also consider calling Quarq to ask them what they recommend. They're super friendly. Some of the best customer service I've experienced.

mperlberg said:

Electric shavers. Any recs? I've been a razor user for a long time but would like a speedier option for the legs.

Just got a Norelco as a gift (thanks, pops - really thoughtful, but like, 25 years late).  It's the kind you can use in the shower, either solo or with shaving gel.  Tried it on my mug yesterday - pretty close shave, but takes some practice.  I'll try it on the legs in the spring.

remove drive side bolt (r3). remove cap (r4). install in picture r3 first, then r4. snug r4, same spline as a shimano cassette. insert allen into r3, unscrew, and it should self extract the arm off the spindle. then whack the spindle off the bb. 

Now I know.  If anyone is interested, you need a cassette lockring tool

also, completely different then a 3d non plus. BIKES!

mattie davitt said:

also, completely different then a 3d non plus. BIKES!

http://www.ebaumsworld.com/soundboards/play/1886/

Tubeless - anyone tried 'em?  What's the verdict?

@jules
Email Josh Sakofsky about tubeless rims because he used them extensively last season.

I've been running road tubeless for the past 2 years on both Shimano and Stan's rims. Hutchinson Fusion 3 and Intensive tires. Stan's goo.

Verdict - great for training, not for racing. The sidewalls don't flex which makes it's a pain in the ass to change the tires (or even just add a tube), especially on the fly. I've broken so many tire levers that it's ridiculous; wound up buying steel ones. Small punctures seal, larger ones too, but at lower pressures (~40psi) which effectively takes you out of the race.

I've raced with them at Battenkill, ToC, and at Floyd. Greg Olsen and Mitch Jacaruso from the ChampSys/NoTubes team have both told me how they love the enhanced cornering ability they get from running super low air pressure.

I have no real complaints. I just don't like dealing with the whole rigamarole when I don't have the time to - which is at the race.

I've had pretty good luck with them on the beater this winter.

And, FWIW, it's all I would run on a MTB.

@Jules

• Ride quality/handling/road feel and sound is excellent.
• 3 + years on tubeless on road bike and cross bike -- and only 2 flats between them. (However, zero road racing experience on them.)  (I've used them for 5+ years on mountain bikes.)
• For road, I have the Dura Ace tubeless wheelset and also a Stan's tubeless rim mounted on a PT hub. For 'cross/winter bike, I have Ultegra Tubeless set. (I know Mike P had quality issues with his Ultegra wheelset, I haven't had any).
• Don't switch to tubeless for weight savings though.  Once you add in latex and the slightly heavier rim, they're definitely heavier than then lighter clincher sets on the market these days.
• As Vlad says, they're a bit of a pain/mess to mount and repair (though nowhere near as time consuming as tubulars), but worth it in my experience. (By the way, make sure to leave the nut holding the tubless stem just loose enough to undo by hand or you're gonna be stuck on the side of the road if you do get a flat [uness you carry pliers with you].  If it's loose enough, sticking a tube in as a fix on the road is easy, though you have to deal with a little annoying wet latex.)
• Be prepared to get your tires back to pressure before each ride.  They lose less psi overnight than latex tubes but definitely need a few quick ppumps to maintain consistent pressure.

I read reports somewhere (may have been Zinn on Velo) that there are issues running super low presures on tubeless. 'Burping' they call it, when the seat or the tire flexes enough to let a small burp of air out. Maybe that was only with the super low pressures used in CX. The pro's only go as low at 65-70 psi for roubaix so I can't believe anything lower than is necessary for battenkill (Although with GregO anything is possible).

Personally, for racing, they seem like a solution to a problem that doesn't exist. Just ride tubs.

I tested out tubeless for a few months a few years back.  

mugwump said:

The one time I could see using them is in the winter if people don't want to run heavy rough tires.  My guess is that tubeless racing tires offer very good flat protection compared to tubed racing tires, and this better protection could be comparable to what people get from a heavier tire like a Gatorskin.  Not as good compared to an Armadillo, but much better performance.  

Couldn't you just run tubes with sealant, maybe a little "Belt & Suspenders" but there are worse things in winter training?

Slightly off topic, but I read a tale the other day that Robert Millar used to use a narrow tubular tire as the inner-tube on his clinchers. Apparently the ride was dreadful, but he never flatted.

Are in-line barrel adjusters worth it on the rear derailleur?  Will they just lose tension as I ride, and throw off my derailleur calibration rather than permit me to dial it in?

Also, whenever I've taken my bike to neutral support at a big race for gear help, those dudes always go for the barrel adjuster first.

Received a call today from Bicycle Habitat. Two weeks after dropping off my bike, Specialized has returned the fork (and they had predicted two weeks exactly). Pretty good service, that.