Bicycle Tech/Gear Discussion Thread

JohnMalcolmson

May 10, 2013 at 08:11 PM

Dan, I just went through the same thing last weekend.

- get a small pointed file, a really small phillips head (electronics hardened steel number) or X-acto.

- put some safety glasses on

- dig/scrape all the crap out of the heads (really dig in there like you're etching)

- squirt some CRC on the thread (avoid head if possible)

- get a tight fitting phillips and jam down with your palm and use other hand to turn (do not do this on your lap!)

You'll get three of those out NP, the last you can spin the the cleat to start it (maybe), but might need plan B; a dremel or hacksaw straight across, just enough to get a flat head screwdriver on there.

Do NOT drill screw heads!

Jules

May 10, 2013 at 11:47 PM

or you coudl also just call Purdy - he does about 5 of those jobs a week. Usually involves a vice, some full-body-weight behind the screwdriver and a lot of harsh language from what I can tell.

twoyacks

May 11, 2013 at 10:09 PM

Well...I bought a Cateye Stealth 50...it is cheap and small and I needed something to capture the power #'s from my power cal hr strap. It Synchs up with the power cal/hr monitor and the catete speed/cadence sensor just fine... But it's hardware/software onboard is limited. I can not view my avg. hr or watts on the head unit. I need to download it 1st. Also you can't really save a portion of a ride...it is all or none so if you want to view a race you have to turn the unit off when you cross the line.

My question...once I get the dowloading sorted (can download it to Strava, Training Peaks & Cateye Atlas) can I use Strava or Training peaks to isolate a section of a ride? (i.e. the race in Prospect and not the 5 mph ride back to my car or to the muffin joint) I'de rather not always be shutting the unit off after a race...Also which is better for this sort of thing Strava or Peaks? Thanks The Cateye is no Garmin...but it is small and I'm hoping to work around it's limitations. Also I'm not training that seriously with power on the bike...just want a reference on efforts on the bike.

yack

vlad

May 12, 2013 at 12:23 AM

@twoyacks, yes on the isolation with Training Peaks.

I don't use Strava, but Peaks is king in my book. Try it for free and see what you think. The pay version is so data rich it'll make you puke.

twoyacks

May 12, 2013 at 01:16 AM

I just signed up for Peaks..the free version...I will need to speak with a Cateye service rep next week for a walk through. The monitors capabilities are limited...but so are mine. yacks

dstokes

May 12, 2013 at 01:37 AM

Golden Cheetah is free and full of features

twoyacks

May 12, 2013 at 01:42 AM

Free...and by FAR the coolest name...I'll be visiting that site once I get handle on how to record and download all my mediocre data...

twoyacks

May 12, 2013 at 02:52 AM

I've seen these Campy cranks before somewhere...but where?

bora.jpg

crab-toy-horseshoe.jpg

mugwump

May 12, 2013 at 04:17 AM

Yacks, you should be able to save a ride and then start another, save that ride, and do another, all on what is one ride. I make the ride to the race one file, the race a second, and the ride home a third. That way, it's easy to isolate the race efforts.

dstokes

May 12, 2013 at 06:21 PM

Golden cheetah allows you to 'split a ride'. You can also define intervals within a given ride and see relevant data on the ride summary page. I still have to figure out how to combine two segments into a single ride, because my computer automatically starts a new ride when I take too long having coffee at Mattie's bike shop.

dstokes

May 12, 2013 at 07:41 PM

seeking advice about sealant to use with tubular tires:
what kind
how much (ml)
do I need injection device (or can I make one with 100ml syringe, tubing and presta/shraeder valve adapter?)

Dan Reiners

May 13, 2013 at 12:43 AM

A quick follow up to my shoe issue.

I retired the shoes. After the very wet morning I stuffed the sopping wet shoes with newspaper but they really really stunk even after they dried, like something died in there and I couldn't justify inflicting that smell on other people.

Thanks for Whitey for the recommendation to get a pair of Crank Brothers Candy pedals for my commuter/backup bike.

eragot

May 13, 2013 at 12:48 AM

Vittoria makes their own one. Pitstop. You want to make sure you get one that is OK with latex tubes.

seeking advice about sealant to use with tubular tires:
what kind
how much (ml)
do I need injection device (or can I make one with 100ml syringe, tubing and presta/shraeder valve adapter?)

mugwump

May 13, 2013 at 07:25 PM

re: sealant.

tufo: http://www.competitivecyclist.com/review-tubes-glue-sealants/tufo-tire-sealant_1423.html

caffelatex in tubeless tires: http://www.competitivecyclist.com/review-wheels/fulcrum-racing-zero-2-way-fit-clincher-wheelset_3188.html

With Vittoria, you don't need an injector. Don't need it with Tufo. You do need it with Caffelatex, and I think Stans as well.

With most of the stuff, it's a good idea to remove the valve core so you don't gum it up later on. Don't have to with Pit Stop. You also want to remove as much of the stuff as you can at the end of the season so as little as possible dries inside the tubular. Zinn has some instructions for this on Velonews.com

PatrickGrehan

May 14, 2013 at 12:34 AM

My cyclops Joule developed some condensation inside the screen during the rain-fest that was The Hunter spring classic. This has happened in the past but would clear up after a ride on a sunny day. I wasn't able to ride Sunday due to Mother's Day and the unit no longer turns on. I tried to dry it by placing it in my dryer on low for a bit with no effect. I am afraid I am out of luck.

Has anyone dealt with anything similar? Any suggestions?

Marc Bertucco

May 14, 2013 at 01:25 AM

Hey, this is for my mom. She was hit by a car last year while riding her old school 3 speed Raleigh commuter bike. It was totaled. After months and months and months and months of rehab, hospital stuff...she's back in the market for a new bike.

Who's making cool commuter/rail-trail riding style bikes? I don't like those fakey mountainy-"comfort" cruising bikes so much. And the geometry has to be fairly relaxed and upright. She's in her 70s. I'd also like it to be light enough so that she can throw it in her car by herself...

How are the folding bikes?

Jules

May 14, 2013 at 01:38 AM

PatrickG said:

My cyclops Joule developed some condensation inside the screen during the rain-fest that was The Hunter spring classic. This has happened in the past but would clear up after a ride on a sunny day. I wasn't able to ride Sunday due to Mother's Day and the unit no longer turns on. I tried to dry it by placing it in my dryer on low for a bit with no effect. I am afraid I am out of luck. Has anyone dealt with anything similar? Any suggestions?

Ditch it and go get a 200 dollar Garmin. You'll never look back.

mugwump

May 14, 2013 at 02:46 AM

Patrick,

Cycleops is usually very good on warranty issues. I dealt with something similar almost two years ago after riding through a deluge. They took it back and sent me another. You might luck out and get the GPS version.

The original Joule does a number of things better than the Garmin, but since they incorporated NP, IF, and TSS into their screen options, and increased the number of screens to five, that first joule isn't quite so special.

Marc, with folders, you'll want something that rides well and is easy to fold. Those choices are limited and expensive. Bromptons un/fold in 15-20 seconds, but they're expensive. The fakey mountainy-comfort bikes have gotten better. Much better.

WilliamDC

May 14, 2013 at 03:09 AM

@marc props to your mom . . . she sounds like an epic trooper

check out linus bikes. RB sells them and they have a nice combo of style and pep. not dorky and not POS's either.

fistbump to your mother

Mark Clifford

May 14, 2013 at 10:56 AM

Plus one for Linus... I Bought one a couple of years back -- it's solid and dandy.

vlad

May 14, 2013 at 12:37 PM

Mark Clifford said:

-- it's solid and dandy.

That's what she said... or, in Marc's moms case, will say. Happy Mother's Day everyone.

Dan Reiners

May 14, 2013 at 09:36 PM

@Marc

http://beaterbikes.net/
Props on your mom getting back on after the crash and rehab. I am going to recommend a cheaper option than Linus, which is about the same in weight and durablity.

The only advantage of folding bicycles isn't light weight but more compact, so they're less ungainly trying to lift or move into a trunk, but you pay in the form of a less fun bike to ride and really crappy ride quality unless you're paying $$$$.

dstokes

May 16, 2013 at 02:19 AM

@Patrick. The same thing happened to my joule 2.0. I bought it on eBay. I simply called cycle ops and explained the problem and they replaced it. I didn't mention eBay, only said something vague about it being about a Year old.

twoyacks

May 16, 2013 at 11:18 PM

What the bloody hell???? $300 tubs...clinchers not much more....I fear the carbon weave is reinforced with the crushed bones of Chinese dissidents....

http://www.icarbonsports.com/products/wheels-rims/road-wheels/carbon-road-bicycle-wheels-tubular-50mm-detail

vlad

May 16, 2013 at 11:56 PM

Yeah, have fun racing those.

Brendan Rigby

May 17, 2013 at 12:33 PM

if they use the same care and precision in their wheelbuilding as they do when they type out their company's name in the terms and conditions that appear on that page, then you know you can trust ICARBONSPROTS. mmmm, sprots.

mugwump

May 17, 2013 at 02:24 PM

I found an amazing spreadsheet for estimating speed, power, CdA, and some other stuff. It takes knowing many variables, but if your sufficiently obsessive, it could be fun.

http://whitemountainwheels.com/SpeedPower.html

Jeff Owens

May 17, 2013 at 02:46 PM

A friend wants a cheap simple singlespeed commuter. Around $300. She found this:

http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/gravity/swift2_track.htm

Never heard of it. Any better suggestions? I told her to check out used ones at Bicycle Station or somewhere, but not sure they'd be this cheap (or possibly craptacular).

Adam

May 17, 2013 at 04:04 PM

Jeff-

I bought one from here: http://www.republicbike.com/default.asp

It ended up costing a little more ($400 to be exact). However, you can design everything yourself - frame colour, wheel colour, tyre colour, grip colour (you get the picture). Also, there are multiple frame designs available to choose from. And, the wheel is a flip flop, included as standard.

Have a play on their website, it's kind of fun. FYI-my single speed is lime green, one red wheel, one blue wheel, brown saddle, blue grips. Has two red tyres on it right now. I've ridden the thing over 3 NY Winters. Never changed anything on it except the brake pads (really probably should change those cables..).

Floris Backer van Ommeren

May 17, 2013 at 05:10 PM

Does anybody have experience with Williams wheels? At 1350gr & $570 for climbing wheels seems like a very good deal.

http://www.williamscycling.com/Wheel-System-19_p_7.html