Bicycle Tech/Gear Discussion Thread

Dec 10, 2013 at 06:07 AM

So as many of you might know, I love my scarf. and why not? its warm and stylish. Also if it has your favorite teams logo on it such idk KISSENA written on it then you get to wave it at people like this hooligan. check out these guys, it looks like there is a min of 75 pcs for custom orders. who wants to get some?

http://www.ruffneckscarves.com

sebastian-bowler-scarf.png

mugwump

Dec 10, 2013 at 06:36 AM

Nelson Martins said:

So as many of you might know, I love my scarf. and why not? its warm and stylish. Also if it has your favorite teams logo on it such idk KISSENA written on it then you get to wave it at people like this hooligan. check out these guys, it looks like there is a min of 75 pcs for custom orders. who wants to get some?

http://www.ruffneckscarves.com

I think this is properly for the Kit Conoisseur thread

mperlberg

Dec 10, 2013 at 11:20 AM

Update on my shifter saga.

I bought some aerosol degreaser and lube. I cleaned it out real nice. That stuff (tri flow rapid clean) is toxic but effective! The tile floor I cleaned the bike over is now the cleanest it have ever been.

The bad part is that even though the shifter is clean and re-lubed, it still won't shift into smaller cogs. I'm going to take it to the bike shop when I get a chance, but I have a feeling I'll be looking for a new shifter.

mperlberg

Dec 10, 2013 at 12:54 PM

ok so question: I'm going to head to Ride to have them check it out, but if I need a new shifter should I:

a) try to buy a matching Dura Ace 7900 right shifter. hard to find and pretty expensive.

b) buy a right hand ultegra 6700 right shifter, cheaper, not sure if the feel between having a left hand dura ace and a right hand ultegra will be weird, but from everything I gather, they're pretty much the same shape.

c) buy a ultegra 6700 set.

d) go used and risk it

e) just buy a new caad 10 and throw this bike out

ian ellis

Dec 10, 2013 at 01:57 PM

for option a) you could try ebay.

Craig Zolan

Dec 10, 2013 at 02:16 PM

go for option e) - you never know when the other parts are going to go, so this is just preventative maintenance

Brendan Rigby

Dec 10, 2013 at 02:29 PM

a) looks like around $200?

b) definitely most economical option, about $175 (http://www.amazon.com/Shimano-ST-6700-Ultegra-Shift-Lever/dp/B005DVJ62O/). you'd probably stop noticing any difference in the shifters after a couple rides.

c) 6700 shifter set is ~$330

d) i couldn't find a non-used one

e) this is what i recommend because i love thinking about buying new bicycles that i will not be buying for years and years! with your discount, a caad10 with 11-speed ultegra 6800 would be a PALTRY $1,942.28 (with sales tax). for a mere 5.8 times the cost of replacing your two shifters, you could replace...EVERYTHING! you could even go carbon with the supersix rival for only $1866.51! (including sales tax)

David Yang

Dec 10, 2013 at 04:25 PM

Sell the DA left shifter and buy a new Ultegra set?

Even if they felt the same it would drive me nuts knowing my shifter logos didn't match.

dstokes

Dec 11, 2013 at 01:02 AM

I learned something today. This is the way you are supposed to route cables with Campy levers. All these years I have been doing it wrong!

eragot

Dec 11, 2013 at 04:00 AM

How have you done it?

twoyacks

Dec 12, 2013 at 02:56 AM

The reviews from down under are in

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pP-46oMhgM

Jules

Dec 12, 2013 at 03:44 AM

Where are the subtitles?!?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=le_uNGdpa4c

mperlberg

Dec 13, 2013 at 09:17 PM

Update - took the busted shifter to Ride Brooklyn and WIll got the it warranty approved. Should have a new one within a few days!!!

Yay!

twoyacks

Dec 14, 2013 at 12:11 AM

I had this problem with Magura rim brakes for my mtg...the seals would go when the bike was left out in wicked cold temps

http://velonews.competitor.com/2013/12/bikes-and-tech/sram-recalls-all-hydraulic-road-disc-and-rim-brakes_311170

road hydraulic rim rakes = solution in search of a problem

Brendan Rigby

Dec 14, 2013 at 06:33 PM

nifty slideshow from the wisconsin bontrager wheelbuilding assembly line http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/photos/inside-bontragers-wisconsin-wheel-factory/

Jules

Dec 15, 2013 at 03:06 PM

Damn. Tough season for all these ancillary, mostly optional components like BRAKES

http://velonews.competitor.com/2013/12/bikes-and-tech/trek-recalls-madone-bikes-over-front-brake-failures_311097

Jules

Dec 15, 2013 at 05:54 PM

I guess we all know what @Yaks is getting in his stocking...

http://www.cxmagazine.com/moots-launches-2013-ti-sticks-raise-money-great-colorado-flood-relief-project

twoyacks

Dec 16, 2013 at 03:45 AM

The secret to my smile?

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/13/health/13teet.html?_r=0

Unknown

Dec 16, 2013 at 04:04 PM

No formatter is installed for the format not-found

ian ellis

Dec 16, 2013 at 04:31 PM

I really like Qoleum Hot, because it smells like old Euro school embro should. Hot is middle of the range for Qoleum and it is actually pretty fierce, probably way more that it needs to be.

Then I have also tried a bunch of the Mad Alchemy range:

Warm Weather - it not really warming at all, but I like to use it in the summer on wet days

Gentlemens Blend - is pretty mild. I actually use this more for my lower back and upper arms when racing in the spring as I can wear a thinner jersey.

Vegan - Hot, although not to the levels of Qoleum.

so i suspect you need something falling between Gentlemens & Vegan, and that would be Mad Alchemy cold weather - medium.

mugwump

Dec 16, 2013 at 04:51 PM

oy! write about opening a tub o' trouble.

I recommend putting this in the cold weather thread.

First, there is debate about whether or not hot sauce makes a difference.

Second, it is certain that, as with drugs, there are high responders and low responders.

Third, there does seem to be a difference between putting it on when your legs are warm and when they're cold. I've had the stuff "turn on" in the shower, and I'm guessing it is because my pores have opened up and let the stuff in.

Fourth, you can always start with the cheap stuff from the drugstore--ben gay, kramers, tiger balm.

Here are two reviews I did.

http://www.competitivecyclist.com/learn/mad-alchemy-embrocations

http://www.competitivecyclist.com/learn/rapha-winter-embrocation

and you should ask Josh what he put on his face.

Dan Reiners

Dec 16, 2013 at 06:19 PM

Ok, I am going out on a limb here. Especially with the current discussion around the ineffectiveness/failure of brakes, and their superfluous nature.</sarcasm>

Is it possible to do a transition to Di2 without buying new electronic brifters? With the remote Di2 shifter buttons, and switching to basic brake levers, could I actually get Di2 to work?

http://www.competitivecyclist.com/shimano-di2-remote-switch-sw-r610?ti=UExQIENhdDo6MTo5OmNjQ2F0MTAwNDk5

This is entirely theoretical, but I am just doing a though experiment and what the future of racing would be like if we got away from the cost of integrated shift/brake levers without losing the shifting efficiency, and ease that we have come to expect now that we've moved our shifting off the downtube.

Jules

Dec 16, 2013 at 06:34 PM

If you want a thought-experiment, let's ask what happens when we have electronic braking

dstokes

Dec 16, 2013 at 06:55 PM

Jules said:

If you want a thought-experiment, let's ask what happens when we have electronic braking

No thanks.
A failure at shifting is a whole other thing than a failure at braking.

Dan Reiners

Dec 16, 2013 at 07:00 PM

Jules said:

If you want a thought-experiment, let's ask what happens when we have electronic braking

Jules, I prefer the next step to be shifting based on brain waves.Granted it might not work so well in the middle of a race when you only have two brain cells to rub together.

mattie davitt

Dec 17, 2013 at 05:13 AM

Dan Reiners said:

Ok, I am going out on a limb here. Especially with the current discussion around the ineffectiveness/failure of brakes, and their superfluous nature.</sarcasm>

Is it possible to do a transition to Di2 without buying new electronic brifters? With the remote Di2 shifter buttons, and switching to basic brake levers, could I actually get Di2 to work?

http://www.competitivecyclist.com/shimano-di2-remote-switch-sw-r610?ti=UExQIENhdDo6MTo5OmNjQ2F0MTAwNDk5

This is entirely theoretical, but I am just doing a though experiment and what the future of racing would be like if we got away from the cost of integrated shift/brake levers without losing the shifting efficiency, and ease that we have come to expect now that we've moved our shifting off the downtube.

They need the levers to shift. Those are ancillary sprint shifters, one per side. If you had a pair of the bar top shifters you could do it, but they'd be on the bartops, hence nerdy.

I'm not really sure how they justify current electronic brifter pricing, they should be a much cheaper and simpler device to make. No ratchets and cogs, just a brake lever and couple of microswitches. It should be cheaper.

mugwump

Dec 17, 2013 at 02:09 PM

They justify it because it's the newest.

And the switch system is exactly what Mavic came to market with over 20 years ago

http://www.emeraldcitybicycles.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Mavic-Zap-Ad.jpg

Bruce van-Schalkwyk

Dec 18, 2013 at 03:38 AM

I don't recall reading anything about the cool Hanukkah gifts you got. Wacha get?

And Christmas? Yeah, I know you've got a list of equipment, and probably links, you can send out when the family asks the question.

Me? Funny you should ask. My mom asked just the other day, and I told her, you know, if you happen to pass the bike store, I'd love a KMC X10 SL 116 Link chain.

But I'm sure she already knew that. . .

I have a feeling Santa's going to be bringing bike equipment to the van-Skywalker house this year.

Oops, van-Schalkwyk, or however you spell it.

So, what's on your list?

Phil Maronilla

Dec 18, 2013 at 03:58 AM

Nothing as fun as yours @Bruce. I just know I'm getting another polo shirt. Hopefully there's at least a bike logo somewhere.

ian ellis

Dec 18, 2013 at 02:59 PM

I asked for a some pink Rapha stuff, but apparently the elves cannot keep up with the demand from a certain williamsburg resident, so I'll have to think of something else.