A bicycle.

[ratfrink]

We get the occasional bicycle thread. Here's my latest project:



Gazelle Champion Mondial AA. Mid-1980s Dutch racing frame, handbuilt from Reynolds 531-Competition double-butted manganese-molybdenum tubing, cast lugs with pantographs, cast and slotted bottom-bracket shell, wrapover seatstays, Campagnolo cold-forged dropouts. Currently sporting a hodge-podge of parts from both Campagnolo and Shimano. No apologies for the saddlepack, pump or bidon (that's a drinks bottle to you)... I took this photo just after riding it.

Plans - sort out the components (got an aero seatpost and white brake lever hoods (well, new levers with white hoods) and the ugly Brooks will be replaced with a period Turbo, or a period Rolls (in tiger-print suede... Italians were so stylish in the 1980s!)), building a new wheelset as we speak, trying to get hold of some 32c Grand Bois tyres so it rides like a magic carpet (although I would no longer be able to fit the mudguards - I have a plan to create some zero-clearance ones.)

Top speed so far - a modest 38mph on a descent.

[ratfrink]

Oh, and fit the SPD pedals that dear old MunkeyQ gave me.

[ysr2096]

How many teeth does your 'big' ring have? It's rather little....

[Zombie Food]

Eh.

I hate seats where my hands are below my dick.

[ratfrink]

46/32 chainrings on an 11-28 cassette. It's an uncommon combination but it works well and gives a decent gear range - high gear is 112 inches, granny gear is 33 - I don't race but I do do long-distance sportives and overnighter trips (with some clothes/food/soap in a larger saddlepack) so the gearing is perfect for that. It probably looks particularly small because it's against a large frame, and I'm using long cranks (175mm).

My extra-long dick is not above my hands; I tend to flop it over one side of the saddle and wrap it around the top-tube, otherwise it trails along on the ground.

[Zombie Food]

You know what I mean.

[CarbonBV2]

Originally Posted by Zombie Food

You know what I mean.

Yeah, you have a tiny penis.

[Zombie Food]

Originally Posted by CarbonBV2

Yeah, you have a tiny penis.

I'm actually not sure if I have a penis. I still have not found it. The doctors said that they found it one time (while using a microscope) but they wouldn't show me the pictures so I think they are lying.

[Zok Jr.]

Hey I didn't want a new bike thread, but since you know so much about bikes ratfrink, do you think this one is any good?
http://www.amazon.com/Dawes-Single-S.../dp/B007R6RRVK
I mean I know its cheap and don't expect the best bike ever but I don't know if Dawes is a good name, it sounds familiar as a bike brand but I just don't know. I also plan to upgrade some parts over time so even if a particular thing about it sucks I can always get a better piece.

Anyways, is it worth $250?

[ratfrink]

Yeah maybe. Dawes is a good name (I had a 1957 Dawes and it was really well made... but that was a long time ago), but they specialise in top-end touring bikes rather than entry-level singlespeeds. As it happens, this is almost certainly a different bike re-branded as a Dawes (and probably some other things) just to get a famous name on it. A quick rundown:

Good points:
1. Chromoly frame and forks - much better quality than high-tensile steel, stronger/greater longevity than aluminium
2. Mudguard, rack and bottle mounts - so it'll be usable all year round
3. Bars are level with the saddle, so it should be comfortable

Bad points:
1. Piss-cheap components
2. Extremely ugly (frame's okay... mostly the components)
3. Flat pedals are great for BMXs, but not so good for road bikes. Get some clips and straps. It doesn't look like those pedals can accommodate them; buy some secondhand pedals.
4. Heavy! But this isn't much of a bother unless you're planning to race on it (you're not, are you?)

I would say that it's worth the money if you're unable/unwilling/un-knowledgeable about buying secondhand.

I would buy it, and also buy some mudguards, a rack, and spend a little more money on good quality wide tyres (don't be taken in by 23c racing tyres... they're light, but hellishly uncomfortable and actually have higher rolling resistance than a similarly constructed tyre of greater width. 28-32c is best in terms of RR (and of comfort)). But other than that, I wouldn't bother upgrading it further, unless parts wore out.

[Zok Jr.]

Originally Posted by ratfrink

Yeah maybe. Dawes is a good name (I had a 1957 Dawes and it was really well made... but that was a long time ago), but they specialise in top-end touring bikes rather than entry-level singlespeeds. As it happens, this is almost certainly a different bike re-branded as a Dawes (and probably some other things) just to get a famous name on it. A quick rundown:

Good points:
1. Chromoly frame and forks - much better quality than high-tensile steel, stronger/greater longevity than aluminium
2. Mudguard, rack and bottle mounts - so it'll be usable all year round
3. Bars are level with the saddle, so it should be comfortable

Bad points:
1. Piss-cheap components
2. Extremely ugly (frame's okay... mostly the components)
3. Flat pedals are great for BMXs, but not so good for road bikes. Get some clips and straps. It doesn't look like those pedals can accommodate them; buy some secondhand pedals.
4. Heavy! But this isn't much of a bother unless you're planning to race on it (you're not, are you?)

I would say that it's worth the money if you're unable/unwilling/un-knowledgeable about buying secondhand.

I would buy it, and also buy some mudguards, a rack, and spend a little more money on good quality wide tyres (don't be taken in by 23c racing tyres... they're light, but hellishly uncomfortable and actually have higher rolling resistance than a similarly constructed tyre of greater width. 28-32c is best in terms of RR (and of comfort)). But other than that, I wouldn't bother upgrading it further, unless parts wore out.

Hey thanks for all the info, I totally agree with you on every point. I have been looking at some other bikes too and found two others around the same price that might be better actually.
http://www.amazon.com/Takara-Kabuto-.../dp/B004W8LG1S
I like how this one looks but from the review it apparently has bad tires and tubes and liners right out of the box so the looks don't even really matter if you have to change the tires right away.
http://www.amazon.com/Giordano-Rapid.../dp/B004V36JR0
I am kind of leaning towards this one now because it seems to have a really nice aluminum frame and the wheels seem a lot nicer than any of the other ones I've looked at. I think the frame has a really nice shape too, it is probably the best looking out of the three.

Is aluminum a practical material for a bike frame? Does it affect the ride/longevity negatively? Like as compared to chromoly?

Also as far as clips go, I don't really want to have to carry two pairs of shoes with me so I was thinking of just getting some cages, any recommendations?

[Zok Jr.]

Actually, I just noticed it only comes in a 56 as the largest size that is way too small for me

[ratfrink]

Confusingly, clips are cages. What you mean by 'clips' are actually referred to as 'clipless'. I would not recommend clipless pedals on an 'everyday' bike - they're for racing/performance riding only. Clips and straps and some shoes with a relatively hard, flat sole are perfect for general use.

With regards to aluminium vs chromoly, generally an aluminium frame will be stiffer. This is good for performance, but bad for comfort. However, the tyres, saddle, and handlebar will make a bigger impact than frame material - but if all things are equal, chromoly steel frames tend to be more comfortable than aluminium ones. This is because steel is slightly springy.

With regards to longevity, aluminium has two attributes which are unfavourable. Firstly, aluminium has zero fatigue tolerance, that is, if you repeatedly bend aluminium (no matter how small the bending is) it will eventually crack. Steel does not do this - so long as the bending moments are small, it can bend indefinitely (hence why springs are almost always made from steel). This is why you see loads of 'spares or repairs' Vitus bikes from the 1980s for sale - after 20 years, very few of them are rideable, but people are still happily riding 50-year-old (or older) steel frames which are as good as they day they were made. However, it's unlikely that you'll keep this bike for twenty years, so this isn't much of an issue. Incidentally, part of the reason why aluminium frames are built to be so stiff is because this reduces bending.

Secondly, and far more importantly, aluminium also has extreme notch-sensitivity. Take one bar of steel, one of aluminium, and make two equal deep scratches across them. Bend them - the aluminium one will snap suddenly, whereas the steel one will a) withstand a lot more pressure and b) bend slowly, rather than snap quickly. Slight damage such as a surface scratch can act as a stress raiser that can focus the forces on a seemingly insignificant weakness. In real-world terms this means that if your frame takes a nasty hit from something, an aluminium frame will likely crack, whereas a steel frame will merely dent. So long as the dent isn't too deep, the steel frame will still be rideable. When I worked as a bike mechanic, I saw plenty of aluminium bikes (mostly mountain bikes) that required re-framing after crashes that a steel frame would've shrugged off (or at least, the steel frames would've been easily repairable). Simply put, aluminium is much more brittle than steel.

Another thing to consider is weight. Generally an aluminium frame will be lighter, although a good quality steel frame will be lighter than a poor quality aluminium one. All of these bikes are entry-level and you won't be doing any performance riding on them, so weight is not something to get hung up about (a lot of cyclists are obsessed with weight to the detriment of everything else).

Finally, these material considerations aside, there some practical issues with these bikes:
1. The Dawes has the toughest/most durable frame, plus it can take mudguards and a rack (which increases its usefulness massively)
2. The Takara looks like a pile of shit, and doesn't have eyelets to fit mudguards/rack so it's impractical
3. The Giordiano doesn't come in your size, so it shouldn't be considered anyway

Personally I would buy a secondhand steel/sensible road/touring bike, but it seems that European bikes are pretty rare in the US, and good-quality American road bikes are even rarer (no offence like). If you go secondhand, look for:
1. Chromoly frame, or, even better, a 531 frame.
2. Mudguard/rack eyelets
3. Components by (in order of decreasing quality i.e. best first) Campagnolo, Shimano, SR or Weinmann. Don't buy bikes with unbranded components, basically.

[Zok Jr.]

Well, I took a chance and went for the Giordano. The size says 56cm but the reviews said the 54 was more like a 56 so I naturally assumed that the 56 would be more like a 58. I think I lucked out because it seems a perfect height from me. Standing in fron of the saddle I have just a little room between the bottom of my pelvis or w/e and the top tube, and I only need to raise the seat about 3.5-4" to get full extension of my leg on the downstroke.

I'll try to get some pictures up later but the bike seems really awesome and only came out to $170 plus free 2 day shipping with amazon prime. I really expected to get some really bad piece of crap but it really seems to be well made for the most part. The welds on the frame are flawless and the top tube is kind of a hexagonal-ish shape which is pretty neat, not sure if it actually does anything for the bike though.

The brakes are kind of bad but I'm going to take the bike into work because we have all the tools and a stand there and whatnot and get everything working right. The wheels are a little off-true and one of them got scratched up quite a bit in one spot from shipping but there was a sticker there I haven't seen underneath yet but hopefully its not too bad, maybe I can repaint them?

Also the back wheel makes a bit of noise, at first I thought the tire was rubbing on something but it turns out that the bearings in the hub back there are making that noise. I don't know maybe they didn't pack it well enough, although I see grease coming out the side so I know there is some grease in there. They are "Joytech" hubs.

The tires are Kenda's which is a good brand, right? They seem kind of chunky for a road bike I was hoping for something a little more street-y, also their max pressure is 85 which seems kinda low.

Other than that seems like a pretty good bike for the price I'm going to have to get used to this single gear thing. I live on the coast in California so a lot of the bike paths and streets have hills to them due to the dunes they were built on. Most of it isn't too bad but I know it will be hard at first.

[L33tz]

After walking far distances, I thought of how a mountain bike would have been incredibly useful in ancient times.

How something we take for granted everyday can provide so much.

[Zok Jr.]

Originally Posted by L33tz

After walking far distances, I thought of how a mountain bike would have been incredibly useful in ancient times.

How something we take for granted everyday can provide so much.

Too true.

[Zok Jr.]

I rode it to work and back today, around 10 miles each way, with a little extra because I overestimated the time it would take me to get there and ended up an hour early, so I rode around a bit more trying to kill time.

This bike is amazing for $170, rides like a dream! I am not even used to riding a single speed bike and I was smashing down the bike trail, passing the dudes with their spandex jersey things and fancy carbon bikes with ease, I love it. I only intended to ride it the two days of the week where I am scheduled to work later in the day but now I think I will even wake up a little earlier to ride every single day and save some gas.

I have never rode with toe clips before and that made a world of difference wow, the only thing is you have to remember that you are clipped in when you have to come to complete stop suddenly lol almost died a few times already. Also I never rode with the drop handlebars either and those are awesome. The bike I was riding previously to this had risers and my hands and wrists always hurt after riding even short distance, being able to switch up hand positions is awesome, plus in the forward grip position is fun as hell when you are going all out.

Anyways I would definitely recommend this bike, it is really fun. Will it last? We'll see, but for this price if it gets stolen or breaks then oh well, its still probably less than I pay for gas.

[MediumD]

It's been two weeks. And I have resisted. Until now.

Jibbs - Chain Hang Low - YouTube

Jibbs - Chain Hang Low - YouTube
Video: click to display

(Because bicycles have drive-chains. Yes, I'm working on a car version related to "yo shaft hangin low.")

[Zok Jr.]

Tire popped before i even got to take it for a second ride. Woke up thus morning and it was just flat. Took the tire off and there was a big hole in the tube. Shitty liners it looks like caused it or a combination of shitty liners/tube.

Sure ruined my day

[ratfrink]

Well I'm glad you like it. Finding a frame that fits is the most important thing, and you seem to have lucked out and found one.

RE the tyre/tube issue thing. Kenda, like all manufacturers, make some good tyres and some shit ones. They're pretty famous for mountain bike tyres rather than road tyres, though. If you're looking to buy new tyres, I would not recommend ridiculously skinny tyres. 18c is insane. 23c is too thin for anything except extreme hill-climbing where every gram counts. Even 25c is too thin for everyday riding IMO. 28c is on the narrow end of comfortable - if you can go wider, great. Other than weight, there's no benefit to ridiculously skinny, high-pressure tyres - they have HIGHER rolling resistance than 32c ones, all other factors (tyre construction) being equal. Even professional racers have moved from 18c (in the 1980s) to 23c (last year) to 25 and 28c (this year's Giro D'Italia - we'll wait and see what people are riding in the Tour de France when it starts in a couple of weeks).

The problem is that finding good-quality wide tyres is difficult. I have Vittoria Randonneurs in 28c. They feel somewhat sluggish compared to the 25c Schwalbe Luganos I had on before - the have a lower thread count (IIRC 60tpi) and thicker construction. However, they're very grippy, will last forever (1,500 miles and hardly worn at all, and not a single puncture) and at 28c, they're reasonably comfortable. I would go wider, but my frame doesn't have the clearance for 32c tyres AND mudguards. These tyres are available right up to 40c. I would always recommend them, they're great all-round tyres. They do quite a few versions - some are 120tpi which should be a little faster/more supple, but at the expense of longevity. 85psi is plenty in a 28c wide tyre - my friend has Jack Brown tyres at 33.3c and 60psi - it's like riding a magic carpet.

As for tubes and rim tape, they're unimportant. Go to a bike shop and buy whatever they have on the shelf. FYI if you ever get into racing, buy latex tubes; they're more supple and lighter than normal butyl ones.

In other news - doing a 'century' (100 miles) ride next Sunday - haven't done that in a couple of years. Looking forward to it.

[komokazi]

Huffy lookin' ass OP.

[Zok Jr.]

Originally Posted by MediumD

It's been two weeks. And I have resisted. Until now.

Jibbs - Chain Hang Low - YouTube

(Because bicycles have drive-chains. Yes, I'm working on a car version related to "yo shaft hangin low.")

It is pretty taut, actually.

Originally Posted by ratfrink

Well I'm glad you like it. Finding a frame that fits is the most important thing, and you seem to have lucked out and found one.

RE the tyre/tube issue thing. Kenda, like all manufacturers, make some good tyres and some shit ones. They're pretty famous for mountain bike tyres rather than road tyres, though. If you're looking to buy new tyres, I would not recommend ridiculously skinny tyres. 18c is insane. 23c is too thin for anything except extreme hill-climbing where every gram counts. Even 25c is too thin for everyday riding IMO. 28c is on the narrow end of comfortable - if you can go wider, great. Other than weight, there's no benefit to ridiculously skinny, high-pressure tyres - they have HIGHER rolling resistance than 32c ones, all other factors (tyre construction) being equal. Even professional racers have moved from 18c (in the 1980s) to 23c (last year) to 25 and 28c (this year's Giro D'Italia - we'll wait and see what people are riding in the Tour de France when it starts in a couple of weeks).

The problem is that finding good-quality wide tyres is difficult. I have Vittoria Randonneurs in 28c. They feel somewhat sluggish compared to the 25c Schwalbe Luganos I had on before - the have a lower thread count (IIRC 60tpi) and thicker construction. However, they're very grippy, will last forever (1,500 miles and hardly worn at all, and not a single puncture) and at 28c, they're reasonably comfortable. I would go wider, but my frame doesn't have the clearance for 32c tyres AND mudguards. These tyres are available right up to 40c. I would always recommend them, they're great all-round tyres. They do quite a few versions - some are 120tpi which should be a little faster/more supple, but at the expense of longevity. 85psi is plenty in a 28c wide tyre - my friend has Jack Brown tyres at 33.3c and 60psi - it's like riding a magic carpet.

As for tubes and rim tape, they're unimportant. Go to a bike shop and buy whatever they have on the shelf. FYI if you ever get into racing, buy latex tubes; they're more supple and lighter than normal butyl ones.

In other news - doing a 'century' (100 miles) ride next Sunday - haven't done that in a couple of years. Looking forward to it.

The tires seem alright I don't think I will get anything new until they wear out, no sense in fixing what is not broken. Same reason I'm not buying new clips even though they seem cheap I'm going to get my money out of them (cause I paid soooo much you know lol.)
I put a new tube and some zefal cloth rim tape on the wheel that blew out which was my rear one, now I'm just waiting until my front one blows any time since I ordered some tubes online and don't want to pay LBS prices, not that they are really too much more but I bought this bike to save money not to spend it.

The century sounds awesome, talk about a sore ass afterwards though, jesus. What kind of bike are you riding in that, and what is the route like?

Originally Posted by komokazi

Huffy lookin' ass OP.

Smells like jelly.

[ratfrink]

My arse should be fine, I've done it before, and done a lot of riding this year. I'm taking my Gazelle above (fitted with a Technomic stem to raise the bars up to level with the saddle) plus a few upgraded bits. I should take a new photo, really.

The route is across the Purbecks - it's quite hilly but they're rolling hills so it's fun. It's not repeated short-sharp climbs that kill you after an hour, but it's not three-mile long 'granny gear' slogs that are just boring, either.

[Zok Jr.]

Sounds awesome are you gonna be in all spandex with logos of random companies ? hehe

[ratfrink]

I wear plain black lycra shorts which are essential on longer rides. I've got a couple of plain merino wool jerseys which are essentially a slightly-long t-shirt with a big pocket on the back, and tighter arms so they don't flap in the wind. Merino wool is a better material than lycra or spandex; it's extremely breathable so you don't overheat, and it's antibacterial so it doesn't smell even if you wear it several times without washing. Plus they're plain; no logos or anything.

[Zok Jr.]

Originally Posted by ratfrink

I wear plain black lycra shorts which are essential on longer rides. I've got a couple of plain merino wool jerseys which are essentially a slightly-long t-shirt with a big pocket on the back, and tighter arms so they don't flap in the wind. Merino wool is a better material than lycra or spandex; it's extremely breathable so you don't overheat, and it's antibacterial so it doesn't smell even if you wear it several times without washing. Plus they're plain; no logos or anything.

Lol nice I was just kidding I figured you didn't wear that shit. I have been biking in jeans and a t-shirt I just can't see myself wearing stretchy pants, the wool jersey sounds nice though. Do they make any biking pants that look halfway decent?

I'm not riding any really long distances yet but I plan to work up to it, not sure how capable a single speed is at going long distances though.

[ratfrink]

There are various companies that make trousers/jeans specifically made for cycling in, but they're all ridiculously expensive.

If you don't want to look like a tool, you can wear baggy shorts designed for mountain bikers. They just look like normal shorts, but they're cut specifically so that they're easy to cycle in (i.e. looser around the tops of the thighs and no seams under your bollocks).

Jeans and normal clothes are fine until you sweat, then they clog up and you overheat, and the seams rub you raw if you ride for a long distance. I once rode 30 miles in jeans and had a scab on my scrote the day after.

[Zok Jr.]

Originally Posted by ratfrink

I once rode 30 miles in jeans and had a scab on my scrote the day after.

I think you just completely put me off to ever riding again.