Bicycle Bits! - What’s your latest acquisition?

How many km do you get from them? They are an option for my winter commuting bike.

Lots of people are stepping up to 25mm for a smoother ride. I run that size on my "second" bike. My new bike is too tight under the rear bake to run bigger than 23mm, though.

I like Continental tyres, too. I have run Conti 4000Ss on my road bikes for many years. Very, very few punctures over the years on what are skinny lightweight race tyres.

My latest purchase is a couple of lights.

My wife and I just retired our ca. 1992 and 1995 Specialized Rockhopper mtn. bikes respectively.

Two nights ago we took delivery of two brand new full suspension mountain bikes. Both are MY2014 Treks: a Superfly FS 9 and a Superfly FS 6. We haven't even ridden them yet. I'll take my first ride this afternoon, but just on an easy paved path through the local city park. Tomorrow we'll be out at a state park to hit the trails for some singletrack, as they are meant to be ridden.

I don't know cos over the past decade i used a mountain bike with just 1 set of wheels, and 2 road bikes with a choice of 4 pairs of wheels+tyres to 'plug n play'.

I'm now down to the mountain bike [which i haven’t rode for a few years] and just the 1 Trek road bike with 3 x pairs of wheels to choose from : )

Truth be know the actual 4 season tyre mileage was probably around 2k in mainly winter miles with the tread still holding out but rubber becoming perished due to age.

10 year old tyres  =  asking for trouble! : >

Your lights look fantastic, i'm assuming they are battery & LED ?

I have little cat eye lights to use on dull overcast days or in the rain,

but i don't ride at night these days,

far too dangerous around here : (

Debs

Lights are LED and are USB rechargeable. I find that cars give you more room at night than they do during the day. I don't think riding at night is any more dangerous, provided you are well lit.

Which of you rides the nice one?

Depends where-abouts you are - around here it's far too dangerous,

and besides: it's far nicer to go out in daylight : )

Winky - I have 23, 25 and 28 Conti 4 Seasons - I get only 2-3k km on the rear wheel and then rotate them out into my front but I am a heavy fella. I prefer running the Vittoria Pavé as a clincher for winter / wet because they just run so smooth but the Conti are more robust on the side walls if you get into broken glass shards on a winter track. The Vittoria also cost more. 

My latest acquisition other than new cleats was a SON dynamo hub for my Zullo road bike. Not quite as smooth as without the dynamo but nothing that you'd notice when the wind is blowing and the rain coming down. Also, gives me no excuse to not ride in the twilight hours.

Well I commute on my bike, so don't get to choose my times. What is your evidence for the "danger"?

I do. We each bought our bikes from our personal savings. When we went to pick mine up from the shop, she picked out a Trek Caliber X hardtail for herself. I talked her into stepping up the Superfly FS 6 and gave her $1000 towards it. It's all fair. 

It’s a long way out in the countryside here, no street lamps or any source of light [unless it’s a full moon] so it’s usually totally dark - until the full beamed headlights of on-coming cars which dazzle so badly one needs to stop quick and put foot to ground for stability.

It’s too dark to see pot holes, and the dung the farmer has left on the road, and no scenery which is a shame it being so green and pleasant around here abouts.

Cars don’t seem to care about cyclists at night around here, and wearing a high-vis only gives them a better target.

Besides:  my object of the exercise is to get 'daylight' into my life, and not endanger my life by being without it

Debs

Last addition was the Super Record six speed rear dérailleur - Pat. '80 - so four years older than the frame!

It does not look much as it simply blends in with the general ambience.

I agree with Debs about riding at night. She in glorious Shropshire, and me in beautiful Herefordshire. I don't do it now I live in the slightly less wonderful Worcestershire, east of the Malverns. The rural night is pitchy black, the roads pot-holed, and the drivers even more careless once the sun goes down.

ATB from George

Dear Debs,

Still county neighbours! Almost!

ATB from George

Sounds delightful.

Debs

I have used continental gatoskins over the years and have always been unlucky and puntured.They always used to be fine in the summer,early autumn,but come winter not so good.

Have been useing Bontrager all weather tyres the last 18 months and still have'nt puntured.I am very impressed with them as I ride 60 miles a week to work.They are heavier than Continentals but very robust and have a nice ridge which gives your more cornering grip in the wet.

I am lucky to have a cycle path which takes me 50 m from the sea in places.I live in Brighton and even pass Dave Gilmour's house from Pink Floyd.Its great not to have to ride on the road most of the commute.

George

Great seeing the latest Carlton pics.Out of interest what the frame made out of ?

Have you had your bottom bracket replaced,well worth doing.

Listening to my quad 2805's as I type this.Last nights Late Night junction on radio 3 recorded onto cassette.Sounds fabulous.

Wishing you a great weekend.

Cheers Ian

I have just replaced the wheels, gearshifters and brake levers on my old Marin hardtail. The gearshifters/brake levers had finally worn to the point of annoyance after 20 years. Of course to get 'decent' shifters/levers i found i had to up to 10 speed so it was the excuse to have some new wheels. All last years XT or XTR gear and all a bargin.  Probably more than a new bike but i can't bring myself to get rid of a perfectly good frame. Wheels handbuilt of course. I'm looking forward to the rebuild  

Ian,

Continental Gatorskins should be very reliable with the built-in polyester breaker strip under the tread to prevent sharp penetrative type punctures. I can only think you may of not had enough tyre pressure and the cause was inner-tube pinch on bumpy road surface - need to get a good track pump to inflate them around the100 PSI, they spec up to 120 psi max [which is gosh really hard].

I check my tyre pressures frequently with track pump.  

Debs

lutyens,

Sounds like you have a very worthwhile project on your hands,

does your hardtail have suspension folks?

Any photos?

I haven’t used it for a while now but own a 1996 Gary Fisher [Aquila] hardtail with non-suspension folks [which I prefer for the lower weight] and have road ‘tarmac tyres’ fitted and floppy mudguards to complete the urban street tool attire - from the time when I used to live in Town over a decade ago. The groupset is fairly worn-out original entry level Shimano stuff which is just begging for removal and getting replaced with bargain XT range of last year vintage  

The wheels are okay - Mavic ‘Ride’ all they need are new knobblies

Debs

Dear Ian,

The frame is the modest Reynolds 501, but as Argos Racing Cycles commented when they re-enamelled the frame,

"The 501s get chucked away, because they are not fashionable, but they are robust, almost as light  [as 531], and are easily repaired."

Mine has been in two major road crashes in the last two years from inattentive drivers - it is still straight, unlike my right tibia!

The weight is - in summer guise with light tyres - still only 9.9 kg.even with the non-too light Brooks B17  saddle!

I have changed the BB twice since I was given the [wrecked] cycle five years ago in January!

First one was a slight bodge, being a worn out 1970s Super Record. The current one was an unused [NOS] Gran Sport that was in every way nicer than the later SR. Hollow spindle, and gun metal blue with beautiful caged bearings that in three years have been adjusted twice to take out a bit of play. Now it does to remember that this bike works six days a week. That is between forty and fifty year old kit, and keeps adjustment, and rolls back for the start with a tiny dip forward of the pedal - it cracks back the necessary half turn. Like a BB should be. Probably irreplaceable, but within my ability to keep in good condition. The original was a Tange, which was worn out after twenty four years. Fair enough. Cup and cone is grand if well enough engineered in the first place.

Quads do-things no other speakers can hope to!

The weekend will be quiet as will the majority of November as I bought a beautiful easy chair today at half price to replace a two seat sofa that gave me back ache!

Best wishes from George

This was just before the maiden voyage of my new brand new ride today. Tomorrow I hit the trails to give it what it was born to do. 2014 Trek Superfly FS 9. Alumninum frame, full suspension, Shimano XT gruppo.

My most recent acquisition was a set of Conti 4 Seasons for the commuter bike - despite a puncture last week I'm still holding off from changing over the incumbent Michelin Pro 4 Service Course tyres - they provide a lovely smooth free rolling ride (even if only to and from the office!).

My more significant exploit has been to try and cure once and for all a problem with the gear shift on my sporty bike. This has been nearly two years to get to the bottom of and resulted in sourcing a new rear derailleur hanger; new Campag Record derailleur; Campag Super Record ergo service pack (which is basically complete new ergo shifter mechanism fitted within the existing carcass of the brake levers); new hoods and cables.  Not related but also replaced were the headset and bottom bracket bearings.  The end result I'm delighted to report is a perfect gear change.  I was on the brink of buying a new frame, suspecting that cable routing was the total cause of the problem.  Turned out not to be the case and I get to keep my Wilier Cento Uno a while longer!

Hats off to Dan in Corridori Cycle Sport in Epsom - any Campag problems, he's the best!!

Peter

Very smart looking Trek, RT,

but take it easy and with care while you gain fitness and skill,

no Evil Kenevil stuff - i want to carry on enjoying reading your posts!

Debs

Thanks Debs. I plan to hit some beginner/intermediate singletracks this weekend. Probably about 30 miles worth tomorrow and Sunday. These are the same I've been riding on my '92 Specialized Rockhopper. That old bike is now getting a rear slick and new duty on the trainer for cold weather.

I've never had luck with handbuilt wheels. They wouldn't stay true and broken spokes were depressingly common. I must have always used $h!t builders. My wheels have been virtually trouble free since switching to machine-built Bontragers, Campys and now Mavics.

Dave Gilmour's house was in Pink Floyd?