Search found 13 matches

by seabike
23 Nov 2020, 4:28pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: New saddle advice?
Replies: 61
Views: 3177

Re: New saddle advice?

I've had a Charge Spoon and Spa/Passport Navigator and found them both reasonably comfortable for 75 mile rides, on both flat bar and drop bar bikes, albeit with a bit of assistance from padded shorts. However I recently took a punt on a Spa Nidd on ebay for a measly £20. It's totally unused but the previous owner had cut a 12mm wide slot down the middle. I'd read so many reviews saying the Nidd was almost impossible to break in due to the plastic underlayer laminated to the leather top, but, much to my surprise, I found it very comfortable from the start, and improving every day. Maybe the slot adds some flexibility, and I've found a slightly upward tilted nose is the most comfortable position on my current drop bar tourer, set up with the bars and saddle at similar heights.
by seabike
21 Nov 2020, 9:17pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Customising 7 speed cassette/triple chainset
Replies: 1
Views: 209

Customising 7 speed cassette/triple chainset

My Orbit tourer has a Shimano 42/32/22T Acera MTB chainset and SRAM 7 speed 12-32T cassette (with a 4.5mm spacer on an 8 speed freehub). When touring with camping gear, or hauling a load of shopping from the supermarket, I'm more tortoise than hare, and find myself using the 32T middle ring/mid cassette most of the time, with the lowest three gears on the 22T inner ring reserved for proper hills. However the 42T outer ring is hardly touched, save for the occasional strong tailwind (I freewheel down hills...too chicken to risk hitting a pothole at high speed with a loaded bike). I'm loath to use sprockets bigger than mid cassette with the 42T outer as the chainline becomes too extreme, hence I'm not benefiting much from it, and am sure to be wearing the drivetrain out prematurely relying so heavily on the little 32T middle ring.

Following Brucey's advice to use the largest chainrings and sprockets consistent with the required gear ratios, I decided to try a double chainring arrangement with the triple's 42T outer ring removed and re-installed where the 32T middle ring was, and a 24T taking the place of the 22T inner. As I rarely used the two smallest cassette sprockets, I drilled out the long rivets holding the cassette together, discarded the 14T sprocket and plastic spacer, added an extra 4.5mm spacer at the back of the cassette, but kept the 12T sprocket on the outside to allow normal tightening of the locknut, ie using the serrations rather than needing threadlock. The low adjustment screw on the Claris rear derailleur was tweaked to suit the new rightward shifted cassette, and the high screw was adjusted to exclude the 12T sprocket.

This gave me five useable sprockets (16/18/21/26/32T) covering my normal cruising ratio, plus two moderate climbing/headwind ratios, and two tailwind ratios, all on the 42T ring, with a perfect chainline on the most used middle sprocket, and two either side giving a modest total cassette width of about 22mm, centre to centre. The largest 32T sprocket gave a perfect chainline with the 24T inner ring, and an acceptable one with the 26T sprocket. The theory is to use the 42T ring for everything, apart from proper hillclimbing with the two lowest ratios on the 24T inner, but with the benefit of good chainlines and large sprockets, hopefully prolonging drivetrain life.

I was concerned that the Microshift triple front derailleur, designed to work with 42/32/22T rings would struggle to shift from the new 24T to the 42T without an intermediate 32T ring, but In practice, with minor hi/low screw adjustment, it worked perfectly, as did the entire new double chainring arrangement.

The only drawback I've found is the 42T chainring/32T sprocket combo tends to pull the rear derailleur cage quite far forward, but I think adding a few chain links will cure that whilst keeping sufficient chain tension when using the inner ring ratios.

Obviously most people will still be better off with a full triple chainset, and need more and/or closer spaced ratios, but my fitness level, advancing age, and riding requirements make this simplified double arrangement a reasonable choice, especially as it cost me only the price of a new inner steel chainring, a 4.5mm spacer, and a hour's work.

Just a couple of questions: do the long rivets holding the sprocket cluster together add any significant strength/rigidity, or can they be safely dispensed with? I've tightened the cassette locknut pretty snugly and it doesn't feels or sound like there's any slop or play when I'm riding.

Is it normal to slide the cassette, or in my case, individual sprockets and spacers onto the freehub dry, or should I be greasing the freehub splines before I tighten the locknut?
by seabike
23 Oct 2020, 11:34pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Dia Compe ENE downtube friction shifter lubrication
Replies: 9
Views: 913

Re: Dia Compe ENE downtube friction shifter lubrication

Point taken about the need to remove the shifters carefully. Apparently, if disassembled, the Dia Compe ones have a habit of vigorously ejecting the tiny pawl springs, never to be seen again.

The copper grease was only applied where paint damage could be caused by the square holed backing plate being tightened onto the downtube boss. None on the moving parts.
by seabike
23 Oct 2020, 5:52pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Dia Compe ENE downtube friction shifter lubrication
Replies: 9
Views: 913

Re: Dia Compe ENE downtube friction shifter lubrication

I installed the downtube shifters today, restricting any lube to just a dab of copper grease for the braze-on downtube bosses, the square holed steel plates that go over the boss, and the threads of the D ring tensioner bolts. I can see the good sense in keeping the ratchet mechanism bone dry, and just hope the materials used are fairly corrosion resistant. The toothed wheel looks to be brass or bronze, don't know about the pawl or pawl spring, but the ENE shifters appear to be very well made overall, so I'm hopeful they'll last a few years.

The shifters really are very pleasant to use, but take a bit of getting used to as the action is much more subtle than the ones I was using previously. I keep thinking the friction won't be sufficient to resist the spring tension of the derailleurs, such is the smoothness and lightness of the lever movement, and then I remember the position is actually being held by the ratchet. I'm still on 3 x 8 speed but reckon they could successfully be used for a 9 or even 10 speed, friction only set-up.
by seabike
23 Oct 2020, 12:28am
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Dia Compe ENE downtube friction shifter lubrication
Replies: 9
Views: 913

Re: Dia Compe ENE downtube friction shifter lubrication

Thanks Brucey, after a bit of internet searching I found a disassembled photo of the power ratchet innards, and yes, they are identical to the later Sun Tour MTB shifters with the beefed-up pawl. The Dia Compe ENE shifters use a black plastic washer beneath the D ring tensioner bolt, so definitely no lube required there. As the shifters are brand new I won't need to worry about the state of the internals, but what about a year or two further down the line? Would a very brief squirt of something like GT85 be appropriate then to keep things corrosion free and functioning correctly, without gumming up the works?
by seabike
22 Oct 2020, 10:28pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Dia Compe ENE downtube friction shifter lubrication
Replies: 9
Views: 913

Dia Compe ENE downtube friction shifter lubrication

I've just bought a set of these for my Orbit tourer and wanted to know which bits to lubricate, and with what. The innards containing the power ratchet mechanism seem to be retained by a thin metal plate. Can this be easily removed for maintenance or is it meant to be sealed unit. I don't want to start trying to prise things apart that aren't mean to. Anyone else using these shifter that can offer their experience?
by seabike
18 Oct 2020, 7:50pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Older Deore hubs
Replies: 6
Views: 641

Re: Older Deore hubs

Thanks Ian, yes I agree that for the loads I'm carrying, I probably wouldn't need the strongest wheels. My Orbit frame seems to be limited by the chainstay clearance to 32mm tyres with mudguards. I've tried some 35c Continental Ride Tour but the gap between tyre and chainstay was less than 4mm on one side, so perhaps a little too tight when mud buildup is factored in. The roads here in rural Lincolnshire soon get covered in liquid mud when the tractors and trailers start hauling harvested cabbages and caulis in the autumn and winter months.

My choice of Sputnik or Andra rims was also based on the generous side wall thickness, which hopefully would cope with brake pad wear better than the lighter rims.

Brucey, sorry, I assumed the your Shimano link only covered the current product range, and hadn't noticed the small 'archive' link for older products. Now that I've had a look I found the T610 front hub showed a PCD of 38mm, compared to the 42mm of my Deore 510 hub. However I now appreciate that such small differences are not significant in practice.

I was surprised that it was considered safe to reuse older stainless spokes. I've built several yachts from scratch and I know from bitter experience that stressed stainless rigging components, under continual cyclic loads are notoriously prone to sudden failure with no warning signs. But I suppose the chances of a well built, stress relieved wheel self destructing are much less than stainless yacht rigging terminals under tons of strain.

At my level of wheelbuilding (absolute beginner) I doubt whether I'll be able to lace my first wheel in 25 minutes, but I'll enjoy learning as I go. I'm still getting my head around calculating ERD, and, as you suggest, reverse calculating it.

Your advice is much appreciated.
by seabike
18 Oct 2020, 12:24pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Older Deore hubs
Replies: 6
Views: 641

Re: Older Deore hubs

Thanks Brucey. From the info I've found on various websites, the flange diameters are (inevitably) not identical, so I'll probably just buy the rims and then work out the spoke lengths required by trying the existing spokes and seeing how far out they are for fit.

It would be helpful if I could hit upon new rims with the same ERD, but I specifically wanted the strongest ones possible with 700c, ie Sputnik or Andra, and am not bothered about the extra weight. There are no markings on the current, worn 36H rims, so can't look up the ERD but I believe Orbit specified Alex Rims, and, according to a label on them, they were either built or rebuilt by Mercian. So I guess they will have been well built, but the spokes could conceivably be the original ones, circa 2004, and perhaps unwise to use in a rebuild.
by seabike
18 Oct 2020, 12:23am
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Older Deore hubs
Replies: 6
Views: 641

Older Deore hubs

The rim braking surfaces on my recently acquired Orbit Ventura Reynolds 520 tourer are looking ominously concave, so I'm planning to rebuild both 700c wheels using Ryde Andra 30 rims. The hubs are Deore 510, both running very smoothly, so should be ok to reuse. According to SJS the spoke lengths for Andra 30 rims on Deore 610 hubs are 293mm front and 290mm/291mm rear. Do my Deore 510 hubs share the same flange dimensions as the newer Deore 610 and hence the same spoke lengths?

I notice SJS use plain 14 gauge DT Champion spokes throughout on their handbuilt Sputnik and Andra 30 wheels, whilst Spa go for a combination of Sapim Race and Sapim Strong. Which is best? I'll be touring with ultralight solo camping gear that easily fits inside my Carradice Carradura rear panniers, so not a huge load, and I very rarely venture off road.
by seabike
4 Oct 2020, 12:08pm
Forum: Does anyone know … ?
Topic: REAR LIGHTS
Replies: 21
Views: 1011

Re: REAR LIGHTS

I use a Moon Pulsar. Takes 2 AAA rechargeables or alkalines, super bright, super long run time, and very inexpensive. I have it set to the most powerful slow flashing mode and find it much, much brighter than the Cateye Omni 3 I previously used. I was very glad of it when cycling through Thetford Forest on the busy B1106, passing through several sections where the dense tree canopy suddenly turned a bright August day into night time.

The light comes with a silicone rubber grip which fits nicely round my seatpost just beneath the saddle, and works for me as I carry all my kit in rear panniers with nothing else on the rear rack that could obscure a seatpost mounted light. I bought mine as a front/rear combo on ebay for buttons.
by seabike
21 Sep 2020, 10:28pm
Forum: Health and fitness
Topic: Achilles Tendon pain
Replies: 2
Views: 253

Re: Achilles Tendon pain

Thanks for that Jonathan. Yes, you're right, I should have split the trip into more manageable chunks, but my main motivation for the long first day's slog was to reach a suitable spot for discreet overnight wild camping, and from previous experience knew that the fire roads leading off the B1106 in Thetford Forest offered plenty.

I went out for a 12 mile ride today and tried to pay attention to my foot position on the pedals to see if I was excessively toe down or heel down, however from what I could tell, my feet were pretty level.

I can only conclude that lauching into a 75 mile day ride without an adequate training build-up, at my age was just asking for trouble. Hopefully the pain was a one-off.
by seabike
20 Sep 2020, 11:46pm
Forum: Health and fitness
Topic: Prostatitis
Replies: 21
Views: 11030

Re: Prostatitis

I saw my GP two years ago about a sudden onset of fever, difficulty peeing and a general unwell feeling. He took a urine sample and immediately referred me for a PSA blood test. This revealed a sky-high reading, normally indicating advanced prostate cancer. I was subjected to a battery of scans, examinations and endoscopes in unwelcome places, with the final diagnosis being acute prostatitis and a borderline prostate lesion. By the time all the tests had been completed, and following a course of antibiotics, my PSA had returned to normal levels and my symptoms eventually disappeared.

I can't be sure if cycling caused my prostatitis two years ago, but I can say that I've carried on cycling ever since with no repeat of the symptoms whatsoever. I sympathize greatly with those suffering from the chronic form of prostatitis. Luckily mine was short and sharp.
by seabike
20 Sep 2020, 11:09pm
Forum: Health and fitness
Topic: Achilles Tendon pain
Replies: 2
Views: 253

Achilles Tendon pain

A month ago I rode from Boston, Lincolnshire, to Walton On The Naze, Essex, stopping overnight, stealth camping in Thetford Forest. After the first day's ride of 75 miles I noticed soreness and swelling in my right Achilles tendon, plus pain in my right knee. After the next day's ride through Suffolk's rolling countryside with quite a few moderate hills, the pain and swelling had worsened, so much so that I was forced to make the return trip by train.

My bike, a flat bar tourer with Ergon GP5 grips and decently wide MKS platform type pedals, was set up using the normal KOPS and saddle height methods. I was carrying a pretty stripped down set of lightweight camping gear in two rear panniers, plus 2 litres of water, so not too heavily laden. As a far from super-fit 60 year old I tend to go pretty slowly and don't push the gears, and am never tempted to get out of the saddle on hills.

I did exactly the same trip last year on a different bike, albeit set up the same way, but never had the slightest pain in either knee or Achilles, despite feeling a bit knackered after two long days of riding.

A month has now gone by since the trip and the Achilles pain and swelling have gone, and the knee pain is now only very slight and intermitttent. Am I just the victim of encroaching old age and have to accept this sort of problem will occur, or could it be a bike fit issue? Strange all the pain was limited to my right leg. I don't sense that I'm exerting more effort with the right than the left.