Search found 58 matches

by jackt
27 Dec 2023, 11:45am
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: 10 speed v 11 speed - long term parts choice & availability?
Replies: 50
Views: 3235

Re: 10 speed v 11 speed - long term parts choice & availability?

Cugel wrote: 27 Dec 2023, 9:16am
NickJP wrote: 27 Dec 2023, 5:50am
Mick F wrote: 26 Dec 2023, 10:44amDitch STI/Ergo, and fit friction levers. Simple, cheap, and they don't care how many sprockets you have.
Some older friction shifters don't have enough cable pull between the stops to change across an entire cassette, when paired with modern derailleurs that need more cable per gear shift...
A compromise may be down tube or bar-end levers that have both a built-in click-shift mech (limiting your cassette to a certain number matching the click settings) which can also be switched to pure friction levers with the turn of an armature (enabling friction shifting across any number of cogs).

I have some Shimano 10-speed bar-end levers of this kind in the parts box, which are likely to have enough pull-range to deal with anything from 7 - 11 speed cassettes when set to friction-only.
We've veered slightly off topic but this is a good point.

The 9 speed Shimano bar end shifters I have on my tourer have indexed and friction modes. But another set of Shimano bar end shifters I have on a different bike is 10 speed indexed but has no friction mode which is disappointing. By the looks of things Dura Ace 11 speed bar ends have no friction mode either. Some current model Microshift bar ends have indexed and friction modes.

Earlier in the thread I did allude to the possibility of bar end shifers in combination with TRP Hylex hydraulic brake levers - as this was originally a question regarding a disc-brake bike. I'm not a great fan of cable disc brakes (though have never tried cable actuated hydraulic brakes).
by jackt
20 Dec 2023, 2:34pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: 10 speed v 11 speed - long term parts choice & availability?
Replies: 50
Views: 3235

Re: 10 speed v 11 speed - long term parts choice & availability?

jackt wrote: 20 Dec 2023, 2:08pm
Unless there's way of doing this with bar end shifters (ie. hydraulic non-STI brakes levers on drop bars - is that even a thing?)
Apparently it is - TRP Hylex.
by jackt
20 Dec 2023, 2:08pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: 10 speed v 11 speed - long term parts choice & availability?
Replies: 50
Views: 3235

Re: 10 speed v 11 speed - long term parts choice & availability?

Thanks for the replies.

This is for a potential Spa Elan build - so disc brakes. My preference is hydraulic (but don't worry - my other bikes have rim brakes and triples :wink: )

Unless there's way of doing this with bar end shifters (ie. hydraulic non-STI brakes levers on drop bars - is that even a thing?) I reckon I am looking at STIs either 105 or GRX-810 11sp or Tiagra 4720 / GRX-400 10sp. These seem to be about the same price at present.

Probably a 2x with a 46-30 - GRX most likely. Suspect this is tilting me towards GRX STIs.
by jackt
20 Dec 2023, 12:12pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: 10 speed v 11 speed - long term parts choice & availability?
Replies: 50
Views: 3235

10 speed v 11 speed - long term parts choice & availability?

Anyone got a strong view on whether Shimano 10 speed or 11 speed is a better bet for speccing a bike looking to the future in terms of price/quality/variety/availability of replacement parts?

As I understand it, with the move to 11 speed, cassettes got a little wider and rear wheels a a little more dished (not a good thing in a rear wheel). So I stopped upgrading at 10 speed, also thinking that this would be the more economical option.

But now looking around, it seems that quality 10 speed cassettes are becoming a little harder to find and don't seem to offer much (if anything) of a cost advantage. Whereas there's a lot of 11 speed and the price premium has come down now that the high end market is onto 12+. Same for hubs, many now seem to be 11 speed that come with a spacer for use with 8,9,10 speed - so no advantage in terms of less dish on the rear wheel.

I am certain some on the forum will reply they've stuck with 5,6,7,8 or 9 speed and that's very commendable. But I ask this question just in relation to the choice between 10 and 11. Thanks!
by jackt
14 Dec 2023, 9:46am
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Why are most bikes still derailleur?
Replies: 137
Views: 46007

Re: Why are most bikes still derailleur?

ThisWreckage wrote: 13 Dec 2023, 10:20am I'm looking to get a bike with less need for maintenance than my current one which has V-brakes and a derailleur, both of which I have always hated for their need for constant care and attention. That's partly my laziness but more that, no matter how I try, I am hopeless at it. I've looked at new bikes and maybe 98% of them have derailleurs. Why? Are hub gears and belt drives no better? I'd have thought by now they would be developed to be superior in most respects. The derailleur system of leaving the entire transmission to the mercies of the elements seems a very bad design. No motor vehicle has this, so why almost all bikes? There's a secret here, isn't there? Someone tell me!
As others have said, they're cheaper. And seem to be better supported by dealers than hub gear systems. At least in the UK. Hub gears and roller brakes are more common on utility bikes on the continent.

I was passing the hire centre at Loch Katrine earlier in the year and their fleet of Orb Zeppo bikes caught my eye. Belt drive, seven speed hub gears, hydraulic disc brakes. Fixtures for mudguards and a rack. 11kg. The people who ran the hire company said they liked them a lot. Orb are selling a few of the previous model on eBay for £725.

The Cube Travel and Hyde ranges are along similar lines. Various models, with different configurations. Available at discount, under £1000.

The Gazelle Esprit is a modern take on the classic Dutch style utility bike. Hub gear, chain drive but with full chain case, roller brakes, dynamo lights, rack, guards and a wheel lock. I think only 3 gears. Somewhat heavier at 16kg. A bit over £600.

Interesting that the utility market in the Netherlands is shifting towards e-bikes, which now account for over half all new bikes sold there. A small motor more than overcomes any weight penalty or theoretical hub gear efficiency losses.

In my experience V-brakes are fairly trouble free, maintenance wise. Deraileurs can be annoying, the problem usually seems to be to do with the indexing (friction shifting is an obvious solution) or failure to look after the chain, and so accelerated wear, and wear on the sprockets etc. Regular cleaning of rims and chain, and re-lubing of the chain, especially during bad weather, is a hassle I can do without. Chains and rim brakes seem to generate a lot of grime and dirt, especially in an all-seasons urban commuter setting, when you're more likely to be wearing clothes that you'd rather keep clean. If I were city commuting again I'd but a high premium on a bike that stays clean.
by jackt
25 Oct 2023, 6:39pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Carbon forks with mudguard clearance.
Replies: 9
Views: 1488

Re: Carbon forks with mudguard clearance.

Tifosi SR7 - seems widely available.

It says good for 23mm + guards but if it's the same fork that comes on the Tifosi CK7 bike it took 35mm SKS guards with ease and I managed to get a 40mm set in too, with a little fettling to get the guard as close to the fork crown as possible. So 28mm tyres were fine too.
by jackt
30 Aug 2023, 2:43pm
Forum: On the road
Topic: Paris-Brest-Paris
Replies: 49
Views: 14239

Re: Paris-Brest-Paris

pwa wrote: 26 Aug 2023, 2:55am
MrsHJ wrote: 24 Aug 2023, 9:03pm Not good especially the broken shoulder blade. Congratulations to Amy and Kyle. Jack Thurston completed so there’s at least one contributor here who did it. I remain untempted- it’s the lack of sleep that puts me off.

Does anyone know how @mattheus did? Or is that Matt?
Jack Thurston the author of cycling related books? I didn't know he did this sort of thing.
Ha! Well observed, I don't generally do this sort of thing. But a couple of old school friends and I rashly talked ourselves into having a go. (one of those WhatsApp group chats that rapidly escalates from 'how about meeting up to do an autumnal Welsh 200?' to 'yeah, let's do PBP the year after next!')

As we were all turning 50 in 2023 it seemed like a good idea to mark one landmark by taking part in another. The SR series required for qualification got us into reasonable shape and my plan was to ride to Brest reasonably briskly and arrive with enough time in hand to ride back a bit slower as I knew I'd be riding into the unknown, having only done a 600km once before, and had all kinds of fears of bad backs, sore knees, sore feet, to worry about.

In the end I felt pretty strong in the legs throughout and the aches and pains were minor - just sore palms of my hands and sit bones. What got me was the sleepiness - I was forced to take an emergency nap at 1.30am around 550km, half way up the big climb between Carhaix and Brest, and the next night I decided to have a shower and a proper 4 hour sleep in a bed. Plus two half-hour daytime cat naps just to reset and refresh, or digest after eating too much. Once I realised I had 'only 300km' to go and was still feeling good, I decided to get my head down and empty the tank - arriving back a few hours earlier than I had planned, at about 1am, and with no accommodation. This necessitated a rather squalid night in the back of the Berlingo before I was able to beg a spot on a friend's verandah for a proper nap.

On the face of it PBP goes against everything I like about cycling. It's way too far for a comfortable bike ride, there's constant time pressure and not enough time to stop to enjoy the places along the way. The sleep deprivation is real. But it's such an astonishing spectacle and a unique tradition to be a part of. What made it utterly unforgettable for me is the support and encouragement along the way - not just the big crowds at the controls like Villaines but the ones and twos by the roadside in the middle of nowhere, the kids offering to refill your water bottles, people cooking crepes in their front yards, and the constant echo of 'allez, courage, bravo' from what must have been tens of thousands of well-wishers. As cyclists we get used to feeling unloved - I've never felt so encouraged, cherished, and appreciated as over those three and half days.
by jackt
4 Jul 2023, 12:23pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Touring on the telly
Replies: 40
Views: 3739

Re: Touring on the telly

mjr wrote: 21 Jun 2023, 12:04pm
jackt wrote: 18 Jun 2023, 12:57pm Just a heads up that GCN+ is making my Slow Cycling series of documentaries from the paid subscription channel available [...]
Thanks. Will The Bike Show return one day, or has this replaced it?
It hasn't exactly replaced it but it became difficult to sustain TBS after moving away from London and so not having access to Resonance FM's radio studio and when it came down to it, it was an unpaid hobby project that cost me time and money to make, so wasn't sustainable sadly.
by jackt
18 Jun 2023, 7:57pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Touring on the telly
Replies: 40
Views: 3739

Re: Touring on the telly

MrsHJ wrote: 18 Jun 2023, 7:39pm
I have a bug bear with all these cycling programmes- they never seem to wear gloves so either they hsve hands like leather or they’re not really cycling it- wondering which it is?!
I never wear gloves unless it's cold. In the Yorkshire Dales one with Ned I was wearing a pair of Dachstein boiled wool mitts, as worn by Clint Eastwood in The Eiger Sanction. Ultimate winter warmers!
by jackt
18 Jun 2023, 12:57pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Touring on the telly
Replies: 40
Views: 3739

Re: Touring on the telly

Just a heads up that GCN+ is making my Slow Cycling series of documentaries from the paid subscription channel available for CUK members to watch for free over June and July, they're putting out an episode every fortnight I think:

https://www.cyclinguk.org/member-benefi ... ave-20-gcn

also here:

https://welcome.globalcyclingnetwork.co ... ow-cycling
by jackt
14 Jun 2023, 11:58am
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Building bikes to last - feature for Cycle magazine
Replies: 205
Views: 11259

Re: Building bikes to last - feature for Cycle magazine

Worth looking at the Imagine Project by Islabikes. Was a valiant attempt to bring circular economy thinking to the bike trade. They looked hard at a bike design that would be long lasting or everlasting even - ie measured in decades not years.

https://www.islabikes.co.uk/pages/imagine-project
by jackt
13 Jun 2023, 7:46pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Shimergo - latest news
Replies: 109
Views: 27908

Re: Shimergo - latest news

Thanks all for the replies, esp CJ, very informative.

I’ve ordered some Campagnolo made cables (the previous were Lifeline) and will see what happens.
by jackt
13 Jun 2023, 2:08pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Shimergo - latest news
Replies: 109
Views: 27908

Re: Shimergo - latest news

iandusud wrote: 13 Jun 2023, 1:56pm
jackt wrote: 13 Jun 2023, 11:42am
iandusud wrote: 13 Jun 2023, 11:18am I can't comment on Campag Ergos and cable wear. However I can say with authority that not all cables are equal. Brifters are hard on gear cables and I have found that good quality coated cable not only give better shifting but last MUCH longer. The other thing I can say is that the Tiagra 4700 series shifters and gears are the best Shimano STIs that I've used, i.e. better than 10 speed 105 and Ultegra which I have on other bikes.
Slight hesitation about swapping to 4700 is that they may not have the correct brake pull for the brake calipers (the old Super SLR / NSSLR issue - viewtopic.php?t=141578 ) though the brake blocks are near the bottom of the slots so maybe not a problem.
What brakes are you using?
Tektro R737
by jackt
13 Jun 2023, 11:42am
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Shimergo - latest news
Replies: 109
Views: 27908

Re: Shimergo - latest news

iandusud wrote: 13 Jun 2023, 11:18am I can't comment on Campag Ergos and cable wear. However I can say with authority that not all cables are equal. Brifters are hard on gear cables and I have found that good quality coated cable not only give better shifting but last MUCH longer. The other thing I can say is that the Tiagra 4700 series shifters and gears are the best Shimano STIs that I've used, i.e. better than 10 speed 105 and Ultegra which I have on other bikes.
Slight hesitation about swapping to 4700 is that they may not have the correct brake pull for the brake calipers (the old Super SLR / NSSLR issue - viewtopic.php?t=141578 ) though the brake blocks are near the bottom of the slots so maybe not a problem.
by jackt
13 Jun 2023, 11:26am
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Shimergo - latest news
Replies: 109
Views: 27908

Re: Shimergo - latest news

mattheus wrote: 13 Jun 2023, 11:22am
jackt wrote: 13 Jun 2023, 11:01am Was I just unlucky with the cable, or is there perhaps an issue with the force required to move the GRX rear mech being different from a Campag rear mech, and this somehow contributing? Or could there be some other cause?
I dont know - but I would think if the force was sufficiently different to stress your cable, you would notice it as a user, in your hand.
(until someone knowledgeable comes along, I'm suspecting a rogue cable, or - whispers - fitting error?!? )
Could well be a fitting error (mine). Is there a correct procedure to follow?

I do notice that the shifting isn't as light as it is on other bikes I've ridden. And initially I had a Shimano front mech, and couldn't get it to work smoothly and accurately. Switching to a Campag front mech solved the problem instantly.