Cycling UK Forum

The NuVinci N360 CVT IGH doesn't appear to need servicing and you can change gear irrespective of whether you are pedaling or not unlike most IGHs. I think it would be a good choice in a commuter.

Well, I got round to removing and lubing the brake cables, they were rather dry. On re-installing the rear I noticed that the caliper wasn't centred. I can believe that was affecting the braking. Will update after I've ridden it a bit. In the meantime I've a shorter stem to put on ...

Width obviously matters. I could not get on with the current Brompton unisex saddle - too wide for me. I had a Brooks B17 but found I prefer the SDG Bel Air RL. I bought a steel railed version of this (i.e. not cro-mo or titanium) from Wnstanleys earlier this year for about £25.

When it becomes less than zero. Lots of folders have no "stem" and I have a stem of around 30mm on my drop bar Raleigh - no twitchiness.

I've been putting a few drops of chain lube on new cables for quite a while now - Finish Line wet lube.

It's a fine looking trike. Have to say I'm tempted by the Kett having had a few tadpoles. Just fancy something different I guess. With the advent of 10 speed 11-36 cassettes I would like to try that in combination with a Schlumpf Mountain Drive, not sure if an 11-36 cassette is compatible with a medium cage rear derailleur though, and I guess a long cage would be in danger of getting knocked.

Pashley Sovereign or Paper Bicycle perhaps?

LOL. I would certainly work through the options if I was keeping it. I might have a go at lubricating the cables anyway though I've yet to work on STI brake levers. They don't seem at all sticky but it wouldn't do any harm to try.

I've been thinking about selling for a month or more. I had a short ride on Saturday and it didn't feel right. I put it and my Raleigh next to each other to compare and the bars, bottom brackets and seats are all pretty similar but not quite the same. The killer isn't the brakes, it's the steeper seat tube. I can put the seat back a bit more and get a shorter stem but it doesn't seem right. I have to face the truth that I'm happier with a touring geometry and wider tyres.

I have a solution on my Raleigh: drops woth full size V-brakes and the Tektro RL520 levers. But gear changing is by means of bar ends. I thinks it's safer to have powerful brakes to hand than gear shifters to hand.

I'm selling because I prefer a touring geometry to an audax geometry. This is my first audax/road bike and like many I've decided I want wider tyres, longer chain stays, slower steering, lower BB (although the Thorn's BB is not a high one). It's also my first bike with brifters. Love being able to change gear without moving hands but not been sold on the braking performance - for me.

I was wrong about the calipers, they're not RX100 - they are BR-450. And the brifters are ST-4503. Sounds like they match.

I think the key thing for me is that I can pull hard in the drops, but not so hard from the hoods. I've cleaned up the rims today (and the rest of the bike) so maybe that will help. I'm sure I could tweak the angle of the bars, and I think I would benefit from a shorter stem. I feel like I'm stetching slightly more than I would like.

But after all that I've decided to sell. I think I'm more comfortable with a touring geometry than with an Audax geometry and my 1999 Raleigh Pioneer converted to drops just seems to fit me better.

They are ST-4503 9-speed Tiagra.

I like to have my hands in-line with my body. A transverse grip tends to aggravate tennis elbow. And I want the brake levers to hand, so on the hoods feels good if I can get adequate braking performance.

The bike was built maybe 18 months ago by Thorn with 9-speed Tiagra. I bought it a year ago but it was a showroom model, so probably built a few months earlier.

It sounds like non-aero brake levers and bar end shifters might offer some improvement. And different shoes or pads if anyone has recommendations I'll take a close look at rim/shoe clearance however I've never notice anything that seemed odd or unusual.

I was thinking in terms of changing to non-STI levers and bar ends, but maybe I could just use the STIs on the bull bars.

with dual pivot callipers. This is on a standard Thorn Audax Mk 3. Tiagra STIs and Shimano (RX100?) dual-pivot callipers. I would hate to have to do an emergency stop, the braking just does not seem powerful enough. I can pull harder on the levers from the drops, but I never ride on the drops.

The contrast is with a Raleigh hybrid which I converted to drops, still using full size V-brakes and the Tektro RL520 levers. The braking from the hoods is way way better.

I guess I could ditch the STIs on the Thorn and fit bull bars with standard road levers. I could then get a full grip on the levers from a position akin to riding on the hoods. Does that sound viable?