Cycling UK Forum

Sorry, Mick F , but I value my time too much to muck about with a cheap disposable item like a chain. I use a dryish lube called Pro link , which doesn't pick up too much muck. I never clean a chain, I just bin it when the wear gauge says so. I generally replace the cassette when the rim has worn through, I can see the teeth are wearing by then although a new chain will not skip. Pro link also displaces water, so if I use it after a wet ride the chain doesn't rust as much.
Just another point of view.

MikewsMITH2 wrote:

MBK is a bit off its patch in Dorset!

France is less than 60 miles from here! I've seen a few locally there was a dealer in Kinson pushing them - Mike Humphries

That's as maybe, but MBK were in Harrogate, North Yorkshire. K was Ron Kitching, B was Sid Barras, well- known locally as cyclist, frame builder and shop owner. Can't remember who M was, I'm afraid , my apologies to his friends and family, I'm sure I will be put right soon. Premises were a disused chapel on Skipton road as I recall.

OOOOHH my memory!! M is Wes Mason, cyclist, frame bulider. Sid bought the shop from Wes. But now who is B? Not Sid I'm fairly sure. Now I must apologise to everybody!

Audax or sportive bikes are for fast riding and will more or less restrict you to tarmac. A tourer will cope with bridlepaths and have lower gears, more relaxed handling and a more relaxed riding position - you don't have to be away for months.

You can re-shape the leather by saturating it with water, fixing in shape and letting it slowly dry. After all, that's how it got out of shape! The hard bit is fixing it in shape. I did a B17 narrow by wrapping a ratchet strap round it and cranking it up tight. Ratchet strap from Halfords for fixing stuff to roof racks- the toe straps big brother!

Yeah, congratulations!!
Trailer first, then childseat, then tandem with kiddiecranks. They get bloody cold in childseats, snowsuits in June! Me, I'm not yet a grandad. To tow the trailer/ take the childseat I think you want a MTB that takes all the un-fashionable stuff......mudguards, carrier, like that MBK . You want stable steering too, they lurch about! MBK is a bit off its patch in Dorset!

CHODAK
If only ramped and pinned rings work, how did we all get by before they were made that way? Getting only 2 of 3 chainring is the classic sign that you are not getting the full "throw" ie. movement out of your front mech. There are many causes - something loose / something binding / cable not lubed / cable the wrong side of the pinch bolt / cable outer or ferrule damaged / cage not aligned with the chain fore and aft / cage too high above big chainring . Assuming mechs. and shifters are matched ie. Shimano road bits both ends, are you sure you are using them to best advantage ? what about the "half click" somebody mentioned earlier? There have been lots of posts about chain wear, but I for one don't think your problem of not getting all 3 rings is a chain or a chainring problem, I think its a front mech. problem. SHOW OF HANDS ???

The way to find out if washers do anything is to lace half the hub circumference with washers and half without , and see which spokes fatigue. Only its no good me doing it ,I can't remember when I last broke a spoke (that'll be the rough - stuff grinding the rims away) . I would be interested also in doing the same test with plain and butted spokes...endless questions beckon!

What reohn2 said, except I hear murmerings about reliability of XT since they changed to a tubular axle . the axle must be bigger and stiffer, but then the mechanical
parts are smaller to fit inside the same size hub and take the same size cassette?

NEW EDIT
If you want spokes with 13g (2.3mm) heads, look at SAPIM. They do 13g heads down to 14g (sapim "strong") and 13g heads to 16g shaft to 14g nipple end (sapim "force") the latter, bewilderingly only available for 26 inch wheels, when they would be much more use for lightweight 700c rims.

What we call chain stretch is actually wear in the chain pivots. You seem to be wearing out a lot of chains on the audax bike - what lube are you using? Somebody already said not getting all 3 chainrings is more likely to be front mech. adjustment than a chain problem. I guess a different chain could be enough to make a difference to the adjustment ? .
Exactly what setup are you using on the bikes in terms of chainring sizes, shifters, front mechs.? I am a dinosaur still using downtube shifters, but somebody will be able to spot potential compatibility problems.
Happy new year to all cyclists, I see I'm not the only one on this forum new years eve / new years day !!!!!!

I would go for a quality threadless unit, such as Stronglight or Mavic. They may require the bracket shell to be re-faced, but that would be cheaper and less damaging to the frame than the procedure you describe.

Your Sardar has machine built wheels. See the recent post "wheel building question" or similar title to see how much trouble wheelbuilders go to, to make durable wheels. You need to get your rear wheel hand built with 13/14 gauge single butted spokes on the drive side and 14/16 gauge double butted spokes the other side, ideally with a Rigida Sputnik or similar rim. Front wheels are non critical.

"Directionality" for trailer wheels? Is it American by any chance? Makes as much sense to me as direction arrows on tyres!

It's so much easier with a tension meter. You can find the tight spoke and then "share out " it's over-tension between it's neighbours on the same side. Or the loose spoke, and beg some tension from its neighbours. I suppose if you have perfect pitch you could do this anyway, but as I'm tone deaf I don't know. If the tensions are closely
matched a wheel stays true, assuming it's tight and stress-relieved.

NEW EDIT
There is a huge difference between building the odd wheel for yourself / your mates and sending them out mail order. In one case you can just touch them up if they go off a bit!

Do you really mean a trailer bike to take 2 kids ? It sounds absolutely lethal. A few years ago Dawes made a relatively cheap triplet, they must still be around gathering dust in sheds. I have only just given away my old tandem I used to take my kids out on. I have never done it but you might be able to attach a trailer bike to a tandem. At least then the biggest bit of the combination would be all in one piece. The tandem club is the place to go for tandem related information, unless somebody knows different!

I think you just have to experiment until you get comfortable. My left foot points straight forwards, my right heel is turned out. Somebody already said ball of foot over pedal spindle is the place to start. I have to faff about for days with new shoes to get them to feel just right - sorry, I mean just like the others!