Cycling UK Forum

Gattonero wrote:The 7 speed freehub won't take the 8 speed cassette (is shorter).
The Ergopower levers will be ok with most cantilever brakes.
But I do not like the mix&match of shifters/derailleurs so cannot answer on that. I would use bar-ends shifers that can work in friction mode, so whatever is the RD you will be ok with, and use a 7 speed cassette on the existing freehub body. Given the low price of bar-ends, it's the easiest solution IMO

Thanks, thought I'd need the 8-speed hub.
My gravel/ tourer has 10-speed ergos and 8-speed shimano which works well so I've no problems on that score. Just need to see whether the derailleur is compatible. My wife is a recent convert to cycling, loves the ergos and has campag on her road bike so I'm trying to keep everything the same and as she likes it!

Hi. I'm working on converting an old mountain bike to a touring/ gravel bike with drop bars for my wife for the winter. The bike is a 7-speed with Shimano LX hubs and a LX RD-M550 derailleur. I want to use some Campag Ergo levers which I know will work with Shimano 8-speed but I have a couple of questions as to whether the RD-M55 would take the correct cable pull and if it is possible to put an 8-speed cassette on the 7-speed hub.
Thanks in advance for all advice. The bike has cantilever brakes so I'm hoping that they will be ok with the ergo levers

Looks like the concensus is that cork is as good as any. I tried the gel pads one time but, despite my big hands, found it too thick. Guess I'll stick to standard cork & save a few bob!

Just redone the bars on my wife's bike with normal cork tape. As I was looking online I saw a load of fancy (prices) tapes from Supacaz & Lizard Skins. Anyone used any of these? are they much, if any, better than cork? I couldn't find much in the way of reviews and I have a mistrust of bike magazine reviews anyway. Anyone have direct experience?

PenrithKid wrote:Ok so i realized that i did not enter the link to the website here is is

http://www.lightinthebox.com/realtoo-cy ... rm=1.3.3.0

Also thanks for all the reply's I am considering all your advice and ideas

I'd be careful ordering from that website. In my experience, the goods are delivered from China, can take a long time to arrive, can be subject to import duty & VAT and the sizing may be "strange"

Hi,

maybe if you link to the website we could give you some better advice? In general, decent cycling shorts are the most important bit of kit.

I've been using Magura rim brakes for the last 5 years or so on my commuter: a VSF T-600 so here are my comments:

- Modulation and stopping power are very good
- I have no boosters fitted nor do I think they are necessary
- Changing pads is very easy as is adjusting the clearance
- Removing the brake via the QR to change a wheel is fairly easy if not as easy as with V-brakes or DP
- I've only done a few real hills but had no problem with heating or boiling. Having seen the number of fully laden German tourists who use them I'm sure boiling of fluid is not a problem
- I've had to bleed the front brake twice so far in around 15k km of riding
- You would have to manhandle the bike pretty badly to damage the cables

These brakes, and the VSF bikes are very popular in Germany. The bikes are solid, well made and specced and pretty good value with the only downside that they are a on the heavy side. I think that hydraulic rim brakes have never taken off in the UK as the levers for drops were never available

To summarise, whilst I can understand concerns that you can't easily fix things on the hydraulics if they go wrong, these are a very good brake and I would see them as a positive for a bike although I don't think I'd go so far as to spend the money to change a decent set of canti's or V-brakes for them. I've used pretty much every type of brake between the 70's and now (apart from drum brakes) so I have a bit of experience.

Thanks for the responses. I'll put a little more thought into it. The weather seems to be slowly improving so no great hurry as I'm on my summer bike

hamster wrote:If the transmission is slipping then it is usually the cassette - fewer teeth means they wear faster. Check that first.

There is no dimensional difference between 9 and 8 speed chainsets or rings. TA rings are nicer machined than Shimano, and last far longer than Shimano's aluminium offerings. Some of the the lower (like Acera) Shimano chainsets use stamped steel rings - they last a long time but are crudely finished and weigh as much as a boat anchor.

Personally I think TA are the finest rings that money can buy.

I must say I'm tending towards the TA rings as I think they would look better on the bike, so your comments are most welcome. Actually the rings look more worn than the cassette but I've no idea what, if any, maintenance was done on the bike by the previous owner(s) so the cassette could be relatively new. A new cassette is only €13 so I'll put one on with a new chain in any case. Thought I may as well do the whole thing at once along with the BB. Despite the weather I'm using my summer bike so time for winter bike maintenance

Hi,

Last year I bought an mid 90's trekking bike very cheaply and converted it to drop handlebars and Shimergo. Over the winter I've been happily riding but have a few issues with noises from the bottom bracket and sometimes slipping with the transmission. Replacing the BB would be staightforward but it looks like I also need replacement rings which are going to cost around €80 (TA) .
I've currently got a LX M563 crankset with 58/ 94 BCD rings (22,32,42). Looking online I can get a complete Deore 9-speed chainset for around €60 and, at the cheaper end, 8-speed Acera for €30.

My questions are:

- Would I notice any difference in quality between the TA rings and the Acera chainset?
- Can I use a 9-speed chainset on an 8-speed setup and, if so, which chain would be best (8/ 9-speed)?

I'm planning on replacing the chain and cassette of course and leaving the gearing with the current 11 - 28 cassette.

Any other suggestions for upgrade are welcome - I've got older chorus 10-speed levers (pre-2006) fitted which work directly with the XT derailleur. I'd prefer to keep the original crankset but object to paying more for chainrings than it costs for a complete chainset!

BigFoz wrote:

You don't have to use a Campag' chainset - any 10 speed make will work.

Wash your mouth out!

Seriously, I run a variety of Campag Triples, mixing 8 / 9 / 10 speed kit without issue. The Campag 53/39/30 triple combination is very attractive, gives a good range of gears and the 30tooth gets you over Scottish hills, while still retaining "standard" road gearing as well, making transition back to the double equipped bikes easier for racing. Also, if your Bianchi has a 111mm BB axle (standard Centaur / veloce / Mirage / Daytona etc double) then a nice triple (Comp Triple, Racing Triple, Chorus or Record) will go straight on - I have 2 running like that without issue. You should be able to source a reasonable Triple Campag chainset for <£50 off eBay. (I've sourced a Record 10, a Comp Triple, a racing T, and a Veloce for that money off eBay in the last 3 years. Set up an alert and bid your limit and no more)

However, the option of swapping the kit from the Bob Jackson (unless you still need access to the older bike) is still a valid and likely the cheapest option.

Wasn't really a choice - Have to keep a Bianchi Italian . 30€ for the used chainset, €80 for new derailleur. I already had the cassette & chain as spare...

...and a picture tells a thousand words

Thanks for the responses. I'll have a think and post my result in a couple of weeks when I've put something together. Keep the suggestions coming though if there are any more good ideas

cycleruk wrote:Some points -
You don't have to use a Campag' chainset - any 10 speed make will work.
You will need a triple front mech'.
You will also probably need a new left hand (triple) changer.
As you say you will need a new longer cage rear mech'.

An option would be to use a "compact" chainset (50/34 or less) with the 13/29 cassette. This would possibly still allow using your existing mech's and shifters?

Option 2 -
Swap the parts over from Bob Jackson and vice-versa.

I'm hoping that the left shifter will be OK for a triple. The older Campag shifters could be used for both. I think I've got a spare front mech in my collection too.
Do you have any recommendations for a 10-speed chainset?

I'd rather leave the Bob Jackson alone to use as a winter bike as the Bianchi has no fittings for guards.

My son has grown out of his Bianchi and my wife is looking at it longingly .
Problem is that we are living in a fairly hilly area and the Bianchi currently has a standard road double 53 - 39 with a 12 - 25 rear cassette. She's currently riding a Bob Jackson tourer with a Tiagra road triple and 9-speed MTB cassette with 34t bottom gear so used to low gears. I've got a Campag 10 - speed setup with triple and 13 - 29 which I find ok for the area and something similar should work for her. I've got a spare 13 - 29 Campag rear cassette but will need to fit a triple on the front along with new rear derailleur - don't know whether the front will be ok. Prices on t'internet are fairly extortionate for the parts (looking at around 150 - 200 Euros) and I was wondering if there were any other suggestions for chainsets or conversion possibilities which would be cheaper/ better.

I've got On One Gravel Roads fitted to one of my bikes. They're surprisingly good on road and pretty good off and feel much more comfortable than the marathon racers on my commuter