Cycling

[RoadKing]

Greyhound, you are in my neck of the woods more or less. You're right about strava's power numbers. they only take into consideration grade, weight and speed. wind speed/direction, drag coefficient and group riding throw off these numbers big time.

Here is my ride from yesterday:

http://app.strava.com/activities/70167954

Nice ride!! You definitely earned a few (quite a few) cold ones!!

 

[Beernik]

I must officially be a nutcase now for hauling my bike 500 miles so I can ride it first thing in the morning while I'm on vacation. If the link works, here's my ride before the family woke up.

http://cyclemeter.com/c6ab15494f5c3e79/Cycle-20130802-0755?r=s

If it doesn't work, it was 2.3 miles each way with 500 feet of elevation gain.

I was getting frustrated with my performance going up. It wasn't until coming down and barely peddling at all that I realized how steep it was.

 

[BrewerBear]

The link is working. I would take a bike with me on vacation too,if it was a vacation I was able to.

 

[Beernik]

Thought I'd revive this thread instead of starting a new one.

I'm pulling my old Bianchi out of storage tomorrow. It hasn't been ridden for about 25 years. So I figure I probably need to apply some chain and gear lube before I start riding it.

While my brother is an avid cyclist, he's not much help in the DIY department. What would be some good gear and chain lube for me to get?

 

[RoadKing]

Personally I like the Rock N Roll gold. It keeps the chain clean and lubed. This is it
25 years?? Bike technology and geometry has changed ALOT since then.
Ya might even find parts hard to find.

 

[Greyhound]

Thought I'd revive this thread instead of starting a new one.

I'm pulling my old Bianchi out of storage tomorrow. It hasn't been ridden for about 25 years. So I figure I probably need to apply some chain and gear lube before I start riding it.

While my brother is an avid cyclist, he's not much help in the DIY department. What would be some good gear and chain lube for me to get?

Use some cycling-specific lube. There are lots of good ones out there. I'd just go to your nearest bike shop and ask what they recommend. Be prepared for them to recommend a complete tune-up, though (time & money). You should definitely check the tires for cracking before riding. If you have the tools and know-how, you'll probably want to repack the bearings (hubs, headset, bottom bracket). If not, this would be part of the major tune-up that your shop is going to recommend.

 

[JonM]

Check the chain for stretch too. Might be best to just put a new chain on there, which isn't too much $.

 

[LabRatBrewer]

Id get new tires, tubes, chain...and check cables.

 

[kenmcchord]

Use some cycling-specific lube. There are lots of good ones out there. I'd just go to your nearest bike shop and ask what they recommend. Be prepared for them to recommend a complete tune-up, though (time & money). You should definitely check the tires for cracking before riding. If you have the tools and know-how, you'll probably want to repack the bearings (hubs, headset, bottom bracket). If not, this would be part of the major tune-up that your shop is going to recommend.

+1

If you've got the scratch I'll be worth the expense to have this tune up done. There is way more than chain lube that needs attention on a 25+ year old bike. I ride a lot, and I maintain my own bikes. You could have issues in the headset, bottom bracket, brake issues not to mention the tires, chain and lube.

Considering it's your life and body on the line here I would say it's probably worth the expense.

 

[Beernik]

Thanks for the advice.

It looks like I'm picking it up Wednesday now. Mostly I want an alternate for my Cannondale if it decides to develop a spongy rear break (like Thursday) or a flat tire (like today).

Besides, while I like that I can beat the hell out of the Cannondale and nothing really hurts it, it sucks on those long hills. Sometimes I'd like to ride something lighter.

If I can get it on good working order on my own, I'll try it out on some flats before I take it down the hill I live at the top of. If I can't, next month when my wife asks me what I want for my birthday, I'll tell her I want the tune up.

EDIT: I just watched a couple videos on overhauling a bottom bracket. That's a lot of specialty tools to buy. I think I'll pay the bike shop to do that for me.

 

[Beernik]

Almost everything looks like it is still in great condition. Most of the prep work is going to be in lubricating and minor adjustments.

Tires hold pressure. Gears shift. Breaks work. Hubs, bottom bracket, and head set are not grimmed up and turn without resistance.

The one exception: it has a broken spoke on the rear wheel. So I'll need to replace it and true the wheel first. Then I can start working on everything else.

It will take me a while to get used to the body position for this type of bike instead of the more heads-up position of a mountain bike.

I'm guessing the 7.A stamp on the frame means manufactured in 1987. That sounds about right since I moved from Germany to Utah in 1988 and I had it for about a year or two before the move.

 

[JonM]

Re: the body position, it might be worthwhile to have a professional fitting. For years, I rode with a DIY fitting and I never understood why it was so easy for others to use their hands to wave, signal, etc. Then I got a professional fitting and I was so much more comfortable - no more numbness in the fingers, easy to let go of the bars to signal, and much more comfortable for the back and sitter.

 

[Beernik]

It more not having rode a bike with drop handle bars for 20 years.

I called the bike shop about the spoke and truing the wheel. It's $20 for the spoke and wheel or $50 for a tuneup, which includes the truing plus about $10 for the spoke. So I think I'll just pay the $60 and have it all done.

It may need a new rear inner tube too. It didn't hold pressure over a couple days nearly as well as the front.

In other news, I figured out a little 5 mile circuit I can ride in 30 minutes while my daughter is at tumbling class. So I did that this morning. It was good. It would have been better if they hadn't decided to grind the asphalt off the road today.

 

[Beernik]

Just got her back from the shop today. I think I'll have to retape the handlebars before too long.

Now that I can ride it, I can tell that the frame fits me a little bit better than the Cannondale I've been riding does.

 

[psubrewer]

That's a beautiful bike!

Classic steel frame that will ride smooth and fast(depending on the engine ). I might lose the wheel reflectors....but that's just me.

 

[Beernik]

Thanks!

I'm leaving the reflectors on. I know they aren't stylish, but I live on the east slope of a mountain range. I've been known to misjudge nightfall because I can't see the sunsetting and ended up riding 30 minutes in the dark.

I just took it out for a quick spin: 5.5 miles, 400 feet of elevation. Only took 26 minutes. I shouldn't have because now I don't have an excuse for not doing it every night.

It's quick and fun. Although, I kind of wish the crankset had a third gear.

I need to adjust the saddle towards the back and point it a little more down.

It requires a lot more breaking distance than my mountain bike. The breaks engage but they aren't as "grippy" as I'm used to. Should I take it back for adjusting or is that how road bikes are supposed to be?

 

[JonM]

Steel frames are awesome - solid as heck.

How are your tires? (I don't remember if it was mentioned earlier in the thread) Your braking distance might be because of worn tires. If they're slippy now, they'll be a beeyatch when rainy out. If the tires are good, you can probably adjust the tension on the braking cables.

Remember: Rear brakes are to scrub speed. Front brakes are to stop. (But throw your @ss back over the rear tire if you have to do an emergency stop on a downhill!)

 

[Beernik]

Both breaks feel like they have been adjusted to scrub speed.

I started looking them over. They adjusted the breaks with the quick release levers open instead of closed. If I try to close the quick releases, they clamp the wheels in place.

The wheels should still spin when they are closed.

I'm taking it back.

 

[RoadKing]

Are they new brake pads? If they're old the could have become hard. Also clean the braking surface of the rim, try simple green (or another mild solvent), then wipe 'em off with alcohol to get rid of residual solvent.

 

[broadbill]

Thanks!

I'm leaving the reflectors on. I know they aren't stylish, but I live on the east slope of a mountain range. I've been known to misjudge nightfall because I can't see the sunsetting and ended up riding 30 minutes in the dark.

I just took it out for a quick spin: 5.5 miles, 400 feet of elevation. Only took 26 minutes. I shouldn't have because now I don't have an excuse for not doing it every night.

It's quick and fun. Although, I kind of wish the crankset had a third gear.

I need to adjust the saddle towards the back and point it a little more down.

It requires a lot more breaking distance than my mountain bike. The breaks engage but they aren't as "grippy" as I'm used to. Should I take it back for adjusting or is that how road bikes are supposed to be?

those reflectors don't do much when the traffic is approaching you from the front or the back...that is why most people get rid of them. I don't like reflectors in general; by the time the light hits them the car is already too close to me .

LED blink lights are the way to go if you are finding yourself in the dark.

 

[kenmcchord]

those reflectors don't do much when the traffic is approaching you from the front or the back...that is why most people get rid of them. I don't like reflectors in general; by the time the light hits them the car is already too close to me .

LED blink lights are the way to go if you are finding yourself in the dark.

I completely agree with broadbill. The reflectors may be good in limited situations but I would not rely on those solely to be seen. I ride the hills of west Philadelphia which are heavily traveled and quite congested. I use the blackburn flea usb front and rear lights, both set to flashing. They can almost blind you if you stare at them from a close distance, and my wife told me she could see me at dusk from about 1/2 a mile away.

There are certain investments I consider essential when biking, specifically a good quality helmet, lights and routine bike maintenance. Once those are taken care of this can be relatively cheap (okay...maybe better said affordable) hobby/exercise program.

Here's a link to those lights I mentioned.

Blackburn Flea USB front headlight

Blackburn Flea USB rear taillight

 

[Beernik]

I have a tail light on it. The rail light is bright and I like it. I can set it to flash or be solid red.

I do have a headlight, but I didn't put it on. I was thinking if I head out late enough that dark could be a problem, I'll wear a hiking headlamp under my helmet. I do need to check that I can wear it comfortably and securely that way. If I can't, I'll buy a new headlight because I don't like the one I have.

I do have some concerns with visibility from the side. There are four roads that I cross or ride that have 50 - 60mph speed limits. And since it's BFE, when traffic is light everyone drives +60mph. I suppose it would get annoying if the reflectors pop loose and start rattling. So maybe I'll look at replace the reflectors with some spoke reflector clips.

 

[Microscopist]

Just got hit on the way home - barely thankfully, bleedin' idiot pulled without looking as I was turning right. I'm grateful for the nice constable that was cycling past and intervened in the resulting argument, made sure I was ok and didn't mind the several C's and F's that I launched at the rather aggressive driver. She even walked half a mile with me whilst I calmed down, wish I'd got her badge number - they don't often get positive feedback.

 

[Beernik]

Microscopist, I'm glad you are safe. That's the main reason I stopped cycling in the late 90s. Every time I went out, I almost got hit.

I got home tonight. Found an excuse to grill so I could work on the bike in the driveway while dinner was cooking.

I wiped down the rims and breaks pads with a shop towel. I rode it around the driveway and it worked a lot better.

Then I noticed the front breaks weren't centered and caught the rim after a couple stops. So I fiddled around with them for a bit and kept testing it. I got them feeling right by the time the burgers were done.

I may not get to road test them until the weekend.

Since they are feeling good now, I think I'll skip taking it back because of the quick releases. I'll have them fix it at the next tuneup.

 

[Airplanedoc]

I picked up my front wheel from the bike shop yesterday. Last week when cleaning I noticed that the front wheel had a tick in it when rotating. Turns out that one side the bearing had 8 balls in it the other side had 10. It apparently has 10 in both sides now and fresh grease.

 

[BrewerBear]

I do have some concerns with visibility from the side. There are four roads that I cross or ride that have 50 - 60mph speed limits. And since it's BFE, when traffic is light everyone drives +60mph. I suppose it would get annoying if the reflectors pop loose and start rattling. So maybe I'll look at replace the reflectors with some spoke reflector clips.

You can also wear a reflective vest like construction workers wear.

 

[Beernik]

A few years ago I bought a bright orange shirt to wear under my construction vest when I'm doing inspections. That's the shirt I usually wear when I ride.

 

[Beernik]

Here's the pasty where everyone can say they told me so. I only replaced the front tube because the back tube still held air fine.

It blew out 1.1 miles into my ride today.

Had to do the walk of shame back home.

But this is exactly why I wanted two functioning bikes. Going to eat lunch and head out again on the mountain bike.

EDIT: set a new distance record for myself: 23.6 miles, 24.7 if you count the ride before the blowout. That also means I broke 100 miles for the year.

 

[RoadKing]

I use Tubeless rims/tires and haven't had a flat in years (I've limped home with 50lbs. in the rear tire a few times), but I still wouldn't leave without a spare tube and a way to inflate it.

 

[JonM]

Bring your front rim inside, turn the baseball game on, and practice taking the tire off, removing the tube, replacing the tube, and reseating the tire, and repeat. Grab a couple extra tubes because while practicing because (if you're like me) you'll pinch a couple and poke a couple with the levers.