That worries me a bit because I was planning on using it for night mountain bike riding. Eh, for the price, it's hard not to give it a shot at least. My plan is to get one with a helmet mount and then one on my bars with a diffuser which I hope will be enough. Never done night riding before so I may be going overkill.

1/15/2014 10:37:06 AM

it comes with 2 bands one smaller than the other. if your handle bars are wider like most new ones are it may fit a lot more snug than it does on my steel bars on the Cannondale.

also, it did ship with a head lamp adapter with headband. maybe you can fab it to your helmet.

1/15/2014 10:56:02 AM

Pro-tip: mount the light under the handlebar. Gravity won't help the bumps tilt it down.

Also, there are a few generic mounts out there. I picked up one (from deal extreme, I think) when I got my cheapo light. It had a u-shaped slot on one side with a screw to tighten it to the handlebar, and an identical u-shaped slot on the other, rotated 90 degrees, for whatever cylindrical object you wished to mount to your handlebar.

1/15/2014 7:52:56 PM

I just learned that the trainer specific tire makes a huge difference

1/15/2014 8:48:55 PM

How hard would it be to switch out tiagra shifters on one bike with sora on the other assuming at least the number of chain rings are different, 2 and 3 respectively. Is this even feasible or DIYable?

1/16/2014 4:16:40 PM

Some introductory assumptions. You are moving the shifter on the handlebar, not the derailer. Both bikes are road bikes. Are you wanting both bikes to function afterwards? Here's some answers that randomly address all of these.

If you move deraillers, there _may_ be shifting-precision issues, the triple is shaped a bit different. You will need to adjust the limit screws. If you do not change the derailer or chainring, _Do Not_ change the limit screws. Derailers also have mounting (clamp on? - seat post diameter) and cable orientation (top pull, bottom pull) compatibility issues you'll need to check.

If you move shifters... it depends. Apparently Shimano has made some of the newer shifters (mid 2000's) compatible with both. Otherwise, a double shifter may have a hard time shifting a triple. A triple can always shift a double. You'll need to do some adjustments to get the shifting right, I recommend using the outer two shift points for the two rings remaining. This way, the un-used shift point, if inadvertantly shifted into, will just let some more cable slack out. If it were the other way around, then attempting to shift into an un-used bigger ring would pull on the cable, forcing the limit screw to push against you so as to not shift the chain off the ring and making the cable hold the extra tension.

Things to keep in mind:
You probably can't pull the cable out of the shifter without pulling it out of all the housing. You'll need to cut the crimp off the end of the cable, and then re-thread it though all the new housing. This is a good time to consider putting a new cable in if you haven't before, and a good time to inspect housing (rust inside on the cable?) and replacing as needed (or buy a roll so it's cheap, and replace all of them). I strongly recommend getting a new cable end to make the final product look like you know what you are doing and to keep the cable from fraying.

Don't change the limit screws if you didn't change the derailer. Use cable tension and the barrel adjusters to change the shift points.

If you have brifters - combined brakes and shifters, you may be able to remove the brake cable from the levers without pulling the whole cable out. Take a look at how it's attached, and find a how-to vid if it's confusing.

1/18/2014 7:07:26 PM

wow thanks for the response. apparently the compact chain rings came out around that time and she caught the newer stuff while i got the older stuff. i guess i could switch it all out but im just gonna live with it.



[Edited on January 21, 2014 at 11:18 AM. Reason : .]

[Edited on January 21, 2014 at 11:18 AM. Reason : .]

1/21/2014 10:54:45 AM

I don't have a compact, I have a standard double, but I'd change to a compact if I had the opportunity to replace the crankset. I have had need to get a slightly larger rear cluster. I don't think triples are needed unless you plan on hauling stuff, are just starting out, or have otherwise defined power problems. Of course, this debate of double vs. compact vs. triple has lots of loud voices on all sides, ride what works for you, and change it when you see fit.

If you are looking for a basic bike maintenance thing to do, one that seems hard (and expensive) but that can be done quite cheaply and easily (especially with multiple bikes) is replacing cables and housing. Buy a roll of housing (25 or 50 feet or some such) and do all the brake cables. (you should use different housing for brakes and shifters for best precision, but they are interchangeable and the difference is hard to notice). You'll also need two cables per bike, cable ends (a bulk bottle is way cheaper than buying 4) and cable housing ends (also get a bulk bottle), and a cable/housing cutter. I have the Park one, and it works well and makes me feel like a pro, but the one from Nashbar for $15 is half the price and has served very nicely at the co-op I help at.

I recommend doing the brake cables first because they'll need less adjustment and are more forgiving. After that project, you can replace the shifter cables, and then everything will feel wonderfully smooth!

1/21/2014 5:00:49 PM

my main interest was to swap the much nicer tiagra shifters on my wife's bike with my sora shifters for as little time/money as possible

1/21/2014 5:15:50 PM

Tryin' to steal her stuff? Harsh, man.

Keep an eye on CL for a used 105 or ultegra. I bet you can find a pair of lightly used 1-generation old for under $100. Swapping the two bikes will take you over an hour and some minor parts/tools, upgrading will take half the time, and everyone wins!

1/21/2014 5:55:18 PM

You probably won't get any newer than 5600 or 6600 for $100. The external cable stuff actually shifts a little nicer so it's not all bad.

1/21/2014 9:55:31 PM

Cree lights update: Awesome. I bought two and a helmet mount. Went on my first single track mountain bike ride tonight. Two lights were overkill. I ended up turning off my bar mount after a while. I didn't really need the lens either. Pretty disappointed with how that worked. I thought it would disperse the "hot spot", but all the lens did was widen the hot spot a little. Not worth the five bucks IMO.

Turns out for trail riding, the hotspot was no big deal as the trail was narrow and you really need to see way ahead of where you are riding. Pretty great lights for the money.

[Edited on January 23, 2014 at 10:15 PM. Reason : d]

1/23/2014 10:14:05 PM

hmm yeah, I guess the lens is better for me on the road.

1/23/2014 10:21:59 PM

anyone have a Pure Fix, SE, or another one of those single speed bike-in-a-box? Or can you recommend one of another

7/10/2014 12:43:48 PM

I had an SE draft single speed that I rode in a few cyclocross races... It was fine for what it was, but I have come to learn with bikes that you almost always get what you pay for (excluding used purchases). It was heavy steel, the wheels were shit and it had a bmx style freewheel which made it freakin hard to find different toothed cogs for the rear. It also had a single piece crank (what you find in kid's bikes) which made upgrading that a bitch. My plan initially was to upgrade it piece by piece but I ended up selling it because it was too much of a hassle and too expensive.

7/10/2014 1:40:15 PM

Can anyone recommend an entry level/beginner road bike?

I'd like to add cycling to my exercise routine but I'm a complete noob.

Thanks!

7/11/2014 2:06:57 PM

just ride the bike you already have

7/11/2014 2:52:59 PM

It's not really suitable for what he's trying to do.

I'm telling him to just take one of my bikes on trails so he doesn't get mauled up by a car but he ain't listening.

7/11/2014 2:55:48 PM

^,^^

Quit spamming with your irrelevant drivel you imbeciles.

7/11/2014 4:19:19 PM

I was trying to help you out loser, but obviously that's impossible!

[Edited on July 11, 2014 at 4:28 PM. Reason : make sure you tell everyone about wanting to spend $100 so they can laugh at you]

7/11/2014 4:26:52 PM

So I got an injury by pushing myself biking really hard, and I was interested in some opinions. I was pushing myself hard one day (trying to race someone one a 20 mile round trip) and at around mile 15 I started getting pain below my right knee (more on this later). I was fine for the rest of the day (albeit it hurt a bit), but the next day my knee hurt to the point where I could not walk well and thought I would fall as soon as I put pressure on it.

After another day or two it felt OK, but I could still feel something weird when performing actions like going down stairs. The biggest issue, though, is that the pain comes back any time I go biking (within the first mile or two). I've rested it for two months then tried again, but the exact same results. So no amount of rest fixes it. I've also fixed my bike seat height (was a bit off). That may have been a contributing factor.

I went to an orthopedist, but I don't think he was very good. Even after resting for 3 months with absolutely no pain, his recommendation was to go on anti-inflammatory pills for a month then try biking again . I did get an MRI, but all he saw was a minor ACL tear (and focused all energy on that). I may get a second opinion.

I saw a Physical Therapist for a while as well. He did not have any better guesses based on my information or the way my legs moved. However! When he was working the Iliotibial band, that did reproduce the pain in the knee even when he was on it in the hip area.

---

Any thoughts or suggestions? I've been trying to stretch the IT Band now as I suspect its the problem, but I haven't seen much improvement (need to work on it more). I wasn't sure if anyone else had similar issues.

7/11/2014 5:16:26 PM

This might be a terrible suggestion, but I wonder if your hip flexors are weak?

I had a similar injury in highschool during Cross Country season and it all stemmed from a weak hip flexor which caused me to change my stride/the way I was running. That caused a knee sprain and an ankle sprain eventually because I refused to stop running on it for weeks.

7/16/2014 12:16:54 PM

old bicycle repair tips needed...

I'm fixing up a 1989 Schwinn Sprint that was my older brother's bike a long time ago. It's a very small frame, probably a 48-50. I want to keep it for female friends to ride on bike dates and things like that. This thing was stored under the house for years so it does have a few rust spots on the frame, but the frame, otherwise, is in good shape. I guess i'll start with the basic questions...

1. Best way to remove spots on frame? just a few spots, would like to sand down an touch up with paint.

2. What should I soak the rear derailleur in to clean it up?

3. Same with the freewheel? I do not plan on replacing it, only the chain. (going for minimal $)

4. How hard is it to run new cables? I think the shift cables more than anything will need replacement (stem mounted index shifting, Suntour comp set)

5. Any other thoughts or tips?

7/23/2014 1:34:30 PM

1) I have used copper wool and some CLR to clear up rust with good results. If you sand, you are likely to take off some of the paint around the spots and make it worse. Copper wool is soft enough that it will break apart before it damages anything.

2) I use Kerosene as a cheap degreaser although any degreaser will work.

3) You can use the same on the freewheel as generally the bearings are sealed and if it turns smoothly you are good to go, but this is a part that it relatively cheap to replace and if it is gravely at all that means water/rust is in the bearings and it's time to replace.

4) Not too hard. You can even get a cheap Bell brand set that will work for your purposes for $5 at wal-mart. There are many youtube tutorials on this. The hardest part will be cutting the housing, but you got it.

You should definitely take some before/after pictures for us.

7/24/2014 8:23:05 AM

Thanks for the reply... I stripped the entire thing apart last night. The freewheel is definitely gravely...in fact it didn't want to spin much at all. here are some updated thoughts..


1. Freewheel probably needs replacing. Will a LBS mind if i drop in and ask them to remove the Freewheel? It's a Suntour and I only have a Shimano removal tool.

2. The headset seems pretty gravely as well, it has some resistance when turning side to side. is this a sign of worn/rusty bearings?

3. The crank seems to spin smoothly, in fact it seems to be in the best shape of all the components. Should i still consider removing it or just polish up the rings?

7/24/2014 8:44:01 AM

1) My LBS wouldn't mind, especially if I were buying the replacement part from them. You can always ask and the worst they could say is no.

2) Depending on the type of headset, you may just be able to take it apart, clean the bearings and well out and then regrease the bearings.

3) If it spins smoothly, I personally would just clean it up nicely and let it go.

7/24/2014 9:48:09 AM

Thanks for the help. Hopefully I can get the headset off with just a large wrench.

I picked up the Bell cables today at lunch. Tires, Tubes, Chain and Freewheel, and Brake pads are all on the way.

The only tools I do not have on hand, aside from the Freewheel remover, are cone wrenches. I guess i'll need to see how the wheels spin before I decide if the hubs need an overhaul.

7/24/2014 3:09:49 PM

So I had my first major accident last night. I tried to get a ride in post rain and must have hit a slick spot while making a turn which basically jack knifed me and sent me over the bars. I'm pretty tore up on the top of my left hand, right shoulder, and right leg. Thankfully I had my helmet on too because it took a lot of impact as well.

To be honest i'm more upset at the damage to the bike. I was on my 85 Cannondale, all original, which I had just taken in last week for a big tune up. While there is little cosmetic damage, i bent up my front brake pretty bad (Shimano 600) and tossed my front wheel out of true. It looks like the bolt that attaches the brake to the fork is bent along with the brake arms. Is this something a good shop should be able to straighten out or will I be looking at a new front brake?

7/25/2014 9:07:13 AM

I feel dumb. All that time messing with that pill-pushing orthopedist, and he couldn't come up with IT Band Syndrome.
http://www.alexreisner.com/misc/it-band

The description is dead on. Outside of the knee. More related to number of rotations than force. Issues with climbing stairs. Resting fixes it temporarily but it is immediately back during exercise.

I could have sworn I looked for this before and didn't find anything more specific on IT Band Syndrome. I guess its just a generic term for general IT issues, and this page lists a very specific one that makes complete sense for me. Looks like I have more stretching and rolling in my future, as well as a different brace than what I originally purchased, haha.

7/27/2014 6:48:32 PM

lol.... i was gonna say something because I have had IT band issues whenever I pick up a new exercise routine and push it too hard too fast and yours sounded alot like mine but since you had visited the doctor and he didn't mention that, I figured it must be something else.


Whenever I have the pain, I have had luck with some of these stretches.

http://www.fix-knee-pain.com/knee-exercises/stretches/itb-stretches/

7/27/2014 8:34:19 PM

http://online.wsj.com/articles/robin-williams-and-dario-pegoretti-the-comedian-and-the-bike-builder-1407970079?mod=WSJ_hp_EditorsPicks

8/14/2014 8:12:52 AM

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Respond to this post...
Subject: "I can get paid for this!?"

8/14/2014 10:04:21 PM

Looking for a cheap trainer (<$100) for me and the wife to spin in the garage. Any reco's for brands? I guess only magnets are available at this price point?

9/26/2014 1:03:50 PM

we are entering trainer season so there might be less to find on craigslist, but i know earlier this year before the summer trainers were being sold on there by the dozens. You can probably find a good deal if you look. But as far as what types i have no idea.

9/29/2014 8:37:54 AM

Did the Mountains to the Coast Ride last week- 500 miles in 7 days. Sparta to Hatteras. I highly advise skipping the coast portion of said ride, the 200-some miles from Roanoke Rapids to Hatteras were boring as hell, with a 20 mph headwind to boot.

Give me hills or give me death!

10/12/2014 12:29:19 PM

Bump.

Anyone have experience with Surlys? I'm considering a Surly Straggler. It's basically their cross bike with disc brakes. Will use it for commuting, some light touring, and some fire road stuff. Quite a versatile bike. There's some other options out there as well. Anyone have a good commuter/touring/cross bike they like?

9/24/2015 2:23:08 PM

Surly makes a great bike but they seem to priced much higher than many other brands with similar components.

9/24/2015 3:22:32 PM

check out something like a Ridley X-Ride 30 for a comparison

9/24/2015 3:29:12 PM

Thanks! I'll check it out. A quick google shows the Ridley X-Ride 30 with $1650 price. My local bike shop sells the Surly Straggler for $1550 I believe. Maybe because the Ridley is a 2016 model?

Also it looks like the Ridley is a pure cycle-cross bike so I don't see mounting brackets for touring racks. I could be wrong there though. Good suggestion though. Not in any rush to get a bike but I'll be looking around for a few months. Considering it as a 30th bd present to myself.

9/24/2015 4:21:44 PM

Also this Cannondale is pretty popular:

http://www.cannondale.com/nam_en/2015/bikes/road/cyclocross/caadx/caadx-disc-5-105

Slightly cheaper than the Surly plus it's aluminium with Shimano components compared to steel with SRAM. Not that one is way better than the other but the Cannondale is quite a bit lighter.

Ugh my REI has that Cannondale and I get 15% back with REI.

Lots of good information here:

http://www.bikeforums.net/recreational-cyclocross-gravelbiking/945183-good-compromise-cyclocross-bike.html

[Edited on September 24, 2015 at 4:42 PM. Reason : s]

9/24/2015 4:32:38 PM

i didn't really pay attention to the details on the Ridley. It's just one I have had my eye on in that price range. A friend of mine got the 2015 model at Performance Bike when they had one of their sales. With all the membership points, promotions and cash-back he ended up walking out the door with that bike for a little under $1,200



I like Cannondale a lot, but I'm just not a fan of the frame. They've become like Trek and just plaster their name over every square inch of the frame.

[Edited on September 25, 2015 at 3:27 PM. Reason : add]

9/25/2015 3:26:39 PM

Yeah makes sense. I keep going back to the Surly. $1550 is a lot but it dropped in price from $1750. Two of my friends just got Surlys and they've been raving about them.

Also this site is pretty cool:

http://www.bikepacking.com/

9/25/2015 3:51:56 PM

Went and rode one yesterday. Thing is a beast.



Took it off road in a park and it handled beautifully. Also was awesome on the road. While it's heavy at 27 lbs once you're on it it feels quite light.

9/26/2015 12:37:20 PM

yeah, that would be my only gripe. 27lbs and 700x41 tires. the first because i live in a 3rd floor walk-up and the second just because on the road the widest i really like to go is 32 before it starts to feel sluggish.

9/28/2015 11:39:17 AM

Yeah I have 700x25 gatorskins on my current Cannondale and it's great for most commuting scenarios. If I get the Straggler I may get a second set of wheels for pure commuting. The guy I talked to at the store commutes in the winter with it and says it's great in the snow and I know I don't want to be riding on 25's in the snow.

The greenway I commute home on has portions where there's an optional off-road single track type trail that would be fun to have fatter tires for.

Also for commuting it'd be nice to be a little slower. The speed limit on the greenway is technically 15mph but currently I ride at a 18-22mpg pace depending on traffic (as do many other road commuters on it). There's a 12+ mile stretch where there's literally no stops as it follows a river and there's underpasses at each road crossing. It's really easy to turn your commute into a time trail every day. Haha. I already have a heavy backpack. Might as well throw in a steel frame with 700x41 tires.

9/28/2015 12:25:12 PM

mph* not mpg haha.

Bikepacking porn:

9/28/2015 1:11:33 PM

^

2015 update:

1) Spent a lot of my free time bikepacking around the Triangle this summer. Been to Jordan, Umstead, Harris, Kerr and Falls Lake multiple times. Eyeing Cedarock for a mid-fall expedition. I've had a blast with my hammock and open water swimming.

2) Hated working in Chapel Hill this past year, decided I was going back to Duke so I could bike commute every day. Fuck that 15-501 car traffic. And fuck Erwin for the bike commute.

3) Just got back early from the CNC Mountains to Sea ride, otherwise known as Monsoon Ride 2015. I spent every single damn day soaked on the bike, and all my gear is soaked. My drivetrain became fucked in Southern Pines and I decided to pull off. They called off the ride early in Lumberton due to the rain and possible hurricane.

4) NCCX upcoming this weekend! Yay!

10/2/2015 8:51:19 PM

Nice! Can't wait to get into bikepacking. Going to probably be next summer.

Buuuttt I did pull the trigger on the Straggler. The thing is a beast. Took it on some doubletrack and easier single track today and it was awesome. Did about 35 miles on the greenway and 20 miles on the double/single track. Very happy with it.

10/4/2015 9:53:23 PM

^^^ Those bikepacking setups, while totally sweet and more appropriate for a disc MTB setup, can be annoying.

My friend set her cross bike up like the last picture (handlebar bag, frame bag,tent, floating rear rack) and she drove herself crazy trying to pack everything so it wasn't too weighted on the front vs. the back. The roughest roads we did were those pretty fire roads at Umstead. She would have been better off with an attached rear rack with panniers.

My setup on my Surly is just 2 panniers on a rear touring rack and a handlebar bag strapped lower to my front rack. I've eliminated some weight with a hammock instead of a tent, and don't have to carry a bed roll.

10/5/2015 6:08:47 PM

So this is all new to me and I haven't backpacked yet (only road toured with panniers) but from what I understand for touring on the road, panniers are the best no question but for mountain biking on something like the Colorado Trail or Intercontinental Trail panniers are a big no no. A lot of the time is spent pushing your bike and panniers make it very difficult to push your bike from the side. They're also incredibly unbalanced on a mountain bike as they center too much of the weight much too low. The few times I've tried to take a mountain bike with panniers on single track is was not fun.

Bikepacking frame, saddle, and handlebar bags distribute the weight much more evenly and make mountain biking (especially technical downhill mountain biking) much much easier. The guys at the shop I bought my bike from were talking about how people who try to tour on single track with panniers never do it again or at least ditch the rear panniers.

Some stuff here:

http://www.bikepacking.com/bikepacking-101/

and here:

http://bikepackersmagazine.com/beginners-guide-to-bikepacking-bags/

I originally thought it was a "hey new shiny expensive bags that look cooler than panniers" trend but after talking to a couple people who've done it in excess (These guys have cool blogs: http://www.revelatedesigns.com/site/index.php/ambassadors/) I seem to understand why they use packs like that. On top of being better balanced they are compressed and so your gear stays much more static. The way most people pack panniers is with loose packing so things can move around and that does not aid in balance. Plus the nature of panniers is loose and I can't imagine they hold up too well on really technical stuff.

And yeah you've got to go more lightweight as you can't carry as much in bikepacking bags as 4 panniers but I added up the liters in a saddle, frame, and handlebar set with a small backpack and I was way over 50L and my current backpacking backpack is only 36L so I don't see a problem carrying a bunch unless you normally don't backpack in the first place.

To your point the hammock certainly does help though. My hammock + over and under quilt is under 4 lbs and could probably easily fit in a saddle + handlebar bag. After that it's just clothes and food and maybe a stove which would easily fit in a few other bags.

I think if you're doing really technical stuff (as is the target for bikepacking) then those bags make sense but if you're sticking to easier doubletrack or fire roads then panniers are probably fine.

10/5/2015 8:14:23 PM