CYCLINGFORUM.COM - Where Cyclists Talk Tech --- Return To Home

 

    Register FAQ'sSearchProfileLog In / Log Out

 

****

cyclingforum.com ****

HOMECLUBS | SPONSORS | FEATURESPHOTO GALLERYTTF DONORS | SHOP FOR GEAR

Return to CyclingForum Home Page CYCLING TECH TALK FORUM
          View posts since last visit

As the year draws down: Tried and Liked or Not
 

Author Thread Post new topic Reply to topic
Andy M-S
Joined: 11 Jan 2004
Posts: 3377
Location: Hamden (greater New Haven) CT

12/16/21 8:57 AM

As the year draws down: Tried and Liked or Not

...and it looks like COVID isn't going anywhere soon...

What did you try that was new this past year? What was good, what wasn't?

For me, the good stuff was mainly giving up on drop bars. I rode a bunch of bikes growing up, but I turned 18 in 1976 and for me, no bike looks better than one with drop bars at or below saddle height and DT shifters.

This year, severe neck and upper back pain convinced me that as much as I liked that look, I wasn't willing to hurt to ride that look. So over a couple of months, I rejiggered my rando into a "gentleman's bike," with upright bars and trigger shifting.

A lot of other bits and pieces came along with that change, but that was the main one. Secondary was going from 2x9 to 1x9 gearing (same range). But after doing that...

I put a fscking chainguard on my bike.

When I was a young adult, chainguards were the mark of a dork. But having one now lets me ride without worrying about my clothes, and since I mostly ride in jeans or work clothes, that's kind of nice. Since I use Sugino's TA-clone crank arms, the placement of the chainguard was a little bit of a challenge (the clearance is very tight) but it works.

Did not like: English-style handlebars. I found that the angle at which they placed my arms really hurt my elbows. A plain straight pipe works better for me.

 Reply to topic     Send e-mail

Sparky
Joined: 08 Dec 2003
Posts: 19068
Location: PDX

12/16/21 11:04 AM

English are like beach cruiser bar?


I have tried some weird stuff just to see.

Jone H bars, Midge, several flared CX types. This style seems to be my fav, I just go narrower like a 40 so the drops aren't quite so wide. And not too flared, less is more here for me on flare. And flare only below the shifter mounting points so levers aren't too tilty..


Still have a Scott AT3 set on my Paragon. Also have some Klein carbon Alloy that would get more use of not so wide.

Drop wise I put Soma Condors on the Strong Allroad Disc machine, and that bike with 47x650b is my fav JRA everywhere all surface bike. These are V1 and the bends from the stem to shifters they did not get quite right [thus V2s], But the drop angles to the ends are the most elbow friendly ever.. Butt ugly but staying on due to function.

The Midges to work have to be crazy high, not there yet. I have Marys on a Double CX that I really like for non drops.

The Team Trek Domane has old Deda Synapsi integrated one piece. A mini aero bar is middle front. I got these for a century after not doing one for a long while on a whim used for 100.00.

Synapsis for long rides, or just long saddle time are for me perfect. I put a Di2 climber POD/shifter out on the Aero end and do most of my shifting from there.

 Reply to topic     Send e-mail

Andy M-S
Joined: 11 Jan 2004
Posts: 3377
Location: Hamden (greater New Haven) CT

12/16/21 1:44 PM

English

The specific English-style bars I tried were Soma Sparrows, like these:



I found the outward angle of the bars kind of twisted the elbow. But I have damage there from past crashes, and given the popularity of this shape world-wide, I suspect my problem with them is idiosyncratic.

 Reply to topic     Send e-mail

Sparky
Joined: 08 Dec 2003
Posts: 19068
Location: PDX

12/16/21 3:41 PM

I used a bar that sat like that once. I liked it a lot. If memory serves it was on my 85 Nago Victory for a bit.

Kinda of the same angle the Condor drops sit..

They were steel and I had used then upside down from intended.

EDIT: Found a pic.

 Reply to topic     Send e-mail

dan emery
Joined: 11 Jan 2004
Posts: 6884
Location: Maine

12/16/21 4:14 PM

Tried and liked

My Berthoud mirror, described in another thread. The more I use it the more I like it. I look down at it just for fun. It’s actually up there for my favorite bike component with Simplex Retrofriction shifters. That’s very high praise.

I also like my Castelli Estremo winter gloves, also described elsewhere. I also really like Velocio kit. Their commuting pants are so perfect I wear them nearly every time I commute.

Jumping threads, I like traditional drop bars, but I’m on the hoods about 95%.

Speke, how could you do that to a Colnago….?

 Reply to topic    

Sparky
Joined: 08 Dec 2003
Posts: 19068
Location: PDX

12/16/21 5:25 PM

It was short lived, in a fit of boredom. The orig fork chrome is pretty bad. So that is how that got started.
IMO, the bigger sin was the Ultegra 8 speed chainset. ;)

It got sold after than in 2015, I bought it back in 2018. Considering I had it since 1994ish, I felt stupid I had let it go, but it did come home. And did not sell it to anyone I knew, so lucky to get it back.

It is now all Chorus 11s and a new straight chrome fork, even has a carbon Chorus seatpost in it's retro modded glory.

 Reply to topic     Send e-mail

Steve B.
Joined: 19 Jan 2004
Posts: 769
Location: Long Island, NY

12/16/21 7:24 PM

Hammerhead Karoo 2

Not sure why I purchased this, I had a perfectly functional Garmin Edge 1030. Maybe hedging my bets that the Garmin would die at some point.

Good things:

- It's got a great screen, great navigation and turn-by-turn, which I actually use on road rides in areas where I'm not familiar with the road layout. The map is exceptional, the course is much easier to view on the map then on a Garmin. Because the unit has a better OS and is newer than my 1030, the TBT info is displayed much quicker, so turns that happen quickly is succession, are shown. Garmins tend to lag and this has been a problem for older Garmins.

- Setup is very easy, like a Wahoo only all on the screen, HH has made good use of the Android OS, every function and setting is logical and easy to find. They also provide updates of some sort (not always useful to me) every 2 weeks, the most recent cleaned up and improved the settings menus.

- Sync's flawlessly with Strava, Ride With GPS, etc.... easy to create routes in RWGPS and port to the device

- Has buttons as well as a touch screen so easy to use with gloves.

Not so good.

- The battery life is mediocre. I have seen the rated 12 hrs., but recently it's dropped to maybe 8-9 hrs. use (I'm seeing 10% hr. recently, not sure how many hours that is, my math sucks). That's a big complaint with users who do century plus rides, but you can use USB battery stick as needed. For most folks riding 4-5 hrs tops, this isn't much of an issue, unless doing a long tour where re-charging is an issue, or maybe doing a multi-day supported tour where you are riding slowly all day.

- Doesn't BlueTooth connect for data transfers with a smartphone app as does a Garmin, uses either WiFi or a SIM card. The SIM card route gets you data transfers where there is cell service, yet might cost you for the service. I tried a FreedomPop plan, was cheap and never worked well, a completed ride uploaded from a remote start took hours to get a ride up to the web. I gave up and just used my phone as a hotspot to upload completed rides. I did have issues as well trying to get a course downloaded from the HH "Dashboard" (their verion of Garmin Connect) while using a hotspot, it failed. It had worked prior.

- The HH version of Connect is Dashboard. Very basic, they assume you will use Strava, RWGPS, Kamoots or something else as a refined activity tracker. The route creation tool is available but very poorly developed.

General thoughts

- It's priced at the same as a Garmin 830, yet has better navigation and turn-by-turn, plus a terrific display and a great map showing the course. Bigger screen than an 830 as well and has functional buttons if using heavy gloves. A well thought out and functional unit is my impression.

 Reply to topic    

Sparky
Joined: 08 Dec 2003
Posts: 19068
Location: PDX

12/16/21 8:07 PM

Tried and liked for me last year is tubeless tubulars.

Started collecting stupid deals on wheels for the task. Some insane deals on 2 new sets, and several barely used sets disc and rim brake.

So far;

-25mm LGG Clements on S-Works Tarmac
-28mm Tufo Carbons on S-Works Roubaix.
-30mm Challenge Strada Bianca on 2 bikes.
-30mm G-Zero Schwalbes HT on Domane.

The 30mm G-Zeros impressed me so much I ordered a 40-622 TLE clincher set I got the other day.

The 30mm HT tubs I got outta Bike24 in Germany on stupid clearance. 5 tires shipped over the pond 125.00 all in. Paid 106.00 for the 40-622 TLEs.

Most of the used wheels came with PDX and Griffo tubular CX wheels. PDX also tubeless tubular. Run these woods an gravel being they were free basically...

 Reply to topic     Send e-mail

Andy M-S
Joined: 11 Jan 2004
Posts: 3377
Location: Hamden (greater New Haven) CT

12/16/21 8:16 PM

All that black-and-white checkerboard!

 Reply to topic     Send e-mail

Sparky
Joined: 08 Dec 2003
Posts: 19068
Location: PDX

12/16/21 8:58 PM

This why I am not allowed to choose colors without a note from my wife. ;)

 Reply to topic     Send e-mail

Brian Nystrom
Joined: 26 Jan 2004
Posts: 5096
Location: Nashua, NH

12/17/21 9:41 AM

I've been off the bike almost completely for the past three months. During that time, I've gotten quite familiar with my Husqvarna 450 chainsaw and I find I quite enjoy using it.



I'm going out on my hardtail shortly, but I'll be bringing my Silky Big Boy along, just in case!

 Reply to topic    

Brian Nystrom
Joined: 26 Jan 2004
Posts: 5096
Location: Nashua, NH

12/17/21 11:41 AM

dp

Last edited by Brian Nystrom on 12/17/21 11:44 AM; edited 1 time in total

 Reply to topic    

Brian Nystrom
Joined: 26 Jan 2004
Posts: 5096
Location: Nashua, NH

12/17/21 11:43 AM

Ahhhh. It felt good to bounce around in the woods on a bike, on such a beautiful fall day! The only bummer was that I didn't get to use my saw. ;-)

Now I gotta' get the last of the leaves out of the yard before it snows tomorrow.

 Reply to topic    

Steve B.
Joined: 19 Jan 2004
Posts: 769
Location: Long Island, NY

12/17/21 1:55 PM

The Trail Stewarts at our most used trail systems that are maintained by our local mt. bike club, take a leaf blowers to the trails and clear them of leaves. It's remarkable really as you can see the dirt, roots, obstacles, whatever and you don't slip and slide on wet leaves, like in ye olden dayes.

 Reply to topic    

Brian Nystrom
Joined: 26 Jan 2004
Posts: 5096
Location: Nashua, NH

12/17/21 4:50 PM

We do that when we build trails. Once the trail is laid out, someone goes over it with a Gravely mower, followed by people with hand saws and pruners to remove stubs in the ground and overhead obstructions. Then the rakers and leaf blowers come along for the final cleanup. It's amazing how you can go from nothing to a beautiful trail in a single day, or even just a few hours. It takes people using it to firm up the ground, but within a week or two the new trail is perfect.

 Reply to topic    

Brian Nystrom
Joined: 26 Jan 2004
Posts: 5096
Location: Nashua, NH

12/18/21 7:56 AM

Getting back to the original question, the only significant new thing I tried this year is the 2018 Cannondale SuperSix EVO Hi-mod frameset, which I built with components from my Look 585 after its BB failed. I specifically sought out this frame, as I didn't want disc brakes and the newer versions are disc-only. I lucked into one from The Pro's Closet that had never been built up.

I fully expected to love the EVO, since I'm very fond of my 2010 SuperSix Hi-mod and it definitely hasn't disappointed. The handling is just as precise and "telepathic" as it's older sibling and it's very light. However, I didn't notice the "night and day difference" in comfort that many reviewers have raved about. Whatever differences there are seem pretty subtle. I guess I'll have to ride the two bikes back-to-back on the same surface to appreciate any differences.

Another thing I like is the color, which is a combination of gloss black with metallic charcoal gray on the top tube and chrome on the inside of the fork blades and the back of the seatstays (odd placement, but it looks nice). The graphics are brushed chrome and although I'm not typically a chrome lover, this combination is pretty striking. I've also never seen another one like it, though I imagine there are thousands of them out there. I added a few red highlights (hubs, chain watcher, bottle cage bolts) for a little pop of color and I'm quite pleased with the overall effect. It's definitely a big step up in aesthetics from the white with black trim of the older bike, which is yellowing in some areas.

If I can ever get the gearing I want, I'll upgrade it from Campy 10 speed to 12 speed.

 Reply to topic    

Sparky
Joined: 08 Dec 2003
Posts: 19068
Location: PDX

12/18/21 11:20 AM

" get the gearing I want"

Pray tell?

 Reply to topic     Send e-mail

Brian Nystrom
Joined: 26 Jan 2004
Posts: 5096
Location: Nashua, NH

12/18/21 2:23 PM

What I want is a 13-29 or 13-32, 12-speed cassette, but apparently nobody makes them. Miche makes cassettes that start with either 14 or 16t cogs. Recon makes a 1-piece 12-29. That's as close as I can get at the moment. I really don't want to change my crank or chainrings (currently 50/34), and I don't think the front derailleur could go low enough to work with a smaller (large) chainring anyway.

 Reply to topic    

Sparky
Joined: 08 Dec 2003
Posts: 19068
Location: PDX

12/18/21 2:38 PM

Most of my 11speed bike are 10s at best for that 11 cog. I agree.

I do have a 36/52 with a 14-28 11s juniors on a bike.
I'd like lower, and don't really need the close ratios riding alone for the most part...

Everything is compromise.

Ultility wise:

I sold the Lyskey CX Pro. It had a 28/42 with a 11-36 and I actually used the 11 once in a while...

Geared for going up walls. My Strong is a 28/40 and 11-40 11s. Also use the 11 once in a while. The 28 barely gets used unless loaded with 4+bags. Or when steep and I shoulda not ridden too many days in a row.

The compromise with these is ride crossed chained a lot until a bad hill is upon me...

I have several 11-34 HG800 11s so I can used nice wheels that cassette allows 11s on. But honestly a 10 speed 12-30 with a 34/50 be fine and same amount of gears used probably.

 Reply to topic     Send e-mail

dan emery
Joined: 11 Jan 2004
Posts: 6884
Location: Maine

12/18/21 3:03 PM

For awhile I couldn’t got onto the 11….

And I really missed it.

With the 38 on my 1x11 Crosscheck that is…..

I’d actually be happy with similar gearing on my RSL, now 50/34 x 11-32 11 speed. Maybe bump the chainring up to 40-42. I don’t need close ratios.

 Reply to topic    

Sparky
Joined: 08 Dec 2003
Posts: 19068
Location: PDX

12/18/21 4:08 PM

I tried and like the Di2 Roublax S-Works I posted in a thread 10/06/21 here. ;)

Riding dirty bikes now, brand new Roubaix frame even though a 2014 NOS. Winter rides on more put away wet previously bikes.

Last few wet rides on the 39mm g-zero tubulars on the Team Domane, like them more each ride.

 Reply to topic     Send e-mail

greglepore
Joined: 10 Jan 2004
Posts: 1724
Location: SE Pa, USA

12/19/21 11:19 AM

Trails-yeah, I have 21 acres of woods now, so we've been building some trails to run on. Lay them out, take out the leaf blower. Need to remove some stubs, and i've faceplanted a couple times while running and not looking down, due to toe strikes.

 Reply to topic     Send e-mail

Brian Nystrom
Joined: 26 Jan 2004
Posts: 5096
Location: Nashua, NH

12/19/21 3:49 PM

Ouch, Greg!

I use the 11 occasionally on my hardtail, which is 26/38 in the front, 11-36, 10-speed in the rear. I don't mind the relatively large gearing jumps off-road, as the terrain is rarely consistent enough that having the "prefect" gear is even possible for any significant distance.

I have a 12-32, 11-speed with 46/30 up front on my gravel rig, which is tighter and more in keeping with what I need on dirt roads vs. singletrack. I use the 12 on downhills occasionally, but I'm more likely to be coasting and recovering from the climb that got me to the top of the hill. ;-)

I'm still using a 13-26, 10-speed with 50/34 rings on my road bikes, but it's not really low enough for some rides, hence the desire to go to a 29, or more realistically, 32. What I really want is the same gear spacing I have now, plus a couple of lower gears, so a 13-32, 12-speed cassette would be perfect and the new Campy stuff is designed for the larger cog. It's truly frustrating that it's not currently possible to do that.

There are a lot of us geezers on bikes, so certainly there's a market for "rational ratios".

 Reply to topic    

Andy M-S
Joined: 11 Jan 2004
Posts: 3377
Location: Hamden (greater New Haven) CT

12/22/21 7:52 AM

One More

I bought some "missing link" pliers, designed to make removal and installation of quick links easier.

I love them.

This has made cleaning my chain (off the bike) a lot easier, since I no longer have to wrestle to get that link out. I can see other uses as well (properly fitting a minimum chain length to a new or newly-equipped bike, for example).

Best $7.99 I spent this year.

 Reply to topic     Send e-mail


Return to CyclingForum Home Page CYCLING TECH TALK FORUM
           View New Threads Since My Last Visit VIEW THREADS SINCE MY LAST VISIT
           Start a New Thread

 Display posts from previous:   


  
Last Thread | Next Thread  >  

  
  

 


If you enjoy this site, please consider pledging your support

cyclingforum.com - where cyclists talk tech
Cycling TTF Rides Throughout The World

Cyclingforum is powered by SYNCRONICITY.NET in Denver, Colorado -

Powered by phpBB: Copyright 2006 phpBB Group | Custom phpCF Template by Syncronicity