Messages

31

General Discussion / Re: Woodrup 1979 Vintage Campagnolo Super

« on: June 04, 2020, 09:09:00 am »

As a collectable that's probably a good price but it's a bad choice as bike to modify and modernize.   Most current components won't fit.  It has a 1" threaded steerer, the dropout spacing is likely 120 mm (5-speed), it certainly uses a freewheel, shifting is friction, etc.   That's fine if you are into C&V bikes but not as a modern user.  Leave it for someone who will appreciate it for what it is.

As John said, take the money plus the money you would have spent to modernize it and buy a proper newer touring bike.

32

Gear Talk / Re: Aurora or Aurora Elite? and frame size question for short rider

« on: May 20, 2020, 08:41:37 am »

If the Aurora Elite really has a 105 FC-5703 crank, you can replace the 30T granny chain ring with a 26 or 24T as that crank has a 74 mm bolt circle for the granny ring.  That will get you the lower gearing that seems to be the only negative to the Elite in standard form.  I have two bikes with FC-5703 cranks and have made that change on both and it works well.

Otherwise, the Elite is worth the cost difference.

33

General Discussion / Re: Flats while touring

« on: May 09, 2020, 10:44:01 am »

......and most of the failures are at the Air Valve connector.....

First, carefully inspect the valve holes in your rims.  Be sure there are no burrs and that the rim tape protects the edges.  Second, you can reenforce the base of the valve stem by cutting a small square of duct tape, punching a valve-stem size hole in the middle and pushing it over the stem and down around the base.  It gives an extra layer of protection from both flexing and sharp edges.

I agree that most mini-pumps are difficult to use without excessively flexing the valve.  A pump with a hose like the Topeak Road Morph avoids the problem.

34

Gear Talk / Re: Opinions on first budget touring bike

« on: April 30, 2020, 09:25:01 am »

What are peoples opinions on square taper vs octolink V1? My long term goal is distance touring and easy service/parts.

Square taper bottom brackets and cranks were the standard for decades and decades until Octalink and ISIS appeared in the mid-1990's and external bearing designs in the early 2000's but are still available even now.  However, good quality cartridges are hard to find and Shimano only makes their lower lines now.  Loose bearing square taper bottom brackets are pretty much an NOS or used item.

Both square taper and Octalink (aka Hollowtech I) are now "obsolete" and external bearing designs dominate the market.  Octalink had an undeserved reputation for poor durability and, as noted it wasn't on the market for long before HTII replaced it so, again, they are available only as NOS or used.

35

Gear Talk / Re: Opinions on first budget touring bike

« on: April 27, 2020, 05:48:43 pm »

Do you think just a tooth to 38 or should I go lower? and will any ring with a 130BCD work or do I need specific rings......

With a 130 mm BCD, a 38T chainring is the absolute smallest you can go and these are not common.  The 39 is almost universal so you are probably stuck just getting a direct replacement.  If possible, the new middle ring should be matched to your big ring but I  don't know of a 46/39 OEM ring set. 

36

Gear Talk / Re: Opinions on first budget touring bike

« on: April 27, 2020, 09:41:51 am »

rear gears with a range of 11-36, and a chainrings should be 44/32/24.  Those gear ranges are suited for carrying a load on a bike up mountain roads while maintaining a high cadence, they're not that great for top speed, but while touring you won't be concerned about that anyways.

That gearing does indeed give a very low low gear (24x36 assuming a 700c wheel) of 18 gear-inches.   The high gear isn't all that bad (44x11) at 108 gear-inches, which is the same as the high gear of 52x13 which Steven Roche used when he won the Tour de France in 1987. 

The disadvantages of these very wide gearing sets is the big gaps between the intermediate gears.  An 11x36 cassette, even 10 or 11-speed, has big difference between the cogs so finding a comfortable cadence can be difficult.   The current fashion of 2X or even 1X gearing makes this even worse.

37

Gear Talk / Re: Mechanical or hydro?

« on: April 26, 2020, 04:06:07 pm »

I just wonder how many bike shops would have any parts for a Gevenalle shifter on hand? The Gevenalle is a very unusual shifter rarely seen in the real world.  Again it would be easier to repair bar end shifters.

The Gevenalle "shifters" are just bar end levers or downtube levers mounted on small, very tough aluminum brackets bolted to Tektro brake levers.  If you happened to break one, any bike shop with a pair of bar end or downtube shifters could replace them in a minute.   An accident bad enough to damage one of them would obliterate any brifter. 

Personal preference may weigh pretty heavily in the choice.  I'll go pretty far to avoid bar end shifters myself.  I like brifters or even down tube shifters just fine, but never got comfortable with bar ends.  Others may strongly prefer bar ends.  Quite a few decades ago I had them on my primary bike for a few years and hated them.  I kept thinking I'd get used to them.  Never did.

Agree completely.  I tried bar end shifters three different times on different bikes.  One bike came with them and two others I tried them on as a lower cost option.  I also thought would get used to them.  I never did and replaced them after a reasonable trial. 

38

Gear Talk / Re: Opinions on first budget touring bike

« on: April 24, 2020, 10:44:19 am »

Probably the majority care less about weight and aero advantages on a touring bike, but there are a few of us who do and even a few who find a low more aero position more comfortable than a more upright one.  My rationale is that on tour, I am spending all day in the saddle for weeks or months at a time and am about as acclimated to the bike as I ever get, so the low position which is already pretty comfortable for me becomes even more so.  Also riding alone with days of head winds the benefits are real.  I'd advise folks to experiment and see what works best for them, maybe even trying to ease into a lower posture slowly over time just to see how it works for them.  Doing it all at once probably guarantees failure for most.

I agree that not all that many tourists feel that way and the majority set their bikes up with a more upright posture, but I am sure I am not completely alone either.  Maybe as I get older I will change my tune but I am coming up on my 69th birthday and haven't done so yet.

Well, you are a bit of an outlier among tourists in that you practice ultralight packing and performance is a real consideration.  For most riders not coming from a performance background an upright position is more comfortable and they pay the price on a windy day. 

39

Gear Talk / Re: Opinions on first budget touring bike

« on: April 24, 2020, 10:03:31 am »

1" headsets are in fact easily found: e.g., IRC, Richey, Velo Orange, Chris King. I just put one on my new Waterford Rando.

Oh yeah, 1" threaded headsets are easily found but 1" threadless headsets are less common.  A couple of years ago I converted a '96 Litespeed from 1" threaded to 1" threadless when I replaced the fork.  The only reasonably priced 1" threadless headset I could find was a Cane Creek 40.

As to frame size, performance/racing bikes are usually sized a bit small to make a low, aero riding position easier to achieve and to save a bit of weight.  Those aren't major considerations for a touring bike.

40

Gear Talk / Re: Opinions on first budget touring bike

« on: April 23, 2020, 09:34:16 am »

If in good shape and it fits you well, the 2003 Trek 520 is a fine touring bike. Its specs aren't that far off modern touring bikes. Parts for 9-speed bikes are readily available. In fact, the modern Trek 520s are still 9-speed. One difference is that many modern bikes have disk brakes, and the 2003 has rim brakes. But that's not a big deal, especially if the rims on the bike you're looking at aren't all concave. Another significant difference is that in 2003, Trek was still using a 52/42/30 crankset, whereas they have been using 48/36/26 since 2010. So you won't get as low of gearing. That's a bigger issue the older you are, the more gear you tour with, and how hilly your tour will be. Hint: all tours are hilly. If you find the 52/42/30 too high, you can swap it out.

The 2003 520 has a 1-1/18" threadless steerer and headset so you are good in that regard as older 1" forks and headsets, particularly threaded headsets, are getting hard to find.

As to the gearing, it's likely the OEM crank has either 130/74 or 110/74 mm bolt circles.  If it is 130/74 you can go down to a 39T middle chainring and a 24T granny.  If it's 110/74 your choices are even wider as you can go down to a 34T middle and 24T granny so you have the potential of matching Treks current 520 gearing and still keep the original crank and bottom bracket.

That $400 price seems a bit high as the "Bicycle Bluebook" lists private party sales at around $200 so you might want to negotiate a bit unless the bike you are looking at is in pristine shape.

BE CERTAIN the frame is your correct size and fits you well. 

41

Gear Talk / Re: Mechanical or hydro?

« on: April 17, 2020, 09:19:27 am »

.....when touring most prefer bar end shifters because they won't break should the bike fall over, and they're easier to maintain. So I would change to bar end shifters, they're cheap to buy and easy to put on.

The mechanical Gevenalle shifters the OP mentioned are every bit as durable, fall-proof, easy to maintain and even easier to install than barends and far more convenient to shift with.  Having used barends, once I discovered Gevenalle shifters I would never consider going back.   That said, unless he is anxious to spend money, keeping the SRAM shifters makes the most sense.

42

General Discussion / Re: Entry to Canada for non US citizens Northbound on GDMTBR

« on: March 12, 2020, 04:13:38 pm »

Based on the lack of replies I expect no one here knows the answer.  I recommend contacting the Canadian Immigration office nearest to where you will be entering the country.  Probably the office in Calgary is the  nearest.  Also I expect there is a New Zealand legation in Calgary which should be able to help.

43

Gear Talk / Re: MEC National 2019-2020 VS kona sutra 2018

« on: March 11, 2020, 11:03:49 am »

For lokking at how the rear carrier is mounted on the Sutra - that would be a no go for because the carrier attachment is through a "hole" in the downward tube intead of by braze on.

Looking at the web site picture of the bike I believe the rear rack attaches to a threaded fitting in the seat stay.  It is not just a hole in that tube and should be as reliable as a braze on.

44

General Discussion / Re: Mercian bicycles

« on: March 06, 2020, 09:06:49 am »

How old is "older"? If it's quite old it might have 120 mm dropout spacing which will limit you to 5-speed freewheels unless you are willing to "cold-set" it to modern spacing (at least 126 mm and for a gravel bike maybe as much as 135 mm).  What is the required brake reach?  Is it designed for 27" or 700c wheels?

I recommend getting all of the current frame dimensions before buying a frame that will be difficult to modernize. 

BTW, www.bikeforums.net has a C&V (classic and vintage) forum and the members there can probably give you a lot better info.

45

General Discussion / Re: The famous bicycle

« on: February 26, 2020, 09:23:52 am »

These and a lot more memorable bicycle themed quotes are compiled in Bill Strickland's "The Quotable Cyclists".  It's out of print but still available from several dealers including Amazon.