Recent Posts

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Gear Talk / Re: Gear cable breakage
« Last post by jamawani on June 20, 2025, 09:14:21 am »
Oh, for the days of downtube shifters and exterior cables.
Not only did they rarely break, but they were easy to fix if they did.
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Gear Talk / Re: Gear cable breakage
« Last post by avrin on June 20, 2025, 09:13:41 am »
Ray,
Thank you for your thoughts. I have looked into the Microshifts, but not extensively. A mechanic at my lbs said he tried to build a bike with Microshift brifters and the advertised compatibility with Shimano components did not work in his case. I think the word he used was "nightmare."   As for other line Shimano brifters , another good idea you float, there are apparently (the lbs tells me) compatibility issues with my Deore rear deraileur, which was not stock on the bike but was an emergency replacement.   
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Gear Talk / Re: Gear cable breakage
« Last post by ray b on June 19, 2025, 11:48:47 pm »
Though I'm strictly a flat bar single speed or Rohloff kind of guy, I like the Shimano Soras - they've been around a long time. That said, they are entry level.  I would take a very careful look at the the shifters to make sure they haven't worn in a way to increase drag or have picked up some rough edges, and that surfaces - especially the outer cable guide and joint - contacted by the cable are smooth. (I'm always reminded that the less expensive the parts, the better mechanic one has to be.)

Though the original cables on the 520 should have been stainless steel, if one's not careful, replacement cables can be prone to corrosion and failure at the points of contact. Sometimes, just moving to a more expensive system like Jagwire's pre-stretched, slick, polished stainless steel cables can result in longer life (and often, surprisingly smoother shifting). (I use Jagwire for all my braking needs and have never seen the appeal of hydraulics - especially on long tours.)

On the other hand, if you want something nice to replace the Soras (and you probably do), you could try the familiar 6510s, but you're going to get used equipment and older engineering. Cruising Ebay might give you some ideas. 

Personally, I would take a hard look at the Shimano-compatible Microshift R9s... This is a link to their drop bar shifters, but they also have bar end shifters and other options.  https://www.microshift.com/models/sb-r493/  I see there's a few pairs of the R9s on sale at Jenson.

Make sure you have fun.
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General Discussion / Re: Bike Box DC
« Last post by ray b on June 19, 2025, 10:39:00 pm »
Having built my share of new bikes at a shop - I believe it might be most efficient to do it the old fashioned way, and simply call your closest or favorite shop and ask for a box that doesn't exceed the dimensions you need. 

You can Google or ask your smart speaker for closest bike shops and hit the call option. (OK, so a modern variant to an old fashioned method.)

Chances are you won't get past the second call without success.

You're correct to not wait for the fall when the bicycle economy and new builds might be on the wane.
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General Discussion / Re: Bike Box DC
« Last post by canalligators on June 19, 2025, 09:10:12 pm »
Airline size and weight limits are getting smaller, read the fine print carefully. I’d wager that the Amtrak box is too big for most airlines.
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General Discussion / Re: Bike Box DC
« Last post by John Nettles on June 18, 2025, 09:49:04 pm »
John, that is good to know. Last I use one was in 2020 and it was pretty sturdy.  I guess like everything else, the quality cheapens the longer it is around.
Tailwinds, John
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General Discussion / Re: Bike Box DC
« Last post by John Nelson on June 18, 2025, 08:40:29 pm »
I suspect that the Amtrak box will exceed the maximum size allowed by the airline. Also, the Amtrak boxes are very thin cardboard. I think putting them on a plane would be very hard on them. And since more and more Amtrak stations allow you to check a bike that’s not in a box, I might expect those stations to quit selling the boxes.
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General Discussion / Re: Bike Box DC
« Last post by sailduck on June 18, 2025, 01:54:18 pm »
Thanks John
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General Discussion / Re: Bike Box DC
« Last post by John Nettles on June 18, 2025, 01:45:56 pm »
I don't know of any bike shops but Amtrak sells HUGE bike boxes (just remove pedals and turn handbars) for like $15 which I would guess you could buy at Union Station.  Just confirm the overall linear size (L+W+H) and then confirm the airlines max size as most airlines have a 115 linear inch or less max size.

If that doesn't work, I would just call ahead and see who has them.  It is a shame they charge since they have to basically pay to trash it. But then they usually give you all the foam bits and pieces to go with it.

Tailwinds, John
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General Discussion / Bike Box DC
« Last post by sailduck on June 18, 2025, 01:35:17 pm »
I'm looking to find a cycle shop in Washington DC that can let me have a cardboard bike box. It's so I can pack my bike ahead of a flight from Dulles in September. Would appreciate any suggestions.
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