Bicycle thread

[Ridge]

Originally Posted by TheYeti

I was looking on Excel Sports website at the powermeters and I really don't have any idea what I'm looking at. Some are in rear hub, and some are in the crankset. I do see they are pretty damn spendy.though. I thought it would be valuable information.The Arc Trainer at the gym has got power (watt) measurements but really that doesn't transfer to the bike ( Idon'tknow what I'm doing on the bike.)

For the average or even above average rider, I would go with whatever you can find for the least amount of money out of pocket. Next time I see you, I'll bring my book training and racing with a power meter. It should offer some insight about the different models currently offered. The only reason I ended up with the iAero was the price point. If I had to do it again, I would have stalked eBay until I found an SRM wireless, or Quarq for the right money. I'm just not a fan of the power tap due to the added rotational mass and you have to have that power tap hub on ALL wheels for training and/or racing if you want to measure power.

[TheYeti]

Ridge would probably disagree with you on that statment.

[TheYeti]

Originally Posted by Ridge

For the average or even above average rider, I would go with whatever you can find for the least amount of money out of pocket. Next time I see you, I'll bring my book training and racing with a power meter. It should offer some insight about the different models currently offered. The only reason I ended up with the iAero was the price point. If I had to do it again, I would have stalked eBay until I found an SRM wireless, or Quarq for the right money. I'm just not a fan of the power tap due to the added rotational mass and you have to have that power tap hub on ALL wheels for training and/or racing if you want to measure power.

The powertap put me off for that very reason.

[Ridge]

Originally Posted by TheYeti

Ridge would probably disagree with you on that statment.

Hilly crits are the suck. Attack, hill, attack, hill, attack.. ferfucksake let me recover...

[Turbocelica]

I come accross this late '80's Schwinn with 105 components. The photo of the rear hub has something I've never seen before. It's on the side opposite of the freewheel or freehub. It almost looks like a bolt together hub?? Looks like a bunch of SHCS's?? Any ideas??

[rhys]

Mr Head,

Thanks, I'll keep everything you suggested in mind
- however -
I wasn't claiming to have ridden 42 miles DAILY for the last four daze!!! I've ridden a TOTAL of 42 miles between the last four days...... essentially 10 miles daily, out for a half hour, trying to spin but coasting to get some relief by getting up off the seat for a sec'.

The bike is an XS, my inseam is 24", NOTHING fits me correctly.... and I wasn't ready to spring for a custom made bike/frame! The seat is made by Specialized, it's got that gel stuff (I'm not a fan of gel), it's a size 155mm, not too soft/not too firm. I've adjusted my seat such that my knees are directly over the balls of my feet with the forward pedal parallel to the ground. My handlebar height, the stem length is what it is...... how "right" it may be is for the future to resolve. The brake/shifting controls is higher up on the handlebar on one side than it is on the other side..... and it's driving me crazy (I can be anal that way).

For $85 I can go to a local guy with a $10,000 machine/computer that ya sit on & pedal. As a custom bike/frame builder, it helps him determine the absolute most efficient way to set up a bike for the specific rider. I'm sure he'll want to change out my crank to a 165, maybe put on some wider bars for my broad shoulders, dial in the stem length, and try to sell me a $200 seat.......
---- Think I'll continue to try to break my butt in for a longer ride than thirty minutes before I pay him to marry the fit of my bike to me.

[Ridge]

Originally Posted by rhys

For $85 I can go to a local guy with a $10,000 machine/computer that ya sit on & pedal. As a custom bike/frame builder, it helps him determine the absolute most efficient way to set up a bike for the specific rider. I'm sure he'll want to change out my crank to a 165, maybe put on some wider bars for my broad shoulders, dial in the stem length, and try to sell me a $200 seat.......
---- Think I'll continue to try to break my butt in for a longer ride than thirty minutes before I pay him to marry the fit of my bike to me.

That would be the best $85 you will ever spend in your cycling career. Getting properly fit to your bike is worth it's weight in gold.

[rhys]

Ridge suggests:
"That would be the best $85 you will ever spend in your cycling career. Getting properly fit to your bike is worth it's weight in gold."

dammit...... I was afraid somebody would post that.
- but -
I just bought the new bicycle and 'stuff', purchased $300 worth of vitamins for the next several months, got the AC/Furnace serviced on the house that I'm underwater in, gifted the nephew who was accepted at The Naval Academy, hadda buy a new chain, sprockets, air filter, and oil for the SV, as well as borrow against myself for two track days & gas to & from, etc. etc. I'm actually scared to look at my Overdraft Protection account to see what damage I've done this month.....

I could take the attitude of,
"What's another eighty-five bucks, I'm financially screwed already!"
- afterall-
If there is any SINGLE piece of wisdom repeatedly shared about buying/riding a bicycle, it's how crucial "correct fit" is.......

[slackmeyer]

Originally Posted by rhys

dammit...... I was afraid somebody would post that.
- but -
I just bought the new bicycle and 'stuff', purchased $300 worth of vitamins for the next several months, got the AC/Furnace serviced on the house that I'm underwater in, gifted the nephew who was accepted at The Naval Academy, hadda buy a new chain, sprockets, air filter, and oil for the SV, as well as borrow against myself for two track days & gas to & from, etc. etc. I'm actually scared to look at my Overdraft Protection account to see what damage I've done this month.....

I could take the attitude of,
"What's another eighty-five bucks, I'm financially screwed already!"
- afterall-
If there is any SINGLE piece of wisdom repeatedly shared about buying/riding a bicycle, it's how crucial "correct fit" is.......

Look, there's nothing that says you have to get a bike fit on day one. Ride for a few weeks, start getting in shape for being in a bicycling position for a few hours at a time, and lose a little weight. I think you're going to feel a lot better on the bike pretty quick. But if you notice your position bothering you, before you start dropping money on random stems and cranks and pedals and seats and different width handlebars, spend the money on the bike fit.

signed,

someone who has never had a bike fit, and has plenty of different random stems and cranks and handlebars and seats around because of it.

zak

[TheYeti]

Originally Posted by rhys

Mr Head,

Thanks, I'll keep everything you suggested in mind
- however -
I wasn't claiming to have ridden 42 miles DAILY for the last four daze!!! I've ridden a TOTAL of 42 miles between the last four days...... essentially 10 miles daily, out for a half hour, trying to spin but coasting to get some relief by getting up off the seat for a sec'.

The bike is an XS, my inseam is 24", NOTHING fits me correctly.... and I wasn't ready to spring for a custom made bike/frame! The seat is made by Specialized, it's got that gel stuff (I'm not a fan of gel), it's a size 155mm, not too soft/not too firm. I've adjusted my seat such that my knees are directly over the balls of my feet with the forward pedal parallel to the ground. My handlebar height, the stem length is what it is...... how "right" it may be is for the future to resolve. The brake/shifting controls is higher up on the handlebar on one side than it is on the other side..... and it's driving me crazy (I can be anal that way).

For $85 I can go to a local guy with a $10,000 machine/computer that ya sit on & pedal. As a custom bike/frame builder, it helps him determine the absolute most efficient way to set up a bike for the specific rider. I'm sure he'll want to change out my crank to a 165, maybe put on some wider bars for my broad shoulders, dial in the stem length, and try to sell me a $200 seat.......
---- Think I'll continue to try to break my butt in for a longer ride than thirty minutes before I pay him to marry the fit of my bike to me.

That kind of stuff drives me crazy too. It feels weird. My big peeve is not having my handbar quite straight.

[TheYeti]

Originally Posted by slackmeyer

Look, there's nothing that says you have to get a bike fit on day one. Ride for a few weeks, start getting in shape for being in a bicycling position for a few hours at a time, and lose a little weight. I think you're going to feel a lot better on the bike pretty quick. But if you notice your position bothering you, before you start dropping money on random stems and cranks and pedals and seats and different width handlebars, spend the money on the bike fit.

signed,

someone who has never had a bike fit, and has plenty of different random stems and cranks and handlebars and seats around because of it.

zak

But you can never have enough spare parts.He who dies with the most spare parts wins!...Right

[melville]

Originally Posted by Turbocelica

I come accross this late '80's Schwinn with 105 components. The photo of the rear hub has something I've never seen before. It's on the side opposite of the freewheel or freehub. It almost looks like a bolt together hub?? Looks like a bunch of SHCS's?? Any ideas??

I have no idea what that's about! The wheel is weakened by the extra dish, built asymmetrically, and those look like old school galvanized spokes. As it's a freehub, I further have no idea how the hub gets serviced without unbuilding the wheel. There may even be clearance problems with the left dropout/stays on some frames. Mad machining skills gone to waste.

[mud]

Originally Posted by Turbocelica

I come accross this late '80's Schwinn with 105 components. The photo of the rear hub has something I've never seen before. It's on the side opposite of the freewheel or freehub. It almost looks like a bolt together hub?? Looks like a bunch of SHCS's?? Any ideas??

Looks like a road hub converted to tandem spacing.... But, why?

[Turbocelica]

It wasn't on a tandem in the want ad. Must have just pieced the bike together with various parts they had available. Or at least the rim set? So the frame must be quite stretched for that to fit in there.

What is the drop out width on tandems?

Originally Posted by mud

Looks like a road hub converted to tandem spacing.... But, why?

[k7]

Originally Posted by Turbocelica

What is the drop out width on tandems?

Look on Sheldon's page here.