Bicycle-Fi! - Page 133

Quote:

Originally Posted by Icenine2 

This is the most amazing bike video I've ever seen!  I really want a Pinarello now!  If I could do even one of these tricks I'd be really happy!

 

http://reviews.roadbikereview.com/martyn-ashton-road-bike-party

x2 on the video .... If that was me on the bicycle, I would have 2 broken arms, 2 broken legs, and any other body part that could get damaged!!!!!!

You guys never heard about Cyclo-cross? I officiate at a local CX series and at every race I'm blown away by how crazy this sport is. About half of what you see in the video is normal in a CX race. It's just so wrong to see them racing off road with drop-bars road bikes...

They're using WD-40 to clean this bike? 

Yeah I've heard of cyclo-cross and all that but on the Pinarello?  Wow!  Check out the outtakes.  Killer and funny!

I have watched CX races before it and that video is nothing like it at all, it is trials riding on a road bike.  In cycle cross people ride on dirt paths or grass paths and have to get off the bikes to go over obstacles where as trials is all about getting over large while staying on the bike and keeping balance.  Have a look at this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cj6ho1-G6tw

A CX bike is also different from a rode bike in that the geometry is more relaxed and they run knobby tires, but I have to agree it is pretty insane what they ride, but never really got into it myself as I would much rather blast some single track on my Yeti 575.

Thanks guys for your answers,

Well, it seems that (based on your comments and on a lot of reviews that I've read) a belt drivetrain isn't the best option for a budget-minded first build..

Do you have any other suggestion about the type of configuration that I should opt for?

Thanks again.

You could also look into building a fully rigid 29'er mountain bike, just put some skinny touring tires on it and you could ride it on the road well.  It would be much stronger than your typical commuter bike so you could easily swap out the tires for something more aggressive and do some trail riding on it.  You would also have the advantage of running disk brakes so if it rains, you will still be able to stop.  Let us know what route you want to go and I'm sure we can help you decide on the components to build the bike as well as how to actually build it. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by KimLaroux 
They're using WD-40 to clean this bike? 

Pro mechanics generally use a product from a sponsor for the bike wash and petrol or diesel for the drive chain (eats dirt) which is much cheaper than buying specialized degreasers and whatnot and is more effective. My LBS recommended some dishwashing liquid mixed into a bucket of warm water for washing my bike and it works very well and costs next to nothing.

WD-40 is nothing but diesel fuel and is terrible to use to grease any component on the bike as it attracts dirt to the components which causes it to grind away at them.  If you ever see a person at a bike shop using petrol on the chain you should just leave.  The special grease for bikes is wax based which repels the dirt and water which helps make the whole drive train last longer, I cringe at the thought that a bike mechanic would ever use fuel as a greaser for components as it is also very toxic and bad for the environment.  They also sell another type of grease at bike shops that is very thick and comes in a tube with a special dispenser on the top for applying to bearings and other moving parts on the bike.  As for cleaning the bike, the dishwashing liquid and warm water is fine, but be sure to brush off any hardened mud because if you just start washing it with a sponge as the dirt will effectively turn the sponge into sandpaper and ruin the paint job on the bike.  But PLEASE, for the love of god, never use petrol, diesel, or WD-40 on ANY part of the bike, there is a reason why there are special greases for bikes.

Really liking my Jamis Exile Sport bike. Ever since I got my Surfac Drifter tires, I've been loving it even more. Currently, it's in for it's free 30-day ( after purchase ) tune-up.

The problem with rigid mountain bikes is they are very solid frames. How's that a problem you ask? Well, it's a problem if you compare it to a more flexible city bike. A flexible frame and fork will act as a damper to smooth out the bumps in the road. Ever tried one of the classic city bikes with the fork bent awkwardly forward? Those forks make these bikes very comfortable to ride, even with thin tires.

Very solid forks are necessary for disc brakes, or they'll bend and jump back and forth every time you brake. For a solid bike, you have to compromise. Either you go with disc brakes on a very hard bike, which will give you better braking power in any weather, or you go with a flexible frame, which will make your ride more comfortable.

An usual compromise if you need disc brakes is to use "fat" tires with lower pressures. There comes a point where if the tires and the frame is too rigid, the vibrations will slow you down. You have to find your sweet spot, which depends on many factors including your weight, the weight of what you carry with you, the size of the tires, the condition of the roads you'll be using...

Quote:

Originally Posted by micrors4 

WD-40 is nothing but diesel fuel and is terrible to use to grease any component on the bike as it attracts dirt to the components which causes it to grind away at them.  If you ever see a person at a bike shop using petrol on the chain you should just leave.  The special grease for bikes is wax based which repels the dirt and water which helps make the whole drive train last longer, I cringe at the thought that a bike mechanic would ever use fuel as a greaser for components as it is also very toxic and bad for the environment.  They also sell another type of grease at bike shops that is very thick and comes in a tube with a special dispenser on the top for applying to bearings and other moving parts on the bike.  As for cleaning the bike, the dishwashing liquid and warm water is fine, but be sure to brush off any hardened mud because if you just start washing it with a sponge as the dirt will effectively turn the sponge into sandpaper and ruin the paint job on the bike.  But PLEASE, for the love of god, never use petrol, diesel, or WD-40 on ANY part of the bike, there is a reason why there are special greases for bikes.

I did say pro mechanics use petrol/diesel because it saves valuable time and all components are free of charge so they can go through as many as they like, eg before every grand tour the mechanics will put a new chain and cassette on every bike and these are quite expensive for us. Petrol and Diesel are used because they eat through everything so it all comes out clean as a whistle, then lubricant is applied after all the petrol/diesel is cleaned off. Grease is only used in classics and other early races where its cold, damp and miserable. For us at home that don't clean our bikes after every ride or race, using grease is dumb. An all purpose lube should be fairly runny and thin, after all it has to get into the links where it does its job. I'd recommend rock n roll gold as a good all purpose lube, apply it, wheel backwards for a bit then wipe off with cloth, easy and simple.

Petrol is great, it eats through all the built up grease and dirt, and then evaporates off, leaving the chain totally clean, THEN you have to apply lubricant. petrol is volatile and evaporates off. that's what makes it good for cleaning.
Meths works too, but ethanol is a very short, polar hydrocarbon, so it's not as effective.

Quote:

Originally Posted by KimLaroux 

The problem with rigid mountain bikes is they are very solid frames. How's that a problem you ask? Well, it's a problem if you compare it to a more flexible city bike. A flexible frame and fork will act as a damper to smooth out the bumps in the road. Ever tried one of the classic city bikes with the fork bent awkwardly forward? Those forks make these bikes very comfortable to ride, even with thin tires.

 

Very solid forks are necessary for disc brakes, or they'll bend and jump back and forth every time you brake. For a solid bike, you have to compromise. Either you go with disc brakes on a very hard bike, which will give you better braking power in any weather, or you go with a flexible frame, which will make your ride more comfortable.

 

An usual compromise if you need disc brakes is to use "fat" tires with lower pressures. There comes a point where if the tires and the frame is too rigid, the vibrations will slow you down. You have to find your sweet spot, which depends on many factors including your weight, the weight of what you carry with you, the size of the tires, the condition of the roads you'll be using...

They are more solid frames, but because you run bigger tires and at much lower pressures it makes up for the rigidity and you can run carbon handle bars as well to take away some of the sting.  However I have never heard of a bike being "flexible" but rigid steel bikes tend to give a smoother ride than aluminum as they absorb the small chatter from the road but the difference is hardly noticeable and I have never heard or seen a fork flex due to disc brakes.  Fork flex can be a common problem on smaller forks and I have seen it on a very light weight fork meant for XC racing, but that only had 28mm stanchions and you would be hard pressed to find something like that nowadays.  I have run disk brakes on a cross bike and it had no problems and they wouldn't put posts on a fork that couldn't run a disc brake anyways.  Obviously a rigid mountain bike with touring tires won't be as quick and smooth as a carbon road bike, but unless you are commuting long distances or racing then you are better off getting a bike that can stand up to the abuse of commuting.  I personally like to commute on my Bianchi Pista fixed gear because of the ruggedness and simplicity of it while still having the same comfort of a road bike for long rides, however I wouldn't recommend a fixie to most good riders let alone a beginner as they are EXTREMELY dangerous if you have no experience with them.