bikes

[arrbee]

nice, those are awesome.  what did you pay? Its so hard to get bikes and equipment right now, especially in Canada. My friend has a trainer on order and it got pushed back from November to January.

$269 Amazon Prime, should be here by Monday. I think this is the going price for them, Amazon just offers the fastest delivery and almost no question asked returns.

[Beeda Weeda]

that is very reasonable, I hate it how amazon is getting product when local shops are just begging for stuff to sell. Back orders on top of back orders. I don't blame you for using amazon though, mans gotta ride.

[arrbee]

It was sold and fulfilled by a local bike shop in Indianapolis. So I feel a little better about it. At least it’s helping a small business in the end.

A few shops don’t do e-commerce and strictly use Amazon as their online business. Hopefully Amazon doesn’t take too much of a cut.

[Beeda Weeda]

thats good to hear that its ending up being local.

[ungzilla]

switched back to drop bars, even though the funky surly bar was fun. think that's going to end up on my mountain bike when i get some time.

[Joust Ostrich]

switched back to drop bars, even though the funky surly bar was fun. think that's going to end up on my mountain bike when i get some time.

Solid set up.  What size tires are you running on that?

[ungzilla]

these are 45mm gravel kings, sometimes i roll on a set of 35mm though

[garthblader]

these are 45mm gravel kings, sometimes i roll on a set of 35mm though

Thats a super sweet Soma.  I've been going back and forth for years about picking up a Soma Wolverine.

Anyone here have experience with Pogies? I just picked up a pair off Amazon, just waiting for them to get here.  Its been getting chilly at night here working and bulky gloves don't really work well with my shifter setup.

[essal]

had a pretty sick little ride today, mix between wet gravel, mud and snow. might actually look into getting proper fenders, because the tiny ass savers still allow for a bit of splash.

[jgonzalez]

Does anyone have experience converting a vintage road bike to a single speed?

I have a 70s Raleigh bike that I found in the street.
I replaced the chain but the cogs skip while riding on the lowest setting on the cassette. Not sure if it’s as easy as throwing on a single speed back wheel and putting on a single speed chain

Not sure if I can replace the cassette either.

The arms are cottered and I don’t wanna fuck with the bottom bracket and crank set unless it’s easy. I’m not sure about threading and stuff like that.

What I would like to do is take off a brake and have one front brake
Take off the derailleur and have a nimble single speed road bike

TLDR anyone convert vintage road bikes to single speed?

[ungzilla]

the derailleur limits may need to be adjusted, or the hanger might be bent, or you may have a rusty cable preventing the derailleur from moving across it's full range, or the derailleur itself may be jacked. there are two screws usually near where the cable joins the derailleur, one adjusts the inboard limit and one adjusts the outboard limit. the outboard limit screw should be set such that the derailleur is aligned exactly with the smallest cog (when there is no cable tension present), or even a tiny bit (like, 1mm) further outboard. hard to say w/o more information/photos. to convert to single speed depends on the frame (horizontal dropouts? vertical?). given the age it's probably horizontal, so yes, you could get a new wheel, but you're going to need to consider the chainline (so the front and rear cogs need to be aligned and the chain should be parallel to the central axis of the frame), which may entail getting a new crank and or bottom bracket, or you could go real bootleg and just delete your derailleur, use your existing wheel, and set the chainlength to correspond to whichever gear gave you the proper chainline...

[ungzilla]

also working on getting my mtn bike back in working order. i've been missing getting out on the trails and winter is the time for it around here.

[Francis Xavier]

Does anyone have experience converting a vintage road bike to a single speed?

I have a 70s Raleigh bike that I found in the street.
I replaced the chain but the cogs skip while riding on the lowest setting on the cassette. Not sure if it’s as easy as throwing on a single speed back wheel and putting on a single speed chain

Not sure if I can replace the cassette either.

The arms are cottered and I don’t wanna fuck with the bottom bracket and crank set unless it’s easy. I’m not sure about threading and stuff like that.

What I would like to do is take off a brake and have one front brake
Take off the derailleur and have a nimble single speed road bike

TLDR anyone convert vintage road bikes to single speed?

I made a 12 speed univega a single speed, got rid of the derailleurs and even welded on my own custom horizontal dropouts. Changed the bottom bracket, had to re-center the rear wheel(instead of just buying a new one) so my cog lined up with my crank(just adjusting the axle and spacers) and I was pretty much good to go. I went wayyy in,a lot of dudes don't go that route, and if you look on YouTube theres medium to high customizations done.

 What Ung said is good advice too. The tools to take of a cassette and whatnot aren't expensive and its totally doable.

Before:


After

[GardenSkater77]

https://www.performancebike.com/origin8-single-speed-conversion-kit-black-silver-16-18t-26283/p721796

You don’t have to remove the crack set if you don’t want to.

1.) get chain breaker and break chain and shorten as needed.
2.) line up rear cog with middle chain ring on the crank using the spacer rings provided.
3.) attach the chain and the derailleur So the chain is properly tensioned.

That’s it. If you don’t care about the small and large chain ring remaining on the bike this is quickest most stress free way to remove gears from a road bike. I turned my mountain bike to a bmx bike using this method and it was a blast.

[GardenSkater77]

Expand Quote

Does anyone have experience converting a vintage road bike to a single speed?

I have a 70s Raleigh bike that I found in the street.
I replaced the chain but the cogs skip while riding on the lowest setting on the cassette. Not sure if it’s as easy as throwing on a single speed back wheel and putting on a single speed chain

Not sure if I can replace the cassette either.

The arms are cottered and I don’t wanna fuck with the bottom bracket and crank set unless it’s easy. I’m not sure about threading and stuff like that.

What I would like to do is take off a brake and have one front brake
Take off the derailleur and have a nimble single speed road bike

TLDR anyone convert vintage road bikes to single speed?

[close]

I made a 12 speed univega a single speed, got rid of the derailleurs and even welded on my own custom horizontal dropouts. Changed the bottom bracket, had to re-center the rear wheel(instead of just buying a new one) so my cog lined up with my crank(just adjusting the axle and spacers) and I was pretty much good to go. I went wayyy in,a lot of dudes don't go that route, and if you look on YouTube theres medium to high customizations done.

 What Ung said is good advice too. The tools to take of a cassette and whatnot aren't expensive and its totally doable.

Before:


After

Fuck yeah

[ungzilla]

https://www.performancebike.com/origin8-single-speed-conversion-kit-black-silver-16-18t-26283/p721796

You don’t have to remove the crack set if you don’t want to.

1.) get chain breaker and break chain and shorten as needed.
2.) line up rear cog with middle chain ring on the crank using the spacer rings provided.
3.) attach the chain and the derailleur So the chain is properly tensioned.

That’s it. If you don’t care about the small and large chain ring remaining on the bike this is quickest most stress free way to remove gears from a road bike. I turned my mountain bike to a bmx bike using this method and it was a blast.

this will not work on a bike from the 70s without a new rear wheel. anything that old is likely going to have a freehub rather than a modern cassette hub. which is fine but plan for that as a cost of doing business with that particular kit, unless it's already been replaced at some point.

francis xavier that dropout replacement is some advanced level nerdery good job, hard to believe that's the same bike before and after

[Francis Xavier]

Expand Quote

https://www.performancebike.com/origin8-single-speed-conversion-kit-black-silver-16-18t-26283/p721796

You don’t have to remove the crack set if you don’t want to.

1.) get chain breaker and break chain and shorten as needed.
2.) line up rear cog with middle chain ring on the crank using the spacer rings provided.
3.) attach the chain and the derailleur So the chain is properly tensioned.

That’s it. If you don’t care about the small and large chain ring remaining on the bike this is quickest most stress free way to remove gears from a road bike. I turned my mountain bike to a bmx bike using this method and it was a blast.

[close]

this will not work on a bike from the 70s without a new rear wheel. anything that old is likely going to have a freehub rather than a modern cassette hub. which is fine but plan for that as a cost of doing business with that particular kit, unless it's already been replaced at some point.

francis xavier that dropout replacement is some advanced level nerdery good job, hard to believe that's the same bike before and after

Thank you!

[jgonzalez]

thanks for the reply and insight @ungzilla

sexy ass bike @Francis Xavier

here are some pics of the bike.

i used the lever to adjust the derailleur to the cog that doesn't skip so idk if that component is ok.

i'm kinda into the idea of taking out the crankset, but idk shit about threading and whatever and how an old school bikes looks inside compared to a modern bike. I can do all other work on bikes but this part throws me off along with putting spokes on and tuning wheels and wheel hubs

maybe finding another 27 x 1.25 rim would work? but then i'd have to get the right cassette. idk if I can change the cassette on a bike this old also.

[Joust Ostrich]

thanks for the reply and insight @ungzilla

sexy ass bike @Francis Xavier

here are some pics of the bike.

i used the lever to adjust the derailleur to the cog that doesn't skip so idk if that component is ok.

i'm kinda into the idea of taking out the crankset, but idk shit about threading and whatever and how an old school bikes looks inside compared to a modern bike. I can do all other work on bikes but this part throws me off along with putting spokes on and tuning wheels and wheel hubs

maybe finding another 27 x 1.25 rim would work? but then i'd have to get the right cassette. idk if I can change the cassette on a bike this old also.

You'd just need a single speed freewheel.  Probably $16 for that.  Ditch the derailleur.   I put Origin 8 track cranks on mine. I think they were $60. 

[Hash Slinging Slasher]

i think i've finally decided to invest in a gravel bike but i've come to the point where i've looked at too many bikes online... does anyone here have recommendations? brands to steer clear of? looking to get some bang for my buck but willing to drop maybe up to $3k usd if the bike is right

[IUTSM]

I realized I had these stashed when I went to the east coast


got this one, 1960s if I'm not mistaken, on craigslist for $50 about 9 years ago, complete bike, everything original down to the cotter pin cranks. Components are stashed elsewhere. I'll restore it when I move back east


Got this one on Craigslist for $100 bucks about 7 years ago. Probably early 90s. Nothing special but a nice bike nonetheless



This was my first bike as a grown person. It was gifted to me about 11 years ago. This old guy who bartended up the street from where I lived always talked to me about riding and when I expressed interest, gave me the complete fixie (I switched from tubeless) that was his old winter set up so that I could learn to pedal. In my worst years of getting fucked up, this bike probably saved me from countless DUI and subsequent trouble.
Excuse the wack handlebars, I was only riding for about a week on this trip and unable to cut and tape. This bike has been through the shit and the bottom bracket still feels like butter. A very, very fun bike to ride. To this day, my favorite.

[ungzilla]

i think i've finally decided to invest in a gravel bike but i've come to the point where i've looked at too many bikes online... does anyone here have recommendations? brands to steer clear of? looking to get some bang for my buck but willing to drop maybe up to $3k usd if the bike is right

if i had 3k to spend on a gravel bike I'd probably get a Niner just because i think they look sick... but there are going to be a lot of companies that have a real nice model around that price point. figuring out if you prefer sram or shimano or what kind of gear range you need out of your drivetrain will affect which options work best... like if you live in Colorado or somewhere mountainous you may not want a 1x drivetrain, though that is great for where i live in the southeast. then there's 650b vs 700c wheel size, depending on how much rubber you want to use for your day to day riding. i personally would steer clear of anything carbon (not counting fork), but i also don't mind having a relatively heavy bike.

[Hash Slinging Slasher]

Expand Quote

i think i've finally decided to invest in a gravel bike but i've come to the point where i've looked at too many bikes online... does anyone here have recommendations? brands to steer clear of? looking to get some bang for my buck but willing to drop maybe up to $3k usd if the bike is right

[close]

if i had 3k to spend on a gravel bike I'd probably get a Niner just because i think they look sick... but there are going to be a lot of companies that have a real nice model around that price point. figuring out if you prefer sram or shimano or what kind of gear range you need out of your drivetrain will affect which options work best... like if you live in Colorado or somewhere mountainous you may not want a 1x drivetrain, though that is great for where i live in the southeast. then there's 650b vs 700c wheel size, depending on how much rubber you want to use for your day to day riding. i personally would steer clear of anything carbon (not counting fork), but i also don't mind having a relatively heavy bike.

ended up looking at bikes in person today and went with a specialized diverge comp e5. i was kind of skeptical of 1x but i like it for its simplicity and less that can break on the bike. that being said i had to go up some hills on the ride home and i was still a few gears higher than the lowest and it was a breeze so i think i'll be good. took it for a quick rip down a really shitty alley near my house and i can tell i'm going to have way too much fun on this thing >

[Frank]

specialized is sick, a friend of mine has a super sick tricked out specialized mountain bike. they have a store/show room in my city, wanted to check that out for a while, but rn all non essential shops are closed.

[Joust Ostrich]

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

i think i've finally decided to invest in a gravel bike but i've come to the point where i've looked at too many bikes online... does anyone here have recommendations? brands to steer clear of? looking to get some bang for my buck but willing to drop maybe up to $3k usd if the bike is right

[close]

if i had 3k to spend on a gravel bike I'd probably get a Niner just because i think they look sick... but there are going to be a lot of companies that have a real nice model around that price point. figuring out if you prefer sram or shimano or what kind of gear range you need out of your drivetrain will affect which options work best... like if you live in Colorado or somewhere mountainous you may not want a 1x drivetrain, though that is great for where i live in the southeast. then there's 650b vs 700c wheel size, depending on how much rubber you want to use for your day to day riding. i personally would steer clear of anything carbon (not counting fork), but i also don't mind having a relatively heavy bike.

[close]

ended up looking at bikes in person today and went with a specialized diverge comp e5. i was kind of skeptical of 1x but i like it for its simplicity and less that can break on the bike. that being said i had to go up some hills on the ride home and i was still a few gears higher than the lowest and it was a breeze so i think i'll be good. took it for a quick rip down a really shitty alley near my house and i can tell i'm going to have way too much fun on this thing >

Solid choice.  You'll be happy with that.

[Grind King Rims]

Planning on getting a road bike in the first couple months of 2021. It'll be my first bike in a couple of years, and my first time owning a road bike. Any recommendations on what to look out for? My main concerns are a reasonably light frame, smooth brakes and whether frequent flat tires will be an issue (my last bike had me plagued with flat tires).

[sometimeperhaps]

Planning on getting a road bike in the first couple months of 2021. It'll be my first bike in a couple of years, and my first time owning a road bike. Any recommendations on what to look out for? My main concerns are a reasonably light frame, smooth brakes and whether frequent flat tires will be an issue (my last bike had me plagued with flat tires).

I haven't paid attention to bikes since I stopped working at a shop a few years ago, but I found Cannondale to be pretty good value for what you get. The frame is arguably the most important part, as all other components can be updated easier after the fact. It's sometimes better to go low-mid range to see if you get into it, then you can upgrade gear sets and stuff from there. Where the price really soars is your gear sets.

I have a Cannondale Cad 10, and have never had any issues with it. The frame is aluminum and quite light. I think it retailed for $1800CAD back a few years ago, so not cheap but honestly something that will treat you well for years to come. I've thought about upgrading certain parts, but for the price I don't think I'd notice much difference unless I spent a lot. Can't go wrong with Specialized, but I always felt you paid a little bit of a premium on their products compared to what you'd get from others.

When it comes to flat tires, one of the issues could be you didn't watch the pressure in the tires. When they get lower you run the risk of pinch flats. Depending on the roads you ride, you could always look into Continental Gatorskin tires. They're not really "performance", but they suit shitty ground and city riding well. I've been running them on my commuter for years in the city and haven't had any flats. And that's me riding on all types of terrain. I swear by them.

[Grind King Rims]

Thanks very much pal.

[ungzilla]

basically all the big manufacturers will have a very similar option at a given price point. you might get a little upgrade on a part here or a part there depending on the brand.

for brakes i like cable disc brakes -- strong enough in virtually any situation, cheapish and easy to maintain/service. hydraulics are stronger but are a pain in the ass to service. rim brakes are fine but will be most affected by rain and you'll need to make sure your wheels are true more frequently. but, really, they are fine 99% of the time, and plenty powerful enough. i like WTB thick slick tires for my road bike, they're cheap and thick and last a while and i have rarely gotten flats while using them. they're heavy though.

if you really get into it and start putting a ton of miles on your bike remember that the bike parts wear down like anything else, even if you get the fancy stuff. with bike components spending more money doesn't get you more durable stuff, it gets you lighter stuff. replacing your chain every 6 months or annually (i think 1000 miles is the typical rule of thumb) depending on how much you ride will extend the life of the rest of the drive train.

if you're looking to save money by buying from an online company (e.g. motobecane, leader, etc), keep in mind that any shop you have build up a bike online will charge you for it, and probably at least 100 bucks, so that eats into some the savings that these companies appear to offer. and you will want someone who knows what they're doing to do that.

[IUTSM]

Planning on getting a road bike in the first couple months of 2021. It'll be my first bike in a couple of years, and my first time owning a road bike. Any recommendations on what to look out for? My main concerns are a reasonably light frame, smooth brakes and whether frequent flat tires will be an issue (my last bike had me plagued with flat tires).

I don't know what the craigslist scene is like where you live, but I've always had great luck finding nice, older road bikes at very good prices. Pawn shops too. Is there a bike kitchen near you? you can often find a dope older bike that's been recently tuned/cleaned up at a good price. The more you spend, the more you're going to worry about it being stolen, imo. As for flats, there could've been some spoke poking through into the rim, could've had glass or other debris on the inside of the fire wall, could have pinched the tubes upon installation. Gatorskins and Armadillos are pretty bullet proof tires.

What do you want the road bike for? Are you trying to race? Long leisurely rides? Transportation? My take is that, for your first roadie, you don't need the bells and whistles a $1000+ bike has and, really, you can't predict how much you'll actually ending using the bike- many people drop bank on nice bikes and don't use them much. A new bike isn't going to hold it's value in the way that a 2nd bike, already depreciated in value will. If you buy a $300 90s road bike to learn on over the course of six months, you can sell that bike for $300 and upgrade later when you've got a more experienced feel for what you're going to want/need.

Good luck and have fun!!!