Well, the Ritchie headset I put on my fixie turned out to not be up to the task, lasting a scant eight months before I completely destroyed it. Shoulda listened to the Freak in the first place and just bought a King. I have now corrected my mistake. It was a major delight to ride the fix in to work today after a few weeks commuting on the hardtail. I love my hardtail, but it just ain't a street bike.
BTW, those of you who thought a fixed-gear cyclocross bike with 38c tires and V-brakes was an abomination should see it with front and
BTW, those of you who thought a fixed-gear cyclocross bike with 38c tires and V-brakes was an abomination should see it with front and
I hope you got some of those bar-end LED blinkies. They're the only reason I could see for owning a bike with drop handlebars right now (well, not really, but they _do_ look cool)
I hope you got some of those bar-end LED blinkies. They're the only reason I could see for owning a bike with drop handlebars right now (well, not really, but they _do_ look cool)
Steve
Now his bike is a fixie, but you can't just throw those things on any 'cross bike... Where else would you put the shifters?
Now his bike is a fixie, but you can't just throw those things on any 'cross bike. Where else would you put the shifters?
On the downtube. Only place I've ever had them on a road bike. The kid's bike with the integral brake/shift levers feels wierd, although I'm sure I could get used to it.
Now his bike is a fixie, but you can't just throw those things on any 'cross bike. Where else would you put the shifters?
On the downtube. Only place I've ever had them on a road bike. The kid's bike with the integral brake/shift levers feels wierd, although I'm sure I could get used to it.
Stev
OK, so you've out-grouched me on that one. I suppose you cruise around in one of those boats with a big piece of fabric instead of a proper motor...
Now his bike is a fixie, but you can't just throw those things on any 'crossbike. Where else would you put the shifters?
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On the downtube. Only place I've ever had them on a road bike. The kid's bike with the integral brake/shift levers feels wierd, although I'm sure I could get used to it.
Bar end shifters are the ticket on a cyclocross bike, retro or not. Extra retro points for running Suntour Power Ratchet friction barends. Double extra points if you run a single chainring with chainguards; that frees up one barend for an LED (I wouldn't trust those blinkies to be as visible as a good LED taillight, though).
Downtube shifters are fine but it is nice not to have to reach that far from the bars when riding off road.
I'll post a picture when I get a proper front fender on in a couple of days. I'm just running one of those strap-on downtube jobs right now, which is only marginally effective.
None too soon putting the fenders on, though. 45 degrees and icy lake effect rain today, and I was totally comfortable on my commute. Whee!
[email hidden] (Corvus Corvax) wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...
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Well, the Ritchie headset I put on my fixie turned out to not be up to the task, lasting a scant eight months before I completely destroyed it. Shoulda listened to the Freak in the first place and just bought a King. I have now corrected my mistake.
Welcome to the wonderful world of "forget about your headset".
Bar end shifters are the ticket on a cyclocross bike, retro or not.
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We don' need no steenking shifters...
Around here some of the cross races have a singlespeed category for the real deviants.
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However, what would in principle be wrong with STI on a 'cross bike, except for the lack of any real style?
Well, there is that. Nothing wrong, although the front derailleur can be an issue (Shimano don't make a top-pull FD that indexes with road STI). I think people put off going STI because of worries about clogging up in mud and rain, crash damage and expense - drive components on a cross bike take abuse. But most of the cross bikes around here now have STI. I have barends, but that's because (a) I'm cheap and (b) every time I go to 'cross practice, I'm reminded of how much I suck at it, and feel dopey about spending money on a new bike or components.
"JD" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...
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[email hidden] (Corvus Corvax) wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
Well, the Ritchie headset I put on my fixie turned out to not be up to the task, lasting a scant eight months before I completely destroyed it. Shoulda listened to the Freak in the first place and just bought a King. I have now corrected my mistake.
Welcome to the wonderful world of "forget about your headset".
JD
Amen. When I pulled the king out of one bike you hate and put it in the other (newer, more expensive) one you hate, I was prepared to open up the bearings and just throw some new grease in there. But damn, there was barely any dirt that even got onto the outside of the bearings - and they were as smooth (if not smoother!) as they were out of the box. Damn.
"Jon Bond" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...
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"JD" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...
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[email hidden] (Corvus Corvax) wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
Well, the Ritchie headset I put on my fixie turned out to not be up to the task, lasting a scant eight months before I completely destroyed it. Shoulda listened to the Freak in the first place and just bought a King. I have now corrected my mistake.
Welcome to the wonderful world of "forget about your headset".
JD
Amen. When I pulled the king out of one bike you hate and put it in the other (newer, more expensive) one you hate
I don't "hate" those bikes, Jon. I think they are a joke though.
