Times columnist ducks a Parris wire

[Alan Braggins]

In article <[email protected]>, Rob Morley wrote:
>[email protected] says...
>> "charles" <[email protected]> wrote
>
>> You won't get maguras any more :-( Anyway if you get those you can't use the
>> next bit:
>>
>> > gear controls integrated with the brake levers;
>>
>You could do that with remote master cylinders.

I thought last time the subject came up remote master cylinders were also
on the "you can't get those (new) any more" list too?

 

[Rob Morley]

In article <[email protected]>, Alan Braggins
[email protected] says...
> In article <[email protected]>, Rob Morley wrote:
> >[email protected] says...
> >> "charles" <[email protected]> wrote
> >
> >> You won't get maguras any more :-( Anyway if you get those you can't use the
> >> next bit:
> >>
> >> > gear controls integrated with the brake levers;
> >>
> >You could do that with remote master cylinders.
>
> I thought last time the subject came up remote master cylinders were also
> on the "you can't get those (new) any more" list too?
>
You can get them for other applications like motocross bikes, so could
probably adapt something. Or make them from scratch - the engineering
is pretty simple (although it needs to be precise). This is a dream
bike we're talking about, after all.

 

[Nige Danton]

On Feb 7, 7:17 am, charles <[email protected]> wrote:

> So what should I specify when I visit Mr Roberts of Croydon on Friday
> week?

How about bosses for three water bottles and pump pegs?

--
Nige Danton

 

[Nigel Cliffe]

Nige Danton wrote:
> On Feb 7, 7:17 am, charles <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> So what should I specify when I visit Mr Roberts of Croydon on Friday
>> week?
>
> How about bosses for three water bottles and pump pegs?

Fortunately, the questions of pump pegs and bottle bosses are on the
standard Robert's frame sheet, so very unlikely to be forgotten.



- Nigel


--
Nigel Cliffe,
Webmaster at http://www.2mm.org.uk/

 

[Simon Brooke]

charles wrote:

> So what should I specify when I visit Mr Roberts of Croydon on Friday
> week?
>
> I have the following in mind:-
>
> 26" wheels - aluminium;
> (stronger than 700 wheels?

Marginally at best.

> greater availability of different
> tyres?)

No, the opposite, unless you're going for very wide deep tread mud plugging
tyres. Indeed, you can now get plenty of mud plugging tyres in 700c now.
Unless you're unusually short I wouldn't suggest 26".

> Good clearance between tyres and mudguards;
>
> SPD pedals - on the lowest security setting; and shoes;

I'd advise against SPDs. For a touring bike, try Time ATACs, Speedplay Frogs
or Crank Bros Egg Beaters. SPDs combine a very small pressure area (which,
to be fair, is true of all the 'mountain bike' style systems except the
Speedplay Frog) with an annoying tendency to jam up with grit.

> Hub dynamo and photo-sensitive stand lights front and rear;

Yup! SON hub for preference, although it's expensive.

> a Very Big rear cog and some smaller ones; half-step? triple front
> chain rings?

Lots of people ride triples these days. The systems work fine. However,
personally I think they're ugly and would suggest you look at a compact
double.

> comfortable drop handle bars with those sticky-outy brake housings you
> can hold and really THICK handlebar tape;
>
> Brakes (Rim)that I can operate with one finger; Magira hydraulics?
> KoolStop salmon brake blocks;

Sadly you can't currently get drop handlebar levers for hydraulic brakes.
Magura used to do them and you might still get some old stock. But
cantilever brakes aren't at all bad. Also you can get a cable-to-hydraulic
solution - I've seen it on tandems, but I'm not sure where it's made.

On my cross bike I have in-line auxiliary brake levers, which are becoming
common on cross bikes and some tourers these days; they weigh very little
and in my opinion are definitely worth it. Like this:

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ProductDetail.aspx?ProdID=5360012608
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ProductDetail.aspx?ProdID=5360027557

> gear controls integrated with the brake levers;

Again, not currently with hydraulics, unless you can find that
cable-to-hydraulic thing I was talking about. The integrated controls need
to be of the same make as your derailleurs; I use Campag, and love them,
but the SRAM ones are also good.

> cranks - 170mm or will Mr Roberts advise?

What are you comfortable with on other bikes?

--
[email protected] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

'You cannot put "The Internet" into the Recycle Bin.'

 

[Alan Braggins]

In article <[email protected]>, Simon Brooke wrote:
> Also you can get a cable-to-hydraulic
>solution - I've seen it on tandems, but I'm not sure where it's made.

I gather Santana used to use one, but have now switched to a cable
operated disk brake: http://santanatandem.com/Techno/MechVsHydro07.html
http://www.precisiontandems.com/artdiscbk0.htm
http://www.gtgtandems.com/tech/contents.html

(Not that this rules out the possibility that you can still get old
stock, or that someone else still makes such a solution.)

 

[[email protected]]

In message <[email protected]>
Simon Brooke <[email protected]> wrote:

>> 26" wheels - aluminium;
>> (stronger than 700 wheels?

> Marginally at best.

Noted,

>> greater availability of different
>> tyres?)

> No, the opposite, unless you're going for very wide deep tread mud plugging
> tyres. Indeed, you can now get plenty of mud plugging tyres in 700c now.
> Unless you're unusually short I wouldn't suggest 26".

Noted.

>> SPD pedals - on the lowest security setting; and shoes;

> I'd advise against SPDs. For a touring bike, try Time ATACs, Speedplay Frogs
> or Crank Bros Egg Beaters. SPDs combine a very small pressure area (which,
> to be fair, is true of all the 'mountain bike' style systems except the
> Speedplay Frog) with an annoying tendency to jam up with grit.

Time ATACS were suggested in another post, too.

What cycling shoes should I buy? Reynolds?

>> Hub dynamo and photo-sensitive stand lights front and rear;

> Yup! SON hub for preference, although it's expensive.

Noted; is there a problem in having the hub dynamo with QR hubs?

>> a Very Big rear cog and some smaller ones; half-step? triple front
>> chain rings?

> Lots of people ride triples these days. The systems work fine. However,
> personally I think they're ugly and would suggest you look at a compact
> double.

noted.

>> comfortable drop handle bars with those sticky-outy brake housings you
>> can hold and really THICK handlebar tape;
>>
>> Brakes (Rim)that I can operate with one finger; Magira hydraulics?
>> KoolStop salmon brake blocks;

> Sadly you can't currently get drop handlebar levers for hydraulic brakes.
> Magura used to do them and you might still get some old stock. But
> cantilever brakes aren't at all bad. Also you can get a cable-to-hydraulic
> solution - I've seen it on tandems, but I'm not sure where it's made.

> On my cross bike I have in-line auxiliary brake levers, which are becoming
> common on cross bikes and some tourers these days; they weigh very little
> and in my opinion are definitely worth it. Like this:

> http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ProductDetail.aspx?ProdID=5360012608
> http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ProductDetail.aspx?ProdID=5360027557

Thanks for that.

>> gear controls integrated with the brake levers;

> I use Campag, and love them,
> but the SRAM ones are also good.

noted.

>> cranks - 170mm or will Mr Roberts advise?

> What are you comfortable with on other bikes?

I tried out several bikes at Sandown Park today; they were all carbon
or carbon/aluminium, and lovely and light.

Didn't measure cranks!

None of the bikes seemed outstandingly comfortable ; and the combined
brake levers/gear shifters that they nearly all had were so varied...
I decided that I do not want long travel on the shifters.

The brakes struck me as very poor compared with my Brompton!

The tyres were scarily narrow!

Steering seemed very heavy, too!

Thanks for the stimulating pointers, ideas and suggestions.

--
Charles
Brompton P6R-Plus; CarryFreedom -YL, in Motspur Park
LCC; CTC.

 

[Alex Potter]

On Sat, 09 Feb 2008 22:30:20 +0000, charlesA wrote in
news:[email protected]:

> Noted; is there a problem in having the hub dynamo with QR hubs?

My Shimano hub dynamo was supplied with QR skewers.

--
Regards
Alex
The From address above is a spam-trap.
The Reply-To address is valid

 

[Nige Danton]

On Feb 9, 11:49 pm, "Nigel Cliffe" <[email protected]> wrote:
> Fortunately, the questions of pump pegs and bottle bosses are on the
> standard Robert's frame sheet, so very unlikely to be forgotten. True

But it might prompt the OP to think about it before visiting the shop
e.g. pump pegs: where?

--
Nige Danton

 

[Clive George]

<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

> Time ATACS were suggested in another post, too.

S'a variable thing - I use SPDs and am happy with them, and ditto for most
of the people I know.

> What cycling shoes should I buy? Reynolds?

Whatever fits your feet best. Seriously - it's clothing, people have
different shaped feet, so find a pair which suits _you_. Shimano shoes fit
me (makes my life easy ), but not others.

>>> Hub dynamo and photo-sensitive stand lights front and rear;
>
>> Yup! SON hub for preference, although it's expensive.
>
> Noted; is there a problem in having the hub dynamo with QR hubs?

SON needs a skewer fitting, either conventional QR or one of the security
variants. Shimano come in both bolted and QR variants.

Did you see my message mentioning that you should get an LED front lamp with
the dynamo? - B+M IQ fly is rather good.

> I tried out several bikes at Sandown Park today; they were all carbon
> or carbon/aluminium, and lovely and light.
>
> None of the bikes seemed outstandingly comfortable ; and the combined
> brake levers/gear shifters that they nearly all had were so varied...
> I decided that I do not want long travel on the shifters.

Long travel?

> The brakes struck me as very poor compared with my Brompton!

Yikes! Were you riding drop bars for the first time, and braking from the
hoods? I say this since I was never terribly impressed by the brompton
brakes (and yes, it had the dual-pivots).

cheers,
clive

 

[[email protected]]

In message <[email protected]>
"Clive George" <[email protected]> wrote:


[snip]

>> Time ATACS were suggested in another post, too.

> S'a variable thing - I use SPDs and am happy with them, and ditto for most
> of the people I know.

Thanks.

>> What cycling shoes should I buy? Reynolds?

> Whatever fits your feet best. Seriously - it's clothing, people have
> different shaped feet, so find a pair which suits _you_. Shimano shoes fit
> me (makes my life easy ), but not others.
Thanks.

[snip]

>> Noted; is there a problem in having the hub dynamo with QR hubs?

> SON needs a skewer fitting, either conventional QR or one of the security
> variants. Shimano come in both bolted and QR variants.

Thanks.

> Did you see my message mentioning that you should get an LED front lamp with
> the dynamo? - B+M IQ fly is rather good.

Thanks - shall budget for IQFly Senso plus.


[snip]

>>
>> I decided that I do not want long travel on the shifters.

> Long travel?

Some required a 3" shift (felt like, not measured.)

>> The brakes struck me as very poor compared with my Brompton!

> Yikes! Were you riding drop bars for the first time, and braking from the
> hoods? I say this since I was never terribly impressed by the brompton
> brakes (and yes, it had the dual-pivots).

Drops ridden for the first time for 20 years approx when I had an
Orbit Eclipse tourer, or something close. gave it to eldest son who
had it nicked. But I do have Brompton P bars which I would have
thought had all the components necessary for spongy performance.
Equally I have adjusted them to optimise performance.

Not sure what My Brompton has in terms of pivots, but it will manage a
front wheel stand in an emergency. There is no way any of the show
bikes had this capacity.

I have read all the comments and am very greatful; I would have liked
to reply individually, but have obviously failed.

--
Charles
Brompton P6R-Plus; CarryFreedom -YL, in Motspur Park
LCC; CTC.

 

[Tim Hall]

On Sun, 10 Feb 2008 00:08:05 GMT, Alex Potter
<[email protected]> wrote:

>On Sat, 09 Feb 2008 22:30:20 +0000, charlesA wrote in
>news:[email protected]:
>
>> Noted; is there a problem in having the hub dynamo with QR hubs?
>
>My Shimano hub dynamo was supplied with QR skewers.

(For the OP) And that's because they use a natty little plug and
socket arrangement on the wiring, so the wire stay where it should and
the wheel keeps its QRability.


--

Tim

I understand very little of what's being discussed
but for some reason it's fascinating.

(Jon Thompson, urs)

 

[[email protected]]

In message <[email protected]>
Tim Hall <[email protected]> wrote:

>>> Noted; is there a problem in having the hub dynamo with QR hubs?
>>
>>My Shimano hub dynamo was supplied with QR skewers.

> (For the OP) And that's because they use a natty little plug and
> socket arrangement on the wiring, so the wire stay where it should and
> the wheel keeps its QRability.


Thanks, Tim (and all)

My knowledge increases...
--
Charles O(A)P
Brompton P6R-Plus; CarryFreedom -YL, in Motspur Park
LCC; CTC.

 

[Dave Larrington]

In news:[email protected],
Alan Braggins <[email protected]> tweaked the Babbage-Engine to
tell us:
> In article <[email protected]>, Rob
> Morley wrote:
>> [email protected] says...
>>> "charles" <[email protected]> wrote
>>
>>> You won't get maguras any more :-( Anyway if you get those you
>>> can't use the next bit:
>>>
>>>> gear controls integrated with the brake levers;
>>>
>> You could do that with remote master cylinders.
>
> I thought last time the subject came up remote master cylinders were
> also
> on the "you can't get those (new) any more" list too?

ISTR one being mentioned in Velovision about a year ago, made by a Swiss
company and ferrrrrociously expensive, but I'm not in the same postal
district as as Thee Archives...

--
Dave Larrington
<http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk>
Ha ha, you fool! You've fallen victim to one of the classic
blunders! The most famous is "Never get involved in a land war
in Asia"

 

[Peter Clinch]

Clive George wrote:

> Yikes! Were you riding drop bars for the first time, and braking from
> the hoods? I say this since I was never terribly impressed by the
> brompton brakes (and yes, it had the dual-pivots).

One of the real innovations in the later models (actually post Mk3
introduction) is a gaiter on the front brake line where it hangs
vertically out the bottom of the DP assembly. This means it's much less
inviting to rain and crunge, which doesn't really do the cable much good.

I replaced all the cables on mine recently (mine was pre-gaiter, I have
a gaiter now, and I put a DP on the back too) and the transformation in
braking was /amazing/. A new one living in a shop doing occasional
demos should be okay, but if you borrowed a "live" one and tried on that
then it's possible its owner had let the cables go a bit (mine were at
the practically dangerous stage when I changed them, I'm ashamed to admit)

Even in as-new state they won't win awards, but they're actually okay.
But no reason to assume they'd be okay-er than a set of Vs, cantis or
DPs on a drop bar bike, suggesting they'd been set up badly or allowed
to drift into poor maintenance state (one nice thing about HS-33s is
they're far less prone to degradation over time than mechanical brakes,
which seem to need fairly common fettling to stay up to power).

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email protected] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/