tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post8166205810977725886..comments2024-03-27T05:14:23.738-04:00Comments on Lovely Bicycle!: On Maximising the "Retention Factor" of Budget BicyclesVelouriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359329171411037482noreply@blogger.comBlogger69125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-55996421370230680942016-09-26T01:50:34.968-04:002016-09-26T01:50:34.968-04:00If you are in the UK, I have been very impressed w...If you are in the UK, I have been very impressed with the Edinburgh Bicycle Cooperative range. Good tyres, well made wheels, and very all-round usable bikes. They're alloy instead of steel, but that's not the end of the world unless you're a bike nerd.<br /><br />I am a former bike mechanic. I am dismayed by how many expensive bikes are not really designed to be used. Case in point; I rebuilt the wheels on a £1200 off-the-peg touring bike the other day. They were dreadful. A touring bike needs stronger wheels than anything else, and these were machine built with cheap, nasty spokes.c.does.the.hulahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10149650112296804290noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-66095409047374475002016-09-26T01:41:27.004-04:002016-09-26T01:41:27.004-04:00Simon, I think that is a bit unfair to Raleigh.
T...Simon, I think that is a bit unfair to Raleigh.<br /><br />True, they had corners cut. But they were still fit for purpose, practical bikes, so long as you understand they were old technology.c.does.the.hulahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10149650112296804290noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-71667586938774719552016-09-25T11:22:57.274-04:002016-09-25T11:22:57.274-04:00Thank you for the encouragement! Either this week....Thank you for the encouragement! Either this week... or wait for my son to come home from Uni....Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-23223523784985092362016-09-22T23:15:31.375-04:002016-09-22T23:15:31.375-04:00Priscilla, I went on Amazon to see if the dynamo w...Priscilla, I went on Amazon to see if the dynamo wheel I purchased was still available, and it was strange- it appeared that the seller was only posting the wheels in french, so searching was not great when using english. feel free to contact me at alrychel at gmail dot come to point you to an inexpensive 700c dynamo wheel on amazon :) they are bolt on, not quick release, but I prefer that.Amandahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08892553888930861596noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-32072040890279494922016-09-20T18:12:55.414-04:002016-09-20T18:12:55.414-04:00I agree. The worst thing about cheaper bicycles is...I agree. The worst thing about cheaper bicycles is the very poor quality tyres which cannot hold much pressure, are prone to punctures and have very high rolling resistance.<br /><br />I have toured the Netherlands a few times on a cheap hybrid bike and changed only the saddle and put Schwalbe marathons and high pressure rim tape on, to much improve things. <br /><br />The other major problem area in my experience is low-end 6 speed freewheel derailleurs. They do not run straight and are difficult to adjust because there is several millimeters sideways movement as the freewheel turns (you can see it oscillate with the wheel freewheeling - which means you need that horrid disc to prevent the chain going into the spokes). This is not a problem on properly made five and six speed freewheels from the 1980s. So you can replace the freewheel. I ended up converting mine to 8sp cassette using a mech from my parts bin (plus new left shifter and chainset) and have done thousands of km since.<br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02678608870989680500noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-11292831859532315862016-09-20T17:00:04.408-04:002016-09-20T17:00:04.408-04:00Suomi also has a wide range of winter tires to fit...Suomi also has a wide range of winter tires to fit many wheel sizes. I don't know if they have one for your tire size, but check out their site to see if any of them match your wheel size. They use the ISO system (tire width in mm - wheel bead seat diameter in mm) so check your current tires for their ISO markings for comparison.morlamwebnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-69000439646477191532016-09-20T09:53:37.701-04:002016-09-20T09:53:37.701-04:00Oh, Amy -- I had not even thought about converting...Oh, Amy -- I had not even thought about converting to 700c wheels... especially if I could pick up a 700c dynamo wheel for the price that Amanda found for her 26" wheel. I should look into this. Thanks!<br />PriscillaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-45092898522961832832016-09-19T23:00:41.199-04:002016-09-19T23:00:41.199-04:00My first Boston winter (2 years ago-- not an easy ...My first Boston winter (2 years ago-- not an easy one), I commuted on a vintage step through mountain bike equipped with studded 26" tires (easy to fit), planted bike cascadia fenders, and dynamo lighting. I purchased a ready-made dynamo 26" front wheel for about 100 dollars on Amazon and it works very well (I think it shipped from Germany). I killed my drive train that winter, however, and so the next one, I commuted on my Workcycles FR8 using the very same 26" studded tires. The enclosed drive train is very nice to have to avoid grit/rust drive train destruction. I have since repaired the free wheel and chain on the mountain bike and it is still my spare bicycle.Amandahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08892553888930861596noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-42875664647657202012016-09-19T22:14:35.243-04:002016-09-19T22:14:35.243-04:00Hey Priscilla, Fwiw, I have a Shogun 400 mixte wit...Hey Priscilla, Fwiw, I have a Shogun 400 mixte with upright bars, which I am convinced is the perfect city bike. I switched out the 27" wheels for 700c wheels to get more tire clearance, and it worked great. Didn't even need long reach brakes, just an adjustment. It's like a less drastic version of a 700c - 650b conversion. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12997147926512401124noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-19744782923121337652016-09-18T15:32:25.594-04:002016-09-18T15:32:25.594-04:00+1 on Orange Seal. I use it in all my tubulars(NEV...+1 on Orange Seal. I use it in all my tubulars(NEVER use Stans in tubulars, it eventually dries out clogging your stem and permanently gluing the tube to itself)and haven't had to fix a flat for over 2 years. I'm treating Sew-ups more and more like general purpose tires. It's SOOO good.<br /><br />SpindizzyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-18214117048169639342016-09-18T15:27:34.754-04:002016-09-18T15:27:34.754-04:00If you practice putting the old ones back on and o...If you practice putting the old ones back on and off a couple times you won't have to worry about messing up the new ones, in fact, after doing just one you might realize you have "the knack" and go strait to the new ones. I hope the new ones don't fight you but I bet you beat them even if they do. <br /><br />COURAGE! You've done harder things, I promise...<br /><br />SpindizzyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-22842700735201122102016-09-18T04:24:32.369-04:002016-09-18T04:24:32.369-04:00I couldn't agree more about the tyre issue for...I couldn't agree more about the tyre issue for beginners. A year and a half ago I purchased a Bobbin Brownie and began commuting (2ks there, 2ks back) to work whenever there wasn't snow/ice/rain. Since then, I also started riding in light rain and noticed the original tyres are a bit slippy and ordered in better tyres and inner tubes - which sit in my garage while I try to get up the courage to put them on the bike... I've watched the videos, I've talked to people but ..this is clearly a big step for me...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-49112937597081733922016-09-17T16:06:33.390-04:002016-09-17T16:06:33.390-04:00Modern sealants are a very viable alternative to s...Modern sealants are a very viable alternative to such flat-resistant but horribly wooden tires like the Marathon. I live in Goathead Country (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tribulus_terrestris) and used to buy patches by the box of 100 -- 5 to 7 flats a week with such belted (but decent!) tires as the Schwalbe Kojak was routine. When I installed Challenge Parigi Roubaix, a very light and supple and nice riding tire, I literally fixed 50 flats during the first week.<br /><br />With Orange Seal (the current benchmark) or Stan's sealant in my tubes, I can ride even lighter, thinner tires (Compass Elk Pass) on our local dirt without problem; I got my first flat of the year on the Elk Passes the other day after riding on our acequia* access roads, but I simply pumped the tire up and spun it, and the sealant repaired the hole.<br /><br />For dirt tires, I use the even lighter (360 grams actual for a 700C X 50 mm tire) Schwalbe Furious Fred, these tubeless, with 4 oz of sealant. After parking the dirt bike after my bosque** ride yesterday, I saw dozens of little wet spots where the Orange Seal had leaked, then sealed, the thorn punctures.<br /><br />*https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acequia<br /><br />**https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BosqueBertin753https://www.blogger.com/profile/02860648732848589740noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-1437146890377970012016-09-16T17:49:53.276-04:002016-09-16T17:49:53.276-04:00Exactly. That is just when the old paradigm breath...Exactly. That is just when the old paradigm breathed it's last. So for your entire life buying a bike has been a scuffle.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-18296360337140130182016-09-16T11:04:23.945-04:002016-09-16T11:04:23.945-04:00I have purchased numerous new bikes for my wife an...I have purchased numerous new bikes for my wife and I over the last four decades and did not experience tire or tube problems until about 15 years ago. OEMs at some point started to skimp or omit rim strips/tape. We experienced several flats on brand new bikes (mid price range) and realized our bikes were being delivered without rim strips causing tube failures. I have the tools and experience that a neophyte does not to handle such situations. I now always insist that my LBS check for, and install rim strips/tape if insufficient, prior to delivery of any new bike that I purchase.<br /><br />Simple omissions such as this must discouraging for a new cyclist.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-76550672641730546462016-09-16T09:43:06.244-04:002016-09-16T09:43:06.244-04:00Oh my goodness! Priscilla! That's great! :) I ...Oh my goodness! Priscilla! That's great! :) I too have less of a need to haul kids these days since they are both walking to school nearby on their own now, and I've been using all three of my bikes for various reasons. I ride my old vintage 3-speed on nice-weather days (a 1969 Robin Hood, on which I put Schwalbe cream tires, a Brooks saddle, Kool Stop brake pads, a rear rack, a Wald basket, and lace-up Walnut leather grips). I ride my Boda Boda on rainy days (better braking power than the vintage steel bike) and when I need to haul stuff (kids, groceries) or go longer distances over hilly terrain. Last winter I rode the Linus with studded Schwalbe tires when it was icy, sleeting, or snowing (rode twice WHILE it was snowing with ski goggles on!) and several times on bare pavement when the forecast said it "might" rain/sleet/snow but it didn't. Despite this situation pretty much working for me, I still covet a new bike, maybe to replace the combination vintage/Linus situation — both of which I would sell if I bought a new bike that I loved after a trial period. Something with dynamo lighting (which I have on my Boda Boda and find VERY convenient). Something maybe like the Clem Jr. (though, man, why didn't they stick with the name "Clementine" which is so much nicer!?)Josettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04102342149434683516noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-1455152725199111692016-09-16T07:39:32.570-04:002016-09-16T07:39:32.570-04:00I'm the original poster. I confess, my Boda B...I'm the original poster. I confess, my Boda Boda (acquired in part based on Josette's writings about hers. Thank you, Josette!) has everything: Dynamo driven lights, fenders, cargo capacity, and a set of studded tires. I have ridden it all winter the past three years....but as my need to haul kids has decreased, I have rediscovered the joys of riding a smaller, lighter bike. My beloved Shogun 500 mixte is light, has Dynamo driven lights, and my LBS is ready with the VO fenders...but I am not aware of studded 27" tires...and also hesitate to subject this bike to winter conditions (salt). My husband and kids think that I just want another bike -- and there may be some truth in this as well.<br /><br />PriscillaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-67510935903583051762016-09-16T07:18:21.674-04:002016-09-16T07:18:21.674-04:00Perhaps, but by the time I was born in the mid 70&...Perhaps, but by the time I was born in the mid 70's Raleigh were turning out some pretty ordinary bikes. Simon.https://www.blogger.com/profile/04604488469108285983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-20009656693444016352016-09-16T05:14:07.675-04:002016-09-16T05:14:07.675-04:00my anecdata have a large sample of bikes not being...my anecdata have a large sample of bikes not being ridden because at some time they got a puncture that is yet to be fixed. Simon.https://www.blogger.com/profile/04604488469108285983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-25059725051543482552016-09-16T05:08:45.575-04:002016-09-16T05:08:45.575-04:00Where I usually live in inner Melbourne Australia,...Where I usually live in inner Melbourne Australia, the majority of women riding new bikes are riding $250-300AUD bikes from companies like Reid and Samson, and the majority riding older bikes are riding late 70s - early 80s bike boom equivalents - bottom end Peugeots, Malvern Stars etc. They have bought them because they look nice- like a bicycle, not like sports equipment and because they are cheap - if it doesn't work out they haven't wasted too much money. With men it's similar, but tends toward old drop-bar 10 speeds and newer flat bar racer style. The point being that I think most people's research is about seeing themselves in the sunshine, having a nice time, riding to the park, not having to catch public transport (expensive with annoying waits), not so much about the mechanics of the machine that will bring this about. To me that is perfectly reasonable- why should we not want the things that are made for us to just work relatively easily? I think the onus should be on the manufacturers to meet this need, and in non-european countries the most glaring failure is the lack of good lighting. Simon.https://www.blogger.com/profile/04604488469108285983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-17239371540476083022016-09-16T04:52:54.500-04:002016-09-16T04:52:54.500-04:00The other thing with places like Germany, Denmark ...The other thing with places like Germany, Denmark and The Netherlands, is not only are people sold bikes fit for purpose- heavy, but replete with racks, lights, mudguards etc, but a significant proportion of bike shops are devoted solely to parts and repair; the average bike rider, faced with a flat tyre, will drop the bike off to be fixed and take the train, collecting it later in the day. People, just as with cars, are happy to learn the bare minimum to keep their bike on the road and then let experts deal with the more complicated or tiresome (no pun intended) tasks. Simon.https://www.blogger.com/profile/04604488469108285983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-18637603155925948612016-09-16T00:55:27.720-04:002016-09-16T00:55:27.720-04:00Two of the three roadsters we've had through F...Two of the three roadsters we've had through Friedrich Heights have borne original tubes. A 1960 Hercules (Dunlop) and a 1979 Raleigh (Raleigh branded, manufacturer not known.) Both sets still hold air well, though are now hung up as spares. Schwalbes seem to hold air as well as the antiques. No other tubes I have tried will keep filled as long.<br />Corey Khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15381826721030941179noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-72105814553857239652016-09-15T22:43:07.056-04:002016-09-15T22:43:07.056-04:00Like anonymous and Wolf said up there, tubes used ...Like anonymous and Wolf said up there, tubes used to be better. I swear, when I was a boy(OMG, here it comes...) they were stretchier, they always came out of the box with a useful amount of talc already on them, and they smelled like new mowed clover! Well not the clover bit, but seriously, to have a defective NEW tube was a remarkable thing. If we got a bad one in an order we would ABSOLUTELY return it to the wholesaler who would ABSOLUTELY want to see it and give us a credit. Now they just seem to try to make them so cheap as to be like Peanuts, you just toss the bad ones on the floor and grab another out of the bin. <br /><br />Since so many new tubes either leak right out of the box or fail at a seam or the base of the stem in a very few miles You'd think more people would do like Wolf and cherish the good ones and patch 'em instead of rolling the dice with a new one. <br /><br />If you want Strong Willed, Dependable tubes instead of Sorry-Assed Leaky ones, do what I do; Pick up the tubes other people throw away when they get a flat, and repair them. If they got 300 air tight miles out of it before riding over a nail then it was demonstrably a good one. No thin spots, defective seams or poorly attached valves that are invisible before installing. I get them out of the trash at the LBS(I tell them I make Adult Evening Wear out of them so they don't know what I'm up to and think I'm weird), and sometimes from the side of the road. After the Club Century last Sunday there were at least a half dozen first rate candidates in the recycle bin. If I didn't have 30 of them in 5 sizes at home already I would have helped myself to several that fit my bikes. <br /><br />This sounds like Dickensian B.S. but when I was a little kid we got most of our bike parts used from a scrapyard a mile from our house. It was cheaper and had better parts than the Western Auto store in town as long as you knew what to look for, and the thing to look for was a dead Schwinn. They had the best Chains, Pedals, stems etc. But especially Tires and Tubes. To find a junk Schwinn with it's original tires in good shape was a big deal, but even if the tires were shot we'd try to get the tubes. In a world of Cactus, Thorntrees and Goatheads we learned pretty quickly what tubes were worth patching and when we got our hands on one with the threaded brass valve stem from a 50s Schwinn we hung on to it till we skidded clear through the tire and ground a chunk out of the tube itself before putting something newer in it's place. <br /><br />Lot's of stuff is better now, but not tubes.<br /><br />SpindizzyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-33710800333105211952016-09-15T19:47:49.608-04:002016-09-15T19:47:49.608-04:00It used to be much simpler. If you lived in the St...It used to be much simpler. If you lived in the States and wanted a good quality transportation bike you bought a Schwinn. There was no possibility of disappointment because everyone knew just what to expect from a Schwinn. Everyone knew how to maintain them. They came with good tires and tubes.<br /><br />If you lived in UK or Boston you bought a Raleigh Sports. If lighting and a rack were important you bought the Superbe. And again, you could not be disappointed, you knew what you were getting. And the quality was definitely good. Your local Raleigh agent would care for your cycle reliably.<br /><br />In France you got the Peugeot. In Italy the Bianchi or the Umberto Dei. And they were good.<br /><br />Now we can have anything we fancy. The price of that is you must be an expert or the bike is unserviceable. And together with anything we fancy there is a load of components made the other side of the planet by workers or slaves who have no idea what that bike part is and what you will expect from it. That Schwinn was made at Cortland & Kostner from 1020 steel that came all the way from the South Side of town, at US Steel South Works. The tires and tubes were from Akron. The Bendix was from Pennsylvania. The Ashtabula crank was from Ashtabula, Ohio. The spokes and pedals were brought over from Germany, Union made nice spokes. The wheels were laced by people who rode those wheels. And so forth. All the people involved in making a Schwinn wanted you to have a nice ride. They knew what they were building and that they would see you on the road. So we gave up a lot when we decided we wanted the world at our fingertips. Together with infinite choice is caveat emptor and a requirement for a whole lot of user knowledge. Make the best of it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-83718623703712460572016-09-15T19:10:58.973-04:002016-09-15T19:10:58.973-04:00Michelin and Schwalbe have the exact same list of ...Michelin and Schwalbe have the exact same list of defects as other tubes, they just roll a while longer before failure.<br />Splits, dimples/pinholes at the valve reinforcement that lead to tears, all manner of incomplete attachment of the valve. In the link to Heine he complains of his new Michelin tube that failed after 1000 kilometers of PBP. It has been ten years since I had a rear wheel tube that lasted longer inside a skinny tire. For most of those years skinny has meant 700x28.<br /><br />With wider tires and lower pressure tubes will last longer. If you are personally lightweight tubes will last longer. If you ride slowly or enjoy perfect pavement tubes will last longer. If you are heavy, ride fast, live with potholes, you don't have a chance. The one accommodation that makes any difference is you must match tube size to tire size. In past it was acceptable and common to put a 700x23 tube in a 700x28 tire. Or in a 32. Or in a 35. If you try that now the tube will last just long enough to get to the LBS and buy more tubes.<br /><br />None of the defects listed above existed in any tubes before the mid 1990s. Tubes did not split. Valves were always attached properly. The current litany of tube failure was simply unknown.<br /><br />I keep trying other tubes hoping against hope. And come back to Michelin. It is faint praise indeed, I can report I have never encountered a Michelin that would not hold air when new from the box.<br /><br />Tubular tires still contain good tubes. They are comparatively short-lived, if in 2000 miles on a rear tire I am spared purchase of 3 or 4 or 5 tubes it starts to make sense. Oh yes, it no longer makes any sense at all to patch tubes. Splits and valve failures are not patchable. In the uncommon event of a puncture, the tube will be failing for other reasons soon anyway.<br /> Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com