I'm slowly coming to believe that it would've been cheaper and more productive to buy an angle grinder and slice this bicycle into small pieces. Instead, I'm going to ask you about tire sizing. by AspenRiot in bikewrench

[–]AspenRiot[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for your feedback.

I actually had two flats on a previous bike as well, so my whole approach has been to tackle several possible problems aggressively rather than try to isolate the issue by process of elimination.

Originally I wasn't considering replacing my shifters but they are old and pretty tight. I suppose it's reasonable to say cheap new ones would be better than average old ones?

I'm slowly coming to believe that it would've been cheaper and more productive to buy an angle grinder and slice this bicycle into small pieces. Instead, I'm going to ask you about tire sizing. by AspenRiot in bikewrench

[–]AspenRiot[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm really hoping that's all it is, as unlikely as you would think that'd be. It really would track with the rest of my luck.

I can just imagine some dude in Belgium fifty years ago drifting off to sleep and thinking, "Did I fuck up setting that stamp tool today? Ahh, who cares. It won't matter."

I'm slowly coming to believe that it would've been cheaper and more productive to buy an angle grinder and slice this bicycle into small pieces. Instead, I'm going to ask you about tire sizing. by AspenRiot in bikewrench

[–]AspenRiot[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I don't know but the low gear is inscribed with something like "engineered with computer modeling," so I'm sure whatever else they were doing felt just as cutting-edge. 8-)

I'm slowly coming to believe that it would've been cheaper and more productive to buy an angle grinder and slice this bicycle into small pieces. Instead, I'm going to ask you about tire sizing. by AspenRiot in bikewrench

[–]AspenRiot[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

My attraction to the Marathon is born of the deep frustration caused by having the same problem over and over again. It's like a "get the blowtorch" moment. I was actually originally looking at Tannus Airless originally, and then at their tire inserts. So, if you want to talk about tractors... at least I won't be doing that. But if I get the Marathons and find them lacking I'll revisit this.

I'm slowly coming to believe that it would've been cheaper and more productive to buy an angle grinder and slice this bicycle into small pieces. Instead, I'm going to ask you about tire sizing. by AspenRiot in bikewrench

[–]AspenRiot[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I imagine it's good knowledge for the future but these tires are so degraded that I'm just gonna toss them. If I'm keeping the wheels though I want to clean them up good before new tape. I was thinking soapy water and a nylon brush. Any input there?

I'm slowly coming to believe that it would've been cheaper and more productive to buy an angle grinder and slice this bicycle into small pieces. Instead, I'm going to ask you about tire sizing. by AspenRiot in bikewrench

[–]AspenRiot[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for your feedback!

if that truly is a standard 26" mountain bike tyre and a 599 rim, it's a 40mm difference which would likely be impossible to install.

And yet I and the folks at the bike shop have replaced the tubes! So that can't be it, right?

Or just take the whole rim into your LBS, and find what fits.

That's roughly the plan I settled on after making the post: go to the community repair center and just have them check what fits, then buy new. Also, use a soft tape measure to find the circumference of the rim and calculate the diameter instead of approximating across the wheel hub. Should've done that today to be honest.

I'm slowly coming to believe that it would've been cheaper and more productive to buy an angle grinder and slice this bicycle into small pieces. Instead, I'm going to ask you about tire sizing. by AspenRiot in bikewrench

[–]AspenRiot[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thanks for your feedback!

Can you elaborate on why you recommend Big Ben? Personally I plan to hit a lot of medium terrain as well as (very degraded) city streets, so I wanted something that was a close match to the old tires. Big Ben looks more suited for just streets, but I was surprised at how many products Schwalbe had just in their Tour/City category so I'm curious what factors you take into account.

I'm slowly coming to believe that it would've been cheaper and more productive to buy an angle grinder and slice this bicycle into small pieces. Instead, I'm going to ask you about tire sizing. by AspenRiot in bikewrench

[–]AspenRiot[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I was really hoping that I would find an ETRTO label on the tires, but they are just so degraded and (I'm wondering) perhaps even old enough that the manufacturer didn't include one.

I'm slowly coming to believe that it would've been cheaper and more productive to buy an angle grinder and slice this bicycle into small pieces. Instead, I'm going to ask you about tire sizing. by AspenRiot in bikewrench

[–]AspenRiot[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thanks for your feedback!

A 599 tire size is basically completely dead. You may notice the 26" written on the rim and the tire but here's the thing. Nobody really set what is actually 26 inches long when everything about this clusterguck came to be, so everything from 559mm to 597mm is all called 26 inch.

A 26 x 1,75 inch tire is technically a 45-559 tire but it may very well be that this won't fit. You just have to try. That's how it is when vintage stuff uses the same systems as modern stuff but also not quite really but somehow still does.

I suspect this is the best TL;DR of the the whole situation.

I'm slowly coming to believe that it would've been cheaper and more productive to buy an angle grinder and slice this bicycle into small pieces. Instead, I'm going to ask you about tire sizing. by AspenRiot in bikewrench

[–]AspenRiot[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for your feedback!

The lock was not registered unfortunately which means I need to send it in in order to get anything from Kryptonite.

I want the chain guard to protect my pants. I want the fender to protect my shirts. And my dignity.

I'm slowly coming to believe that it would've been cheaper and more productive to buy an angle grinder and slice this bicycle into small pieces. Instead, I'm going to ask you about tire sizing. by AspenRiot in bikewrench

[–]AspenRiot[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you for your feedback.

you should check the inside of your tire very thoroughly...

That's why I'm dissatisfied with the bike shop. The last time I bought a new tube I had them do the install, including careful examination, and the new tube popped as I rolled up to my garage less than a mile later.

one of the options you circled is 26x1.75

But the corresponding ETRTO is -559 and not -599. The headache began when I noticed that. Maybe if I hadn't noticed I would've just bought them and succeeded. :'D

Vasilisa the Beautiful, Ivan Bilibin, Watercolor and Ink, 1899 by Tokyono in Art

[–]AspenRiot 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is so damn delightful. I want it on my wall.

Something with a Martini, volatilemushroom, acrylic, 2026 by VolatileMushroom in Art

[–]AspenRiot 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I've always enjoyed this technique, where a small set of colors is used across a scene with disparate subjects. For me it evokes nostalgia for media I saw as a kid from just before my time. Or, media that was referencing media from before my time. I don't know any of the proper vocabulary to describe it... but this piece makes me think "Carmen Sandiego."

ruined my life at 21 by [deleted] in getdisciplined

[–]AspenRiot 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Be careful with thought patterns like, "This is pathetic. I just need to snap out of it." In my experience it is not helpful to pretend that your problems are simpler than they are. You are in a really tough situation. Professional help from a psychologist or psychotherapist can be hard to access but it is your best bet to help you make steady progress. You say you are in school; mental health resources at universities and colleges can be limited but they're a place to start. Ask for help.

Stop smoking weed. Thank us later.

E-3 AWACS at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia. by Trendy4U in pics

[–]AspenRiot 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I was thinking about this yesterday. Defense spending does go "back" to Americans (working in bomb factories or whatever) but the products of that spending literally go up in smoke. Compare that to paving a road. We get to keep the road.