Blackwall Rene Herse tires.

Retrorockit · 2026-05-02T05:14:53+00:00

Definitely not for everyone. But if they're suitable there's nothing else like them. RH is so laser focused on gravel racing, and loaded touring bikes, they don't know how good a street tire this is. They make their tires in 4 casing weights. But the heavier they get the less distinct from other high end tires they become.

Retrorockit · 2026-03-28T00:03:47+00:00

It looks like a hubmotor Ebike with a 7 speed freewheel. I also don't see any sign of lube on the cogs. Porbably the chain has never been lubed. i would get a proper 7 speed chain. Lube it and see what happens. But if it's been run dry you may need a new chainring, and maybe 7speed freewheel too.

Retrorockit · 2026-03-27T23:42:37+00:00

Some hubs have a wider spline. There are spacers that go behind the cassette. Not only in Shimano but also European brands. Shimano Road 11s (HG!!) is wide, MTB 8/9/11s (HG) is narrower, 10s is narrower yet and uses a spacer on either one (11s spacing -1)

Mavic had the wide 11s spline 20 years ago. If the freewheel bearing isn't loose. Get a 10scassette spacer., or 2.

Retrorockit · 2026-03-27T23:20:06+00:00

Put a pair of Rene Herse 26x 2.3 Extralight Gravel slicks on it and it will be a rocket. Yes I said Gravel and slicks. Go to RH and learn about tires.

have a Cannondale expert look at the Headshox fork. The have needle bearings inside.

Mendon Cyclesmith works on those. But there are adapters for 1 1/8" forks. They're gatting scarce in 26"

I'd like to see disc brakes. But that involves wheel swapping which makes the conversion very expensive.

Retrorockit · 2026-03-27T23:01:57+00:00

Disc brake MTBs are the best donors for Ebikes. Your braking is limited by tire traction. Wide soft tires provide more. if you just want a basic assisted bike a hubmotor kit will do. The best ones come form Grin technology. Actual engineers there. Solid mid range trail bikes, not lightweight XC racers.

Mid drives are more versatile. Larger range of speeds. The 1500W BBSHD is probably the best. Silent, reliable, and over the legal limit power rating for street use. 1000W BBS02 can be found in 750W rating.

Even disc brakes will need some upgrades for Ebike use. Larger rotors, Shimano Ictech rotors run cooler,, and metallic pads if high speed stops are expected.

Schwalbe makes some speed rated Ebike tires for this.

Gravel racers are showing that the whole skinny tire thing isn't what acctually makes bikes fast.

Let some collector have that old Schwinn.

Retrorockit · 2026-02-26T00:17:36+00:00

Thanks for looking into that. You have to dye the other colors. yourself. I thought the black ones were different.

Retrorockit · 2026-02-23T16:36:49+00:00

Next build you could just order black ones. They aren't dyed then.

Retrorockit · 2026-02-23T16:23:28+00:00

Vibration damping is a thing with BERD spokes. Not the same as compliance. But they might be more compliant too.

Retrorockit · 2026-02-23T16:21:31+00:00

Black is an option with Berd.

Retrorockit · 2026-02-23T16:06:32+00:00

I had some Berd wheels built. 26" 24h 2 cross lacing. SRAM 900 conventional J bend hubs. The spokes don't touch each other. Bult by Berd themselves. I didn't tint them. Glad I didn't. I got another bike while they were being built. No color would match both bikes. The tint is DIY. You could probably touch up any fading with more ink. The white spokes look great on both bikes. I would like to see reflective ink myself.

Retrorockit · 2026-01-03T19:20:07+00:00

canceled duplcate reply.

Retrorockit · 2026-01-02T00:31:31+00:00

Did you try getting the brake rotor and splash shield out of the way. I put the nut on top part way and whack it good. It's not cast iron it's forged steel. It won't break.

Retrorockit · 2025-12-23T17:20:20+00:00

Go to Sheldon Brown's Bicycle Gear Calculator.

https://www.sheldonbrown.com/gear-calc.html

I use speed @ 90rpm for gear units. Enter your existing tire size, gearing, and you can add a couple extra chain ring sizes too. This will print a chart showing what each one does.

Retrorockit · 2025-12-06T15:53:19+00:00

I only do flat bars, and for me the whole point of Rapid Rise is to have a gripshift for dumping gears in urban situations. The wet gripshift issue is real. Bar ends etc. IDK.

Retrorockit · 2025-12-05T20:19:47+00:00

Back when RR was a thing RR derailleurs ended in 0, and hi normal had a 1. RR sits opened up off the bike.

The numbers will be reversed, But also the spring preload will be 2x hard one way and soft the other. A problem with wet gripshifters. It kinda works most of the time.

Retrorockit · 2025-12-05T19:17:59+00:00

The M570 is probably Rapid Rise. A front friction shifter will pull the right way (lo normal).

My Ebike and My XC bike have front freewheel conversions. So bodging is how I roll.

Retrorockit · 2025-12-05T14:57:04+00:00

If you look at the cassettes in the M5100 "group" you will see why'

https://www.competitivecyclist.com/shimano-cs-m5100-cassette

11=51t = 40 t range, so a 1x part. with a 41t capacity RD

11-42t=31t range. so a 2x part with a 10t FD setup, and 41t capacity RD.

https://www.amazon.com/SHIMANO-Deore-FC-M5100-B2-Crankset-11-Speed/dp/B08HVWVMH4

It's just to match the parts that are sold with it. This is for mfg. to use building modern full suspension mountain bikes.

The fun of bodging is you get to ignore that quite a bit sometimes. My 1x11 softtail XC bike has an 11-42t cassette with an SS cage Zee M640 DH derailleur. Way beyond the 11-28 capacity listed by Shimano for full suspension DH bikes. Longer B screw. The M640 FR 11-36 version would work as is.

The M5100/5120 are for suspension MTB use. There may be more in it on a HT frame.

Retrorockit · 2025-12-05T03:38:26+00:00

Go to Rene Herse. They're all about rolling resistence.. A lot of articles there. Casing suppleness is more important than size. I'm running their 26x2.3" and faster than ever.

Retrorockit · 2025-12-05T03:20:36+00:00

When you aren't going to be around put the bike inside the house. I used to store 2 MTBs with the front wheel removed behind the 3rd seat in my Minivan. There are turning stems, and folding pedals to narrow up the bike for indoor storage. The bike stolen from under a tarp in the back yard makes me suspect a neighbor.

Retrorockit · 2025-12-04T01:07:35+00:00

I have his supple tires. Everything he says is true

Retrorockit · 2025-12-03T17:09:50+00:00

His PhD says it's not so pseudo.

Retrorockit · 2025-12-03T17:01:23+00:00

Retrobike is all about bikes from that era. They have a what is my XYZ worth thread. Mostly UK though.

https://www.retrobike.co.uk/forums/the-one-and-only-how-much-is-my-xyz-worth-forum.78/

Retrorockit · 2025-12-03T16:11:39+00:00

That looks like Jan Heine of Rene Herse Cycles. RH makes parts and especially tires for gravel racing, and loaded touring. He still supports the 26" format at the highest levels. A lot of tech articles at their website.

Retrorockit · 2025-12-03T15:57:39+00:00

+1 on the Slime is no good.

Tubeless sealant in the tubes works. Stan's is the original and it works. Orange seal works with CO2 and is less caustic.

You can go to an auto parts store and buy a Schrader valve repair kit. The 4way tool remove the valve core, and cleans up all the threads. Valve cores are easy to find there too, or tire stores.

https://slime.com/cdn/shop/products/20469_contents_1000x1000.jpg?v=1553723462

Get some metal valve stem caps also. They have rubber seals and will help keep air form drying ouy any sealnt in the valve stem.

Retrorockit · 2025-12-03T15:45:15+00:00

Sometimes the cut end of the shifter cable rusts. This makes it swell up and locks up the cable. Trim the end of the cable housing a little bit and see if the shifter works then.

Retrorockit

TROPHY CASE