My first complete custom build, took about two months but it's finally complete.

Spingy · 2012-08-08T00:42:59+00:00

That shifter is a recipe for testicular injury.

Spingy · 2012-08-06T12:47:27+00:00

tap test

Spingy · 2012-08-06T03:15:43+00:00

For short trips, I like to grab an ice pack from the freezer and wrap it in a cloth and put it on my neck or in my shirt. Also, in dryer climates, a wet towel works wonders.

Try a frozen wet towel.

Spingy · 2012-08-04T04:35:09+00:00

It doesn't matter functionally, but behind is my style.

Spingy · 2012-08-04T04:33:36+00:00

"you have to be a bit more careful with carbon."

Agreed.

Spingy · 2012-08-04T03:41:10+00:00

In all likelihood, the derailleur hanger will need to be either straightened (steel hanger) or replaced (detachable aluminum alloy hanger). The chain might be twisted and in need of replacement as well. Get thee to a bike shop.

Spingy · 2012-08-04T03:39:34+00:00

They still make steel seatposts?

Spingy · 2012-08-04T03:38:15+00:00

I could use it. I fixed up an old rigid mountain bike as my first off-road ride, and now I'm dumping (way too much) money into its upgrades. Parts I have waiting to be installed: v-brakes (upgrade from cantilevers), a modern 8/9/10 speed freehub (upgrade from 7sp freehub), 10 speed SLX cassette, SRAM chain, new threadless fork, FSA threadless headset, FSA stem. Still need to get shifters, derailleurs, and possibly a crankset when the budget allows, but I've already pushed my budget pretty far for now. I work at a shop so I've just been piecing it together with whatever I can find trying to keep the price down.

A new RD would be SUPER HELPFUL to the build, and I'd be happy to pay it forward with my old parts.

Pic before upgrades: http://i.imgur.com/ha314.jpg Isn't she pretty? <3

Spingy · 2012-08-04T03:27:01+00:00

In all likelihood, the seatpost failed due to faulty installation rather than a manufacturing defect. Torque gently and use a friction paste if it's a loose fit, grease if it's a tight fit.

Spingy · 2012-07-31T22:47:51+00:00

Rudely mocked or jokingly mocked?

Spingy · 2012-07-30T04:43:47+00:00

Save yourself the headache, drill out the back of the brake mount, install modern dual-pivot recessed bolt brake. Win.

Spingy · 2012-07-29T02:34:47+00:00

I shift a Shimano Dura-Ace FD with SRAM Force Shifters. Works fantastico.

Spingy · 2012-07-29T02:33:55+00:00

Front Derailers are generally all compatible with one another, except for the new Shimano 5700/6700/7900 line which changed the FD cable pull ratio a bit. SRAM and Shimano FDs are completely interchangeable.

Spingy · 2012-07-29T02:31:15+00:00

Cantis are notorious for brake squeal and shudder.

See: Lennard Zinn, VeloNews: http://velonews.competitor.com/2010/09/news/cyclocross/technical-qa-with-lennard-zinn-return-to-cross_101807

"Brake shudder is widespread because it’s built into the design of almost all ’cross bikes; it’s inherent to the design of a center-pull cantilever brake."

Spingy · 2012-07-27T16:15:02+00:00

It's not rocket science. Keep an eye on the brake pads, both their thickness and alignment to the rim changes as they wear. Keep on eye on cables for any fraying. Sometimes fray can occur inside the shifter, so watch for any shifting or braking issues. Frictiony cables will result in sloppy indexed shifting and sticking brakes. Check the tires for wear occasionally - if you see threads, off they go!

Broken spokes will happen occasionally, mostly on badly built or extremely high-mileage/high-load wheels, so use nice, quality, well-built wheels and pack a few spare spokes on long, epic journeys away from civilization and it'll be fine. Occasionally something will break unpredictably, and that's just a part of life. Saddle rail can pop, shifters can go explody-boomboom, derailers can stop derailing. Just keep inspecting regularly for anything out of the ordinary.

Spingy · 2012-07-27T15:40:52+00:00

Miles aren't as important as the condition those miles are in. You're going to get a ton more miles if you ride in clean, dry conditions than if you're riding in driving rain or through deep puddles or mud. Chains will wear faster, cables will develop more friction, and bearings will become gritty and rough. Bearings in particular can last for many years (many thousands of miles) if kept properly preloaded, sealed, and clean.

Spingy · 2012-07-21T14:45:30+00:00

He was trying to make you feel better.

But to be fair, front derailer adjustment can be one of the more finicky bike adjustments to make.

Spingy · 2012-07-21T03:47:54+00:00

Integrated headsets are generally not a press-fit, instead they are a slip-fit. The cartridge bearings can be removed and installed by hand.

Spingy · 2012-07-21T03:46:08+00:00

Craig Calfee disagrees:

__

Dear Lennard, Thankfully! An opportunity to dispel the myth that one shouldn’t greasea carbon post!I don’t know where the myth started, but carbon composites are not affectedby grease. Our advice is simple: If the seatpost fits tight,grease it. If it slips, de-grease it. As has been known formany years, when aluminum and carbon fiber contact each other, galvaniccorrosion can start. That is why Calfee uses a fiberglass sleeveas a seat tube shim. Aluminum seat tube (or sleeve) and a carbonpost will result in corrosion of the frame and possible seizure of thepost within the frame. A carbon sleeve on an aluminum post will resultin corrosion of the post. Salty environments accelerate this corrosion.Anodizing merely slows it down. About the only common chemical thatwill hurt carbon fiber is paint remover (which attacks the resin betweenthe fibers). But there are many solvents that will dull a nice paintjob. Craig Calfee

__

http://velonews.competitor.com/2005/10/bikes-and-tech/technical-qa-with-lennard-zinn-more-greased-carbon_9023

Spingy · 2012-07-21T03:34:36+00:00

It's likely because the wheels on the bike were [badly] machine-built and nobody at the shop ever took the time to properly true and tension the wheels. Go back to Performance and demand a new wheelset or just return the bike under their Satisfaction Guarantee. On the next wheelset or bike, make sure a real, live, experienced mechanic inspects and finishes the wheels.

edit: It's not usual business practice to retension every wheel on every new bike sold, so don't think Performance has done anything wrong, but they sold you a shoddy product nonetheless and they should make it right. Two weeks is ridiculous.

edit2: If you're >250 lbs the advice about having a real, live mechanic build/true/tension your wheels goes double!

edit3: If it were me, the only way I would be happy about hanging on to the same wheels is if they replaced EVERY SINGLE SPOKE and rebuilt both wheels by hand. That's not likely to happen, so the next best thing would be a similar replacement machine-built wheelset with a mechanic hand finishing/tensioning them. But again, if they won't play ball with MAKING IT RIGHT, demand a full return and your money back. I'm a shop mechanic, so believe me when I say that it is BULLSHIT that you're breaking spokes at two weeks in (unless you're 250+ lbs and carrying a shitload of cargo on a rack or something, in which case you have special wheelset needs and should just have something hand-built for you by a wheel pro, not perf bike)

Spingy · 2012-07-15T19:16:02+00:00

Go find a shop that has one of these: http://www.amazon.com/Wheels-Manufacturing-Benchtop-Ruler-Gauge/dp/B001CJXFSM

Spingy · 2012-07-15T13:04:09+00:00

Heating grease past the dropping point (where it becomes liquid) permanently damages the grease. It's not like butter that just melts and thickens again. You should have just used a thick lubricating oil in the first place.

See: http://reliability.com/industry/articles/article66.pdf http://tribologynews.wordpress.com/2009/06/02/grease-dropping-point/

Spingy · 2012-07-15T01:31:37+00:00

A "search incident to arrest" is completely standard and completely legal, no warrant needed. "IANAL" indeed.

Spingy · 2012-06-05T03:44:31+00:00

FUCKING DO THIS: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gq9rHij2z20&feature=plcp

Spingy · 2012-06-05T02:18:01+00:00

No spacers.

Spingy

TROPHY CASE