Fred?

[Grog]

Hmm..good point. But if you were a guy, would you still use a triple, or would that be "Fred"? (seems us women can get away with them a little easier huh?) Still, as far as weight and aerodynamics, a compact double makes the most sense if you need the smaller gears.

Compact doubles are nice for the lower end of the gear spectrum, but they suck on long descents. Even I like to be on 53X11 for those.

In all cases, I was just trying to say that we have no idea why this guy has a triple on his bike, and there are good chances that he's not clueless.

[aicabsolut]

triple on his bike, and there are good chances that he's not clueless.

Aha! But how far down the clueless spectrum is "Fred"? That's what I'm wondering.

Those who have had their chain go into their spokes may think a "dork disc" isn't clueless. But they still may admit it's Fred.

Just for giggles, I looked up some nice TT / Tri bikes, like a pimped out Felt (which I also saw at this race). The standard rings on them run something like 54/42T. with 11-23 cassettes. Wow.

[liberty]

I'll admit it; I'm a Fred. Or a Fred-ette. Not a racer, but I have a road bike. I bike slow, and I have aero bars. I granny gear up hills and ride the brakes down hills. I have yet to change a flat on a ride (but I've done two in the house. Nice when they blow indoors ). I have a helmet mirror. I say hi to people when I pass them.

FYI: aero bars are wonderful! No, I don't use them when riding with other people. But they help my back tremendously, thus the reason for the purchase. The helmet mirror keeps me safe when I ride the hills around my house. Too dangerous to turn around and look behind you on those backroads. The road bike is much easier on my knees than the hybrid. And the hills... That is a testament to my utter avoidance of them for the past several months. So I am paying the piper now... Ugh. But yes, I am a Fred. And I like it.

[Starfish]

I have a helmet mirror.

Oh, I forgot, I use a glasses-mounted mirror, too. I can understand not wanting a mirror on low traffic rides, but out on the highway, with loaded logging and chip trucks and tourist 5th-wheels coming by all the time, I really like seeing who is coming up behind me. When traffic is thick, I'd be turning my head every few seconds.

[Aggie_Ama]

I had no problem with the "dork disc" but it was driving me crazy making noise. The manager of my LBS said that after 300 miles (when I had her first tune up) it wasn't going to be a big issue. My old bike didn't have one so I trusted him on this.

I roll up the elastic on one pair of shorts I have. They are a team kit that only came in mens (whatever), so they are too long for this petite gal. I fold them over and they are still grazing the top of my knee.

[KayTee]

[QUOTE=Aggie_Ama;183546]I had no problem with the "dork disc" but it was driving me crazy making noise.

Um, what's a "dork disc"? I know what a disc wheel is, but it doesn't sound like you mean that - ?

Thanks for educating another Fred...

[Thorn]

Um, what's a "dork disc"?

The circle of plastic or metal that sits between the largest gear in your rear sproket and the spokes. The purpose, I believe, is to prevent the chain from dropping into the spokes if you overshift.

I have yet to remove my dork disc. Maybe if I get a Seven, I'd feel different, but mine doesn't make any noise. There was a previous thread that talked about cutting it off. I'm so mechanically dis-inclined I'd probably succeed in cutting a spoke.

[KayTee]

OK, got it now - thanks!

[smilingcat]

The circle of plastic or metal that sits between the largest gear in your rear sproket and the spokes. The purpose, I believe, is to prevent the chain from dropping into the spokes if you overshift.

I have yet to remove my dork disc. Maybe if I get a Seven, I'd feel different, but mine doesn't make any noise. There was a previous thread that talked about cutting it off. I'm so mechanically dis-inclined I'd probably succeed in cutting a spoke.

You don't have to cut off the dork disk. That's really dorky. Just remove the cluster and the disk should just come off.

Speaking of which, one of the fuuniest sight I've seen over the years back in the days of freewheels. A FRED was happily riding his bike, it was making some fuuny sound as he rode. It was sounding rather odd, so I rode next to him for a while listening and looking for the sound. The smallest cogs screwed into the rest of the freewheel body and it had unscrewed itself. So there it was two sets of cogs just dangling on the skewer... It turns out he never rode in the smallest of cogs. The four lowest gears were fine. Top two was unusable in that state.

[Mr. Bloom]

Speaking of which, one of the fuuniest sight I've seen over the years back in the days of freewheels.

What is "freewheels"?

[lph]

So there it was two sets of cogs just dangling on the skewer... It turns out he never rode in the smallest of cogs. The four lowest gears were fine. Top two was unusable in that state.

This reminds me of the time I was working on my bike outside, and one of neighbours comes along with a worried look and asks shyly if I can take a look at her son's bike, because "it doesn't work".

Apart from the flat, which I offered to help her fix a day I had a bit more time, it turns out that whoever had put the bike together - I'm assuming some bargain store - had just attached the derailleur cable at the shifter end, found out it was really really long, and instead of adjusting it to the right length and cutting off the slack had wrapped it around the frame until it was "short enough".

"Hey, he has a derailleur! He doesn't need to actually USE it!"

[7rider]

Just for giggles, I looked up some nice TT / Tri bikes, like a pimped out Felt (which I also saw at this race). The standard rings on them run something like 54/42T. with 11-23 cassettes. Wow.

That makes my knees hurt, just thinking about it!