bike building

[Kpicha]

Oh girlfriend, you've gotta get disc brakes! Once you try them you'll wonder why on earth you didn't switch sooner! With all the muck and wetness around here, v-brakes should be banned as a safety hazard! Just kidding of course. But, the improvement is drastic.

I get what you're saying about the setup. I moved my levers closer in and they seem to be working pretty well. Although, I might be interested in trying Razor Rock Levers. I've heard they're great for small hands.

The Zaskar is a nice ride. Got to peddle around on single-speed version and was impressed with the stiffness.

Happy Trails!

[missliz]

Lucky girl- I always wanted to try downhill, but it's flat here and the chance never came up to travel for it. Dual slalom looks like a real kick too, has anybody tried that? I read some really interesting bike porn about the bikes, BMX meets full suspension. Sounds fun!

missliz

Thanks for the link. I need a Terry, though. Like that hole in the nose.

[missliz]

I know I need discs, but I'd need a whole new bike with the appropriate brackets and such. I was about splash out when I got hurt and then it seemed kinda moot. Now that grinding through the mud in low gears is a reality again, the time to shop is coming.
I only got the stinkin' V brakes 'cause I needed a whole new drivetrain and that seemed to be the way to go, since I was ditching integrated lever/shifter Shimano stuff. My LBS staff think they suck totally, but I didn't have the budget to go hydraulic on top of the other new goodies.
And speaking of brake levers, all of 'em can be moved in, but what I was talking about with two finger braking has nothing to do with levers. It's all about the fine tuning down in the brake itself. The V horrors are much better since I had the bike overhauled (it was on the living room wall for three years) and this new guy worked on them. Incredibly better. He has the magic touch.

missliz

[Asa]

Chris King is the only headset, whatever the color I have built lots of bikes, and there really isn't much more satisfying than riding your own creation. Hayes brakes are great, but I prefer Shimano Hydraulics because they use mineral oil instead of corrosive and envromentally nasty dot 4 type fluids.

[missliz]

I need to point out that when you buy Shimano parts, you support Shimano bull ****. They've created a compatibility nightmare to push riders into buying whole new drivetrains instead of just fixing or replacing a part. Of course the factory rep says that when a shifter goes, well it's time to buy a new bike 'cause yours is obsolete. Yes, he really said that to me. And the ingenious things they come up with!, like a two dollar replaceable pin every time you break the chain. Mineral oil isn't exactly environmentally freindly either, so I wouldn't sweat the little bit of hydrocarbon in a set of Hayes brakes. You make a bigger mess driving to the trailhead belching carbon monoxide than with a line leak. Which is a good reason to go Magura- Nobody I know has ever even heard of them having trouble. The Chris King of brakes .
If it really bothers you I bet you could run hydraulics with cooking oil as long as it's the proper density. The stench could get nasty after a while though, that vegetable oil will oxidize and go really rancid. Bleed your system really well.

missliz

[Asa]

Yup, Shimano is a pain in the butt, I admit, but I really like their brakes. They set up easy and have a nice feel. I realize that mineral oil is not exacltly environmetantally friendly, but it is a lot less hazardous to work with - it won't eat the paint off your bike or the skin off your fingers. I bleed tons of brakes, so this is an issue for me. As for the chain pins, they are a joke. I just buy Sram Power Links and give the pins away. I run Sram X.O. shifters and rear derailleur and it is awsome. I did go with the new XTR cranks, they are very sexy. And, as soon as someone comes out with a front derailleur that can match the XTR, well...

[Kpicha]

Yeah, SRAM X.0 is the way to go! I didn't think I was going to like the gripshift but its so nice to be able to shift 3 gears at a time!

missliz - I guess I haven't had that two finger braking setup then since I misunderstood. Is that only for v-brakes then?
By the way, sounds like you'll be needing a new frame then soon, huh? bike shopping is sooo much fun!

I probably ought to post this question as a new thread but I'll stick it out there anyway just to see what you ladies say.

I just bought a Raceface bashguard and my understanding is that I should just be able to remove the outer chainring and put the bashguard on but I can't seem to even get the bolts loose. Is this supposed to take a lot of effort? or am I going the wrong way. If I'm facing the drivetrain side of the bike, I'm trying to turn the allen wrench counter-clockwise. And once I get the bolts loosened, will the other chainrings come loose, too? By the way, I'm using XT Hollowtech cranks (2002).

Cheers,
Kristina

[Asa]

Hi!
You are turning the bolts the right way, are they turning and not coming loose or are they not turning at all? And yes, when they do come out, your outer and middle chainrings will come loose.
Asa

[missliz]

The Brake thing- Kpicha, it's all brakes. It's about the difference between some bozo working in a bike shop and a bike mechanic who's a true citizen of The Bicycle Nation. You can have all the spiffiest parts in the world but you need somebody with the magic touch to really bring out the bikes potential. You can develop it, it's a practice and experience thing. But once you have the bike whisperer work over your ride your expectations and understanding will rise because you know what's possible. Same game with derailleur tuning. You just get spoiled and want it that way all the time.
And yeah, SRAM is awesome stuff. I have a new drivetrain that defines the term "like butter". Sweet.

missliz

[Kpicha]

Asa - the bolts aren't even coming loose and I think I've stripped one already Uh oh but that's good to know that the middle ring will come loose too.

Missliz- Ha, the bike whisperer! That's good. I must have been lucky with the first person who built my bike b/c my SRAM really did shift like butter and then one of my kids thought it would be neat to push on it and ever since then it hasn't been quite the same. I haven't found anyone with that magic touch yet.

Can hydraulic brakes be setup that way, too?

[Asa]

Bummer, hate stripped chainring bolts. Sounds like someone got a little crazy with the Loc-tite! If you end up stripping them all, take the bike to your favorite shop and have them drilled out. If you want to try it youself, lt me know and I will help. And yes, disc brakes can be "whispered" to. I'd whisper to your bike, but it probably wouldn't hear me from California!
Asa

[Kpicha]

ooo, loctite! That didn't even cross my mind! Great Now, what am I supposed to do?! I think I'm getting in over my head!

hmm, yeah, CA might be a little too far, unless my bike has Bionic hearing -lol Know anyone in VA?

[missliz]

damn, I am soooo spoiled- I have a couple of good mechanics. I'm also a real psycho ***** about who is allowed to lay a finger on my bike, so maybe that helped me find these guys. If I don't like the mechanic I'll pick up Miss
Bike and walk... If you have a club or ride events, ask around. Riding into the LBS covered in mud will usually get you on the A list, especially if you wear a push up bra . It's a tough world, be a diva.

missliz

You know, loctite usually breaks if you use a cheater bar. Or, I bet the threads didn't get greased last time it got put back together. Try a cheater bar anyway, that's what they'll try in the shop. Get a peice of pipe (galvanized, not soft metal) out of the junk pile in the garage and slip it over the long end of the hex wrench. This gives you more leverage and can break the loctite/ crud/ no grease seal better. Make sure your darling is tight in the stand, you may want to stand on its base to keep it stable. And pray to the bike gods, Velo, Roubaix, and Gnarly (who looks like Missy Giove).
Good luck.

[Asa]

The cheater bar is a good idea. Make sure you use a brand new wrench when you try it, since it will be less likely to strip the head. If the bolts are aluminum, and they probably are, they may strip anyway with that much force, if the loc-tite doesn't give up first.
Asa

[Kpicha]

Well, I ended up going to the LBS and they just took off the whole crankset and replaced the big ring with the bashguard. And again, I didn't get to watch. What a pain, every time I go in there, I end up getting stuck with this one particular guy and I must make him uncomfortable or something b/c he never wants me around. Oh well.

But what a difference having a bashguard makes in getting over logs! If you ladies don't have one, I highly recommend getting one! My confidence has increased tenfold now! Woo hoo!

Cheers,
Kristina