Originally Posted by SesameCrunch

Regarding the pedals, I have both the plastic and alloy one. I actually like the plastic better. The alloy one is really heavy. Neither one are designed for big loads anyway. [Thanks. My previous plastics flexed under load -- I had hoped the advertised alloys would be better.]

Curious: Was your pedal spinning problem solvable by loosening the pedal? Do you have a pedal wrench [yes], if not a normal crescent wrench can solve it. [The problem is in the bearings, not the attachment to the crank.]

Re: metal filings - I wasn't sure from your post. Did YOU find metal filings in your tire, or did you just raise that hypothetically. [Yes, I found filings, along with many other problems.]

I have 4 Downtubes now. I, like many others here, have found them to be tremendous values. [Agreed.]

We've also found Yan to be exceptional to deal with on problems. Again, more so than any other manufacturer on the market. [Yep -- the experience of most on this list.] What issues are you experiencing with him? [The big one is the pedals, but there are others. I suspect most on this list would also call the pedals defective and expect replacement, perhaps even with the advertised product.] [

Originally Posted by SesameCrunch

As an update, I bought a Tiagra front derailleur off eBay and installed it to protect against chain drop. I did not route/install cables for the FD, since I don't intend to shift with it. I bought a double derailleur, but I should have gotten a triple. It needed the wider cage. I ended up just manually widening the cage so it could accommodate the entire 9 gears. I'm hoping that will take care of the problem for good.

Now all my planned modifications are complete. I'm very happy with it. It's a gorgeous bike (see pictures posted earlier). Guess I'll have to go find another bike to tinker with, eh?

Originally Posted by barneybarney

hi seseamecrunch,

have you any pictures of your front deraillier set up? my chain drop has come back with a vengence ripping off the plastic chain guard. i think its time for me to solve the problem. a photo would be great to give me some guidance.

Originally Posted by barneybarney

hi seseamecrunch,

have you any pictures of your front deraillier set up? my chain drop has come back with a vengence ripping off the plastic chain guard. i think its time for me to solve the problem. a photo would be great to give me some guidance.

nice bike by the way.

barney

Originally Posted by Crankypants

Well, I just fınshed a two week tour of Turkey on my modıfıed mını and ıt was a blast! The bıke handled great, and ıt was very easy to fold up and take on the dolmuş when I dıdn't want to rıde on the busıer roads. I wrıte more and post pıcs later ın a couple of days.

Originally Posted by downtube

I just created a quick checklist for you (and the bikeshop tech):

1. Check to make sure all quick releases are tight, especially the one on the frame and stem.
2. Check the stem to make sure it is attached properly. It is especially important to make sure the quill of the stem is tight; if it is loose it may cause the rider to lose control.
3. Check the headset to make sure it is not too tight (or loose).
4. Check brakes and make sure they are toed in to eliminate noise while braking
5. Check shifting and inspect the rear derailleur hanger.
6. Make sure the brake, derailleur, and stem bolts are tight, but not overtight.
7. Tighten (do not overtighten) crank bolts and pedals.
8. The brakes and shifter should be oriented in a comfortable manner for the rider.
9. The bar ends should be oriented upward for riders that intend on cruising slowly, they should point down for riders that want to get into an aerodynamic tuck position.
10. The stem angle should be close to +60 degrees (pointing up) for riders that want a comfortable cruiser style ride. The angle should be close to 0 degrees for aggressive faster riders. The stem can be flipped (on our 20” bikes) by removing the handlebar and orienting the stem to point inward towards the rider, and replacing the handlebar. Doing so will give the rider 60 extra degrees of adjustment…..altogether 120 of 180 degrees will be possible.
11. The saddle should have and angle between 0 and -5 (pointing down 5 degrees) degrees. A lower angle is more comfortable to sit on. However when the angle is too small the rider will slide down while riding, causing discomfort. It is best to start with a saddle at 0 degrees (parallel to the ground) and go down until the rider feels comfortable sitting with a maximum downward angle of -5 degrees.
12. The proper seatpost height is very important. Most novice cyclists ride with a seatpost that is too low. This will cause the rider to work very hard even at slow speeds, additionally it may cause knee pain. It is also unsafe for the saddle to be too high. A high saddle may allow the riders knee to lock out in a straight position while pedaling. This may cause serious knee damage, hence NEVER allow your knee to be completely straight when pedaling. Ideally a rider should have a slight knee bend while the foot is at its furthest point from his/her hip. A 35 degree angle at the bone (not the visual angle you see…. use a tool to measure) at the furthest point is optimal.
13. Check the bearings at the hubs, and bottom bracket, lube if necessary.
14. Inspect the frame, especially the swingarm on the full suspension bike. Make sure all bolts on the full suspension swingarm are tight.
15. Fill the tires with 60psi of air.

Originally Posted by BigMacFU

I'm also a commuter, and I think the internal hub is a great way to go. I myself have the external, but if I were to get another DT, it'd be internal hub just for the sake of not having to worry about maintaining it as much during the wintery and rainy months.