The Component Everyone Hates (Except You)
08-26-20, 10:34 AM
#51
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+1 They are on all my fix gears, Rode 70 miles on them yesterday. To keep my knees happy, I need to force my feet to toe-in with the pedal. So it's slotted cleats or no-float clipless. I insist on retention beyond just the cleat on my fix gears and toeclips and slotted cleats makes that so easy. (But I am not "old-school". I use modern 3-bolt LOOOK pattern shoes and Exustar cleats. Just wish we had those 40 years ago.)
08-26-20, 10:58 AM
#52
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How about the useless Chromolux wheels with Normandy low end hubs? I have a pair sitting doing nothing...
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1987 Crest Cannondale, 1987 Basso Gap, 1992 Rossin Performance EL, 1990ish Van Tuyl, 1985 Trek 670, 1982 AD SLE, 2003 Pinarello Surprise, 1990ish MBK Atlantique, 1987 Peugeot Competition, 1987 Nishiki Tri-A, 1981 Faggin, 1996 Cannondale M500, 1984 Mercian, 1982 AD SuperLeicht, 1985 Massi (model unknown), 1988 Daccordi Griffe , 1989 Fauxsin MTB, 1981 Ciocc Mockba, 1992 Bianchi Giro, 1977 Colnago Super
1987 Crest Cannondale, 1987 Basso Gap, 1992 Rossin Performance EL, 1990ish Van Tuyl, 1985 Trek 670, 1982 AD SLE, 2003 Pinarello Surprise, 1990ish MBK Atlantique, 1987 Peugeot Competition, 1987 Nishiki Tri-A, 1981 Faggin, 1996 Cannondale M500, 1984 Mercian, 1982 AD SuperLeicht, 1985 Massi (model unknown), 1988 Daccordi Griffe , 1989 Fauxsin MTB, 1981 Ciocc Mockba, 1992 Bianchi Giro, 1977 Colnago Super
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08-26-20, 11:06 AM
#53
Junior Member
This isn’t a component to say, however I love the feeling of getting on a bike and it being completely silent. No creaks, raddles, nothing. All you can hear is the tires beneath you on the pavement.
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08-26-20, 11:14 AM
#54
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Another RapidRise lover here. My 952 XTR works flawlessly, as do my LX and XT versions. It makes more sense to me and is just as intuitive as regular derailleurs, but I too use them with regular trigger shifters. They don’t work so well with thumb shifters, however...
Has tripped me up on Ebay a couple times trying to buy the normal one and seeing instead a picture of a rapidrise. But I'm using barcons so I can't deal with the backwards action!
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08-26-20, 05:08 PM
#55
Overdoing projects
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08-26-20, 05:12 PM
#56
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Cottered Cranks. It is a bit odd for my saying this since I don't have a bike with them now, but I have in the past. Some of these are all steel cranks are well designed a fairly light. Some were downright elegant. Being that they are all steel (yes, I know there were some alloy versions) they wear like ....... um....... steel. The problem with cottered cranks is getting the pins out and if the pin gets mangled finding and filing a new pin.
Having worked in a bike shop when there were plenty of cottered crank bikes to be serviced, you learn that the key thing is to have the right tool. Not a hammer. In the shop it was a VAR tool. Nowadays, that tool is precious. But there are other tools that do a good job of extracting cottered crank pins. Once you understand how to deal with them, they can be pretty good.
Having worked in a bike shop when there were plenty of cottered crank bikes to be serviced, you learn that the key thing is to have the right tool. Not a hammer. In the shop it was a VAR tool. Nowadays, that tool is precious. But there are other tools that do a good job of extracting cottered crank pins. Once you understand how to deal with them, they can be pretty good.
08-26-20, 05:15 PM
#57
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08-26-20, 05:17 PM
#58
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08-26-20, 06:28 PM
#59
aka Tom Reingold
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Yeah, stem shifters. I used to look down at bikes that had them. But damn, they make sense.
Here's one I bet no one has. A bash guard for the rear derailleur. They only come on BSOs from department stores. But they make a ton of sense. If I ever take another extended tour, I might put one on my bike.
Panaracer Pasela tires! They don't ride like top of the line tires, but I like them a lot.
Here's one I bet no one has. A bash guard for the rear derailleur. They only come on BSOs from department stores. But they make a ton of sense. If I ever take another extended tour, I might put one on my bike.
Panaracer Pasela tires! They don't ride like top of the line tires, but I like them a lot.
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Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
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08-26-20, 07:13 PM
#60
Senior Member
Correct you are sir - I must have been thinking of my shifters when I listed 952. Anyone who has and hates their rapidrise rear derailleur feel free to send it to me😏
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08-26-20, 08:46 PM
#61
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Thread Starter
Yeah, stem shifters. I used to look down at bikes that had them. But damn, they make sense.
Here's one I bet no one has. A bash guard for the rear derailleur. They only come on BSOs from department stores. But they make a ton of sense. If I ever take another extended tour, I might put one on my bike.
Here's one I bet no one has. A bash guard for the rear derailleur. They only come on BSOs from department stores. But they make a ton of sense. If I ever take another extended tour, I might put one on my bike.
Bashguards - for a touring bike I think you're right. Or maybe just run an Allvit. It's its own bashguard.
08-26-20, 08:59 PM
#62
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61 posts in and still no love for spoke protectors (Dork disks). I'm no fan either, and take them off most bikes. I'm just surprised that no one mentioned it yet, or did I miss one?
+1 for friction thumb shifters.
+1 for friction thumb shifters.
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08-26-20, 09:39 PM
#64
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I say this as someone who blew a way-too-late downshift... on a new drop bar / bar end setup, on a steep hill... on a tandem.
+ ( 1 + However many people have already mentioned thumbshifters)
Simply the best way to shift a mountain bike ever invented. 7-speed Deore XT thumbshifters perfectly indexing on an 8-speed Shimano cassette with a 9-speed XTR rear derailleur is nirvana. And it's trivial to set up, and it just keeps working. Seriously, if you have the parts to try this, you should.
--Shannon
08-26-20, 11:16 PM
#65
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08-26-20, 11:39 PM
#66
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Safety Levers.
I ride on the tops mostly, in city traffic.
With the safety levers the brakes are at my finger tips.
I don't care if they're dorky.
I ride on the tops mostly, in city traffic.
With the safety levers the brakes are at my finger tips.
I don't care if they're dorky.
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08-27-20, 02:36 AM
#67
Full Member
The foam rubber tubes that lazy people like myself used as a pretty decent substitute for bar tape. (Time for a come-back?)
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08-27-20, 04:49 AM
#68
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Bio Pace
How about Bio Pace chain rings?
If you look closely, you see the BioPace rings on a 9 speed Ultegra build.
I love them. Some hate them.
If you look closely, you see the BioPace rings on a 9 speed Ultegra build.
I love them. Some hate them.
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08-27-20, 05:35 AM
#69
Full Member
Cottered cranks made out of steel. I‘m convinced this is the best option (when installed and removed with a dedicated press) The part that wears out is the small cheap cotter pin. No worn out splines, square holes and the like. No split crank arms because of overtightening. No discussion about greasing or not greasing the square taper.
The only problem is that spindles are getting hard to find. That‘s why i‘m hoarding a few
.
The only problem is that spindles are getting hard to find. That‘s why i‘m hoarding a few
.
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08-27-20, 07:16 AM
#70
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I am a bit of a contrarian, so this thread allows me to get my odd ball opinions or experience with bike components out. Next up Fenders or mudgaurds Call them what you want, they are darned useful. Although many of us love them, my feeling is that many in the go fast, keep it light crowd don't. I have fenders on almost all my bikes. Since I am not racing and ounces or grams don't count for much with me, I prefer them on bikes that I ride more regularly. Fenders have their issues. I recently was on a trail where a stick got caught in the rear wheel and scrunched my fender up like an inchworm ready to move forward. The bike below has clip on fenders. These are handy sometimes. I got this picture because this is the bike at work and I haven't shown this Trek 800 much, if at all.
For full fenders I have a bunch of different ones on different bikes. SKS, Planet Bicycle, Velo Orange hammered aluminum. I've had Blummels in the past. I haven't tried Honjo yet, but have heard good things about them. I also think about making my own sometimes, however, I have better projects to work on an these commercially available fenders are lightweight and good.
For full fenders I have a bunch of different ones on different bikes. SKS, Planet Bicycle, Velo Orange hammered aluminum. I've had Blummels in the past. I haven't tried Honjo yet, but have heard good things about them. I also think about making my own sometimes, however, I have better projects to work on an these commercially available fenders are lightweight and good.
08-27-20, 07:30 AM
#71
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Kickstands. While I can't actually say I love them, I don't hate them and have them on many of my bikes because they are handy. I like the old Rode Gear Flickstand that I had on my racing bike. But it would not work with fenders and they are no longer available. Most if not all of my low end bikes come with kickstands. The steel ones get recycled. I keep the Greenfield's, Royal and, I don't remember the European brand, perhaps Pletcher. Greenfield is made only a town over from my town.
Greenfield has a rear mounted kickstand that I like a lot because there tends to be more weight in the back and it keeps out of the way of the crank arm.
Greenfield has a rear mounted kickstand that I like a lot because there tends to be more weight in the back and it keeps out of the way of the crank arm.
Last edited by Velo Mule; 08-27-20 at 07:44 AM.
08-27-20, 08:18 AM
#72
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Suntour had the right idea with the S1- we should have gone with Altenburger designs and tucked the rear derailleur under the chainstay to prevent it from getting smacked against doorframes.
08-27-20, 11:06 AM
#73
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Nutted axles. Not as elegant as a quick release lever. Not as old school looking as wing nuts. They work perfectly well on utility bikes (and track bikes).
Steel hubs. Like nutted axles, they are not as elegant as aluminum hubs, but for a utility bike, they get the job done. One negative with them is that I have never seen a steel hub built as a freehub. I do prefer freehubs over freewheels but as long the hub with a freewheel isn't over 6 cogs, things are good even with heavier loads.
I also prefer 36 spokes on all my hubs. I am not racing, so I don't need the small gains that reducing spoke count makes. That is unless I happen to be able to get 40 spokes. I only have a Sturmey Archer AW with 40 spokes (not on a bike right now).
Steel hubs. Like nutted axles, they are not as elegant as aluminum hubs, but for a utility bike, they get the job done. One negative with them is that I have never seen a steel hub built as a freehub. I do prefer freehubs over freewheels but as long the hub with a freewheel isn't over 6 cogs, things are good even with heavier loads.
I also prefer 36 spokes on all my hubs. I am not racing, so I don't need the small gains that reducing spoke count makes. That is unless I happen to be able to get 40 spokes. I only have a Sturmey Archer AW with 40 spokes (not on a bike right now).
08-27-20, 12:56 PM
#74
Senior Member
Thread Starter
What I had in mind was a fully loaded touring bike with a kickstand, getting knocked over either accidentally or by a gust of wind. This happens. If you've got 40 or 50 lbs of gear, a few more ounces for a bash guard is NBD.
BITD, in the bike boom era, there was a reason '10 speeds' came with derailleur bash guards. People didn't know better and set bikes down any which way. Or they got knocked over when they were up on a kickstand, which most bikes had. Bashed derailleurs were a common problem.
08-27-20, 05:09 PM
#75
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Old steel Road bike with vintage components .......
Modern Roadie. Scoffs
its 23 pounds! what a boat anchor
you have to reach down to shift and its friction too hard!
36 spoke wheels so much rotating weight!
Your leather saddle weights as much as my bike!
I just smile and keep on riding
Modern Roadie. Scoffs
its 23 pounds! what a boat anchor
you have to reach down to shift and its friction too hard!
36 spoke wheels so much rotating weight!
Your leather saddle weights as much as my bike!
I just smile and keep on riding