Forum Replies Created
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Replies
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Now that they’re in why do
Now that they’re in why do you want to remove them? Chalk it up to experience and unless it’s Red or Dura-Ace just replace the crankset when the rings wear out.
If you do need to remove it if you haven’t done so already take the crankset off the bike, try bashing a larger-sized torx into the hole, then clamp the tool in a vice and use the crankarm as a lever.
Are you sure the bolt isn’t cross-threaded? I’ve managed to cross thread a couple in my time (the recurring theme here appears to be trying to do it on the bike rather than removing the crankset)
You’ll need to be slightly careful as the threads on the chainrings aren’t particularly deep.
I get night cramps without
I get night cramps without any obvious trigger. Back in the days of sheets and blankets I always used to untuck the bottom of the bed so I could stick my feet out and stretch when it inevitably hit. I think I’m just predisposed to it, I also get crawling twitches in my calves which aren’t painful but look like they should be – it’s called myokymia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myokymia
Sometimes the cramps are in response to a long day on my feet outside where I’ve probably got a little dehydrated but equally it can happen after a day sat around doing nothing. I just put up with it and know I can usually stretch it out and just feel a little sore next day. Thigh muscle cramps are the worst.
Because I’m aware of the risk I tend to stretch on the bike when I get the chance on descents – just drop my heel with the pedal at the bottom of the stroke for 30 seconds or so. No idea if it helps. I also favour spinning a lower gear wherever there’s a choice but that’s more take pressure of my knees.
Calves or thighs? I find I’m
Calves or thighs? I find I’m the same – about 50 miles is my limit. Mine tends to come on when I stop at junctions, particularly calf muscles when I stretch to dab down (I tend not to drop off the saddle). Less likely to get it on the ride itself. I’ve always suffered with it, I get night cramps in calves (at the back and also down the outside of the calf muscle). It can also be triggered by posture – e.g the hard edge of a chair can set it off in my thighs. I drink plenty of water on long rides (1 litre an hour) but I don’t see any correlation between heat and onset. For me I just need to stretch it out and it tends to be a little sore next day, but usually a ride sorts it out.
I would say if you’re eating and drinking it’s perhaps down to posture on the bike, or your cadence. Higher cadence/lower gear might help.
Simple job, get the Park Tool
Simple job, get the Park Tool tool as it includes the tool for removing the preload cap. Also comes with a plastic adapter so you can fit DuraAce cups. The arm on the tool is just long enough to torque by feel.
Rubber mallet is useful for tapping out the axle but not essential. It will need a decent whack.
Pay attention to the threads – give them a really good clean when taking the old one off, and apply general purpose grease. The new BB should screw in with minimum force initially – make sure you don’t cross-thread it. First few turns you shouldn’t need the tool. At least with a steel frame it’s not too big a deal if you bollocks it up, you can always get your LBS to clean the threads up.
I’ve heard people suggest removing the inner plastic sleeve but my LBS says this is A Bad Idea as it will allow water to get to the bearings from inside the BB.
When reinstalling the cranks make sure you’ve pushed the drive side hard up against the cup – there’s enough leeway on the threads to install the non-drive crank arm without it all being snugged up.
peted76 wrote:
Thank you Kil0ran, much appreciated. I’ve taken a note of that farm shop and will certainly avoid any 25% inclines where at all possible after 150miles.. 🙂
If you don’t mind adding a couple of miles you can avoid two sharpish hills between Woodgreen and Godshill by going via Braemore and Fordingbridge – if you do that your significant climbing is done by Downton
Looks good for my neck of the
Looks good for my neck of the woods (Salisbury to Milford)
The road from Salisbury to Downton is nicely lumpy and very picturesque but is used as a rat run in rush hour so make sure you time it right. Quite narrow in places and road edges are very poor so stay central where possible. However it’s the only safe route from Salisbury south, unless you don’t mind a bit of chalk-laning on the old drovers road from Nunton (south of Odstock) to Whitsbury.
Once you’re past Godshill and the amusingly named Fighting Cocks pub it’s downhill/flat pretty much all the way to the coast. If you fancy a very short 25% challenge hook a left at the top of Stuckton Hill onto Blissford Road and then take Blissford Hill. 25% for about 200 metres!
https://www.strava.com/segments/1623144
As you head through North Gorley there’s an excellent farm shop & cafe (Hockey’s) that’s very popular with cyclists, well worth a stop for fuel.
Thanks all, lots of options
Thanks all, lots of options here.
Preferring the idea of a self-build, because (a) I get to tinker with bikes and (b) all other bikes in the family were self-build.
Ultimately, think she needs to go and chuck her leg over (through) some different frame styles.
The way I approached this was
The way I approached this was to look at stack and reach on a known comfy bike and buy the frame that closely matched that. Once that was done I could look at fine tuning from my parts bin – I’ve got stems ranging from 90mm all the way up to 130, a couple of seatposts with different setbacks, and two crank lengths available. When you’ve got flippable stems and an uncut steerer there’s a lot of variation possible with just small parts changes. Being older I do seem to be quite sensitive on the saddle to bars distance (less flexible) and I certainly notice even a 10mm reach change.
Whilst head tube and seat tube angles also matter (particularly seat tube as saddle setback relative to BB is important for efficiency and knee comfort) you should be able to dial those out with stems and seatposts to a certain extent.
If you’re looking for an off-the-shelf steel frame talk to Shand, Condor, Bowman, or Fairlight. Of those, Fairlight should be able to get a frame to fit you the best – their “tall” geo probably fits your proportions:
https://fairlightcycles.com/why-fairlight/fit-function-form/?v=79cba1185463
Stack/reach ratio is also somewhat important as it defines the starting position for your back angle. If you’re saying you’re stretched on a 58 it might be that it has a relatively low stack to reach ratio (1.4 or lower)
Good discussion of this here – https://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?p=2207837
This is effectively what Fairlight’s proportional geo is doing. For the Strael the 54R has a ratio of 1.42 whereas the 54T is 1.53. Same frame size but the T is more upright and suited to riders with relatively shorter torsos.
7 speed may mean 130 OLN on the rear wheel, would would prevent you upgrading to 8 speed or higher. And the gear shifter is beside the stem – not ideal, except when on the tops, but part of the reason for the price.Have you considered the Wiggins Rouen? Also 650c but 9.3 kg with 8 speed double Shimano Claris gears (46/34) and currently £264 at Halfords. You’d get 10% off that with a BC membership card.
Agree, that’s a better spec for the price, would just need the crosstops. Can’t say I like the look of those reverse-bend forks though.
This is the oracle on Shimano
This is the oracle on Shimano compatibility, although it might not answer your question because that version of Claris wasn’t around with 5500
http://productinfo.shimano.com/#/archive
Might be able to find the specs of the 5500 shifters and compare with later 2400 specs? All you’re really interested in is how much cable the shifter pulls per click.
That looks pretty good for
That looks pretty good for the price. One thing I’d upgrade would be the brake calipers – Tiagra level are a bit weak compared to the slightly pricier 105s. Probably cost you £35 to upgrade once you’ve sold the Tiagras. If you’re coming from a mountain bike with hydros you’re going to find road rim brakes, um, exciting.
Having said that, you’re unlikely to find a disc-braked road bike in your price range with hydros, and at the bottom end of the market cable-operated road disc calipers probably don’t give any better braking than 105 rim brakes.
Based on the stated overall weight the frame looks like it would be worth upgrading over time if you get the road cycling bug. Do the brakes straight away, then you can look at tyres (Luganos are a good commuter tyre but that’s about it) and eventually wheels.
Can you actually go and ride the bike before purchase? The other thing coming from mountain bikes is that the road position can take a while to get used to so its important to get the right size frame and finishing kit. The right size frame might feel a bit big in comparison because you’ll be riding with your weight forward and back flatter.
Bowman Palace R, Kinesis
Bowman Palace R, Kinesis Aithien, or Condor Italia RC (assuming you’re looking at rim brakes)
Do you want new or used/retro, what’s your budget, what do you want gearing wise 5/6/7 or 8/9/10, how low do you require the ‘step thru’ to be, full ‘dutch loop’ or something like this that is just ending https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LADIES-TREK-BIKE/173317119426?hash=item285a815dc2:g:HI0AAOSwWsxa-Lk7Given your 33″ inseam how high you can actually get your leg over is important in terms of which frames/bikes might be suitable.
My mum who is about 5ft 1 but a reasonably athletic 68 rode a XS hybrid mens frame ( Mongoose Crossway 200), most frames with a very low step will be ladies but a small hybrid frame with an extra long seatpost and upangled swan neck stem or high angled/adjustable ahead stem could suit. Or if you don’t mind an ugly stem convertor you could use a high angled ahead stem on an older frame, again depends on what you can manage to get over.
There are a few older frames that are low down in the stepover class that aren’r ridiculously heavy, the weight differential is mostly in the wheels/tyres and rest of the components as opposed to the frame itself but I bought a lady friend a Bottechia steel loop frame, it was ridiculously light but rare as rocking horse poop. Here’s a few examples of R531road frames that might be suitable
Obviously the smaller the frame the lighter it will be AND the lower the step through height, it’s basically what the pros do, silly small frame and whack a massively long seatpost and stem on it so it looks like a kids bike under them.
If new then that’s a whole different ball game as light isn’t cheap to come by relative to an older/used bike/frame.
Think she’ll feel safest on a loop-style frame rather than a Mixte or the old-style ladies bike with the dropped top tube. Remains to be soon, going to have to try a few I think. Shoe clearance with step throughs is also a factor – we’re both size 8.
The aim is to have a shopping/school run bike that we’re both happy to ride so it will have good components (likely Sora or Tiagra) and wheels. Probably go with rim brakes as it won’t be ridden in the wet.
Quite happy to build up from
Quite happy to build up from a light frameset with good components. Rider has lost confidence in their folder (20″ wheels) following a crash and I kind of agree with them, it’s a bit twitchy for my liking. Being a folder and us both being on the tall side means there’s a ton of seatpost and bar height to lever those tiny wheels around.
pruaga wrote:
I had a similar issue with Wiggle a while ago. I’d ordered a couple of things in different sizes with an offer something like £10 off a £50 spend on clothing. For some reason the invoice listed the deduction taken off one item, not off the whole order. That wasn’t a gift voucher, that was a special offer code on their front page and I was keeping enough things to still qualify for the minimum spend for the offer.
Of course, the item they deducted it from was one of the things I returned for being the wrong size and it took a long time to get them to give me the full refund. I came close to just returning everything and making a new order, but they saw sense eventually.
Looking at the invoice that’s exactly what they’ve done in my case – one of the pairs of shoes is listed as costing £35. Will open another case with customer services seeing as they’ve closed the original one.
