[matthewn5]

Give the derailleur a wiggle

Give the derailleur a wiggle after adjusting it. It does move (or at least, my Ultegra rear mech used to).

If you really want to sharpen up the shifts, replace the upper pulley with one of those alloy ceramic bearing jobs you see on Ebay. Shimano upper pulleys have sideways movement built in to dull down the shifting — as the cage moves across, the pulley doesn’t completely move until the right part of the cassette comes around. Putting a pulley that’s rigid laterally makes a big difference. Whether you’ll like it or not is another matter! But certainly worth a try.

[matthewn5]

These people do the whole job

These people do the whole job for you:

https://cyclesent.co.uk/

I used them to ship a very nice bike to NI and it all worked perfectly.

[matthewn5]

Dare I say it here, but Bike

Dare I say it here, but Bike Radar’s classifieds is the best place to buy and sell.

[matthewn5]

Pick the one that you like.

Pick the one that you like. They’re all great though each has their own foibles.

I’ve found Campag very durable for commuting. Chains and cassettes seem to last twice as many miles as the Shimano Ultegra kit I was using on the bike before. YMMV.

[matthewn5]

I found this absolutely

I found this absolutely perfect for me:

https://www.competitivecyclist.com/Store/catalog/fitCalculatorBike.jsp

You need to take detailed measurements of yourself, a friend/relative is helpful, then input the figures and you get three basic fits out. Give it a try!

To look at, my saddle looks a bit low too, about 70mm above the bars, but I can spin up to 35kmh on flat bits of my commute and cycle 120 miles without knee/back pain, so I’m sticking with it.

[matthewn5]

If you’re worried, have a

If you’re worried, have a proper old fashioned bike shop like Ellis Briggs take a look. They can do a proper repair if one is needed. Did a lovely paint job for me on an old frame last year and checked alignment, cleaned threads etc.

Frame Repairs, Alterations, Braze-ons and Retracking

[matthewn5]

I wouldn’t compromise on

I wouldn’t compromise on glasses. Dark lenses that have zero UV protection will fry your eyes. And you only get one pair of eyes. Seriously. I have enough problems already with my eyes.

[matthewn5]

I’ve got a set of Hunts, the

I’ve got a set of Hunts, the freehubs scream like a dive-bomber, great for warning pedestrians in town but start to get to you after a while… It’s the pawls, each one has three mini notches and a similar extra number of notches on the ratchet. Think of a dry Campag freehub and multiply by three. That loud.

[matthewn5]

Lee Valley tow path is as

Lee Valley tow path is as near as any Londoner gets to a proper gravel road.

You need to go to Oz to get proper ones… My nephew lives out there and is always posting idyllic photos to Instagram of him and his mates riding gravel… this is in typical of where he rides in the Adelaide Hills:

And this is further north, in the Flinders Ranges

[matthewn5]

The steel spokes give a very

The steel spokes give a very nice lively feel to the Zondas, compared to the Shamals, but I don’t notice much difference tbh as the frame and tyre pressures contribute so much. The Shamals have the bling factor though 😉

[matthewn5]

Flandrien wrote:

Me again. I’ve been riding with my Endurace (size M) for a few weeks now and I really like the bike, but I’m not 100% comfortable with my position. I had some issues with my knees, so I went to a bike fitter and after finetuning my cleats and saddle (my saddle is all the way to the front now, minimum setback), he said that I actually needed a size L frame. When I contact Canyon, they say a size L is practically impossible with my measurements.

I can’t switch frames anymore, more than a month has passed, so my bike fitter recommended to buy a longer stem (130mm) and a steer with a longer reach (110mm). Will this help? Because all these numbers don’t mean much to me. My issues with my knees are better (not gone), but now I have a bit pain in the lower back area.

Bike geometry can be found here:
https://www.canyon.com//en/road/endurace/endurace-cf-sl-disc-7-0.html

My measurements:
Length: 180
Inseam: 85,9
Arm length: 59,2
Torso: 62

Anybody any comments before I spend more money? 🙂

 

You’re almost exactly my dimensions. I was perfectly balanced on a Canyon Ultimate AL in M. I too suffered back problems when I had a more racey bike, but I gradually lowered the stem and now my back is fine. You’ll get used to it!

[matthewn5]

I’m still going after 5 years

I’m still going after 5 years with a pair of those Giro mitts with pittards leather palms and mesh on the back. Brilliant quality and comfortable, close-fitting so you forget they’re on.

[matthewn5]

Go for the Hunts, they’re

Go for the Hunts, they’re well made and use standard spokes so you can rebuild them if you ever wear out a rim. The Mavics will be in the recycling bin once the rims wear out.

[matthewn5]

Stay on the hoods, sit back a

Stay on the hoods, sit back a bit, roll your shoulders forward to cut frontal area and bend your elbows. It’s like free speed.

[matthewn5]

Here’s the master list I use

Here’s the master list I use when pricing parts for a new build:

Bottle cage bolts
Bottom bracket
Brake levers
Brakes
Cassette
Chain
Chainset
Crank arm bolts
Derailleur bracket
Forks
Frame
Front derailleur
Gear shifters
Grommets to seal frame holes e.g. DI2/mechanical
Hand grips
Handlebars
Head stem
Headset
Headset bolt
Headset top cap
Pedals
Rear derailleur
Saddle
Seatpost
Seatpost clamp
Skewers
Spare spokes
Tyres
Wheels
Inner tubes
Protection tape

[Author]

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