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Hi, like it and i'm probably going to get one. Couple of comments, try the spacers on the brake cartridges the other way around to bring the arms parallel with the forks and maybe try 135degree noodles to bring the cable in tidier. Neither will have any effect on braking purely aesthetic.
I've maybe missed, how tall are you and "inside leg if i may sir" ? trying to make sure I get the right size. Alsowhat size frame is that?
Stranfely enough matey, I have been considering getting one too ;)
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Vertical v-brakes! thanks to paininthe's tip. Also mudguards, and despite what I said above, about them making bad photos, I quite like them, I reckon on a bike like this it's part of the look. And road dirt.
Dopplekorn, I'm still a bit ambivalent about the saddle. It's OK in cycle shorts but still a bit uncomfy for heading around in jeans. The original Concor was comfier, to give it its dues.
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andytk - saw your CC post in the Steamroller thread Is that the 'hospital foam' green? In your photo it looks a bit richer than the web photos, I really like it.
paininthe - have you gone for it and got one?
So a good month has passed and I have got moving house out of the way - now back up in Sheffield - so time to spend a bit of money again. Bits now on order:
shorter stem - since doing some longer rides out in the Peak I'm definitely feeling a bit stretched out on the current stem
saddle! (after all that...). I'm still not comfy on that BLB saddle after about 30 miles, so I have got myself the same saddle as my MTB to try on this. It is... BLACK... which means I can try out a new look... black is the new blue...
...so some black cable outers are on the way, too.
135deg noodle!
Notes after riding it a month:
The Lezyne Femtos - I have lost two of the four rubber widgets that holds them on, usually during fumbling around in the dark at the end of a commute when taking them off and stuffing them into a bag. On the Cateye loops, the crucial loop is permanently attached. Also, it seems a bit darker up here in Sheffield, I feel a bit more invisible (partly cos I now only have 2 working Femtos, not 4!) ... so I think in the upcoming 'black is the new blue' experiment the Femtos will go on my helmet and I'm digging some old Cateyes out of the box to try on the bike.
Tektro RL520s plus v-brakes = no barrel adjusters. In a recent longish, wet, hilly ride I shredded so much pad I nearly ran out of lever, but was too cold to stop to adjust the cables ... hence, I really missed barrel adjusters. I've looked at inline adjusters and also this neat noodle with adjuster built in:
http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/tektro-tektro-91712-v-brake-lead-pipe-with-adjuster-90-deg-prod18060/
but there's no 135deg version of that. Anyone got any thoughts on this? or do I just stick with tuning my brakes before a ride, especially if it will be a wet outing? Maybe I see now why cantis have a distinct advantage for use with drop bars. I saw ChrisMGS runs his CC with Vs so I might PM him to find out how he's doing without barrel adjusters.1x9 - working a treat! I have 39x11-34 (about 31" to 91") and so far have had a couple of gears spare up hills (nicely anticipates some luggage) while remaining content freewheeling when I run out of gear (not as often as I thought = must be slow).
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andytk - saw your CC post in the Steamroller thread Is that the 'hospital foam' green? In your photo it looks a bit richer than the web photos, I really like it.
That's the one, it does look darker (and nicer) than on the website.
Sadly I've not really had chance to ride it that much after being away for a weekend and commuting/errands on the polo bike three days a week! Hopefully that will change after this week though...
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Hmm, crosstop levers - interesting - that makes me think... I am a big fan of riding on the hoods and am aiming to size the bike to make that properly comfy (hence experimenting with a shorter stem). I don't ride on the tops that much except perhaps long drags up hill, so never need to brake from there - hence didn't think of cross-top levers. But if I got some and removed the lever itself, then I'd be left with a clamp-on brake boss with barrel adjuster that could also clamp neatly over the strip of electrical tape. That would give me my adjustment, and would feel like (to me) a cleaner solution than in-line adjusters. (but thinking about it, I am not sure why - both need two lengths of cable outer)
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If you can take the levers out that is a great idea, inline adjusters have a habit of not being very sturdy (personal experience). I suppose if its aesthetically pleasing and gives a clean look then sure, but if you have a set of cross top levers, I would just wack them on there... more practical.
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Doubt you'd be able to take the lever out and leave the adjuster. Look at pieces for the Paul levers to give you an idea why: http://www.paulcomp.com/crosslever.html
Guy at polo has an end-of-noodle or adapted inline adjuster that apparently works well. Will ask for more details tomorrow or Sunday and see if it's still working.
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Doubt you'd be able to take the lever out and leave the adjuster. Look at pieces for the Paul levers to give you an idea why: http://www.paulcomp.com/crosslever.html
Guy at polo has an end-of-noodle or adapted inline adjuster that apparently works well. Will ask for more details tomorrow or Sunday and see if it's still working.
... ah yes... the barrel adjuster seems to be on the lever?
I guess I could use standard v-brake levers, like Shimano Deore - but they stick out quite a lot more so would start to become clunky again...
Noodle-adjusters are looking like a winner, will be interested to hear what the Polo guy has got!
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In other news, the black saddle arrived y'day and I got out for a few miles... it really is really much more comfy. I added the 135noodle, the black cable outers... so black is here to stay for a bit! I'll get a photo on a sunny day before too long, and put it up for contrast with the blue...
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Sorry for the delay replying. He's running TRP CX9s that come with these: http://www.trpbrakes.com/category.php?productid=1165&catid=190&subcat=0
I'm not sure if the flexi noodle also has adjustment, looks like it but maybe not: http://www.trpbrakes.com/category.php?productid=1092&catid=190&subcat=0
Not sure if that helps at all.
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Thanks, Andy, for looking into it. I think it sounds like the way to go - definitely on the rear where a 90deg one is fine. Do you think that flexi one is long enough to bend to 135deg for the front? If not I might just revert to 90deg on the front, too, and put up with the suboptimal cable routing. I reckon I might try one on the back first, and see how it goes.
Looks like it has an adjuster to me. Anyways... whats wrong with in line adjusters?
I've never used inline adjusters so cannot definitely say I don't like them :-) but I have two feelings about them: 1, they look a bit fragile... which web chat seems to agree with (and also you mentioned this further up ^^^^^^) and 2, the extra phaff with cutting cable outers puts me off (lazy!).
Maybe I should try a 90deg noodle adjuster on the back and an inline on the front and see which comes out on top and report back!
Anyways... here's a photo of its latest state:
So this is the black look - I think it is here to stay, the saddle is just fine, so that's that! New 60mm stem; new pannier rack, just fitted; old Cateye lights resurrected and fitted as the main lights (rear one hanging off the back of the pannier); the Femtos are sitting on the forks/seat stays, pointing slightly outwards to hopefully make me a bit more visible from the sides; bottle cage and bottle. Also new and not in this photo is a map holder bodged to fit onto the beam+ handlebar extension.
Tomorrow I am going to stick a dry bag of stuff on the back and cycle from Sheffield through the dales to my parents in Wensleydale, should break 100miles, find some hills and test this thing out over a long distance!
Happy Christmas!
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Tomorrow I am going to stick a dry bag of stuff on the back and cycle from Sheffield through the dales to my parents in Wensleydale, should break 100miles, find some hills and test this thing out over a long distance!
Have fun! Taken mine home, going to spend try and get out into the Peaks as much as possible!
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I cannot believe how long I have sat around not doing much about this!
Finally, prompted by running out of v-brake pads, it is time to do some shopping again, so I'm buying 2 of these:
http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/tektro-tektro-91712-v-brake-lead-pipe-with-adjuster-90-deg-prod18060/
Also, as it has been a while since I spent any money on it, I might buy a few special bits, see if I can get my blue theme going again; not least, inspired by this FS - should hopefully arrive over the w/e:
http://www.lfgss.com/thread110533.htmlAnd I am quite liking the bar tape in this thread:
http://www.lfgss.com/thread98477-2.html#post3726667How often do people change cork bar tape? When I was a kid I remember making white tape last for years, washing it in soapy water. I dunno if it is because the stuff I have on now is cheap (Clarks) but after ~10 months it feels pretty greasy and ready for a change.
How's summer been on your crosschecks so far? I think my best ride has been a two-day Sheffield-Manchester-Sheffield, out through Castleton and Winnats, and using the Peak Canal, a not-too-rough bridleway and the Transpennine Trail to dodge Stockport and get me into south Manc. It felt like the ideal bike for it, comfy on the bumps but still fast enough for the road cruising.
Andy, whereabouts in the Peak do you ride?
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How's summer been on your crosschecks so far? I think my best ride has been a two-day Sheffield-Manchester-Sheffield, out through Castleton and Winnats, and using the Peak Canal, a not-too-rough bridleway and the Transpennine Trail to dodge Stockport and get me into south Manc. It felt like the ideal bike for it, comfy on the bumps but still fast enough for the road cruising.
Andy, whereabouts in the Peak do you ride?
Sounds like a good ride!
I've not been out for a few weeks (too much polo), did a couple of variations on the Dark Peak route here: http://www.highergrangefarm.fsnet.co.uk/PeakAudax/marple.htm Went over to Hebden Bridge and out on the Pennine Bridleway a couple of times too.
Off to Macclesfield and then out to the Roaches/Wildboarclough this weekend, nothing to long or too hilly, just get the legs working again.
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That Dark Peak route looks great, I am a big fan of that road that runs from Langsett thru Strines to the A57, it's in reach of me as an evening jaunt from Sheffield, heading up to Langsett via Stocksbridge. Very nice cycling!
I was wondering about a trip over to the Pennine Bridleway, but wasn't sure if it was a route for my MTB or if the CC will be OK - I hear it is fairly well surfaced, so it should be CC territory really?
Noodles & a few blue things arrived in the post y'day and today, so I've got some tinkering to do tonight. Plus also one to watch out for is whether I can win these on e-bay later tonight:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/-Hope-Mountain-Bike-Quick-Release-Wheel-Skewers-BLUE-/181180940261
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About
A Tale of Two Surlys
Posted by
@sifriday
I'm 6ft, based on riding a 56 Steamroller and a 59 Steamroller and finding the 56 much more comfortable and fun I'm going for a 56 Cross Check. Mainly using effective top-tube measurements for comparison.