Current Projects chat and miscellany

Not enough to ride in the gutter if that's what you're asking.

I don't really ride in the city much (and even then, I wouldn't be in the gutter, obviously), I'm more concerned about thorns and pinch flats from potholes and the like. I might go with 4 seasons, particularly if they come up small as you say. Should work well on the nag frame and hopefully leave room for guards.

thorn is something that's even the toughest tyres may have problem defecting.

If you're worried about pinch flats, either adapt your riding style or run a slightly higher pressure or bigger tyres to compensate.

http://www.lfgss.com/thread5985-30.html

The talk is here already though, there are threads for near every bike component decision but they still go on here.

What's the puncture protection like on Rubino Pros?

Better than GP 4 Season in my experience. I got a few punctures with the GP4S from really pathetic little bits of grit, when they were less than a week old. The Rubino Pro have more rubber on them - I've not had one puncture until it was really worn down.

GP4000S are a good tyre in the wet, except on very smooth/slick surfaces, when they seem to completely let go, instantly. They're fine on normal wet roads, but IME Rubino Pros are better on really slippery smooth surfaces, the grip is more progressive. And RPs are like half the price of the Contis.

The 4 Season rides pretty poorly too, much worse than the 4000S. I was not impressed with them at all.

My experience with the 4 seasons has been the opposite. Thought they rode much better than Gran Prix 4000. Never had a single puncture on the 4 seasons either.

YMMV, etc.

I've run GP4000S (NB: not GP4000) on the road bike for about four years, and I do like them. They last a really long time as well, except that I've had to bin a couple of quite new ones due to cuts. The Rubino Pros I usually run on the fixed gear are sturdier in that regard (though you need to pick stuff out of them on a regular basis) and not noticeably heavier. They're both good tyres. I just really didn't like the GP4Season. Slappy kind of ride, no extra grip, really expensive, several punctures (which may just have been bad luck, of course). The cost was the deal breaker for me.

Definitely, I've been avoiding running gators on front since last winter when my front end slid out a couple of times it really shouldn't have. GP4000s rides really nice and much grippier than a gator.

Gators are slippery as hell, I'm curious as to why people choose puncture protection over grippiness on the front, especially when brakeless.

I'm very happy with Michelin PRO4 Grip as a front tyre, better than Michelin PRO4 Service Course and Schwalbe Ultremo ZX. It does make a funny noise though.

(though you need to pick stuff out of them on a regular basis)

This is something that people should do regularly in the first place to make sure there's nothing embedded on the tyres.

Of course. I mean that they collect stuff a lot more readily than some other tyres.

I thought refuses had bad rep in the wet?

No. They are amazing. Tons of grip, wet or dry.

The downside is that if you skid on them the tread will start to come off in chunks after a while, even when there is still quite a bit of actual rubber depth left.

ReFuse are the best, the bad rep come from not being able to find a shop that actually stock them regularly.

ReFuse 24/7 365 4lyf.

My last build on a 3.0 cannondale frame from the early 90's. Very comfy ride and fairly light :-)

Nice!

What bar tape is that? I'm thinking of using yellow electrical tape underneath a black perforated bar tape, yours looks kinda see through... right?

Yeah, i got this one at planet x, there is a white band underneath the black one.

Fizik Microtex is perforated so you could use coloured tape under that, but I think you can also get it with a colour underneath.

New wheels on the Low. The Duraace 7600 were lovely but the whole un sealed bearings things got a little too inconvenient!
American Classic 420's sprayed to replace them. Very pleased with these!

KHS Aero Track - FORKS...
Picked up the Vivalo sparkle forks to go with the sparkle pearl stem... The sparkle is exactly the same! Chuffed!

With wheels (no headset installed yet)

Seriously can't wait to finish this!

wheels looking great tim, they will be missed

They'll be well looked after! Very pleased with them! Thanks again!

nice spickled fork and sweed red cannondale. how bout carbon forks?

Carbon seat post with 10 to 15mm setback? 31.6mm diameter. Any suggestions?

10-15mm? what?

on a 20mm setback my saddle is too far forward, on zero setback it wouldn't even fit. Is there a middle ground? Sounds like no.

Do you have no rails on your saddle?