Current Projects chat and miscellany

Nah that's a really good functional HHTTSB. If perhaps a little on the small side.

I have the same stem, bars, and seatpost, and similar TT extensions, so maybe I have to say that.

And the same bottle cage mount.

And maybe even lever and brake.

http://www.lfgss.com/post3103888-66448.html

^ Rogan, that looks ace mate! Nicely done! I don't know if its the angle of the photo, but it looks like the bars are kinda angling a bit too far up, instead of flat, transitioning into the brifters? But bloody lovely build, the rival groupo really works. How does it ride?

i think they are angled slightly up, im still playing with the set up, i hadnt even noticed that in person aha,

its rides amazing, so so smooth, shiftings excellent

If I ever do manage to get another geared bike, I'd be looking for apex or rival groupset, big fan of SRAM.

It looks a treat on your Alan.

Question:
This is how my bike sits at the minute.

After a spate of punctures on the cheapo Michelins I'm thinking that a change in tyres might help get me through winter. However, I can't workout what size is going to be best to go for. Choices are 24c Halo Twin rails which I'm sure will fit.
The other option for durability and comfort was to go for some randos but not sure whether I'll get 28's on there. I don't think they'll fit ut not sure on the size difference between 23's and 28's.
I've got about 4-5mm of clearance on the back and the same under the brake at the front.
Any ideas greatly appreciated

well in theory the difference in clearance is 5mm.

twin rails are shite. I've skidded through one in *one day
*

Conti. NEVER had an issue with them.

Don't buy those god-awful tractor tyres that so many people swear by - randonneurs.

Fugly as sin.

Cheers guys. Maybe I should start looking at gatorskins. I guess I'll be fitting 25c's max. Want to try and get some mudguards on as well and make it as winter-proof as poss.

well in theory the difference in clearance is 5mm

Oddly enough, that's not even the right answer in theory.

If you take a theoretical tyre, with no casing thickness, it ends up looking like a circle with a diameter of the cross section size tangential to both rim bead hooks. A bigger circle will have it's centre higher above the bead hooks if you keep using the same rim*. Furthermore, the inner surface is the circular section on a practical tyre, so the tread band thickness is added on top, and that's probably going to be thicker on his replacement tyre because he's looking for something more robust.

In short, if you go from a 23c race tyre to a 28c touring tyre, you might add 8-9mm to the rolling radius, assuming both tyres are true sizes. As usual, all bets are off with commercial tyres, because few of them are the size written on the side, although I suppose they all are if you select exactly the right rim width to make them so.

*for the same reason, using a rim with a wider gap between the bead hooks will decrease the rolling radius for a particular tyre.

^^ you'll be lucky to get full guards on with anything over 23mm. You might be best of with 25s and race-blades if it's just for around town.

Blacked up my Dolan. New seatpost and cranks, and put on some Planet-X Strada bars I bought ages ago and never got round to trying. Shallower drop than the Deda Pistas, and more hand positions too as the Dedas just had grips on the bottom. When my poor health caught up with me this morning I got a pic:

Thanks due to Apollo again for his love of wrapping bars.

I'm praying for a sunny day next week so I can see the Tape Doctor

Picked up Markgee's bargain Harry O on Thursday and raided the parts bin last night to put this together...
Plan is to use this for the daily commute over the winter saving the BobRat from the ravages of road salt!
It'll be a bit of an ongoing project - I'll be needing some narrower risers and a better saddle and I'll probably swap the Look Deltas for clips&straps.
I'm waiting for bits to arrive to build wheels (Downhill hub, disc-cog & black Arayas).

I've done a little homework on the frame - turns out it was built from Vitus 171 by Cliff Shrubb on behalf of the Inner London Education Authority.
i.e. this is one of the old Herne Hill Rental Bikes (There's a 1" dia steel disc on the seattube with ILEA stamped on it)

At some stage Harry Rowland was hired to rennovate these bikes and took the liberty of applying his own frame decals.
He's a good bloke is Harry, very open and helpful. .

Nice bit of flamboyant red. That looks like a very worn chain...

^ presumably you refer to the view of daylight between chainring and chain....
I think I'll need to check that out - it's a bit short too, not much space in the dropout...

Yeah - but looking at the first pic again it could be that it's just not fully on the chainring.

Just brought the bike into the kitchen to check: schoolboy error, frame came with a 3/32" chain I'd not noticed, assumed it was a 1/8"
[hangs head in shame]

Question:
This is how my bike sits at the minute.

After a spate of punctures on the cheapo Michelins I'm thinking that a change in tyres might help get me through winter. However, I can't workout what size is going to be best to go for. Choices are 24c Halo Twin rails which I'm sure will fit.
The other option for durability and comfort was to go for some randos but not sure whether I'll get 28's on there. I don't think they'll fit ut not sure on the size difference between 23's and 28's.
I've got about 4-5mm of clearance on the back and the same under the brake at the front.
Any ideas greatly appreciated

Id suggest Continental Hardshell in 25c, or maybe try fit 28c if you want a lilttle extra grip in the wet? then just get some sks race blade clip on mudguards.

Rando's are a good and very tough tyre, but maybe over kill for your needs

Maxis Refuse is the answer, looking at the clearances I am not sure you'd get a big tyre like a rando 28c in there, and whilst gators are highly puncture resistant they are terrible in wet weather in terms of grip.

The Storck is put in forced hibernation, and waiting for upgrades along the winter.

And so the winter-bike is up.

The Storck is put in forced hibernation, and waiting for upgrades along the winter.

And so the winter-bike is up.

That a good looking pub bike

Got any close-up photos on the rack attachment points? I'm waiting for a very similar setup (possibly exactly the same) to arrive from Dutch Bike Bits, and I'm going to have to be a bit 'creative' on the attachment to the forks and bars.

Admittedly I'm planning to add a wine box to mine in a shameless homage to Spotter. Ta for the inspiration, it's a fine idea.

I actually have an update about the bike the wine box was meant to go on; the seatpost turned out to be made of cheese, so despite building it up last night and it looking all lovely etc. Its now out of action till I can get something new. So I've moved the rack over to my Raleigh Royal:

embiggen

embiggen

Sweeeet! Would be a bit wary about mounting the headlight upside down though, might negatively affect its ability to light up the road/not to annoy oncoming traffic.