Polo Bikes

After seeing everyone's reaction to my bike on the weekend I think I might leave it as is and just change for some flat bars. When I have the money I might get a custom with similar geo. Or if I grow the skills I'll make my own. Mainly due to weight and niggly annoyances.

lighter wheels maybe and you've got a good polo bike. it rode pretty sweet at the weekend!

SquareBuilt, were the first ones to do that kind of bars

Those bars are good because you have the rise but without the problem of the lever going at a funny angle when you have narrow bars. The one thing I don't understand is how people can be happy with a brake lever set up as it is in the Marino picture. The lever is completely out of line for your fingers and ends up trapping your ring finger.

O rly?

Yarly. It's why so many mtb'ers have about a half inch gap between the edge of the grip and the brake lever clamp.

That looks like an awful lot of metal to compensate for something that most don't find an issue.

Also because of the extra leverage isn't it easier to move those bars in the stem than a normal set?

I had something similar on a bmx, didn't like it.

The one thing I don't understand is how people can be happy with a brake lever set up as it is in the Marino picture. The lever is completely out of line for your fingers and ends up trapping your ring finger.

Yarly. It's why so many mtb'ers have about a half inch gap between the edge of the grip and the brake lever clamp.

I completely agreee. For the best mechanical advantage you need the end of the lever to be inline with your index and ring fingers, and not trap any other fingers. If you're using 3-4 fingers on your brake (which is the only way you're not trapping fingers) you're losing bar control.

I'm tempted to go front hydraulic disc only so I can potentially go to 1-finger braking, but I'd need a rotor guard and I want to see what happens with stoppie/endo-induced floppy rear wheel rules. At the moment I see lots of 'wheel throwing', from front-brake onlyers which I thought was illegal, but seems permitted when you're a top player.

At the moment I see lots of 'wheel throwing', from front-brake onlyers which I thought was illegal, but seems permitted when you're a top player.

Ha, I know what you mean. But the new NAH ruleset should stamp on these sloppy rear end players.

Also because of the extra leverage isn't it easier to move those bars in the stem than a normal set?
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it does but no more than risers

and BMXers have coped for years

I'm tempted to go front hydraulic disc only so I can potentially go to 1-finger braking, but I'd need a rotor guard and I want to see what happens with stoppie/endo-induced floppy rear wheel rules. At the moment I see lots of 'wheel throwing', from front-brake onlyers which I thought was illegal, but seems permitted when you're a top player.

Why not dual mechanical discs?

I'm happy with my dual set-up. The only improvement would be one-finger power, but I can't see that anything would do that because two brakes are hard to pull with one finger. And 2 x disc brakes would be more than 2x as expensive because I'd want to build up a DMR/Surly/Hope hub. Cheap 2nd hand front wheel would be doable.

Hydraulic means a through-the-fork routing wouldn't cause excess friction and would practically iradicate broken cable problems. Hopefully. I'd take a v-brake and lever to tournaments just in case though...

I'm happy with my dual set-up. The only improvement would be one-finger power, but I can't see that anything would do that because two brakes are hard to pull with one finger. And 2 x disc brakes would be more than 2x as expensive because I'd want to build up a DMR/Surly/Hope hub. Cheap 2nd hand front wheel would be doable.

Hydraulic means a through-the-fork routing wouldn't cause excess friction and would practically iradicate broken cable problems. Hopefully. I'd take a v-brake and lever to tournaments just in case though...

I see your point, I still have the fear from my last endo experience!
Through the stem and steerer routing would be very tidy (and protective).

Any of you MTB types used AEST V-brakes? They look like KCNC clones to me, but less than half the price... A pair weigh 270g (including pads) and cost £90...

Paul Motolites are 274g (perhaps without pads) and around that price too?

TRP M920s are meant to be good value too (300g with pads), £60?

I'm looking at some Extralites too, just checking what's out there really... WIndow shopping is soooo much fun... :)

Those TRPs look great, nice low profile too...

AEST don't have the best rep.

They make some superlite brake levers as well. I've read reports of their superlite stuff flexing.

Get solid brakes. I'd be concerned with the cnc cut out versions.
Ultimates are decent price at mo. Have sealed bearings for smoothness.
And lite!
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=75766&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=Shopping&utm_name=UnitedKingdom
Or Paul if you want something tough and lite.

I think the sealed bearings are overkill, it's never been the pivot that has made my v brakes mushy. It's nearly always a gunky or fraying cable.

Praise be to Gabes for introducing the Middleburn cable oiler to the polo community.

Avid Ultimates are very, very good. Reversible noodle, solid arms, smooth operation....
If you don't want to get motolites, this is the best next thing.

Praise be to Emilie for introducing the Middleburn cable oiler to the polo community.

FTFY

PS Hydraulics are the best brakes, you're basically all using victorian tech.

just gone mechanical disc and ive been leant a hydraulic, gunna try it out soon. (need a straight disc first..)

Hydraulics are the best brakes, you're basically all using victorian tech.

I'd feel a little embarrassed trundling around the court with hydraulic disk brakes. We struggle to hit 15mph, on the flat, in the dry. I couldn't do it...

Duel hydraulics

http://www.hopetech.com/page.aspx?itemID=SPG343

http://Duel hydraulics [url]http://www.hopetech.com/page.aspx?itemID=SPG343 http://www.hopetech.com/webtop/modul...VTwinBrake.jpg[/URL]