Any question answered...

So I'm thinking of writing a blog - mainly about us buying/ re vamping our first house the only thing is there's a few subjects I'd like to also write about - like design, cycling and other bits.

Would it be stupid to combine all these subjects?

Cross posted from the blog thread. Can anyone enlighten me on this?

I'm into cycling, design and especially other bits.
Knowing that it's someone from on here, I would probably check it out.

Once anyway.

I have a 2004/2005 10-speed Record group on my bike (compact 50-34 crankset). In its current state the gears require constant adjustment (rear mech tension) to properly switch, even during a single ride. So I'm thinking about replacing the cabling (the current one is too tight as I've changed the stem height) and the chain (which is too short as I've changed the cassette from a 11-21 Record to a 12-27 Centaur). So I have questions about what to get.

• cable set: Is there any difference between Campagnolo Non Ultra (here) and Ultra/Power shift cables (here)? My understanding is that Ultra/Power shift are newer but will work with any Campagnolo 10 speed group including older ones.
  Also is there any third-party cable set that would be as good and cheaper, or as pricey but better, than the Campagnolo ones for my group?

• chain: as regards Campagnolo chains, I found out that I can only find the newer 10-speed Ultra Narrow chains (5.9 mm) rather than the older 10-speed chains (6.1 mm), but the new ones should be compatible with my group. So something like a current Centaur 10-speed (here) or a stock Record 10-speed (here) should work, right?
  Also, the specific link system for Campagnolo chains is bothering me, as it is difficult to easily remove or change the length of the chain. So is there any third-party 10-speed chain (KMC? Wippermann?) that will be as good as a Campagnolo chain on my group?

So is there any third-party 10-speed chain (KMC? Wippermann?) that will be as good as a Campagnolo chain on my group?

One of the tech blogs recently reported a preference for Wippermann over KMC with Campag, although there seem to be plenty of happy KMC/Campag users too, so it's probably safe to just pick your favourite out of the two chain companies.

blue tyres on my all-blue bike - a mistake?
or maybe grey to match grey hoods?
(grey and blue maxxis both on sale, black is not)

How much give should be in a fixed gear chain? That's not being used on the track?

blue tyres on my all-blue bike - a mistake?
or maybe grey to match grey hoods?
(grey and blue maxxis both on sale, black is not)

Ha I just discussed the exact same thing on the current projects thread. Went for grey in the end, it doesn't look too garish and the blue might clash.

blue tyres on my all-blue bike - a mistake?
or maybe grey to match grey hoods?
(grey and blue maxxis both on sale, black is not)

I vote grey, all-blue might be a bit much.

cool, grey it is :)

Taking this from porn, I didn't want to clutter it up...

Does the design of this frame, seem totally flawed to anyone else?
Negating the benefits of either material used in its construction. Also the makeup of the rear part of the bike seems at best flawed at worst super dangerous?

why?

What do you see?

I think that looks lovely personally and looks solidly built

I think Rob has built enough similar bikes in the past to be pretty confident in his abilities. That's not to say that his bikes advance the breed, but I doubt that they are potential death traps. Look at his CV and you'll see that he's not just some bloke in a shed with a brazing torch and some weird ideas.

The rear seat stay/fork area looks weak for an off roader though.

What makes you think somebody is going off road on Lightweight Ventoux wheels and skinny tubs?

The carbon seat-tube/seatpost into the wishbone rear-stay is what I think looks dangerous. Or is it just wrap?

Getting a more solid answer is why I brought it here, rather than porn, because it looks cool and so therefore doesn't need to be discussed there.

So generally this construction should be okay?

So generally this construction should be okay?

Rob is neither the first nor only builder to bond carbon tubes into metal frames, JRD in France, among current artisan builders, seem particularly keen on the method. As with any other technique, it's as good as the engineer doing the detailed design, but it doesn't differ fundamentally from all-carbon tube and lug construction or aluminium frames with carbon stays, which are pretty commonplace.

Mr English has made statements regarding his use of super skinny stays in interviews. His belief is that the stays are extremely strong under compression regardless of how thin you make them. Because of the angle the only significant stress they are receiving is direct compression along the length. And they are super strong in the plane because of the angle, and the fact the rear end of the bike is a triangle.

The English chap also has a degree in Mechanical Engineering so I reckon he has slightly better understanding of this stuff than your average garden shed builder of bike nerd.

I wish I was a garden shed builder.

I wish I had a garden shed.

Full of bike nerds.

... Because of the angle the only significant stress they are receiving is direct compression along the length. ...

And some horrible bending forces from the rear brake... But then i'm always slightly astonished by how well flimsy looking conventional bridges stand up to the forces from brakes.

The load at the bridge is almost exactly the tangential load at the tyre, which turns out not to be very big before it starts skidding.

boring question: how do edit facebook timeline, eg. I don't want my 'map' to appear on it...

I quite like the idea of the integrated carbon seatpost on a steel frame. English isn't the only one using the "technique". Julie Racing Design springs to mind:

Rob is neither the first nor only builder to bond carbon tubes into metal frames, JRD in France, among current artisan builders, seem particularly keen on the method

English isn't the only one using the "technique". Julie Racing Design springs to mind:

Is there an echo in here?