ojwithbikes

Could always stick it down the seattube side if it fits and you don't mind loosing a bottle cage.

Is an idea but I’m a thirsty fella. Have reordered the correct size, can’t believe I was so dumb haha

Bit more chipped away at the build today.

But I’ve been an idiot once again. I assumed a modern 11 speed derailleur would work with these 10 speed shifters because I know nothing about anything, but I cannot for the life of me get the tension right. Then I did some digging and read something about the cable pull ratio being different. But hey ho this is how ya learn I guess.

Only real annoying thing is I’ve got a few days off work before going back for a few and then having the week off over Xmas where I intend to ride this bike a lot. So I really need to get a compatible fd as soon as possible so I can test it all out in good time. Condor are selling new 105 FD5700 for like £40 which seems so ridiculous, but it’s a last hope if I can’t find something second hand in London in the next couple days. If anyone has a 10 speed Shimano FD that I can buy - or even lend for a few weeks with a deposit at this point - I’d be hugely grateful.

Anyway, am I passing the #bdhu exam?

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I have an Ultegra FD that might fit the bill. Let me dig it out, I'll send you a DM.

Well it’s now rideable - just.

Cheers for the help and offers for an FD. I took one of them up and got a 5700 fd this morning, fettled around and thought it was shifting pretty well in the stand. Went for a ride around the block and it’s kinda awful…

Front shifts into small ring fine, but won’t go into the big ring unless it’s in the smallest cog on the rear.

The rear shifts good in both directions but does this weird ghost shifting/almost-shifting thing as I pedal. Like the chain is trying to shift up (or down I guess) but doesn’t. Except there isn’t crazy rubbing sounds as if the indexing off. It’s otherwise smooth pedalling but will then be like:

pedal -> pedal -> weird shifting thing and loss of power transfer -> pedal -> pedal

In the stand it was fine, shifted fine without any crazy noise in each gear, so I thought I’d nailed the indexing but I guess not. I know things change when there’s weight/power going through the bike, so maybe that’s it. Could it be a new chain/old cassette thing? I’ve never had problems like it in the past. Anyone have any advice?

Other than it’s quite nice to ride. Position is good, need to level the saddle a touch, would love to cut the steerer for cool points if I find the time. Braking seems decent enough, but couldn’t get up to any speed to test them out because of the weird gear issues. Anyway gotta put it away for a couple days and try fiddle with the gears later, any advice very welcome because this shit is tricky!

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indexing gears can be a bit of a fiddle.
have you checked the cage on the rear derailleur isn't bent or twisted? are the jockey wheels in decent condition? bent hanger maybe?
for the front, is the cage properly aligned with the rings? might need rotating a bit around the seat tube?

Had a look and a fiddle after reading your advice. The sound of Calvin Jones’ voice has been ringing throughout the house for a couple days also.

Nothings bent and the jockey wheels look fine, still makes the skipping sensation but less so since I’ve re-indexed it all. I reckon it’s the old cassette/new chain combo. So in the spirit of this very cheap road bike build, I’ve bought a standard old 12-28 cassette as it was the cheapest I could find around town today. I pray it will be my saviour.

Realistically, there is totally 0 chance I’ll be pining for that 11t small cog as I’m riding around wintry lanes or commuting to work. And caring about bike weight is for nerds (or people who race and then, ya know, fair enough and that)

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Building bikes is fun for me because I’m repeatedly humbled by my own lack of attention to detail.

New cassette definitely made a big difference but wasn’t perfect. I had a look at the chain closely, saw the link around the connecting snap-off rivet thing was a bit mangled (my classic ham fisted ways), span the cranks a bit, and what do ya know, the bent outer plate did not have a smooth journey through the jockey wheels or round the cassette.

Now just to get another quick link, reattach a couple links and dare I say it, it’ll be smooth sailing

Well, the Genesis was a fun project, pretty much as expected I only used it for a few weeks and am in the process of selling it. Riding it triggered some pain in my knee from an issue I’ve been meaning to sort out for a while, so figured realistically the money in the bike would be better spent finally treating that issue, so I can better ride the bikes I actually enjoy riding more than this road bike. So I’m going to go for a bike fit on the grav bike with Nichola from Velophysio and maybe a physio session or two if necessary.

So anyway, the fixie is back with a front brake and drop bars, changed the 19t out that I had on back for a 17t. Most of the riding I do on this is commuting and riding around the city with friends - and I’m tired of spin spin spinning to keep up with them in flat ol’ London. Also, given how I’m still recovering from a knee tweaking couple rides on the Genesis, I’m not going to be riding this mega far for a bit, and tar me with with having the vanity of youth but risers and front brakes just do not do it for me aesthetically :D

@samrensho I’ve broken the sticker-ice on my frame pump. Covering up insecurities. Possibly the cycling equivalent of having that mate as a teenager who walked around telling everyone at school that he had a small d*ck to comedically lower expectations? No? Just me…

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Sweet fixie bruh

Your cannondale was part inspiration captain 🫡

Nice:)

cool

Nichola from Velophysio

You're in good hands. She sorted a few different knee issues for me, is she still in Sydenham?

Bike looks ace

Ah nice that’s good to hear, saw some good reviews in the bikefitting thread and what she does seems like the exact thing I need. She’s in Clapham now I believe, 1 day a week .

Looks great!
Best of luck with the fitting and physio :)

Cheers all. I went for a spin round the block this afternoon, man hoods on nippy track bikes with a decent gear ratio are great fun for the city. The hood position really changes the game on drop bars for tarck bikes, I used to hate riding drops on fixies cos not having hoods just leaves you with an ineffective and uncomfortable position where the hoods would be, but now this bike just feels so intuitive and flowy

Thought I should actually ride this bike for a decent few hours before going to get fitted on it, as it’s been a good few months since it’s been outside properly.

Having fully stripped and cleaned the bike, resetting the lever position, re-taping the bars, installing some fancy bottle cages and a matching seatpost for the full instagram matching finishing kit experience, I set out for a short ride.

Joining the #nojunkmiles2023 movement, and daylight hours being what they are, I hopped on the train at Ldn Bridge and got off at Redhill, where I then cycled to Guildford on a route I made from connecting Komoot highlights. Route was good! Definitely needs a few tweaks to get rid of a few silly hike-a-bike moments, but it uses more off-road and more interesting bits than the official Cycling UK North Downs Way route, although there is some overlap of course.

The 46k and 800m of elevation was a good way to test both me dodgy knee and the bike out before going to Velophysio on the 31st. All I’ve been doing cycling wise lately is topping 20kms riding fixies round the city, so was a bit apprehensive that the knee was gonna be good. The bikes feeling pretty great, I just can’t for the life of me get the levers to ‘feel’ level but that’s minor. And my knee was all good which has lifted my spirits a bit.

Good afternoon all round.

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Took this pic right before finally seeing Nichola at Velophysio - the saddle height was swiftly lowered 6mm heh.

Anyway, she recommended 165mm cranks and a 70mm instead of 80mm stem. So I’m just posting here in case anyone happens to have something they’d sell? I’ve got a wanted ad which essentially just states that for ease of operation, I’d love to straight swap out the 70mm version of this ritchey classic stem, and the 165mm version of the cheap sram cranks. But I’d consider a Thomson silver equivalent, and maybe GRX cranks or something else that is fit for purpose? Any suggestions? Money firmly being an object <\3

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Trip to the New Forest on a solo bivvy mission to test out the new bike packing stuff I’ve been acquiring over winter. Left Woods at 11am, got to the halfway camp spot I had scoped out way too early, so I’ve just been chilling waiting for it to get dark… nerves for my first solo bivvy are definitely there! Pray no wild axe murderer is out tonight.

Only 70km for the whole day tomorrow, bike has been good, though having 1-1.3kg on either carbon fork leg does kinda scare me despite the limit being listed at 3kg. Cabron is no steel. Please reassure me or tell me to cease what I’m doing immediately if my fork are gonna crack under me!?

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Pray no wild axe murderer is out tonight.

I'd worry more about the rangers. Proper seekers in the NF.

I found church yards the best places in NF. Although somewhat limiting!!

didn’t know they had the spetsnaz on payroll!

But no it was fine, found a very quiet spot south of Burley, as far away from paths as one can get in the New Forest.

I reckon I’d be more scared in a churchyard I cant lie

thought I’d take this out for a quick ride after putting those silly drops and that 120mm ritchey stem on.

I’m going to start doing track stuff at HHV as a fresh newbie baby to track cycling despite a few years riding fixies, so that’s the reason for the totally impractical street setup. I actually took this pic on the way back from Condor having bought a crosstop lever and new brake pads, am I getting old, boring, sensible, and/or maybe smart? Maybe.

But along with doing track stuff, am going start riding it on the road for ‘fast’ and ‘training’ rides as me n some mates thought that entering that Fixed 42 closed road race in Berlin looked like a good excuse for a summer holiday but I have never done serious cycling in my life.

That’s on July 2nd and I’m doing that Stone Circle 215km gravel race on June 24th (ish). So better get moving I guess…

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Looks lovely, big fan of the silver kit on this.

Which days are you hitting HHV? I was doing various inters back in 2021 but have now had well over 18 months off any kind of leisure riding and was thinking of going back to Saturday track skills to freshen up. Think @seanile is also getting started there.

Ah nice! I’ve gotta do the track taster first and I’m busy tomorrow so have booked it for the week after, the 18th. Then probably alternate between the two weekly sessions they offer work schedule depending, so will be at track skills the week after that - 24th or 25th