[ian74]

@hozn 166531 wrote:

Quick review of the 700x38c Compass Barlow Pass:
– measure 37.5mm on 19mm internal-width rims (Kinlin XR31)
– very easy to mount and seat tubeless. One tire did lose its air overnight, but I also didn’t shake things around much and it was fine riding in to work. The bead is very stretchy, which seems wrong for tubeless (but probably fine at these low pressures?).
– smooth ride. I haven’t played with pressure but started with 35/40 (f/r), which seems fine.
– not faster than a road tire, but feels faster than the G-One tires I was using before (makes sense).
– can’t comment on durability yet.

Hey! What does it say on your downtube? It looks like the writing they found on that old viking sword that I saw a NOVA special on. Ulfberht.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulfberht_swords

[ian74]

@hozn 166132 wrote:

Perhaps it was over tensioned; DS tensions are significantly higher than NDS on a [non-asym] rear wheel. I’m scratching WTB i19/i21/i25 rims off my list of rims to consider for my next gravel wheel build.

I don’t think my experience should color your decision. These were OEM on my Salsa I bought from BicycleSpace. They are the ST model which is their cheapest and were 36 hole rims. I can not find any WTB i19 36 hole wheels or rims anywhere online. Not even on the WTB web site. Likely a budget build to start with. Of course the Googles has some anecdotal evidence of WTB Frequency rims cracking at spoke holes.

I thought they were really nice wheels and I was pretty happy with them until very recently. They never went out of true, but if that’s my sole criteria for a good wheel then I’m showing my ignorance.

[ian74]

Odd. I just checked, it’s a 36 spoke wheel, there are 9 spokes that have cracks where they enter the rim (1/4) and every one of them is on the drive side. How did this happen? I must be a torque beast putting out sick watts. I wonder what my VO2 max is.

[ian74]

@anomad 166046 wrote:

I have a loaner if you need one till you make up your mind or whatever.

You should be able to get away with a 32 spoke rear wheel even with a few things in your bag. I’d be interested to see why the eyelet pulled through. Is there oxidation in there? Was the spoke tension way out of whack? Do you normally run just one rear bag?

I think it’s just wear and tear. I had this happen on my last bike too also around 9K to 10K miles. I was looking at the rim after cleaning it off and I would say that there were cracks forming around at least 6-8 other spokes. I didn’t notice if they were all drive side or not, but I’ll check when I get home. I’ve also only ridden always with just one pannier, it’s typically less than 10 lbs though, and I actually always have it on the non-drive side.

I took TwoWheels up on his offer and grabbed his wheels. I very much appreciate it too. I’m not sure if that was my best decisions, as with all things, I’m typically impulsive when it comes to getting things fixed and I want it done ASAP. So I guess I went with option “B” and bought the cheapest budget wheelset I could find. They are inexpensive but reviews from online are pretty positive overall.. I mean, my bike already weighs a ton so weight probably won’t matter. I suppose if I get another 10K out of them it’s worth it.

Alternatively, I might get something else sooner than later. I’d like it if the discussion could continue and I could get more suggestions though since I’ll probably continue making impulsive decisions in the future.

[ian74]

@TwoWheelsDC 166042 wrote:

I got these, never used, I’ll sell you for $125 for the set. They’re labeled as 29er wheels, but I’m fairly certain they’ll work just fine for you.

http://www.performancebike.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/mProduct4_10551_10052_1183999_-1

I think you just solved my dilemma!! I’ll send you a message

[ian74]

@rcannon100 165357 wrote:

I hate to say it but you made my point. I was not feeling weak. I was not in cardiac arrest. I had no need of CPR. I have ABSOLUTELY no sign of being in need. None. And I agree with you, if someone looks like there are in distress, if they are having a heart attack, it is wonderful if you offer help.

I was sitting next to my bike waiting for a class to begin. I was in fact on my smart phone writing an email. I was very relaxed waiting for someone. (Please read this thread before you call me rude). Any time I sit next to my bike, I get asked if I am okay, like I am enfeebled. Its an aspersion. It is an intrusion. It is a statement that sitting next to your bike means you are in distress. Utter bullshit. And yet it happens over and over and over. And it really needs to stop. As I said, earn your Good Samaritan merit badge somewhere else. But if there is absolutely NO REASON to ask some is okay – dont do it. Sitting next to your bicycle in and of itself – with no sign of distress – is not a reason.

No, I am not being rude. Rude is looking at someone who is perfectly 100% fine – and asking (over and over and over again) “are you okay??”

As for stop being a jerk, well, that would require a great deal more maintenance.

You know, you really don’t sound okay.

[ian74]

Just take the gear you already have and Uber it over to the gear drop off. I seem to recall there are ways to get an Uber with a bike rack on it too. No sense scrambling to find small compact gear just so you can ride it 5 miles to the shuttle. Unless of course you would just prefer to have smaller gear throughout your trip.

Also consider a small, lightweight day pack to ride with. If your just going to stash a lightweight rain jacket/arm warmers/gloves/extra socks, it should be a manageable load to ride with. That would probably be the cheapest option too.

I also recommend you get some chamois cream. I like Enzo’s Buttonhole, it smells like Thin Mint Girlscout cookies! They sell it at Bicycle Space. DO NOT EAT THE CREAM IT DOES NOT TASTE GOOD.

[ian74]

@LhasaCM 165153 wrote:

Saturday’s 40* States ride was the debut of my new commuter (and every other type of ride) bike. It’s a Rose Activa. I got it to replace my Breezer Beltway 8 whose bottom bracket was starting to get to me (it was a weird externally bearing ecccentric, so was very creaky), as was the rear hub. Since the majority of my mileage is with a trailercycle attached, I wanted something that had a bit more range, and with the whole drive train a bit more solid and able to cope with the load I put on it, without getting into eBike territory since this still is my one and only bike for all occasions. Here it is sitting in our garage (before I put the car back in).

[ATTACH=CONFIG]15444[/ATTACH]

I opted for the Rose because, once I settled on getting a Pinion gearbox (I started looking at a Rohloff as an upgrade for my Alfine 8 – but then got smitten by this), it was the most affordable and most accessible option of the various companies that sell Pinion bikes, even with the cost of shipping it from overseas. It was probably 2 months of obsessive research/reading reviews/watching reviews/etc., and literally looking on the websites of every company listed on the Pinion website (relying heavily on Google translate) before I made the decision. I still need to fiddle with a few things to get the fit just right (maybe change the stem length if the microadjust isn’t enough), but fortunately, I picked the right size

All in all – it was about 2 weeks from placing the order to the bike shipping, and it arrived 2 days after it left the shipping center in Germany. There really wasn’t much assembly involved – rotate stem and adjust handlebars and seatpost, ensure everything is properly torqued, install the pedals, and add air for a usable bike. One minor issue with the purchase – while they got my other substitutions right, they did not heed my request to swap the standard tires (2 inch wide Schwalbe Mondials) for something slightly less suitable for off-road and slightly lower rolling resistance (e.g., 1.6 inch Marathon Supremes). Since I did not want to attempt the 50 States on the Mondials, I got some 1.5 inch Panaracers from Bike Rack just before they closed Friday, which I’ll probably keep on for the foreseeable future. As a result, there’s a bit too much fender clearance right now for my liking, so that may be an upcoming weekend’s project. I also need to look at replacing the front thru-axle or front rack since, as currently setup, I cannot remove the front wheel without also disconnecting the front rack (the “handle” can’t turn because the rack is in the way).

* I only made it to 40 before the guilt from my daughter for being gone so long (and driving my wife crazy) was sufficient to convince my tired legs to throw in the towel before the rest of the hills of NW. I’m hoping to finish on Wednesday so then I can wear the t-shirt honestly (since it just says that one rode the 50 states; it says nothing about how long it took over how many different rides).

Super cool! I love the idea of the pinion gearbox, First, I wish they were more commonly available without going through boutique builders and Second, more affordable. I’m really interested in hearing how the ride feels and the shifting. Also, when you make such a large purchase from overseas, do you have to pay any duty fees on it when it comes into the states? Does customs give any grief about these types of things?

[ian74]

@hozn 165057 wrote:

I feel a bit conflicted about this purchase. $60 is a lot for a tire, but especially if the profits are funding Jan Heine crackpot science. I’m only half serious; he’s done a lot to get people to reconsider old assumptions and there’s no arguing about the comfort of riding some supple fat tires. Should be fun. I was tempted to get the 44mm Snoqualmies, but these stand a chance of fitting under my 45mm fenders when I winterize the bike.

I hope the ride is commensurate with the price.

Let me know what you think of them, I’ve been curious about them for some time. I hesitate as they offer almost no protection against flats. I’ve been riding Panaracer Pasella 38s (on my second set) for the last year, so these could be a nice change. I was also thinking about the Soma Shikoro tires for my next round of tires. There’s more choices than ever for plush tires.

[ian74]

@Emm 164908 wrote:

Here are HHS’ rules. CPTJohnC can chime in with details since he actually receives it. But the short answer appears to be no–your agency has created a new and exciting level of bureaucracy

I should look into how much I actually drive. Especially with the fact I may be moving sometime in the next few months to a more metro-accessible location, it may actually be more cost effective to take the bike parking benefit and just pay $15/day for the few times a year I need to drive. Currently I’m keeping my parking spot on principle. It costs my agency $3,200/yr to give me car parking in the same secure garage they refuse to let me park my bike :mad:.

Simple solution. Park car in garage with bike rack on back. Leave there. Ride to work and put bike on back of car. End of day, just take the bike off the car and ride home.

[ian74]

@vern 164884 wrote:

That’s a really weird sweat stain on the front of that jersey.

My first thought was “Who spilled coffee down the front of that nice orange jersey?”

[ian74]

@Judd 164811 wrote:

The worst thing that I forgot once was a towel. I now make sure to bring the new clean towel in BEFORE taking the old towel home. Thankfully the locker room still had paper towels.

I’ve also forgotten my keys with the key to my bike lock on it.

Never forget your towel you hoopy frood!

[ian74]

@lordofthemark 164496 wrote:

I have just learned that a not particularly strong, not particularly skilled with tools 50 something, armed only with a simple bikehand cable cutter (YC-767) , can cut through such a lock in a surprisingly reasonable period of time.

Also, whatever kind of lock you have, be sure to have a spare key handy.

You’re still using cable locks? You crazy!

[ian74]

@anomad 164070 wrote:

Susan (Ssm508) and I have a new leftover 50cm Liscio. I’ll have to look in the box to see exactly what build it has, but I think its Dura-Ace or Di2 Ultegra.

Be happy to arrange a test drive if that’s your size.

How does one have a “new, leftover” Liscio? Leftover from what? No wonder you have to sell all those bikes, you got things with Di2 sitting around in boxes??

[ian74]

@Tania 163966 wrote:

Doh! Totally forgot to check out Cannondales.

Ian – I want disc brakes. No budging on that one. You’d be more likely to get me to buy shimano.

Oh, I glossed right over the “hydros.” I respect that. Sorry, I saw that bike list this morning and it was a good deal.

[Author]

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