[KayakCyndi]

@americancyclo 136889 wrote:

N=4
19?? Free Spirit Little Star in Sparkle Purple
This bike descends reasonably well given the short ETT. It’s relatively stable, but that makes sense given that it’s a steel bike weighing in a good ten pounds more than my carbon road bike. Compared to that relaxed road bike geometry, I definitely feel the compact nature of this ride. It’s almost like I was sitting on top of the rear axle the whole time. Getting out of the saddle on the climbs helped a bit, and while the 28×16 gearing was more than adequate for the hills around my house, my normal cadence suffered combined with the 10cm cranks. Overall this is more of a descender’s bike than a true sprinter given the gearing and heavy weight. A good entry level bike, but it might be time to reconsider whether or not this has a home in the stable.

https://www.strava.com/activities/518697435

[ATTACH=CONFIG]11246[/ATTACH]
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You, sir, clearly have too much time on your hands!

[KayakCyndi]

@Rob_O 136846 wrote:

Behold the The Janetzko Prize*: Awarded to the rider with the most rides with Dirt during BAFS.

*Awarded Annually during BAFS.
*KayakCyndi is not eligible to win her own Prize.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]11240[/ATTACH]

What??? How come I’m excluded? I wanna win that! That said, this may come down to a showdown between members of the Tuesday hill crew and the Friday hooky crew.

[KayakCyndi]

I find it mildly humorous that we can spend hours talking about and researching tire pressure/width and gear inches based on nothing more than two photos!

This clearly is a most apt use of the forum.

[KayakCyndi]

@dkel 136775 wrote:

Thanks for leaving it in the tallest possible gear for me to get going on my way. :rolleyes:

Oops. I guess when I can only pedal standing up it is easier in a taller gear!

[KayakCyndi]

@hozn 136420 wrote:

….
Probably Subby was just noting that the Schwalbe Durano (in any size) is a great winter tire but is not a fast tire. But having a tire that matches rim width definitely “feels right” on a road bike, I agree with that too. Assuming the Rovals are wide rims, a 25mm might work great. (Cyndi, I recommend 25mm Schwalbe One tubeless or GP4000S II if you want to stick with tubes. In which case latex tubes apparently offer improved ride — not 100% sure I could tell the difference in a blind test, but they do roll nicely.)

In other news, I moved the Duranos over to the Viaje and put some Schwalbe One’s on the Liscio. I didn’t go tubeless but got the road style 28s (http://www.schwalbetires.com/node/4318). I rode them this morning on Tuesday hills. It might be totally in my mind but they definitely seemed to roll quicker and more nicely than the Duranos. Someday I’ll get over my fear of tubeless.

[KayakCyndi]

N=17 dkel’s Surly Straggler
3/15/2016
https://www.strava.com/activities/517592544

This morning’s N+1 showed up at Cafe Kindred just in time for me to take it for a quick spin. Dkel’s straggler was the first bike I had ridden that really was just to big for me. Sitting on the seat and actually pedaling wasn’t really an option so this test ride took place standing, standing on legs that were already dead from Tuesday morning hills and Sunday’s rainy brevet.

The Straggler is a pretty bike. That shiny, sparkling purple color is just about the shade of the early blooming cherry trees in the neighborhood. Dkel must also have a thing for clean chains as his was grit free too. Maybe it has something to do with the long fenders he is running. I think the front one almost hits ground! Again this bike had a fairly upright position which shortened the ETT enough for me to be able to actually reach the bars. His bell is a thing of beauty.

[KayakCyndi]

N=16 Rockfords Salsa Vaya
3/14/2016
https://www.strava.com/activities/516814994

Yep, another Vaya. Like Gina’s, Kathleen’s Vaya is rigged for commuting/touring with big tires, full fenders, and a very upright position. I’m amazed at how much that upright position impacts reach. This top tube felt short even though it is actually a 54cm. Normally, if set with my preferred saddle to bar drop, I am too stretched out on almost any 54. No such felling here.

I also really enjoyed the smooth, clean, grit free drive train. The Viaje’s need (another) good clean after yesterday’s 115 mile gritty rain ride!

[KayakCyndi]

@komorebi 136474 wrote:

I normally love my commute, but tonight’s was one of the most aggravating commutes I’ve had in a long time.

I had no such problems last night. In fact, the commute was lovely, sure there were a few others out but nothing like you all describing …. I had birds, and water, and stars and probably the occasional deer I didn’t see. Perhaps I’ll have to take the canal home every night from now on!

[KayakCyndi]

@hozn 136450 wrote:

Did you have to do something with your derailleur or get special end caps or something? I know Specialized was all proud of themselves for creating a proprietary hub/frame system that moved the cassette inboard 2.5mm or so. I think they call this “SCS”.

http://forums.roadbikereview.com/specialized/scs-wtf-345626.html

I love the comment “Yeah…SCS does strike me as a solution to a problem no one knew they had. “. While I admit that the smallest 1 or 2 cogs don’t really work for me when I’m in the little ring on the 410mm-chainstay [disc] road bike (due to hitting the shift pins on the rings), in practice this is not a problem: SRAM 10sp wants you to default to the big ring anyway (FD only trims in).

Nope these are the standard Rovel’s before their silly SCS which does stand for short chain stay. I read somewhere that Specialized didn’t want to lengthen their chainstays and rather than change the geometry of the bike they changed the wheels. Anyway, I got these “used” and the former owner didn’t have them on a specialized. They were plug and play from my old wheels.

[KayakCyndi]

@hozn 136420 wrote:

(Cyndi, I recommend 25mm Schwalbe One tubeless or GP4000S II if you want to stick with tubes. In which case latex tubes apparently offer improved ride — not 100% sure I could tell the difference in a blind test, but they do roll nicely.)

Funny, I just picked up a pair of Schwalbe Ones — not the tubeless ones but the regular clinchers since I’m constantly changing tires — for the Liscio. Hopefully they’ll feel as nice as the others. I’ll move the Durano’s to the Viaje’s road wheels since they’ll probably hold up better to the silliness that is DC streets.

[KayakCyndi]

@hozn 136420 wrote:

(Cyndi, I recommend 25mm Schwalbe One tubeless or GP4000S II if you want to stick with tubes. In which case latex tubes apparently offer improved ride — not 100% sure I could tell the difference in a blind test, but they do roll nicely.)

Funny, I just picked up a pair of Schwalbe Ones — not the tubeless ones but the regular clinchers since I’m constantly changing tires. Hopefully they’ll feel as nice as the others. I’ll use the Durano’s on the Viaje’s road wheels since they’ll probably hold up better to the silliness that is DC streets.

[KayakCyndi]

@Harry Meatmotor 136353 wrote:

isn’t that kinda sacrilegious to put Specialized wheels on a Volagi?

😮

Totally. But the price was right. Just a reminder that I need to peel off the decals!

[KayakCyndi]

N=15 subby’s singlespeed

Today I got to try Subby’s singlespeed. This bike had bullhorns which I’ve never used before. It took me a few minutes to figure out where to put my hands but once I did it seemed pretty cool. I’d totally feel like a hipster on this!

The gearing is higher than on my furley which was a great advantage going down the MVT. I probably wouldn’t have felt that way if we were going up the custis!

vvill, if you want to ride this bike bring an allen wrench. You’ll need to lower the seat. It was on the tall side for me and my bikes are on the tall side for you ….

[KayakCyndi]

@consularrider 136293 wrote:

Ok, so they are going to tun an asphalt lot into a gravel lot (Cyndi will like that)? Or are they going to use the kind of pavers you grow grass in and they need a month for the grass to take root?

mmmmm … Gravel.

[KayakCyndi]

N=14 eminva’s Volagi Viaje
3/7/2016

Coming back from pancakes this morning I swapped Viaje’s with Liz. Hers is a 50 and feels decidedly smaller than my 53. The ride felt nice and smooth as always likely due to the steel frame and cushy MSO 40s she has. Her Viaje has ulterga for which I admit a degree of jealousy. I do love the black color scheme too.

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