[Raymo853]

Is it ok for those of us not joining the competition to join the Strava group? Plan to to Strava-stalk the proceedings.

[Raymo853]

I ended up doing a series of roll tests with my dyno hub and with a normal wheel. I just happened to have a wheel with the same rim. Used the same tire & tube at the same pressure. Conclusion: there were just a small difference between light on and off and the other hub, Hope. The data points are below. They are measures in cm, using the shortest run (a Light On run) as the zero.

Light On
1: zero
2: +20
3: +88
4: +250
5: +340

Light Off:
1: +18
2: +264
3: + 353
4: + 365
5: + 381

Normal Hub (super nice Hope)
1: +180
2: +419
3: +340
4: +393
5: +470

[ATTACH=CONFIG]10208[/ATTACH]

[Raymo853]

@ginacico 128878 wrote:

Thank you to GovernorSilver and Raymo853 for the gear calculators.

I updated my spreadsheet, allowing for up to 11 cogs, made it more pretty, got rid of redundant fields, yada yada.

In the end, my gearing choices were strongly influenced by what I already had. I have t0o much bike cr*p to justify getting any new stuff. I am using an 11-32 9 speed cassette and 46/34 chainrings. Fine on the high gear, but missing the really low range for loaded touring. Will be fine for the main uses of this bike: gravel grinding, light duty CX, commutes, C&O touring, and randonneurs. When (if) I go touring with panniers beyond the C&O, I will put on a 12-36 cassette.

[ATTACH]10201[/ATTACH]

[Raymo853]

Attached is my spreadsheet. It is a ZIP file that should expand to a normal everyday Excel file.

[ATTACH]10158[/ATTACH]

[Raymo853]

I would be worried about a SRAM 11 speed 10 tooth cog on a touring bike when covered in ice and dirt. Maybe I am too much of a retro-grouch, but I do not even think 11 tooth cogs (Shimano, SRAM, Campy of whomever) belong in such environments. Too much tendency for stuff to build up on that small of cogs and render them un-usable.

[Raymo853]

I am 100% sure I will not be joining a team this year, however, am willing to help with planning and setup. Plus I have ideas for two or three challenges, depending on how much I want to outlay for prize purchasing and making.

[Raymo853]

@dkel 128699 wrote:

I don’t see how that’s possible! I love my gear inch spreadsheet! I have a cell for tire size, and it recalculates the whole sheet when I change the number. Sweet!

I have one too. I can share it later if anyone wants it.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]10156[/ATTACH]

[Raymo853]

@mstone 128698 wrote:

You will never need to pedal more than 29 MPH on a touring bike. Did you mean too high?

That is at 100 rpm, a spin I rarely can handle these days. If I am on a long grade it is nice to have a gear of at least 100 inches to allow slow, say 60 RPM 97″at 80 RPM is only 23 mph.

I may have mixed some with my terms, but I love gear inches. I know it is a weird thing, but it helps me understand the range. What I am looking for is a range from 25 inch to 110 inch range for the touring bike. So that is between 6 and 26 mph at 80 RPM. It really seems only a 44/32 with a 11-36 can do that or a 44/32/24 with a 11-27.

[Raymo853]

I am just converting my old IF Club Racer from road to touring duties. I am going a bit nuts on analyzing gear ranges. Now unlike many in this thread, this will be just a touring and gravel duties. I have a dedicated single ring CX and commuting bikes, both running 38t with 11-32 cogs.

I have found my other road bike, with a 34 chainring and a biggests cog of 27, not low enough. That gear is 35.5″ or 10.6 MPH at 100 RPM. I want something lower for the touring bike, about 28″ or 8.5 MPH @ 100. Now a single 38 ring with a rear 36 would be close 29.8″ or 89 MPH. And the top end will be a little too low 97.4″ or 29.0 MPH. I also fear the big gaps, it sometimes annoys me on the CX bike and keeps me from shifting enough on the commuter bike.

My spreadsheet and market analysis is leading to the idea of a 11-32 cassette with a 44/32 chainring setup. To get that setup, I am planning to buy a XT or XTR triple crankset. Why? They are freaking dirt cheap since nobody can stand the fashion shame of using triples anymore. I plan to remove the inner ring.

[Raymo853]

If this guy accepts my offer of $1500, please disregard all opinions I expressed in this thread.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10208246869022972&set=gm.1720144014882853&type=1&theater

[Raymo853]

@dkel 128401 wrote:

I shopped a long time to find fenders that would fit my 40c tires and be ridiculously long. I’m pretty happy with the result. The mud flap occasionally directs spray onto my shoe, though, in just the right conditions during a slow-ish turn. :p

I actually cut my front fender short so I would not hit it with my toes. I did that once, and took insanely hard crash and broke my wrist. For my short stature, 69″/175cm, I have to be careful with toe overlap.

[Raymo853]

@dkel 128399 wrote:

I don’t know, man; mine comes pretty close. There’s only two inches clearance between my front mud flap and the ground; that’s not much room for crap to come off the wheel and onto the bike.

OK,that is close. My commuter with fenders still get a bit dirty as I tent to run tires too wide for them.My fenders are 45c and tires 38c. Still get some spray around.

Plus my front fender is much shorter than yours, half the 700c wheel height above the ground.

[Raymo853]

@dkel 128377 wrote:

My bike doesn’t get dirty. #fenders #mudflaps

They help greatly but ain’t no panacea .

[Raymo853]

@Crickey7 128375 wrote:

How does someone truing a wheel miss a cracked rim, though? I mean, it could happen, but . . .

BTW, am I the only one who cleans my bike before I take it to the shop, lest the mechanic think poorly of me?

As an-ex part time mechanic in the early 90’s, always always clean you bike before taking it to a shop. The more senior wrenches always dumped the dirty bikes on me and I knew a lot less than them.

[Raymo853]

@Tim Kelley 128096 wrote:

The batteries in the Urban’s don’t seem to hold up after a couple years of heavy use, but the Taz’s and the Seca are still amazing.

I have three urbans. A three year old 400 and a two year old 600 & 800. All are being used and charged often. The oldest one is a champ, shows no drop in brightness nor run time. The newer ones seem to be less tough, they are both looking haggard, their run times are down, and their USB sockets are wonkey.

I am not disappointed at all, the newer two were free replacements. I melted my TAZ1000 but leaving it on in a car trunk, and L&M gave me full credit towards anything of theirs I wanted. So I got the two urbans plus one of their taillights.

[Author]

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