[Supermau]

That’s a handsome bike.

[Supermau]

Here’s a picture of my backpack at night.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]6601[/ATTACH]

[Supermau]

@rcannon100 94185 wrote:

Okay, okay, okay…. let me check the math…..

180 lbs Vicegrip + 18 lbs bike + 20 lbs backpack ===== 218 lbs

um

180 lbs Vicegrip + 18 lbs bike + 20 lbs pannier ====== 218 lbs

Am I making a mistake in my math somewhere, cause I keep coming up with the same number. It doesnt matter where you put the weight – its still the same weight.

I am honestly sitting here laughing at yousse guys whose saying yud rather put the wait on your back insted of the bike to keep dah bike pretty. Um… so the pretty bike is more important than the pretty back????

Okay, I concede. T’is true that the weight is the same – but the wind drag aint. A pannier creates more drag. But for commuting? Every day? Not having a load bouncing on my spine? T’is not a question sez I.

(No no I have no idear why I is talking this way)

There was this Saturday commute a couple weeks ago where I swear I had a two-ton heavy thing strapped to my back. I had it packed to the stitches with spare clothes, 8 bananas, camera, extra water, bigass U-lock and cable, and this, and that, and what felt like my two year old kid on top of it. The pack was absurdly heavy that day.

I don’t normally go that heavy but this was one of those days. I ate those bananas before the ride home…a little help. Aside from days like that I definitely prefer pack over rack. I don’t mind a bit of weight back there when it’s balanced out. I feel it gives me a more solid workout as well. I also prefer the clean lines of my bike without the rack.

That said, I fully respect the rack riders. Just a different breed of the same species. And a handsome bike is a handsome bike no matter what is attached to it. The junk I see parked at work is astounding, but then there’s a few gems too. Any bike beats no bike I suppose. I will not judge!

I tell ya what I don’t get…commuters in denim, especially in the hot, hot heat. I’m rambling…

[Supermau]

Backpack all the way for me. I like to keep my bike looking stealthy and clean.

[Supermau]

My bike shop is currently located on this slab in my back yard. The porch didn’t work anymore as I would inevitably drop an important screw or washer between the slats to be lost forever. So far my limited tool collection fits in a tidy tool box. I try to buy something useful every month to add to it. Finally got a good work stand too…what a difference that makes.

Here’s my wife’s bike in the shop after it’s ten year overhaul.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]6584[/ATTACH]

[Supermau]

[QUOTE=Harry Meatmotor;94032…

One thing you can do on most modern indexed shifters is to do a double-shift or triple-shift in the rear and a single shift in the front, at the same time. So, if you find yourself in getting near the small end of the cassette, try and get used to doing a double-shift down in the rear while at the same time doing a single shift up to the big ring. In most gearing combos, this will put you in just about the same number of gear-inches. You can do the same if you find yourself in the big-big combo, only in reverse.

One final rant – some newer front derailleurs (SRAM’s Yaw technology, Shimano’s Di2 system) will allow cross chaining with no rub on the FDer cage – but in my experience the chain, cassette, and chainrings still make a huge racket even when perfectly adjusted.

Thanks for the input. I just started riding again this spring after at least ten years away, and even ten years ago I knew little about the nuances of shifting. I corrected all that on my last ride. I had a solid 25 miles to practice with. I did double shift and spent more time going between the big ring and the middle and I definitely learned a lot.

I must say though, my bikes make no huge racket unless I’m shifting under stress, which I try to avoid. They generally shift pretty smooth and quietly. Unless our definitions of “racket” just aren’t the same.

[Supermau]

@Raymo853 93969 wrote:

Me: Goofball who did not pay attention to the orientation of my new headlight.
You: Guy coming the other way on the 14th street bridge who dramatically shielded your eyes.

Sorry, I corrected the orientation right afterwards.

I’ve had to fine tune my own 700 lumens after blinding a couple folks, don’t feel bad.

[Supermau]

Are those the so called ” pathletes”. The most risky passers of them all from my experience…a lot of them anyway.

[Supermau]

@hozn 93935 wrote:

Oh, I assumed you meant bad weather. It wasn’t *that* hot We are just spoiled by this super cool summer have had.

It’s definitely been hotter, but I was good and soupy at the end of the day.

[Supermau]

From a buyers perspective there are plenty of nice new hybrid/flat bar road bikes on the market in the $400-$700 range that I’d be more prone to put $500 towards.

[Supermau]

No lightning. My “evening” commute takes place between 12 and 2. I beat the storm by hours. I was talking about the heat. All tongue in cheek of course. I don’t take myself that seriously.

[Supermau]

According to rule #9 today’s commute makes me a badass!

[Supermau]

@TwoWheelsDC 93910 wrote:

Sur la Plaque!

[ATTACH=CONFIG]6557[/ATTACH]

[Supermau]

Hot. Period.

[Supermau]

@Dickie 93903 wrote:

First, lets be clear about what sprocket combination you are talking about. You say the 2nd chainring.. I’m assuming you have a triple? If you are in the “middle” chainring and the smallest rear cog, this would actually be considered cross-chaining…but that doesn’t matter as it’s just words.

Cross chaining is not caused by derailer adjustment, it is caused by alignment of the front chain rings, axle length, and the spacing of the rear wheel and cassette. The rubbing on the derailer however is often the result and this occasionally be compensated for with a few tweaks. If you were able to ride in this combination before without any issue there isn’t any reason why you shouldn’t now. To me it sounds like a lazy mechanic unwilling to spend the additional time fine tuning your bike. The suggestion to just find another gear combination is offensive…. you have the gears, you have the combination you like, it should be adjusted properly to work as it always did.

Adjusting the trim as Dismal suggests is probably the best fix for now. I suspect that the limit screws being adjusted would help as well, but this can be tricky as too much adjustment can cause you to over-shift and drop your chain. The barrel adjusters on the rear derailer will not help this situation and if the bike is shifting correctly you shouldn’t mess with it. The front derailer barrel adjuster is a bit of a crap shoot.

Thanks for the response. I do indeed have a triple. I should have stated that. I always assumed cross chaining was more to the extremes ( big ring – big rear cog, little – little ), but I get why he said I was cross chaining now. Certainly not extreme, but technically correct. You picked up my point…it wasn’t rubbing before, so it shouldn’t rub now.

What I did was loosen the front derailer enough to twist it a micro notch away. I did this very carefully so as not to screw up height. I rode 25 miles today without any issue. I’ll bet I didn’t do the right thing, but it worked. There’s no rub in any combination.

I also took the shifting suggestion to heart and spent a lot more time in the big ring today, and shifting down to the middle when needed. I discovered that I really like the feel of the big ring! I haven’t been shifting my bike to its potential.

Still, I do feel like my mechanic, and I use the term loosely, just didn’t want to get it up on the stand again. I will master these confounded derailers. No more fear.

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