The Bicycling Thread

[wildbears]

[955i]

There are no words that capture my disdain for so-called "modern art." Hunter Biden or Andy Warhol could make a million or two with this if they put a name to it and put it up as "an installation" at a toni art museum.

[wildbears]

Bidding starts at a mere $3,000,000.....

[wildbears]

The End Of An Era.....Calvin Jones Retires at Park Tools.

[wildbears]

Changed the fork on my San Resho last year and it resulted in a high speed weave. The new fork has a rake of 42mm and the old one is ~30mm. Will switch back when I get time.

AI Overview: Fork Offset ...Your bike feels stable with a 30mm offset fork and wobbly with a 42mm offset because the larger 42mm offset decreases trail, making steering quicker and more agile but less inherently stable, while the smaller 30mm offset increases trail, creating a slower, more planted, and stable feel, especially at speed; you've essentially tuned your bike from stable (30mm) to nimble (42mm), and your bike's design (head angle, intended use) favors the stability of less trail.

Here's why: Fork Offset (Rake): This is the distance the front axle sits forward of the steering axis (head tube). Trail: This is the crucial measurement affected by offset (and head angle) – the distance between the steering axis's ground contact point and the tire's contact patch. More Offset (like 42mm): Pushes the front wheel further out, reducing trail, leading to quicker, more responsive, but potentially twitchy steering (less stable). Less Offset (like 30mm): Pulls the front wheel closer in, increasing trail, making steering slower, more stable, and better for straight-line tracking (more stable). In your case: The 30mm offset gives you more trail, making the bike feel planted and stable, likely matching your bike's intended design for control. The 42mm offset reduces trail, making the steering "faster" and more eager to turn, but it can feel "wandering" or unstable if the bike's geometry (like a slacker head angle) wasn't designed for that reduced trail.

What to do: Stick with the 30mm: If stability is your priority and the bike feels better with it, the 30mm offset is the right choice for you and your bike's geometry. Adjust Riding Style: If you want to use the 42mm, you'll need to adjust your riding, perhaps leaning more into corners and being gentler with input, but it's a significant handling change. Check for other issues: While offset is the main culprit, also check your headset for play (wiggle the bike with the front brake pulled) as loose headset bearings can also feel wobbly.

[wildbears]

[955i]

They are cool and red. I like Brembos on motorcycles and cars. But, my Campy mechanical rim brakes on my 1991 Merckx MX Leader have awesome stopping power and wonderful controllable feel. I would not change for more complexity, even if the cost was the same.

My Bianchi Zurigo cyclocross bike, however, has mechanical disc brakes. If the Brembos come in a beautiful celeste color, I'd think about an upgrade!

[wildbears]

The rim brakes on my road bikes will scoot me forward on the saddle during a hard stop.

[wildbears]

[955i]

I'm not sure about this at all. I AM sure that it is not just the color's theoretical visible distance that is the main factor. The contrast with the surrounds, is equally important. Fluorescent pink really shows up and is unlike nearly everything else in a driver's vision. The bright fluorescent yellow road worker stuff also is noticeable, but drivers are beginning to see it often.. I hope they don't begin to ignore it. A BRIGHT flashing taillight is a must for me (despite some contrary opinions of which I am aware).

[wildbears]

Maybe the fluorescent pink is best for dusk and dawn. "Bright pink pigments absorb UV light and re-emit it as visible light, making them appear brighter than normal colors, especially in daylight and low-light conditions like dawn/dusk."

[wildbears]

Bone Health in Cyclists

Systematic reviews on bone strength in cyclists, especially road cyclists, consistently show that cycling provides minimal to no bone-building benefits and can lead to low bone mineral density (BMD), particularly in the lumbar spine, due to the lack of weight-bearing impact, with some studies finding lower BMD than even sedentary individuals or other athletes like runners. While cycling improves cardiovascular health, its non-impact nature requires supplementing with impact-loading activities (like running, jumping, or strength training) to stimulate bone growth and reduce fracture risk, especially for competitive cyclists.

Video Overview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P69KFVRuc-Q

Research Article: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3230645/

[955i]

I believe this. I try to combat bone lose by doing basic calisthenics and running/jogging 365 miles each year.

[wildbears]

Cinelli's turn....

[955i]

Man, I just don't know. She's a little sweaty. I wonder what Lee thinks about this.

[wildbears]

Decoding Rear Derailleur Limit Adjustments

Rear derailleurs have two adjustment screws on the housing that limit travel such that the chain does not fall off the inner or outer cogs of the freewheel.

The outer cog limit is controlled by the "H" screw which is nearer.the wheel and the inner cog limit by the "L" screw which is further from the wheel.

Tightening either screw will move the derailleur towards the freewheel cogs and loosening it will move it away.

Righty Tighty: Tightens derailleur towards the freewheel.

Lefty Loosey: Loosens derailleur away from the freewheel.

​​​​​​Tighten the cable barrel adjustment one click (righty tighty) if the chain hesitates shifting to the next larger cog; loosen the cable barrel adjustment one click (lefty losey) if the chain hesitates shifting to the next smaller cog. (IOW, tightening moves the derailleur towards the wheel and loosening moves it away.)

LINK: Ask a Mechanic, Tuning Shimano Rear Derailleurs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQ2Sj-hLUyo

[955i]

I can never find a perfectly happy medium. This shouldn't be that hard.

[wildbears]

New Info Added to OP.

[wildbears]

[wildbears]

Santos Tour Down Under, Jan 16-25.

https://tourdownunder.com.au/

[955i]

Didn't a "Continental" level rider just beat Luke Platt and the Jayco team to when the Australian Men's Road Race Championship? If so, I hope he gets a World Tour team offer.

[wildbears]

[955i]

I didn't know who Weir was until I looked it up. However, I know he must be slightly old judging from the Fisher mountain bike he is holding.

[wildbears]

[wildbears]

[wildbears]

Note the reversed forks to decrease trail and increase straight-line stability at very high speeds.

[wildbears]

[wildbears]