AustinBike

I have some Time XC2's that I was going to put on my urban bar bike. If you want to give them a try for a couple of rides you're welcome to borrow them, but I need 'em back pretty soon because the ones on that bike are about 10 years old and really need to be replaced. They're the cheap ones that I would not recommend them for hard core mountain biking.

Cleats are different. Even though they look the same, I do not believe they are interchangeable. When you buy pedals you get the cleats, don't cheap out on trying to save a few pennies in a situation that could land you in the emergency room. Even if it only a couple of millimeters off, that could be all the difference in the world.

I have seen too many eggbeaters break mid-ride to ever trust them. And the really basic model has zero platform, so if you ever do come loose, you're really screwed.

I am planning to do a GB ride on Saturday but my ride would be in the morning, either 9 or 10. It will end at a brewery if that helps.

1 hour ago, jcarneytx said:

Anyone know differences from Time to Eggbeaters? I HATE my Eggbeaters; the always feel like they're about to let loose, and frequently do. I move my knees/legs a lot and SPDs just keep feet locked in. Whenever I ride the Eggbeaters, feet frequently unlatch from pedals. 

I have been using Times for years and love them. Solid. They don't break like Eggbeaters (although I have crunched quite a few over the years.)

The best bet are to stay away from the cheap ones. I run XC8's one my primary bikes, just picked up some cheap XC2's for my urban bar bike but I would never put those on my mountain bikes. The XC8's are carbon whereas the XC6 and below are composite, which I believe is French for plastic. I have not used the M's at all, never needed the platform but those look interesting.

I put Time pedals in the same category as Thomson products - yeah, they are expensive, but over time you realize why. Plus, as a bonus for old men, they are great on the knees.

5 minutes ago, spicewookie said:

I'd be in if Jay was still here with his Specialized tandem with Fox36.  There aren't many people I would stoker for, but J and I are similar size/riding style/attitude, so it works.  He moved to Baltimore and married some floozy that now rides in my place.  😥

That GT is actually super sick.  I've always had a soft spot for GTs.  I lusted over the old RTS full squishes.

Married a floozy? I've known Jay for more than 20 years, he married up 😉

I might be out. Sounds like weather is iffy, knee deep in bike repairs.

56 minutes ago, Mattlikesbikes said:

The SS hub has a proprietary design though also works with the standard style lock ring. The normal geared hub works with standard lockrings, though king does sell their own too. My guess is the cassette slid on and you tightened it less than design torque and the cassette and spacers compressed in with time, narrowing the whole assembly. Certainly possible if portions of the cassette are pinned together.

Just reassemble and torque it, it'll be fine. 

This has been an ongoing issue. Started last fall. Cranked it down on a road trip. Then again in December. Then January. Now this month. Not a one time occurrence, there is a pattern here.

37 minutes ago, Huskychuck said:

Are you using the Chris King lock Ring? If I’m not mistaken it’s a proprietary item with its own thread pitch different than Shimano/Sunrace

Nope, using the one that came with the cassette. Let me dig into that, good to know.

Looking online right now and wondered if anyone pulled a new bar off their bike to go to something wider ('cause all the cool kids run 800).

I need something new or maybe used once or twice, carbon, 31.8, flat, etc. Looking for name brand, will pay appropriate value.

Ping me if you have something interesting that is gathering dust.

It was a pretty new cassette, less than 6 months old, but a cheap brand (Sun Race).

I am going to try the loctite tomorrow. No spacers missing. Need to see if my torque wrench has an adapter to go that large, I have a smaller wrench.

I have been having issues with a cassette that keeps coming loose on my FS bike. Yesterday I had to do several mid-ride adjustments before I could get back to the car where I had a lock ring tool.

Is it advisable to use locktite? The free hub is a Chris King steel (not aluminum) and the cassette is a Sun Race 11T-42T.

On 3/7/2019 at 10:54 AM, cxagent said:

I wonder how far they will pursue this "without compensation to the public" idea. I hope it never leaves Houston. But it does highlight what might happen.

I have a pretty steep property bill tax each year. I think some of my dollars are compensating the city for trails, that is what I pay for.

On 3/7/2019 at 7:43 AM, mtbmx said:

anyone remember the glory days of memorial park back in the nineties?   those concrete paver drop-ins? you could be at the top of the drop-in and not be able to see it near the bottom.  steep!!

Yeah, lived in Houston from 93-96 and rode that many times. On a clunky full rigid.

I use on-one chunky monkey. 

https://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/TYOOCM29X24/on-one-chunky-monkey-29x24-tyre

use these on my SS and soon on my hardtail. I think it is through a different store but they all come from the same company. You can buy one pair with shipping cheap, but a second set tips the shipping costs over, big time. 

On 3/7/2019 at 8:54 PM, AntonioGG said:

I think I'm going to load up on some bib pants!  I wish you'd tried some Swiftwicks so you could compare.  I may give those cheap merino socks a try.

Rode with swiftwicks yesterday. Pretty close to the merino, but thinner, so there is less cushion for feet on longer rides. 

10 hours ago, AntonioGG said:

I think I'm going to load up on some bib pants!  I wish you'd tried some Swiftwicks so you could compare.  I may give those cheap merino socks a try.

Riding Lap 3 again today, will put on some swiftwicks and see how they do with the water.

7 hours ago, Anita Handle said:

Wool socks, er'ry day, all day, summer or winter.

Good, just ordered some more.

Holy crap! I am now a total merino wool convert. Everyone talked about it but I tried some today on the GB. Creek crossing was cold, but after I was out in 5 minutes my feet were warm and comfortable. I am going back in for another order, these were great and soooooo cheap.

Just did a pre-ride of lap 3 this morning. Water at the dam was rideable at the dam but over the bottom bracket behind the dam, so just assume you are gonna get wet and carry the bike. The other creek crossing on that lap at the bottom of Rudy's is  knee high, but pretty slow, so it was an easy cross.

If you have merino wool socks, wear them, I am a huge convert now.

Weather is looking good.

My bleed finally worked, had to do it 2 or 3 times. Bought some additional fluid and now I have enough to do about 100 or so brakes because they only sell it in liters. If anyone ever needs a Shimano bleed, hit me up.

I get the normal spam from everyone, but On-One is who I buy my singlespeed tires from, so I checked out their blowout sale and decided to go all in. ~$100 with shipping from the UK for lots of socks, head covers, socks, sunglasses, tools and more. Just got it in today and was overly impressed.

Here is the main clothing sale: https://www.planetx.co.uk/c/q/clothing/clothes?sort=price-asc

These base layers were great:

https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CLCARLSLB/carnac-sleeveless-base-layer-made-in-italy

https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CLOODRILSBL/on-one-carbon-dri-crew-neck-long-sleeve-base-layer

These socks are great:

https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CLOOTKMS1P/on-one-thicky-merino-socks

Overall very happy with everything, took about 2 weeks all in to get stuff. You can flip the price to US dollars, everything is cheap cheap cheap and good quality. Normally I expect to get half crap when I order but everything came through great.

My bike is black on black. Unless you look at the head tube it is almost impossible to see who the manufacturer is. But this is for my security. People think it is just some cheap no-name bike, and who would want to steal that, especially without any gears 🤣

I love being the old dude. Every once in a while I run across a bunch of 20-somethings on the GB that are walking up things and I plow past them on my singlespeed. I'm old enough to be their dad's older friend. Pretty sure when I stop riding I die soon, so gotta keep turning those cranks.

5 hours ago, 62clyde said:

I have a kayak ....   If I put a electric motor on it is becomes a power boat which different rules are applied.  I must pay tax and registrar it as such..  

There's the rub. Bikes are supposed to follow all the same rules as cars. But we don't. Always. The minute bikers start asking for ebikes to have rules enforced like cars, it is a slippery slope and I'm gonna end up with a tick for running a stop sign at an empty intersection.