Bicycle7's Journal

[Bicycle7]

@AH: I could see at some point (not soon) finding a second pair of wheels. Then, I could go from skinny tires to fat tires with just a couple minute wheel change.

@jacob: I've at least already hit double digits for mph (downhill) sooooo...

@theanimal: Your sprint is impressive! Also, that race sounds wild, 100 miles through snowy mountains! Have you ever participated in any bike events like that?

These tires do beg to leave pavement though for sure, eventually I'll probably grow sick and tired of the constant whirring noise they make on the pavement, though for now it's quite pleasant!

[mountainFrugal]

@bicycle7 - please provide some photos of your Ice Cream Truck! Those are cool trail workhorse bikes (based on reviews).

[Bicycle7]

@MF: Here it is!









I'm fairly certain the original owner purchased just the ICT frame and then built out the bike. The original owner runs a mobile bike repair business!

Some spec highlights:

11 speed Sram GX drivetrain

Race Face crank

special looking gold chain and gold cane creek BB

Lev hydraulic dropper post (also came with a regular seat post)

Magura MT Trail Sport hydraulic disc brakes

Not pictured is a rear fender, a couple oversized water bottle cages and the aforementioned 2nd pair of super thick tires!

I wasn't looking or expecting to get something this decked out, but this was the only bike that I could find in my area used that made sense for bikepacking, was in my budget, fit my height, etc.

[AxelHeyst]

Nice find b7. I would have jumped on it too.

[mountainFrugal]

Beautiful steed! Great deal with that component set.

I have an older version of the same SRAM 1x11. Make sure to keep your chain clean after each ride and use the barrel adjusters to adjust the shifting and keep it in good working order. The range that rear derailleur goes over from small to large cogs is pretty big and it is easier to keep it shifting smoothly from the start. The largest cog is always the weird one on mine because it is such a large jump. That is also the one that you will desperately need and then it will not shift into it! haha.

[Bicycle7]

mF:

Thanks for those helpful tips! The shift indexing isn't as good as it could be already. I have a feeling this drivetrain will be a little more fussy than the 3x7 set-ups I'm more used to.

It's crazy how much thinner chains become as they accommodate more gears in the rear cog. Compare an 11 or 12 speed chain to a single speed chain!

I also notice how much greater of an angle the chain line runs at compared to the 3x7 set-up I have.

Yeah, I don't wanna lose access to that gear going up hills! That used to happen to me on my 2x11 road set-up years ago. I paid the price up some big hills!

[mountainFrugal]

It is really pushing the design limits to get it all into a single front gear. If you can help it, shifting slower into the last few larger rear cogs is a good idea. Going back down you can do faster. Also make sure that the limit adjustment on the derailleur for the large cog does not allow you to over shift beyond it. If you drop your chain into your spokes while peddling with max force uphill there is so much chain available to kink up and do some damage with this design. The release of tension on the derailleur will also make it snap back quickly towards the small cogs and potentially bend your derailleur hanger. A bent hanger will make achieving smooth shifting the largest pain in the ass. You will also have a bad time on the pedals if this happens. (ask me how I know )

[jacob]

I wrote and then deleted a post suggesting deliberately playing with extending the range to force the chain up on the biggest cog. This requires an unfashionable pie plate though. For non-sporting riding, why not switch from an index shifter to a friction shifter? It's a relatively simple job.

[AxelHeyst]

At the bike shop in downieville, they had a picture on the counter of a guy's shin sliced to the bone by his pedal. The caption was "really? don't wanna rent shin guards?"

[mountainFrugal]

This requires an unfashionable pie plate though. For non-sporting riding, why not switch from an index shifter to a friction shifter? It's a relatively simple job.

Dork disc! haha. j/k This is a great technical suggestion though if the point is to slow pedal.

At the bike shop in downieville, they had a picture on the counter of a guy's shin sliced to the bone by his pedal. The caption was "really? don't wanna rent shin guards?"

You would be horrified by my shin scars (now hidden beneath hair which is even grosser) from my teenage BMX days.

[jacob]

Hey now, it's not dorky unless there's one on both sides. Of course, your standard for dorkiness might be different from mine

[Ego]

It is really pushing the design limits to get it all into a single front gear.

I believe the frame is ready for Rohloff.

[mountainFrugal]

I believe the frame is ready for Rohloff.

Internal gearing plus a removable belt drive to spend more than double the price of the bike. Now we are talking! https://www.veercycle.com/products/split-belt-pro

More seriously... @ego do you come across Rohloff hubs at the swap ever? I would be interested in a used one and they make for great bike packing kit.

[Ego]

In the last few years I've seen two or three bikes with Rohloffs, but I have sworn off buying bikes lately.

[Bicycle7]

@mF: Thanks! It's helpful to know how to respect the limits on the drivetrain. I'll remember to reach for the lower gears slowly. I'll keep you updated on the shifting performance

@jacob: The pie plate! Great idea! I just found out from the internet that this is dorky. I think I could pull it off though and be cool Yeah I can imagine the benefits of friction shifting, especially bikepacking or touring you'd probably mess less with the adjustments during the trip.

@Ego: I have no experience with IGHs but the benefits are alluring. My friend has a three speed IGH that for the longest time he hasn't been able to get it to shift into all 3 gears. Adjusting the cable, he can get the middle and top gear or middle and lower gear. Besides this anecdote, I've always heard they're very reliable.

@AH: The downieville bike shop has me convinced! I was flung off the pedals a few months ago and the few second hopping recovery on pavement was terrifying!

I played bike polo a couple times in the past couple months and thinking about it more, realized the injury risk wasn't worth it. I was enjoying playing though.

A couple bikepackers stayed at our house last night who are returning from a trip through Anza Borrego State Park in California. It's super inspiring to see their loaded up bikes and helpful to hear some stuff they learned.

They were sharing just how much stuff can be tied to the bike with bungie cords and such, though to pay attention to how the weight is distributed on the bike. Too much weight in the rear, with say panniers can cause the front wheel to lift up pedaling hard uphill.

[jacob]

@jacob: The pie plate! Great idea! I just found out from the internet that this is dorky. I think I could pull it off though and be cool Yeah I can imagine the benefits of friction shifting, especially bikepacking or touring you'd probably mess less with the adjustments during the trip.

If you want to go that way, check out the Rivendell Bicycle Works. It's run by a philosopher king (check out Grant's blog) who IIRC started the company by cashing out his IRA worth $70k(?) or so. Strongly believes that bike evolution peaked in 1980 or so. All steel and chrome and super expensive. Personally, I just use cheap stuff from Nashbar. Same idea at 10% of the cost. My cycling effectively died once we moved from East Ba, NorCA (bike friendly) to Chicago, IL (bike hostile) though, so my knowledge is 10+ yrs old.

[Bicycle7]

@jacob: Thanks for the recommended links! I found Grant's blog and will dig into it more soon.

I've always lived in bike friendly places (for US standards) and so have to actively remind myself that conditions on the road for cyclists can be a lot worse in other cities/towns.

In a past job, I taught kids how to ride bikes and bike traffic safety. I rode my bike almost everyday to school in the 8th grade. How much does the way we get around our environment as a kid and teenager inform our choices for transport as an adult?

[jacob]

How much does the way we get around our environment as a kid and teenager inform our choices for transport as an adult?

Quite a lot!! One of the first questions I was asked after moving to the US was whether I "liked to ride bikes?!" In my mind that was like asking if I liked to commute or get around. In their [native] mind, cycling was for recreational use only. One of my pet peeves are adult Americans riding their bikes as if they're still 12 years old: on the sidewalk, risking right hooks, down the wrong way, as if traffic laws don't apply to them, etc.

[7Wannabe5]

How much does the way we get around our environment as a kid and teenager inform our choices for transport as an adult?

Some of us traded in our bikes for "hitch and party" around age 14. And, yes, come to think of it, that has informed my choices for transport as an adult.

[Bicycle7]

Quite a lot!! One of the first questions I was asked after moving to the US was whether I "liked to ride bikes?!" In my mind that was like asking if I liked to commute or get around. In their [native] mind, cycling was for recreational use only.

@Jacob: I've always felt a little uneasy with that question too, but never quite verbalized why!

@7: I too mostly traded in a car for my bike in high school and beginning of college until I read MMM's blog and he made me feel uncool for liking cars