Reply With Quotespecialised do a flat Bar gravel think its a diverge Evo, Spa cycles do one as well based on thier. elan frameset,
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Originally Posted by SimonH
Thanks, appreciate your advice.
However, I am not at all speed focussed, and therefore losing/compromising some high end gears = speed, does not concern me much, as long as I'm not spinning out at 20mph I'll be fine.
I don't want drop bars, period, so a typical road bike or gravel bike is not an option, thus the hybrid route.
specialised do a flat Bar gravel think its a diverge Evo, Spa cycles do one as well based on thier. elan frameset,
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How about this one They also have it in a smaller size.
“The complete bicycle as is weighs: 13.64kg”
😳
He wants to get fitter!
Thanks, but at around £3k I'll have to pass....or sell a kidney.
Err, yeah, a bit too heavy that one. I want to get fitter but not by having to push 13.64kg up hills!
Calling on the collective wisdom of the board for an issue i'm trying to deal with. I'm having issue with a set of BORG45 wheels I purchased in January from The Cycle Clinic, and could do with some input on what my options may be. So these were purchased in Jan, there was an offer on at the time, but they stayed in my garage boxed til about mid-April when I had my LBS fit them to my road bike. At the time they were fitted my LBS advised they noticed a bit of play in the wheels, and they were concerned. They were effectively wobbling on the axle. My LBS spoke to Malcom who advised that they had received a faulty batch of wheel bearings, "someone should have checked before they were dispatched", and gave instructions on a procedure to fix them, which my LBS followed (at my expense). This fixed the play in the wheels, job done. Or so I thought. Fast forward to August and I took my bike in for a service and of course the play in the wheels is back, but worse, to the point my LBS advises me not to ride the bike in that state. The bike shop liaise with Cycle Clinic (at my expense) who say it might be a problem with the wheel end caps, so they send a set of replacement caps. I return to the shop a week later to have these fitted (at my expense), but these do not solve the problem. My bike shop also test the wheels on other bikes they have in the shop that will take the wheels, to check its not my bike. Still play in the wheels. They liaise with Cycle Clinic again (at my expense) who state they need to see the wheels on the bike to make a determination of the problem. Fine in theory, but i live >100 miles away so thats unreasonable. I'm at a bit of stalemate.
So to cut a long story short, I've paid for a set of wheels that appear to have had a defect from the moment I purchased them. I've spent considerable time, and money, trying to rectify them but they are still problematic. My question is, what would you do at this stage? My thought it, at a mimunum, a brand new set of wheels, but is a refund completely out of the question? I've lost faith in the wheels so wondering whether to cut my losses and move on. And should I be pushing for my 'expenses' to be covered, in investigating these faults? Have I missed anything? I'm still fairly new to cycling, and this is the first time I've purchased a set of 'expensive' wheels, so I don't know what is acceptable or not.
Thanks in advance.
I'd speak to Cycle Clinic direct and ultimately I'd expect to send them back to be made good. I've had a pair from them which had an issue (faulty rims) and were completely rebuilt with new parts, albeit I knew within a couple of rides something was wrong.
Thank you, yes I have tried to call this afternoon but no answer yet. Will keep trying.
You have to call Cycle Clinic ... asking a 3rd party to act for you just complicates the matter. Either a refund or get them to fix them ... does all sound a bit odd ... your description sounds like a bearing issue.
Id send them back for a refund and try elsewhere (maybe the LBS can get you something) or they may exchange for something else if your happy with that.
Rightly or wrong the costs you've incurred might be difficult to recover in all honesty
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100% agree with this ^^^^^^ I have a set of Borg wheels and had a query. I emailed C Clinic and Malcolm emailed back at 8 pm that night. Get the wheels back, contact Malcolm and explain what has happened.
OP , Ask what they , the Cycle Clinic will do to provide you with wheels which should complete tens of thousands of miles not just a summer.
Thanks all. I spoke to Malcolm on Friday afternoon, who is keen to get this issue resolved, which is good. However, he is also dead keen to be able to inspect these wheels on my bike, and has offered to come and pick up the bike and take away for inspection although he advised he may need to keep it for some time. As much as I appreciate the gesture, I did get a sense that Malcolm was more thinking of his own interests in ensuring there wasn't a wider issue with the hubs themselves rather than just fixing the problem from my customer perspective. Perhaps I've just finally lost my patience with dealing with this issue. However, I'm not massively keen on this for a number of reasons, a). this bike was destined to go on the turbo once the weather changes and so parting with it for days/weeks/months (as applicable) isn't really an option and b). what happens if something happens to the bike whilst out of my possession = minefield. With the wheels this is circa £5k's worth of bike so isn't insignificant, but maybe I'm being a bit precious, I don't know.
So as I sit down for the first time to mull over it properly I realise how much time and energy has been spent trying to rectify these to date so I've emailed Malcom today stating either I want a brand new set of wheels made and sending or a refund and I'll move on and find another wheel manufacturer. I don't want to spend any more time and money on this than is absolutely necessary at this stage.
Latest, they've offered to make a new set of wheels but with DT Swiss 350 hubs instead. Anyone any experience of these hubs?
Seems like a fair offer, DT Swiss are a quality brand. I have a set of their wheels, don’t know the hub model but I’m sure they will be fine.
I agree. If the faulty hubs were Malcolm's - the ones he designed - it explains the interest in seeing the wheels. But the compromise seems fair, DT make good hubs.
Are these wheels actually from The Cycle Clinic? As there are some slightly un-encouraging comments about DT Swiss hubs on the Cycle Clinic website. Might ask about those before I agreed to a DT Swiss build from them.
Also they can’t spell “their”.
I’m not sure about the road hubs but the MTB 350 hubs are great in my experience and require no tools to service them. They are easier to service than a pawl freehub.
Anyone here ever swap a crank set from 105 (50/34) to a GRX (46/30) whilst leaving the rear cassette the same at 11/34, and both front and rear 105 deraillieurs in place?
Did it work OK?
Last edited by Orange Peel; 13th September 2022 at 16:40.
So, assuming both crank sets work with the current fitted bottom bracket then at the very least you'll need to drop the front mech a little to account for the smaller chainrings and adjust the cable / indexing on the front. You'll probably need to shorten the chain slightly too. Rear mech should work ok.
GRX chainset have a wider chainline, I think, so sits further outboard so far as I know, so you might need a GRX front mech to get it working well.
That said Shimano always make a big deal of compatibility when often it's fine.
Not sure what you're trying to achieve, if it's ratios could you not just change chainrings?
(Plus what m.bond said!)
That's a fair point. The GRX is 2.5mm wider so depending on whether there are any spacers on the BB you might be able to bodge it but otherwise the front mech and chainline aren't going to be ideal.
To be honest though, I think you might be overthinking the gear question... a 1:1 ratio should be enough to get most people up almost any hill on road, particularly on a modern bike. Much lower and you'll be going so slowly you're at risk of falling off sideways!
I now have a 2022 Giant Fastroad Advanced 1 on order.
It’s basically a flat bar road bike and will be used for country lanes, B roads in a fitness focussed riding usage. A few potholes and some mud etc. but I’ll not be off-roading, or road racing and will mainly be on my own.
The bike may come with some very cheap and nasty plastic pedals and plastic foot cage, which I’ll not be wanting to keep.
I may try clip-ins at some point but not yet.
So I need some advice on a decent set of flat but grippy pedals suited for how I’ll be riding, cheap if possible but not poor quality.
I’d say no more than £40 including discount.
Giant do some (Giant ‘Original’ MTB pedals) for under £30 and Rock Bros do some, however I know next to nothing about pedals really so advice is appreciated.
What do I need to be uncompromising on, and what should I be open about?
Is weight really an issue, some are under 300g and others nearer 500g?
I understand I need to make sure they have sealed bearings and not bushes?
Is aluminium better than composite/nylon? Is magnesium a great option or an over priced gimmick?
Will most fit the 105 crank set on the bike?
Thanks
Nukeproof Neuton Evo would be fine for your intended use. They are durable, light, cheap and offer a wide pedalling platform. No need for anything more exotic.
I don't know if you've swapped pedals before but remember they are handed - the right, drive side pedal is a regular thread and left side an opposite thread. A dab of anti-seize grease on threads will save hassle in the future too.
Last edited by SlipperySam; 16th September 2022 at 11:01.
^^ they'd do. I've used DMR V8s in the past and they've always been good but there are numerous options/reviews/opinions out there via Google.
Well done on pulling the trigger!
Pretty much any aluminium flat pedal will do you. No need to spend a fortune.
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I use DMR V12 on my bikes, but DMR V8 are a cheaper alternative. Great pedals. Very grippy and large. Don't let them crash into your shins if pushing the bike around - it hurts like hell.
Nice old bike that, pre v brake which is a bonus. Hope the seat post is free, if so will be a nice straight forward resto. Some knobbly tyres on that and you'll be most of the way there.
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Yeh I’ve spent a couple of hours on it
Chain and gears all freed up and lubed
Seat post was fine - had a bontrager saddle in my ‘spares’ box
It’s missing a small cover off the bottom of the gear selector- might get lucky trawling eBay for it - I think it was ridden a handful of times and popped in the back of dry garage
My old Cannondale F1 caffeine lefty from 2008ish that I dug out of the shed. I’m not sure if Cannondale even make lefty’s anymore. Still rides nice for an older bike :)
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They call it the 'Bad Boy' now...https://www.cannondale.com/en-gb/bik.../urban/bad-boyMy old Cannondale F1 caffeine lefty from 2008ish that I dug out of the shed. I’m not sure if Cannondale even make lefty’s anymore. Still rides nice for an older bike :)
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I gave the cassette off my Cannondale a quick seeing to with GT85 and an old toothbrush to get the thick of the gunk off before transferring it to a new wheel. It did do that, but it was still pretty black. This morning I felt guilty about not doing the job properly so I disassembled the cassette completely and sprayed all the bits with WD40 Degreaser. Left it on 5 minutes and the remaining grime just rubbed straight off.
Some of the Shimano branding also came off the locking ring, but I'm not too bothered about that. About half of the bristles fell out of the old toothbrush I was using, as well. Life is hard.
Gave all the cogs a good wash with a proprietary household detergent and dried everything carefully after a thorough rinse. Will put them on the new wheel this afternoon.
If you've never disassembled a Shimano cassette before, no need to worry about putting it back together. The splines on the freehub are designed so that you can only fit the cogs on the right way round, and unless you're blind you won't put them back in the wrong order.
Wouldn't mind some advice about bike sizing.
I'm looking at buying a Boardman adventure bike from Halfords. I'm 5'10". Specs say Medium 5'9"-6'0", large 5'11"-6'2". I've been into two different Halfords and the assistants have been adamant I should be getting large and that medium will be too small for me. I've sat on both but couldn't tell much difference...probably because the seats need adjusting to the right size to be able to tell.
What would you go for? Anything else I can do to try and get the optimum size?
I'd be more inclined to follow the manufacture guidance than some Halfords sales person ... as a general assumption you'd be a M in most brands.
If a bike is too big it is generally because it is too long and stretches you out ... also the front end may be a bit too high.
Generally if borderline on size I'd go with the smaller one ... easy to lift the saddle and add a longer stem if needed ... very hard to make a bike that is too long shorter ...
Agreed
I'd agree with the above unless you're particularly longer in the leg than the upper torso by comparison to normal, in which case you may prefer the L (I am so was a 58cm by height in the Domane but 60cm on inseam length). Most manufacturers don't provide indications of min/max seat height as you can often buy a longer seatpost to get a bit higher (with plenty of post in the seat tube) but that lifts you comparatively higher than bars which leads to a more aggressive riding position or need for a steeper rise on the stem.
Only mention on the off chance as very likely the earlier advice is appropriate.
I have lost count of the people I have seen in Halfords sat on bikes too big for themselves. I just dont get it, the sales staff just seem to move “ wot we got” . On one occasion I witnessed a “ dad” telling his wife he was going to buy the particular Voodoo bike , and it was way too big, barely any seatpost showing, it would have been miserable to ride. So I told him not to buy it, his comment was that was the only size in stock. So I politely told him to move on to another store.
Im a 50 or 52cm frame size for road bikes. I visited OYB Burnley once and I was advised there was a great bike for me Cube carbon £600 off, 58cm. I asked the sales guy do I look like a 58 cm, he declined to comment.
Last edited by higham5; 6th October 2022 at 17:34.
Thanks...that's made me feel better about my instincts. Was just questioning myself when two separate employees said the same thing! They did this without even getting me on a bike initially. I'm definitely only of average height but am quite slim so maybe it gives the impression of being taller.
I wouldn’t be quite so gung-ho, not all cassettes are as friendly… some have separate cogs which are separated by different width spacers. Drop one of those and you’re spending the next half hour with google and a set of callipers to get them all in the right order!
Whenever I clean a cassette I tend to remove it and stick a long cable tie round it before chucking it in the ultrasonic cleaner.
A few weeks ago the freehub on the rear wheel of my Cannondale gave up the ghost eight miles from home. It turned out (I took it apart to have a look) that the spring had broken.
I decided to have a go at fixing it. So I bought some freehub springs from Amazon and fitted one.
Actually a pretty simple job once you've taken the freehub off the wheel - you just wrap the spring, which looks like a slightly-oversized cheap keyring, around the groove in the body. The pawls are designed so that the tension in the spring makes them stick out and engage the hub when not freewheeling. I'm no mechanical engineer but I reckon that using a single spring for this is a poor design.
The remaining springs in the pack are shown here:
I gave the innards a good wipe round, and relubed the pawls and the hub. Fortunately the Fulcrum 5 rear wheel has sealed bearing units so I didn't have to bother with regreasing little steel balls.
Working nicely now. Some freehubs have independently sprung pawls. like this:
.. and that's surely a better design.
To be fair, I'm about the same size as you and take a large in a Boardman, current range come up small in my experience.
If you are trying them in store, not sure why the saddle height isn't being adjusted for you!
I note it's an adventure bike, if you are planning on riding roads, country lanes and a bit of bridleway, I'd go for the larger one.
Might make sense if you are planning to really thrash it off roads to size down, but I suspect that's not what you're planning with this type of bike.
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Agreed, there are also different mechanisms that DT Swiss use.A few weeks ago the freehub on the rear wheel of my Cannondale gave up the ghost eight miles from home. It turned out (I took it apart to have a look) that the spring had broken.
I decided to have a go at fixing it. So I bought some freehub springs from Amazon and fitted one.
Actually a pretty simple job once you've taken the freehub off the wheel - you just wrap the spring, which looks like a slightly-oversized cheap keyring, around the groove in the body. The pawls are designed so that the tension in the spring makes them stick out and engage the hub when not freewheeling. I'm no mechanical engineer but I reckon that using a single spring for this is a poor design.
The remaining springs in the pack are shown here:
I gave the innards a good wipe round, and relubed the pawls and the hub. Fortunately the Fulcrum 5 rear wheel has sealed bearing units so I didn't have to bother with regreasing little steel balls.
Working nicely now. Some freehubs have independently sprung pawls. like this:
.. and that's surely a better design.
Generally all the different designs are pretty reliable. If you maintain them …
I bought my first new bike in 25 years last week - a Tern Verge X11 folding bike! It has a fairly decent spec, including SRAM Force 1x11 carbon chain set, Deore disc brakes, Kinetix Pro X aero 451 size wheels and weighs in at just over 10kg.
I’m loving it so far - with the smaller wheels it handles like a BMX but the 10-42 cassette with 52t chainring allows it to fly along pretty rapidly or climb the steepest of hills too. So far it seems perfect for what I want it for (doing the school run with the kids and running errands in my local area of NE London / Essex border), and whilst It doesn’t fold as small as a Brompton, the ride is less compromised as a result. Anyway, I’m pleased with it!
BB3E5281-EE5F-4B47-B19B-98F9804D506D by Stuart Thompson, on Flickr
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Nice to see a bike with mudguards!
I have a Tern Verge 18 speed. It's attached to a LiveRide 240 turbo trainer. I have to admit that for the last year or so it has been used to hang my coat on. Hangs head in shame! I don't like the fold, but before it was a coat hanger I rode it outside and have to admit that it was as good as you can expect a small-wheeled bike to be. I was quite keen on a Brompton (mainly for the fold), but I planned to tour on it, and although it will do this it is hardly ideal, other than I could take it on a train if I wasn't progressing as far as the itinerary.
Thats a nice looking bike, with a great choice of upgrades. Im still trying to work out where the kids sit for the school run :)
Picked up some 29er wheels and tyres from eBay so ready for some gravel...
That's a cool looking bike. I keep thinking about a Brompton as I don't mind the Overground but hate the underground but that definitely has more utility
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