When at speed, then re-accelerating, certain numbered gears would slip. Fearing damage, I got to researching right away. I read that the pawls could stick if slightly wrong grease was used during a rebuild. Trying to avoid a rebuild, like the 3 times I changed the tire without removing the wheel (you know why), I [more…]
The roller brake on an internal geared 7 speed Shimano Nexus IGH hub is heavy. Works pretty good though. Does require some maintenance, the outside nut had become uncomfortably loose. Over its life the brake had heated so much that it caused damage to the nearby graphics and cooked the grease inside [more…]
Not only do we have the standard life-threatening ordeals on every ride, now we must also look out for the predator. The past couple of years have felt like police were unnecessarily heavily targeting bikers. It turns out to be true. The figures are in and we can see that NYC police have issued three [more…]
The face of the new roadster. High power and Sharp handling A resurrected classic design for urban exploration I have wanted to build a classic Roadster for quite a while. This twitchy criterium frame may not have been the best choice, but the hyper-active handling matches my environment well. One big advantage of this frame [more…]
Paris France, rhymes with pants, in a move designed to reduce accidents, allows bicyclist to go through red lights when clear. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2097882/Paris-allow-cyclists-run-red-lights-bid-cut-accidents.html Pretty smart. This is what we do already, the man should not fight it.
How to rebuild a Manitou suspension fork, replacing the elastomers with springs. The early Manitou forks are well designed, light, simple, and work well. They don’t have as much travel as offroad forks of today, but they are very good for street riding. Their springs (elastomers) often decay over time, but can be repaired. [more…]
It is possible to retain ownership of a bicycle in the big city, even in New York. Here bike theft is unbelievably bold and common, but with a little care, you can keep a bike. Most bike theft is quick, jump out of the van, pry that long kryptonite with a big bar, jump back [more…]
A pleasantly rational analysis of motor vehicle versus bicycle legalities, safety, and function. BIKES ARE NOT CARS. GOOD REASONS FOR RUNNING RED LIGHTS: First, let me define “Running” a red light in cyclist terms: Roll up to a red light and be prepared to stop at it. Start looking for pedestrians who might cross in [more…]
1992 Klein Rascal Handlebars / Stem: Mission Control bar stem combination, with Ourys Fork / Headset: 1992 Manitou 1 on Shimano XTR headset Front Wheel / Hub / Rim / Tire: Coda with Primo Comet 26 x 1.5 Rear Wheel / Hub / Rim / Tire: Coda with Primo Comet 26 x 1.0 [more…]