The Cycling Chat Thread

[TopCat]

Can you get ones that the ends unscrew so you can thin the bike down a bit indoors?

Idle thoughts on how to deal with small space bikes...

I just ignore it and shuffle past. I am repelling guests so they ain’t a concern.

On a lighter note I bought an extended handle bar post for a tenner. Gave me another four inches height which is sorely needed. The leaning forward thing is difficult for my spine and resultant nerve pain in my shoulder.

The is came same day and took three minutes to fit whilst stoned. It has a generic top cap which is welcome as I am covering everything with Ridgeback on the cycle.

 

[maomao]

On a lighter note I bought an extended handle bar post for a tenner.

What one did you get? The only one I ever tried made my steering go weird. I'm too fat and old to cycle with my head at the same height as my bum anymore.

 

[DownwardDog]

New 12-speed Shimano Dura-Ace R9200 is finally here and it’s RIP for mechanical groupsets

All-new pro-level flagship groupset launches along with Ultegra and matching wheelsets

www.bikeradar.com

New 12 speed DA looks good. Semi-wireless with a shared battery for the derailleurs is the optimum architecture IMO. No mechanical option but there will be a rim brake version - who the fuck is going to buy that?

 

[magneze]

I can't help but feel that battery powered gear changing is a shit idea for most people. Oooh my battery is dead. Oh well, I'll just stick to this gear then.

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

New 12-speed Shimano Dura-Ace R9200 is finally here and it’s RIP for mechanical groupsets

All-new pro-level flagship groupset launches along with Ultegra and matching wheelsets

www.bikeradar.com

New 12 speed DA… there will be a rim brake version - who the fuck is going to buy that?

Ineos

 

[TopCat]

What one did you get? The only one I ever tried made my steering go weird. I'm too fat and old to cycle with my head at the same height as my bum anymore.

This. It also makes my bike look harder to ride for shorter people. https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B08FJ9WRMB?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

 

[TopCat]

I can't help but feel that battery powered gear changing is a shit idea for most people. Oooh my battery is dead. Oh well, I'll just stick to this gear then.

It seems mad for most use.

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

It seems mad for most use.

If you’re just cruising round town or commuting it’s pointless. If you’re racing it’s now pretty much essential.

 

[Cid]

105 is a professional standard groupset anyway... I mean there are some weight advantages, but if you're obsessive over those margins you can always run higher tier cassette and chainset.

 

[DownwardDog]

I can't help but feel that battery powered gear changing is a shit idea for most people. Oooh my battery is dead. Oh well, I'll just stick to this gear then.

I think I got my first Di2 bike (11 speed 9070) in 2012. I never got 10 speed DA Di2 in 2009 because I was badly injured for most of that year. I can't be bothered to add it all up on Strava but I reckon I've done over 50,000km on electronic shifting and have never run out of battery. The only failure I've had was an wire pulling out of a RHS shifter. Di2 has by far the best battery life out of all the systems. I've run one completely flat to see how long it would last and got 1,850km.

It's worth it full synchro one handed shifting IMO.

 

[nick]

And should the battery run low, it stops shifting the front mech before the rear one - so you don't end up stuck in one gear.

Also nice that in 3 years of ownership the shifting is still spot on and has never been adjusted

 

[TopCat]

If you’re just cruising round town or commuting it’s pointless. If you’re racing it’s now pretty much essential.

How many gears would usually be involved? I have seven!

 

[TopCat]

Just cleaned, polished and lubed my cycle and pumped up the tyres.

It doesn’t take long and apart from keeping a new bike looking new, gives an opportunity to check the tightness of all the fixings.

I have had a nut come undone at speed on a motorbike (rear shock top mount) and it is not fun.

 

[DownwardDog]

How many gears would usually be involved? I have seven!

Typically 2x11 or a virtual 1x15. New DA/Ultegra is 2x12, virtual 1x16.

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

How many gears would usually be involved? I have seven!

11 on the back has been the standard for a while, now Shimano, SRAM and Campag all have 12 speed in their top end groupsets.

 

[TopCat]

Typically 2x11 or a virtual 1x15. New DA/Ultegra is 2x12, virtual 1x16.

So virtual? Is it a constant variable transmission then?

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

So virtual? Is it a constant variable transmission then?

No, a 2 x 11 hasn’t actually got 22 unique gears, there’s some overlap.

 

[DownwardDog]

So virtual? Is it a constant variable transmission then?

No. The software arranges the 24 real gears into 16 sequential ratios by autonomously operating the front/rear derailleur. You just shift higher or lower.

I wish Shimano would close the loop and do full auto shifting based on the torque/rpm from the power meter.

 

[maomao]

No, a 2 x 11 hasn’t actually got 22 unique gears, there’s some overlap.

It's not overlap, it's the dodgy gears where the chain isn't straight.

 

[a_chap]

I'm just waiting for Pashley to bring out an electric shifter for the Sturmey Archer hub gears and drum brakes. I'm sure it'll make my Roadster and Guv'nor just fly!


And all it'll need is a car battery to power it...

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

It's not overlap, it's the dodgy gears where the chain isn't straight.

No, it’s overlap. Certain combinations of sprockets give (as near as makes no difference) the same ratio. Cross chaining has long since not been an issue on a modern groupset, unless you’re a pro doing a time trial and worried about the potential 1W power loss.

 

[Cid]

I'm just waiting for Pashley to bring out an electric shifter for the Sturmey Archer hub gears and drum brakes. I'm sure it'll make my Roadster and Guv'nor just fly!


And all it'll need is a car battery to power it...

Doesn't sound too bad, probably only change the weight by 5% or so.

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

I wish Shimano would close the loop and do full auto shifting based on the torque/rpm from the power meter.

They must have tried this as part of their R&D, I assume it’s just not at the reliability level they’d need for a pro groupset.

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

Doesn't sound too bad, probably only change the weight by 5% or so.

Yeah but 5% of a Pashley is another couple of kg

 

[DownwardDog]

It's not overlap, it's the dodgy gears where the chain isn't straight.

There is substantial overlap of ratios on almost all 2x drive trains. 50/26 in the big ring is a lower gear than 34/11 in the small.

 

[Cid]

Yeah but 5% of a Pashley is another couple of kg

Yes, I meant the car battery...

 

[maomao]

No, it’s overlap. Certain combinations of sprockets give (as near as makes no difference) the same ratio. Cross chaining has long since not been an issue on a modern groupset, unless you’re a pro doing a time trial and worried about the potential 1W power loss.

The jury is out apparently. Shimano and Campag still say to avoid:

Is cross-chaining disastrous? Find out what the manufacturers say

We ask Shimano, SRAM, Campagnolo and FSA whether running the chain at extreme angles is a crime against cycling

road.cc

It's not just efficiency, it is (or was) added stress in components being used at an angle.

 

[DownwardDog]

They must have tried this as part of their R&D, I assume it’s just not at the reliability level they’d need for a pro groupset.

It would also need a lot of tuning of the shift tables for each rider as everyone's power zones are different.

 

[maomao]

There is substantial overlap of ratios on almost all 2x drive trains. 50/26 in the big ring is a lower gear than 34/11 in the small.

I think we both meant redundancy rather than overlap.

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

The jury is out apparently. Shimano and Campag still say to avoid:

Is cross-chaining disastrous? Find out what the manufacturers say

We ask Shimano, SRAM, Campagnolo and FSA whether running the chain at extreme angles is a crime against cycling

road.cc

It's not just efficiency, it is (or was) added stress in components being used at an angle.

That’s a 5 year old article… Pretty sure I’ve read something from Shimano more recently essentially saying “no problem”. Could have imagined it though