buying a bike

that is it!

I might reverse my stem tonight for that important 1/2 inch reduction in reach. I have basically decided my bike is a wee bit too big for me but I don't really want to have to buy a new stem.

So I reversed my stem, apparently successfully, but I am now convinced there is some play in my headset that wasn't there before. Possible? Everything seems appropriately tightened, and my bike didn't fall apart when I rode in today, but I'm panicking about every little noise and vibration right now. I guess it'll have its 100-mile service in the next week or two so they can tell me if anything's wrong.

do you get any knocking or play if you hold the front brake tight and gently rock the bike back and forth?

A tiny bit, if I remember rightly. Should a headset be absolutely rigid (while still turning, obviously)? I also haven't figured out how much of the noise/rattling is the cable hitting the tubes - carbon is more echoey than aluminium, it seems.

it should be rigid, yeah. but the above test is not foolproof, it's possible the play is in the brakes not the headset. you did tighten the top cap and then the stem bolts, right?

I have only just realised what you mean by reversing the stem, for some reason I thought seat post. I am unsure as to whether this is that great an idea you will have changed the loading on the fork, steerer, headset and head tube quite dramatically. I'd worry more on a carbon frame as well as they are optimised for certain loadings

It seems to be a standard thing to do, Ed - certainly loads of people seem to recommend it as a simple way of changing your riding position and, indeed, my stem actually has "+/- 6 degrees" written on it - I am pretty sure it's part of the selling point.

I might undo the various bolts and re-tighten them, see if it makes a difference.

Ah, I understand further now, I though you had flipped it as in running it backwards over the cross bar.

YOu should tighten the bolt on the headset cap first I think, before doing the ones on the steerer clamp.

Wow, backwards would be a radically different riding position!

Yeah, I might give it another go. I have also convinced myself that the stem is now a 1/10th of a degree off centre, so that needs sorting too! I definitely prefer the position now - more sportive than race :)

if you have an expander in yr steerer (for carbon steerer) instead of a starnut, its a fussy adjustment. you need to load topcap enough to eliminate play, but the bars should turn freely and throughout range. then gradually tighten the stem bolts, alternating bolts. if you have a carbon steerer, its also fussy because the steerer may deform a bit. for this reason, you sometimes see guys with a spacer on top of the stem. this allows the stem to "grip" lower on the steerer, less deformation. stems in the past 5 years are better designed and its not such an issue. on my bike tho, i HAVE to have this arrangement, my steerer is just too soft.

one of my mates insisted on removing the topcap/expander wedge from his steerer after tightening stem to save 20g.

I have I think 5 spacers, then stem, the 2 spaces, then topcap. I hope I haven't deformed my steerer! I have to admit I have no idea what a starnut or an expander is.

Take off the topcap and look down the steerer and all will be revealed.

oh, you wont permanently deform it. it just flexes a bit. dont worry.

if you take off the cap and a plug comes with it, its an expander. if its just a bolt, then as ed says you can look into the steerer and see a "star-fangled nut" wedged up in there. 'course, after you tighten the stem, the cap and the wedge/expander serve no real function.

What shall I do with the large 70s/80s Holdsworth road bike I currently have in my shed, gathering dust and rust? It's a 14-speed (2x7) steel racer, very heavy, and completely unused at present. Is it even worth wondering whether it can be converted to single-speed? Perhaps it's just fit for using as a machine which might help me understand how bikes are put together - although I doubt it has a great deal in common with my lithe carbon beauty. I'll try and take some photos, maybe tonight if I remember.

If it's got horizontal drop-outs it should be relatively easy to convert to a single speed. I did this last fall with a 80's Trek road bike, and I've since inherited a box of frames and parts from a friend so I'm probably going to put together a couple of Frankenbikes.

I learned a whole lot by taking apart and rebuilding the Trek so it was totally worth it if you like to do that kind of thing. I think that having an untouched, fully-functioning main bike is a key element for this kind of thing - no matter how messed up your project bike is you can still actually ride your main bike.

Thanks joygoat. I took some pictures of the bike today - please have a look at the first 13 pics of this set on my Flickr!

I am thinking about perhaps trying to restore it to either close to its original spec, or to renovate the frame and usable parts and give it a more modern feel. At the moment I have bugger all idea, in all honesty, but as a medium-long term project it could be quite fun.

(p.s. Holdsworth was founded at my local bike shop, even though this bike came from elsewhere, so there's a bit of sentiment attached too)

<3 flat crown fork
the whole thing is cool

Decided against that hillbrick thing and opted for a too expensive bianchi pista frame :/

Are you in the US? If yes, have you checked out bikesdirect.com? The Hour and Kilo TT are both very popular and cheap.

shit that is cheap. I'm not in US tho, everything is super expensive in Australia :(

And by the time I added shipping it's probably not worth it.

Like I did look around quite a bit for frames and parts, both in aus and overseas, but I decided to just bite the bullet and do it.

re: the purpose of a headset top cap- even when the stem is tightened, you still need something to preload the bearings in the headset. tightening the stem on the steerer doesn't exert any downward pressure on the headset by itself. but don't over tighten the top cap bolt- otherwise, your bike will steer stiffly.

mark c- are you still having the rattling/looseness problem? i'm almost 100% sure that when you flipped the stem, you didn't force the steerer tube all the way back up before putting everything back together, and now you've got some play in the headset. if you haven't already solved the problem, take the top cap off, loosen the stem, and put your bike on the ground so the fork (and steerer) are snugged up as far as they can go. then put the top cap back on, tighten it, and see if you still have the problem. also- keep in mind that the steerer should NOT be flush with the top of the stem- it should sit about 2mm down.

anyway, sorry to be long-winded. hope this helps.

Thanks Jordan - I got back on the bike, the play seemed worse if anything, so I got out my tool, loosened the stem, tightened the topcap, made sure everything was aligned okay and woot! It worked!

Walter, have you actually bought the Bianchi? They're very pretty, I doubt you'll regret it.

even when the stem is tightened, you still need something to preload the bearings

think about this.

sorry to sound smug there

pretty damn sure once you tighten the stem, the steerer is loaded for good. those steerer clamps are pretty tight.

actually i think im here stupidly writing about something you didnt say ytth- gah. sorry again and back to work

xps Mark, yes I actually bought it. I'm going to put an oldish dura ace lever on it, which will make it somewhat ugly.

will post pics eventually

Is Recycle a Bicycle my best bet in NYC? Too bad they don't sell out of their L.I.C. workshop. Should I try East Village or DUMBO? And about how much money am I looking at for a general no frills bike?

i am buying....a bike!

Bro works at a shop is hooking me up. Thinking about pulling the trigger on a Traveler's Check since he can get me the frame at sub-$800. A Cross-Check is more likely, however.

Gonna dingle-speed it!

Is the S+S really worth it. Given that most airlines are charging for luggage now, the advantage of getting it down to luggage size is much less. Save your bucks and get a nice bag when you fly it.

Cross check is awesome though.

Me and the wife got the parents and in-laws to chip in and bought a Cross Check for her little brother's PhD graduation present. Best graduation present ever.

I JUST ORDERED A SURLY {GAYEST NAME EVER} KARATE MONKEY {/GAYEST NAME EVER}...STOKED ON THAT.

lol

my new bike is on the way ^_^

NEW BIKE BONERS ALL AROUND.

YEPP

Is Recycle a Bicycle my best bet in NYC? Too bad they don't sell out of their L.I.C. workshop. Should I try East Village or DUMBO? And about how much money am I looking at for a general no frills bike?

-- Virginia Plain, Sunday, 6 July 2008 00:42 (3 days ago) Bookmark Link

Never saw this, M. You should try both locations as the selection varies and neither seems to know what the other has.

VP:

1. Call ahead and ask what they have.
2. Expect to spend about $125-200 on a bike from R-A-B but keep in mind it will be completely overhauled with any worn/broken parts already replaced and buying a bike from craigslist for $75 might involve another $50-75 in work costs.

also ok minor rant: holy geez how is it that people go and buy nice bikes and even a decent lock and then like lock up only the front tire or put the lock between forks, tire and wahtever they're locking to? it blows my mind. i have felt compelled to leave short notes tucked in water-bottle holders of bikes locked at my workplace. they are not dickish notes, i just don't want people to suffer the pain of a stolen bike. i mean, i don't know what else to do, except obv nothing :/

(when i say 'forks' i mean front forks with quick-release agh i almost took the bike myself but quelled the evil)

Haha! I go for the front wheel-and-frame d-lock action - not flawless (they can steal my back wheel easy enough) but hell, the only place I lock it is in a private underground car park. Let's see how long it takes to get nicked.

i use locking skewers (and headset top cap), and i've had good luck so far. it's super convenient only having to lock the frame and never worrying about the wheels.

getting a flat and realizing i forgot the key is miserable, though... having to search all over for the hole to patch while the wheel is in the frame really blows.

My shit ought to be showing up tomorrow afternoon....they were out of crosscheck frames, so I just went for the complete and will part it out over time. might just replace the wheels immediately, though.

best part: $300 below retail!

I have the pista happening. I need to put a new brake lever on it tho. The Dura-Ace levers look majorly retarded.

Can the many wizened minds of ILTRBMB come up with a new bike for a bike n00b like me?

I'm tired of riding a silly high maintenance off-roader with a heavy frame, fat tyres and about twenty-two more gears than I have any use for. I never cycle anywhere except roads and the steepest incline I face on a day-to-day basis is Waterloo Bridge, so I'm inclined toward a single speed (fuck a fixie tho) with as light a frame as I can afford.

Not looking to spend more than £500 (although could stretch to £600 if the value was there). Initial inquiries have come up with the Trek Solo S and the Trek District (yup, my local bike shop's a specialist Trek dealer).

Thoughts appreciated...

presumably 2nd or 3rd District (the other two are belt drive)

tbh the one the guy showed me was belt drive, and although I can see the benefits (weight, maintenance etc) it doesn't really hold much of an attraction for me. Certainly not worth the extra expense from my point of view. Pretty bike though.

see also: Kona Paddy Wagon, Charge Plug and Surly Steamroller (a little high priced). Evans appears to have a sale on right now so might be worth a look.