24 August 2012
13 August 2012
Bike in a (small) box
I had my first ride with the new Ti travel bike on Sunday, with Gunjira and Gueorgui. We headed out Onekan, then the "tank road" and the north shore of Tsukui-ko, and then Pref Route 517 to Magino/Pref Route 76. There Gueorgui and I headed back in on Pref Route 76/Route 20 over Otarumi and via Takao. A frisky Gunjira powered on via Route 76 over to Doshi Michi and for some additional exploration.
The new bike rides very nicely -- everything works like a charm, with the new SRAM Red shifting and braking very precise in feeling. It takes much less effort with my hands to brake or shift with the SRAM groupset. There is a huge difference from the Dura Ace/Ultegra mix on the Canyon in the amount of effort needed to shift the front derailleur from small to big ring -- just a light tap of the paddle with my fingers on the SRAM, an effort using every muscle in my hand on the Shimano (.. maybe it is time for new shifter front derailleur cable, inner and outer).
The frame itself feels ... like Titanium, very alive, never harsh, and with good power transfer.
My only current complaint with the bike and set up is the 30.6mm seat post I selected. A beefy FSA post for a mountain bike, it seems to be designed so that the bolts tighten with the saddle either 2 degrees tilting forward or 2 tilting back, never flat. I may need to replace it.
And there were a few times, in the extreme heat and humidity, climbing 10% plus grades on Route 517, when I began to think it might be a good idea to swap in a compact crank for the Pyrenees.
This evening, I tried to see if I could pack the bike into its "backpack style" case.
The bike needs to be separated into quite small pieces to fit in this kind of case. I will need to allow some extra time for packing and unpacking, as compared with the Biknd case. And I will need to figure out if I can do a less complete dis-assembly and still fit it, while minimizing risk of damage.
It was easy to fit the pieces into the case after watching Leonard Zinn do it, though I do not have a detachable link in my chain. Now I just need to figure out how to secure, protect and avoid losing any of the various pieces. I think I will start with some large plastic bags. The bike, case and tools weigh just over 12 kgs. ... so lots of room for other gear as padding before bumping up against weight limits.
UPDATE -- NEXT DAY:
It took me about 50 minutes to put the bike back together. I needed to attach the rear derailleur to the dropout 4 times -- a couple times to get the cables routed properly, then once to get the derailleur positioned correctly, then finally I needed to take it off so the chain could reach far enough forward to slip it through the downtube coupler since it turned out the chain was hooked over to the wrong side it. I'll get the hang of it with a little practice and hope eventually for sub-30 minute assembly or dis-assembly.
Comparing the bottom bracket (BB) with the SRAM Rival groupset on the Yamabushi, I realized that when I built the Ti bike up I mistakenly put some spacers on the GXP bottom bracket, based on the SRAM/Truvativ BB instructions for a 68mm BB shell ... I read online instructions which suggest that the spaces are only for use with an MTB crankset. Without the spacers the crank and bolts tighten properly and snugly, and still spin without friction.
After looking at the GPS tracks of our proposed route in the Pyrenees, this evening after dinner I swapped out the SRAM Red 53/39 crankset for my SRAM Rival 46/36 crankset (cyclocross gearing), taken off the Yamabushi. At least with this crank, I don't need to change the BB (as I would if I used the Shimano 50/34 compact. I think I will be much happier on the long climbs with 36/28 gearing than I would have been with 39/28. And 46/11 is a big enough gear for this kind of non-competitive tour.
In other good news, after another 3 or 4 adjustments, I finally managed to get the saddle to be nearly horizontal on the FSA 30.6mm seatpost.
UPDATE - January 2013:
I replaced the MTB seatpost with a regular road 27.2 seatpost (Cinelli, basic aluminum model) and a sleeve that fills the gap between 27.2 and 30.6mms. With a 27.2 seatpost the ride feels more compliant. I think for sprinting and racing the 30.6 is probably better, but for long rides and comfort, I like the 27.2 post setup.
I also want to replace the shallow drop Deda bars (44cm outside-to-outside) with a set of the Ritchey WCS or Pro anatomical bend (44cm center-to-center) bars that I like on my Canyon and the Yamabushi.
The new bike rides very nicely -- everything works like a charm, with the new SRAM Red shifting and braking very precise in feeling. It takes much less effort with my hands to brake or shift with the SRAM groupset. There is a huge difference from the Dura Ace/Ultegra mix on the Canyon in the amount of effort needed to shift the front derailleur from small to big ring -- just a light tap of the paddle with my fingers on the SRAM, an effort using every muscle in my hand on the Shimano (.. maybe it is time for new shifter front derailleur cable, inner and outer).
The frame itself feels ... like Titanium, very alive, never harsh, and with good power transfer.
My only current complaint with the bike and set up is the 30.6mm seat post I selected. A beefy FSA post for a mountain bike, it seems to be designed so that the bolts tighten with the saddle either 2 degrees tilting forward or 2 tilting back, never flat. I may need to replace it.
And there were a few times, in the extreme heat and humidity, climbing 10% plus grades on Route 517, when I began to think it might be a good idea to swap in a compact crank for the Pyrenees.
This evening, I tried to see if I could pack the bike into its "backpack style" case.
 |
| The bike; The 26"x26"x10" case |
 |
| Brake cable splitter. |
 |
| Bike in pieces |
UPDATE -- NEXT DAY:
It took me about 50 minutes to put the bike back together. I needed to attach the rear derailleur to the dropout 4 times -- a couple times to get the cables routed properly, then once to get the derailleur positioned correctly, then finally I needed to take it off so the chain could reach far enough forward to slip it through the downtube coupler since it turned out the chain was hooked over to the wrong side it. I'll get the hang of it with a little practice and hope eventually for sub-30 minute assembly or dis-assembly.
Comparing the bottom bracket (BB) with the SRAM Rival groupset on the Yamabushi, I realized that when I built the Ti bike up I mistakenly put some spacers on the GXP bottom bracket, based on the SRAM/Truvativ BB instructions for a 68mm BB shell ... I read online instructions which suggest that the spaces are only for use with an MTB crankset. Without the spacers the crank and bolts tighten properly and snugly, and still spin without friction.
After looking at the GPS tracks of our proposed route in the Pyrenees, this evening after dinner I swapped out the SRAM Red 53/39 crankset for my SRAM Rival 46/36 crankset (cyclocross gearing), taken off the Yamabushi. At least with this crank, I don't need to change the BB (as I would if I used the Shimano 50/34 compact. I think I will be much happier on the long climbs with 36/28 gearing than I would have been with 39/28. And 46/11 is a big enough gear for this kind of non-competitive tour.
In other good news, after another 3 or 4 adjustments, I finally managed to get the saddle to be nearly horizontal on the FSA 30.6mm seatpost.
UPDATE - January 2013:
I replaced the MTB seatpost with a regular road 27.2 seatpost (Cinelli, basic aluminum model) and a sleeve that fills the gap between 27.2 and 30.6mms. With a 27.2 seatpost the ride feels more compliant. I think for sprinting and racing the 30.6 is probably better, but for long rides and comfort, I like the 27.2 post setup.
I also want to replace the shallow drop Deda bars (44cm outside-to-outside) with a set of the Ritchey WCS or Pro anatomical bend (44cm center-to-center) bars that I like on my Canyon and the Yamabushi.
05 August 2012
New Acquisition - Ti Travel Bike
Until this past week, my current stable consisted of bicycles with carbon, steel and aluminum frames.
The carbon bike is my Canyon Ultimate CF -- my racing and all around frame.
The aluminum bike is my 2006 Bianchi Pista Concept -- a track bike and my fixed gear commuter for getting around Tokyo.
The steel bike is built from the frame I built (designed, cut and welded) at UBI this February, a cyclocross design, eagerly awaiting trips into the mountains later this year.
What frame material is missing?
Yes, titanium. My collection has been missing a titanium frame for the past 4-5 years. This material -- lighter and stronger than steel, rustproof, more compliant and less brittle than aluminum, with more road feel than carbon -- is in many ways an ideal frame material. At one point in the mid-00s, raw material prices spiked and Ti frames became quite expensive, but prices have moderated since 2008 or so.
Also missing was a "travel bike" -- one that I can take with me when I travel by air and still avoid excess baggage charges. I got fed up in recent years paying 15,000 yen to ANA, as much or more on Air France, 100~150 Euros on Lufthansa, or $200 on United to or from the U.S. or Europe. Not only is my bike case large enough that the bicycle is treated as "oversize" and "special" luggage, but in a hard plastic case the bike is heavy enough that it is difficult to squeeze into a 23 kg per bag weight limit, when applicable. Even with my newer Biknd Helium case and the Canyon carbon frame, I am usually right at the 23 kgs limit -- and quickly go over if I use any of the remaining space in the frame for other gear. Of course, each airline and cabin/service class is different, so packing for a trip requires great care if you want to avoid unpleasant surprise fees.
The latest insult was my trip to Ishigakijima for the April triathlon. H.I.S. Travel, the sponsor, warned that there would not be room for all the triathletes bikes' on the flights into Ishigakijima the day before the event and recommended sending bikes ahead by a special Yamato Transport-affiliated service. I was charged over 15,000 yen, and needed to hand over my bike 2 weeks before the race. The return shipment, which my hotel in Ishigakijima arranged, via another Yamato-affiliated service, cost less than a third as much, but still took nearly two weeks. Of course, those who checked bikes on the plane (in rinko bukuro -- it was a domestic flight within Japan, after all) seemed to do fine.
I was pleasantly surprised on my latest trips for the Cascade 1200 in June and Rocky Mountain 1200 in July to be charged only $100 (Delta) and C$50 (Air Canada) each way for trans-Pacific flights. But other airlines do not seem to be reducing their charges, and why should I put up with this at all?
The solution came via Tim Smith/GS Astuto -- a 3 Al/2.5 V titanium frame with S and S couplers.
The frame was delivered "bare bones", without fork or headset, barrel adjusters for the shifters or even bolts for water bottles and such. But even if the frame arrived "bare bones", this is a premium product at a very reasonable price. Indeed, the construction and weld quality looks excellent; it has the complex and time-consuming S and S couplers (which typically add $500 to $1000 to the price of a frame in the U.S., and required Tim to arrange some new tooling for the factory where his work is done in China); it has braze-ons for 3 water bottles, as well as for rear racks/fenders, and seems very sturdy, but reasonably light.
The frame has classic road bike "sportif" geometry. Not a pure climber or pure sprinter's racing bike, comfortable with a slightly longer wheelbase -- 420mm instead of 410mm chain stays, a bit of extra clearance here and there, a rock solid feeling with a 34.9mm seatpost and single butted Ti tubing -- not trying to shave off every last ounce at the expense of durability. And it has an additional feature I have not seen before on a Titanium frame -- asymmetric chain stays, like Pinarello and some of other carbon frames in recent years. The stays are quite beefy to begin with, but the right chainstay is laid out vertically and the left horizontally. This should provide plenty of stiffness when I put the hammer down, but also some additional compliance over bumps. The frame should work very well for Audax randonees.
For GS Astuto, my frame was a test case as they are coming up with a "standard" offer, in addition to their more expensive custom-measured Ti frame offer. As a test case, it took quite awhile to get through the system, but the wait was worth it. Tim plans to offer these as a "standard" product, in 4 sizes, with or without couplers, and with frame pricing in the 80,000 yen (without couplers) and 120,000 yen (with couplers) range, plus consumption tax. That price will be very hard to beat, especially in Japan. And, of course, I am sure Tim is happy to deliver a complete bike, or mix and match other equipment options.
S and S seems like a better choice for me than Ritchey Breakaway, Bike Friday or Ravello.
After the frame was delivered, I just needed to buy a "press fit" type integrated Cane Creek headset, which I found at the Y's in Futako Tamagawa, walking distance from my house, after confirming there was no current inventory at my preferred shops. Fortunately, I already had a really great Reynolds Ouzo Pro all-carbon fork gathering dust in my garage that had been removed from another frame several years back, and a box full of a latest SRAM Red (2012) groupset had arrived recently, at a great price from Bike24 in Germany. The 2012 SRAM Red groupset comes highly reviewed from Red Kite Prayer, Bicycling Magazine, Pez and others, installation was relatively easy and, to me, the shifting and braking quality seem fantastic, the best I have tried yet. Of course, the shifting quality may just be the inevitable superiority of a new, clean groupset .... The ergonomics are great as well.
I did not get some of the fancier options, such as the integrated power meter. And I could not get a compact crankset -- out of stock at Bike 24 and elsewhere. Nor did they have in stock a SRAM Red 2012 rear cassette in 11-28 cogs, so I went with a Shimano cassette instead. (The new SRAM Red rear cassette has noise dampers that apparently make it run much quieter than earlier SRAM groupsets). I will get one, eventually.
Here is the bike, ready to ride.
Tomorrow I will get an extra pair of shifter cables and rear brake cable. Then I can install the cable splitters, which will make it possible to separate the bike into "front" and "rear" sections for travel without a need to readjust cabling.
UPDATE (June 2013): Instead of "Ti Travel Bike", the travel bike will now be known as "Voyage, Voyage", which is true to its function, and will remind me of July 2011 Etape Acte II preparation in Issoire, and the rag tag band's rendition of the 1980s new wave pop classic.
The carbon bike is my Canyon Ultimate CF -- my racing and all around frame.
The aluminum bike is my 2006 Bianchi Pista Concept -- a track bike and my fixed gear commuter for getting around Tokyo.
The steel bike is built from the frame I built (designed, cut and welded) at UBI this February, a cyclocross design, eagerly awaiting trips into the mountains later this year.
What frame material is missing?
Yes, titanium. My collection has been missing a titanium frame for the past 4-5 years. This material -- lighter and stronger than steel, rustproof, more compliant and less brittle than aluminum, with more road feel than carbon -- is in many ways an ideal frame material. At one point in the mid-00s, raw material prices spiked and Ti frames became quite expensive, but prices have moderated since 2008 or so.
Also missing was a "travel bike" -- one that I can take with me when I travel by air and still avoid excess baggage charges. I got fed up in recent years paying 15,000 yen to ANA, as much or more on Air France, 100~150 Euros on Lufthansa, or $200 on United to or from the U.S. or Europe. Not only is my bike case large enough that the bicycle is treated as "oversize" and "special" luggage, but in a hard plastic case the bike is heavy enough that it is difficult to squeeze into a 23 kg per bag weight limit, when applicable. Even with my newer Biknd Helium case and the Canyon carbon frame, I am usually right at the 23 kgs limit -- and quickly go over if I use any of the remaining space in the frame for other gear. Of course, each airline and cabin/service class is different, so packing for a trip requires great care if you want to avoid unpleasant surprise fees.
The latest insult was my trip to Ishigakijima for the April triathlon. H.I.S. Travel, the sponsor, warned that there would not be room for all the triathletes bikes' on the flights into Ishigakijima the day before the event and recommended sending bikes ahead by a special Yamato Transport-affiliated service. I was charged over 15,000 yen, and needed to hand over my bike 2 weeks before the race. The return shipment, which my hotel in Ishigakijima arranged, via another Yamato-affiliated service, cost less than a third as much, but still took nearly two weeks. Of course, those who checked bikes on the plane (in rinko bukuro -- it was a domestic flight within Japan, after all) seemed to do fine.
I was pleasantly surprised on my latest trips for the Cascade 1200 in June and Rocky Mountain 1200 in July to be charged only $100 (Delta) and C$50 (Air Canada) each way for trans-Pacific flights. But other airlines do not seem to be reducing their charges, and why should I put up with this at all?
The solution came via Tim Smith/GS Astuto -- a 3 Al/2.5 V titanium frame with S and S couplers.
The frame was delivered "bare bones", without fork or headset, barrel adjusters for the shifters or even bolts for water bottles and such. But even if the frame arrived "bare bones", this is a premium product at a very reasonable price. Indeed, the construction and weld quality looks excellent; it has the complex and time-consuming S and S couplers (which typically add $500 to $1000 to the price of a frame in the U.S., and required Tim to arrange some new tooling for the factory where his work is done in China); it has braze-ons for 3 water bottles, as well as for rear racks/fenders, and seems very sturdy, but reasonably light.
The frame has classic road bike "sportif" geometry. Not a pure climber or pure sprinter's racing bike, comfortable with a slightly longer wheelbase -- 420mm instead of 410mm chain stays, a bit of extra clearance here and there, a rock solid feeling with a 34.9mm seatpost and single butted Ti tubing -- not trying to shave off every last ounce at the expense of durability. And it has an additional feature I have not seen before on a Titanium frame -- asymmetric chain stays, like Pinarello and some of other carbon frames in recent years. The stays are quite beefy to begin with, but the right chainstay is laid out vertically and the left horizontally. This should provide plenty of stiffness when I put the hammer down, but also some additional compliance over bumps. The frame should work very well for Audax randonees.
For GS Astuto, my frame was a test case as they are coming up with a "standard" offer, in addition to their more expensive custom-measured Ti frame offer. As a test case, it took quite awhile to get through the system, but the wait was worth it. Tim plans to offer these as a "standard" product, in 4 sizes, with or without couplers, and with frame pricing in the 80,000 yen (without couplers) and 120,000 yen (with couplers) range, plus consumption tax. That price will be very hard to beat, especially in Japan. And, of course, I am sure Tim is happy to deliver a complete bike, or mix and match other equipment options.
S and S seems like a better choice for me than Ritchey Breakaway, Bike Friday or Ravello.
After the frame was delivered, I just needed to buy a "press fit" type integrated Cane Creek headset, which I found at the Y's in Futako Tamagawa, walking distance from my house, after confirming there was no current inventory at my preferred shops. Fortunately, I already had a really great Reynolds Ouzo Pro all-carbon fork gathering dust in my garage that had been removed from another frame several years back, and a box full of a latest SRAM Red (2012) groupset had arrived recently, at a great price from Bike24 in Germany. The 2012 SRAM Red groupset comes highly reviewed from Red Kite Prayer, Bicycling Magazine, Pez and others, installation was relatively easy and, to me, the shifting and braking quality seem fantastic, the best I have tried yet. Of course, the shifting quality may just be the inevitable superiority of a new, clean groupset .... The ergonomics are great as well.
I did not get some of the fancier options, such as the integrated power meter. And I could not get a compact crankset -- out of stock at Bike 24 and elsewhere. Nor did they have in stock a SRAM Red 2012 rear cassette in 11-28 cogs, so I went with a Shimano cassette instead. (The new SRAM Red rear cassette has noise dampers that apparently make it run much quieter than earlier SRAM groupsets). I will get one, eventually.
Here is the bike, ready to ride.
 |
| Asymmetric chain stays -- right is vertical, left is horizontal. Another view is below. And very solid looking Breeze-style dropouts. |
  |
| One of the couplers. It can be tightened (and loosened) with a standard fixie lockring wrench. |
 |
| Nice even welds, good penetration. 34.9mm seatpost. |
 |
| More nice welds. Cane Creek integrated headset. |
 |
| SRAM Red 2012 standard crankset |
 |
| SRAM Red 2012 -- nice big shifter paddles, stylish graphics, very nice ergonomics insteady of the Shimano protruding bulb. Bianchi bar tape -- I had some red cork tape, but it tore easily when I stretched it. The Bianchi tape seems to be of really high quality, and the color is fine with the silver brushed Ti frame. |
UPDATE (June 2013): Instead of "Ti Travel Bike", the travel bike will now be known as "Voyage, Voyage", which is true to its function, and will remind me of July 2011 Etape Acte II preparation in Issoire, and the rag tag band's rendition of the 1980s new wave pop classic.
03 August 2012
01 August 2012
How to Make it Home when your Shifter Cable (or Shifter) Breaks
This information COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE. ... if you are stuck on the wrong side of a big hill with a broken derailleur cable (or broken shifter), far from civilization, just when a blizzard is approaching.
But more likely, it will just help you avoid some inconvenience and complete a ride when you otherwise would have needed to abandon and find an alternate way to get home.
Of course, if you regularly ride a fixed gear bike over Kazahari Pass, or if you live in northern Germany or central Nebraska where there are not any real hills, then you can stop reading.
On the Rocky Mountain 1200 we faced some difficult conditions, which caused mechanical problems for many riders. For me, these:
-- completely shredded my Vittoria Open Pave tires, rear and then front (rumble strips, debris, etc.),
-- resulted in a broken rear derailleur cable and unusable right shifter, 380 kms into the 1200 km event,
-- caused a broken rear spoke at around 620 kms (same old, same old -- and I'm ready for these with a spoke wrench and had no problem riding home with 35 spokes remaining),
-- resulted in lots of roadside debris sticking to my tires, triggering at least 3~4 flat tubes over the course of the event (after NO flats on Tohoku 1700 or Cascade 1200),
-- broke the base mount of my Phillips Saferide LED light -- it snapped off during the final descent, I think from the combination of violent shaking (rumble strips) maybe added to the metal fatigue of repeated adjustments,
-- contributed to a broken closure/snap on my 4-month old Ortlieb handlebar bag, as I fumbled in the cold to open and close it too many times,
... and on and on.
The largest single mechanical difficulty was the broken rear derailleur cable and shifter.
Like any sensible randonneur on a 600 km or longer event, of course I carried a spare shifter cable. But in the near-freezing rain, wind and gathering dark of the Yellowhead Highway early evening on Monday July 24, about 65 kilometers west of Jasper, Alberta, I could not get the replacement cable properly threaded in the Shimano 7800 STI shifter. Maybe some of the old cable was still jammed inside. Or maybe I did not properly set the shifter to the lowest gear by pushing the small paddle repeatedly before I threaded the new cable. I do not know. Whatever the cause, the new cable was quickly tied in knots inside the shifter and the shifter was non-functional. So I rode the bike in 34x11 gearing the rest of the way to Jasper.
At the Jasper control, Patrick was offering mechanical assistance, and had a nice big tool kit next to the check-in desk. But he also was checking in riders, signing brevet cards, checking out riders, offering information, pointing people to the showers, food and sleeping accommodations, and dealing with emergencies such as randonneur hypothermia (like the rider I saw in the back seat of a good Samaritans' van that had stopped and picked him up in response to his plea as he froze at roadside on the descent from Yellowhead Pass -- which van then had followed me all the way in to the control, stopping and waiting patiently as I hunted, pecked and backtracked through the last few turns in town).
At first, Patrick gave me the bad news. He said there was no way to fix the shifter, at least not on site and not in time for me to continue. He said he had taken apart an STI shifter once several years ago, using a very complex rig so that springs did not go flying all over the shop floor. Not something that would be possible in the Jasper control. I was resigned to the possibility of a DNF.
A few minutes later, as I ate, Patrick came over and said that he thought he could rig the bike so I would have a 2-speed, with a fixed rear cog (of my choice), and the ability to shift between the 50 and 34 rings with the still-functioning front derailleur. If I wanted to change the rear cog, I would need to get off the bike, get out an allen wrench, force the derailleur into position and re-set the cable either shorter or longer than before. I was elated -- he was offering a way to continue!
The elation wore off as I realized it might be a very long 750 kms, riding a 2-speed bike. Still, if I could set the gears low for the big climbs ahead -- Sunwapta Pass and Bow Summit -- then I could limp along much of the way thereafter. A 1200 km randonee with a 90 hour limit requires that one complete the first 600 kms in 40 hours, allowing 50 hours for the second 600 kms. And everyone I had spoken to advised me that for the RM 1200, you just need to make sure to get over the big hills within the time limit, and then the second half would be much easier.
Anyway, enough of a prelude, and on to the lesson. What to do when your rear derailleur cable breaks?
First, remove all the pieces of "outer" cable lining and the broken "inner" cable. Stow the outer cable for future use.
Cut a length from the broken inner cable approximately 20 cms / 8 inches in length. Tie a knot near one end of this length. It will look something like this:
(If you do not have any way to cut the cable, then do not worry. Just tie the knot about 6 inches from one end of the cable ... you will just need to wrap all of the extra cable around your stays and frame to keep it out of the way as you ride.)
(If you happen to have a cable or portion at least 6 inches long that still has the "knob" on one end, then you can use that instead.) It would then look something like this:
Once you have this piece prepared, you thread it through the barrel adjuster on the rear derailleur, from the rear, with the knot/knob stopped up against the rear side of the adjuster.
You then shift the derailleur/chain -- with your hands -- so that it is on the desired rear cog, and tighten the bolt and plate to the unknotted portion of your cable. I don't have a photo of this, exactly, given a subsequent improvement on the repair, but the relevant part of the bicycle looks like this:
The "knot" or "knob" would come into and rest against the barrel adjuster from the bottom of the photo, and the other end of the cable piece would be secured under the bolt and plate toward the top of the photo.
Using this method, the derailleur can be "fixed" to any gear if you use your hands to move the derailleur and chain into position (preferably while spinning the crank) then tighten the cable at the proper length.
You can even adjust the setting slightly by turning the barrel adjuster. Maybe you will get a 4 speed rather than a 2 speed without getting out the wrench. If you use a knot, however, you will find that the knot sticks somewhat at the adjuster and the cable twists as you try to turn the adjuster, so it may not be easy to turn the adjuster very far, or it may spring back when you release it. At least I was able to turn the adjuster enough to "fine tune" and have the chain set directly over a cog. Twisting cable is not an issue with the knob.
After another 300-400 kms, John B. did a better jury-rig using a longer spare cable that had the knob still on the end, threaded that all the way from the barrel adjuster on my downtube and reinstalled the "outer" cable that you see in the photo. So I was able to shift one or two cogs on the rear cassette just by turning that barrel adjuster on the downtube -- without getting off the bicycle -- for a real 4 or 6 speeder!
This is a trick I will never forget.
But more likely, it will just help you avoid some inconvenience and complete a ride when you otherwise would have needed to abandon and find an alternate way to get home.
Of course, if you regularly ride a fixed gear bike over Kazahari Pass, or if you live in northern Germany or central Nebraska where there are not any real hills, then you can stop reading.
On the Rocky Mountain 1200 we faced some difficult conditions, which caused mechanical problems for many riders. For me, these:
-- completely shredded my Vittoria Open Pave tires, rear and then front (rumble strips, debris, etc.),
-- resulted in a broken rear derailleur cable and unusable right shifter, 380 kms into the 1200 km event,
-- caused a broken rear spoke at around 620 kms (same old, same old -- and I'm ready for these with a spoke wrench and had no problem riding home with 35 spokes remaining),
-- resulted in lots of roadside debris sticking to my tires, triggering at least 3~4 flat tubes over the course of the event (after NO flats on Tohoku 1700 or Cascade 1200),
-- broke the base mount of my Phillips Saferide LED light -- it snapped off during the final descent, I think from the combination of violent shaking (rumble strips) maybe added to the metal fatigue of repeated adjustments,
-- contributed to a broken closure/snap on my 4-month old Ortlieb handlebar bag, as I fumbled in the cold to open and close it too many times,
... and on and on.
The largest single mechanical difficulty was the broken rear derailleur cable and shifter.
Like any sensible randonneur on a 600 km or longer event, of course I carried a spare shifter cable. But in the near-freezing rain, wind and gathering dark of the Yellowhead Highway early evening on Monday July 24, about 65 kilometers west of Jasper, Alberta, I could not get the replacement cable properly threaded in the Shimano 7800 STI shifter. Maybe some of the old cable was still jammed inside. Or maybe I did not properly set the shifter to the lowest gear by pushing the small paddle repeatedly before I threaded the new cable. I do not know. Whatever the cause, the new cable was quickly tied in knots inside the shifter and the shifter was non-functional. So I rode the bike in 34x11 gearing the rest of the way to Jasper.
At the Jasper control, Patrick was offering mechanical assistance, and had a nice big tool kit next to the check-in desk. But he also was checking in riders, signing brevet cards, checking out riders, offering information, pointing people to the showers, food and sleeping accommodations, and dealing with emergencies such as randonneur hypothermia (like the rider I saw in the back seat of a good Samaritans' van that had stopped and picked him up in response to his plea as he froze at roadside on the descent from Yellowhead Pass -- which van then had followed me all the way in to the control, stopping and waiting patiently as I hunted, pecked and backtracked through the last few turns in town).
At first, Patrick gave me the bad news. He said there was no way to fix the shifter, at least not on site and not in time for me to continue. He said he had taken apart an STI shifter once several years ago, using a very complex rig so that springs did not go flying all over the shop floor. Not something that would be possible in the Jasper control. I was resigned to the possibility of a DNF.
A few minutes later, as I ate, Patrick came over and said that he thought he could rig the bike so I would have a 2-speed, with a fixed rear cog (of my choice), and the ability to shift between the 50 and 34 rings with the still-functioning front derailleur. If I wanted to change the rear cog, I would need to get off the bike, get out an allen wrench, force the derailleur into position and re-set the cable either shorter or longer than before. I was elated -- he was offering a way to continue!
The elation wore off as I realized it might be a very long 750 kms, riding a 2-speed bike. Still, if I could set the gears low for the big climbs ahead -- Sunwapta Pass and Bow Summit -- then I could limp along much of the way thereafter. A 1200 km randonee with a 90 hour limit requires that one complete the first 600 kms in 40 hours, allowing 50 hours for the second 600 kms. And everyone I had spoken to advised me that for the RM 1200, you just need to make sure to get over the big hills within the time limit, and then the second half would be much easier.
Anyway, enough of a prelude, and on to the lesson. What to do when your rear derailleur cable breaks?
First, remove all the pieces of "outer" cable lining and the broken "inner" cable. Stow the outer cable for future use.
Cut a length from the broken inner cable approximately 20 cms / 8 inches in length. Tie a knot near one end of this length. It will look something like this:
(If you happen to have a cable or portion at least 6 inches long that still has the "knob" on one end, then you can use that instead.) It would then look something like this:
Once you have this piece prepared, you thread it through the barrel adjuster on the rear derailleur, from the rear, with the knot/knob stopped up against the rear side of the adjuster.
You then shift the derailleur/chain -- with your hands -- so that it is on the desired rear cog, and tighten the bolt and plate to the unknotted portion of your cable. I don't have a photo of this, exactly, given a subsequent improvement on the repair, but the relevant part of the bicycle looks like this:
The "knot" or "knob" would come into and rest against the barrel adjuster from the bottom of the photo, and the other end of the cable piece would be secured under the bolt and plate toward the top of the photo.
Using this method, the derailleur can be "fixed" to any gear if you use your hands to move the derailleur and chain into position (preferably while spinning the crank) then tighten the cable at the proper length.
You can even adjust the setting slightly by turning the barrel adjuster. Maybe you will get a 4 speed rather than a 2 speed without getting out the wrench. If you use a knot, however, you will find that the knot sticks somewhat at the adjuster and the cable twists as you try to turn the adjuster, so it may not be easy to turn the adjuster very far, or it may spring back when you release it. At least I was able to turn the adjuster enough to "fine tune" and have the chain set directly over a cog. Twisting cable is not an issue with the knob.
After another 300-400 kms, John B. did a better jury-rig using a longer spare cable that had the knob still on the end, threaded that all the way from the barrel adjuster on my downtube and reinstalled the "outer" cable that you see in the photo. So I was able to shift one or two cogs on the rear cassette just by turning that barrel adjuster on the downtube -- without getting off the bicycle -- for a real 4 or 6 speeder!
This is a trick I will never forget.
28 July 2012
Flash Report -- EPIC Ride
 |
| Columbia Icefield ... after the rain had stopped and the temperature started to warm |
There were 62 finishers and 50 DNFs -- mostly a result of brutal weather during the first 36 hours. We had rain, cold rain, thunderstorms, hard rain, lightning, light rain, headwinds, cold, colder, coldest. The tone was set at the start, when the heavens opened and water poured out in a thundershower just as we mounted our bikes. The weather and roads were brutal not only on the riders, but also on our equipment. Then it got better.
The organizers' page here has more details and stories.
As for major drama, my rear derailleur cable broke and I rode the last 65 km to Jasper in 34x11 gearing ... fortunately I was already up the largest hills of the section before my bike converted to single speed.
In the cold rain below Mount Robson, as I tried to thread the replacement cable, I managed to jam it and make the shifter completely unusable. But thanks to Patrick at the Jasper Control and John and Danelle, who drove the sweep vehicle and provided some mechanical help at later controls, I was able to ride the last 750 kms as a converted 2-speed. 50x25/34x25 for the big climbs, and 50x19/34x19 (or 22, or 17) on the other stretches.
I also shredded (and replaced) both tires, I think on the "rumble strips" along these highways, and my dynamo light was torn off its metal attachment from the shaking on the final descent.
 |
| One of endless mountains, from near Hi Mosquito Creek on the Icefields Parkway |
 |
| Nice weather on the return leg on July 25 (and 26) |
 |
| The prize |
23 July 2012
Rocky Mountain 1200 -- ready, set ...
 |
| On the drive from Vancouver to Kamloops. These are NOT the Rockies yet. |
 |
| Willi's velomobile -- human powered vehicle! Wickedly fast on the downhills and flats. |
 |
| Micky Inagaki gives a token of his thanks to Will D. for helping him to finish Cascade 1200. Will pointed out and helped him fix a dangerous condition on his bike, when Micky was in extremis on Day 3. |
 |
| View yesterday from Thompson Rivers Univ. housing where we are staying. Kamloops reminds me of Bend Oregon, CA 2005 - around 75,000 people, lots of new buildings, in-migration. |
 |
| View 30 minutes ago from Thompson Rivers Univ. housing where we are staying until the 10PM start. |
 |
| View now from Thompson Rivers Univ. housing where we are staying until the 10PM start. |
21 July 2012
Sleepless in Vancouver
 |
| Strolling around downtown Vancouver on sunny Wednesday, I reach the Northern harbor area. |
I still have 43 hours before the start of the Rocky Mountain 1200 and so can hope to get over jet lag between now and then. And since the event has a 10PM Sunday start, the key is not really that I get over jet lag, but just that I get plenty of sleep, at whatever time of day.
Vancouver looked spectacular on Thursday, its summer best. The city has grown a lot since I was last here, long ago, and I saw plenty that reminded me of Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, and also Sydney, even a little Hong Kong. It is more cosmopolitan, and more East and South Asian, than Seattle or Portland. It looks prosperous, but prices are not as steep as Sydney, and it seems like it would be an easier place to live. The day before I arrived, the U.S. press was full of reports that Canadians are now, per capita, significantly wealthier than Americans, despite lower disposable income. Those "socialist" Canadians with their "socialized" medicine ... have done pretty well. This is a result of the U.S. housing bubble burst, the 2008 (and ongoing?) global financial crisis, Canada's natural resource/energy driven prosperity and, yes, their much better healthcare system.
... On the other hand, the weather here is grey much of the year, and was on Friday.
 |
| On drizzling Thursday, I cross the Burrard Bridge heading toward the ... main exhibits closed for repair Maritime Museum. |
 |
| Bike lane for commuters on Dunsmuir. It was well-used when I passed on Thursday and again Friday, and I waited a few minutes until it was empty before taking the photo. After all, Canadians are shy, and I did not see anyone else snapping photos of strangers. |
 |
| Bike lane on the Burrard [Street] Bridge. The barrier from traffic made it quite pleasant not only for cyclists but also for a pedestrian (me) to walk across. A cyclist would pass me every minute or so. |
 |
| Ready to go! |
 |
| Gear I will take with me from the start. Zoom in to read. |
 |
| Content of three drop bags -- Jasper, Golden and Amstrong |
 |
| JV Bikes -- Wall of racks |
 |
| JV Bieks -- wall of bags ... with reflective strips, of course |
And they have a big collection of BionX-powered electric bikes (a highly reviewed hub-based system of electric assist with regenerative braking that can be used to retrofit a normal bike with electric assist). The rear wheel with BionX hub, plus battery pack, cables and throttle/display etc. cost between $1200 and $1800. The system weight is something like 18 pounds, I was told.
 |
| The BionX hub-based electric motor -- throttle sets different assist levels, with a smooth torque-based control system, so the harder you pedal, the greater the assist. 250 watt and 350 watt versions. |
 |
| The battery pack can be placed on the downtube, or another flatter version fits on a special rear rack. |
 |
| BionX version of a Dahon bike. |
According to a recent consultant's report, there were 430,000 electric assist bicycles sold in Japan in 2011. Sales in the first half of 2012 are up 17% yet again from the first half of 2011. More are sold now than motorcycles/motor scooters. Some localities even offer a "green incentive" rebate now. And the average selling price, around 90,000 yen, makes this a much bigger market than the market for "normal" shopping bikes. But they are heavy, and ugly.
A BionX that can be retrofit onto a "normal" bike -- a huge advantage, and it is possible to make one of these look nice, at least compared with the typical ugly Japanese electric assist bike. Remember the BionX-powered Pereira Cycles bike that won the Northwest Constructors Challenge last year, and was shown at NAHBS this March? It was a thing of beauty -- though I would have prefered a different crankset.
17 July 2012
Rocky Mountain 1200 - Coming Soon
What comes after the Cascade 1200 ... the Rocky Mountain 1200.
These paired events are nearby, a month apart, both 1200 km randonees. And completion of both results in the award of the "Can-Am Challenge" pin, coveted among randonneurs (who seem to like these pins almost as much as elementary school boys like little league baseball trophies).
As far as I can tell, the main difference is that things are bigger in Canada. The mountains, for one, are a lot bigger. 3000+ meter peaks stretching as far as the eye can see. Big glaciers. Very wild.
And the bears are bigger. Washington State has mostly black bears -- those cute bears. Canada has more grizzly bears -- the ones that rip you apart with a single swipe of the paw. I would love to see one, very far away, in the daylight, when I am riding as part of a group.
I do not want to see a mama grizzly and her cubs up close, at night, when I am alone climbing up a hill.
I am hopeful that this event will have less rain than the Cascade 1200 .. the odds are pretty good in late July instead of late June.
The ride starts at 10PM local time on Sunday July 22nd. The organizers' page is here.
The route looks spectacular, and it is quite demanding, especially to make the time limits over the 2000+ meter passes in the middle section of the ride. If I get through those, it should be fairly relaxed heading home, assuming no major surprises.
The route is here:
These paired events are nearby, a month apart, both 1200 km randonees. And completion of both results in the award of the "Can-Am Challenge" pin, coveted among randonneurs (who seem to like these pins almost as much as elementary school boys like little league baseball trophies).
As far as I can tell, the main difference is that things are bigger in Canada. The mountains, for one, are a lot bigger. 3000+ meter peaks stretching as far as the eye can see. Big glaciers. Very wild.
And the bears are bigger. Washington State has mostly black bears -- those cute bears. Canada has more grizzly bears -- the ones that rip you apart with a single swipe of the paw. I would love to see one, very far away, in the daylight, when I am riding as part of a group.
I do not want to see a mama grizzly and her cubs up close, at night, when I am alone climbing up a hill.
I am hopeful that this event will have less rain than the Cascade 1200 .. the odds are pretty good in late July instead of late June.
The ride starts at 10PM local time on Sunday July 22nd. The organizers' page is here.
The route looks spectacular, and it is quite demanding, especially to make the time limits over the 2000+ meter passes in the middle section of the ride. If I get through those, it should be fairly relaxed heading home, assuming no major surprises.
The route is here:
14 July 2012
Sunday Ride EARLY
Tomorrow it is going to be HOT and HUMID. Jerome and I will try to leave my house (Komazawa Dori and Kanpachi) at 6:30AM. Will meet riders at 7:15AM Sekidobashi and 8:15AM Oume Station.
The plan is to try Arima Toge, if the road is clear (for once), and the heat is not too stifling.
Don't forget your large water bottles and your sunscreen.
Let me know if you are interested.
__________________________________________________
Update:
Pete, Gueorgui and I gathered as planned near my house at or around 6:30AM. I called Jerome and, on the third try, awoke him. We agreed that the 3 of us would go ahead (Pete only intending a short morning spin in any event), and Jerome (and Didier) would eventually catch us.
Pete said his farewell after Fussa, and Gueorgui and I continued to Oume where we met Masato, who had arrived at least 30 minutes earlier -- a combination of our delayed start, a convenience store stop and an overly aggressive timeline to begin with. It was that kind of day. After we refueled, the reformed group of 3 headed out. Just as we left, Jerome and Didier reported in that they were almost at Higashi Oume.
Masato, Gueorgui and I took one variant of the usual route from Oume through Nariki Kaido and to Naguri, finally climbing up to Arima Dam. There we watched a fire fighting demonstration, with a helicopter repeatedly dumping small loads of water into the reservoir, then heading away to pick up more. Eventually, Jerome and Didier arrived.
Five of us rode to the far end of the reservoir and up a short hill, to where the road divides (right turn for Arima Pass). Then Gueorgui and I headed for home -- and the reconstituted group of 3 including none of those who started at 6:30 from my house -- Masato, Jerome and Didier -- headed up the pass.
It got very hot mid-day and into the afternoon on the way back home, but everyone made it without serious incident.
Photos of the trip are here. [Warning: There is a photo of Jerome, taking advantage of the "Jerome Exception" to the rule of "No Short Shorts". Some may find this offensive, and parental discretion is advised.]
An image of the route is here:
At least my legs felt fully recovered from Cascade 1200 and ready for the next event!
The plan is to try Arima Toge, if the road is clear (for once), and the heat is not too stifling.
Don't forget your large water bottles and your sunscreen.
Let me know if you are interested.
__________________________________________________
Update:
Pete, Gueorgui and I gathered as planned near my house at or around 6:30AM. I called Jerome and, on the third try, awoke him. We agreed that the 3 of us would go ahead (Pete only intending a short morning spin in any event), and Jerome (and Didier) would eventually catch us.
Pete said his farewell after Fussa, and Gueorgui and I continued to Oume where we met Masato, who had arrived at least 30 minutes earlier -- a combination of our delayed start, a convenience store stop and an overly aggressive timeline to begin with. It was that kind of day. After we refueled, the reformed group of 3 headed out. Just as we left, Jerome and Didier reported in that they were almost at Higashi Oume.
Masato, Gueorgui and I took one variant of the usual route from Oume through Nariki Kaido and to Naguri, finally climbing up to Arima Dam. There we watched a fire fighting demonstration, with a helicopter repeatedly dumping small loads of water into the reservoir, then heading away to pick up more. Eventually, Jerome and Didier arrived.
Five of us rode to the far end of the reservoir and up a short hill, to where the road divides (right turn for Arima Pass). Then Gueorgui and I headed for home -- and the reconstituted group of 3 including none of those who started at 6:30 from my house -- Masato, Jerome and Didier -- headed up the pass.
It got very hot mid-day and into the afternoon on the way back home, but everyone made it without serious incident.
Photos of the trip are here. [Warning: There is a photo of Jerome, taking advantage of the "Jerome Exception" to the rule of "No Short Shorts". Some may find this offensive, and parental discretion is advised.]
An image of the route is here:
08 July 2012
C Speed Re-Open ... Nearer to Me!
As planned for some time, Hiroshi's C Speed has moved from its initial location out in Kohoku/Yokohama, to Takatsu-ku/Kawasaki, 3-7-12 Mizonoguchi, just a few minutes away from the river on the Kawasaki side at Futako Tamagawa. It is less than 10 minutes from my house by bicycle!
The shop is conveniently located just across from the Takatsu Police Station -- so as low a risk of another "smash and grab" as possible. And Hiroshi can get to and from his house in a few minutes, via his trusty mama chari (lower left edge of photo). The mama chari does not quite fit with the gorgeous bikes and frames inside the shop ... but gets it done for errands in the rain.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
