wrote:
On Thursday, June 18, 2020 at 2:41:44 AM UTC+2, jbeattie wrote:
On Wednesday, June 17, 2020 at 2:13:34 PM UTC-7, wrote:
On Wednesday, June 17, 2020 at 5:46:57 PM UTC+2, wrote:
For reasons I don't understand I have had a rattling cough and been
very weak on my rides. It is slowly improving but I've had this damn
cough for 4 months. The weakness is recent and I think that the
reasons were taking one of those damn vitamin combination that were
supposed to increase your hematocrit. Not only didn't it do that, in
my latest lab tests it is a little lower so that I am slightly below
low normal. The doctor says this is normal for people my age but I
would just as soon it weren't.

The manual 11 Speed DuraAce shifting really sucks. It shifts perfectly
but it makes noise all over the place and I can't get it to run
quietly. I suppose that I will have to turn it over to a shop whose
work I trust. This might be attributed to using a 105 cogset 11-32 but
I don't think so. It came in a Shimano box but there are counterfeits
all over the place and this one makes noise in only part of the cogs
which suggests improper spacing.

Running that kind of cassette on a Dura Ace RD which is not supposed to
support that cassette I would check the B screw adjustment.


Other than chain noise from the DuraAce I have to say it is FAR better
than the Campy I have been running. While the DuraAce is noisy the
damn Campy would need adjustment every couple of weeks to keep from
jumping between gears and usually in the most inconvenient place -
like the steepest part of a climb when you were giving it everything
you had. Then a quarter of a turn of the adjustment in the correct
direction, which was always difficult to tell, would give you clean
and quiet shifting for another two weeks.


Had some Campy equipped bikes and still have one but never experienced
that kind of problems. Once adjusted it stayed adjusted.

The Madone simply rides nearly perfect. The invisible bumps you hit at
speed are pretty much absorbed so you can descend at breath-taking
speeds without worrying about any loss of control. Though I do find
that although I am still faster than other people on descents, I do
not go anywhere near the speeds I used to go.

Now, the Madone rides very well on the flats and it goes fine over
even heavy climbs but not as well as the Emonda. And the Di2 of he
Emonda gives me perfect shifting all the time. There are no wires to
stretch or pull though the lock-screws a little way. Of course you do
have to charge the battery every couple of weeks but yo have to
maintain your manual groups as well.

Every couple of weeks? I charge the battery in the beginning of the
season and that is it. The battery of my Aeroad was flat at the
beginning of the season (didn't shift RD) so I charged it. I did at
least 3500 km up to now on that bike. With an average of 30-31 km/hr
that is about 115 hours and the LED still showing solid green.


Pretty soon I will be putting DuraAce Di2 on the Colnago. After this
next pay period I should have my account back to zero and will be able
to put the $150 into the setup. Though I am considering installing the
bar-end control unit instead of the under bar unit. That would be
another $150 for the unit and the different wire combo for it. Last
ride on the Emonda I discovered that it wasn't my getting used to the
Di2 shifter but my short term memory problem where I get confused at
which lever to use. You can't really do this with manual Campy for
perhaps that is why I used Campy for so long. I now have no problem in
finding the "front" and "rear" switches/levers so it isn't that which is the problem.



I put on a lot of weight during this lockdown so the Madone was a
God-send but the rides I've been taking have been slowly working that
off. I burned 3,000 Calories on the ride yesterday though on most
older bike that would be 50% higher.

I really like the Garmin 530 but I can't say as much for the other
models. What is interesting is that there is a Chinese copy that sells
for 1/5th the price and I think that I will get one of those and pass
on a report. I know what electronics should cost and Garmin is
entirely overpriced for what it is.

Though it is really nice having the speedo in the rear wheel and
cadence as well. This improves aerodynamics. I have a heart rate
monitor but the display is too small for my eyesight so I don't bother with it.

You know that you can customize the data screens and you can have
multiple. Choose one with only two or three data fields. The numbers will be very large.

It was 'new bike day' for me yesterday. I picked up my gravel bike at
the store and I went there with my 17 year old Litespeed that I traded
in. While I was handling the affairs my Litespeed was leaning against
the counter of the workshop out of my sight. I was in the store for
about one hour and during that time one of the mechanics called his
friend, he came by (lived in the same town) and bought my Litespeed on
the spot. Unbelievable. Half a year ago I couldn't sell that bike for
half the price. Like I said the second hand bike business is booming because of COVID-19.

Lou

Hey, let us know how it rides. As soon as your check clears, we in the
US are getting another stimulus payment.

-- Jay Beattie.

;-)
On my way home I was pleased with the handling on the road even with the
wheelset/tires for gravel riding. The 55 km ride was mainly on road and I
was concentrating on my saddle position. The for after position did feel
a bit off which was confirmed when I measured it at home. Still have to
ride the bike on road with the wheels/tires for the road and of course
real gravel riding. The shape of GRX shifters are different than the DA
ones and the D-fly buttons are now on the inside of the hoods. The frame
is beautifully made and the bike is'boring' to look at, as intended. Only
interesting for a real insider/connaisseur.
Ride home from the shop:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/xzgaZuCmV9yoaiLA7

Lou


Nice pic