On 2017-05-19 06:30, wrote:
On Friday, May 19, 2017 at 12:07:11 AM UTC-7, John B. wrote:
On Thu, 18 May 2017 23:43:26 -0400, Frank Krygowski
wrote:

On 5/18/2017 11:22 PM, John B. wrote:
On Thu, 18 May 2017 10:02:20 -0700 (PDT), Sir Ridesalot
wrote:

On Thursday, May 18, 2017 at 1:14:41 AM UTC-4, John B.
wrote:
On Wed, 17 May 2017 12:13:05 -0400, Frank Krygowski
wrote:

On 5/17/2017 2:36 AM, James wrote:
I thought this might be interesting to some people,
enough for them to pass comment.

Perhaps not, or it got lost in the noise about 14 year
old record and Shimano Headsets?

On 15/05/17 13:19, James wrote:
http://www.mtbiking.com.au/news/banger-anti-flat-system



Looks like the black foam lagging a plumber might use when installing
hot water pipes.

It didn't seem different enough from a dozen similar
attempts over the years. It looks like yet another
example of bicycle-related re-invention.

Plus I rarely ride the mountain bike these days.

I've got a mountain bike frame that I use as a utility
bike. I removed the front forks and replaced them with a
solid fork and added drop bars as I find them more
comfortable. The most noticeable difference is that the 1.5
inch tires don't seem to lose pressure as quickly as a road
bile with 23mm tires. -- Cheers,

John B.

I've converted a number of older rigid frame/forks MTB to
drop bar and bar end shifteres. They make fantastic touring
bikes and tires for them can be bought almost anywhere.

A lot of people like them for riding on dirt roads or roads
with big cracks and potholed pavement.

With brifters a drop bar MTB is the cat's meow.

Cheers

I wonder, after you changed the original telescoping front fork
to solid and add drop bars and brifters, can it still be called
a "MTB" :-?

An aside. The utility bile is all aluminum, frame and forks,
and still weighs more then my all steel road bike :-)

A further aside: One friend of mine left town for employment
with a bike touring company. His job became riding with
coast-to-coast or other long distance riders on his company's
tours. He was soon spending most of his life on the bike.

When one tour came through our area, I was among those who rode
out to meet him again. He was on a very different bike than the
standard road bike he used to use. He was now on a fully
suspended mountain bike frame, but with aero 26" wheels, smooth
tires, and swoopy aero road bars with forearm or elbow resting
pads. Supposedly the frame was extremely expensive, so probably
fairly light. (I don't remember the frame material.)

Thorn Cycles, Ltd., who makes what are essentially bespoke bikes,
while I wouldn't say that they recommend 26" wheels for touring
certainly do highlight their advantages.

I've ridden only one full suspension bike and that was probably
for 200 meters or so, but standing while climbing was a very
different sensation then my road bikes. Basically it felt like the
bile was bending in the middle with every pedal stroke. I found it
very uncomfortable.

Interestingly Thorn also seems to be very positive about using the
Rohloff Hub for touring which was surprising after all I've read
about complex oil changes and maintenance of the hubs.

When you're on a real steep off-road climb you sit. The front end is
so heavy that you can't lift them off of the ground with a low gear
so you don't have to stand.


Not really. The front coming off the ground is a common occurrence on a
MTB. There are climbs where I have to not just stand but also bend my
upper body over the handlebar so this does not happen.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/