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What's the point?



 
 
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  #1  
Old January 17th 19, 01:25 AM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
James[_8_]
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Posts: 6,153
Default What's the point?

What's the point of clip less pedals. People ride happily with flat pedals.

What's the point of gear levers integrated with the brake levers?
People ride happily with gear levers on the down tube, or no gears at all!

What's the point of disc brakes? People happily use rim brakes.

What's the point of multitudes of bottom bracket bearing designs?
People ride happily with regular square tapered axles and cranks to fit.

What's the point of through axles? People ride happily with quick
release axles or solid axles.

What's the point of A-Head head sets? People ride happily with threaded
steerers and head set assemblies.

What's the point of .... I think you see my frustration with the current
thread.


I haven't bothered going tubeless on my newly acquired gravel touring
bike (1) with 42mm WTB Resolute tyres. If I start getting punctures or
run out of traction and want lower pressure, and think tubeless goop
will help, I might try then.

(1) Marin, Four Corners.

--
JS
Ads
  #2  
Old January 17th 19, 02:47 AM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
JBeattie
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Posts: 5,870
Default What's the point?

On Wednesday, January 16, 2019 at 4:25:21 PM UTC-8, James wrote:
What's the point of clip less pedals. People ride happily with flat pedals.

What's the point of gear levers integrated with the brake levers?
People ride happily with gear levers on the down tube, or no gears at all!

What's the point of disc brakes? People happily use rim brakes.

What's the point of multitudes of bottom bracket bearing designs?
People ride happily with regular square tapered axles and cranks to fit.

What's the point of through axles? People ride happily with quick
release axles or solid axles.

What's the point of A-Head head sets? People ride happily with threaded
steerers and head set assemblies.

What's the point of .... I think you see my frustration with the current
thread.


I haven't bothered going tubeless on my newly acquired gravel touring
bike (1) with 42mm WTB Resolute tyres. If I start getting punctures or
run out of traction and want lower pressure, and think tubeless goop
will help, I might try then.

(1) Marin, Four Corners.


That looks like a good value bike, assuming no significant price penalty in Australia. I kinda wish I had stuck with 9 speed on my commuter, but I wanted hydraulic discs because of a really draggy rear cable run on the CAADX and a weak first-gen BB7. I got a killer deal on the levers so I upgraded. I should have resisted.

-- Jay Beattie.
  #3  
Old January 17th 19, 10:57 AM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
Andre Jute[_2_]
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Posts: 10,422
Default What's the point?

On Thursday, January 17, 2019 at 1:47:59 AM UTC, jbeattie wrote:
I got a killer deal on the levers so I upgraded. I should have resisted.


Another thread turned political in its second post...

Andre Jute
Luddite: I LIKE square taper bottom brackets!
  #4  
Old January 17th 19, 11:33 AM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
Andre Jute[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 10,422
Default What's the point?

On Thursday, January 17, 2019 at 12:25:21 AM UTC, James wrote:
What's the point of clip less pedals. People ride happily with flat pedals.


VP-191, silky smooth if a little small under my size 12s.

What's the point of gear levers integrated with the brake levers?
People ride happily with gear levers on the down tube, or no gears at all!


People claim to be happy with a great many components that could be better designed in cycling, in the main because they think that suffering for your sport proves your manliness. It's a leftover from when cycling was a workingman's sport and killer endurance races were the norm. It's weird today, when the vast majority of cyclists are middle-class professionals, to see the same attitudes. Worse when the cyclists are engineers who definitely do know better.

I'd pay extra for a hydraulic brake lever integrated with a Rohloff rotary control, simply to recover space on my North Road handlebars. But that's a convenience and aesthetic judgement, not really a functional one as the bike I have in mind has worked fine with separate fixtures for 10K.

What's the point of disc brakes? People happily use rim brakes.


I have hydraulic discs. My discs are 622mm.

What's the point of multitudes of bottom bracket bearing designs?
People ride happily with regular square tapered axles and cranks to fit.


Square tape an effective design. Some of the rest may have engineering justifications, but most seem to me to be marketing exercises to corner a pot of money by establishing your own "standard".

What's the point of through axles? People ride happily with quick
release axles or solid axles.

What's the point of A-Head head sets? People ride happily with threaded
steerers and head set assemblies.


Actually, the A-Head assembly is one I approve of, because it requires fewer, more common tools to set up than the threaded headset. That said, on my everyday bike I actually lock down the A-head steerer tube and its associated bearings with a lockring (I use seatpost lockrings in these assemblies) at which the preload is set which is the point of the A-head, then insert a threaded type steering extender and lock it into the steerer tube to gain extra steer height, then fit the stem to that -- there's very little load on the spacers in between the stem and the locking.

Also, the A-head can be adjusted on the road, whereas a threaded headset is -- in my experience anyway -- unlikely to budge in response to the short spanner you can fit in a take-along bicycle toolkit.

What's the point of .... I think you see my frustration with the current
thread.


Well, here's another one for you: what's the point of a flat back on a bike, of contorting your body to drop handlebars?

I haven't bothered going tubeless on my newly acquired gravel touring
bike (1) with 42mm WTB Resolute tyres. If I start getting punctures or
run out of traction and want lower pressure, and think tubeless goop
will help, I might try then.

(1) Marin, Four Corners.


A point definitely arrives on my Big Apple 60mm balloons when you will get fishbites. For me it's pretty low, around 1.5 bar, but my roads are all blacktop, including even the smallest lanes. What happens is that you hit a pothole at speed on a downhill and your ride is instantly ruined. I haven't ridden on gravel roads since I lived in Australia, but I'd expect my tyres to be good at about 2.4 bar on good gravel and nearer 3 bar on gravel due for grading -- at which point they ride like their wretched cousins, the Marathon Plus. One would also want to know something of the sidewalls of your Resolute tyres.

Andre Jute
Ah, gravel roads, I remember them more fondly than they deserve
  #5  
Old January 17th 19, 12:18 PM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
[email protected]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 28
Default What's the point?

On Wednesday, January 16, 2019 at 7:25:21 PM UTC-5, James wrote:
What's the point of clip less pedals. People ride happily with flat pedals.

What's the point of gear levers integrated with the brake levers?
People ride happily with gear levers on the down tube, or no gears at all!

What's the point of disc brakes? People happily use rim brakes.

What's the point of multitudes of bottom bracket bearing designs?
People ride happily with regular square tapered axles and cranks to fit.

What's the point of through axles? People ride happily with quick
release axles or solid axles.

What's the point of A-Head head sets? People ride happily with threaded
steerers and head set assemblies.

What's the point of .... I think you see my frustration with the current
thread.


I haven't bothered going tubeless on my newly acquired gravel touring
bike (1) with 42mm WTB Resolute tyres. If I start getting punctures or
run out of traction and want lower pressure, and think tubeless goop
will help, I might try then.

(1) Marin, Four Corners.

--
JS


freakin' luddites...."if'n it was good enough fer mah pappy, it's good enough fer me! MAGA!!!!!!"
  #6  
Old January 17th 19, 10:29 PM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
[email protected]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,261
Default What's the point?

On Thursday, January 17, 2019 at 3:18:31 AM UTC-8, wrote:
On Wednesday, January 16, 2019 at 7:25:21 PM UTC-5, James wrote:
What's the point of clip less pedals. People ride happily with flat pedals.

What's the point of gear levers integrated with the brake levers?
People ride happily with gear levers on the down tube, or no gears at all!

What's the point of disc brakes? People happily use rim brakes.

What's the point of multitudes of bottom bracket bearing designs?
People ride happily with regular square tapered axles and cranks to fit.

What's the point of through axles? People ride happily with quick
release axles or solid axles.

What's the point of A-Head head sets? People ride happily with threaded
steerers and head set assemblies.

What's the point of .... I think you see my frustration with the current
thread.


I haven't bothered going tubeless on my newly acquired gravel touring
bike (1) with 42mm WTB Resolute tyres. If I start getting punctures or
run out of traction and want lower pressure, and think tubeless goop
will help, I might try then.

(1) Marin, Four Corners.

--
JS


freakin' luddites...."if'n it was good enough fer mah pappy, it's good enough fer me! MAGA!!!!!!"


There's a homeless encampment waiting for you.
  #7  
Old January 17th 19, 10:33 PM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
[email protected]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 28
Default What's the point?

On Thursday, January 17, 2019 at 4:29:11 PM UTC-5, wrote:
On Thursday, January 17, 2019 at 3:18:31 AM UTC-8, wrote:
On Wednesday, January 16, 2019 at 7:25:21 PM UTC-5, James wrote:
What's the point of clip less pedals. People ride happily with flat pedals.

What's the point of gear levers integrated with the brake levers?
People ride happily with gear levers on the down tube, or no gears at all!

What's the point of disc brakes? People happily use rim brakes.

What's the point of multitudes of bottom bracket bearing designs?
People ride happily with regular square tapered axles and cranks to fit.

What's the point of through axles? People ride happily with quick
release axles or solid axles.

What's the point of A-Head head sets? People ride happily with threaded
steerers and head set assemblies.

What's the point of .... I think you see my frustration with the current
thread.


I haven't bothered going tubeless on my newly acquired gravel touring
bike (1) with 42mm WTB Resolute tyres. If I start getting punctures or
run out of traction and want lower pressure, and think tubeless goop
will help, I might try then.

(1) Marin, Four Corners.

--
JS


freakin' luddites...."if'n it was good enough fer mah pappy, it's good enough fer me! MAGA!!!!!!"


There's a homeless encampment waiting for you.


Why would I go to a homeless encampment when I have a home with a paid-up mortgage?
  #8  
Old January 18th 19, 12:09 AM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
James[_8_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 6,153
Default What's the point?

On 17/1/19 9:33 pm, Andre Jute wrote:
On Thursday, January 17, 2019 at 12:25:21 AM UTC, James wrote:



What's the point of disc brakes? People happily use rim brakes.


I have hydraulic discs. My discs are 622mm.


My wife made a comment to a mate about me, as I was digging a hole to
find a storm water pipe, "He's not very muscly." Our mate replied after
seeing the veins erupting from my arms, "Looks like the hydraulics are
working fine though!"

Seems I've had 622 mm hydraulic/cable discs for about 3 decades ;-)

I haven't bothered going tubeless on my newly acquired gravel
touring bike (1) with 42mm WTB Resolute tyres. If I start getting
punctures or run out of traction and want lower pressure, and think
tubeless goop will help, I might try then.

(1) Marin, Four Corners.


A point definitely arrives on my Big Apple 60mm balloons when you
will get fishbites. For me it's pretty low, around 1.5 bar, but my
roads are all blacktop, including even the smallest lanes. What
happens is that you hit a pothole at speed on a downhill and your
ride is instantly ruined. I haven't ridden on gravel roads since I
lived in Australia, but I'd expect my tyres to be good at about 2.4
bar on good gravel and nearer 3 bar on gravel due for grading -- at
which point they ride like their wretched cousins, the Marathon Plus.
One would also want to know something of the sidewalls of your
Resolute tyres.


The WTB Resolute tyres seem ok to me. On the road they are not a
terrible drag. The overall weight of the bike is a drag to ride up
hill, but that's to be expected. On gravel the tyres seem to grip well
enough. I don't have much to compare with though.


For some strange reason the sidewalls are marked with a _minimum_
pressure of something like 50 psi. (It may be 55. I can't remember
exactly, but it was 50 or 50 something.)


With 50 psi in the 42 mm tyres, it is fine on smooth bitumen, but very
rough on gravel roads. I've let them down to about 40 psi for gravel,
with the bike only carrying me (75 kg).

--
JS
  #9  
Old January 18th 19, 05:16 PM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
[email protected]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,261
Default What's the point?

On Thursday, January 17, 2019 at 1:33:37 PM UTC-8, wrote:
On Thursday, January 17, 2019 at 4:29:11 PM UTC-5, wrote:
On Thursday, January 17, 2019 at 3:18:31 AM UTC-8, wrote:
On Wednesday, January 16, 2019 at 7:25:21 PM UTC-5, James wrote:
What's the point of clip less pedals. People ride happily with flat pedals.

What's the point of gear levers integrated with the brake levers?
People ride happily with gear levers on the down tube, or no gears at all!

What's the point of disc brakes? People happily use rim brakes.

What's the point of multitudes of bottom bracket bearing designs?
People ride happily with regular square tapered axles and cranks to fit.

What's the point of through axles? People ride happily with quick
release axles or solid axles.

What's the point of A-Head head sets? People ride happily with threaded
steerers and head set assemblies.

What's the point of .... I think you see my frustration with the current
thread.


I haven't bothered going tubeless on my newly acquired gravel touring
bike (1) with 42mm WTB Resolute tyres. If I start getting punctures or
run out of traction and want lower pressure, and think tubeless goop
will help, I might try then.

(1) Marin, Four Corners.

--
JS

freakin' luddites...."if'n it was good enough fer mah pappy, it's good enough fer me! MAGA!!!!!!"


There's a homeless encampment waiting for you.


Why would I go to a homeless encampment when I have a home with a paid-up mortgage?


Your Mommy's home doesn't count.
  #10  
Old January 18th 19, 05:19 PM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
[email protected]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,261
Default What's the point?

On Thursday, January 17, 2019 at 3:10:13 PM UTC-8, James wrote:
On 17/1/19 9:33 pm, Andre Jute wrote:
On Thursday, January 17, 2019 at 12:25:21 AM UTC, James wrote:



What's the point of disc brakes? People happily use rim brakes.


I have hydraulic discs. My discs are 622mm.


My wife made a comment to a mate about me, as I was digging a hole to
find a storm water pipe, "He's not very muscly." Our mate replied after
seeing the veins erupting from my arms, "Looks like the hydraulics are
working fine though!"

Seems I've had 622 mm hydraulic/cable discs for about 3 decades ;-)

I haven't bothered going tubeless on my newly acquired gravel
touring bike (1) with 42mm WTB Resolute tyres. If I start getting
punctures or run out of traction and want lower pressure, and think
tubeless goop will help, I might try then.

(1) Marin, Four Corners.


A point definitely arrives on my Big Apple 60mm balloons when you
will get fishbites. For me it's pretty low, around 1.5 bar, but my
roads are all blacktop, including even the smallest lanes. What
happens is that you hit a pothole at speed on a downhill and your
ride is instantly ruined. I haven't ridden on gravel roads since I
lived in Australia, but I'd expect my tyres to be good at about 2.4
bar on good gravel and nearer 3 bar on gravel due for grading -- at
which point they ride like their wretched cousins, the Marathon Plus.
One would also want to know something of the sidewalls of your
Resolute tyres.


The WTB Resolute tyres seem ok to me. On the road they are not a
terrible drag. The overall weight of the bike is a drag to ride up
hill, but that's to be expected. On gravel the tyres seem to grip well
enough. I don't have much to compare with though.


For some strange reason the sidewalls are marked with a _minimum_
pressure of something like 50 psi. (It may be 55. I can't remember
exactly, but it was 50 or 50 something.)


With 50 psi in the 42 mm tyres, it is fine on smooth bitumen, but very
rough on gravel roads. I've let them down to about 40 psi for gravel,
with the bike only carrying me (75 kg).

--
JS


James, today's high performance wheels are very light and they wear out rapidly with rim brakes. It is a lot simpler and cheaper to replace disks and disk brake pads. This is especially handy with carbon wheels which cost so damn much.
 




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