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#1
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Spring bike mechanical review questions.
Hi, Group...
I'm the Old Fool who started what was supposed to be mild offroad trail biking two years ago. I have kept it up, and it has done me a lot of good. I am 62 this year, but my physicals say I am in better shape than when I was forty (Partly due to eliminating some destructive party behaviour, but...) Anyway, it is Restless Feet Season, I have been out a few times despite the cold (0°C right now), have been going all over the Specialized Expedition Elite, and must confess to Serious Bike Abuse. It seems that as last season wore on and I got fitter, I began to stray onto New England Mountain Bike Assn. trails. As a result, I see I have some work to do...I know, buy a mountain bike, if I am going to do those...! So, I have been going all over http://www.sheldonbrown.com, and I see that my bike has been "rode hard and put up wet". As an ex-motorcyclist,I have maintained the chain and sprockets well, and the Shimano shifters work positively. However: 1) Spokes. How often are these supposed to need tensioning? The article on tuning by pitch indicates that at present, my spokes need to be written with a bass cleff! 2) Fork shocks. May have to be replaced. Are these really supposed to have adjustable preload? The manual that came with the Expedition really has no details at all, except "Bring it to a bike shop"-(Dammit NO! If I can keep my Jaguar running, I can fix a bike! At least the bike does not have a Lucas ignition!!!) .. Is there a GOOD aftermarket technical manual for these bikes? I have diligently searched the Web, or I wouldn't ask. I will be riding with a physical fitness freak/Gym Rat this season, with the condition that we wil be staying off the mountain bike trails. She likes her Trek too much, so this will be a Good Thing. Counting Down to March! |
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#2
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Spring bike mechanical review questions.
"Methusaleh" wrote in message ... Hi, Group... I'm the Old Fool who started what was supposed to be mild offroad trail biking two years ago. I have kept it up, and it has done me a lot of good. I am 62 this year, but my physicals say I am in better shape than when I was forty (Partly due to eliminating some destructive party behaviour, but...) Anyway, it is Restless Feet Season, I have been out a few times despite the cold (0°C right now), have been going all over the Specialized Expedition Elite, and must confess to Serious Bike Abuse. It seems that as last season wore on and I got fitter, I began to stray onto New England Mountain Bike Assn. trails. As a result, I see I have some work to do...I know, buy a mountain bike, if I am going to do those...! So, I have been going all over http://www.sheldonbrown.com, and I see that my bike has been "rode hard and put up wet". As an ex-motorcyclist,I have maintained the chain and sprockets well, and the Shimano shifters work positively. However: 1) Spokes. How often are these supposed to need tensioning? The article on tuning by pitch indicates that at present, my spokes need to be written with a bass cleff! 2) Fork shocks. May have to be replaced. Are these really supposed to have adjustable preload? The manual that came with the Expedition really has no details at all, except "Bring it to a bike shop"-(Dammit NO! If I can keep my Jaguar running, I can fix a bike! At least the bike does not have a Lucas ignition!!!) . Is there a GOOD aftermarket technical manual for these bikes? I have diligently searched the Web, or I wouldn't ask. I will be riding with a physical fitness freak/Gym Rat this season, with the condition that we wil be staying off the mountain bike trails. She likes her Trek too much, so this will be a Good Thing. Counting Down to March! I'd just like to say that if you can keep a Jaguar, or any Lucas items going, then you could quite easily fix a spaceship, run the United States, build a skyscraper, design a new computer along with the operating system, leap tall buildings and a host of other things. Biking is not for you at all. Go flying, welding with your x-ray vision, saving the planet from asteroids, mopping up oil spills and that sort of thing. I hope you get a good price for the bike. |
#3
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Spring bike mechanical review questions.
I'd just like to say that if you can keep a Jaguar, or any Lucas items going, I have the MANUALS for the Jag. That makes it EASY! then you could quite easily fix a spaceship, I worked for JPL for years. When things are well documented, it's not a problem. run the United States, Given the class of people who DO, that's hardly a distinction. Biking is not for you at all. Go flying, Flight MANUALS are available. Little kids fly. It's EASY! Properly trimmed, the plane flies itself. My squawk is with the manual (Pamphlet, if that) supplied by Specialized that repeats over and over, "Since your last job was playing the banjo in "Deliverance", you are far too STUPID to attempt to fix a bicycle." It renders me indignant, and makes me want to buy 6-4 Ti tubing and a TIG welder and give them a gesture. I hope you get a good price for the bike. If I like the bike well enough to ride it to death, it's HARDLY for sale. One could argue that in only two seasons, I got my money out of it. That's not even beer money. Every mile hereafter is a bonus. |
#4
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Spring bike mechanical review questions.
Methusaleh wrote:
Hi, Group... I'm the Old Fool who started what was supposed to be mild offroad trail biking two years ago. I have kept it up, and it has done me a lot of good. I am 62 this year, By calling yourself those names you're calling everybody else your age or older the same. I think you are a fool, anyway. |
#5
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Spring bike mechanical review questions.
By calling yourself those names you're calling everybody else your age or older the same. No, that's just the self-effacing name I have used on here for two seasons. There are people twenty years older than I am who ride Centuries, and we all know it. I think you are a fool, anyway. Well, then THIS will really get you going: I don't dress up specially when I ride, either. In some circles, that's a real crime, and I meet them once in a while. |
#6
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Spring bike mechanical review questions.
Methusaleh wrote:
By calling yourself those names you're calling everybody else your age or older the same. No, that's just the self-effacing name I have used on here for two seasons. There are people twenty years older than I am who ride Centuries, and we all know it. I think you are a fool, anyway. Well, then THIS will really get you going: I don't dress up specially when I ride, either. In some circles, that's a real crime, and I meet them once in a while. Join my circle and do centuries in Levi jeans. Irritates some of these elite snobs to no end. I am 57 and enjoy off roading and downhilling that scares the crap out of my 13 year old grandson and his friends. Welcome to the society of insanity. Bill |
#7
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Spring bike mechanical review questions.
"Peter Cole" wrote in message ... Methusaleh wrote: Hi, Group... I'm the Old Fool who started what was supposed to be mild offroad trail biking two years ago. I have kept it up, and it has done me a lot of good. I am 62 this year, By calling yourself those names you're calling everybody else your age or older the same. I think you are a fool, anyway. Your first statement is ridiculous. He makes no mention of others his age or older. Your second statement is simply an opinion, and a pretty dopey one at that! |
#8
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Spring bike mechanical review questions.
I think you are a fool, anyway. Well, then THIS will really get you going: I don't dress up specially when I ride, either. In some circles, that's a real crime, and I meet them once in a while. Join my circle and do centuries in Levi jeans. Irritates some of these elite snobs to no end. I am 57 and enjoy off roading and downhilling that scares the crap out of my 13 year old grandson and his friends. Welcome to the society of insanity. There is some of it, but not all that much on the Trails. I find the vast majority of people in the real world are gregarious and good humoured. While I may get snarled at on here a couple of times, generally the worst that happens on the trail is the kind of look one would get for showing up wearing white shoes after Labour Day, etc. Now, there IS the occasional hard-core cultist that nearly gasps in indignation if one is Out Of Costume, and it must be especially grating when they are BEHIND you, watching the Levis disappear in the distance. Maybe we are supposed to just slink home and lay on the sofa getting beer drunk because of our Crimes Against Fashion? Though, this year I am going to buy some proper attire, for my own comfort. After I change the oil and work in the garden in them long enough, and they look as disreputable as possible, I will then enjoy them for their actual function of riding cooler and more comfortably, rather than to show the World how serious, ponderous, important about-me fashion-conscious I am. How's that for a compromise!? :-) I do deeply respect anyone who completes a century, though, even if they do a Lady Godiva, or wear a tux. Maybe this year. But it will not be on the Hybrid! |
#9
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Spring bike mechanical review questions.
On Sun, 26 Feb 2006 13:09:42 +1300, "Fred"
wrote: Your first statement is ridiculous. He makes no mention of others his age or older. Your second statement is simply an opinion, and a pretty dopey one at that! I think it simply has been a long Winter, everyone has been cooped up too long, and soon, after a hundred miles, everyone will be fine. |
#10
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Spring bike mechanical review questions.
Methusaleh wrote:
I think you are a fool, anyway. Well, then THIS will really get you going: I don't dress up specially when I ride, either. In some circles, that's a real crime, and I meet them once in a while. Join my circle and do centuries in Levi jeans. Irritates some of these elite snobs to no end. I am 57 and enjoy off roading and downhilling that scares the crap out of my 13 year old grandson and his friends. Welcome to the society of insanity. There is some of it, but not all that much on the Trails. I find the vast majority of people in the real world are gregarious and good humoured. While I may get snarled at on here a couple of times, generally the worst that happens on the trail is the kind of look one would get for showing up wearing white shoes after Labour Day, etc. Now, there IS the occasional hard-core cultist that nearly gasps in indignation if one is Out Of Costume, and it must be especially grating when they are BEHIND you, watching the Levis disappear in the distance. Maybe we are supposed to just slink home and lay on the sofa getting beer drunk because of our Crimes Against Fashion? Though, this year I am going to buy some proper attire, for my own comfort. After I change the oil and work in the garden in them long enough, and they look as disreputable as possible, I will then enjoy them for their actual function of riding cooler and more comfortably, rather than to show the World how serious, ponderous, important about-me fashion-conscious I am. How's that for a compromise!? :-) I do deeply respect anyone who completes a century, though, even if they do a Lady Godiva, or wear a tux. Maybe this year. But it will not be on the Hybrid! I do them on my mountain bike since part of them is off road and I need to carry lots of food and water. And they are not 4 hour centuries since I take plenty of tome to stop and BS with people along the way. About 8 hours total for a mellow century in the summer. Bill |
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