Felt F55X

On 3/14/2021 12:39 PM, Tom Kunich wrote:

On Saturday, March 13, 2021 at 11:52:40 PM UTC-8, Roger Merriman wrote:

Tom Kunich wrote:

On Saturday, March 13, 2021 at 12:43:09 PM UTC-8, wrote:
Op zaterdag 13 maart 2021 om 16:33:17 UTC+1 schreef Frank Krygowski:
On 3/12/2021 10:45 PM, jbeattie wrote:
On Friday, March 12, 2021 at 11:12:27 AM UTC-8, wrote:

People rarely race on gravel though no doubt they will end up doing
that. You can't prevent 20 year old's from acting like 12 year old's

WTF? Gravel racing is huge.
https://www.cyclingnews.com/features...es-in-the-usa/
My son's former roommate and current workmate -- and Pro U23 enduro
national champion -- won this one:
https://www.cxmagazine.com/zach-calt...ar-gravel-race Zach
Calton, great kid.
In Tom's defense, gravel races may be getting more common, but any
sample of "gravel bike" owners will only rarely find one who races.
Most gravel bike owners want to ride in places away from the crowded
roads on a bike they think is most suitable. I'm one of them. I only race against myself.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/aLmyAeaudT2zXKqu7
https://photos.app.goo.gl/sCD6v8qUXQAtP6xk6

Photo's taken two weeks apart (Febr.12 and febr 26).
Lou, That is rather beautiful landscape and the reason that gravel bikes
are becoming so popular.


Very much this, it Gravel bike allows me to link together old
airports/forgotten roads framers tacks etc.

I can still tacked roads if I want to, but it’s a choice.


I bought a Zitto BB386 bottom brank and when it arrived I realized that it was 30 mm shaft diameter. So I bought a quick delivery BB that said it was 24 mm. Stupid me, rather than listen to Jay, I assumed that this was a 42 x 24 mm bearing. In fact it was the same 30 mm bearings but in a plastic container and with a couple of 24 mm adapters. Well, the BB was designed BB386 so the adapters made marginally too wide. But worst of all the plastic casing allowed the 41 x 30 bearings to rock in the BB and the adapters made it worse. Well I installed the bottom bracket with a BB press, and it was pretty tight. The crappy engineering was the the pushing the two halves together caused the outer shell to expand so that it is locked in place. A normal bearing extractor isn't getting anywhere and now I have to figure out how to get that crappy BB out of there to replace it with the Zitto. From there I have to decide whether to use those adapters that may make it too wide for the XT crankset or get a 30 mm shaft off-road crankset. This is about the last thing to do aside from bleeding the Avid brakes. I need only install the chain.



Wow.

--
- Frank Krygowski

On 3/14/2021 3:52 AM, Roger Merriman wrote:
Tom Kunich wrote:
On Saturday, March 13, 2021 at 12:43:09 PM UTC-8, wrote:
Op zaterdag 13 maart 2021 om 16:33:17 UTC+1 schreef Frank Krygowski:

In Tom's defense, gravel races may be getting more common, but any
sample of "gravel bike" owners will only rarely find one who races.
Most gravel bike owners want to ride in places away from the crowded
roads on a bike they think is most suitable. I'm one of them. I only race against myself.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/aLmyAeaudT2zXKqu7
https://photos.app.goo.gl/sCD6v8qUXQAtP6xk6

Photo's taken two weeks apart (Febr.12 and febr 26).
Lou, That is rather beautiful landscape and the reason that gravel bikes
are becoming so popular.


Very much this, it Gravel bike allows me to link together old
airports/forgotten roads framers tacks etc.

I can still tacked roads if I want to, but it’s a choice.

As usual, I'm bemused by the ever changing fashions.

Just a few years ago, people posting here arguing with my contention
that close clearance frames had no practical benefit. And I was derided
for helping a friend shop for a bike and rejecting bikes that wouldn't
take a 28mm tire.

I have no problem with people wanting to ride gravel, although I don't
have much respect for driving 20 miles to ride five miles on a gravel
road. But I'm amazed at how quickly people are convinced to change their
tastes.

Fashion and marketing: Weird and powerful!

--
- Frank Krygowski

On Sunday, March 14, 2021 at 10:25:53 AM UTC-7, Frank Krygowski wrote:
On 3/14/2021 3:52 AM, Roger Merriman wrote:
Tom Kunich wrote:
On Saturday, March 13, 2021 at 12:43:09 PM UTC-8, wrote:
Op zaterdag 13 maart 2021 om 16:33:17 UTC+1 schreef Frank Krygowski:

In Tom's defense, gravel races may be getting more common, but any
sample of "gravel bike" owners will only rarely find one who races.
Most gravel bike owners want to ride in places away from the crowded
roads on a bike they think is most suitable. I'm one of them. I only race against myself.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/aLmyAeaudT2zXKqu7
https://photos.app.goo.gl/sCD6v8qUXQAtP6xk6

Photo's taken two weeks apart (Febr.12 and febr 26).
Lou, That is rather beautiful landscape and the reason that gravel bikes
are becoming so popular.


Very much this, it Gravel bike allows me to link together old
airports/forgotten roads framers tacks etc.

I can still tacked roads if I want to, but it’s a choice.
As usual, I'm bemused by the ever changing fashions.

Just a few years ago, people posting here arguing with my contention
that close clearance frames had no practical benefit. And I was derided
for helping a friend shop for a bike and rejecting bikes that wouldn't
take a 28mm tire.

I have no problem with people wanting to ride gravel, although I don't
have much respect for driving 20 miles to ride five miles on a gravel
road. But I'm amazed at how quickly people are convinced to change their
tastes.

Fashion and marketing: Weird and powerful!

Frank, as usual you speak of things you have little understanding of. What about riding 5 miles to do a very hilly and difficult 30 miles followed by a 600 foot climb on the road as part of the 4 mile ride home? What about 2 miles on the road to a 40 or 50 mile ride or more rife on a flat gravel road. have very little respect for people that have never been out of their own backyard.

On Sunday, March 14, 2021 at 10:42:28 AM UTC-7, Tom Kunich wrote:
On Sunday, March 14, 2021 at 10:25:53 AM UTC-7, Frank Krygowski wrote:
On 3/14/2021 3:52 AM, Roger Merriman wrote:
Tom Kunich wrote:
On Saturday, March 13, 2021 at 12:43:09 PM UTC-8, wrote:
Op zaterdag 13 maart 2021 om 16:33:17 UTC+1 schreef Frank Krygowski:

In Tom's defense, gravel races may be getting more common, but any
sample of "gravel bike" owners will only rarely find one who races..
Most gravel bike owners want to ride in places away from the crowded
roads on a bike they think is most suitable. I'm one of them. I only race against myself.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/aLmyAeaudT2zXKqu7
https://photos.app.goo.gl/sCD6v8qUXQAtP6xk6

Photo's taken two weeks apart (Febr.12 and febr 26).
Lou, That is rather beautiful landscape and the reason that gravel bikes
are becoming so popular.


Very much this, it Gravel bike allows me to link together old
airports/forgotten roads framers tacks etc.

I can still tacked roads if I want to, but it’s a choice.
As usual, I'm bemused by the ever changing fashions.

Just a few years ago, people posting here arguing with my contention
that close clearance frames had no practical benefit. And I was derided
for helping a friend shop for a bike and rejecting bikes that wouldn't
take a 28mm tire.

I have no problem with people wanting to ride gravel, although I don't
have much respect for driving 20 miles to ride five miles on a gravel
road. But I'm amazed at how quickly people are convinced to change their
tastes.

Fashion and marketing: Weird and powerful!
Frank, as usual you speak of things you have little understanding of. What about riding 5 miles to do a very hilly and difficult 30 miles followed by a 600 foot climb on the road as part of the 4 mile ride home? What about 2 miles on the road to a 40 or 50 mile ride or more rife on a flat gravel road. have very little respect for people that have never been out of their own backyard.

And this entirely discounts driving over to the coast where gravel roads are almost endless. Or up to the Sierra's or northern California where there are more gravel roads than paved one's.

On 3/14/2021 12:25 PM, Frank Krygowski wrote:
On 3/14/2021 3:52 AM, Roger Merriman wrote:
Tom Kunich wrote:
On Saturday, March 13, 2021 at 12:43:09 PM UTC-8,
wrote:
Op zaterdag 13 maart 2021 om 16:33:17 UTC+1 schreef
Frank Krygowski:

In Tom's defense, gravel races may be getting more
common, but any
sample of "gravel bike" owners will only rarely find
one who races.
Most gravel bike owners want to ride in places away from
the crowded
roads on a bike they think is most suitable. I'm one of
them. I only race against myself.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/aLmyAeaudT2zXKqu7
https://photos.app.goo.gl/sCD6v8qUXQAtP6xk6

Photo's taken two weeks apart (Febr.12 and febr 26).
Lou, That is rather beautiful landscape and the reason
that gravel bikes
are becoming so popular.


Very much this, it Gravel bike allows me to link together old
airports/forgotten roads framers tacks etc.

I can still tacked roads if I want to, but it’s a choice.

As usual, I'm bemused by the ever changing fashions.

Just a few years ago, people posting here arguing with my
contention that close clearance frames had no practical
benefit. And I was derided for helping a friend shop for a
bike and rejecting bikes that wouldn't take a 28mm tire.

I have no problem with people wanting to ride gravel,
although I don't have much respect for driving 20 miles to
ride five miles on a gravel road. But I'm amazed at how
quickly people are convinced to change their tastes.

Fashion and marketing: Weird and powerful!


Why play a musical instrument when you can just turn on the
radio? Odd fashion as well.

--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org/
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

AMuzi wrote:
On 3/14/2021 12:25 PM, Frank Krygowski wrote:
On 3/14/2021 3:52 AM, Roger Merriman wrote:
Tom Kunich wrote:
On Saturday, March 13, 2021 at 12:43:09 PM UTC-8,
wrote:
Op zaterdag 13 maart 2021 om 16:33:17 UTC+1 schreef
Frank Krygowski:

In Tom's defense, gravel races may be getting more
common, but any
sample of "gravel bike" owners will only rarely find
one who races.
Most gravel bike owners want to ride in places away from
the crowded
roads on a bike they think is most suitable. I'm one of
them. I only race against myself.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/aLmyAeaudT2zXKqu7
https://photos.app.goo.gl/sCD6v8qUXQAtP6xk6

Photo's taken two weeks apart (Febr.12 and febr 26).
Lou, That is rather beautiful landscape and the reason
that gravel bikes
are becoming so popular.


Very much this, it Gravel bike allows me to link together old
airports/forgotten roads framers tacks etc.

I can still tacked roads if I want to, but it’s a choice.

As usual, I'm bemused by the ever changing fashions.

Just a few years ago, people posting here arguing with my
contention that close clearance frames had no practical
benefit. And I was derided for helping a friend shop for a
bike and rejecting bikes that wouldn't take a 28mm tire.

I have no problem with people wanting to ride gravel,
although I don't have much respect for driving 20 miles to
ride five miles on a gravel road. But I'm amazed at how
quickly people are convinced to change their tastes.

Fashion and marketing: Weird and powerful!


Why play a musical instrument when you can just turn on the
radio? Odd fashion as well.


Because the people on the radio play musical instruments better than I do?
On the other hand, I don’t watch the TDF or pro cycling because I’d rather
go out and ride instead of watching other people do it.

On Sunday, March 14, 2021 at 11:04:49 AM UTC-7, AMuzi wrote:
On 3/14/2021 12:25 PM, Frank Krygowski wrote:
On 3/14/2021 3:52 AM, Roger Merriman wrote:
Tom Kunich wrote:
On Saturday, March 13, 2021 at 12:43:09 PM UTC-8,
wrote:
Op zaterdag 13 maart 2021 om 16:33:17 UTC+1 schreef
Frank Krygowski:

In Tom's defense, gravel races may be getting more
common, but any
sample of "gravel bike" owners will only rarely find
one who races.
Most gravel bike owners want to ride in places away from
the crowded
roads on a bike they think is most suitable. I'm one of
them. I only race against myself.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/aLmyAeaudT2zXKqu7
https://photos.app.goo.gl/sCD6v8qUXQAtP6xk6

Photo's taken two weeks apart (Febr.12 and febr 26).
Lou, That is rather beautiful landscape and the reason
that gravel bikes
are becoming so popular.


Very much this, it Gravel bike allows me to link together old
airports/forgotten roads framers tacks etc.

I can still tacked roads if I want to, but it’s a choice.

As usual, I'm bemused by the ever changing fashions.

Just a few years ago, people posting here arguing with my
contention that close clearance frames had no practical
benefit. And I was derided for helping a friend shop for a
bike and rejecting bikes that wouldn't take a 28mm tire.

I have no problem with people wanting to ride gravel,
although I don't have much respect for driving 20 miles to
ride five miles on a gravel road. But I'm amazed at how
quickly people are convinced to change their tastes.

Fashion and marketing: Weird and powerful!

Why play a musical instrument when you can just turn on the
radio? Odd fashion as well.

I told my cop friend that I used to play in fairly popular (locally) bands and he didn't believe me. Especially since I must have sold off all of my instruments while under the control of that concussion. I still have a couple of acoustic guitars laying around. One that my older brother made and another than is a real piece of crap that someone kicked in the side on a bit. I used to use the junk guitar to play on a little as I was still trying to recover some manual dexterity. Well, the cop friend saw it and wanted me to play something. I suppose he want to catch me in a lie since most of the things that I told him he would look up. Mostly on REALLY stupid sites like "Answers.com" and the like and those site pass off the Lame Stream Media jabber most of which is plain propaganda.

In any case I still hadn't recovered enough manual dexterity to be able to hold onto a pick for more than 30 second or so and told him so. He insisted so I pulled off a riff of a Chuck Berry lead. About halfway through it indeed I lost the pick which went flying across the room. But you should have seen the expression on his face. I had to work pretty hard to keep from laughing. His wife was right there as well. I was not a lead guitar but a bass player. And in my opinion I was as good as a studio musician on the bass. All of my instruments are gone but for the junk and I don't like the acoustic that my brother made for me because he made the face too heavy. While the balance is nearly perfect, there is no volume and you'd need a real PA to make it even heard in a medium size hall.

On Sunday, March 14, 2021 at 11:21:08 AM UTC-7, Ralph Barone wrote:
AMuzi wrote:
On 3/14/2021 12:25 PM, Frank Krygowski wrote:
On 3/14/2021 3:52 AM, Roger Merriman wrote:
Tom Kunich wrote:
On Saturday, March 13, 2021 at 12:43:09 PM UTC-8,
wrote:
Op zaterdag 13 maart 2021 om 16:33:17 UTC+1 schreef
Frank Krygowski:

In Tom's defense, gravel races may be getting more
common, but any
sample of "gravel bike" owners will only rarely find
one who races.
Most gravel bike owners want to ride in places away from
the crowded
roads on a bike they think is most suitable. I'm one of
them. I only race against myself.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/aLmyAeaudT2zXKqu7
https://photos.app.goo.gl/sCD6v8qUXQAtP6xk6

Photo's taken two weeks apart (Febr.12 and febr 26).
Lou, That is rather beautiful landscape and the reason
that gravel bikes
are becoming so popular.


Very much this, it Gravel bike allows me to link together old
airports/forgotten roads framers tacks etc.

I can still tacked roads if I want to, but it’s a choice.

As usual, I'm bemused by the ever changing fashions.

Just a few years ago, people posting here arguing with my
contention that close clearance frames had no practical
benefit. And I was derided for helping a friend shop for a
bike and rejecting bikes that wouldn't take a 28mm tire.

I have no problem with people wanting to ride gravel,
although I don't have much respect for driving 20 miles to
ride five miles on a gravel road. But I'm amazed at how
quickly people are convinced to change their tastes.

Fashion and marketing: Weird and powerful!


Why play a musical instrument when you can just turn on the
radio? Odd fashion as well.

Because the people on the radio play musical instruments better than I do?
On the other hand, I don’t watch the TDF or pro cycling because I’d rather
go out and ride instead of watching other people do it.
That's a very good analysis. As you get older you snore more and there is absolutely nothing worse for your vocal cords than snoring so all of my back-up harmony is gone. I could probably get it back by training. Especially since among other things my wife is a vocal coach that used to be a choral director. She traveled all over Europe in college getting her music degree and the choir she was in even sang in St. Peter's. And a large Christian Church in Turkey. So I imagine they were pretty good.

On Sunday, March 14, 2021 at 1:25:53 p.m. UTC-4, Frank Krygowski wrote:
On 3/14/2021 3:52 AM, Roger Merriman wrote:
Tom Kunich wrote:
On Saturday, March 13, 2021 at 12:43:09 PM UTC-8, wrote:
Op zaterdag 13 maart 2021 om 16:33:17 UTC+1 schreef Frank Krygowski:

In Tom's defense, gravel races may be getting more common, but any
sample of "gravel bike" owners will only rarely find one who races.
Most gravel bike owners want to ride in places away from the crowded
roads on a bike they think is most suitable. I'm one of them. I only race against myself.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/aLmyAeaudT2zXKqu7
https://photos.app.goo.gl/sCD6v8qUXQAtP6xk6

Photo's taken two weeks apart (Febr.12 and febr 26).
Lou, That is rather beautiful landscape and the reason that gravel bikes
are becoming so popular.


Very much this, it Gravel bike allows me to link together old
airports/forgotten roads framers tacks etc.

I can still tacked roads if I want to, but it’s a choice.
As usual, I'm bemused by the ever changing fashions.

Just a few years ago, people posting here arguing with my contention
that close clearance frames had no practical benefit. And I was derided
for helping a friend shop for a bike and rejecting bikes that wouldn't
take a 28mm tire.

I have no problem with people wanting to ride gravel, although I don't
have much respect for driving 20 miles to ride five miles on a gravel
road. But I'm amazed at how quickly people are convinced to change their
tastes.

Fashion and marketing: Weird and powerful!

--
- Frank Krygowski

For some people a gravel bike or even a fat tire bike makes a lot of sense if they ride dirt or gravel roads.

A few of years ago a buddy and I were taking a shortcut home along a dirt road that can normally be ridden with 28mm road bike tries. We were each riding an riding MTB with 26" x 2.0" tires. We turned one corner and discovered that the road had just been freshly gravelled. Deep loose gravel that was a real pain to ride since the bikes didn't want to track a straight line. they were slip sliding all over the road. Perhaps that's where a fat tire bike would have excelled.

Cheers

On Sunday, March 14, 2021 at 11:35:19 AM UTC-7, Sir Ridesalot wrote:
On Sunday, March 14, 2021 at 1:25:53 p.m. UTC-4, Frank Krygowski wrote:
On 3/14/2021 3:52 AM, Roger Merriman wrote:
Tom Kunich wrote:
On Saturday, March 13, 2021 at 12:43:09 PM UTC-8, wrote:
Op zaterdag 13 maart 2021 om 16:33:17 UTC+1 schreef Frank Krygowski:

In Tom's defense, gravel races may be getting more common, but any
sample of "gravel bike" owners will only rarely find one who races..
Most gravel bike owners want to ride in places away from the crowded
roads on a bike they think is most suitable. I'm one of them. I only race against myself.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/aLmyAeaudT2zXKqu7
https://photos.app.goo.gl/sCD6v8qUXQAtP6xk6

Photo's taken two weeks apart (Febr.12 and febr 26).
Lou, That is rather beautiful landscape and the reason that gravel bikes
are becoming so popular.


Very much this, it Gravel bike allows me to link together old
airports/forgotten roads framers tacks etc.

I can still tacked roads if I want to, but it’s a choice.
As usual, I'm bemused by the ever changing fashions.

Just a few years ago, people posting here arguing with my contention
that close clearance frames had no practical benefit. And I was derided
for helping a friend shop for a bike and rejecting bikes that wouldn't
take a 28mm tire.

I have no problem with people wanting to ride gravel, although I don't
have much respect for driving 20 miles to ride five miles on a gravel
road. But I'm amazed at how quickly people are convinced to change their
tastes.

Fashion and marketing: Weird and powerful!

--
- Frank Krygowski
For some people a gravel bike or even a fat tire bike makes a lot of sense if they ride dirt or gravel roads.

A few of years ago a buddy and I were taking a shortcut home along a dirt road that can normally be ridden with 28mm road bike tries. We were each riding an riding MTB with 26" x 2.0" tires. We turned one corner and discovered that the road had just been freshly gravelled. Deep loose gravel that was a real pain to ride since the bikes didn't want to track a straight line.. they were slip sliding all over the road. Perhaps that's where a fat tire bike would have excelled.

I had bought the Ridley XBow and it couldn't have been very well for cyclocross since it had far too good directional stability but MAN that was the best gravel bike I ever rode. I'm hoping the Felt is as good. I could roll over fresh and deep gravel as if it was paved road.