Alfine perversity

[Ryan Cousineau]

My latest project, "Urbi et Orbi," is ready to ride:

http://wiredcola.com/content/urbi-et-orbi

It's a late-80s Pinarello with an Alfine 8-speed drivetrain and some
other, similarly curious choices.

Notable to this venue may be the cable routing and cable joint
positioning: By using the "vertical dropout" anti-turn nuts, I have been
able to run the shift cable up the seatstay. It is quite silly, but this
setup is partly a proof-of-concept for a San-Jos8-on-the-cheap I hope to
prep for cyclocross season.

25 pounds, more or less.

Thanks especially to Dan Burkhart, who helped rather a lot with parts
and technical support, though I was careful not to explain my ultimate
plans to him, because I wanted him to have plausible deniability.

He may want it.

--
Ryan Cousineau [email protected] http://www.wiredcola.com/
"In other newsgroups, they killfile trolls."
"In rec.bicycles.racing, we coach them."

 

[Dan Burkhart]

My latest project, "Urbi et Orbi," is ready to ride:

http://wiredcola.com/content/urbi-et-orbi

It's a late-80s Pinarello with an Alfine 8-speed drivetrain and some
other, similarly curious choices.

Notable to this venue may be the cable routing and cable joint
positioning: By using the "vertical dropout" anti-turn nuts, I have been
able to run the shift cable up the seatstay. It is quite silly, but this
setup is partly a proof-of-concept for a San-Jos8-on-the-cheap I hope to
prep for cyclocross season.

25 pounds, more or less.

Thanks especially to Dan Burkhart, who helped rather a lot with parts
and technical support, though I was careful not to explain my ultimate
plans to him, because I wanted him to have plausible deniability.

He may want it.

--
Ryan Cousineau [email protected] http://www.wiredcola.com/
"In other newsgroups, they killfile trolls."
"In rec.bicycles.racing, we coach them."

Hey Ryan, congratulations on a cool build, and thanks for the plug. I'll be interested to know if you run into any problems with the cable crossing the chain like that given it's tight clearance. I'm sure cable removal and replacement will be easier than in the conventional position as looks like it is more accessable.
Now get out and ride it.
Dan Burkhart
www.boomerbicycle.ca

 

[landotter]

On May 2, 3:20 am, Ryan Cousineau <[email protected]> wrote:
> My latest project, "Urbi et Orbi," is ready to ride:
>
> http://wiredcola.com/content/urbi-et-orbi
>
> It's a late-80s Pinarello with an Alfine 8-speed drivetrain and some
> other, similarly curious choices.

/me fixes bayonet

OK, I'm gonna have to scope your joint for swim/bike/run stickers
unless your admit to a jousting fetish!

Seriously, though--add the rapidfire shifter on a mild sweep bar and
some Ritchey grips--and that'd be my ideal fast city bike--a lot like
what I've ridden in the past, but lighter.

I command you to get some blue bmx chainring bolts and lose the extra
ring! The style gods will be pleased.

BTW, I haven't messed with the Alfine yet, what's up with the plastic
nonsense around the rear cog--my eyes first screamed, "PIE PLATE!"

 

[Ryan Cousineau]

In article <[email protected]>,
Dan Burkhart <[email protected]>
wrote:

> Ryan Cousineau Wrote:
> > My latest project, "Urbi et Orbi," is ready to ride:
> >
> > http://wiredcola.com/content/urbi-et-orbi
> >
> > It's a late-80s Pinarello with an Alfine 8-speed drivetrain and some
> > other, similarly curious choices.
> >
> > Notable to this venue may be the cable routing and cable joint
> > positioning: By using the "vertical dropout" anti-turn nuts, I have
> > been
> > able to run the shift cable up the seatstay. It is quite silly, but
> > this
> > setup is partly a proof-of-concept for a San-Jos8-on-the-cheap I hope
> > to
> > prep for cyclocross season.
> >
> > 25 pounds, more or less.
> >
> > Thanks especially to Dan Burkhart, who helped rather a lot with parts
> > and technical support, though I was careful not to explain my ultimate
> > plans to him, because I wanted him to have plausible deniability.
> >
> > He may want it.
>
> Hey Ryan, congratulations on a cool build, and thanks for the plug.
> I'll be interested to know if you run into any problems with the cable
> crossing the chain like that given it's tight clearance. I'm sure cable
> removal and replacement will be easier than in the conventional position
> as looks like it is more accessable.
> Now get out and ride it.
> Dan Burkhart
> www.boomerbicycle.ca

It looks like it is well clear of the chain. You can see it most clearly
by looking at both of these photos:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rcousine/2458202575/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rcousine/2459035230/in/photostream/

The chainline would have to be pretty far off before the chain could
touch the cable joint at all. The cable itself is entirely protected.

I rode it to work today (very short commute), and it's in desperate need
of more beer-can shims to stop the bar from rotating. The plan is to
drink more beer tonight in order to generate some shim stock.

In retrospect, I think I would use the trigger shifter instead of the
rotary shifter, but I will probably skip straight to trying the Travel
Agent hack instead.

There are a couple of rides I want to try this weekend. One is a TT, and
the justification for the absurd 53x18 gearing.

--
Ryan Cousineau [email protected] http://www.wiredcola.com/
"In other newsgroups, they killfile trolls."
"In rec.bicycles.racing, we coach them."

 

[Ryan Cousineau]

In article
<[email protected]>,
landotter <[email protected]> wrote:

> On May 2, 3:20 am, Ryan Cousineau <[email protected]> wrote:
> > My latest project, "Urbi et Orbi," is ready to ride:
> >
> > http://wiredcola.com/content/urbi-et-orbi
> >
> > It's a late-80s Pinarello with an Alfine 8-speed drivetrain and some
> > other, similarly curious choices.
>
> /me fixes bayonet
>
> OK, I'm gonna have to scope your joint for swim/bike/run stickers
> unless your admit to a jousting fetish!

I am opposed to triathlism. The only run/bike/swim event on my calendar
is the cyclocross race at Fletcher's Farm*.

> Seriously, though--add the rapidfire shifter on a mild sweep bar and
> some Ritchey grips--and that'd be my ideal fast city bike--a lot like
> what I've ridden in the past, but lighter.

A lot of the inspiration for this project was looking at city bikes of
various forms, and wondering why they were all so heavy. This bike
provides some physical insight (it is, after all, 25 pounds, not 20
pounds) but one can see how you could do the same bike with more modern
parts and achieve something pretty interesting.

I don't know if there's five easy pounds to take off of this bike, but
there's probably a couple in going to a lighter frame, fork, and
headset. Some carbon fibre extremism around the bars and a lighter
wheelset might be good for a few hundred grams, too.

> I command you to get some blue bmx chainring bolts and lose the extra
> ring! The style gods will be pleased.

I'll look for the blue bolts. The extra ring is a tricky question. The
rings are 53/44, and I envision using the 53 for TTs and then pulling a
bit of chain and changing to the 44 for city riding.

> BTW, I haven't messed with the Alfine yet, what's up with the plastic
> nonsense around the rear cog--my eyes first screamed, "PIE PLATE!"

That's the plastic guard that is molded onto the Alfine cogs. You don't
have to use that design: Shimano gearhubs will take any cog built to the
Sturmey-Archer three-spline standard. I chose it because of its look and
so I would never have to worry about losing my chain there. That is
something that may be a legitimate issue once this bike morphs into its
extra-silly mud-proof-cyclocross incarnation.

PS: wait until you see the new fenders.

*two years ago I did that event, which had a longish Le Mans-style start
and a crossing through hub-deep water. It was wonderful.

--
Ryan Cousineau [email protected] http://www.wiredcola.com/
"In other newsgroups, they killfile trolls."
"In rec.bicycles.racing, we coach them."