Buying a Streetmachine.

[Frobnitz]

<decloak>

On Saturday, I intend to pop across to Glasgow and see my friendly Sith Lord, part with some wonga
and place an order for a Streetmachine - a bike I have lusted after for a long time - a SMIDSY last
year leading to some scaphoid bolts has (alas) forced my hand (pun not intended) on this issue.

Unfortunately, my budget is slightly limited (within the premise of buying a bent), and I have 2 choices:-

1) Upgrade the forks, the rear sus, SON lighting system, hydraulic brakes, mudguards, seat
and racks, or

2) Get a Rohloff, rear rack and guards and that would be it.

Which would be a better plan?

Any comments, suggestions, gratefully received, but please don't advocate selling my soul and going
the whole hog, 'cos I already have to get this far.

Many thanks,

Eddie Dubourg

--
e-mail probably mangled (it's been a long time since I posted anything and haven't checked), but
eddie {@} ling ed ac uk or eddie_d {@} blueyonder co uk

 

[Just Zis Guy]

On Tue, 6 Jan 2004 16:35:42 -0000, "Frobnitz"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>On Saturday, I intend to pop across to Glasgow and see my friendly Sith Lord, part with some wonga
>and place an order for a Streetmachine - a bike I have lusted after for a long time - a SMIDSY last
>year leading to some scaphoid bolts has (alas) forced my hand (pun not intended) on this issue.

Smart move, Eddie. You'll be going for USS I take it?

>1) Upgrade the forks, the rear sus, SON lighting system, hydraulic brakes, mudguards, seat and
> racks, or
>2) Get a Rohloff, rear rack and guards and that would be it.

>Which would be a better plan?

1) definitely. The SON is world class, and the hydraulic brakes will make a difference - on a low
bike you can actually brake ;-) and if you have hand issues the hydraulics make doubly good
sense. Your bike will be the envy of all your friends. Or me, anyway ;-)

Guy
===
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
http://chapmancentral.demon.co.uk

 

[Frobnitz]

"Just zis Guy, you know?" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

> Smart move, Eddie. You'll be going for USS I take it?

Most certainly - even without the incentive of the accident I would go for that - just looks
sooo relaxed.

> 1) definitely. The SON is world class, and the hydraulic brakes will make a difference - on a low
> bike you can actually brake ;-) and if you have hand issues the hydraulics make doubly good
> sense.

Now that is something I hadn't considered - many thanks for the insight.

> Your bike will be the envy of all your friends. Or me, anyway ;-)

My friends think I'm nuts. When they actually see the bike they'll be running for the white blazer
with the very long sleeves.

Thanks again,

Eddie Dubourg

--
e-mail probably mangled (it's been a long time since I posted anything and haven't checked), but
eddie {@} ling ed ac uk or eddie_d {@} blueyonder co uk

 

[Mark Van Gorkom]

>>1) Upgrade the forks, the rear sus, SON lighting system, hydraulic brakes, mudguards, seat and
>> racks, or
>>2) Get a Rohloff, rear rack and guards and that would be it.
>
>>Which would be a better plan?

No Serious Bike is complete without a Rohloff, esp. something this heavy! As for hydr. brakes:
you'll be using the front brake 95.8% of the time, so no need to upgrade the rear one.

Mark van Gorkom.

 

[Frobnitz]

"Mark van Gorkom" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>

> No Serious Bike is complete without a Rohloff, esp. something this heavy!

I agree, but I can't afford one for the moment - (but I think I can have one retro-fitted later when
I've paid for the initial bike...). I'll have to learn to change gears before I stop - on my DF I
became very used to lifting the rear wheel at lights etc., which I won't be able to do now, it'll
all be part of the fun of learning.

> As for hydr. brakes: you'll be using the front brake 95.8% of the time, so no need to upgrade the
> rear one.

Again, I agree, but Kinetics (well, HP Velotechnik I suppose) fit Magura HS33 hydraulic rim brakes
for a very reasonable price, front and rear, and I'd prefer only having one system to consider. I'm
not going for discs 'cos I won't need them (famous last words.....)

Thanks for the input, but Option 1 is the way I'm going.

All the best,

Eddie Dubourg

 

[Mark Van Gorkom]

>Again, I agree, but Kinetics (well, HP Velotechnik I suppose) fit Magura HS33 hydraulic rim brakes
>for a very reasonable price, front and rear, and I'd prefer only having one system to consider. I'm
>not going for discs 'cos I won't need them (famous last words....

Even one HS11 is plenty; coming down a hill at 60-70 kmh with a lot of weight (Streetmachine,
tailbox, Streamer, LOTS of luggage) one finger was enough... Discs brakes are IMHO a PITA; after
trying several on my Baron I'm about to have a new fork fitted so I can revert to HS11 (I don't like
the plastic adjusters on the HS33: they look rather vulnarable).

Enjoy your bike!

Mark van Gorkom.

 

[Dave Larrington]

Mark van Gorkom wrote:

> Discs brakes are IMHO a PITA; after trying several on my Baron I'm about to have a new fork fitted
> so I can revert to HS11 (I don't like the plastic adjusters on the HS33: they look rather
> vulnarable).

I, OTOH, greatly prefer discs to anything else. As my mountain bike has just started to self-digest
its own wheels, I have some new ones on order onto which the discs off the Baron (Magura somethings)
will go. Cosimo is to be upgraded to Hope Mono Minis which will shave off, ooh, nearly a hundred
grammes

--

Dave Larrington - http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk/
===========================================================
Editor - British Human Power Club Newsletter
http://www.bhpc.org.uk/
===========================================================

 

[98gtw]

"Dave Larrington" <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

> Mark van Gorkom wrote:
>
>> Discs brakes are IMHO a PITA; after trying several on my Baron I'm about to have a new fork
>> fitted so I can revert to HS11 (I don't like the plastic adjusters on the HS33: they look rather
>> vulnarable).
>
> I, OTOH, greatly prefer discs to anything else. As my mountain bike has just started to self-
> digest its own wheels, I have some new ones on order onto which the discs off the Baron (Magura
> somethings) will go. Cosimo is to be upgraded to Hope Mono Minis which will shave off, ooh, nearly
> a hundred grammes
>
> --
>
> Dave Larrington - http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk/
> ===========================================================
> Editor - British Human Power Club Newsletter
> http://www.bhpc.org.uk/
> ===========================================================
>
>
>

And I'm just building my second set of disc-equipped wheels to set up my second Presto with discs
front and rear. I haven't found a better overall solution in a rim or hub brake (tried a couple of
sidepulls, A-brakes, and Nexave roller brake along the way).

To each his own.

--
Dave 98GTW [email protected] (remove nospam to reply directly) Presto, Presto II, Screamer

 

[Torben Scheel]

"Mark van Gorkom" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> >Again, I agree, but Kinetics (well, HP Velotechnik I suppose) fit Magura HS33 hydraulic rim
> >brakes for a very reasonable price, front and rear,
and
> >I'd prefer only having one system to consider. I'm not going for discs
'cos
> >I won't need them (famous last words....
>
> Even one HS11 is plenty; coming down a hill at 60-70 kmh with a lot of weight (Streetmachine,
> tailbox, Streamer, LOTS of luggage) one finger was enough... Discs brakes are IMHO a PITA; after
> trying several on my Baron I'm about to have a new fork fitted so I can revert to HS11 (I don't
> like the plastic adjusters on the HS33: they look rather vulnarable).

I consider rimbrakes (as?) a discbrake with a very large disc - and with my HS33 I have a very
nice and light hydraulic solution. I bought the set used (6 years old), and the adjusters isn't
showing any signs of detoriation. I suspect it's some of the toughest plastic around, much like
the HS11 lever (!)

Disclaimer : I haven't got the disc flu, because I never rode with a disc system. Besides I'm a
cheapskate (so I can get more toys).

--
Torben webmaster @ www.hpv-klub.dk Evita II SWB (2*HS33), Custom Challenge Focus Sport *Acrofobia*
(HS11/Deore
LX)

 

[Dave Larrington]

Torben Scheel wrote:

> I consider rimbrakes (as?) a discbrake with a very large disc - and with my HS33 I have a very
> nice and light hydraulic solution.

Hydraulics notwithstanding - and I am on record as saying that hydraulics is a much better way of
operating a brake than pulling a piece of string - the trub with rim brakes is that they put the
braking surface rather too near the wet when it is raining, which in the past couple of weeks it has
been with both frequency and enthusiasm. It's that heart-stopping delay between squeezing the lever
and feeling the retardation, as the brake blocks wipe the 'orrible mixture water, diesel and
aluminium dust off the rims which I don't like. I've been riding V-brake equipped uprights for the
last month or so, and am not enjoying this aspect of their performance at all.

The "plastic" Magura Julie levers are made from cheese, though.

--

Dave Larrington - http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk/
===========================================================
Editor - British Human Power Club Newsletter
http://www.bhpc.org.uk/
===========================================================

 

[Torben Scheel]

"Dave Larrington" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Torben Scheel wrote:
>
> > I consider rimbrakes (as?) a discbrake with a very large disc - and with my HS33 I have a very
> > nice and light hydraulic solution.
>
> Hydraulics notwithstanding - and I am on record as saying that hydraulics
is
> a much better way of operating a brake than pulling a piece of string -
the
> trub with rim brakes is that they put the braking surface rather too near the wet when it is
> raining, which in the past couple of weeks it has been with both frequency and enthusiasm. It's
> that heart-stopping delay
between
> squeezing the lever and feeling the retardation, as the brake blocks wipe the 'orrible mixture
> water, diesel and aluminium dust off the rims which I don't like. I've been riding V-brake
> equipped uprights for the last month or so, and am not enjoying this aspect of their
> performance at all.

Well, good point. But I'm not admitting my lust for a high-end disc set just jet.

> The "plastic" Magura Julie levers are made from cheese, though.

At least it's a nice solid emmenthaler (is that a oxymoron?)..

--
Torben webmaster @ www.hpv-klub.dk Evita II SWB, Custom Challenge Focus Sport *Acrofobia*

 

[Frobnitz]

Well, it's ordered, I now have to possess myself in patience and wait for it......

.....and after waiting for it, I'll have to learn how to ride it - I managed (eventually) to go in a
relatively straight line, but I've got a whole bunch of reflexes to overcome - particularly with
respect to going uphills - relaxing my death grip on the controls would be a start. Fortunately
Scotland is provided with a wealth of deserted country roads to practice on. The snag is, most of
them go up.......

Thanks for all your inputs, I'll let you know how I get on.

E

 

[Scott]

"Frobnitz" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> Well, it's ordered, I now have to possess myself in patience and wait for it......
>
> .....and after waiting for it, I'll have to learn how to ride it - I managed (eventually) to go in
> a relatively straight line, but I've got a whole bunch of reflexes to overcome - particularly with
> respect to going uphills - relaxing my death grip on the controls would be a start. Fortunately
> Scotland is provided with a wealth of deserted country roads to practice on. The snag is, most of
> them go up.......
>
> Thanks for all your inputs, I'll let you know how I get on.
>
> E

Aye, mate, but then they go DOWN! Yeeeeehaaaw!

Ride well!

Scott