that old chestnut



D

Dave

Guest
Hello,

I want to buy a new bike (you can see where this is going, im ever so
sorry)

It's my primary mode of transport, the gf has a car but i'd rather
cycle.

I cycle 8 miles each way to work over tarmac with a big old hill in the
middle,
country lanes with potholes that could swallow a deer
(indeed i managed to burst the 2 left tyres on a hire car down this
lane one day when forced wide) and also through a forest path which has
-
up to a foot of mud in places,
branches strewn across the place and
is primarily used as a bridal path for what looks like shire horses!

i currently ride a gt rts3 with slicks and downhill handle bars wide
flatish things, i reckon i;ve done about 6000 miles on it.

the bike i was looking at was the carrera subway 8 but i've read about
poor braking performance from the hubs? some bloke boiled the grease. i
want good brakes as i do break 30mph occasionally
(downhill with a 32mph tailwind).

i was happy with paying about £300 for the new steed (i've had the gt
for about 8 years now.)
but i've since found out about the tax free benefit in kind scheme for
cycles and have arranged with work to buy it, so im happy to spend a
bit more maybe £700.

I like the mudguards and chain guard idea so i can ride it about town
in the wet if im visiting people and not getting dirty.

so there you go, all and any advice greatfully recieved.
thanks
Dave
 
"Dave" <[email protected]> writes:

> Hello,


Hey!

> I want to buy a new bike (you can see where this is going, im ever
> so sorry)


**snip**

> i currently ride a gt rts3 with slicks and downhill handle bars wide
> flatish things, i reckon i;ve done about 6000 miles on it.


What don't you like about your existing bike?

Chris
--
Chris Eilbeck
 
On 6 Jan 2007 05:36:53 -0800, "Dave" <[email protected]> said:

> the bike i was looking at was the carrera subway 8 but i've read
> about poor braking performance from the hubs? some bloke boiled the
> grease. i want good brakes as i do break 30mph occasionally
> (downhill with a 32mph tailwind).


I recently took delivery of a Ridgeback Nemesis[1]. I commute daily
down a steep hill in traffic - if the traffic isn't jammed I keep up
with it at speeds up to 30mph. No problems with the brakes (so far).

You don't lose braking in the wet (though your tyres will still skid),
and you don't have the turn or so of the wheel during which water is
being wiped off before the brakes really start to bite.

One thing you won't want to do is remove a rear wheel fitted with
Shimano Inter-8 hubs on the road. If I get a puncture, I'll want to
find somewhere dry (why is it always raining?) pull the tube out and
slap a patch on.

To remove the wheel, undo two fiddly clips for the brake and gear
cables, undo a nut and large Phillips head bolt on the brake stay -
the screw is only accessible through the wheel, then undo two 15mm
nuts (make sure you have a big enough spanner - the one on my
multi-tool is not long enough to get any decent torque). Replacing the
clips, especially the gear one, is even more fiddly.

It comes with Continental Contact Sport tyres - on the previous bike I
was using Schwalbe Marathon pluses, with which I was very impressed -
no punctures in a very long time. It's too early yet to say how
puncture-proof the Continentals will be.

The gearing has a lower range than a 3x8 derailleur - I had the normal
21T rear sprocket replaced with a 23T one - I still lose a gear at the
bottom end and several gears at the top, but I'll willingly sacrifice
top speed to being able to get up the steep hills on my way in to
work.

[1] http://www.ridgeback.co.uk/index.php?bikeID=546&seriesID=42&show_bike=TRUE

--
Alan J. Wylie http://www.wylie.me.uk/
"Perfection [in design] is achieved not when there is nothing left to add,
but rather when there is nothing left to take away."
-- Antoine de Saint-Exupery
 
> > flatish things, i reckon i;ve done about 6000 miles on it.
>
> What don't you like about your existing bike?
>
> Chris


Hi Chris, the bike needs a bit of work, nothing that couldnt be sorted
(seat,bearings, bottom bracket, there some misalignment at the back)
but the frame is a bit small, its 17.5" and ive gotten away with it by
having the seat right up and the long reach bars also the pedals seem
to have a long stroke.

so i figure with what you can get for your money now it might be nice
to have a suspensionless one for the jaunt to work and around town.
light and strong enough to take abit of off road.

Dave
 
thanks for that Alan, it looks nice,
is almost twice the price of the subway 8 tho, what do you get for the
money?
also is it possible to fit an aftermarket chain guard? (cool huh?)

Dave
 
"Dave" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
Hello,

> I want to buy a new bike (you can see where this is going, im ever so
> sorry)


<snip hub brakes, commuter bike stuff>

I'd go for V brakes and hub dynamos for a commuter bike, discs would improve
mud ability (Shimano & Magura are the best IMO), but obviously also increase
nickability. Hub brakes can be dodgy: look on google groups for "Roller
brake high speed performance."

I'd be tempted by an Inbred with big mudguards but that's me. Maybe a Kona
Smoke?
 

> I'd go for V brakes and hub dynamos for a commuter bike, discs would improve
> mud ability (Shimano & Magura are the best IMO), but obviously also increase
> nickability. Hub brakes can be dodgy: look on google groups for "Roller
> brake high speed performance."
>
> I'd be tempted by an Inbred with big mudguards but that's me. Maybe a Kona
> Smoke?


thanks Doki, i checked out the smoke, looks alright, "Extras: Fenders
with mudflaps & mystery horn" mystery horn? is that similar to riding
the bus and ripening a travellers marrow?
 
Doki wrote:
>
> I'd go for V brakes and hub dynamos for a commuter bike, discs would
> improve mud ability (Shimano & Magura are the best IMO), but obviously
> also increase nickability. Hub brakes can be dodgy: look on google
> groups for "Roller brake high speed performance."


Well, of course I wouldn't want to gainsay the might of Google Groups,
but I have hub brakes on both wheels of my commuter and I have quite a
respectable hill to go down in the morning (Liberton Brae). I have yet
to have any problems stopping for the lights at the bottom.

--
Don Whybrow

Sequi Bonum Non Time

If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop diggin'.
 
soup wrote:
> Don Whybrow wrote:
>
>> I have quite a respectable hill to go down in the morning (Liberton
>> Brae).

>
>
> You cycle back up libby brae after a working day? Kudos.


It helps to remove the daily adrenaline build up. Sometimes I take Kirk
Brae if I am looking for the short sharp hit.

--
Don Whybrow

Sequi Bonum Non Time

You guys got something against spam? (Vriess, in _Alien 4_)
 
"Don Whybrow" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Doki wrote:
>>
>> I'd go for V brakes and hub dynamos for a commuter bike, discs would
>> improve mud ability (Shimano & Magura are the best IMO), but obviously
>> also increase nickability. Hub brakes can be dodgy: look on google groups
>> for "Roller brake high speed performance."

>
> Well, of course I wouldn't want to gainsay the might of Google Groups, but
> I have hub brakes on both wheels of my commuter and I have quite a
> respectable hill to go down in the morning (Liberton Brae). I have yet to
> have any problems stopping for the lights at the bottom.


Well, there's the mighty Sheldon to contend with too. TBH I wouldn't be
happy using any braking system that can lock up suddenly, no matter how rare
it is, particularly when other reliable systems are available. Faceplants
aren't nice.
 
Doki wrote on 07/01/2007 23:45 +0100:
>
> Well, there's the mighty Sheldon to contend with too. TBH I wouldn't be
> happy using any braking system that can lock up suddenly, no matter how
> rare it is, particularly when other reliable systems are available.
> Faceplants aren't nice.


OTOH rim brakes are not without their problems. Poorer performance in
wet weather, susceptible to worn rim failures and overheating on
downhills, can ice over in cold weather leading to complete loss of
braking etc etc.

--
Tony

"...has many omissions and contains much that is apocryphal, or at least
wildly inaccurate..."
Douglas Adams; The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
 
"Tony Raven" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Doki wrote on 07/01/2007 23:45 +0100:
>>
>> Well, there's the mighty Sheldon to contend with too. TBH I wouldn't be
>> happy using any braking system that can lock up suddenly, no matter how
>> rare it is, particularly when other reliable systems are available.
>> Faceplants aren't nice.

>
> OTOH rim brakes are not without their problems. Poorer performance in wet
> weather, susceptible to worn rim failures and overheating on downhills,
> can ice over in cold weather leading to complete loss of braking etc etc.


Yet to have overheating on downhills despite being a big bloke who goes
mountain biking. Worn rims are cured by rim grooves to show you when your
rim's on the way out, although I suppose icing over is a possibility.
 
Tony Raven wrote:
> Doki wrote on 07/01/2007 23:45 +0100:
>
>>
>> Well, there's the mighty Sheldon to contend with too. TBH I wouldn't
>> be happy using any braking system that can lock up suddenly, no matter
>> how rare it is, particularly when other reliable systems are
>> available. Faceplants aren't nice.

>
>
> OTOH rim brakes are not without their problems. Poorer performance in
> wet weather, susceptible to worn rim failures and overheating on
> downhills, can ice over in cold weather leading to complete loss of
> braking etc etc.
>


.... and there are problems with disks as well. You have to make sure to
keep the surface clean, improperly set up hydraulic systems can get air
bubbles degrading the performance and your wheel could pop out of the
drop-outs under heavy loads. No system is perfect, but for maintenance
free hassle on a utility machine, hubs get my vote. If I was looking at
a road bike I would opt for one of the rim systems, for MTB, probably
hydraulic disks. Horses for courses.


--
Don Whybrow

Sequi Bonum Non Time

"There is a wicked pretense that one has been informed. But no such
thing has truly occurred! A mere slogan, an empty litany. No arguments
are heard, no evidence is weighed. It isn't news at all, only a source
of amusement for idlers." (Gibson-Sterling, The Difference Engine)
 
"Don Whybrow" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Tony Raven wrote:
>> Doki wrote on 07/01/2007 23:45 +0100:
>>
>>>
>>> Well, there's the mighty Sheldon to contend with too. TBH I wouldn't be
>>> happy using any braking system that can lock up suddenly, no matter how
>>> rare it is, particularly when other reliable systems are available.
>>> Faceplants aren't nice.

>>
>>
>> OTOH rim brakes are not without their problems. Poorer performance in
>> wet weather, susceptible to worn rim failures and overheating on
>> downhills, can ice over in cold weather leading to complete loss of
>> braking etc etc.
>>

>
> ... and there are problems with disks as well. You have to make sure to
> keep the surface clean, improperly set up hydraulic systems can get air
> bubbles degrading the performance


You don't have to clean brake disks. Any decent disk is slotted and waved so
that the pad constantly wipes the disk clean. You do have to avoid getting
grease and oil on the disk. Bleeding the brakes is something that you need
to do once in a blue moon, as evidenced by the number of cars with hydraulic
disk brakes that go 10 years without having their brakes bled without
falling off the road.

> and your wheel could pop out of the drop-outs under heavy loads.


Fix it with a decent QR and proper drop outs.

> No system is perfect, but for maintenance free hassle on a utility
> machine, hubs get my vote. If I was looking at a road bike I would opt for
> one of the rim systems, for MTB, probably hydraulic disks. Horses for
> courses.
 
Doki wrote:

> Well, there's the mighty Sheldon to contend with too. TBH I wouldn't
> be happy using any braking system that can lock up suddenly, no
> matter how rare it is,


Like my v-brakes did on Friday when the rim disintgrated and wrapped itself
around the brakes stopping the rear wheel instantly.

pk
 
In article <[email protected]>, p.k.
[email protected] says...
> Doki wrote:
>
> > Well, there's the mighty Sheldon to contend with too. TBH I wouldn't
> > be happy using any braking system that can lock up suddenly, no
> > matter how rare it is,

>
> Like my v-brakes did on Friday when the rim disintgrated and wrapped itself
> around the brakes stopping the rear wheel instantly.
>

That's an example of poor maintenance, not an inherent design flaw.
 
Doki wrote:
> Yet to have overheating on downhills despite being a big bloke who goes
> mountain biking. Worn rims are cured by rim grooves to show you when your
> rim's on the way out, although I suppose icing over is a possibility.


Rim groves don't 'cure' a worn rim, they warn you that you need to throw it
in the bin.

Anthony
 
On 2007-01-06, Dave <[email protected]> wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I want to buy a new bike (you can see where this is going, im ever so
> sorry)
>

[snip, requirements]

> the bike i was looking at was the carrera subway 8 but i've read about
> poor braking performance from the hubs? some bloke boiled the grease. i
> want good brakes as i do break 30mph occasionally
> (downhill with a 32mph tailwind).
>


The Subway-8 frame has mounts for disc brakes, but I'm happy with the
hub brakes for commuting. (I do have other bikes with disc and caliper
brakes.) I've had mine for about 3 years. The main changes I've made,
were to fit my favourite pedals and replace the puny handlebar with
one from the spares box. I also lowered the gear ratios to make hill
climbing less knee cracking. I haven't looked at the components on
the current Subway-8, so don't know how they compare. Someday I will
replace the hub with a combined hub brake and dynamo.

--
Jan
 
Don Whybrow wrote:
> ... and there are problems with disks as well. You have to make sure to
> keep the surface clean, improperly set up hydraulic systems can get air
> bubbles degrading the performance and your wheel could pop out of the
> drop-outs under heavy loads.
>


Not that **** about wheels popping out due to disk brakes, please. A
few idiots failed to work out how a QR works and they start blaming the
positioning of the disk brakes.

laters,

Marz