all purpose gear thread

i want something small enough that i can carry it in my jacket or easily put it under the seat. also gotta be able to carry a tube because fuck dealing with a patch when its snowing/raining imo

for proper training or where i anticipate being out the back on my own, the most minimalist is best, i think i have an innovations thing. for commute i have a quickshot thing that accepts any style of cartridge (threaded, unthreaded, 12g or 16g). even a 12g will get me rolling on 28s at like 75 i think.

one thing to know is that imu co2 goes through butyl tubes over time, its soluble or something. youll lose psi over days. so refill with a pump when you get home. maybe this is a myth, but it seems to match my experiences.

I have an under seat wedge that fits the pocket rocket, tube, pump, patches. (actually I have two, the second one fits a rain jacket and chocolate as well)

can u leave bag on bike safely?

i mean w/o theft?

In Pittsburgh, yes. Anywhere else I wouldn't risk it.

Since moving here I bought a frame pump and I leave it on my bike along with lights and the wee wedge and still have all these things. I can't imagine this working in London, Chicago or new york. The worst that's ever happened was somebody turning my lights on.

american pranksterism from the sounds of things

i wouldn't worry about leaving a wedge here in mpls, either, though i think i'm maybe too cavalier about not locking my wheel(s)

i never used a wedge on racing bike b/c i hated fiddling w it during racing season, on/off on/off. fuck that carry shit in jersey. and never use a wedge on commute b/c i wanna keep my shit, so i stick it in a little bag in pannier. so i don't have any saddle bags. *shrug*

treating myself to some gear from the new decathlon store this weekend: shoes, bibs, whatever else takes my fancy...

^^^new bibs, silk under-gloves, raincoat, multitool, lube

sounds like a recipe for a good night out.

lol

explain me cycling caps

imo they are good things when worn properly, in the cold under a helmet, or in the rain. off the bike they are dire.

i wear mine when it's rainy or misty, but also when it's sunny to give my cheeks and nose some respite from the sun. also, hats with a little browpad are better at sucking up sweat that would otherwise sting my eyes.

they are surprisingly effective against the sun

my new bibs are the shit

holy cow guys last night i worked on an old schwinn world tourist, a 12 speed cruiser style bike that had the free hub in the bottom bracket.
that was funkytown!

I can't even figure out how that would work!

if its what im thinking of, those let you shift gears while coasting right? i remember when i was a kid around 1980 a friend had a panasonic that could do that. when you coasted, the drive train kept rotating. weird.

yea, the chain keeps moving even tho yr pedals don't. it's supa-freaky

dudes, INSOLES

so i bought xc skiing boots yesterday (my ex-racer buddy is hooking me up w/dope skis/bindings/poles) and opted to throw in some superf33t insoles because my dogs are sensitive like that (at least in performance footwear ie my alpine boots). put them in my bike shoes when i got home just because there isn't any snow yet and it was like daaaaaaaaaaaamn

like noticeably affected my pedalstroke and everything---i could feel a mechanical difference in my ~hips~ it was crazy

superfeet are the absolute business but I don't have any for my bike shoes. I should get some.

srsly, i didn't think it'd make much of a difference, but wow

also, i am that dork that wears his bike shoes all day (shut up) and it actually made them totally fine for walking and everything, it was crazy

CRAZY

dudes
ok so i realize that clicking on a freewheel cassette when coasting is normal, but lately when i'm in one particular gear and pedaling there is this excellent "gaga-daga" clicking. so 1. why is this happening? and 2. should i continue to think it's cool or go to the bike stand and fix this mofo?

nobody got any ideas abt this ^^ ??

While pedaling? Trim your derailleurs, and stop riding in gears where the chain has to cross over at an extreme angle.

the angle is not extreme at all. it's the 15 tooth (3rd of 7) sprocket in back and the big one in front.
derailer in back is adjusted fine for the range of motion i need it to do . . .

i think naus is right, your derailler is not indexed properly. if you cant adjust it so it goes away, check the alignment of your derailler hanger. you can sometimes do it by eye, but it can be tricky.

i don't understand. i have no click stops in my shifters which would correspond to the index . . .
i am referring to this
maybe i am not explaining this adequately. the sound kinda reminds me of how a 3-spd clicks at different rates in different gears, but this clicking only happens on the 15 tooth sprocket. other gears are quiet when pedaling. hanger looks straight

Try adjusting the tightness of the derailleur cable - if it's gone a bit slack this usually shows up most obviously in the middle of the cassette.

Otherwise, "gaga-daga" isn't all that helpful so sorry if we can't pinpoint it! Make a recording?

Looking for a recommendation on saddle bags: does it matter which or are they all the same? Does anybody have a preference? Basically looking for something that can hold a spare tube, patch kit, tire levers, 6" adj. wrench, pliers, allen keys, house keys, and phone. It would be nice if it could hold a small pump too, but that's not essential as they can clip to the frame.

I'm looking to do more frequent, longer solo rides, and (esp. with it getting dark before 5 these days), would like to be able to have some confidence that I won't be stranded dozens of miles from home due to something that could have been helped with a basic roadside fix.

got SPDs and some decathlon road shoes for my xmas, woot!!!

kind of makes me wish I had an iPhone

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2009/12/pedal-brain-12-28-09.jpg

http://en.pedalbrain.com/home

http://cgi.ebay.com/Sidi-Wyoming-shoes-NOS-neon-fluor-46-47-klein-track-80s_W0QQitemZ260521693039QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUS_Men_s_Athletic_Footwear?hash=item3ca84d8f6f

just wow

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2596/4174560711_6117ebd0cf_o.jpg

ok what workstand do i shot

I built one out of pipes, 2x4s, a PVC t-joint, pop rivets, two hinges, a clasp, and some pipe insulation foam. Works pretty good, cost like $40.

^needs to do this^

how heavy/what tools were required?

http://www.google.com/#hl=en&source=hp&q=diy+bikestand&aq=f&aqi=g-sx2g-s1&oq=&fp=c26c79a56c95bda8

2nd hit looks good gbx

Not sure how much it weighs - maybe slightly more than my no-carbon road bike? As for tools I used a hacksaw, drill, rivet gun, and table saw plus the usual screwdrivers, pliers, utility knives, etc.

It's not super portable, but it's not permanently mounted or anything. It lives in my garage so I have room for it, but I'm going to take it into my basement to build up my brand new frame(!) next week and moving around isn't going to be a big deal at all.

As for tools I used a hacksaw, drill, rivet gun, and table saw plus the usual screwdrivers, pliers, utility knives, etc.

no, yes, no, no, yes, no, yes

http://i.imgur.com/vukRM.jpg
spokeless rear wheel dudes; hueg hub

oh shiiiiiiiit I own a workstand

get wrenchin, no more excuses for a non pristine drivetrain

gbx from here on out:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ktTXjSqvJc

what about sloth

xp

http://blogmay.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/08/sloth_in_a_box.jpg
"get wrenchin"