Category: acquired things

Wide Wheels for Salsa El Mariachi Ti

Published July 11, 2014

Ever since building some 30mm wide Salsa Semi rims for my single speed I’ve been enamored with wider (but not quite fatbike width) rims on normal mountain bikes. I feel that so long as the tire remains ~20% wider than the rim itself the benefits are great: more sidewall support, less tire roll when cornering, and higher volume of air all while rolling resistance seems the same. I recently played with building up a Velocity Dually-based front wheel for the El Mariachi Ti. At 45mm wide it made a 2.4″ Schwalbe Racing Ralph about 63mm wide and felt great to ride, but the heavy rim was noticeable. For me the holy grail would have been a wide wheelset that isn’t any heavier than a more-typical XC set, like the Shimano XT / Stan’s NoTubes Arch EX set that came with the El Mariachi Ti.

With the recent XT freehub failure I got to thinking seriously about new wheels, and after a few months of trawling eBay I found myself with all the parts needed to build up just what I wanted at a sane price: 35mm wide carbon fiber rims from China, high-quality hubs from Switzerland, tires from Germany, and spokes from… wherever spokes come from.

At the same time I was able to switch to a 142×12 rear through axle, which is something I’d been wanting to do for a while, since I’m quite fond of the positive engagement and installed-straight-or-not-installed-at-all nature of a through axle. They can’t become skewed like a traditional quick releases which can be a bit skewed.

In the end they came out great, and even though I only have an hour and a half of riding on them, I’m quite content. Read more about the build below the fold…

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Footbeds and Shims for Specialized Pro MTB Shoes

Published May 12, 2014

After a couple rounds of toe numbness and pain on longer rides with my new Specialized Pro MTB shoes (3+ hours, and on 4+ hour hard rides with my older shoes) I stopped by Fraser Bicycle and Fitness intending to pick up a set of higher arch support footbeds. Chris Goddard happened to be there and he checked me over, gave me a bunch of great advise about things to try, and set me up with 2x 1.5mm varus shims for each foot, blue/moderate support footbeds, and the suggestion that I move my cleats back. While I only had my old shoes with me, these were enough to get a good feel for what I should try.

Upon arriving home I immediately put the footbeds and shims in my new shoes, moved the cleats back a bit (maybe 7mm) and hopped on the trainer to try it out. While I only got in ~10 minutes of spinning, the shoes felt like they fit much better to my feet than they had before. I’m looking forward to a longer ride, but I now feel more like my feet are solidly planted in the shoes when I begin applying force, not that they press into place as I pedal. I hope this translates into even more comfort while riding.

I’m pretty happy on all of my bikes, but these new shoes had me a bit worried. Then with a bit of foot pain during a six-hour endurance race on Saturday using my old shoes, I got a bit more concerned… This seems like a good way forward.

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Carbon Fiber Shoes, Squishy Fork, Lubed Cassette

Published May 3, 2014

A rainy, quiet Saturday while Danielle is working gave me a nice opportunity to get some bike stuff done. In preparation for what I hope to be a long ride tomorrow and the Fun Promotions Stoney Creek 6 & 12 Hour Mountain Bike Endurance Race I removed the rigid fork from the El Mariachi Ti and put the original Fox and Arch EX-based wheel back on. While I like the high volume tire and rigid fork, it’s still a bit much for long rides. Thankfully the swap between forks and wheels is easy, taking only about 15 minutes. I imagine I’ll be switching this around a few times this year.

I also had to re-remedy a long-standing problem with the cassette on the El Mariachi Ti: it’s noisy. Last year I was dealing with some odd under-load ticking sounds that were worst mid-cassette and in the little chainring up front, especially when really mashing on the pedals. After a lot of experimentation I was eventually able to reproduce it and found it could be alleviated by lightly greasing the plastic spacers between the cogs. This seems to last for a few months, then it needs to be done again. This should go away once the cassette is replaced, unless the next one has a similar problem…

Finally, I got a pair of Specialized Pro MTB shoes set up and ready to use. At the end of last year I was able to pick them up on clearance at Cycletherapy, since they are the discontinued model with a strap closure, as reviewed here. These are very similar to the Comp model that I purchased in early 2011, except with more venting and a carbon fiber sole. Three years the Comp shoes were starting to get near the end of their usefulness, with holes appearing in the sides of the toes, the sole becoming more flexible than normal, and the insole seriously breaking down.

I appear to have the cleats positioned appropriately, although the pedal body on Eggbeaters seems to hit the lugs a bit. I’m not yet sure if this’ll cause a problem or is a good thing, but if it ends up not working I’ll have to shave a millimeter or two of rubber off of the lugs. Clipping in is a little stiffer than I’m accustomed to, but the solid shoe-against-pedal feeling makes for a very rigid interface. It should also move energy transfer to a larger area, cutting down on the pedal wing / shoe sole transfer that eats through Shoe Shields.

Trying the shoes out on the trainer and in the rain around the parking lot, they are definitely stiffer than the non-carbon fiber composite Comp shoes that I normally wear. They improve on the Comp shoes stiffness to the same degree that the Comp shoes (and my previous Sidis) improved on the Shimano SH-MT40 commuter shoes I’d first started out with. Fit is almost identical to the previous shoes, but with a new, stiff, less slipper-like feel. These should be good.

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Velocity Dually and 2.4″ Schwalbe Racing Ralph

Published March 30, 2014

Velocity was at yesterday’s Detroit Bike City expo selling blemish / second rims, and I was lucky enough to pick up a pair of Dually 29″ rims for $60; an incredibly good price. While I’d previously discounted the idea of making a special / wide front rim for the rigid fork of the El Mariachi Ti, with the acquisition of this rim I think I will.

By fitting one of the new 2.4″ Schwalbe Racing Ralphs (old tread pattern) that I’ve had sitting around home I found what should be a great setup for the rigid fork. Set up tubeless it should feel especially nice. Hub-wise I think I’ll go with the same Shimano HB-M788 that I use with the original wheel build, some Sapiem or DT Swiss (depending on what I can find) spokes, and either silver brass or blue alloy (to match the rear wheel) nipples.

After fitting the tire for the test fit I let it sit for a while and measured it. For the Dually with a Racing Ralph 2.4″ it measured at 61.32mm, whereas the original Arch EX and Racing Ralph 2.25″ measures at 55.77mm. The Salsa Semi and Racing Ralph 2.4″ on the steel El Mariachi measures 58.47mm. Thus, this wider rim doesn’t seem to notably increase the width of the tire, but hopefully the additional volume will offer just the right amount of cushion to go with the rigid fork.

And hopefully I can do it on the cheap.

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172.5mm Cranks and a Third Bottle Cage

Published March 25, 2014

This evening I fitted the Salsa Vaya with some eBay-special 172.5mm cranks. These are the same model (Apex) as came on the bike, but 2.5mm longer, which I hope will make me more comfortable on the bike. I also fitted a third bottle cage, which I hope to use this weekend. I’ve been invited to a century ride on Hines Drive, a popular road riding location on the west side of Detroit. If all goes as I hope — which includes weather cooperating — I intend to use this bike to do a wholly self supported road century on Sunday.

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Nexus 5 Protection Efforts

Published February 27, 2014

After soundly breaking my Nexus 4 (it’s now listed for auction on eBay for parts) I ended up purchasing a Google Nexus 5 as a replacement. On the recommendation of my friend Laurence (and after lots of research) I chose to add a case and screen protector in efforts to keep it from breaking when I drop it. With the Nexus 4 I’d used a neoprene pouch when carrying it in my pocket, but this had the flaw of leaving the phone exposed around the times when I’m using it, which is how I broke it.

The protection chosen is a cheap ($9.89 via Amazon) Diztronic thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) case that covers five sides of the phone and a Skinomi TechSkin screen protector ($9.95 via Amazon). The screen protector seems a bit expensive, but Laurence has found it to provide a great deal of protection, so I’m giving it a go. Hopefully this will keep the phone looking and functioning nicely for a few years.

For a few years I’ve been using Pelican plastic cases to keep my phones safe when biking. A Pelican 1015 kept the Nexus One safe and dry and a Pelican 1020 took care of the Nexus 4. The Nexus 5 is larger than both of these and won’t fit in either case that I have, so I’m hoping that the more traditional cycling protection of a thick plastic bag, coupled with the case and screen protector, and stashed a bit more deeply into my pack, will keep everything intact. The lack of plastic box should make the phone more audible when ringing, something that Danielle will surely like when she tries to call me.

While it’s only been a few hours since application, thus far I’m happy with the screen protector and case. The case fits snugly, doesn’t interfere with connectors, and the buttons are easily usable through it. One small scuff from my finger nail is visible when the screen is off, but turned on it’s invisible. It also is sufficiently slick in use to not have the traditional dragging-a-finger-on-plastic-wrap feeling that other screen protectors suffer from. I’m quite sure that more of these small scuffs will appear with daily use. This case also has the upside of keeping the camera’s lens or screen from resting on whatever surface the phone is set down on, hopefully keeping them nice for longer.

Now to hope I don’t break this one…

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Hozan C-356 Inner Wire Pliers

Published February 20, 2014

After weighing my options for cable tensioning tools I settled on the Hozan C-356 Inner Wire Pliers. These were recommended to me by a few folks, including Daniel Stewart over at Custer Cyclery, and I’m very happy with them. This is a seemingly simple tool that grabs a cable (or cable tie) and pulls it snug. The fairly simple action, but it makes snugging down cables and ties considerably easier than I’d expected; much better than my previous techniques using pliers.

For cables I’d previously used a set of locking pliers to hold the cable, pulling on that while tightening down the bolt. This works, but is a bit quirky and damages the cable more than I care for. Cable ties were handled with regular adjustable pliers and fingers, a two handed job that worked well but was is prone to breaking small ties.

The only difficulty I’ve run into thus far is when trying to use the C-356 to snug down the cable on a 2012-ish SRAM X9 rear derailleur, as the cable’s termination point isn’t really accessible with the tool. Otherwise, it’s been very handy. Most of my uses with it have involved cable ties, but it’s made tightening them down (especially in tight spaces, like inside of fork legs while a wheel is fitted) a breeze.

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Salsa CroMoto Grande 29″ Tapered Fork w/ 15mm Thru Axle (QBP FK0851)

Published February 10, 2014

Every since getting the Salsa El Mariachi Ti last April I’ve been interested in trying it out with a rigid fork, but due to the lack of availability of reasonably priced, readily compatible forks I hadn’t been able to. The (very nice looking, but expensive) Whisky Parts Company No. 9 Carbon Thru Axle 29er Fork would have worked, but at $595 (MSRP) it’s too pricy for my part-time rigid fork desires.

As of last week QBP began shipping part FK0851, a 15mm thru axle tapered steerer tube version of their CroMoto Grande 29er fork, the same one which ships on the 2014 Salsa El Mariachi Single Speed. I have the non-tapered 9mm quick release version for my steel El Mariachi Single Speed (photo) and like it there, and with a MSRP of $209 I figured it’d be a good fork for the El Mariachi Ti. Ryan over at Apto Cycling ordered the fork for me the day it was available, I picked it up on Thursday, and this evening I got it installed.

At 2.8 pounds (versus 3.7 for the Fox) it only saves 0.9 pounds, but it should give me everything I wanted in a rigid fork on that bike: a stiff, reasonably-priced, not-squishy front end that’s drop-in compatible with the suspension fork and easy to switch to. The Whisky fork would have saved another 1.3 pounds, but at nearly $400 more, I don’t think it’d have been worth it.

I’m quite happy with how the fork looks, with the gloss black goes great with the titanium frame, and the overall setup was as easy as I could have hoped for. I’m not as keen on the Rock Shox Maxle design as I like Fox’s lever type a bit more, but it does work as advertised. Sitting still bike has a slightly more aggressive posture than with the suspension fork, right about equal to the proper sag setting while riding it.

I’m really looking forward to getting that bike back out and riding it… That’ll still have to wait for a thaw and nicer weather.

More photos of the fork are available here: 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5

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Lasko Pro-Performance High Velocity Utility Fan (Model 4900)

Published February 3, 2014

Wanting a higher powered fan for when riding on the trainer, and being inspired by the Air King blowers at BK Training Systems I picked up a Lasko Pro-Performance High Velocity Utility Fan (Model 4900) fan via Amazon, and I’m not disappointed. At $72.17 it wasn’t the cheapest fan (and the price has gone up in from $60 in conjunction with the onset of trainer season), but it seems worth it. When run on high it is comparably loud to the more-decorative tabletop fan I’ve been using for a couple years, but it moves considerably more air. At ~12 feet away from the fan, as I will be when on the bike, it moves enough air to make the rushing sound in my ears that I get when riding at 15MPH+.

The linear flow of the air is really different from the normal swirling chop of rotary fans, but it’s also much more like the steady flow when one is riding. I think this’ll be great for keeping me cool; it moves a lot of air.

Beyond trainer use, this’ll also be great for airing out the house, drying clothes in the basement, blowing warm house air into the cold garage when working out there in the winter, and airing out the hot garage on summer days.

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Another Elegant Cadence Sensor Magnet Option

Published January 24, 2014

I’m apparently on a quest to find ideal neodymium magnets for triggering the cadence side of ANT+ speed/cadence sensors such as the Garmin GSC-10 and Wahoo Cycling Speed/Cadence Sensor. I’d previously tried wide/thin (10mm wide, various thickness) magnets such as the one seen here on the Salsa El Mariachi Ti which sit on the end of the pedal spindle. This works well on the El Mariachi Ti where the crank boot supports it from the side, but on bare cranks it’s not difficult to knock the magnet off. My friend Jeremy has lost at least one magnet this way.

A few days ago I received some 8mm x 10mm (diameter x height) neodymium magnet cylinders via eBay and these seem like an even better solution. On Crank Brothers pedals with 8mm hex sockets in the end of the spindle, these magnets slide snugly into the 8mm hole, with a bit over 2mm poking out. This works great for triggering the reed switch inside the cadence sensor, and unlike other magnets which simply stuck to the end of the spindle, roughly 75% of the magnet is inside of the pedal so it won’t be possible to knock this one off.

Removing the magnet as needed is pretty easy, too. Because there is no flat surface at the bottom of the hex socket the magnet is relatively easy to remove. It can easily be pulled out with another magnet, by sticking a flat piece of steel to the top, or grasped firmly (say, with pliers or some strong finger tips) and slid out. While getting to this fastener outside of a shop isn’t usually needed, it’s good to have the option.

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