Gaal Yahas ([info]gaal) wrote,
@ 2009-06-03 22:53:00
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Pics of new bike
From roo's fixie—click for more shaky pics

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[info]gaal
2009-06-07 05:35 pm UTC (link)
Go Nadia :)

I like the matte handlebars too, but they won't stay that way. For starters, I need brake levers, so the grey is less pretty. But bare h'bars are rough on the hands and get scratched, so I'll tape them and eventually end up with something like this: http://www.rivbike.com/products/list/odds_and_ends#product=31-466 - fourth pic from the top

foo's prettier than the bike!

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[info]shayel
2009-06-23 01:51 pm UTC (link)
I would stay away from cloth tape, unless you are used to it. It takes too much work to wrap, and you end with uncomfortable bars.

If you want to cloth like shine with an easy to wrap tape, get Fizik or Bontrager Grippy tape (they also have the Gel tape, which I find too thick for my taste). Cinelli carbon look tapes also look great, but tear easily.

A nice bike though. Where did you get the frame painted? And who built your wheels?

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[info]gaal
2009-06-23 02:17 pm UTC (link)
I already have some tape that I'd bought (but not applied yet. After I get new brake levers, I'll try it on and see if I like it. Regarding tear, I think shellac should help making it more robust, and should be obtainable in Israel.

About the frame, thanks -- I had it sandblasted. Then it was painted by Gidi in Chlenov St.; it's a decent but not earth shattering job (you can see the paint scraped off when someone's hand slipped tightening the seat bolt). 300 NIS. The wheels were built by Menachem Cohen. If you're looking for all-around help with singlespeed/fixies, check out Arnon at the Gordon Bennett store in Dizengoff Center (on Kg George).

Say, you got an Albatross a while back, didn't you? How do you like it? What are you riding it on?

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[info]shayel
2009-06-23 03:15 pm UTC (link)
I wanted to get an Albatross when I started cycling, but didn't due to the price and availability. Since then I took cycling much more seriously, and found drop bars to be the most comfortable, once you get used to it.

There are many shapes of drops though, and from the ones I tried, I found I like anatomic bend with flat ramps for STI levers, and an Italian bend for older, pointed-top hoods.

For my commuter I have a MBK Super Mistral from the early '90s. Some kind of lugged steel, I don't think it's cro-mo even.

Sadly, I hardly ride it since I moved (I now live in Tel-Aviv and work in Herzelia), and now spend most of my saddle time as a proper roadie, with the the odd long distance ride thrown in (Usually a 200km, though I did rode to Eilat a couple of times.)

The MBK could use some new paint and a rebuild, which is why I asked about where you got yours repainted. At least the headset and front wheel should be replaced.

I keep planning to pair it with 25mm or 28mm tires so I could use it on unpaved roads, and ride to work with it (as I don't want to ride on roads 2 or 20), but this is on the backburner, due to lack of time and funds – I recently bought another road bike, and feel like I should sell the previous one before sinking more money into a bike project.

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[info]gaal
2009-06-23 04:55 pm UTC (link)
Drops are too low for me and the amount/distance/location of riding I normally do. That's why I did get the mustache bars eventually for this one.

RE: front wheel, surely buying a stock wheel will be cheaper than having one built? Sounds like you don't need a special hub. You may be able to trade in your old one.

25mm on unpaved roads sounds a bit risky to me. But it's possible. Just don't do 12 spoke radials :-)

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[info]shayel
2009-06-24 08:16 am UTC (link)
Road bike geometry does takes getting used to.

I found that the harder you push the pedals, the more comfortable it becomes. As you produce more power, you tend to pull on the bars rather than rest your weight on them, which agrees with more drop. Most of your weight is on the legs, so a minimalist, rock-hard saddle becomes perferable, and you sit further forward on the saddle, which agrees with a longer top tube.

As I'm both impatient and stupid, I always push almost as hard as I can, so such a geometry suits me even when riding to the supermarket, though I do have much less drop on my commuter (~4cm vs ~10cm on my roadie,) to make it easier to look around when riding in dense traffic.

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[info]gaal
2009-06-24 11:05 am UTC (link)
Yup, fully respect that, but as I said, we have different styles/needs.

I dig the hard saddle argument. Hence, leather.

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[info]shayel
2009-06-23 03:31 pm UTC (link)
PS and regarding tape, my personal recommendation is a cork or foam tape, which doesn't shine, but is much more comfy. You can get Cinelli or Deda at Amit Levinson (חשמונאים 115), both are great.

Or better yet, go next door to "Time Trial", and buy a made in Taiwan "Good Horse Co." branded tape that costs half as much, and is just as good if not better (and is what I use on my three bikes).

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