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In my newest Exterior column I ask whether or not or not the supple tire development has gone too far:
The reply is sure it has.
So too has the huge bar development, by the best way. At this level the “alt” biking sorts are driving bikes wider than their bikes are lengthy. (‘m undecided there’s something “alt” about alt-cycling anymore, ether. If something it’s highway bikes that at the moment are “alt”–and they’re again to slim bars, go determine:
Cyclists are so predictable.
In fact, my favourite highway bike additionally has comparatively slim bars, because it dates again to the final slim bar cycle:
As I discussed the opposite day, I’ve received some initiatives deliberate, and considered one of them is to offer this bike some much-needed consideration–together with repairing and changing the unique C-Document derailleur, which I needed to substitute with an Ultegra again in Could because of a damaged bushing thingy. Among the many goodies Paul of Traditional Cycle had despatched me over the vacations was a donor derailleur from which I might supply an intact bushing. So I figured I’d get get began on that in the present day.
I’d since moved the ailing but lovely C-Document derailleur to the Faggin, having discovered that for some motive it labored simply fantastic on that bike regardless of the damaged bushing thingy:
So I eliminated it, and whereas the chain was off I figured I’d additionally care for one thing else that was bugging me:
That’s a triple entrance derailleur shifting a 42/53 chainring combo. It was the one derailleur I had on the time that will match. It really works simply fantastic with the double, however I needed to mount it fairly excessive as much as hold the massive internal plate from hitting the internal ring. Clearly there is no such thing as a motive for a 53-tooth chainring on an city runabout, and I did have smaller outer rings accessible, however since I’d be unable to maneuver the derailleur any decrease I didn’t need to use them for concern of throwing the chain.
However then triple-izing the Homer (by the best way, changing the Wipperman hyperlink has actually cured the chainsuck downside) netted me one other entrance derailleur–a Shimano designed particularly for “cyclocross”-type ring combos–so I dug out a 48-tooth chainring:
And now the Faggin’s frontal crank scenario is significantly extra usable and tidy:
Other than all of the grime that’s my trademark, after all.
With that performed, I turned my consideration to the derailleur(s):
The one on the left is the one from the Kestrel (damaged), and the one on the suitable is the one Paul despatched me (intact). As you possibly can see, the intact one is far more scuffed than the pristine-looking damaged one, although so far as I might inform it was in any other case completely purposeful. Whereas I feel Paul’s thought was that I’d swap the bushing over to the nicer (damaged) derailleur, I’d additionally ordered a substitute bushing from eBay, which I used to be nonetheless ready for:
Sure, you may get a reasonably first rate used derailleur for a similar cash, however I’ve come to understand that classic Campagnolo elements trigger you to behave irrationally, and I preferred the thought of getting two working derailleurs, since that will put me squarely within the One %.
Anyway, with the half on the best way, I figured I’d simply put the scuffed (intact) derailleur on the Faggin after which restore the clear one when the half arrived. In order that’s what I did, and I spent a lot of time futzing with cable housing and ferrules because of the old-style cable cease on the ’80s body, the dearth of a barrel adjuster on the scuffed derailleur, and many others., solely to lastly type all of it out after which uncover I couldn’t flip the goddamn restrict screws. This was as a result of the slots had been extraordinarily slim and solely the teeniest screwdrivers would match, however then I couldn’t get sufficient grip or leverage to budge them, even with pliers. I attempted each screwdriver I had–even a bike-themed one with a pun it–however it merely wasn’t occurring:
I do know you’re supposed to make use of JIS screwdrivers on Japanese bike elements, which like most lazy slobs I by no means do. So figuring out Campagnolo perhaps I want a particular screwdriver with the requisite Italian ardour. Or perhaps they’re simply caught. I actually didn’t have this downside with the restrict screws on the opposite derailleur, which flip so simply you possibly can virtually do it by hand:
Regardless of the case, I gave up making an attempt to show them since I’ve been identified to break derailleurs, and at last simply snatched the Ultegra off the Vengeance Bike since I used to be going to be changing it will definitely anyway:
This in the end yielded me an exceedingly easy drivetrain, if a bit pedestrian for its utter lack of Campagnolo:
Although arguably a pink Faggin is Campy sufficient.
I’d prefer to say I finished there, and also you in all probability want I might, however after that I received deep into the derailleur surgical procedure:
When you’ve ever seen “Useless Ringers” you already know what it was like*:
However let’s save that for one more day.
*[Don’t worry, the derailleurs are fine.]
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