MudLark

Hi guys, I would really appreciate a little bit of help if anyone is able to point me in the right direction. A while back I bought a used Specialized Diverge – an older model but it suits me well. It is a very light bike for what it is and comes in just on 8 kg. It's been used a fair bit and has a few bumps and knocks but overall is in great condition. It has a Dura Ace system but I don't know which version. Below is a picture of the rear derailleur. If anyone could tell me which Shimano model number it is I would be grateful. The other thing is that I want to get a larger cassette onto the bike. I am thinking of maybe fitting an 11/34, which for me would be great for climbing steep hills at the end of a long ride (say 120 km plus). Would a Wolftooth Roadlink be the right solution and would it work in context? Is there any other similar product which is readily accessible that I could look at as well? It looks to me like some sort of cover or cap has probably gone missing where that circlip is. Does it matter? I couldn't care less about the aesthetics. Thanks in advance!

Of course it's the question. It's the question I asked... One could take along 8 batteries if you wanted. But the point of something like CTCT is that it is a challenge. At least a bit. If you're going through that much additional energy... is there still any challenge? I guess it depends upon the individual. But still. Nee, kyk. E-bikes are fun. And having borrowed one once or twice I have been quite tempted. But I can't shake the idea that I will feel that I am cheating. Illogical maybe but there it is.

There's nothing in the rules that limits the number of batteries you may use. But not be funny but if you need to carry along a spare battery... Is the event for you? BTW, I'm not an e-biker yet but the onset of age is quite likely to make me one before a great many more years have passed.

And they are all of R24.99 at CycleLab.

I've often used plugs as fit and forget in four wheel drives without any problems! Have bought two bikes from bike market. Both came with their problems but I guess that's life. One was with a bent derailleur (in those I didn't know better) and dry pivot bearings; the other they stuffed up the fitment of the new tyres. Neither was that big an issue. But if the tyre is not holding air because of the plug, then bikemarket really should sort it. Either by properly repairing the tyre or replacing with an equivalent tyre (could be used, similar good condition).

Exactly. A hemet has saved my head many times. Both with falls and also just with the odd underpass, tree branch etc. You really have to be a complete idiot to question the value of a helmet.

I suppose he has difficulty understanding seatbelts and ABS braking too. In relation to the question proposed in the thread subject line: Because you're seeing so many cyclists without brains.

Check chain wear.

And for those of use who still work on things out the Ark, also safety wire!

Thank you. I have just learned something new again! The information is golden!

I have a mate that I think could use that. Let me just check with him. Have a Pudo locker just round the corner.

PS: Tension is a more accurate value if it can be measured. I think how a decent wheel builder measures spoke tension. And then I look at my torque wrench and think that it's actually a pretty crude tool in a way.

Okay Rudi. But my point is simply this. If a nut or bolt has been specced on a dry torque value of X and you lube it and then tighten it to X, the tension is way more than than what the original spec would have resulted in. Arguably then you have overtightened the thing. I suppose it all depends upon exactly how the original torque spec is arrived at. Has the individual creating the spec correctly understood the principles etc? Anyway, I'm hardly an engineer, much less a fastener or materials engineer. Interested to read your further response.

Some threads are not meant to be lubricated. As I have it most torque specs are for a dry unlubricated thread. If that is right, your torque is perhaps as much as 40% off spec. See the Popular Mechanics article at this link and under the heading "To lubricate or not": https://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/how-to/a6613/torque-wrench-101-how-to-get-the-right-amount-of-force/

In my case, it's clearly a chain/cassette interface issue. Or as I say, was.

And then ethre was me with a metal water bottle rolling around inside and I was convinced that there was a 'clunk' in the suspension which had me checking the radius arm bushes etc....

Ursus Kodiak wheels and proprietary hub. The problem in this case is definitely not the hub though. Chain is also XX1 BTW. Incidentally, I haven't been paying close attention but I seem to think that I haven't heard it since the most recent service about 2 or 300km back. I really do suspect that it's a derailleur fine tuning issue. But I could be mistaken. I also seem to recollect that it occasionally happened with my Bontrager wheels and hub with GX cassette. But as I say, I eventually stopped paying attention to it. It's not a serious issue.

I have exactly the same happen. And sometimes its there and sometimes its not. SRAM GX coupled with XX1 cassette. And its definitely coming from that combo. Also only the biggest 3 rings. And usually only going uphill. I've given up worrying about it. Make sure the derailleur is perfectly set, check to see if anything is touching or hooking anywhere. Outside of that, just go ride.

You could try something as simple as surfboard wax or one of the many sports grip resins out there designed to enable one to grip wet slippery surfaces. Example below. You also get it in a spray form. You could spray it on the levers. https://firstaid4sport.co.uk/product/trimona-wax-hand-grip-resin-125g/

Also interested.

True. But for me the shift quality on my ten speed hydraulic Tiagra shifters is indistinguishable from my 5 year old Dura Ace.

Gotcha!

I think maybe both. Cheap mass production bicycles tend to use all the more traditional types of components (like rim brakes). I think it's probably going to take a bit of time before they become electronic. Although with modern electronics it is hard to tell given how fast the technology tends to move downstream. But conceivably they could be quite rubbishy as well. But I do think that there may be a market for premium analog components. Time will tell!

@DieselnDustThank you for the very detailed reply. I wasn't aware of many of these issues in the deeper technical aspects. I have personally very limited experience of quality (as opposed to Makro) bikes. I am a relatively new cyclist (going on five years now) and have personally only owned bikes with disc brakes – both mountain, road and gravel. I have used them quite a lot in the wet as well and been very impressed with how they work in the wet. The rubbing issue is something that occasionally drives me a little bit nuts. I seem to spend a fair bit of time adjusting things and checking things out to make sure they don't rub whenever changing brake pads or swapping wheels out et cetera. but I seem to always be able to get it to a "no rub" point eventually. For what it is worthwhile also always mindful about overheating brake systems, whether in a car on a long steep downhill with a lot of weight in it or on a bicycle. I seen thus far at least have had limited issues with brake discs warping. Although I do notice that some of them do not have an entirely perfect run out. I may yet acquire more one of those brake disc adjustment tools. I would have thought that rubbing is an excessively bad idea. I do know that on motorised machines, rubbing brakes – with a disc or drum –can eventually lock up as things expand et cetera. Depending upon circumstances it can be more than merely inconvenient. My one experience with riding a quality rim brake bike is my wife's Bianchi C2C with Campag parts. It is a very nice bike and I was really surprised at how much more comfortable it is than my Emonda but I was very disappointed by the brakes and how much lever force was required to achieve an equivalent level of braking. But I gather from your post that that may be a function of brake pad and rim component quality. I also cannot say that I have ridden a quality rim brake bike in the wet.

Let me add this. The world has seen all the electronic and quartz watches you could ever imagine. And yet high end watches are still predominantly analogue. By and large it's the cheaper stuff that is electronic. Then there was the CD player and now there is pure digital file. But you can still buy vinyl (being pressed again) and turntables, some of very high quality. It's hard to be sure what the future holds for cycling. But I suspect there will always be a market for good quality mechanical groupsets and rim brake bikes and parts and that that market will always have suppliers. It might be fairly niche and cult but it will be there. It might also end up being, like many watches, a very high quality market. Hard to be sure but maybe.