I run tubes in all of my bikes and I would say I am an avid cyclist. It's a matter of personal preference IMO.
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Anyone here a cyclist?
- Thread starter MaksTO
- Start date
So i realized my tires that came on the bike (Kenda Flintridge i think) are the same ones that came on my wife's bike...
I didn't figure that out until i did my first commute and it was SLOW AS HECK.
Started looking up tires and figured i'd look at what my wife had...
...
theyre exactly the same $hit. When we got it, she'd complained about how slow her bike was compared to her previous one, and the tire change made a night and day differece.
So now i'm looking up gravel-light tires...
Specialized Pathfinders seem to be where it's at for my use case for fast rolling tarmac with some gravel capability
A lot of people are telling me to just get wide road tires
I didn't figure that out until i did my first commute and it was SLOW AS HECK.
Started looking up tires and figured i'd look at what my wife had...
...
theyre exactly the same $hit. When we got it, she'd complained about how slow her bike was compared to her previous one, and the tire change made a night and day differece.
So now i'm looking up gravel-light tires...
Specialized Pathfinders seem to be where it's at for my use case for fast rolling tarmac with some gravel capability
A lot of people are telling me to just get wide road tires
While not the fastest tires, gatorskins are almost invincible for commuting. I don't find them horrible and for rail trail/beltline type gravel, I have no need for tread. Gatorskins are something like 22.5 watts/tire rolling resistance.
Here is a chart with RR for a bunch of gravel tires. Unfortunately, no gatorskins or kenda in the chart as a reference. They tested gatorskin 25 at 20 watts but that's narrower than you want.
CX/Gravel Bike Tires Test Results | Bicycle Rolling Resistance
An overview of all CX/Gravel bike tires which have been reviewed after being tested on our rolling resistance testing machine.
www.bicyclerollingresistance.com
I’m keeping the tubes in for now but might swap them out if I have any issues later. The guy I took my bike to for a tune up just runs tubes.
I picked up a few bits and pieces for the bike. I was looking for a stand so I wouldn’t have to lean the bike on anything or lay it down and came across the Click Stand. So I ordered one. Pretty clever idea, basically a collapsible tent pole with a C hook at one end so you can leave your bike on it via the top tube. Super lightweight and comes with a few bands to keep the front brake on to aid stability. I got a carrier for it to attach to the frame too. It will take a fully loaded touring bike weight and I don’t have to bolt anything awkward to the frame of the bike.
I ride my SS on trails. Running 2" WTB Thickslicks full slicks on it. Not an issue unless it's deep sand.
On my "gravel bike" I run Vittoria Terreno Zero (which is a slick IMO) and I have been very happy with them. The gravel bike gets used on single track, gravel and pavement (tends to get the most kms a year for me as it does near everyting). No punctures so far (running tubes) not the lowest in watts but also not the highest.
A mix of availability, price and puncture resistance I grade as the most important.
Watts, as long as they are not too high I am good. I am not racing.
Treads, I like most--not doing mud or snow and only sand when I randmomly run into it on a trail.
A mix of availability, price and puncture resistance I grade as the most important.
Watts, as long as they are not too high I am good. I am not racing.
Treads, I like most--not doing mud or snow and only sand when I randmomly run into it on a trail.
Just filling some holes in my toolbox. What are bike necessary tools? After I get my bike back from the shop I’ll try to do everything else myself except wheel truing.
So far I have:
Bike repair stand
Master link pliers/chain rivet tool
Cassette removal tool and cassette pliers
Cable/housing cutter/crimper
Tire levers
I have hex keys/torx/torque wrench etc for the KTM already.
Missing anything?
So far I have:
Bike repair stand
Master link pliers/chain rivet tool
Cassette removal tool and cassette pliers
Cable/housing cutter/crimper
Tire levers
I have hex keys/torx/torque wrench etc for the KTM already.
Missing anything?
If you want to take your bottom bracket out or cranks off, that needs a tool. I would not buy those tools as you need them so infrequently.
If you get in the mud often, a chain cleaner that clips on is helpful but for your purposes, a sacrificial brush is probably sufficient.
Honestly, you probably don't even need half the stuff you already had as many of them are used very infrequently and for the home gamers, you don't need peak efficiency so a slower alternate path can get the job done.
A bike in a sad state is a great learning tool. Fix it up and learn with it and give it to someone in need. Easier and less annoying than messing up the setup on your good bike and trying to fix it again. Things like adjusting derailleurs and brakes are easy once you understand and have done it but the first time there is head scratching as the adjustments aren't obviously labeled.
The Ghost is right you rarely use these but when you need them you need them.
I have never needed a cone wrench. Even when I used to repack loose bearings, I didn't have major issues getting it done without that tool. There is a way around a crank puller too but it is harder and worth buying the tool (but I would wait until I needed to pull the crank, I wouldn't have it just in case).
IMO you should try your hand at wheel truing. It can be a little intimidating at first so if you have an old wheel lying around you can practice on that.
Spoke wrenches are pretty cheap too.
On old crappy bikes, I was constantly having to straighten wheels. On my current bikes, I check for any loose spokes (spin wheel and listen to notes as my nails or a plastic screwdriver handle hits each spoke) but haven't had to adjust them in years.
Funny I’ve had to use one so often on my old bike as I couldn’t get two wrenches in to replace the bearings. On my new to me bikes that hasn’t been the case as maybe they are better made. But the front wheel is making a noise but not loose. So I’m ignoring it, until it makes an eggbeater noise.
Gotta learn to treat yoself
After reading countless reviews, these seem to be as good as the WTB Byway but without the flats
Faster than the Panaracer Gravelking slicks (with better offroad performance)
But not as good as the Rene Hersel (which are faster but flat wayyyyyy more)
I'll run them with tubes at first and then if i really enjoy gravel, i might switch to tubeless
After reading countless reviews, these seem to be as good as the WTB Byway but without the flats
Faster than the Panaracer Gravelking slicks (with better offroad performance)
But not as good as the Rene Hersel (which are faster but flat wayyyyyy more)
I'll run them with tubes at first and then if i really enjoy gravel, i might switch to tubeless
Dirty Frank
Well-known member
superfluous post due to short memory retention on my part...
Forgot about Jed and Dan when the chainlube question came up and predictable myriad of different answers to which-one-is-best? a few weeks ago (oil sub thread?). In a saturated environment the key to market share is to come up with something unique with a catchy name. You need to have a bottle of this on your lubricant shelf, if only to have a bottle on your shelf so you can brag about having a bottle on your shelf.
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For the majority of people, tire levers (or even a bead jack if the tire rim combo is difficult or hands are old), patch kit and a good set of allen keys covers most of what you will be doing. Maybe a good set of those for home use and some in a bike tool for on the road repairs. Next is cable and housing cutters (I like Pedro's) and a good crimper if/when it comes time to recable the bike. A bike repair stand does make servicing and cleaning way easier. A good bike cleaning kit is what you are missing (the various brushes make life so much easier) including a chain cleaner is also a good idea.
Maybe some good spoke wrenches to do minor truing.
Master link pliers or chain rivet tool, that depends if the chain has a master link or is riveted and/or will you be working on other bikes. For just your bike you do not need both today as it will be one or the other. Many bike multi-tools come with a rivet tool. If you ride it a lot a chain measuring tool is maybe a good idea in the future to deal with the chain before you need to replace the entire DT.
There are endless bike tools as many things are bicycle specific and some are group set brand specific. Many of these would be buy it only when you need them...
It think it is unlikely you will need a cassette tool or chain whip as what are the odds you will ever need to change them. Same with bottom bracket tool(s) and crank remover. Cone wrenches are likely not needed as my guess is you will never need to service the wheel bearings. Pedal wrench if maybe you intend to change pedals at some point but a 15mm decent wrench usually works (more on this below). The list goes on, buy only if you need unless you just like buying tools...
Get decent quality as there is some crap out there.
On the pedal wrench... a buddy had an old bike and the pedals were seized (aluminum cranks, steel pedal axle). We actually broke the jaws on my Snap-On 15mm (yes we were going the right way). He then bought the Park stamped pedal wrench, I said no way that is stronger.... well I was wrong. I now use a pedal wrench...
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