Rantin' and Ravin'

   I was considering holding off on writing this week since I am in a bit of a foul mood due to bicycle transactions that have gone wrong and a few build issues that have popped up, but where better to express my frustrations?

   I had seven finished bicycles in my shop at one point this fall, and all but two were out of my possession by the early spring. However, I have added a couple completed bikes to my inventory, and I have been surprised and very disappointed by how few sales have happened since. I figured when the weather turned nice, more folks would be looking for bikes, but that just hasn’t been the case. It’s not like I’ve been pricing them differently, as I rarely charge much more than what the actual build costs in parts, with maybe a little extra for the time I put into them.

   There have been several instances when I’ve gotten my hopes up with people who have expressed interest or even made offers and then, really, just disappeared without a word. I had one person stop by, spend over an hour looking at my bikes, finished projects and current builds in progress, as well as talking about pro cycling past and present. He talked about making a deposit for the Pinarello Prince and paying in a couple installments if I’d hold it for him. Well, I have no money and the Prince is still hanging down there a month later.

   When dealing with potential buyers, I try to practice a basic form of courtesy, although it is generally a “first come, first serve” arrangement when using craigslist or other online classified ads. If someone has contacted me with plans to stop by, I think it would be rude to have the next person who calls show up beforehand and sell the bike out from under the original potential buyer.

   I used italics when I repeated that word because this strategy has done nothing but backfire on me, as people have not treated me with the same courtesy and have most often just not shown up, without any call or explanation. Of course, when I go back to the second or third caller, they have by that time bought something else or now have their eyes on an alternative purchase.

   I try not to become bitter with what I really perceive is a “nice guys finish last” world, but I am convinced that, at least when dealing with somewhat fickle bicycle buyers, my best bet is to make the bicycles available to the first person who will put cash in my hand and wheel one out the door!

   Down in the shop I have been VERY busy with repair work, as I have become acquainted with a circle of people, some of which have already been repeat customers and have also been so kind as to recommend me to friends of theirs. And some of them have likewise already returned for repairs on other bikes! I continue to collect parts for my waiting Ciocc ’80 Mokba and Pinarello Veneto projects, but the repairs are always the priority, so progress has been slow on those two bicycles.

   The replacement parts for the Centaur righthand shifter came in the mail, so I resumed work on the Ridley Boreas. I found the lefthand lever was a bit sticky between downshifts, so I flooded it with degreaser and re-lubed the innards, which has improved its operation significantly. The bike is finished and is now listed in my "For Sale" page.

   I wasn’t exactly delighted to find compatibility issues aren’t just Campagnolo related, as I recently acquired a 2012 Cannondale SuperSix 5 bicycle that was equipped with mostly Shimano Ultegra components. I was interested in swapping out the standard 53/39t crankset to a compact version, and double-checked what type of bottom bracket interface the bicycle required so that I could purchase the appropriate part.

   In an effort to have the bottom bracket and crankset provide as much stiffness as possible so that no power from the pedal stroke is lost in flex, companies have been experimenting with crank spindles and bearings with a larger diameter. In this case, Cannondale developed what is called a BB30 system, a bottom bracket for 30 millimeter spindles, as opposed to the common 25 millimeter spindles of modern Shimano screw-in bottom brackets (left photo below).

   BB30 bottom brackets do not have threads and are sometimes called PF30, as they are press fit (right photo above). I then wondered why, even though the Cannondale had a BB30 logo printed clearly on the bottom of the frame, there was a threaded bottom bracket installed. After doing some research and finding a ton of different adaptors listed on eBay, I found that many people prefer to use the traditional Shimano assembly because the BB30 bearings have proven to wear out quickly. Several companies have manufactured a metal sleeve that fits inside the BB30 opening, which has threads for the traditional 25mm system.

In this closeup of the SuperSix bottom bracket with the cranskset removed, you can see the threaded adapter insert (red arrow) installed within the original BB30 sleeve (blue arrow).

   Looking into the situation a bit deeper, I found that this SuperSix 5 had an alloy BB30 insert listed in its original specs! You may wonder why Cannondale would construct frames with its own wider bottom bracket, and then completely undo the work by factory installing the narrower insert, but of course, word travels fast in the cycling market and the company needs to sell bikes. Shimano has proven to be a reliable and preferred brand, and until you get all the kinks out of your own system, you’d better go with something that works and, most importantly, what the customers want.

   I have decided not to mess with trying to have the insert removed, as I have seen how “sketchy” that prospect is, even for experienced mechanics. I didn’t particularly like the mismatched silver crankset anyway, so I will try to find a good deal on black Ultegra cranks, or maybe even save a few bucks on a Shimano 105 version, if necessary.

   One never knows, behind-the-scenes Cannondale may be working with SRAM or Shimano to perfect the BB30 system and intends to do some sort of re-launch in the near future. However, the way of the cycling world operates, I wouldn’t be completely stunned to see this particular number completely disappear. After all, Cannondale is the company that decided, for no apparent reason, to skip from manufacturing CAAD10 aluminum frames directly to the CAAD12!

   

   Even though the forecast is for a very hot Friday, I am planning to do my annual ride down to the shore. I usually see something interesting along the way (I prefer that nothing too dramatic actually happens, though!), and I’ll fill you in next time around.