Clearing out the shop, finally!

   Lately so many bikes had been lingering around my shop in various stages of repair, most awaiting parts to arrive. I was getting a bit tired of shuffling them around from workstand to floor and back again, but at last all bicycles have been returned to their owners or sold off to customers.

 

   Of course the highlight of this recent wave of work was final assembly of my Cannondale, which was fairly simple once all of the appropriate parts were collected. About a week ago I had taken off everything in anticipation, as the photo above reflects, with all but the old cassette and bottom bracket removed at this point. The distortion of the right chainstay visible in the photo is not a dent, but a built-in curve to compensate for the location of the chainrings. If you scroll down a couple of photos, you can also see the curve in the lower photo with the new Tiagra compact crankset in place.

 

   I mentioned in my previous blog entry that I had a delay because of an eBay seller listing an incorrectly described derailleur, so while I waited for that part, I took the time to put some new Cinelli cork tape on the bars. I also routed the wiring and installed the computer mount. In the past I’ve bought several mounts and install one on each of my bicycles, then I just switch the computer out when I ride a different bike so that I can record the cumulative miles.

   The crankset was the first part to arrive, and I was pleased to find that I no longer had to wrestle with mounting each crankarm onto the spindle. The bottom bracket on this Shimano set comes integrated to the chainrings and right crank, and the process involves simply sliding the bracket through the frame and tightening the cups on each side. I did have to give the drive side a little bump with a rubber mallet to push it all the way through the frame. The left side crank then bolts directly to the spindle, with a safety ring between the bolts that only pops down when you have everything in the correct position.

 

 

   The front derailleur bracket had to be loosened so that I could slide it down closer to the smaller chainrings, otherwise the chain would rub on the derailleur cage when in the smaller rear cogs. I left a couple of millimeters of clearance over the large ring then tightened the bracket after making sure the cage face was parallel with the rings. Adjusting the cage swing during gear changes had to wait for installation of the chain.

   By comparing the earlier disassembly photo with the shot on the right, the difference in size between the former 11-23 tooth cassette and the new 11-34 mountain bike cassette is obvious. The need for a long cage rear derailleur is also apparent, allowing for adequate swing of the chain over these cogs. At this point I hadn’t adjusted the derailleur, so the cable wasn’t bolted down.

   Correctly sizing the bicycle chain for a triple chainring or compact double arrangement is important to ensure the right amount of slack is present for smooth shifting, yet not so much that the chain is slapping down on the stays when you hit bumps. The most effective method is running the chain around the largest chainring and largest cog without going through the rear derailleur, then overlapping one more full link. Note in the below left photo that a full link is what I’ve marked between the blue lines. You then remove the pin from the leftover chain section, but hang onto that section in case you need it for a future repair!

 

   The photo also includes my favorite feature included by some chain manufacturers, a master link (the gold-colored section), which completely eliminates having to mess with pushing a link pin back into the chain. The master link has a face plate for each side with a pin already attached and a tapered hole, which allows you to pull the two ends of the chain together and connect them easily.

   After adjusting the derailleurs, I was able to take the Cannondale on long, hilly test ride. Not to be too overconfident in my abilities, I made sure to stick a few basic tools in my jersey pockets, but I had absolutely no mechanical problems. The bike performed perfectly, and I even found that I had extra gears not needed on some of the worst climbs. I’m thinking that is somewhat because I’m in such good form, but I bet there will be some longer hills when those “desperation gears” will be appreciated, or on rides during the first few weeks of next season!

 

ATTEMPTING to put it all together

   My Cannondale had Shimano 105 components, and I quickly found that it would be impossible to keep a complete set of matching Shimano components since the 105 line did not include a compact crankset. I certainly didn’t feel like dishing out the big bucks for Ultegra (Shimano’s top-of-the-line), so I looked at some of their less expensive product lines. I'm familiar with the Sora and Tourney names for their lower level road bike components, later discovered that Alivia and Altus were their corresponding MTB lines, and avoided all of those. Anyway, I eventually settled on a mid-range Tiagra crankset, a Shimano line of which I’ve had no complaints about on my Trek for the last four years.

   The acquisition of a new rear cassette was no problem, after finding a reasonably priced 9-speed Shimano Deore mountain bike version with a wide range of cog size from 11 to 34 teeth. However, my purchase of the long-cage Deore rear derailleur to go with it was a bit of a bust. The listing on eBay was missing the correct description of the part, which was reverse sprung. Some Shimano derailleurs use what they call a “Rapid Rise” system that reverses the tension on the derailleur cable. In other words, the cage is sprung towards the wheel and the larger cog, as opposed to the traditional direction towards the chainstay and smaller cog. This system supposedly makes shifts under load on bouncy terrain much easier. I found this set up counter-intuitive and somewhat useless for road bicycles, so I am now awaiting a replacement with the correct spring direction.

   I did realize that with my new setup that my required chain length was probably going to increase. After wrapping the old chain around the largest chainring and then back around the largest cog to make sure, I found the purchase of a new chain would indeed be necessary, which leads me to the following - just another example of why Bikesport is the best bike shop around:

  Today I needed help with the rear wheel from one of the “throw-in” bikes from my recent Cannondale transaction. There was a broken spoke on the drive side, which required the removal of the freewheel (the cluster of gears) in order to have room to weave a new spoke back through the hub. Partly because of a short wrench, but also due to a bad shoulder, I was not getting enough torque on the removal tool. I needed to purchase the new spoke (and previously mentioned chain) anyway, so I took the wheel with the hope that Bikesport’s better tools and younger arms would be able to loosen the freewheel.

   As usual the guys went above and beyond - I would assume somewhat because I’m a regular customer on a first name basis with a couple of the employees, but also because that is just the way they operate. Christopher, who knew that I would normally handle the rest of the work at home, proceeded to not only remove the freewheel, he inserted the new spoke and put everything back together. While I was talking to another employee about chains, Christopher held up the wheel and told him that when I was ready for check out, to just charge for the spoke. Now, I understand that he was leaving the truing of the rim to me, but he definitely did more than just hand me a spoke and send me on my way!

   The clincher was when the clerk, after tallying my other purchases at the register, forgot and entered the full price for their regular spoke replacement service. Jeff, my former mechanic class teacher, who was barely within earshot of this whole exchange, and was at the time busy with another customer’s tire repair, piped in with a reminder to just charge for the spoke itself. I laughed and told him that I was in there so often that I wouldn’t have even thought to double check the receipt, but it’s obvious that the high-quality service they provide is what makes me feel so trusting.

Upgrading/fine-tuning/tinkering/tricking-out our new rides

   A quick pro racing note: if you need to understand why I don't like Alberto Contador, witness another one of his pre-planned victory celebrations as he crossed the finish line in Madrid as winner of the Vuelta a España (Tour of Spain). Contador held up seven fingers, to acknowledge his seven Grand Tour titles…wait he has only won five titles legally. Two of them were stripped because he was found to have a banned substance in his system while competing in the 2010 Tour de France. Hey, I have no problem with maintaining that the ingestion of the substance was accidental, but the bottom line is that you won a race with an illegal drug in your body. A victorious return to competition is not the time to make a gesture that effectively thumbs your nose at the rules and the governing body that enforces them!

   I also quickly want to mention that I’ve had it with the Lance Armstrong investigation, not that I think he is innocent. His influence is so far beyond the sport now, which makes me question somewhat the motives behind his accusers. The work he has done for cancer awareness and research has helped so many that I feel pursuing this any further is counterproductive. So what if his Tour titles are stripped - he has reaped all the benefits from them already. These wins are now so long ago that awarding a victory to anyone else during those races, even if you could find a clean winner from those podium places (or even top ten, for that matter), would be meaningless. I feel bad for those few athletes who attempted to compete fairly in professional cycling during that era and were robbed of the excitement of winning a spring classic or a major tour, as well as all of the perks that come with having achieved such an accomplishment.

   I finished the repair/refurb job on the K2 mountain bike for Carrick (photo right). Besides replacing a severely worn rear tire, I also purchased a new seat, since the original had a few tears in it. I changed out the handlebar grips, which had turned into a deteriorating glob of rubber, and some of the cables that were rusty. Carrick was excited to try out the bike, and although he is certainly used to front shock absorbers, he found that the rear suspension will take some getting used to. This might be something we’ll want to adjust in order reduce the amount of sag flexing in the frame.        

   I am in the process of tuning up my son’s old Schwinn and the GT hybrid I also received in the Cannondale deal. Both bikes have really decent frames with remarkably little paint loss, but the handlebars, derailleurs and other parts have taken quite a bit of knocking around! The Schwinn was fairly abused by Carrick and the GT, which was a shore bike and displays the expected rust from exposure to salt air, certainly isn’t going to be perfect, but the two are definitely usable. With a little work, I hope to get a few bucks for them both.

  Thinking over my current collection of bikes and how I wanted to use them, I’ve determined that after nearly a full season of cycling, the Pinarello has become my “everyday” bicycle. Its lightweight frame and comfortable gearing are perfect for the Schuylkill Valley, which is dominated by short, steep climbs. I consider the Colnago as a bit of a luxury bike, something I’ve always wanted and really like to show off. Its Campagnolo shifting is super smooth and the bike just feels fast, but it’s not the best climber, so it is relegated to the flatter courses I ride.

   I found from my test rides on the Cannondale that it has gearing very similar to the Colnago – far more appropriate for the professional racer that can grind the big rings. However, I love the look and fit of the Cannondale, and would rather put it to regular use, instead of just on trails, which was my intent when I purchased it. What I decided to do, with much input from others, was change up the gearing on the bike completely, making it my “go to” machine for rides that contain more climbing. That would leave the Trek to be my trail bike, and its generous gearing would be appreciated on some steeper paths; one particular section of the nearby Perkiomen Trail at Spring Mountain comes to mind. I have a couple cyclocross tires ordered for the Trek, and that will be a simple setup.  

   The Cannondale, however, will not be so easy. I knew that I would have to change the current 53/39- tooth chainring set, but I wasn’t sure that I wanted to go to a triple chainring configuration, because that would mean having to purchase a new shift lever with that extra shifting capability and sinking a whole lot more money into the project. The current Shimano 105 Hollowtech crankset, which is in excellent condition, should easily re-sell and help make up some of the replacement cost, but used levers usually aren’t in as much demand.

   Some research on internet forums and a conversation with the excellent staff at Bikesport helped to nail down a plan. With the increasing number of tourist riders who desire to tackle roads the pros take on in the Rockies and Alps, bicycle manufacturers now use a compact double configuration with a smaller chainring set in the front and, more importantly, a rear cassette very much like those found on a mountain bike. Besides providing a bit of reduced weight with one less ring, a two chainring system features smoother shifting with pressure on the pedals, which can be very important when changing gears on the hills - just ask Andy Schleck during the 2010 Tour de France!

   At Bikesport I was shown one of Trek’s new models that had the compact double setup as standard, and I immediately noticed the longer rear derailleur cage necessary to accommodate the larger cogs. Since the Shimano 105 derailleur on my Cannondale was of the very short, racing variety, I knew this would have to be changed. The 105 lever is nine-speed, so as long as I purchased a cassette with the same number of speeds, this wouldn’t be a problem.

   At this point I am awaiting the delivery of parts, so next week I will describe some of the trials I faced trying to acquire everything needed and provide some details on the assembly!

"No, I don't need therapy!"

…was the answer to the question my son Carrick asked when he saw me pull in the driveway with four bicycles crammed into our minivan. “And there’s one more that didn’t fit,” I added. As he shook his head, I jokingly told him that I traded them all for my cyclocross bike. Although it seems that I have bicycle collecting issues, I will defend myself by saying that I always have a plan in mind and that I don’t have any more bicycles than I had last winter.

    The truth was that only one of these bicycles was initially intended as a keeper, a 2002 Saeco/Cannondale team replica bicycle (pictured right), with two others scheduled for return after tune-ups and the fourth a “throw in” mountain bike that Carrick has already claimed. It needs some minor work, but he has outgrown his mountain bike, and this one is of much better quality. There is actually another bike that I couldn’t quite squeeze into the van during this trip, and that one will be fixed up and sold. All of this was a result of an interesting and enjoyable trade+cash transaction with a very nice gentleman that came about via Craigslist. 

  After a few spring rides on the Motobécane Mirage that I had refurbished last year, I realized how cumbersome the steel frame bike was, especially when hitting some uphill sections of the nearby Perkiomen Trail. Sure, I’ve been a bit spoiled lately by the superlight carbon frame of the Pinarello, but the inadequate gearing of the mid-1970’s era Mirage didn’t help its case either. I enjoyed the repaint project and its results, but I wasn’t too disappointed with the prospect of selling it.

   The Mirage was one of Motobécane’s lower level machines, probably only worth about $100 these days, but I hoped to make a bit more on the work and new components. I planned to only spend, at most, a couple hundred dollars to replace it. While concentrating solely on road cycling all summer, I had been tossing around a few alternative bicycles in my mind and casually scanned eBay and Craigslist for deals.

   I had made a decision to go with a late 80’s to early 90’s bike, but I was not looking to buy an expensive brand that I was going to be afraid of getting nicked with stones or other debris kicked up from unpaved trails. I narrowed it down to an Atala Corsa (pictured left), in what appeared to me as a paint scheme inspired by my favorite Inter Milan soccer team. Months ago I had seen one listed and considered for a fix and re-sell project, but passed on it because of the price. However, judging by photos online, they weren’t super rare, so I just had to wait until another within my budget became available.

   Sure enough, a couple of weeks ago I saw a blue and white Corsa listed in North Jersey, and then a beautiful bright red version with cool World Champion decals showed up in the local shop, all tuned up and ready to go. This model even had some nice Mavic wheels and some Campagnolo components. I was strongly considering making my move on one of these two bikes until I rode the metric century in Delaware in preparation for the MS150 later this month.

   All four of the other members on our family cycling team ride Cannondale bikes, and it always made me feel left out, particularly because of my history with that brand. I grew up a “Cannondale guy”, having ridden thousands of miles on a royal blue machine I kept in pristine condition for nearly 20 years until a careless motorist ruined it in a collision that I was lucky to escape from without major injury. I purchased a Trek as a replacement bike, mainly because I couldn’t find a Cannondale at that time that fit my requirements and price range. However, there’s more to my connection with this bike company, so please excuse me while I digress. My Mom will be the first to tell you it is a family storytelling trait, of which we are both EXPERTS.

   Years ago I had a Saeco/Cannondale team jersey that matched this bicycle’s colors and graphics, but Sue and I agree that wearing it with the bike would have made me an extreme poseur (means the same thing in French and English). I had purchased this jersey because one of my favorite cyclists, Mario Cipollini, rode for the team during the 1990s, when I couldn’t get enough of the European racing scene. Mario was a very handsome athlete that could be seen often wearing flamboyant outfits in competition (see photos below), but most importantly, he backed up everything he did with supreme talent and results.

 

 

   Known as The Lion King for his full head of hair and dominance in the peloton, Mario claimed the points jersey three times and a record forty-two stages at the Giro d’Italia and won classics like Milan-San Remo and Ghent Wevelgem (a record three times). Although during his career he also won twelve stages of the Tour de France, including a modern-day record four in a row in 1999, and three at the Vuelta a España, Cipo never claimed the points jersey at either of those grand tours. I suspect that because his Italian team sponsor focused so much on success at their national tour, Mario rarely had enough left in the tank to hold it together for three weeks in France or Spain. The 2002 World Champion has always been one of the coolest personalities in cycling, and is often seen these days at the big races, promoting his bicycles which are used by the ISD/Farnese Vini pro cycling team.

   Mario grew up in Lucca, Tuscany, one of my favorite cities in the world. The city, also known as the hometown of Puccini, is surrounded by a wide Renaissance-era wall, upon which is now a 4 km bike path loop, where you can have beautiful views of the Apennine Mountains and the surrounding river valley stretching towards the nearby Tyrrhenian Sea. The city inside the walls has very limited auto traffic, so you can stroll about relatively safely while you check out the remnants of a Roman amphitheatre, the famous Torre Guinigi (a tall stone/brick tower with trees growing at the top) and Duomo di San Martino.
 

   Well, not all of this information was running through my head when I did a casual search of Cannondale bikes on Craigslist, but when I saw the fantastic red, yellow and white Saeco graphics on this bike, I was hooked! The seller, Tom, had even mentioned possible trade, so I thought this could be a one stop deal – out with the old, in with the new. It ended up being more of a case of out with the old, in with some more old and a little new.

   My wife laughed when I told her that as soon as I walked into Tom’s office and saw the bike I told him, “Oh, I’m taking this home!” She commented that I’m not exactly the world’s best negotiator, but I know what I like and had a great idea about what I was getting beforehand. I had seen pictures and a thorough description in the listing, and I had been exchanging emails with the seller for any additional information about the bike.

   I may have spent more than I originally intended, but considering the fantastic bike I bought, the convenience of not having to list and/or ship the Mirage and the extra bikes I came away with, I am extremely pleased. Next week I’ll provide more details on the work to be done on everything I acquired.