A popular GS that is value for money and used by masses of cyclists is not without its defect

Wheels of Happiness
Rizal Philippines
August 20, 2018

Epic failure of an 11 speed model Ultegra cranks


This post made link to an article which  enumerated the list of winning  framesets  at recent TDF.  All of a sudden there was a query/comment as to winning GS at each stages.  Of course that it is an unfair question because I am not a witness to TDF, nor do this post have data on the query.

Obviously the commentator is pro that Japnese brand.  Yet data shows that for the entire TDF history the winning brand is from Italy 41 as against only 7 for the Japanese brand.   I might speculate that many people worldwide are using the affordable Japanese brand.

But if you have used the Italian brand, you will not use any other brand because of its beauty and superior performance brought about by long learning curve (manufacturing and quality prowess)

The Japanese brand is also not without its defects like crank parts separating from the other crank parts as reported    NB.   We are not brand bashers.  But hindi perfect ang Japanese brand na ito...

Musing on S hollow tech

That is why the cranks now are wider rather than round.

Unsolved challenges with the the the head set of bike repaint project

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
February 11, 2018

I thought that with the buying and installation of new Ragusa head set at my bike repaint sticker project (I stopped calling this with the  brand name) my woes with the rebuild project would end.  I finally rode on this today up to Morong.   And the mentors the gurus had their suggestions:

1. Invest in a a new group set.  The current Ultegra 6600 with its its tattered hood (new hoods are not available)   Agree.  I have been canvassing.  Replace with SRAM red or 6700 shifter.

2. The headset:   there is still a play. Peter said the bearings are not well seated.  There is still about 3 mm gap.

Jeff A. suggested that I bring the bike to his house for repair, reinstallation.

As soon as I got home, I looked for the parts of Ragusa:  a bearing and two circlips.   I disassembled the bike's fork and removed the bearings.  I experimented various combination until the bearing was well seated:  there has to be two circlips top and bottom, and may previous installation of the bearing was upside down. The tapered portion has to be at the bottom. I followed the advice of Jeff that I should tighten from the top first to get the parts pressed (he is a lathe operator) and then fix the side bolts.

I followed the instruction and I got it right this time.  I texted Jeff that it is OK (I hope)

Can I further reduce the weight of 6600 by changing the shifters and the RD, FD with Force parts

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
January 18, 2018

I just saw a post of Rival shifters for sale  at 8,500 with RD (kulang FD)

How much weight can be saved:   From Total Cycling - Component Weights

                                        Ultegra                           SRAM Force                 Savings

                    Shifter          419                                307 grams                      112 grams

                    FD                86                                   77                                    9 grams

                    RD              193                                 166                                  27 grams

                   Brakes          340                                 278                                 62 grams

                                                                                                    Total         210 grams

                                                                                           7,509 -  210  = 7,299  =   16,057 lbs

I all ready closed a deal with Kirk of Bago City to sell me his SRAM force for an undisclosed amount.  Kung aabutin ko ng February. I planned to upgrade to 6700 Ultegra with no change in weight.   For some K more, I would be able to save 200 grams. Parang bumili ng wheelset na magaan.

Sale of Freccia Celeste Bianchi is aborted, will repaint this to look like original Bianchi

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
January 18, 2018

                                          Di maibenta, gustong piyesahin

                                                        Pagagandahin ko na lang


Part of my plan this year is to rid myself of old bikes, other MTB and just have one MTB Ti, one Bianchi OEM.   I even planned to sell/return Fuji to VM but I changed my mind.  I will get the Cosmic wheelset, the carbon drop bar, and Campy GS.

However the response to the post was discouraging because I did not know the brand model  of the Bianchi frame I had.  It is a very light bike, maybe just 2 lbs shy of Fuji weight.  Has an Ultegra 6600 GS. and Alex Rim wheelset, and FSA carbon crank 53 -39, Cogs xt 11 -32.  And the inquiries were part out, barat, or simply inquiry na lang

However I found out that it is a Freccia Celeste, top of the line alum bike of Bianchi, weighing mere 1.234 grams, and whose geometry is in the like of Specialissima. 

So I decided na I will have it repainted, throw in a lighter carbon fiber drop bar, seat post, and possibly get a Fulcrum Quattro wheelset (1,700 grams).  Retain Ultegra GS 6600, (2,700 grams) And therefore, I would end up with a 7.2 kg bike.  Good enough for an Freccia Celeste.  Sana maging maganda gaya ng nasa mga Google images post

From this:   

To this?

A good paint and sticker job at Stickermania can accomplish this.

How the 6 drops of oil saved me P6,000 (buying a new STI)

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
September 13, 2016

I am very much bothered by my malfunctioning 6700 Ultegra STI.  It was a very new 2nd hand when I bought it 5 years ago from my brother (it came with an FSA carbon crank)  brakes, FD and RD.

The main problem is with left STI (for the FD)  It would shift to the large chain ring.  But shifting down the small chain ring is a sometimes affair. Kailangang timingan.

What were done:

1.  I tried to overhaul it (I opened the guts but found nothing wrong)

2. Ibinababad sa WD 40 at gas.  But nothing much improved.

3.  Looked at the groups selling STI.  I was tempted to buy even 105 STI

But yesterday, I put 3 drops of oil to each of the STI, and lo and behold they worked perfectly again.

Just 6 drops of oil

The more my SARS bike became valuable to me after the Regina Rica ride

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
March 19, 2016

I could have sold my SARS Ultegra laden bike last month in exchange for a mountain bike. However when the offer to buy was only P10t, I preferred to have to used to the ground,  I kept experimenting on what the gearing would be and improving it.

And so I used it in my latest ride to Sampaloc and Regina Rica and it did well, much better than a mountain bike. The ride was relaxed and I did not have to exert too much effort.  Kayang kaya.  The more I loved and appreciated the bikes value to me.  Mabuti di nabenta.

                                      The SARS  was ahead of an expensive MTB with latest tech

Removing the slight play from the fork of my SARS Ultegra bike)

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
February 20, 2016

                                       This had plenty of fine sand and other grit, I had to sandpaper to
                                           remove some rust and imperfection

While resting at Maybancal barangay hall in today's ride, Val noticed that there is some looseness in my front fork steerer.   He said the integrated headset could be defective all ready. He tightened it. To my discomfort, the steering was difficult and was resisting me and I could meet accident.  He loosened this at Teresa lugawan.  It was better.  He suggested that I clean the bearings and all the parts.  It could be very dirty if this has not been serviced.

At 3 pm today, I opened the head set (removed the fork from the other parts) and cleaned with kerosene the dirt and grime.  I sand papered the   the fork steerer and the bearing surfaces. There was some rusting and then I greased the parts that would come in contact.

I had to disassemble because the condition did not improve.   The second time I assembled the bike it was much better.  No need to buy a new integrated headset.

                                                Note the rust, it has to be removed by fine sandpaper

                                   The upper bearing

Test trial of my SARS Hill Climber

Wheels of Happiness

Angono, Rizal Philippines

                                               Deore triplet crank

                                       Sora rear long cage roller, and STX ten speed 11 x 36

                                        Rear view of the finished project

Ever since we came from Benguet, Mt Province, and Sagada where we quit some of the stages, I vowed that we would return with a bike with gears suited to the grade.  MTB only will do.

So I upgraded/converted my SARS bike to be my hill climber:

Here are the mods:

1. Removed the FSA 53 x 39 crank and replaced it with Deore triplet with 175 mm arm, 44 32, 22

2.  Outfitted a 3 way SORA sti, removed the front left Ultegra 2 way STI

3.  Replaced the ultegra rear roller with a Sora long cage rear roller

Really cleaning your derailleurs can do wonders for its smart operations

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines   | March 7, 2015.



The front derailleur of my SARS bike (it is part of the Ultegra groupset before it was outmoded with the latest model) was malfunctioning,  It would not downshift to 39 once I clicked the smaller/downshift paddle.  I checked the STI and its cables and nothing was wrong with it.

I checked the front derailleur;  it was grimy and had some sand particles on it.   I sprayed WD 40 to no avail.

Thus I had to disassemble this, remove from the bike and had small watch screwdriver to remove the sand and soil wedged between the pivot of the shifter.   I had to repeat this 3x.  True enough, some grit is preventing the free movement of the derailleur.

I assembled the derailleur again and this time, it shifted efficiently.  I thought the derailleur was a goner.