Had difficulty with SRAM groupset at S works, spent with the mechanic but finally was able to tune the GS myself

Wheels of Happiness

I had challenges with the SRAM red 10s gs at the S works RB.  First it would not shift to the biggest gear (36t).  I brought the bike to nearby mechanic;  said I need to change the cable:  outer and intter.  Paid him P100.

I brought the bike to the master Mario.  He changed the cable and later recommended that  a cable be brought out from the head set because it crimps the outer and makes the shifting  hard and might damage the interior of the  sti.  He recommended to change the cog to the 26 or 28t and remove the goat link because the larger gear is hard on the RD

I requested Mario while at it to fix the  headset which at times seem to have micro rattling.   Which he did.  He noted the wiggle of the front wheel to which he attributed to busted bearing.   Later on I found out that the QR was not well tightened. Iits OK now

I changed to smaller cog.  But again  it would not shift to the largest  gear (this time 28).  I found out later that I was loosening the wrong limit screw.  For SRAM the low was at the top , and hight was at the bottom.  Then horror of horror, the shifting went down to ontly 4 cogs.   I found out that the outer slipped and the inner cable was loose.   Did some fiddling and got it right.

Now my desire for the electronic gs is not as high anymore.   Because the shifting of the SRAM is now smooth.  Many of those who went electronic are now returning to cable shifters

It is so satisfying to be able to figure out yourself the problems and solving it yourself

Rode 54 km last Monday, after week a week of typhoon and vacation out of the country

Wheels of Happiness

This post rode to Tanay Km 54 (up to Municipal Building) last Monday.  On the way back this post passed through Cardonoa diversion (13 to 15% gradient)  first at 50 x 28  and later at  34 x 28.   I can still ride this tough hills

Non exercise for the duration caused my glutes to ache.  (Maybe due to moving large pieces of luggage too, and loading and unloading at vans)  Drivers there do not assist the passengers with the luggage.  How sad and bad

Wrong placement of spacers and loose goat link caused difficulty in shifting

Wheels of Happiness

As I left house this morning I noticed the chain slipping on the cogs. but only for the high (smaller cogs).  The problem disappeared when I shifted to lower (bigger cogs)  And was especially pronounced in 52 chain rings.  So I had to ride at 36t smaller chain ring. 

I examined my cogs when I arrived home and I noticed that spaces between cogs were uneven.  The 2nd and 3rd cogs had wider spaces.  So I examined further and found out that I placed another spacer on the cog that had built in spacer.   So one cog was wider spaced from another and closer  causing the missed shift.   

Disassembled the cogs from the freewheel, reversed the spacer and the problem solved. 

Also saw that the goat link shifted forward and thus the idler pulley was hitting the cogs, and could not even remove and reinstall the rear wheel easily (as it was in the past)  Loosened the goat link and reinstalled this at 90 degrees  Tried the bike today and as good as new

Biked today, was together with Sir Bubuy

Wheels of Happiness

This post biked today to Morong for business and exercise.  (had to check the site cleanliness in preparation for Nov. 1 celebration)  As I was getting our the site, I saw Sir Bubuy who as on Twitter MTB .He was riding towards Teresa.  

As my grears were not working well, I had to bike at 36t chain ring, 28  and 30 on steep portions   We went non stop from Morong up to start of climb at Teresa.  We took BJ.   Then it was non stop till Taytay at SM.   His place is near Rusi near the corner.  

He said I could still bike well going up because at zigzag I pulled away.  

What are the tools that you must acquire for basic bike home repair?

Wheels of Happiness

I had the following tools and they are near my bike

1.   A bike stand where you can raise the bike and do your repairs

2.   Hex wrench:   2 to  10 mm.  Most usable are 4, 5, 6.

3.   Torx wrench:  set.   You often use T 25, 30 and 40

4.  Chain cutter tool

5.   Hand pump

6.   Patch kit (P40.00 with about 5 patches, glue, and sandpaper

7.  Rubber mallet

8.  Spoke wrench

9.  Long nose plier

10  Sharp cable cutter

11.  BB removal tool

12.  Bearing removal tool

13.  Press fit for bearing

14.  Rubber mallet

Some of the tools can be in folding multit tool  Many of the bike mechanics use a lot of this for convenience

The YT video suggests other tools.

What I did to my bikes while it was raining hard?

Wheels of Happiness

We were not able to bike because since Monday evening, there were rainfall warnings (and they were accurate -  it rained really hard) there was no choice except to stay at home and do some bike repairs and or maintenance:

1.  S works:

     1.  Reinflated tires, They were down to 40 psi

     2.  Cleaned the chains with degreaser and then applied light oil on the roller

     3.  Tuned the RD.   turned the Hi limit screw inward by  3 turns to remove noise.

     4   Oiled the pivot points of RD and FD

     5.  Wiped the frame and ws with moist rag

     6.  Polished the frame and the bar

2.   Pinarello

     1. Reinflated the tires;  the pressure also went down by 20 psi

     2.  Degreased the chains

     3.  Tuned the fd, turned the Hi limit screw by 3 turns to remove noise of chain on the cogs

     4.  Oiled the pivot points of fd and rd

     5.  Oiled the rollers of the chain

     6   Wiped the frame with moist rag

3.   MTB ti

    1.  It has been on storage for a month so I tested the drive train.  It would not shift to the lowest fd

         The FD was stuck and I had to practice this manually

   2.   The fd and rd alignment was OK

   3.  Oiled the cables for fd and rd

   4.  Wiped the frame and the WS with wet rag.

   5.  Degreased the chain, relubed the roller

   6.  Reinflated tires.  The front was down to 10 psi.  It had to be 50 psi

All done

Do more expensive bikes make you faster and superior?

Wheels of Happiness

No they dont.  Although psychologically they can motivate you to bike harder and faster, in reality maybe they dont.   Its mind over matter.  And if owning a championship bike does that, then it is motivation. 

For me a senior, this is a great plus.   But its the inner drive and enthusiasm that count.  Ti, Steel, Alum bikes are the same.  Its the engine that count.   The core muscles and physical conditioning

It pays to have your bikes clean, properly maintained, greased and adjusted

If you are not racing, bike weight does not really matter much

Wheels of Happiness

Observations have shown that lighter does not mean very much improvement in speed.   But there is also a limit where heavier is not better.  A 30 lb+ bike is not better than 20+ lb bike.   

Lighter drive train does mean a big difference:   chain, crank, shoes, and WS.    

Why go far away to test your cycling ability? Look no further - biking at Macamot and Kasinay is so challenging

Wheels of Happiness

Did not go distance biking this morning.  I just decided to bike to Macamot and end up at Kasinay.   It may be only 5 - 7 km but its all ahon.  At the same time, it was an opportunity to see proposed project

two of them Macamot and Kasinay.  B1 - B2.

I decided to use only 52 chain ring in the ride.   Most of them were done and finished and summited using those gears.   But there were three times that I stalled:   one after the intersection near Jon Jon farm, one before doing the leg dog at Kasinay, and one at Kasinay Mabuhay homes intersection  Mere 15 - 20 meters before the summit.  

Felt stronger than  before.   Lakas is not just at Antenna or DOMSA.  

Probably had hypoglycemia on bike ride today

Wheels of Happiness

As soon as I arrived, I had to lie down.  It was 1:30.  Although it was not hot, my lunch was delayed.  I did not have snax nor breakfast when I rode.  Only coffee, and coffee at 10: am.  

Also, I bought water melon (maybe weighing 3 kgs, and picked up some mangoes on the way  10 pcs (maybe 4 kgs).    The bike was unbalanced and heavy and took a toll on my psyche and pedalling.  It was heavy going

So no more heavy load, no more heavy food load in the future.    To avoid hypoglycemia or bad feeling after a ride

What were the thing I learned in 2022 regarding bikes

Wheels of Happiness

I thought there were many.   Here are some

1.  Making splash guard from softdrinks plastic bottle.  They are expensive and costs about P400 each

     It is free when making them from used PET bottle

2.  Repairing spokes converting them from J to straight pull using pliers and inserting them at hub holes

3.  Partially truing a wheel.  The correct tightening is counterclockwise

4.  Retightening a fork top tube extender.   This is what he mechanic did to the Pinarello top tube 

     when it got loose from the Daraga 400 km ride

5.  Installing a goat link to SRAM red rd so that the rd can accommodate 11-36 cogs

6.  Cheap saddles are good for your butt   

FB posts:    senior rides, Jorgeus George

Changed biking handling and characteristics due to added weights on the bike

Wheels of Happiness

We spend tens of thousands more for lighter bikes.   Yet we add weights unneccesarily by putting:

     1.  Stickers

     2.  More water bottles

     3.  Bike carriers

     4.  Luggage for bike packing

Yesterday, I bought watermelon at Morong at the Manila East Road. It is rather large maybe selling P200 in our town.  It could have weighed 4 to 5 kgs.   It would not fit into a backpack and so had to be in large plastic bag (illegal now)  slung from the handle bar.   Therefore the handling of the bike was quite different and oscillated when ascending hills.   

So this post read posts on bikepacking and the advice was to load only 5 kg max front and back. It has to be light.  The test was could you comfortably lift the bike if forced to carry your bike.   If you were to walk a hill a ravine or walk up to Roro.  

So travel light.   Light is might.   

Essentials of bike packing

Discouraging bike tourism with unreasonable fees

Wheels of Happiness

Many bike tourists swarmed to the post hometown because of unique biking experience and also the presence of many cafe shops that featured boutique cheap coffee, and that offers splendid view of the Metropolis especially at night

We do not know what happened to the people concerned But one day we found the entrance fee of P200.00 being imposed after a series of action:   closing the subdivision gate, placing of razor sharp concertina barbed wire.    etc.

Now who is in his right mind cyclist would pay the P200.00 which is considered exorbitant   This will naturall drive away the cyclists.  The P200.00 is signal for them not come and to drive them away.

Maybe the coffee shops, while providing jobs will find a new spot somewhere but tourism in this town has been dealt a hard blow.  

It is not only in this town.  In another mountainous place, visitors visitors  have to pay  an entrance fee of P200.00.   The free entrance to passers by, Uzi could have boosted sales of the resto and the subdivision.  But some people sweat the small ticket items for short term gains

Sayang

Is it the bike or the rider?

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
October 1, 2018

At Pisong Kape yesterday VM Jun Vic was making kuwento of their Teresa ride last Saturday where he overtook 4 out of five Bianchi riders - (the one he couldn't was a Dr.)   But he was wondering was it because of the bike or because of him. He has a large tummy and slightly overweight

I disposed off my Bianchi because I think Pinarello is a better bike than Bianchi:  in terms of weight, geometry and being aero shape

He had Pinarello F10 with Campy 12 groupset. I would say it is because of the bike. I was on F10 last Sunday. Having gone first from Morong, nobody was near me up to Pisong Kape and even managed to get past by RB and MTB who were much much ahead. I was only at 36 x 11.

On the way back, I got off slightly ahead at Biak na Bato and they caught up with me only at Maybancal Titing Kabayo for the buko juice drink.

At Cardona  up at Callahan I was with the leader.   With VM, Pres Luis, Netoy and Jess.   That was not so bad.   The F10 is a good bike for flats and hill climbs.

I am glad I have one.   No  wonder it is the world's top selling expensive bike.  Wala ka nang hahanapin pa
(Kaya wala na akong motivation for a new bike project or upgrade)

                                              My PInarello took me to Real with the Maws

                                                   Top of the line Groupset  Campy Record 11S

                                                            G3 lacing for CULT Campy Ultra 2 WS

Reminders of the popular bike color in the Easter Celebration today in my home town - April 1, 2018

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
April 1, 2018

                                         Mary Magdalene in Celeste Blue/Green dress


Today at the Easter Day Celebration in my hometown, at the salubong/bati, procession, it was observed and this post took photos of the bombardment of the popular bike colors.  It was seen on the saya  of the Tinienta, the dress of the saints, and the saint carriers. There were various shades of green.  There is no escape even on a Holy Day like Easter

                                                Same color theme for the tinienta at the Bati


Other green pictures:

                                                 Did an Orig Bike store sponsor this procession?

                                                   Prevalent color this morning at the procession

                                            Even the musikeros were green

                                                  Medyo ibang shade ito -  Blue...

                                          The Alalays and Jolalays wore green

More of JB pictures at Vigan ride from Ado Gonzaga's post

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
February 25, 2018

Some more of my pictures at  Vigan ride (it could be Viagra ride?)

                                          JB at far end (upper right hand corner) of the long table

                              At the short program of lunch hosting by Holy Gardens La Union

My OEM bike project taking shape

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Phililppines
February 22, 2018

                                              Installed na direct mount ultegra brakes

Four twos in a date. Seems a lucky date.

My OEM bike frame which arrived last Saturday, after 3 weeks or nervous waiting (the communication with the supplier based in the Visayas was erratic and it started after I made my full payment) is slowly beginning to take shape.

I still lack the following:

     1. A crank that has spindle of 100 mm or more is needed.  I have to get a Shimano.  The Red which is
         very light, will not fit because the spindle length being designed for BB 30 is only 74 mm;  Kaya
         pala walang pumapatol  maski very light.  The crank is BB 30 specific (the BB shell width) It wont do
         for threaded or 865 or 90 mm shell

    2.   A drop bar

    3.  Stem  50 mm

    4.  86.5 bb which is available at Bikezilla

I will sell a bike just to get a 6800 group set.   It will be heavier by 100 gms because I have to use a 600+ grams Ultegra  crankset.  Ibang Red gagamitin ko:  STI, rd, fd.    and still get a respectable weight.  Maybe 6.6 kg.

                                                 Mukhang peke ba o orig?  What do you think?

My new bike CG project coming to life

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
February 19, 2018

                                                  Worth the wait.  I retained the bubble wrap
                                                       to avoid scratches...

The owner of a bike shop in Cebu who handled the importation of my OEM bike arrived in Manila Saturday morning to treat his wife to a concert in MoA (which I later learned was cancelled) He would leave today.  So I cancelled part of my ride, just to take personal delivery of the frame.  Its delivery since its arrival in the Philippines was delayed by 3 weeks all ready:  reason?   The courier company upped their charges 3x what they used to charge.  So delivery charge would be P6,000 up from former P2,000.

And so he checked in the bike frame, hoping he would send this by courier or meet me personally.  I I cut short my ride to Paoay, and tried to get an early ride from Vigan to Cubao.  I got one by 6 am Partas.  However the road condition was bad and I reached Cubao by 5 pm, and MoA by 6:40.   The guy with the young and beautiful wife arrived at 7:10.  The box was big, so I had to pay extra for one passenger in the bus that unloaded me at Robinson Galleria and the van from Galleria to home.

Since I did not have time to unload and look for the parts, I took note that:   the insert was missing, there seemed to be no headset and the headset plug extender.    I texted the guy, and the part, the insert to tighten the seat post, could not be found.  Lo and behold, it got mixed up with the packing syropor.  The head set was the in the frame.   The BB was wrong.  The BB shell is 86.5 mm very much wider than the normal shell, and the SRAM crank would not penetrate till the drive side;  so the GXP 865 bb would really need to be bought at P2k at Bikezilla or life cycle...

I installed the brake all ready the seat post, and temporary for the fork.  It still weighed very light.

                                                The fork being held in place by masking tape

                                                         Seat post and seat all ready installed

                                                        The box that arrived from Cebu which
                                                                I lugged from MoA by commute

                                                   Styropor boards and carton that protected
                                                              the bike frame.

Benefits of slamming a bike

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
February 12, 2018

We have often heard of slamming a bike. This applies mostly to road bike. What is slamming?
It involves tilting the seat by say 5 to 7 degrees, raising the height and lowering the bar and the stem by 5 to 10 cm by:  cutting the fork further, removing the spacer and using stems that lower the level of the bar further.

Slamming the bike can result in 5 to 30 watts of required efforts.  However, the benefits can be seen only at speeds from 30 to 40 kph.  There is no benefit for slower speed.

The benefits were seen at wind tunnel (and verified in races)   Thus in many races and tours, you see a lot of slammed bikes

Suggestions on how to manage your upgraditis the sensible effective way (upgraditis weight winnies and costing)

                                               

A lot of inventory sales are going on and many companies are unloading their excess inventories.  The marketing hype  is driving bikers crazy and many may be making unwise investments

The bottom line, the objective  in upgrading is to make you ride faster and better with less efforts and
body ache

Here are some suggestions based on my readings and experience regarding upgrading.

Efficiency  is the key.  You must exert less effort in your ride.  Your equipment must be efficient.  Less friction, less drag in your aerodynamics (the wind resisting your forward motion)

And here LIGHT IS MIGHT.

1.  Thus with regards to the bike and your equipment

          1.  Concentrate on your drive/power train and this includes:

               1.  Shoes.  The only light shoes are carbon fiber soled shoes.  If your shoes are heavy. say by
                     100 grams each vs the carbon fiber soled models, 200 grams x  say 10,000 revs in  a ride
                      translates into 2,000,000 grams additional efforts or  2,000 tons. Wow.  Thats the
                      amount of effort you will exert if you wear a modest carbon fiber soled shoes

                     I have two pairs:   a Shimano and Scott.  The Shimano cost me P3,500 and Scott 5k

                     According to Weigh Weenies, some of the light shoes are:

                     Mavic  Huez                                                      210 grams each

                     Pearl Izumi Tri Fly Carbon                                 521 grams a pair

                     Shimano M221                                                  710 grams

                     SIDI   Genius 3                                                 552 grams

                    Specialized Pro Geometry                                  542 grams

                     Vittoria Racer                                                   240 grams (each)

                     Thus even the lightest shoes are .0.5 kg each. Imagine if you were wearing a 1 kg shoe
           
                 2.  Pedals

                     Invest in high quality light pedals

                     Shimano pedals would be about 200 grams a pair now (a very good development0

                     Speedplay would be about 180 grams a pair;  but Exustar, and I have one carbon fiber                            tips the scale only 88 grams  (176 grams for the pair) with Ti axle (referred to me by
                      Engr. June....  Budget was P7,000+

             3.   Cranksets

                   The Shimano cranks are heavy.   But Red of SRAM is very light and so are FSA line of cranks
                    built from machined alum and carbon fiber. (Both SRAM and FSA are Taiwan producers)

                   Comparison of crankset from Bike Radar

                    SRAM   Red                        594 grams

                    Ultegra                                 699 grams

                    Shimano 105                        759 grams

                    FSA force                            567 grams

                    Durace                                 636 grams

                    Campagnolo Athena             650 grams

       4.   Cogs

             The manufacturers are very  competitive now with cogs weighing  200 grams on the average for
             Shmano SRAM and Campy

Total Cycling   - SRAM claims to have produced the first sub 2 kg group set  (Durace and Super Record
                         are just about even

       5  Wheelsets

                  The name brands are not necessarily the best and the lightest.  Carbon fiber wheelsets are not
                   not necessarily light.  There are plenty of materials needed for the aero design, hence to be bit
                   heavier in the long run. But the aero design is supposed to cut and  slice through the air and thats
                   what matters for speeds beyond 30 kph.

                  So I have an old model wheelset with 36 spokes and my its heavy.  It must weigh 2,000 grams
                   even with Alex 22 rims

                  So some comparison, and I was lured by marketers to buy:

                  Fulcrum   7                                    1,845 grams
         
                 Shimano RS 10 and 11                   1,845 grams

                 Fulcrum Quattro Alum                    1,700 grams

                 Light ones:

                 Am Cla 350                                  1,396 grams    @! P5,500

                 Novatec Jet Fly                             1,435 grams    @  12,500

                                                         Novatec Jetfly only 1,435 grams