Do You Road Bike?

[mgt]

I recently stopped riding road bikes. My family owned bicycle stores from back in the 50s along Stanyan St in SF. There were like 5 shops there, and my family owned 4 of them back in the 50s, 60s and 70s. Stanyan St Cyclery was the first one along that strip. It went back to like 2018 or something like. There was a black and white picture in the store from the early 1900s. My grandfather bought it when he immigrated to the US from Holland in the late 40s I believe. I was born above that bike shop. It's a coffee shop now. Anyway, I was working there in the mid 70s as a teenager, and I've been an avid cyclist since the mid 60s. I won't ride on the roads anymore though. I finally decided this once and for all about a month or two ago - because the cars/trucks/suvs are simply too aggressive. I get brushed by 3 ton jacked up trucks and rude suvs all the time now, and yelled at for "being in their way". Can't take it anymore. I still ride mountain bikes, and I'll ride my road/adventure/gravel bike on dirt roads or bike paths, anywhere I don't need to deal with cages.
I can stay out of their way on my Ducati, etc. But, bicycles are stting ducks, at the mercy of the cages. No thanks. No longer. I'm done with that. Might as well take a morning stroll along the Nimitz at Hegenberger!

 

[firstbuell]

I recently stopped riding road bikes. My family owned bicycle stores from back in the 50s along Stanyan St in SF. There were like 5 shops there, and my family owned 4 of them back in the 50s, 60s and 70s. Stanyan St Cyclery was the first one along that strip. It went back to like 2018 or something like. There was a black and white picture in the store from the early 1900s. My grandfather bought it when he immigrated to the US from Holland in the late 40s I believe. I was born above that bike shop. It's a coffee shop now. Anyway, I was working there in the mid 70s as a teenager, and I've been an avid cyclist since the mid 60s. I won't ride on the roads anymore though. I finally decided this once and for all about a month or two ago - because the cars/trucks/suvs are simply too aggressive. I get brushed by 3 ton jacked up trucks and rude suvs all the time now, and yelled at for "being in their way". Can't take it anymore. I still ride mountain bikes, and I'll ride my road/adventure/gravel bike on dirt roads or bike paths, anywhere I don't need to deal with cages.
I can stay out of their way on my Ducati, etc. But, bicycles are stting ducks, at the mercy of the cages. No thanks. No longer. I'm done with that. Might as well take a morning stroll along the Nimitz at Hegenberger!

can’t really disagree with your assessment or you decision-
still lotsa gravel & MTB adventures awaiting…..

 

[Map8]

Was a spectator for the Into the Lion's Den criterium in Sacramento last Saturday. Very cool event. The course was a rectangle loop of Capitol Park downtown. A few thousand spectators but lots of energy. $100,000 purse equally split between the men and women's pro races. I understand this the largest purse ever for a crit in the U.S. and probably the only time the men and women get equal purse money - other than when they both get nothing.

Anyway, the video is worth checking out and maybe consider coming out to watch should the event return next year.


[YOUTUBE]Oz5r8Kf_-48[/YOUTUBE]

 

[firstbuell]

Was a spectator for the Into the Lion's Den criterium in Sacramento last Saturday. Very cool event. The course was a rectangle loop of Capitol Park downtown. A few thousand spectators but lots of energy. $100,000 purse equally split between the men and women's pro races. I understand this the largest purse ever for a crit in the U.S. and probably the only time the men and women get equal purse money - other than when they both get nothing.

Anyway, the video is worth checking out and maybe consider coming out to watch should the event return next year.


[YOUTUBE]Oz5r8Kf_-48[/YOUTUBE]

thx for this post,
happy that you enjoyed yerself

Tuono Joice & I were scheduled to drive up from RWC (a $100k nite Crit!),
but the brouhaha over the Series Director just weeks before put me off

went online to try & determine impact on event, nada…..so we passed

oh, well

 

[firstbuell]

thx for this post,
happy that you enjoyed yerself

Tuono Joice & I were scheduled to drive up from RWC (a $100k nite Crit!),
but the brouhaha over the Series Director just weeks before put me off

went online to try & determine impact on event, nada…..so we passed

oh, well

OK, now I’m pretty confused -
Legion announced that they were pulling out upon the Director’s dismissal,
then they’re interviewing Legion podium winners……

aargh….!!

fun to see 2 Terun guys up there, those PA bois really pump the pedals!

 

[afm199]

I recently stopped riding road bikes. My family owned bicycle stores from back in the 50s along Stanyan St in SF. There were like 5 shops there, and my family owned 4 of them back in the 50s, 60s and 70s. Stanyan St Cyclery was the first one along that strip. It went back to like 2018 or something like. There was a black and white picture in the store from the early 1900s. My grandfather bought it when he immigrated to the US from Holland in the late 40s I believe. I was born above that bike shop. It's a coffee shop now. Anyway, I was working there in the mid 70s as a teenager, and I've been an avid cyclist since the mid 60s. I won't ride on the roads anymore though. I finally decided this once and for all about a month or two ago - because the cars/trucks/suvs are simply too aggressive. I get brushed by 3 ton jacked up trucks and rude suvs all the time now, and yelled at for "being in their way". Can't take it anymore. I still ride mountain bikes, and I'll ride my road/adventure/gravel bike on dirt roads or bike paths, anywhere I don't need to deal with cages.
I can stay out of their way on my Ducati, etc. But, bicycles are stting ducks, at the mercy of the cages. No thanks. No longer. I'm done with that. Might as well take a morning stroll along the Nimitz at Hegenberger!

I went to Stanyan Cyclery many times BITD. (Back in the day.)

 

[AbsolutEnduser]

Changing disc brake pads sucks in the rear IMO. So hard to put the wheel back on with the disc having to slip in a tiny space , AND putting the chain at the same time while the tensioner is ..tensing


—
Anyway I put new pads but sadly they are way fat and are touching the disc. … should I just ride it out and brake it out?

The brand is Telstra(Tektro, than k you iPad correction ) and I think they are low end, Auriga

Yes I did press the pistons back, to the max, before putting in the new pads. … in fact took the wheel off twice to double check , because it was so bad. Still touching.

I cannot push them back sufficiently enough . Should I open the top screw near the lever and bleed off some liquid? it’s been pretty long since I changed the pads but I think I may have done it previously once,,,.. b/c I see there is yellowish residue around the top screw at the brake lever…

I went to Stanyan Cyclery many times BITD. (Back in the day.)

Just went to ..it.: .a “cyclery on Stanyan” the other week when I broke my tire valve. It’s called American cyclery...in the time I knew , stanyan seemed to have about 5 cycleries. I’ve shopped at 3. In fact maybe it was “the” stanyan one, where I rented a tandem bike once…and that one is turned into a coffee shop now.

 

[rcb78]

It's pretty common to get brakes that are overfilled and that will prevent you from pushing the pistons all the way in,,, number 1 reason to only fill/flush a system when new pads are installed OR a bleed block that's designed for that purpose. Don't just ride it with tight pads. Mineral oil based systems don't need to flushed every year like DOT fluid. I only flush mine every 2-3 years when the fluid gets dark.
As for putting a disc brake wheel back in, it takes practice but eventually it becomes second nature.

 

[AbsolutEnduser]

OK I did not know that.
Actually already rode 5 miles. Now there is some daylight on one side of the brake pad (first picture) (second picture shows more clearly how close is the pad-backing to the body of the caliper)

Also did not know the "bleed block"; googling it, took me to this link , which also says:
"If your pistons will not push all the way back it may mean that the system has previously been overfilled with brake fluid." <- OK so that's the same as you say!

and also:

If you suspect you may have too much fluid in your brake, with your bike the correct way up, remove the master cylinder bleed port screw or reservoir cap
^^^ So I could try just removing some fluid.


-- another option I could try as the parktool video says at 7:36+ "it is likely a caliper alignment issue"

 

[rcb78]

Removing fluid is the easy way, but it carries risk if you've not bled a closed system before, it's really easy to let air in if you're not careful. I like the Jagwire bleed kit, virtually identical to the SRAM pro kit, but with mineral oil compatible parts.
The bleed block you linked will likely work, its just a tool to ensure the pistons are fully pressed in while bleeding/flushing. Shimano and SRAM make their own blocks that are a specific thickness to ensure the process goes smoothly, but generic blocks 'usually' work fine.
Caliper alignment does not sound related to issue as you described it. Alignment can mean rubbing, pads that can't stay extended in position or weird harmonic noises, but unrelated to being able to getting enough clearance overall. Try loosening the mounting hardware and see if everything 'feels' good, it'll rub but it'll let you know if there's enough clearance. Alignment after replacing pads is normal so it'll have to be done regardless.

 

[AbsolutEnduser]

Try loosening the mounting hardware and see if everything 'feels' good, it'll rub but it'll let you know if there's enough clearance. Alignment after replacing pads is normal so it'll have to be done regardless.

Yes, I did loosen the caliper/mounting hardware.. the wheel immediately started rotating a bit more freely, (I.e. removed the one rub).. but then I tried a few times : squeeze the brake, then tighten… and when I spun the wheel again, it was simply rubbing on one spot only.

In another try, it started rubbing on another spot.

So ofc the disc is slightly bent as well, but afaik they all are (even visible on the park tool video for changing pads).
I could try to go gently with the pliers to the disc… haha. Or I could just ride a few downhills* (SF!!) and…it’ll rub right off…tadaaa

Never bled a system, personally

(Speaking of which, my eyes get quite watery behind prescription specs when goin downhill > 16mph. might have to try to invest in that too )

 

[rcb78]

The method I think you're referencing for aligning a caliper is not good and I wish people (website, YT, etc) would stop pushing it. The cable/hose will load the caliper enough that it can flex the 'thin' rotor and prevent good alignment. Even when it works well enough to eliminate rubbing noises, it's never aligned properly.
The best method is to start with a visual alignment, light gaps on both sides of the disc. Then follow up by squeezing the lever and watching the disc. It'll move one way, the other, or actually twist/rotate between the pads. That will tell you where to move it next. On a dual piston system (all hyd, some mech) with both pistons moving freely, if the rotor is centered when squeezing the brake, you won't see it move at all. We're working with clearances of less than .5mm so you really have to look closely. A good pen light will help and if you're working over dark surface, toss a piece of white paper on the ground. It'll help to see the light gaps between the pads and rotor.
As for the rotor being bent, yes. It's much more common for them to have runout than not, just part of the process. The method of straightening them is crude, you bend them with a tool that won't damage them. This is part visual and part audible. It takes practice and you will likely wreck a few rotors in your life if you do it on a regular basis. One thing you learn is when to say when and leave it alone. They don't have to be perfect, just good enough to not rub under riding conditions or vibrate when in use.

 

[AbsolutEnduser]

Okay, thanks.
I'm "kinda" ,"giving" up on this. After the above post I tried to manually hold / move the caliper when it's loosened , and, try to always have light on both sides but..there wasn't much success.

It always rubs at the top corner of the outside..sssooo it's nearly if someone inserted a thin file and shavedoff only 2mm horizontally of the edge or ONE of the pads it won't rub any more.

Ok later, HNYE

 

[rcb78]

The trick is to walk it where you need it. Loosen one bolt just a little. Then loosen and wiggle the other bolt while putting pressure on that mounting point. As you wiggle the bolt loose/tight/loose the caliper will walk over. It takes a fine touch but it's the best way to make very small adjustments. Go back and forth between the two mounting bolts until everything is lined up the way you want it to be. It's tough to learn without someone showing you the process and even then it takes practice to do it well AND fast.

 

[Map8]

Into the Lion's Den - Sept 10, 2022.


Into the Lion's Den Crit 2022 date announced. No much in the way of details posted yet. This was a really fun event to watch last November. The September date will obviously offer a longer evening of racing but weather could be wonderful or triple digits. If they loop around Capitol Park again, there is plenty of shade for spectators.

 

[Mike95060]

Is this the thread to post up strava data? Im curious to see how our BARF roadies are riding.

 

[AbsolutEnduser]

Is this the thread to post up strava data? Im curious to see how our BARF roadies are riding.

Perhaps another thread?
I find this thread unwieldy b/c of the mismatch of # of posts/pages. Strava can go in another? "Do you road bike - with strava graphs".

I personally hate strava for personal use b/c it would always show me where I'm starting from. only the friend I'm riding with, needs to know this...

... and, technically, Strava "is" responsible for the collision/death of a pedestrian in SF about a decade ago (actually covered on BARF).


so about this old post:

The trick is to walk it where you need it. Loosen one bolt just a little. Then loosen and wiggle the other bolt while putting pressure on that mounting point. As you wiggle the bolt loose/tight/loose the caliper will walk over. It takes a fine touch but it's the best way to make very small adjustments. Go back and forth between the two mounting bolts until everything is lined up the way you want it to be. It's tough to learn without someone showing you the process and even then it takes practice to do it well AND fast.

... I actually managed to adjust it/fix it , after your post above ^^^ I did it by loosening only one of two bolts ... and being very patient. Nudging the caliper one-side-only and managed to be near-perfect with near-no-touching on both sides.

... and then I gave it for service at REI a couple of months later and they returned it with the rear wheel disc touching the caliper again.
Is OK. The service improved the shifting, so...
He claimed the chain was stretched, so he replaced it.... And I had explicitly measured it with a ruler but it was "hitting the 12" mark"... I must've done something wrong.
The bike rode well, definitely shifting better after the service!!!

 

[rcb78]

You can set a privacy radius to hide your start/stop points. All my bikes have power meters, being the geek I am I love the history that provides, and the analytical tools that are part of the premium subscription. I'm currently about 18months into recovering from a back injury and that historical data really helps drive me to find my fitness again.

Disc brakes are tricky, until you learn those tricks, once you do then it's not that bad. Make sure that the wheel is fully seated in the frame/fork. Shop techs work on stands when the R&R wheels and they are always great about getting the wheel seated properly while suspended and with disc brakes consistency is needed.

 

[Mike95060]

Thanks for the tip Mr. B! That is really helpful actually.

 

[Map8]

Into the Lion's Den - Sept 10, 2022.


Into the Lion's Den Crit 2022 date announced. No much in the way of details posted yet. This was a really fun event to watch last November. The September date will obviously offer a longer evening of racing but weather could be wonderful or triple digits. If they loop around Capitol Park again, there is plenty of shade for spectators.

To anyone who had been interested, Into the Lion's Den has been cancelled for 2022 as the organizers are concentrating on other projects.