fisher@banzai.DEC (Ed Fisher, 381-2377) (10/08/85)
Comments on several topics:
Yes, let's not form a net.bicycle.<splinter group> Diversity is
interesting. I subscribe to 3 or 4 bike mags (or 5?) and none is
as diverse as net.bicycle.
G.S. -- 'Gruppo Sportivo', translation 'Sporting Group'
It may also stand for Giro Sport but I say this as a member
of Gruppo Sportivo Crono (Sporting Group Time)
There was a remark a while ago about the poor welds on Cannondales (i.e.,
poor in the way they look). I have watched many brands over the years,
Cannondale included. The early Cannondale's had lousy looking welds. The
current ones look very nice; the ones that I've seen do not have any
imperfections in appearance. They are reputed to be the stiffest moderate
cost frame around. I assembled a Cannondale and took it out for a few
rides. My worst complaint concerns the small number of frame sizes
available. My Italian heartthrob is 55 cm (22.5"), to get anything that
would fit in a Cannondale requires me to use a 21". My complaints about
a 21" are that I ran out of space betweent he top and down tubes for
shifters, a frame fit pump, an oversize water bottle and fat tubes.
This is more my fault than that of the bike -- I insist upon moving the
front deraileur (really, left shifter) with my right hand. Altogether
though, I liked it -- but not as much as my Guerciotti.
Another reason for chattering brakes is using angled pads on flat rims.
There do not seem to be many rims anymore that are beveled, most are flat
on the sides, but there are still some brake pads that are beveled. It
seems that the area of contact for these pads is so small that they have to
chatter.
Yet another reason for chattering brakes is a loose binder bolt -- the one
that holds the front brake to the fork or the rear brake to the seat stay
support. That will permit the brake to vibrate and therefore let the pads
chatter against the rim. A reason for squeeling brakes is oil or grease
on the pads. This months bicycling has an article that points out that any
oil at all on the pads will cause deterioration taht the pad should be
sanded or ground to remove the affected surface.
"Clicking handlebars?" I just tighten the bolt that holds the handlebars
to the stem. Someday I may break it, I suppose.
Reynolds 531, 753, Columbus SL, etc. The only problems that I've seen
mentioned consistently is when the frame is over 60 or 62 cm. the frames
are reputed to be wimpy. Several frame builders switch to a stiffer
tubing at those sizes. For Columbus, I think it's SP. The tubing is
a few tenths of a mm thicker.
Rollers, wind trainers. Boring, but if you can get psyched for it, fine.
As far as frame stress is concerned, the fork mount wind trainers can bend
your form if you're careless about mounting and dismounting -- I am told,
I never actually bent one.
ed fisher
** Opinions expressed herein are just that, opinions. **
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