The Bike Shop

1

El Bravos (Read 16 times)

Slo


    I'm not in the habit of naming my bikes but as I was putting the finishing touches on this one last night a song started running thru my head.

     

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGeFf_rIAVQ   So I call her El Bravos.

     

    She was built specifically with the Trans Iowa in mind.  300+ miles of gravel in 30 some hours. Maybe I should call it Los Locos

     

    It's a simple bike:

    Frame:   Surly Cross Check 58cm

    Crank:    Race Face Evolve. Currently a 32 tooth but will likely change the ring out to 34 or 36.

    Saddle:  Ergon SM3 (check these out!)

    Rims:    Pictured, Sun Ringle Accelerator X2.0   Not Pictured, Salsa laced to Surly Hubs, Single speed Fixie Flip Flop on rear.

    Tires:     Clement XPLOR 40c  160tpi

    Brakes: AVID Shorty's

    Shifters, Derailleurs...None.

     

    Brought her to work today.

     

     

     

    zoom-zoom


    rectumdamnnearkilledem

      Sleek!  BTW, how do you like the Shortys?  We need to get rid of the Kore brakes on my current CX brakes before my DS inherits it...even with $$ pads they do not stop for shit.  We've thought about going with mini-Vs, too.

      Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

      remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.    

           ~ Sarah Kay

      Slo


        Sleek!  BTW, how do you like the Shortys?  We need to get rid of the Kore brakes on my current CX brakes before my DS inherits it...even with $$ pads they do not stop for shit.  We've thought about going with mini-Vs, too.

         

        I like the Shorty's. They come in three flavors...the 4's, the 6's and the Ultimates. This bike has the 4's and I'm and running the 6 on a different cross bike.

         

        The brakes are extremely easy to set up. They come with 3 different lengths for the draws which allow you to set the brakes for more or less leverage and how they feel...Cantilever brakes always feel squishy but you have some options. Plus the price is right.


        Village people

          Very nice!

          xhristopher


            NIce. With the exception of gears... Your bike reminds me of mine (Gunnar Crosshairs), which is named Vader.

             

            No complaints about the Avid Shortys here. Good value.

             

            Here's a pic from yesterday's rain ride in the woods.

             

            Slo


              I'd love to do some trail riding but here in Iowa the ground is saturated and to soggy.

               

              I ordered a 36 tooth Sprocket for the front...Right now I'm running 32 - 14. The smallest rear cog I can go is a 13. For wide trail and XC the 14 tooth would be about right, for flat and pavement I'm spinning faster than I'd like to. More than what what one tooth would take care of.

              xhristopher


                I'd love to do some trail riding but here in Iowa the ground is saturated and to soggy.

                 

                Saturday's ride started as a quest for fireroads but ended up over half on rocky/rooty single track. I shoulda used my mtb for that. Especially in the wet. I had to take it easy and justified using the CX bike as some sort of "skills practice."  I absolutely love the CX bike for fireroads, grass, and smooth flowing single track. It feels (the tires, at least) sluggish on the road and it can be damn scary on rocky/rooty/hilly singletrack, especially in the wet.

                 

                I don't know much about single speed. I tried it once but didn't like it, probably because I lived on top of a big hill.... Doesn't the "Fixie Flip Flop" give you two gear options? That way you get a larger sprocket on the front but two different sizes on the rear. Of course, there is chain length. Seems like a chore to switch gears.

                Slo


                  The Flip Flop gives you a fixed on one side and a free wheel hub on the other and does allow you to run two different cogs.

                   

                  Most of the races I do allow flip flop hubs but both cogs must be the same size if you are competeing as a single speed. I'm more interested in the Flip Flop hub so I have a 2nd set of wheels for this bike I can swap out between 45c width tires to 28's quickly with a cog for road travel ready to go.

                   

                  I doubt I will be riding it Fixie very much.

                   

                  Single Speeding...

                   

                  This is my 2nd single speed bike and I love 'em. My other is also a Surly...Karate Monkey 29'r rigid.

                   

                  The hills don't bother me...actually I perfer the hills when I single speed. I'm usually geared well for my terrain which means my flat and downhill is limited but when we get into the hills, this is my strength.

                   

                  Chain Length...

                  It's no pain at all to switch out cogs. I am limited on how much of a difference in gearing I can go and that is based on the length of the drop outs on the chain stay. Generally I center my rear wheel in the drop outs for a 2.5:1 ratio. This allows me to go larger or smaller...roughly a 3.15:1 to a 1.8:1 on this bike without having to change the length of the chain. I don't think I will ever need to go below a 2:1

                   

                  In the 2nd picture you will see a "tug nut". Once you pull the slack out of the chain by positioning the wheel in the drop outs you lock it into place with this to keep the wheel from sliding forward when you are mashing hard on the pedals. That's really only needed when you are running QR levers...If I was running a bolted type axle like on the flip flop you don't have to worry about the wheel being pulled forward because you have greater clamp force. Most 9/10 freewheel hubs only allow QR's.

                   

                  I'm spewing info...probably reaching the TL DR.

                   

                  Single Speeding isn't for everybody but I would like everybody to try it. Not shifing gears on your geared bike dosen't count...It just ain't the same.

                  Slo


                     

                    I absolutely love the CX bike for fireroads, grass, and smooth flowing single track. It feels (the tires, at least) sluggish on the road and it can be damn scary on rocky/rooty/hilly singletrack, especially in the wet. 

                    Fire roads and ATV trails is awesome riding...just not enough of it around here.

                     

                    To date I'm over 3500 miles and most of that was spent on tires wider than 35's. I got out on my Cannondale Six 13 this weekend and hammered with a group of guys I haven't been with in a while.

                     

                    I rode the Surly in today...today it it felt sluggish. But yesterday I felt super fast!