Austin Cruising Spots

Mountain bike and mud


Although the temperature gives very few signs of upward according to the schedule in the winter is ending. The snowfall, however, left a tangible sign of their presence on dirt roads and single track: mud, mud. Never before this year I found myself wallowing in the mud and sometimes even in the snow with my mountain bike, but never like this year I was so at home. This is due to several factors.

1. Single speed - Before I always had bicycles with conventional transmission with the classic triple 9-speed cassette front and the rear their derailleurs. The transmission is that the vast majority of bike models is derived directly from the road and provides excellent efficiency at the expense of a behavior is not well suited for off-road "dirt" that becomes the winter. The transmission stops changing, shelling and everything becomes more restrained. In this single speed simply does not exist and continue to pedal smoothly even in the most terrible bogs.
2. Fenders - When the soil is wet or dirty it is essential to have something to protect us from the filth that the wheels roll on to the rider. Especially after a few fender plasticaccia euro bought in any supermarket can be kept dry the seat and saddle bag. Before the problem is less serious because most of the mud splashing in the frame without much discomfort. I decided to mount a small appendix in the plastic tube to give a little 'more protection. The number of sketches that come up in my face has drastically declined, but is not completely clear. Surely a model works best to attach the fork to protect even when cornering, but unfortunately I did not have appropriate hooks.
3. rigid bike - The mud is a big enemy for the O-ring and legs super smooth suspension and to avoid unnecessary wear these expensive parts is recommended to wash after every ride their bikes. Unfortunately do not always have a water pipe or a car wash available in the home and risk letting cement for all the existing Paute charge during the ride. Also in winter you ride mostly flat routes where there is a large-capacity buffer. Better a good rigid fork that needs no maintenance, it is always ready to use and also has plenty of space between the wheels and sliders to prevent chafing of various tire mounting section also generous.
   
4. disc brakes - just the disc is taller and therefore better protected from dirt. Cross a stream no longer means that effect of braking in the moments after the shots that Ford is experimenting with the old brake pad. It is also lacking in "swallow's nest around the brake pads": In extreme conditions the wheel stops spinning and all you have to constantly stop to remove the piles of mud, leaves and grass. The only negative is that the bike you see in the picture yet assembled organic brake pads in the event of wet disc are much less effective than semi metallic ... but expect to finish them before changing them!

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Conversion an old bike


a bit 'all somewhere in the garage or basement, we have an old frame of the 90s that we had bought as a child or perhaps even ignorant of their origin. Well, this is a great base to build a nice single speed! These early frames mtb in fact have something vital to do without changing: the sliding dropouts.
On modern types of dropouts in fact it is impossible to obtain a proper chain tension without using extra mechanisms such as hubs or central eccentric movements or stress.

Usually these frames are made of steel and this makes it easier if you wanted to repaint the bike, everything will be easier than aluminum because the paint adheres well without using a bottom.

Ok, I start immediately to give instructions on what to do.
- What to take: gearshift, rear derailleur, front derailleur and cassette. As for the crankset it depends ... If you can remove the crown you must leave the central ring and remove the other two. If you riveted all the options are three: the majority off with flexible parts that do not serve, take the crank as it is using only a crown or replace the crank. Eye that some crank had 90 crowns oval. This makes things quite difficult on a single speed: the chain tension properly is almost impossible unless you use a spring device. Strongly discourage use on a single speed crankset of this type.
- Transmission postriore: if your rear hub is threaded type just screw in a new freewheel at a speed. If it's on the box that puts you find a pinion and thicknesses. There are kits that include everything you need to save or you can try to remove shims from an old cassette for use in the trash, if you find one somewhere.
- Choice of report: on a mountain bike with 26 "wheels usually uses a 2:1 ratio with which you can deal without too much difficulty climbs moderately challenging and whirl like hamsters on the plain. So if you have front will be mounted behind a 32 a 16. But if you want to use your single speed in a mountainous environment with very tough climbs and no flat sections can be a good idea down to 1.8:1 in teeth that is equivalent to 32:18. If you want to assemble a bike from the city and live in a flat area, well '... You can only stretch!

In the photo you see my first bike, an old steel frame dated 1991 with steel wheels also. Italian thread bottom bracket, originally with 18-speed - complete with a sticker advertising the thing! - OLD rear 120, and especially with rigid fork!

I unfortunately am not able to do things to save and then I changed to a slaughterhouse of stuff. The brakes were of the cantilever, which I replaced with the Tektro v-brake for holding back like the damned. The crank was one of those oval and has been replaced with a from 38 teeth, but made specifically for economic single speed. The freewheel is threaded 18-tooth model. The seat post and handlebars were the first steel and have been replaced with modern, lightweight aluminum cpmponenti. The saddle was a miscarriage of foam and has been replaced with a light Italian saddles but a little 'uncomfortable - that splits the ass! It was originally painted white with a spray of blue here and there, but had some rusty parts. So I did that all in black with spray paint again. Gauge: 36-spoke wheels are in fourth! noted that the ratio is quite long because this bike is intended to be used as a means of commuting in a mountain village. You also why I used an old bike saved from rotting in the cellar. If not dry me cry too much!

In this photo you can see the forks of the sliding type, which are essential in order to tension the chain by simply tightening the hub nuts without using other mechanisms.

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bike with single speed gearbox VS: about timing. First post


Today ride about 25 miles up the hill of La Maddalena, on the hill of Turin. City followed by a short transfer up pretty pissed off at the initial steady on asphalt and dirt in the second half. Sliding downhill on a path almost completely with some technical parts. At a rough from 300 to 400 meters in altitude. I have dealt with this ride a million times with other bikes with change, but always from the front XC. Today, in addition to the mono I had also run the handicap of the rigid forks and downhill makes it all a bit 'more difficult.

I thought I would never be able to face some tough climb with a 32x16 Whereas before I went to 32x21 or even 22x24! But the only short stretches where I had to dismount from the saddle were few and short walls to the sound of that first deal with 22x28 or even shorter stuff ... frankly overkill for a single speed if you go armed with the best will.

but one on which I would like to emphasize is an objective fact: the time it took from when I left my house until the top of the climb. Before we put 55 minutes with the change, now I have 59 employees. Only 4 more minutes at a distance of 13 kilometers and includes transfers salitazze flat. Not bad I say!

A single speed mountain bike, especially if rigid, is a real feather and the lack of change is bypassed by a pedalabilità uncommon for someone used to hacking away with tagliaravioli. If you have an old frame that you do not know how to use and convert it to single speed ridategli new life!