Additional to a current publish, a reader famous the Silver2 shifters I’m using on the downtube of the Normcore Bike are primarily thumbshifters:
And that I could possibly be utilizing the extra downtube-appropriate Silver1 as an alternative:
“Yeah, yeah, no matter, these work nice,” I replied–which they do. Mechanically they work completely on the downtube, ergonomically they’re not-quite-perfect in that location however greater than acceptable, and it’s solely within the aesthetic division that they’re actually wanting on this software. Although arguably my Normcore Trek can also be wanting within the aesthetic division, so who cares?
Then, a couple of days later, obtained a package deal containing not one however two pairs of Silver1 shifters. My indifference instantly gave technique to eagerness, and I put them on the Normcore Bike quicker than you’ll be able to say “bonded aluminum:”
Please be aware that when you purchase the Silver shifters the brass washer hop-up package is not included:
Now I’ve each excellent operate and excellent ergonomics, so there:
As for the opposite pair, I knew simply what to do with them:
Years in the past, when my spouse and I had been childless Brooklynites, I put this considerably bedraggled specimen collectively for my spouse as a singlespeed street bike. (I purchased it off eBay and do not know of its provenance.) She was fairly keen on it, and it was excellent for brisk laps in Prospect Park in addition to driving to locations to eat and drink or no matter else childless individuals do in Brooklyn, I can’t even keep in mind anymore. Additionally, how will you not love a pink Faggin? However then we had children and moved to hill nation and extra sensible bikes for her adopted (first a WorkCycles, then the Clem Smith Jr.), so I stripped it down and put the body in storage within the basement.
I’d all the time meant to rebuilt the Faggin with gears, particularly not too long ago since not solely can my spouse and I each experience it (we’re across the similar peak), however my older son is now tall sufficient to experience it too. And since that second pair of Silver shifters was simply begging to be placed on a metal street bike (I’m anticipating a stop and desist letter from Rivendell for placing the primary pair on an aluminum Trek), I liberated the Faggin from the closet and went to work:
As all the time, my objective was to make use of solely stuff I had and to spend no cash in any way. I had no spare 126mm wheels, however a 130mm went in there with minimal effort:
Whereas I had a collection of bars to select from, I figured I’d break up the distinction between upright and drops and set it up as form of a swift city runabout that my spouse, my older son, or I may seize every time the Pepto Bismol-hued spirit moved us:
Often I’d have simply the appropriate half, then discover out it had been compromised in some way. For instance, I had an Ultegra derailleur that may have been excellent, however the restrict screws had been seized and no quantity of lubricant would free them. Others wouldn’t work for numerous technical compatibility causes, so in the end I had no alternative however to go together with the Altus I briefly used on the RockCombo:
I’d formally dedicated my first egregious aesthetic error.
It was the identical with the entrance derailleur–mistaken clamp dimension, seized bolts once more (I actually ought to take higher care of my stuff)… So I wound up with a triple derailleur that appeared funky however appeared prefer it may do the job:
I used to be nervous that the outsized pulley on the Altus, which serve kind of the identical objective as an extended derailleur cage, would wrap an excessive amount of chain and render a lot of the cassette ineffective within the massive ring. Nonetheless, I can shift most of it earlier than the derailleur will get alarmingly distended, and anyway, with a 42/53 within the entrance and a 12-23 within the again I doubt anyone will probably be spending an excessive amount of time within the massive ring. Better of all, I had a spare used chain that was lengthy sufficient and so I didn’t even should open a brand new one. (One necessary facet of placing collectively a elements bike is that you find yourself taking stock of all of your stuff, and also you make pleased discoveries reminiscent of that brand-new chain you didn’t understand you had, and may now save for if you really need it, by which period you’ll neglect you’ve got it once more and purchase a brand new one.) Presumably between the long-enough chain and the (by at present’s requirements) close-ratio crank and cassette the bulbous pulley isn’t an issue.
As for the entrance derailleur, I did should mount it fairly excessive to ensure that the inside plate to clear that 42-tooth chainring, however as soon as I figured that out it appeared to work acceptably. In my expertise triple entrance derailleurs work fairly poorly with doubles on listed techniques, however fortuitously you will get away with much more mixing and matching if you’re utilizing friction shifters:
By this level the Faggin had misplaced what little was left of its classical Italian magnificence, however it was virtually full. I solely wanted to arrange the brakes–and that’s once I lastly encountered an insurmountable drawback:
I wanted one (1) extra brake cable:
Not even the housing, simply the cable itself.
Alas, there was no manner round it:
Tomorrow I’d should go to a motorbike store and spend precise cash.
The subsequent morning, I headed out for a experience:
The hour was early, so it was simply me and the deer:
There was the opportunity of rain, so I took the RockCombo because it has fenders:
I hadn’t ridden it in awhile and was amazed at how good it felt. Actually, I’m simply going to go forward and declare I’ve the nicest RockCombo on the earth till I see proof on the contrary.
Normally, Sunday morning is a tricky time to search out an open bike store, particularly up right here the place Citi Bikes come to die:
Fortunately, I found there’s a store on E. 240th Avenue that opens at 9am seven days every week–together with Sunday–and due to them I used to be in a position to choose up the required cable on the way in which residence from my experience:
I additionally found that town is placing in a motorbike lane on Webster Avenue, whaddya find out about that:
All in all it was a morning of revelations.
Anyway, with cable in hand, I used to be lastly in a position to end the bike and try it out:
In its new guise it felt gentle, coiled and able to pounce:
By the way in which, when you’re questioning about the pedals, I’ll get again to that:
And once more, when you’re tempted to level out that the entrance derailleur is mounted too excessive, I remind you that I had no alternative as any decrease and the inside plate hits the inside chainring if you shift. I additionally remind you that I’M NOT BUYING ANYTHING FOR THIS BIKE. I already purchased a cable, for chrissakes, which put the venture manner over price range.
So yeah, the bike felt nice…
…apart from a disconcerting quantity of play within the rear hub, which occurs to be an historical Chris King. I futzed with it, I pulled the factor aside, and take a look at as I would I couldn’t repair the issue:
Ultimately I concluded that what gave the impression to be a press-fit bearing was unfastened within the hub shell, permitting the entire wheel to shift on the axle. So I took a more in-depth look. See these issues that appear to be cracks?
Nicely, yeah, they’re cracks, some going all through the hub flange:
So it’s ineffective now. However right here is why I can’t blame Chris King for this:
- The hubs are actually outdated
- I purchased the wheels used a few years in the past, so I do not know how outdated they’re or how they had been handled earlier than I obtained them
- I do know I used them quite a bit and handled them poorly
- At one level I moved the hubs and spokes over to new rims for the reason that brake observe on the outdated rims was extraordinarily worn, and I can’t rule out the likelihood that I overtensioned the wheel within the course of
That final one is essentially the most important: if there’s an issue, it’s normally me. In any case, it’s factor I seen the play, and it’s an excellent higher factor I truly tried to do one thing about it as an alternative of adopting my normal “Ah, fuck it” angle, since I don’t assume the hub coming aside whereas driving could be factor.
Sadly I didn’t have too many extra spare wheels to select from, and the one serviceable one dealt yet one more crushing blow to the bike’s appears to be like:
However hey, it really works, and likewise the hub is manner quieter.
So proper, the pedals–which additionally ain’t serving to within the appears to be like division:
They’re the Arclight from Redshift:
Right here’s how they work:
Awhile again Redshift requested if I’d prefer to attempt these pedals. I accepted, since my older son was driving to highschool, I figured he may use some visibility, and this appeared like a great way for him to not have to recollect to place lights on his bike. However then, shortly after, he obtained that Woom cargo bike, which got here with entrance and rear dynamo lights, and I couldn’t in good conscience make him use these pedals too. Then I misplaced the pedals, and Redshift despatched me one other pair, after which, a couple of days in the past, I discovered the primary pair, and now I’ve two pairs.
All of that is to say I’m remiss in attempting these pedals. In fact now my older son is driving a fixie to highschool, and you may’t use these with toe clips, so I figured that for the reason that Faggin is now a communal city runabout (that he may doubtlessly need to experience to highschool typically, particularly when he feels how briskly it’s, potential “Boy Named Sue” repercussions of the colour and identify however), it could make an appropriate take a look at mattress for the pedals. As for the opposite pair, until Redshift need them again, possibly I’ll put them on my youthful son’s bike. He’s not driving wherever at evening, however possibly he’ll assume they’re enjoyable.
Clearly the look of the pedals is deeply at odds with the bike, however my first impression is that they really feel comfy underneath foot, and the lights do appear to work like they are saying. (If you flip the pedals over the lights change colour accordingly, which is nifty.) I additionally watched my spouse experience up and down the road with the lights turned on and so they definitely are seen. Whereas ideally you’d be higher off with stationary lights on the bars or body, for the straightforward motive that they’re much less complicated to different street customers, these appear to be they’d be useful when you reside someplace the place you’ll be able to’t depart lights in your bike, like I do, and when you usually neglect to carry them with you, like I do. So I’ll be subjecting them to my normal rigorous testing requirements, at the very least till vainness will get the higher of me:
In any case, a long-dormant bike is again:
All indications are that it’s going to be a quick and enjoyable bike, and there’s nothing extra reinvigorating than a silky-smooth pair of shifters on a clear “new” drivetrain (I can’t consider I truly cleaned that outdated cassette once I put it away like 20 years in the past, I’d by no means do this now), although who within the household finally ends up utilizing it and the way stays to me seen:
Finally I ought to most likely restore it absolutely to the right street bike it needs to be, however what’s the great of getting a bunch of random elements when you don’t experiment and assemble them into one thing bizarre but rideable as soon as in awhile?
Better of all, it solely value me a brake cable.
