# New bike on the way ...!



## ColinJ (15 Jun 2015)

New to me, that is - a used bike in very good condition. 

I have been left some money by an old pal who died suddenly after Christmas () and I wanted to purchase some nice things to remember him by rather than watch the money slowly trickle away settling household bills.

At first, having an unexpected pot of cash went to my head and I started looking at more and more expensive bikes, but then it struck me that what was supposed to be a fun, knockabout bike would end up costing more than all my other bikes put together! I would be worried about damaging it or getting it stolen. I would also then be lumbered with buying expensive replacement parts for it in the future. And of course, I would then want to upgrade the other bikes to at least the standard of the new one. That would be all of the money gone, and more besides.

So, I came to my senses and decided instead to go bargain-hunting. I have now bought what looks like a very nice bike and I should be receiving it on Wednesday or Thursday. I will not be precious about it. I will look after it, but it is already scratched so I don't think a few more scratches now and then would really hurt!

If I had bought a new bike then it would have had to have been exactly what I wanted because I would not want to immediately replace unused parts. When I get the used bike though, I will feel fine upgrading the cassette or chainrings (or any other parts) to ones that suit me better.

I know this is a bit of a tease, but I am not going to tell you any more about the bike for now! I will go out for a shakedown ride towards the end of the week and do a report in 'Your Ride Today'. I'll post some pictures of the bike in this thread once I have them,

Now I need to make some room for what will be bike #4 (or #5 if you include the gym bike in the corner of the room)! My sister and her husband are coming to stay next week and we won't be able to move here for bikes, tools and spares ...


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## coffeejo (15 Jun 2015)




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## ScotiaLass (15 Jun 2015)

I think that's lovely 
I'm sure your friend would approve!


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## ianrauk (15 Jun 2015)

Bloody tease.. we want pics now


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## Lilliburlero (15 Jun 2015)

I reckon it`ll be a vintage bike, maybe 1980`s?. I`ll go for a Raleigh Banana.


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## biggs682 (15 Jun 2015)

ianrauk said:


> Bloody tease.. we want pics now



too true


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## dan_bo (15 Jun 2015)

I reckon its a full sus Nicolai with a gearbox and 8" travel front and rear. 

Right up Cols' street.


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## Saluki (15 Jun 2015)

A lovely way to remember a good friend. Looking forward to pics, even though you are a tease 

Raleigh Chopper?


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## Pat "5mph" (15 Jun 2015)

Your friend surely knew he would be remembered every time you ride up a big hill, that is most days 
Enjoy and don't forget the pictures!


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## ColinJ (15 Jun 2015)

Thanks all!

My friend never even hinted at this so it came as a real shock. He knew how hard up I have been for the past few years so he would have been well aware how much I would appreciate this inheritance.

This has reminded me that I have not yet written a will. What I would like to happen in the event of my death is not what would happen without that will, and the illness I suffered in 2012/2013 certainly made me aware of my own mortality!

Ok, a bit more info, and those of you who have been paying attention will already know this because I have mentioned what I was looking for several times elsewhere on the forum .. It is a cyclocross bike, but it has the mounting points for a rack and mudguards so I will possibly use it for some light touring as well as for bad weather and winter road riding. The main idea though will be to do some of the offroad stuff on it that I used to do on my mountain bike but which is not really gnarly enough to require huge tyres and suspension. Gravelly dirt tracks, canal towpaths and so on. I will keep the MTB for the hardcore stuff.

It will be nice to spend more time away from traffic. Over the summer I will do a variety of local routes and show you them in my 'Your Ride Today' reports.


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## Littgull (16 Jun 2015)

ColinJ said:


> Thanks all!
> 
> My friend never even hinted at this so it came as a real shock. He knew how hard up I have been for the past few years so he would have been well aware how much I would appreciate this inheritance.
> 
> ...


A good choice, Colin, to get a cyclocross bike. My son has just bought one. Will you be giving it a run out on the Cheshire ride on the 27th?


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## ColinJ (16 Jun 2015)

Littgull said:


> A good choice, Colin, to get a cyclocross bike. My son has just bought one. Will you be giving it a run out on the Cheshire ride on the 27th?


The semislicks are supposed to run quite well on the road and a few of the smaller Cheshire lanes may be a bit rough, but I reckon 200+ km is more than I would want to do on it in one ride!

I'll see what I think after a couple of shorter rides. The bike has a Charge Spoon saddle which may or may not suit me and I may need to buy a new stem to replicate my usual riding position.

I will be making a shopping list once I have ridden the bike. The original bottom gear was 36/28 which would have been too high but the bike has a bigger replacement cassette (I don't know how big). If that has a 32 tooth big sprocket then it might do, but I suspect that I will go for a 12-36 cassette which would mean fitting a MTB rear derailleur to cope with the wider range. Apparently, 9-speed MTB mechs work well with 10-speed road shifters.


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## ColinJ (16 Jun 2015)

Ooh, the excitement mounts ... I am tracking the delivery and it is now at the Milton Keynes parcelforce depot. Maybe it will be delivered tomorrow instead of Thursday? (It is on guaranteed 48 hour delivery.)


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## toffee (16 Jun 2015)

ColinJ said:


> Ooh, the excitement mounts ... I am tracking the delivery and it is now at the Milton Keynes parcelforce depot. Maybe it will be delivered tomorrow instead of Thursday? (It is on guaranteed 48 hour delivery.)



Just round the corner from my house. Do you want me to pop round and try it out

Derek


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## ColinJ (16 Jun 2015)

toffee said:


> Just round the corner from my house. Do you want me to pop round and try it out
> 
> Derek


Ha ha - it is too big for you!

And it is wrapped up in a box ...


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## jowwy (16 Jun 2015)

Enjoy the new ride @ColinJ cause after what you've been through, you deserve it


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## ColinJ (16 Jun 2015)

jowwy said:


> Enjoy the new ride @ColinJ cause after what you've been through, you deserve it


That's very nice of you - cheers! 

I am working out a scenic mixed terrain ride to let the bike show its potential and I will take some photographs of it out there.


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## ColinJ (18 Jun 2015)

Aaargh - insomnia! Less than 4 hours sleep and I am scared to go back to sleep in case the bike arrives and I can't get to the door in time ...

I will track the delivery ... ooh, loaded to van half an hour ago in Preston. Looks like time to adjourn to the sofa downstairs nearer the front door!


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## winjim (18 Jun 2015)

I hope they deliver it to the right place. I tracked my frameset delivery yesterday only to watch it go to the wrong house!


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## coffeejo (18 Jun 2015)

ColinJ said:


> Aaargh - insomnia! Less than 4 hours sleep and I am scared to go back to sleep in case the bike arrives and I can't get to the door in time ...
> 
> I will track the delivery ... ooh, loaded to van half an hour ago in Preston. Looks like time to adjourn to the sofa downstairs nearer the front door!


*WAKE UP COLIN!!!*


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## dan_bo (18 Jun 2015)

Is that the door col? 

Oh, just the sodding gas bill...


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## dan_bo (18 Jun 2015)

Is that the door col? 

Oh, just the sodding gas bill...


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## dan_bo (18 Jun 2015)

ColinJ said:


> Aaargh - insomnia! Less than 4 hours sleep and I am scared to go back to sleep in case the bike arrives and I can't get to the door in time ...
> 
> I will track the delivery ... ooh, loaded to van half an hour ago in Preston. Looks like time to adjourn to the sofa downstairs nearer the front door!


You wouldn't guess the bloke was in his sixties would ya?


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## dan_bo (18 Jun 2015)

ColinJ said:


> Aaargh - insomnia! Less than 4 hours sleep and I am scared to go back to sleep in case the bike arrives and I can't get to the door in time ...
> 
> I will track the delivery ... ooh, loaded to van half an hour ago in Preston. Looks like time to adjourn to the sofa downstairs nearer the front door!


You wouldn't guess the bloke was in his sixties would ya?


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## dan_bo (18 Jun 2015)

Double posts...MODS!


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## dan_bo (18 Jun 2015)

Double posts...MODS!


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## dan_bo (18 Jun 2015)

Colin has disturbed the space -time continuum by buying a new bike and buggered up the forum obvs.


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## ColinJ (18 Jun 2015)

Ha ha!

My 60s don't actually begin until January, but I thought I would get a head start ... Now where did I leave those, er, oh, what was I thinking about ...? Slippers - where did I leave those slippers!

Hang on, I forgot to buy the slippers! I will have to stick to wearing my sandals downstairs.

Part 2 of my 'spend the inheritance money before boring household bills siphon it away' scheme is underway - a new HDTV is arriving in a couple of hours time. My old 28" Panasonic CRT-based SDTV is on its last legs. The picture sometimes balloons alarmingly so it is only a matter of time before the set goes 'pop'. This is an ideal opportunity to get a replacement set. I'm looking forward to beaming the pro cycling coverage over from my tablet The new 40" set is barely much bigger at the front, but is about 1/10th of the depth. I need the extra space for bike storage! 

Lordy, I am knackered!

I just got a text saying that the TV will be delivered between 12:00 and 13:00 so if the bike arrives soon, I can give it the once-over and take it on its first Yorkshire ride this afternoon.


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## ColinJ (18 Jun 2015)

winjim said:


> I hope they deliver it to the right place. I tracked my frameset delivery yesterday only to watch it go to the wrong house!


I would have nipped out and redirected them!


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## ColinJ (18 Jun 2015)

Ok, to end the teasing, here is a very strong hint!


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## winjim (18 Jun 2015)

ColinJ said:


> I would have nipped out and redirected them!


I was at work. I only found out because the "safe place" confirmation picture which they emailed was of somebody else's house! A phone call to customer services sorted it though and they sent the driver back to retrieve it.


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## ColinJ (18 Jun 2015)

winjim said:


> I was at work. I only found out because the "safe place" confirmation picture which they emailed was of somebody else's house! A phone call to customer services sorted it though and they sent the driver back to retrieve it.


Yikes!

Still, it could have been worse ...


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## zacklaws (18 Jun 2015)

Good decision a cross bike Colin, Mine has become my workhorse for all my long distance Audax's and light touring. I never thought it would be any good as a winter bike as well for club rides as I suspected it may have been too slow with it having a 46 chain ring, but matched with a 11 sprocket gives it a better ratio than a 50 x 12 which a lot of riders have on their compacts and also with 25mm tyres it goes like a rocket. But the gear ratios on the larger sprockets can make it hard to find a cadence to match the speed of a club ride and with all the changing up and down, I can soon get riders grumbling behind me. Since last July, I have also been running it on 28mm Marathon Plus and once you get used to the weight of them. you can fly along with chances of a puncture slim.

Also I have seen sense and no longer have any desire to buy another expensive or a carbon framed bike as they are costly to maintain to keep to the same standard. The bike I am begining to ride the most now is my old 2007 Trek 1.2, traditional double, 8 speed which has sat in the shed and hardly see's the light of the day, but its such a joy to ride and no issues on club rides......apart for the gearing being a bit too high on the steeper hills.

But this weekend, its the 3 coasts, 600K from Mytholmoroyd on the CX bike, carradice saddlebag and Brooks B17 saddle fitted..

I presume it will be 5 times up Cragg Vale when it gets delivered.


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## ColinJ (29 Jun 2015)

I am clearly getting old because I have managed to contain the excitement about my new bike until today!

The disk brakes needed some attention so I have not ridden the bike yet. (I had my family here last week and it would have been a bit rude to ignore them to play with the bike!) I put it on the stand in my sunny back yard at lunch time and enlisted a mate to help me fettle the brakes. 

The front disk rotor seemed to have been clouted slightly, either in transit to me or when the bike was ridden by the previous owner. We used a large adjustable spanner to straighten the rotor and it is not too bad now. I don't think we could get the brakes much better than they are, given that the design is fundamentally pretty basic - a static pad which the moving pad pushes the rotating disk rotor against.

Anyway ... time for the maiden ride! I am riding a few miles down the canal towpath to visit a friend for a cuppa, and will do some lightish hilly offroad on the way back to see what the bike can do and how I cope without my ultra-low climbing gears.

A report will appear below later!


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## Cyclist33 (29 Jun 2015)

ColinJ said:


> I am clearly getting old because I have managed to contain the excitement about my new bike until today!
> 
> The disk brakes needed some attention so I have not ridden the bike yet. (I had my family here last week and it would have been a bit rude to ignore them to play with the bike!) I put it on the stand in my sunny back yard at lunch time and enlisted a mate to help me fettle the brakes.
> 
> ...



Pictures or it was all a dream.


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## ColinJ (30 Jun 2015)

Cyclist33 said:


> Pictures or it was all a dream.


Ok, I took the bike out for a quick local loop on the kind of terrain that I bought it for - a mix of canal towpath, road, and moderately rough bridleway.

First, three photos. I took a few more but they didn't turn out well.

CAADX on Rochdale canal towpath






CAADX on bridleway from Turret Hall to Blackshaw Head





CAADX above Duke Street, below Great Rock





I'll list my observations and feelings about the bike as bullet points, including a list of things to fettle or replace ...

Position on bike: Wow - the bike fits perfectly! I was expecting an uncomfortable bend down to the bars but the position is actually more upright than on my other bikes and I like it! I will try to replicate this on the other bikes if possible.
The saddle: I seem to get on quite well with the Charge Spoon. It was only a short ride, but the saddle felt pretty good. I'll tweak its position and angle slightly but it was a promising start.
I am one set of SPD pedals short. I nicked a pair from my road Cannondale so I need to buy a new pair for that.
Oversize bars, steerer and headset: Nice and stiff. LIKE!
Tiagra STI: I don't like the exposed gear cables but can live with them. As expected, after years of using Campag Ergopower, I kept get confused when changing gear. I think it will take another few hours of riding the bike to fully get the hang of this system. The back of the shifter/brake levers is uncomfortable on the fingers so I was changing my hand position on the drops to avoid contact.
Hoods comfort - good.
Braking from the hoods - feels odd compared to my usual Campag brakes. I suppose I will get used to these levers.
Gear adjustment: Slightly out at the back. A gentle tweak should sort it.
Gear range: Yes, I _will_ be needing lower gears for some of the harder hills round here! I was using the 36/30 bottom gear on this ride and there are much tougher hills to climb than the ones I tackled this evening.
Tyres: With the stiff frame and front end, I quickly got battered riding over cobbles and other rough stuff but then I realised that the bike had been delivered with its tyres pumped too hard. I stopped and let out some air, which greatly improved the ride quality, while still allowing the wheels to roll pretty well. The semislicks will probably be fine for what I want to do on the bike.
Brakes: _Oh dear!_ The rear brake was ok - I could lock the rear wheel without too much difficulty, which is all I need to be able to do. I can leave that brake alone. The front brake still needs some major seeing to - I tried an emergency stop from ~25 mph and it took me about 30 yards to come to rest. That is just not good enough. On top of that, the brake is still dragging which makes the bike feel sluggish and hard work to pedal. I will have another go at adjusting the brake over the next couple of days. If I can't get it good enough then I will replace it with something more effective.
Wheels: They seem ok. There is a slight rumble coming from the back of the bike. It could be wheel bearings needing replacing. The free hub is almost silent! I am used to noisy freehubs and often freewheel when approaching people to use the noise to alert them. I was catching pedestrians out today because the bike was so quiet. I had to simulate the ticking sound by clicking my tongue against my back teeth ... Wheels slightly out of true. Not such a big issue with disk brakes, but I will get my mate to sort them. (He is better with a spoke key than me!)
Bottle cage(s): I need a couple of nice new ones. The cheap old one I stuck on looks naff and hardly hangs on to the bottle.
BB30 bottom bracket: No problems with it at the moment. Fingers crossed that I don't get the creaking problem because it would drive me nuts!
When I first set out on the test ride, I felt disappointed with the bike. It seemed like a cross between an uncomfortable mountain bike and a slow road bike! Lowering the tyre pressures fixed the comfort issue and I am sure that sorting the dragging brake out will deal with the sluggish performance. Once I have some lower gears and a more effective front brake, I will be really happy with the bike. It should be a lot of fun to ride. I will definitely fit a rack and will probably buy mudguards too, though I might not keep them on the bike at all times. 

Oh, and to top it all, I got a £50 rebate from eBay because there was a 24 hour special discount promotion running on the day I bought the bike - yay!


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## jowwy (30 Jun 2015)

ColinJ said:


> Ok, I took the bike out for a quick local loop on the kind of terrain that I bought it for - a mix of canal towpath, road, and moderately rough bridleway.
> 
> First, three photos. I took a few more but they didn't turn out well.
> 
> ...


Glad you like the bike colin - if the brakes are promax renders then get rid as they are useless and upgrade them to trp spyres, great disc caliper, plenty of modulation and dual piston too


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## ColinJ (30 Jun 2015)

jowwy said:


> Glad you like the bike colin - if the brakes are promax renders then get rid as they are useless and upgrade them to trp spyres, great disc caliper, plenty of modulation and dual piston too


Yes, I had read about the Promax brakes before buying the bike, but I got it at a good price so I can afford to change parts to suit me and still only have spent what a new bike would have cost. Choosing this path means that I end up with brakes and gears that I like.

My only other concern is that BB30 bottom bracket. I know some people get on fine with them, but the forums are full of posts complaining of creaking noises, and I have heard many annoying creaking bikes out on the road. If I get that problem and I cannot fix it any other way then I will try the Praxis BB30 to Hollowtech II converter that somebody on the forum mentioned a few months back.


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## jowwy (30 Jun 2015)

ColinJ said:


> Yes, I had read about the Promax brakes before buying the bike, but I got it at a good price so I can afford to change parts to suit me and still only have spent what a new bike would have cost. Choosing this path means that I end up with brakes and gears that I like.
> 
> My only other concern is that BB30 bottom bracket. I know some people get on fine with them, but the forums are full of posts complaining of creaking noises, and I have heard many annoying creaking bikes out on the road. If I get that problem and I cannot fix it any other way then I will try the Praxis BB30 to Hollowtech II converter that somebody on the forum mentioned a few months back.


Its a good shout with the bb30, im going to run mine till it starts failing and then switch it out too. At the moment its all running creak free


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## potsy (30 Jun 2015)

ColinJ said:


> Yes, I had read about the Promax brakes before buying the bike, but I got it at a good price so I can afford to change parts to suit me and still only have spent what a new bike would have cost. Choosing this path means that I end up with brakes and gears that I like.
> 
> My only other concern is that BB30 bottom bracket. I know some people get on fine with them, but the forums are full of posts complaining of creaking noises, and I have heard many annoying creaking bikes out on the road. If I get that problem and I cannot fix it any other way then I will try the Praxis BB30 to Hollowtech II converter that somebody on the forum mentioned a few months back.


Not had any issues with my BB30 either Colin, but it's on my Caad which doesn't go out much in the wet.

Nice bike, just needs a wheel upgrade


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## Pale Rider (30 Jun 2015)

I dunno about roadies, but Promax are known to be cheap and nasty on hybrid/mountain bikes.

Presumably, all you need to change is the front calliper to one of a decent make.

Two bolts - probably Torx - and a cable clamp.

Should be easy.


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## ColinJ (30 Jun 2015)

Pale Rider said:


> I dunno about roadies, but Promax are known to be cheap and nasty on hybrid/mountain bikes.
> 
> Presumably, all you need to change is the front calliper to one of a decent make.
> 
> ...


The TRP Hy-Rd gets good reviews.- EXAMPLE. It is cable operated but hydraulic at the business end so it would be a simple replacement.



potsy said:


> Not had any issues with my BB30 either Colin, but it's on my Caad which doesn't go out much in the wet.
> 
> Nice bike, just needs a wheel upgrade


Yes, perhaps we will not get into the wheel issue! I think these will do with a bit of TLC to true them and sort out the bearings.

Oops, there's the door - today's riding partners have arrived. Byeeee!


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## Pale Rider (1 Jul 2015)

ColinJ said:


> The TRP Hy-Rd gets good reviews.- EXAMPLE. It is cable operated but hydraulic at the business end so it would be a simple replacement.



Good plan.

I've always thought a single moving piston pushing against the disc is a rubbish design.

By the way, I know you like your hills - and descents.

You may know, but a good technique for descending with a hydraulic brake - or probably any other - is to slow the bike down slower than you need, let go, then repeat as required.

That's better than constant light braking because there is less heat build up and less chance of fade, which can be disconcerting.


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## ColinJ (1 Jul 2015)

Pale Rider said:


> Good plan.
> 
> I've always thought a single moving piston pushing against the disc is a rubbish design.
> 
> ...


I agree - I was out on my Cannondale road bike yesterday and found that I was getting about 5 times the front braking power from its rim brakes for about one fifth of the effort, which clearly should not be the case! 

The steep descent that had all but defeated the Promax front disk brake on the CX bike required care on the road bike to avoid _over_-braking.

Reviews say that the Hy-Rd is very resistant to overheating, but I think you are right about avoiding dragging brakes.


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## Milkfloat (1 Jul 2015)

It may be that your pads/discs are contaminated. If you fancy an experiment before you splash out - you could swap front to rear and see what happens.


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## jowwy (1 Jul 2015)

Milkfloat said:


> It may be that your pads/discs are contaminated. If you fancy an experiment before you splash out - you could swap front to rear and see what happens.


Its the render promax disc - they are utter pants


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## ColinJ (1 Jul 2015)

Milkfloat said:


> It may be that your pads/discs are contaminated. If you fancy an experiment before you splash out - you could swap front to rear and see what happens.


That did occur to me, but I don't _think_ it is due to that. 

The rear brake doesn't feel brilliant either, but I can lock the wheel without having to pull the brake lever to the bars, so that will do.

I was struggling to stop with the front lever pulled all the way to the bars! 

The brake cable outers are Jagwire which are supposed to be ok, so I don't think they are the source of the problem.

I will have one more front brake fettling session to see if I can sort the Promax brake out. I have downloaded the service manual which explains how the brakes should be set up, and I did not do it that way at my first attempt so perhaps doing it the official way will be more effective.

I can get a Hy-Rd replacement for about £90 so it wouldn't be too bad to go down that route if I have to.


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## mythste (1 Jul 2015)

ColinJ said:


> That did occur to me, but I don't _think_ it is due to that.
> 
> The rear brake doesn't feel brilliant either, but I can lock the wheel without having to pull the brake lever to the bars, so that will do.
> 
> ...



I had a mid-ride contamination to deal with the other day and changing the pads was the only way to stop it. I have pretty basic Shimano Mechanical disks on my Focus CX and when properly adjusted they perform wonderfully. Dont underestimate the difference adjusting cable tension vs inner pad distance can make. A good fettle might be worthwhile.

Failing that, I did try some of the Hy-Rd brakes on a more expensive model and they were seriously lovely, and I hear they dont require quite the amount of adjustment.


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## mythste (1 Jul 2015)

Oh, and of course, Enjoy!


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## bikingdad90 (1 Jul 2015)

I have had this problem before and found that 

A) could be that they need re centering on the rotor. Back off the mounting screws then spin wheel. Apply the brake and hold while tightening the screws back up.

B) tighten the cable up for more feel and less pull on lever

C) the pads are worn and need replacing as they are down to the final few mm

D) slicks = less rolling resistance = less grip to stop. If you apply weight over the front when braking does it still happen?


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## ColinJ (1 Jul 2015)

chris harte said:


> I have had this problem before and found that
> 
> A) could be that they need re centering on the rotor. Back off the mounting screws then spin wheel. Apply the brake and hold while tightening the screws back up.
> 
> ...


A) That was pretty much what my mate and I were trying to do. There is the question of where to have the static pad when doing this though. The user manual I downloaded explains a similar technique but iterating towards the ideal position. (Basically if the brake doesn't work properly where the pad is, move it slightly and repeat.)

We discovered that the front rotor was slightly bent and used a large adjustable spanner to straighten most of the wobble out of it. (We don't have a proper tool and I don't intend to spend money on one unless I have to.) I think we might be still able to improve the rotor further. If necessary, The rear rotor may be smaller than the front but If they are the same diameter then I might try swapping them since the front brake performance is way more important than the rear's.

B) I was thinking about cable tightness earlier because the rear lever seems to act a lot sooner than the front.

C) I checked the pads - they look ok.

D) I don't agree with that comment. On clean tarmac - slicks can provide enormous grip. On loose surfaces, yes - tread is essential.

I had nearly all my weight on the front of the bike because I was descending a 15% hill at the time! On the CX Cannondale, I could barely stop. I did the same descent the next day on my road Cannondale and I could have locked the front wheel with a single finger pulling on the brake lever - many times the brake power for a fraction of the effort!

It is worth trying again to improve what I have, but enough people have suggested that the brakes are crap for me to believe that it won't make much difference. I will try again in the morning - watch this space!


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## outlash (2 Jul 2015)

Looks a good'n there . In hindsight, I should have bought my CAADX with discs, you think your brakes are bad! FWIW, the Sammy slick tyres are pretty decent, I only swap mine out when it's properly muddy. Keep an eye on those wheels though, I've had two sets of those maddux wheels on both my cannondales and they go out of true at the drop of a hat. I recently bought a pair of fulcrum 7 CX's and so far they've been rock solid .


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## ColinJ (3 Jul 2015)

outlash said:


> Looks a good'n there . In hindsight, I should have bought my CAADX with discs, you think your brakes are bad! FWIW, the Sammy slick tyres are pretty decent, I only swap mine out when it's properly muddy. Keep an eye on those wheels though, I've had two sets of those maddux wheels on both my cannondales and they go out of true at the drop of a hat. I recently bought a pair of fulcrum 7 CX's and so far they've been rock solid .


I'm not keen on mud so I will not be doing too much riding in muddy conditions, and when I do I will probably ride my mountain bike instead.

The back wheel does have a bit of a wobble on it. Not quite enough to require _immediate_ attention, but now that I have spotted it I will add that to the list of things to sort out.

I had another go at the front brake tonight now that I have got my head round how to adjust it. The bent front rotor causes dragging friction and noises if I have the pads as close together as they should be. If I separate them enough to stop the rubbing then I do not have enough pull left in the lever. I checked, and the rear rotor is 140 mm so I can't swap it with the 160 mm front rotor. I will try to straighten the bent rotor more but TBH, I think I should just get a TRP Hy-Rd front brake, which would come with a new rotor. I am wasting valuable summer riding time trying to fix something which will probably never be great no matter what I do to it!

So, it looks like the current shopping list is ...

TRP Hy-Rd brake for the front 
2 red bottle cages
11-36 10 speed MTB cassette
9-speed MTB rear derailleur to cope with bigger cassette 
New 10-speed chain
34 tooth inner ring (NB must check 46 ring for wear!)
Pair of SPD pedals
Even after those purchases, I will still only have ended up paying about the same as for a new bike, but I will have bottle cages, and better pedals, brakes, saddle, and range of gears.

Future shopping list ...?

TRP Hy-Rd brake for the rear (If having mismatched brakes annoys me and I like the Hy-Rd.)
Rack
Mudguards


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## outlash (3 Jul 2015)

Not knowing if a 9 speed would work, but wouldn't you need a 10 speed deurailleur with tiagra?


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## ColinJ (19 Aug 2015)

outlash said:


> Not knowing if a 9 speed would work, but wouldn't you need a 10 speed deurailleur with tiagra?


I only just spotted that question ...

I needed a MTB derailleur to cope with the proposed huge cassette. 10 speed road shifters pull different amounts of cable to what a 10 speed MTB mech requires, but 9 speed MTB mechs were rumoured to be compatible. I went ahead and bought a 9-speed XT MTB mech and can confirm that it works really well in this role, though it was a bit fiddly to set it up properly.

I also did all the other upgrades that I mentioned above. If you add up the amount of money I have spent on top of the second-hand price then I have spent about the same as for a new bike but I have a much more powerful front brake and a wider range of gears to suit the horribly steep climbs round here.


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## outlash (19 Aug 2015)

Good work sir , it's truly your bike now


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## Wafer (19 Aug 2015)

TRP Spyre brakes are a bit cheaper and my LBS is recommending them over the Hy-Rd. One of the guys is even wanting to 'downgrade' from Hy-Rd to Spyres. They reckon they're the best cable operated discs you can get. When shop says the cheaper one is better I'm more inclined to believe them!


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## Wafer (19 Aug 2015)

Oh, nice looking bike though, was what I was going to get last year!


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## ColinJ (19 Aug 2015)

Wafer said:


> TRP Spyre brakes are a bit cheaper and my LBS is recommending them over the Hy-Rd. One of the guys is even wanting to 'downgrade' from Hy-Rd to Spyres. They reckon they're the best cable operated discs you can get. When shop says the cheaper one is better I'm more inclined to believe them!


I did look at the Spyre but the Hy/Rd got very good reviews so I thought it was worth spending the extra £20-odd. The new Hy/Rd on the front is a lot nicer than the old Render R on the back but that rear brake can lock the back wheel if it needs to so I won't bother upgrading that.


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## Wafer (19 Aug 2015)

Fair enough, just thought I'd mention it.
Have got the Render R's on my Synapse and though they can be fine they need regular adjustment to keep them that way. Getting Spyre's on my upgrade in the autumn!


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## ColinJ (19 Aug 2015)

Wafer said:


> Fair enough, just thought I'd mention it.
> Have got the Render R's on my Synapse and though they can be fine they need regular adjustment to keep them that way. Getting Spyre's on my upgrade in the autumn!


The biggest problem with my front Render R was that its rotor had been bent. I straightened it as well as I could but had to back the brake off to stop it jamming and that meant that I didn't have enough cable pull to fully engage the brake. I could have just bought a new rotor but decided to get the new brake instead.


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## Wafer (19 Aug 2015)

Yeah, right way to go. Be like riding a new bike again when you get that sorted  Just don't scare yourself too much when you pull them and realise they really work, heh.


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## ColinJ (20 Aug 2015)

Wafer said:


> Yeah, right way to go. Be like riding a new bike again when you get that sorted  Just don't scare yourself too much when you pull them and realise they really work, heh.


I've already bought it, fitted it and ridden it. 

I made the mistake of going down a 20% descent with the old front brake and barely slowed down enough to take the bend at the bottom of the hill! 

I went back and did it again with the new brake on the bike and all was ok.


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## potsy (20 Aug 2015)

ColinJ said:


> I've already bought it, fitted it and ridden it.
> 
> I made the mistake of going down a 20% descent with the old front brake and barely slowed down enough to take the bend at the bottom of the hill!
> 
> I went back and did it again with the new brake on the bike and all was ok.


I got a taste of how good hydraulic discs are when I tested my mtb out the other day, had never used them before and nearly went over the handlebars on one emergency stop when a dog appeared from behind a bush


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## Hacienda71 (20 Aug 2015)

potsy said:


> I got a taste of how good hydraulic discs are when I tested my mtb out the other day, had never used them before and nearly went over the handlebars on one emergency stop when a dog appeared from behind a bush


You will need that stopping power when Skolly takes you on the black run at Llandegla for your works Christmas do.


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## ColinJ (20 Aug 2015)

potsy said:


> I got a taste of how good hydraulic discs are when I tested my mtb out the other day, had never used them before and nearly went over the handlebars on one emergency stop when a dog appeared from behind a bush


Which reminds me ... fixing the hydraulic brakes on my MTB is my next fettling task! I am hoping that is all that needs doing. I can't remember what state the drivetrain was in the last time I rode the bike.

Once that has been done, all 4 of my bikes will be ready for action.


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## potsy (20 Aug 2015)

Hacienda71 said:


> You will need that stopping power when Skolly takes you on the black run at Llandegla for your works Christmas do.


Hopefully @I like Skol has no idea I have a mtb yet


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## ColinJ (28 Oct 2015)

I haven't been riding the CX bike as often as I thought I would, but the weather is getting worse so I will soon be putting my CAAD5 road bike away for the winter. I will be riding the CX more after that, certainly until the spring, Time to sort out those mudguards I reckon!

(And a rack. I had a rack and matching bag but have mislaid them and I can't think where they have got to. I asked around to see if I had donated or lent them to anyone, but have so far drawn a blank. Damn my ageing braincells! I can think of one or two places yet to be checked,)


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## ColinJ (30 Oct 2015)

I have some SKS Longboard mudguards on order from Tredz - LINK. (45 mm, in black.)

I'll take some pictures of the bike out on the hills somewhere once I have fitted the guards.

Still no sign of the missing rack! I'll have to check my cellar - that is the only place that I haven't searched yet. Maybe I had a very discreet burglar who picked my doorlock, only took the rack and matching bag, and then locked up after him?


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## ColinJ (4 Nov 2015)

ColinJ said:


> Still no sign of the missing rack! I'll have to check my cellar - that is the only place that I haven't searched yet. Maybe I had a very discreet burglar who picked my doorlock, only took the rack and matching bag, and then locked up after him?


Phew, I finally found them! They were in a box buried under a pile of other stuff at the back of my cellar. The bag had got damp and now smells very musty so it needs a good wash.

The rack will be a bit tricky to fit to the CAADX. The LH mounting hardware has to clear the disk brake mechanism and the distance between the L and R mountings on the bike is already wider than the corresponding parts of the rack. I'll have to see if I can spread the rack mounts slightly without breaking anything. Attaching the top part of the rack also looks non-trivial ... To attach to the mounts on the seatstays would involve a bit more bending of metal than I fancy doing so I might leave those mounts free for the mudguards and attach the rack to a seatpost mount. I just found an old reflector in my junk box which has a mounting that I could use.

All being well, I should have the guards and rack fitted by early next week. Then I will just need some foul weather to test the winterised bike in. I wonder just how long I will have to wait for that ...!


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