Questions about building my first bike

[simon.r]

What kind of life are you getting out of the M Part headsets? It's something I'd like to replace as close to never as possible!

It's literally years old and has been swapped around bikes, generally used on my 2nd or 3rd bike. I can only estimate the mileage, but I'd say it'd be in the low thousands. I've not really thought about it before (which always seems to be sign of a good bike bit - you don't notice it, it just works!), but it has been very good, especially for the price.

Apologies if you've already covered this in your frame thread, but have you considered the Kaffenback? Not dissimilar to the Surly.

 

[lulubel]

It's literally years old and has been swapped around bikes, generally used on my 2nd or 3rd bike. I can only estimate the mileage, but I'd say it'd be in the low thousands. I've not really thought about it before (which always seems to be sign of a good bike bit - you don't notice it, it just works!), but it has been very good, especially for the price.

That's useful to know. That could be a good saving.

Apologies if you've already covered this in your frame thread, but have you considered the Kaffenback? Not dissimilar to the Surly.

I know I've looked at it, but not sure whether it was mentioned in the thread or I came across it myself. They'd need to make an x-small for me!

 

[lulubel]

Bottom bracket question ....

According to Sheldon Brown's Bottom Bracket Size Database, my crankset (a Bontrager triple marked BCD 130 on the large chainring) is compatible with a 118mm ISIS type bb. I think something like this FSA Platinum ISIS should be suitable.

Am I correct?

Is ISIS the only type of bb I can use, or are there others?

If I'm not sure, I'll make sure I buy an ISIS type, but it looks like quite a limited range for what seems like a fairly common type of crankset - if there's nothing available from Shimano, for example.

 

[simon.r]

ISIS (International Splined Interface Standard) was introduced at around the same time as Shimano brought out their Octalink system, I believe so that other manufacturers could work to an alternative system without all coming up with their own. They are NOT the same and cranks designed for one will definitely not fit the other.

So yes, you're right and yes, there is a relatively limited range.

(Nothing wrong with square taper if you ask me...change for the sake of change...and othe general grumpy old man type comments)

 

[ColinJ]

(Nothing wrong with square taper if you ask me...change for the sake of change...and othe general grumpy old man type comments)

I can think of one thing wrong with square taper - it's a perfect design for cracking cranks!

That's the second one that I've broken over the years, and it isn't because I overtighten them! ***










*** Hanging a big heavy bloke off them might have something to do with it though!

 

[Hicky]

I've got a crosscheck and looking at it in my office now I've got this headset fitted:
http://www.atbshop.co.uk/micro-scoo...mpe/dia-compe-diatech-cb-2-threadless-headset
Oh and handbuilt tiagra hub, open sport rim 32hole wheels, I bash them up and down curbs and along cobble paths with 82kgs of me sat ontop....havent needed trueing yet in four months and well over 1000 miles.

 

[lulubel]

So yes, you're right and yes, there is a relatively limited range.

Thanks. I'm glad to know I seem to be getting my head around this.

 

[lulubel]

I've got a crosscheck and looking at it in my office now I've got this headset fitted:
http://www.atbshop.co.uk/micro-scoo...mpe/dia-compe-diatech-cb-2-threadless-headset

Thanks. "Easy fit" sounds good.

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

According to Sheldon Brown's database, I think I need a 118mm ISIS type bb to fit my Bontrager triple crankset, so something like this to fit the Surly frame. But that's something I was going to ask about once I'd sorted out my headset choice because I'm not certain.

I think like everything Sheldon started, that database is outstanding. But as stated is not up-to-date. I also think Bonty badge-engineer others' chainsets. Implication being, unless you know otherwise, it is worth making sure exactly what type and length BB you have. Sometimes the only way to be sure is to remove the chainset and measure.

I think it was also Bonty who said "cheap, light, strong, pick 2", which imho is generally untrue, because there are VERY few cheap and light bike components even if one didn't care too much about strength... Fwiw however BB, in particular Isis BB, is a rare exception. There are cheap, light and ok Isis BBs, if indeed you need one.

Do you have a new bike weight target?

 

[lulubel]

I think like everything Sheldon started, that database is outstanding. But as stated is not up-to-date. I also think Bonty badge-engineer others' chainsets. Implication being, unless you know otherwise, it is worth making sure exactly what type and length BB you have. Sometimes the only way to be sure is to remove the chainset and measure.

I hope I'm fairly safe, since the Trek archive listing for my old bike found here specifies Bontrager Sport crank. There are a few - several, actually - other things that aren't the same as the original spec, but those are things I changed. The original bike was as specified. Hopefully it will be OK because I'd already ordered an ISIS type before I saw your post!

Do you have a new bike weight target?

<non-commital grunting sort of noise>

My old bike weighs exactly 10kg, so it isn't a lightweight by any means. I'd rather it wasn't any heavier than that, so I'm trying to pick not-too-heavy components, but it isn't that big a deal. I've lost 12-13kg since I started cycling regularly again last June, so the weight of the bike and then some, and I haven't noticed any performance increases that can't be explained by improved fitness. If it turns out a bit heavier, I'll just put smaller gears on it and go a bit slower uphil. I don't really want my thighs to get any bigger, or I won't fit in my skinny jeans

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

I hope I'm fairly safe, since the Trek archive listing for my old bike found here specifies Bontrager Sport crank. There are a few - several, actually - other things that aren't the same as the original spec, but those are things I changed. The original bike was as specified. Hopefully it will be OK because I'd already ordered an ISIS type before I saw your post!

According to this Trek doc it is square tapered, but I guess if that was the case you would have been able to see the flat surfaces where the spindle enters the chainset.

 

[lulubel]

According to this Trek doc it is square tapered, but I guess if that was the case you would have been able to see the flat surfaces where the spindle enters the chainset.

I've just examined it as best I can without bothering to take the crank off, and I can't find any sign of it becoming square. I compared it to the one on my trainer bike, and that's definitely square where it goes into the end of the crank, but there's more of a gap, so it's easier to see. Plus, the trainer bike has never seen a road,so it isn't all covered in muck. But the one on my old bike doesn't look square to me.

I've been down this road before when I thought the bb was clicking and I was going to have to replace it, and came to the same conclusion regarding which one I needed. (It turned out to be the headset making the noise at the time.)

If I've bought the wrong one, I can either send it back (it will only cost me what I saved on postage by having the headset and bb sent together) or replace the chainset now rather than later, if I can afford it. It won't be the end of the world.

 

[lulubel]

I'm trying to figure out what I need to do about brakes on my new frame.

This is the frame I'm buying.

The description says it has bosses for canti or linear pull (is this "V"?) brakes. Does that mean it won't take the calliper brakes from my old bike?

I've never been very happy with the brakes anyway - I need to be on the drops to stand any chance of stopping in a reasonable time - so I wouldn't mind replacing them, but that leaves me with confusion as to what to replace them with. I THINK I'm right in saying I can't use V brakes with road levers, which leaves me with cantis. I looked at Avid Shorty, which were well reviewed on Wiggle, but then not so well reviewed on CRC. I don't want to spend a fortune on brakes, but I'd rather pay more for good ones than less for something that doesn't have much stopping power.

Um .....

 

[ColinJ]

I've never been very happy with the brakes anyway - I need to be on the drops to stand any chance of stopping in a reasonable time - so I wouldn't mind replacing them, but that leaves me with confusion as to what to replace them with. I THINK I'm right in saying I can't use V brakes with road levers, which leaves me with cantis. I looked at Avid Shorty, which were well reviewed on Wiggle, but then not so well reviewed on CRC. I don't want to spend a fortune on brakes, but I'd rather pay more for good ones than less for something that doesn't have much stopping power.

You can - if you fit a Travel Agent ... available here.

 

[lulubel]

You can - if you fit a Travel Agent ... available here.

Are you implying that I won't get anything decent unless I go for V brakes, so I'll need to use these? Or ...?