OP
OP
Reynard
Guru
- Location
- Cambridgeshire, UK
We may be ready for a test ride tomorrow. 
Secondhand Raleigh Junior Rigid MTB: lemon or worth a punt?
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DCBassman
Guru
- Location
- The lumpy far South West
I no longer know how I coped before having a workstand. Aldi 5-leg jobbie in 2018, £24.99 delivered! Great things, workstands.
DCBassman
Guru
- Location
- The lumpy far South West
Mind you, mixte frames can be problematic...but not an insurmountable problem!
OP
OP
Reynard
Guru
- Location
- Cambridgeshire, UK
I just thought it would be nice to be able to stand up to do stuff rather than sit cross-legged on the garage floor and end up with a rather chilled derriere as a result...
DCBassman
Guru
- Location
- The lumpy far South West
Damn right. I don't even have the luxury of a garage...all al fresco, me...I just thought it would be nice to be able to stand up to do stuff rather than sit cross-legged on the garage floor and end up with a rather chilled derriere as a result...
DCBassman
Guru
- Location
- The lumpy far South West
I haven't! Everything I've done more than basic stuff is since I got the stand. Or if you mean garage/shelter, well, it just takes longer, waiting for the weather!
OP
OP
Reynard
Guru
- Location
- Cambridgeshire, UK
The Black & Decker workmate was fine for most things.
Plus I tipped the bike upside down a few times as well. But on reflection, it would have made life easier at times.
OP
OP
Reynard
Guru
- Location
- Cambridgeshire, UK
12boy
Guru
- Location
- Casper WY USA
I've a 2 ft overhang above my garage and there and in my bicycle sheds are large hooks from which to hang bikes by their wheels. I also have a stand but hanging off a hook is much faster. Longer or complicated jobs get the stand, and when its cold the stand goes in anempty bedroom so as avoid having my little nosepickers frozen..
OP
OP
Reynard
Guru
- Location
- Cambridgeshire, UK
Well, here you go, gents, as promised...
And just as a reminder, here is where I started from...
And just as a reminder, here is where I started from...
OP
OP
Reynard
Guru
- Location
- Cambridgeshire, UK
Managed to get a brief test ride in whilst dodging the biblical-grade showers that were blowing in on a very stiff gale. Not the best of starts as I had to return home three times after a few yards to sort the saddle height out.
But once I actually got going, nothing broke, nothing fell off, and bar the fact I can't get it to shift onto the granny ring, everything else works exactly as it should. Even that sticky gearshift seems to have vanished when the drive train is under load. Still some tweakage required though, but that's to be expected. Really, I need a dry and far less blustery day, a bar bag filled with tools and the chance to do some decent mileage in order to dial things in properly.
The upright position really takes a bit of getting used to after four years of riding road bikes and hybrids, but the bike felt sure-footed on the wet and muddy roads, which is exactly what I wanted. Gearing is pretty well much spot-on - hooray for the mathematics! And with proper levers to work them, the brakes feel surprisingly good. Plus the mudguards worked well and kept my feet and backside nice and dry.
I really do need a layback seatpost though as I'm just a teensy bit too cramped with the set-up as it is, even with the saddle as far back as it will go. That extra inch / inch and a half aftwards will make things much more comfortable. And I find the bars a little too wide, so I shall take 10mm off each end and see how that feels. Oh, and I've now got so used to riding with cleats (I use single-sided SPD), that pure flat pedals feel really odd! Also, I need to take that horizontal "lip" off the front mudguard, as it catches my toes when I go round corners. Will replace that with a flap of some sort.
All in all, I don't think I've done too badly with this.
But once I actually got going, nothing broke, nothing fell off, and bar the fact I can't get it to shift onto the granny ring, everything else works exactly as it should.
Even that sticky gearshift seems to have vanished when the drive train is under load. Still some tweakage required though, but that's to be expected. Really, I need a dry and far less blustery day, a bar bag filled with tools and the chance to do some decent mileage in order to dial things in properly.The upright position really takes a bit of getting used to after four years of riding road bikes and hybrids, but the bike felt sure-footed on the wet and muddy roads, which is exactly what I wanted. Gearing is pretty well much spot-on - hooray for the mathematics! And with proper levers to work them, the brakes feel surprisingly good. Plus the mudguards worked well and kept my feet and backside nice and dry.
I really do need a layback seatpost though as I'm just a teensy bit too cramped with the set-up as it is, even with the saddle as far back as it will go. That extra inch / inch and a half aftwards will make things much more comfortable. And I find the bars a little too wide, so I shall take 10mm off each end and see how that feels. Oh, and I've now got so used to riding with cleats (I use single-sided SPD), that pure flat pedals feel really odd! Also, I need to take that horizontal "lip" off the front mudguard, as it catches my toes when I go round corners. Will replace that with a flap of some sort.
All in all, I don't think I've done too badly with this.
