I am good at making those...
I have decided that I am getting rid of some of my bicycles, namely, my Jake the Snake and my old Specialized S-works.
Turns out that I never ride the mountain bike and rarely if ever ride the cyclocross bike. The mountain bike beats me up too much and my Kona Sutra has effectively replaced the cross bike for what I was actually using it for while being more comfortable in the process. I also don't care anymore about going fast.
Comfort.
Hmmmmm...
I have been making jokes at work and elsewhere about how full suspension enduro / trail bikes are old man bikes. I have also been joking that I am now an old man.
I am ok with that.
I figure that if I am ok with replacing my cross bike - which was used on road and trail - with a slower, heavier, and much more comfortable touring bike, that the same logic should apply to my off road experience.
I miss riding off road. It is fun. There are a lot of people at the shop who love to ride off road. We want to ride together.
So, all I have to do is sell off two bikes and a few bits and pieces for what I can get for them and I will get a slower, heavier, and much more comfortable mountain bike: a 2016 Kona Precept 130 or 150, depending on where the wallet takes me.
With any kind of luck, I will be hitting the trails on my new steed as the leaves are turning and the forest becomes extra gorgeous.
Showing posts with label Specialized. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Specialized. Show all posts
Monday, 10 August 2015
Sunday, 3 May 2015
hard bike party
There are days when I feel a need for an old man bike.
The hard bike can cause some hurt...
Some sponge in the ride would be nice sometimes you know...
But.
On the other hand.
There are times when all that is needed is the right hard bike for the occasion.
The hard bike can cause some hurt...
Some sponge in the ride would be nice sometimes you know...
But.
On the other hand.
There are times when all that is needed is the right hard bike for the occasion.
Saturday, 23 August 2014
A bicycle reborn: 1998 Specialized S-Works M2 HardBike
Dateline June, 1998.
A new bicycle enters the fleet.
The Specialized S-Works M2 Hardtail.
Since then, the bicycle has been ridden and ridden hard. It was showing signs of serious wear, but I could not bear to part with it. The fundamentals of the bicycle though, remained sound.
The most worn part was the suspension fork. After 16 years, the seals were mostly gone, and the fork was not functioning properly. To replace it, even as a bicycle store employee, was prohibitively expensive. Why? To do it, I would need the fork, a new front wheel, a front disk, calliper, and brake lever. Why? There are no good forks which work with my XTR v-brakes so I would have to switch to disk brakes on the front. I could likely get a new bicycle for the price of all of that stuff, which I can not afford to do right now.
So enter the HardBike.
The HardBike has no suspension.
The solution to the bicycle's suspension woes was to do away with the suspension.
The bike is a mix of the new (and old new).
So, enter the antics of the HardBike.
A new bicycle enters the fleet.
The Specialized S-Works M2 Hardtail.
Since then, the bicycle has been ridden and ridden hard. It was showing signs of serious wear, but I could not bear to part with it. The fundamentals of the bicycle though, remained sound.
The most worn part was the suspension fork. After 16 years, the seals were mostly gone, and the fork was not functioning properly. To replace it, even as a bicycle store employee, was prohibitively expensive. Why? To do it, I would need the fork, a new front wheel, a front disk, calliper, and brake lever. Why? There are no good forks which work with my XTR v-brakes so I would have to switch to disk brakes on the front. I could likely get a new bicycle for the price of all of that stuff, which I can not afford to do right now.
So enter the HardBike.
 |
| The HardBike in all of its glory. |
The HardBike has no suspension.
The solution to the bicycle's suspension woes was to do away with the suspension.
 |
| One seriously stiff unsuspended fork. |
 |
| The M2 frame designation. |
 |
| S-Works and Chris King. |
The bike is a mix of the new (and old new).
 |
| Matching Easton cockpit. The stem and bar are older, but fully serviceable and give a nicer riding position for me. Note the old school extra long stem. |
 |
| Old school again - XTR Rapid Rise derailleur and SharkFin. |
 |
| The original Specialized S-Works strong-arm crank with brand new Shimano XT pedals. |
 |
| My old Mavic Cross-Ride wheel set with a new no longer made XT rear cassette. |
Thursday, 28 November 2013
a tire for all my usage
Of course, there is no such thing.
But what I am looking for is a tire which will suit the needs I put my cyclocross bike through.
It needs to be a one tire does it all and does it all reasonably well kind of tire.
Here is the list of what it needs to do:
I have managed to narrow my search down to a few tires to consider seriously.
Tire choice 1: Schwalbe Marathon Racer HS 429
Why this tire? Well firstly, I have experience with the Schwalbe brand and Marathon tires in particular. They state that they are very tough and very durable. I can attest to that. The old school Marathons I had on my old cyclocross bike still had a bit of life left in them after 5500 plus km of use over gravel, bashed up roads, some mud, and under load (part of the time) as a commuter tire. They also did not have issues when being used on a trainer, so they can handle heat nicely. I never had a flat with them. Not even once.
This tire looks like a nice upgrade to the one I had last time as well since it falls right in my weight category at 395g each.
But, they are a bit of a pig. 700x30c is the size. I would prefer smaller. This is not a deal breaker, but I would prefer a smaller size.
They also don't cost much. MSRP is $48.35 which is cheap for tires (if you are me).
Tire choice 2: Vittoria Randonneur
Why this tire? I have them on the bike now. I like them. But...
I melted the rear tire on the trainer. It is basically shot. The rubber is quite hard and did not take the heat well at all. I will finish it off on the trainer and just let it fall apart. Oh well. This is what prompted my search for another pair of tires.
The plus about this tire is that I can get it in the size I want (700x25c) but they are quite heavy at 430g for that tire size. This is less than what my current ones mass though. I have the 700x32c on there now which mass 580g each which is way higher than I want to go next time around. Another plus with this tire is how well they wear. There are something like 1400km on the tires right now, and they have no noticeable wear on them at all (melted tire aside). Also, I have had no flats. They don't grip as well as the Marathons do though over wet clay. But they do roll faster on pavement. It is a trade off.
Cost is about $50 a tire. Again, not objectionable.
Tire choice 3: Continental SuperSport Plus
Why this tire? It looks like the best option from what I have seen so far.
Firstly, I can get them in a 700x25c size with a mass of 400g per tire. Right on the target. I can also get them as a 700x23c at 320g a tire. Two of these are only 60g more than ONE of the tires I have on the bike now. How about them apples. I am not worried about gravel with a small tire size. Most of the gravel around here is more like a packed clay with a few stones anyway, and the rail trails are all crushed limestone with occasional slick bits. A good friend of mine has been riding literally for years on rough surfaces on 700x23c tires and has never fallen off or flatted. He has disgusting luck I will grant you (aside from getting hit by a car but even there he got lucky), but still. I am not worried about the small size being an issue for what I ride.
Flat resistance appears to be on par more or less with the Schwalbe. I base this on how it is made and how the Schwalbe is made. If the tire is in fact made of similar compounds to the Schwalbe, I am not worried about flats. The tire is specifically designed for fixies and couriers, so it can take a pounding. It should last a good long time. Win for me if I go for it I would think.
Cost? Who knows? Don't care if they fit the bill well enough.
They are basically a siped slick, so they won't grip on crap as well as the Schwalbe does, but shouldn't be much worse than the Vittoria which is basically a fatter siped slick. No concern there then. As a bonus, they have a nice high PSI rating which should make it scoot quite quickly.
Tire choice 4: Specialized Roubaix Armadillo Elite
Why this tire? The armadillo tires from Specialized are very strong and very flat resistant and roll fast. In theory they last a good long time. These ones are very light for a tough tire - 700x23/25c coming in at approximately 305 grams each and should roll very fast.
However. There is a BIG however here. I have owned two sets of armadillo tires over the years and without exception, they have cracked and delaminated within half a year. The rubber cracks, and starts to split. While they don't flat much if at all, and roll pretty fast, they are not durable at all. I include them on the list because many have reported success with them, but my direct experience is that they are iffy at best. The one set lasted less than three months before they started to crack. Not impressive.
It might be worth looking at the non-armadillo variant on the tire though. Currently, I am using a non-armadillo Specialized tire on my commuter in the spring/summer/fall and really like it. It is the Specialized Crossroads. The rubber is supple, it wears well, rolls fast, and has not flatted. Granted, it is a knobbed city tire and is fairly massive, but whatever they do for flat protection does not result in the tire falling apart. So the Specialized Roubaix Pro might be worth a look seeing as it uses similar tech to the Crossroads. As a bonus, the 700x23c tire masses 260g which is very very good.
Cost? No idea. But there is a local Specialized dealer that I am confident I can get a good price from.
That's it so far.
Anyone else have any ideas? Thoughts? Experiences they would like to share?
If so, leave a comment and point me in the direction of a tire you have used over rough terrain that has stood up well for you.
Thanks!
But what I am looking for is a tire which will suit the needs I put my cyclocross bike through.
It needs to be a one tire does it all and does it all reasonably well kind of tire.
Here is the list of what it needs to do:
- Roll fast. Heavy duty treads or anything beyond light siping is out.
- Be very resistant to punctures. I want to ride my bike, not repair it on the road/trail.
- Be 700x25c. I am tired (haha) of larger sizes and want a tire more in line with a road tire. I have been riding for decades, often off road, and am not scared of tires even as small as 700x21c on crappy surfaces. The worse this tire will encounter is slick wet clay, and for that we have balance and slowing down :)
- Be able to handle a serious pounding. I ride on rail trails, gravel, and pavement which is often times quite broken up. These tires will also be in an urban environment a fair bit with all that entails.
- Have a good long life. Road tires which wear out after less than 2000km are not good. I would go through two sets a year minimum, likely more. That is too costly for me as someone who rides for pure pleasure and is not racing.
- Be relatively light. Relatively. This means 350-400(ish) grams per tire. That is light compared to some which meet my criteria, and heavy compared to a road race tire.
- Must be a clincher.
- Notice I didn't mention cost. It doesn't matter, within reason ($100 plus or minus a few dollars per tire). Savings come from beating the tires up over a few seasons and not replacing them twice a year.
I have managed to narrow my search down to a few tires to consider seriously.
Tire choice 1: Schwalbe Marathon Racer HS 429
Why this tire? Well firstly, I have experience with the Schwalbe brand and Marathon tires in particular. They state that they are very tough and very durable. I can attest to that. The old school Marathons I had on my old cyclocross bike still had a bit of life left in them after 5500 plus km of use over gravel, bashed up roads, some mud, and under load (part of the time) as a commuter tire. They also did not have issues when being used on a trainer, so they can handle heat nicely. I never had a flat with them. Not even once.
This tire looks like a nice upgrade to the one I had last time as well since it falls right in my weight category at 395g each.
But, they are a bit of a pig. 700x30c is the size. I would prefer smaller. This is not a deal breaker, but I would prefer a smaller size.
They also don't cost much. MSRP is $48.35 which is cheap for tires (if you are me).
Tire choice 2: Vittoria Randonneur
Why this tire? I have them on the bike now. I like them. But...
I melted the rear tire on the trainer. It is basically shot. The rubber is quite hard and did not take the heat well at all. I will finish it off on the trainer and just let it fall apart. Oh well. This is what prompted my search for another pair of tires.
The plus about this tire is that I can get it in the size I want (700x25c) but they are quite heavy at 430g for that tire size. This is less than what my current ones mass though. I have the 700x32c on there now which mass 580g each which is way higher than I want to go next time around. Another plus with this tire is how well they wear. There are something like 1400km on the tires right now, and they have no noticeable wear on them at all (melted tire aside). Also, I have had no flats. They don't grip as well as the Marathons do though over wet clay. But they do roll faster on pavement. It is a trade off.
Cost is about $50 a tire. Again, not objectionable.
Tire choice 3: Continental SuperSport Plus
Why this tire? It looks like the best option from what I have seen so far.
Firstly, I can get them in a 700x25c size with a mass of 400g per tire. Right on the target. I can also get them as a 700x23c at 320g a tire. Two of these are only 60g more than ONE of the tires I have on the bike now. How about them apples. I am not worried about gravel with a small tire size. Most of the gravel around here is more like a packed clay with a few stones anyway, and the rail trails are all crushed limestone with occasional slick bits. A good friend of mine has been riding literally for years on rough surfaces on 700x23c tires and has never fallen off or flatted. He has disgusting luck I will grant you (aside from getting hit by a car but even there he got lucky), but still. I am not worried about the small size being an issue for what I ride.
Flat resistance appears to be on par more or less with the Schwalbe. I base this on how it is made and how the Schwalbe is made. If the tire is in fact made of similar compounds to the Schwalbe, I am not worried about flats. The tire is specifically designed for fixies and couriers, so it can take a pounding. It should last a good long time. Win for me if I go for it I would think.
Cost? Who knows? Don't care if they fit the bill well enough.
They are basically a siped slick, so they won't grip on crap as well as the Schwalbe does, but shouldn't be much worse than the Vittoria which is basically a fatter siped slick. No concern there then. As a bonus, they have a nice high PSI rating which should make it scoot quite quickly.
Tire choice 4: Specialized Roubaix Armadillo Elite
Why this tire? The armadillo tires from Specialized are very strong and very flat resistant and roll fast. In theory they last a good long time. These ones are very light for a tough tire - 700x23/25c coming in at approximately 305 grams each and should roll very fast.
However. There is a BIG however here. I have owned two sets of armadillo tires over the years and without exception, they have cracked and delaminated within half a year. The rubber cracks, and starts to split. While they don't flat much if at all, and roll pretty fast, they are not durable at all. I include them on the list because many have reported success with them, but my direct experience is that they are iffy at best. The one set lasted less than three months before they started to crack. Not impressive.
It might be worth looking at the non-armadillo variant on the tire though. Currently, I am using a non-armadillo Specialized tire on my commuter in the spring/summer/fall and really like it. It is the Specialized Crossroads. The rubber is supple, it wears well, rolls fast, and has not flatted. Granted, it is a knobbed city tire and is fairly massive, but whatever they do for flat protection does not result in the tire falling apart. So the Specialized Roubaix Pro might be worth a look seeing as it uses similar tech to the Crossroads. As a bonus, the 700x23c tire masses 260g which is very very good.
Cost? No idea. But there is a local Specialized dealer that I am confident I can get a good price from.
That's it so far.
Anyone else have any ideas? Thoughts? Experiences they would like to share?
If so, leave a comment and point me in the direction of a tire you have used over rough terrain that has stood up well for you.
Thanks!
Thursday, 7 November 2013
ever have one of those days?
Recently, I had a birthday.
I am well on my way towards being 50 (eek!! how did that happen?!?) and am planning my mid-life crisis. I am funny that way. I don't have crisis' like normal people do, I plan them... and I figure that 50 is as good a time to have a crisis as any, so...
I am planning a crisis for when I turn 50.
Like most of these things, my crisis' tend to centre around bicycles (and maybe sometimes cameras, but this one will be about bicycles). I am planning a new bicycle for my 50th year. I am not sure which bicycle exactly, but it will definitely be a road bike of some sort. I am not the sort to run around after unattached women (and make a fool of myself and ruin my family) or to go out and buy some stinky sports car, but I am always in the mood for new bicycles.
My last two bicycles that I have been riding on the road have been cyclocross bicycles. More or less, these are road bikes that are a bit over built with clearance for mud and mud tires. My most recent one is a 2013 Kona Jake the Snake. I love it and have no desire to replace it. By the time I am almost 50 though, it will be nearing the end of its life cycle as the main road/rail trail machine.
I am wanting to put my bike that slots into the Kona's position in the fleet with something special next time. Something Specialized in fact.
I was thinking one of these:
Why this bike and not something else?
Well, I would like a carbon fiber road bike. The whole notion of a very light and very tough and very fast machine appeals to me greatly. I know very well that the determining factor is me. What makes the bike go is my legs, heart, and lungs and a will to suffer. But, a bike like this makes working me a lot more fun and enjoyable.
Carbon fiber has come a long way from the days when frames used to come unbonded and fall apart in splintered shattered wrecks. Specialized does some nifty things with their frame manufacturing. The frame is in seven parts. Four of these parts make up the chain and seat stays, and three the rest of the frame.
The area around the seat is one piece, with extensions pointing towards the steer tube, crank, and seat stays. The bottom bracket is also one piece, with extensions pointing towards the chain stays, steer tube, and seat. The steer tube section is one piece with extensions pointing towards the bottom bracket and seat. What makes these frames cool is that for different sized frames, they don't just change "tube length" but actually make different sized and proportioned parts for the three main frame components so that ride characteristics for the different frame sizes remain the same regardless of frame size. Once the bits are assembled, using aircraft adhesive, several more layers of carbon are wrapped on the frame as a whole to finish the assembly process.
The carbon is wrapped in such a way that the frame, once assembled, with flex slightly up and down but won't flex side to side. This gives a very good ride without compromising performance. You can do this with carbon much more effectively than with other frame materials. Super stiff steel/aluminum bikes will pound the daylights out of the rider while more comfortable ones will flex too much to be stellar performers. Carbon can be tuned more specifically.
Stress tests on modern carbon frames show them to be less likely to shatter or break compared to metal ones. Specialized has proven to my satisfaction that their carbon frames are stronger than metal ones regardless of the metal (steel or aluminum) while being lighter in the process. I had a very interesting talk with a bike mechanic friend of mine who had been to a "Specialized Weekend" in Montreal to play with their new stuff and learn how they are made and what stress testing is done on the frames to ensure their durability. They are tough. Full stop. Carbon wheel sets are also not what they used to be. They can withstand significant forces before breaking, more than aluminum ones will.
This bike has a groupo on it that I have been wanting to try. There is nothing wrong with Shimano. In fact, every bike I have owned since my first serious bike has had Shimano stuff on it. But I want to try SRAM road componants. I like the notion of the front derailleur which twists with its shifting to line up better with the rear of the bike and rub less. The reach adjustments are better for the brake/shift levers than Shimano (SRAM uses infinitely adjustable set screws vs fixed spacers). Specialized wheel sets are good, and this one has a carbon set - should be very light and strong.
The only question for me at the end of the day is whether to go with a Tarmac (like above) or with a Roubaix.
I am well on my way towards being 50 (eek!! how did that happen?!?) and am planning my mid-life crisis. I am funny that way. I don't have crisis' like normal people do, I plan them... and I figure that 50 is as good a time to have a crisis as any, so...
I am planning a crisis for when I turn 50.
Like most of these things, my crisis' tend to centre around bicycles (and maybe sometimes cameras, but this one will be about bicycles). I am planning a new bicycle for my 50th year. I am not sure which bicycle exactly, but it will definitely be a road bike of some sort. I am not the sort to run around after unattached women (and make a fool of myself and ruin my family) or to go out and buy some stinky sports car, but I am always in the mood for new bicycles.
My last two bicycles that I have been riding on the road have been cyclocross bicycles. More or less, these are road bikes that are a bit over built with clearance for mud and mud tires. My most recent one is a 2013 Kona Jake the Snake. I love it and have no desire to replace it. By the time I am almost 50 though, it will be nearing the end of its life cycle as the main road/rail trail machine.
I am wanting to put my bike that slots into the Kona's position in the fleet with something special next time. Something Specialized in fact.
I was thinking one of these:
 |
| Shawing mobile?!? |
Why this bike and not something else?
Well, I would like a carbon fiber road bike. The whole notion of a very light and very tough and very fast machine appeals to me greatly. I know very well that the determining factor is me. What makes the bike go is my legs, heart, and lungs and a will to suffer. But, a bike like this makes working me a lot more fun and enjoyable.
Carbon fiber has come a long way from the days when frames used to come unbonded and fall apart in splintered shattered wrecks. Specialized does some nifty things with their frame manufacturing. The frame is in seven parts. Four of these parts make up the chain and seat stays, and three the rest of the frame.
The area around the seat is one piece, with extensions pointing towards the steer tube, crank, and seat stays. The bottom bracket is also one piece, with extensions pointing towards the chain stays, steer tube, and seat. The steer tube section is one piece with extensions pointing towards the bottom bracket and seat. What makes these frames cool is that for different sized frames, they don't just change "tube length" but actually make different sized and proportioned parts for the three main frame components so that ride characteristics for the different frame sizes remain the same regardless of frame size. Once the bits are assembled, using aircraft adhesive, several more layers of carbon are wrapped on the frame as a whole to finish the assembly process.
The carbon is wrapped in such a way that the frame, once assembled, with flex slightly up and down but won't flex side to side. This gives a very good ride without compromising performance. You can do this with carbon much more effectively than with other frame materials. Super stiff steel/aluminum bikes will pound the daylights out of the rider while more comfortable ones will flex too much to be stellar performers. Carbon can be tuned more specifically.
Stress tests on modern carbon frames show them to be less likely to shatter or break compared to metal ones. Specialized has proven to my satisfaction that their carbon frames are stronger than metal ones regardless of the metal (steel or aluminum) while being lighter in the process. I had a very interesting talk with a bike mechanic friend of mine who had been to a "Specialized Weekend" in Montreal to play with their new stuff and learn how they are made and what stress testing is done on the frames to ensure their durability. They are tough. Full stop. Carbon wheel sets are also not what they used to be. They can withstand significant forces before breaking, more than aluminum ones will.
This bike has a groupo on it that I have been wanting to try. There is nothing wrong with Shimano. In fact, every bike I have owned since my first serious bike has had Shimano stuff on it. But I want to try SRAM road componants. I like the notion of the front derailleur which twists with its shifting to line up better with the rear of the bike and rub less. The reach adjustments are better for the brake/shift levers than Shimano (SRAM uses infinitely adjustable set screws vs fixed spacers). Specialized wheel sets are good, and this one has a carbon set - should be very light and strong.
The only question for me at the end of the day is whether to go with a Tarmac (like above) or with a Roubaix.
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