I guess I must be bored; I'm looking to start a project bike. What I have in mind is to find an older beam bike, say a Y-foil or a Softride. Then, to make it lower to the ground, I'll convert it from 700C to 650C (I have some extra 650C wheels). And to accentuate the beam suspension I'll add a Rinsten spring. And this'll be a good time to experiment with shorter crank arms (though that will partially erase the lowrider effect of going to 650C). Of course it'll have to be a 1X setup. Maybe mountain bike 10-50 gearing. Other mods will depend on what I find for starter material. Donor bike isn't located yet, but I'll post from time to time once I get this started.
Triathlon Forum
Login required to started new threads
Login required to post replies
Re: Tri Bike Project [Steve B]
[ In reply to ]
brakes? (reach for smaller wheels)
Re: Tri Bike Project [MattyK]
[ In reply to ]
Hypothetical question. I'm remembering a recent thread, asking if people would use wireless brakes (which sounds insane to me). BUT, if brakes were wireless, would that open the door for hubs that can both roll and freewheel, AND provide braking?
IF so, it could address the question you raised.
To breathe, to feel, to know I'm alive.
IF so, it could address the question you raised.
To breathe, to feel, to know I'm alive.
Re: Tri Bike Project [Tsunami]
[ In reply to ]
Hmm, intriguing idea, electronic hubs that can roll, freewheel, brake. As long as we're talking hypothetical, it would be cool to eliminate the chain, and have torque transmitted to the hub by inductance. I didn't respond in the wireless brake thread, but if I had I'd've sided with the majority: in real life I'd like mechanical brakes please, actuated by cable. Conventional braking isn't bad enough to drive me to to take any risks, and cables are fine with me. Same for shifting. So, my project bike will have more-or-less conventional technology.
Accommodating a wheel size change and using rim brakes should be very straightforward for the front, because I'll be changing both the wheel and the fork to 650C, so the caliper should line up just fine. For the rear, I'll have to get a long-reach touring caliper, or more likely add a small tube to the frame for a brake bridge.
I have located a pristine Trek Y-foil. It's perfect for me. I think it's a Large, and I'm pretty small, so I should be able to greatly diminish the length of exposed seat post. But this bike is SO nice I almost hate to desecrate it.
Accommodating a wheel size change and using rim brakes should be very straightforward for the front, because I'll be changing both the wheel and the fork to 650C, so the caliper should line up just fine. For the rear, I'll have to get a long-reach touring caliper, or more likely add a small tube to the frame for a brake bridge.
I have located a pristine Trek Y-foil. It's perfect for me. I think it's a Large, and I'm pretty small, so I should be able to greatly diminish the length of exposed seat post. But this bike is SO nice I almost hate to desecrate it.
I've now found two donor bikes, and procured them both. One is a Trek Y foil, beautiful blue and with very little wear and tear on it. The other is a Softride Rocketwing, bright Ferrari red, also in immaculate shape. Both bikes meet my criteria of beam bikes, size Large. Any thoughts from the Slowtwitch crowd about which one to keep for the project and which one to divest?