Re: your worst touring bike

I hope you don't mind I responded on list. Hoping for more good ideas
like your idea of going 8-speed.

comments below

On Mon, Feb 21, 2011 at 4:50 PM, Allen Morris <[email protected]> wrote:
> Being a Computer Programmer and a cyclist I get to put up with both
> Shimano and MicroSoft. =A0They both have the same basic business model.
> Unfortunatly it seems to be a very good model for business, even if it
> is horrible for people and the evironment.

good analogy... but I've long ago switched to mac and linux. Mine is a
microsoft free world. This has the added bonus of me telling people I
have no idea how to fix their Microsoft computer... which everyone
asks.... because windows is a high maintenance pos. (and that doesn't
mean *pos*itive either. )

> Have you thought about switching to a 7 speed cassett and chain? =A0Even
> if you onley get a few miles farther the chains are only 10 bucks
> instead of 50!

I've been experimenting with KMC 9-speed which run $25 MSRP. I haven't
yet even considered putting a 6,7,8 speed KMC, or an 8-speed sram on.

My favorite chains btw are the sram so far. I've ridden them for some
time, but I'm still burning through them to quick on my Fargo... it's
probably because it's an off road tourer and I've done a tremendous
amount of back road and winter touring on it.

I long ago abandoned Shimano chains. Their chains are way overpriced
and quite frankly I love the master links on KMC and sram which make
them so easy to maintain... i.e. on tour you can pop them off in a sec
with some needle nose, pop the chain in a water or pop bottle, add
some degreaser or laundry detergent... shake, rinse, repeat until
water is clear and clean.

I've seriously got to do something though.  I see no future whatsoever
with 9-speed drive trains, let alone 10-speed drivetrains.

Indeed my Fargo's left shifter is already on it way out, just a bar
end thumb shifter and already the indexing is for crap, it's my fault
though the bike fell over and landed on it, stupic freak accident.

So... perhaps I'll turn off the indexing on the 9-speed shifter so I
can run any cassette in the rear...  or perhaps I'll find an 8-speed
bar end shifter and then put an 8-speed cassette on the back.

The XT derailleur's are great btw... and technically I have nothing
against them. I have two touring bikes with XT derailleurs. One using
a circa 2002 XT and one using a 2010 XT.

And again... don't have anything against shimano's bar end shifters,
derailleurs or other components.... it's just the 9-speed chains and
cogsets.  I haven't even tried the ten speed shimano stuff... indeed
I've quite rightly been avoiding anything 10 speed.


BTW, In addition to the XT drivetrains I also have two road bikes with
Tiagra and Ultegra 9-speed drivetrains.  Technically the chains on my
road bikes last longer, probably becuase i don't ride them in as much
rain, snow, sleet, hail and above all muddy and dirty backroads.
Yes... I love dirt and long distance gravel grinders.

Finally I should also state that I went through an entire bottle of
oil on my latest tour. Applying, cleaning, reaplying, wiping off the
access.

T-9 is the stuff I've been using. In the past Triflow, but now I only
use triflow for cables. I'm thinking of experimenting with a wax based
lube. A so called wax based "dry lube". Supposedly they attract less
dirt and are less suseptible to rain.

That said I think it's a combination of my size (6'5"), hence the
power of my pedal stroke (not to be immodest, just of course I put
more power to the pedal then someone who's half my weight).

Second the amount of miles and finally the fact that I do a lot of
winter riding and riding in adverse wether conditions.  I.E. I love
the snow, and am not afraid of the rain... particularly in the summer.
 Did I mention I love dirt backroads and we have them in spades in
Michigan?

That said I do try to avoid mud.

Anyway... so maybe i'm well out of the 80th percentile of regular
users, but still, I'm a mechanic and I do far, far more maintence on
my drivetrains. I just don't like anything that's so high maintence.
Particularly if it means I have to stop every 1000 miles ona tour and
swap chains.

BTW, long, long ago I stopped standing up to crank.  I may on occasion
push some big gears but I almost never stand. I'm a spinner if only
because I can and have over the years broken chains,  pedals and even
a crank... but that was in my urban freeriding faze some 15 years ago
in Chicago.  Now I just do endurance... sometimes rough backroad / off
road endurance... but it's still just endurance.

-Mike