Bicycle Mechanics - Full Miyata 610 rebuild

I pulled my Miyata 610 (and the box of parts that go with it) out of the basement and dropped it all off at a shop in town. I had them strip off all the old parts and get it ready for a sandblast and powder coat. I found a 4 wheeler shop that can get the paint job done. Then, I need to rebuild it from the ground up. I want the frame, racks, forks and handlebars. most of the rest is trash. I still have my kirkland rear panniers and handle bar bag.

I want to try a 700c wheel at the shop and see if I can get a canti brake set up that will work, then I want a good set of wheels for under $350. I saw where someone had to streach out the back of the frame to accept the 700c 9sp hub. I better figure that out before I paint it.
then I have to select a group, seat, computer lights...

I'm looking at a brooks touring seat, a cateye cadence speedometer and a cateye rear light. I'm still trying to figure out a good head light system. I want a bright LED with store bought batteries. I can't recharge a light while camping.

my first hump is the wheels, paint and brakes (and yes a camera will be involved)

I am an OTR trucker on the week days and I'm building a baby room on the weekends, so I'm having a shop do all the time consuming stuff

I'd be surprised if the existing brakes weren't perfectly fine. New pads, and you should be good to go with either 700c or 27"- those Dia-compe cantis that Miyata used on the 610 had enough range for both. Finding replacements will be, frankly, a difficult endeavor.

Re: lights- A bottle generator doesn't require you to buy batteries, and are compatible with some of the new LED lights (Lumotech IQ Cyo comes to mind). Before powdercoating, have a generator tab brazed on, and you won't have to scratch your paint with the clamp and ground screw... Also a kickstand plate is nice for a touring bike; keeps you from crushing tubes with a kickstand.

thx.
I WELL remember doing the last 10 miles to the campgrounds and kicking in a generator. I would sooner pack a motorcycle battery than go there again.
In the 80s, kick stands were not cool. It was an easy way to tell the hard core riders from the department store riders. I'm sticking to old school on that one.
My original brakes look pretty bad. I will be seeking alternatives. I want this baby show room clean.

I have a 84 Schwinn Le tour Luxe with Dia-Comp Cantis and for fun I put on my spare 700c wheels to see if would fit where the 27's were...not problem at all, didn't even have to adjust the brake pads. I did that once on a bike with sidepulls too, no problem except a minor adjustment of the pads.

"In the 80s, kick stands were not cool."
If you prefer function to '80s style you could mount a kickstand on the rear, like this one: http://www.greenfieldny.com/chart_bicycle.htm#stabilizer You won't have to worry about crushing your chainstays with it or needing a plate brazed on.

Good headlights? What's your total budget? Also you mentioned Cateye rear light, there are better ones on the market but again it depends on your budget, so give us a clue about that budget too.

I have a Phillips SafeRide light that uses 4 AA rechargeable bats, I'm sure non rechargeable would work just fine too. But this light is among the brightest on the market, not because of lumens but because of the way the light beam is focused like a car beam-flat instead of like a flashlight lighting up tops of trees you don't need to see.

Anyway here's a comparison sites for various lights that may help you make a intellegent decision. http://reviews.mtbr.com/2012-bike-lights-shootout Most of these use dedicated battery, the only one I know of for sure that could use regular bats is the Phillips SafeRide. If you want a more to be seen light then this site compares those that mostly use regular bats; see: http://www.ivanhoecycles.com.au/light-comparison/front-light/lights-led-front/cat_259.html AND another with a few other brands: http://www.modernbike.com/light-comparison.asp#singleshotplus Neither of the sites show all the lights, but the last site shows the Princeton Tec Eos, a person could buy two of those and have semi decent lighting.

Another option you could look into is buying a solar powered battery recharger, then simply while camping during the day, or strap it onto the top of your rear rack you could be charging while riding:
http://www.amazon.com/Opteka-BP-SC4000-Powered-Capacity-4000mAh/dp/B005ZSVZRY/ref=pd_sim_e_1 If you want the ability to recharge regular bats and have the USB plug for recharging those devices that use that port then there's this: http://www.amazon.com/AAA-Solar-Battery-Charger-Batteries/dp/B0042Z14FO/ref=pd_sim_e_23

Yes, I was thinking more like the Esge 2-legged kickstand; lotsa tourers love them. It's a pain to have your bike fall over with all the bags and such, and it's not always easy to find somewhere convenient to lean it against. People like the Click-Stand, too.

Canti brakes: Tektro 992A's have been rumored to have enough length on the slot to handle 700c wheels on a Miyata 610- the problem is that the radial distance from the stud center to the rim center is pretty small on the Miyata. The studs are pretty close together, too- some rims may be too wide for them. Best not discard the original brakes; a little time on the buffing wheel will restore their classic shiny look.

"I was thinking more like the Esge 2-legged kickstand"
Pletscher also makes a highly-regarded 2-legger

Yes, I was thinking more like the Esge 2-legged kickstand; lotsa tourers love them. It's a pain to have your bike fall over with all the bags and such, and it's not always easy to find somewhere convenient to lean it against. People like the Click-Stand, too.

Canti brakes: Tektro 992A's have been rumored to have enough length on the slot to handle 700c wheels on a Miyata 610- the problem is that the radial distance from the stud center to the rim center is pretty small on the Miyata. The studs are pretty close together, too- some rims may be too wide for them. Best not discard the original brakes; a little time on the buffing wheel will restore their classic shiny look.
I have a worst case scenario story of a 160 lb fully loaded bike falling off a sea wall I need to share when I'm not driving

Canti brakes: Tektro 992A's have been rumored to have enough length on the slot to handle 700c wheels on a Miyata 610- the problem is that the radial distance from the stud center to the rim center is pretty small on the Miyata. The studs are pretty close together, too- some rims may be too wide for them. Best not discard the original brakes; a little time on the buffing wheel will restore their classic shiny look.

I think these are the stock brakes. I will take a good look at them on Sat
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-MTB-BMX-ATB-Cycling-Dia-Compe-981-Canti-Brakes-Stumpjumper-Old-School-/370656549855?pt=Cycling_Parts_Accessories&hash=item564cda1bdf

headlights:
I want a securely mounted waterproof setup that takes batteries. under $150 i guess.
one large or two lights

wheels. I want to keep that under $350 if possible. I was looking at the upgrade options on this:
http://www.bicyclewheelwarehouse.com/road/hybrid/comfort/city-rear-135/mavic-cxp22-custom-for-hybrid/city-touring/comfort-bicycles/prod_81.html

or maybe these:
(EDIT: I'm really leaning towards these)
http://www.bicyclewheelwarehouse.com/road/riders-233-/pure-tour-700c-105/prod_156.html

I'm 25 years behind the times. I laced my present wheels but I promised myself "never again".
anyone have wheel advice?

somewhere around 83-84, I was on my first (of 2) touring bike and I was taking a trip I did often. (mishap at end of story)
From south west Houston down to galveston was 55 miles, then another 8 miles to the state park. 3/4th of that last 8 miles was on a 12 foot high sea wall. When a hurricane snuck up on Galveston (1903??) and killed 2000 people, they raised the town 12 feet, making everyones first floor into the basement. The sea wall has a side walk about 7-8 feet wide and then a smooth strip of concrete about 8 inches wide right on the edge.
I would usually ride on that smooth edge because it was smooth as glass and because people stayed away from it and there was less traffic..
I would leave home on a Sat morning (on weekends with a bright moon) and set up camp and go straight to bed. I would then wake up in the middle of the night and have the park and beach all to myself with a full moon to see by.
The sand a few feet from the water that is wet and shiny is like solid concrete when riding bicycle on it. you can get to full speed riding there. I spend half my time just cruising on the shore. I spent the other half sipping vodka out of my 3rd water bottle. I then go back to bed and head home by sundown the next day.

OK, that is the context of my most common bike "tour".

One time, I was on a back road before the galveston bridge and I got a flat. No problem. I pull out the tube, ruff up the hole, open the rubber cement.... the cement is rock solid and I'm 10 miles from the nearest gas station in the rain. I stash the bike in the brush, put the tube over my shoulder and hike to the highway. I thumb a ride to a gas station and apply the glue but I forgot the patch. I thumb another ride back and apply the patch. all good and I'm back to touring.

Now the event that I started typing all this for...
I leave home on my first touring bike (this is a major reason there had to be a second bike).
I have an amazingly fast 55 mile ride to the sea wall because of a strong tail wind.
I park the bike and lean it on a street sign on the side walk. I walk down the steep stairs to the car sized rocks 12 feet down. I hear a seriously strong gust of wind and I look up at my bike. It all happened in slow motion. the bike slowly tilted over and flipped right off the top of the wall. The wave went away and the bike SMASHED on the rocks upside down smashing the speedometer, bending the handlebars, breaking the rear rack, dumping the handlebar bag. it falls over sideways and lands. then the wave comes back and buries everything in salt water.
I drug everything I could find to the top of the wall and rung out as much of the water as I could. I take an incredibly heavy 8 mile ride to the park and hang everything up to dry. My mom was out with a friend and just happened to stop in and see me 3-4 hours later. I pack everything I didn't absolutely need in her trunk and suffered thru it. It's fun when everything goes right, but when everything goes wrong, it makes you feel really good to make it work anyway. I limped home (with a strong head wind this time) with bent handlebars because I didn't want to give up and ride home with mommy. the worst part was the wet sleeping bag.

I use the Cateye el-500 series, I guess the new ones are EL-540 or something like that. They are hardly the brightest or lightest, but they work well and 4AA batteries last a long time. What's nice is they do a quick tab disconnect and you can carry them like a regular flashlght, that comes in very handy. And they are relatively cheap, like in the $50 range. I use them in pairs. I've done 8 hour night rides with them, no issues.

the phillips saferide is 4000 candle power and runs about $150
the cateye el520 and 530 run about $30 on ebay and have 1500 candle power.

EDIT: I'm going with the phillips saferide

pasted from my wheel thread

Well I had a moment of insanity at the bike shop.
I showed him the link above and he had a better plan. He quoted a $460 set of wheels and then went about selling me on the idea. I decided to go for it. I ordered the rear wheel today for $275

All silver parts:
A velo orange 130mm hub:
http://store.velo-orange.com/index.php/grand-cru-4-bearing-hub.html
DT swiss 14ga spokes
3x lacing on rear and 2x lacing on front
DT brass nipples
Velocity Dyad 700c Rim:
http://www.modernbike.com/itemgroup.asp?igpk=2126174439&TID=367&gclid=CLOZ5Lez27ICFWaoPAodGlUAzg

I will paste this on the original thread and continue build over there. thx

I dropped the frame and forks off at the 4 wheeler shop to get sandblasted and powder coated.
I selected a metalic blue but I asked for a quote. If the price is too high, I selected a regular blue of about the same shade.

That logo on my pics with the big "M" on it is not available online.
I will get the stock stickers online:
ttp://www.velocals.com/servlet/the-246/Miyata-Cr-dsh-Mo-and-1024/Detail (http://www.velocals.com/servlet/the-246/Miyata-Cr-dsh-Mo-and-1024/Detail)
http://www.velocals.com/servlet/the-427/1988-Miyata-spline-frame/Detail
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1988-MIYATA-1000-Luxe-decal-set-of-5-/140853112323?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20cb7fee03

I also want to visit a local vinyl shop for some custom lettering. I can't find the cursive lettering for the 610. I will get that and using the same font, I will get my name and the bike's name (Roxanne)
That's about all the progress this project will have until the paint and the front wheel are paid for.

275495 275496 275497 275498

EDIT: I found and bought some vintage dia-comp brakes (almost the same as the original dia-comps):
http://www.ebay.com/itm/370656549855

Here is my current lighting and power plans.

Phillips saferide headlight:
4000 candle power with 4 rechargeable AA nimh batts and a charge port. if I run out of power, I can put store bought batts in it.
http://www.ebikestop.com/philips_saferide_led_headlight_black-LT5150.php?PARTNER=GOOGPS&gclid=COCWz6Hc3bICFcxcMgodZWQAFw

cateye rapid 5 tail light (2 AAA batts):
http://www.ebikestop.com/cateye_tl_ld650_rapid_5_taillight_5_red_led-LT1006.php

joos solar charger:
http://www.rei.com/product/837625/joos-orange-portable-solar-charger

Goal Zero Guide 10 Plus Battery Pack:
this can USB charge nimh batts from a solar panel or USB port and it can also USB charge other items from it's USB
http://www.rei.com/product/827120/goal-zero-guide-10-plus-battery-pack

I'm still thinking about side visability. I am considering cutting up some DOT reflective tape and sticking 1"x4" strips on open areas of the frame. that stuff is bright when a light is shined on it.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/DOT-C2-Conspicuity-Reflective-Tape-Red-White-Waterproof-Weather-Resistant-x4pc-/120904247857

There are tires with reflective sidewalls.

Lights on your helmet, up high and moving around, are more visible than the same light on your bike, down low and relatively static.

As for lights, used to be a high power bike light cost $200-300. Now you can get generic lights that are $60 and get good reviews. E.g. http://forums.mtbr.com/lights-night-riding/review-ebay-1800-lumen-cree-xml-t6-led-bicycle-headlight-lamp-759177.html

Search CREE XML T6 on Amazon or other shopping site.

I have one of these on order to compare with my old Nightsun dual beam halogen light and my newer NiteRider LED light. I hope it is good - I could equip the whole family fleet.

I want the frame, racks, forks and handlebars. most of the rest is trash.
I'd be surprised if the existing brakes weren't perfectly fine.

Not to mention crank arms, pedals, seatpost, stem.

I am really enjoying all this input. thx guys.

I like that light on the review but I need a light that recharges and can run on store bought batts. I have great night vision and if I can see where I'm going, I'm not too worried about things sneaking up in the dark beside me. If it is something to worry about, it will have it's own lights

My existing brakes have heavy rust on the bolts but I ordered a similar dia comp set of brakes that I think are better than the originals. I will buff up the stem and seat post and see what I have but I will do a full replacement on the crank.

I noticed nobody straps thier feet to the pedals these days. I need to do my homework on current pedal tech before too long

I will buff up the stem and seat post and see what I have but I will do a full replacement on the crank.

Scotchbrite or a plastic kitchen scourer is the go; gives a pretty decent brushed finish.

Unless you have a polishing gear, of course.

I only have a monster buffer for semi rims. I can't picture it helping me here. I have some cutting agent polish in the basement I can scrub into it and see what happens

I found some heavy duty, puncture resistant touring tires with reflective side walls
http://www.biketiresdirect.com/product/continental-eco-contact-plus-tire-700c

That's pretty wide. May not fit in your frame, anyway may be fatter than you want. Normal road bike tire is in the 23 mm to 28 mm range.

thx

I'm still thinking about side (visibility).

In my opinion side visibility is useless unless you are considering stopping in the middle of an intersection. It is extremely unlikely that you could even manage enough area and angular coverage to have any significant side reflectivity, and if you could they will not work until you enter the fairly narrow angle of car headlights. Even if you could get mega reflectors the window of distance between where you are far enough away to pass safely anyway, or are so close that collision can't be avoided, is small.

I'm not necessarily advocating it because it could be more generally distracting to motorists than helpful, but a strobe type 360 degree light would be more helpful.

Tires
I looked up what size tires the Miyata 1000 used. I need 700x32
My LBS recommends these:
http://www.bontrager.com/model/09183

In my opinion side visibility is useless unless you are considering stopping in the middle of an intersection.

I can picture plausible situations where it might well make a difference. Think cars pulling out of side streets or driveways.

That's the last situation where it would help. If a car is pulling out of a side street from your right the lights will not hit you until just before the car does. Even from the left it's not much better unless it's a very wide road. The fact that you can imagine a way side reflectivity could help does not address the reality of the very small likihood of it helping and the very low abiility to achieve large angle, bright reflectivity, especially from the side, where the angle is constantly changing. It's not worth the trouble or expense, especially when a strobe can address the problem. To limit oneself to tires with side reflectors instead of those that roll and hold up well is too big a cost, and to me so is defacing a bike with reflective tape.

I went into the dark garage and verified the following with a flashlight. The reflective sidewalls on my daughter's bicycle tires do reflect brightly from any angle at which the sidewall is visible. Including a three-quarters' angle, for example if she were riding on the right roadway edge and a car were approaching from behind and left. The material is "retro reflective" which means it reflects light back in the direction that the light came from, including reflecting a car's headlights back at the driver, even if the light strikes the sidewall surface at an angle. The brand is "Rubena", they were fairly inexpensive and I doubt they roll as sweetly as a high dollar, supple tire, but they do roll fine and are flat resistant as well.

Here is a fuzzy cellphone picture, using a dim flashlight (2 AA type) to shine on garaged bike from left rear three quarter. The shiny arcs are the reflective strips on the sidewalls. The rims are dark gray anodized and can't be seen. 45 mm fenders mean only part of the sidewalls can be seen. I think the sidewalls would be even brighter if the light source were a car's headlights.

http://i800.photobucket.com/albums/yy282/jylmks/EFEEBB7F-B8B4-4468-9B0D-7905C4D3E57B-3252-000004BDED5B0D85.jpg

99.5 percent of my eventual night riding will be in the open farm-land country-side of central IL. I won't lose sleep over the current debate about side visability but I love absorbing all this info so debate away :)

I know in Houston, I kind of liked not being seen at times so my reaction to events wasn't altered by the others reactions to me. Of course that didn't apply to oncoming traffic or traffic coming up behind me. Houston laws allowed you to take the left side of the lane in situations where that is the safest place to be. if some idiot was following me honking his horn, I always made the snap decision that the left side of the lane looked pretty good for a few minutes.

I won't have any concrete new ideas for a week or two on my rebuild. I will probably get the wheels, tires and mount the forks (after I get the frame back from the painters), then I will be ready to survive the baby that is due in a month.

I'm a month into building a baby room. carpentry, electrical, drywall, plaster, 3 new windows, paint, doors, closets...
this girl's bedroom is already better than mine!!

my next big decision is choosing the crank and gear ratios. I live in flat land but I still want the ultra low gears (just because I can)

Tires
I looked up what size tires the Miyata 1000 used. I need 700x32
My LBS recommends these:
http://www.bontrager.com/model/09183

Those are expensive tires, do you really need to spend that kind of money on tires? If you do fine, but there are plenty of tires that cost a bit less that will perform just as good. For starters there's the Panaracer T-serve Protex with all weather traction and a puncture resistant belt that as good if not better then the Bontrager, and the T-Serve will cost about $35 less! It's even on sale:
http://www.treefortbikes.com/product/333222371070/420/Panaracer-T-Serv-Protex.html?gclid=CMvVuoi-4rICFQSe4AodnXwAZw

Not saying that the Panaracer is the only tire on the market you should buy, but the Bontrager is expensive and it's not providing any advantage for the price that others can't provide.

By the way since you have an older bike you could also look into the Panaracer Pasela or the Pasela TG, they come with tan sidewalls and look just like the T-Serve with the same high quality puncture resistance.

this is confusing. while surfing the web looking to see what other people used for components, I found a post I did here on another website
http://www.cyclebetting.com/09/2012/full-miyata-610-rebuild/

Kickstands are still not cool, except for loaded touring where a 2 leg kickstand is a necessity.

Lots of us still use toe clips and straps. I also like Power Grips.

Forget the Bontragers. Get the Panaracer Pasela Tourguards in 700 X 32. You can often find them cheap online.

I'm softening on my resistance to the double kick stand.
I have seen a lot of toe clips on the market. I think I will go back to the classic toe clips. I just need to choose pedals and shoes.
I'm looking at the tourguards. I'm considering mounting 2 wired tires and getting a folding tire for a spare. I should be able to get all 3 delivered for under $100

I'm softening on my resistance to the double kick stand.
I have seen a lot of toe clips on the market. I think I will go back to the classic toe clips. I just need to choose pedals and shoes.
I'm looking at the tourguards. I'm considering mounting 2 wired tires and getting a folding tire for a spare. I should be able to get all 3 delivered for under $100

Any Look compatible shoe will work you just need the cleat if you want to use one, otherwise touring shoes work without cleats because the lugs on the shoe will grip the pedal and make it more difficult to pull out of the shoe accidentally. Yellow Jersey sells the cleats, you want the blue ones; see: http://www.yellowjersey.org/tocleat.html

Pedal wise there options, either go with vintage (either lightly used or NOS/NIB) or brand new. MKS makes a decent low costing quill pedals for about $40 for the pair; and Soma has decent ones for under $65. Just do a search for quill pedals and a bunch will come up just stay away from the real cheap ones.

Shoes and pedals:
I need shoes I can walk in. trail walking, wal mart walking...
I don't want to need to keep changing shoes.
I use to have cleatless bicycle shoes that were basically sneakers with a firm sole (plastic shank i believe)
I went surfing for "touring shoes" for toe clips and that search kept landing in "SPD shoes" for mountain biking. I gave in and did my homework on SPD pedals and I like the idea.
I think I want walkable spd shoes with spd pedals

http://bicycletouringpro.com/blog/stylish-spd-bicycle-touring-shoes/

http://www.jensonusa.com/!tOcY21iiudZ62Fnb4OSz8Q!/Shimano-PD-M324-Pedals?utm_source=FRGL&utm_medium=organic&gclid=CMq1lYHK57ICFSWoPAodcGoAZw

http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=spd+pedals&hl=en&rls=com.microsoft:en-us&prmd=imvns&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&biw=1262&bih=686&wrapid=tlif134935378716910&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=7623163814271101145&sa=X&ei=GphtUOaEJe-CyAH5mIDwAg&ved=0CIgBEPMCMAk4FA

http://www.jensonusa.com/Shimano-PD-M545-Pedals

Any touring shoe will work with toe clips. But you don't "need" those pedals if your not going to use the clipless spd shoe function, any quill style pedal will work and are the only ones that will work with straps. If you want to go clipless on a touring bike then I strongly recommend looking at Speedplay Frog pedals, the Frog pedal is designed to get dirty and not jam up, this pedal is made for the mountain biker or the cross rider who will get off their bike and get their shoes dirty and muddy before getting back on. As a person touring you may have to get your shoes dirty and you don't want a pedal to clean because the shoes gummed it up with dirt.

I use the Speedplay Frogs on my touring bike and love them. I purchased the middle of the road pedal which has the stainless steel axles instead of CroMoly which can rust or Titanium which is expensive and since I'm touring the very small amount of less extra weight vs the stainless is a zero concern.

Then buy a touring shoe which most, if not all, come with recessed cleats so you can walk around effortlessly.

[Partial QUOTE=Pinkelephant64;14780418]I pulled my Miyata 610...my first hump is the wheels, paint and brakes ... lighting ... generator..... I am an OTR trucker on the week days and I'm building a baby room on the weekends, so I'm having a shop do all the time consuming stuff[/QUOTE]

Ok; If you are peeling off the roll of bills to buy a new set of wheels and you also need lighting... it seems a no brainer to have the new wheels built with a front dyno-hub and then all those issues with the bottle buzzer are gone, your tires will last longer, etc.. So, after testing your frame to confirm whether your existing canti studs will fit the 700C's or if you need to stay with 26", then recommend hitting Peter White's site to select a headlight and taillight. His site has photos of most of the headlight beams taken on a country road at night... very useful to making a decision based on your needs and riding environment. Go here: http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/lightingsystems.htm
While you are there and given that you now know your wheel size, understand your needs for xx lumens, and the beam type, jump over to his pages on dyno's... Go here; http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/sanyo.asp as there is now a good one for $50 or you can pick one of the high dollar ones or choose 48-spokes if you want. Would be a simple decision to just have him build the wheels for you and send them, the headlight, a tail light, mounts and any wiring bits, tires, tubes, etc., right to your door. Note that I have no financial interest in Peter's business; I just appreciate a company that caters to my rather fussy way of thinking and that has its axle nuts locked down snug.

Those are expensive tires, do you really need to spend that kind of money on tires? If you do fine, but there are plenty of tires that cost a bit less that will perform just as good. For starters there's the Panaracer T-serve Protex with all weather traction and a puncture resistant belt that as good if not better then the Bontrager, and the T-Serve will cost about $35 less! It's even on sale:
http://www.treefortbikes.com/product/333222371070/420/Panaracer-T-Serv-Protex.html?gclid=CMvVuoi-4rICFQSe4AodnXwAZw

Not saying that the Panaracer is the only tire on the market you should buy, but the Bontrager is expensive and it's not providing any advantage for the price that others can't provide.

By the way since you have an older bike you could also look into the Panaracer Pasela or the Pasela TG, they come with tan sidewalls and look just like the T-Serve with the same high quality puncture resistance.

Suggest consider some of the Schwalbe tires also. They tend to be real tough to kill and several models have the sidewall reflector strip. My view of life is that the more reflectors you can get on your bike the more of a chance you will be alive the day after... so more the better.

[Partial QUOTE=Pinkelephant64;14805790]Shoes and pedals: ... "SPD shoes" for mountain biking. I gave in and did my homework on SPD pedals and I like the idea.

http://bicycletouringpro.com/blog/stylish-spd-bicycle-touring-shoes/

[/QUOTE]

Any way to sort that by size... just dredding having to wade though 23 websites only to find that none are available in 15W...

thanks
K

my rear wheel is at my LBS!
276772

Suggest consider some of the Schwalbe tires also. They tend to be real tough to kill and several models have the sidewall reflector strip. My view of life is that the more reflectors you can get on your bike the more of a chance you will be alive the day after... so more the better.

Problem with any reflector, whether on a tire or on a bike is the angle on which the head light of a car hits and is first seen and thus adequate distance from said bicycle to enable safe passage. Passive lighting as always been marginal in that area. Active lighting if done right will far exceed any reflective devices.

I'm not saying not to use reflective devices, but if spending money for reflective tires means you can't spend additional money for a light then I wouldn't spend the money for reflective tires.

My LBS has suggested two dynamo hubs.
one is heavier but can disconnect the dynamo with a mechanical switch.
this is a 5 month project so the cost difference is not an issue.
I just need to choose the dynamo


Super nova infinity 8 has the ability to turn the resistance off completely when riding but it is quite a bit heavier. I
priced both, so you can decided if one looks more appealing over the
other.

the completed cost of a front wheel, built with the same specs as the rear wheel:
w/Infinity 8 = 399.99
w/Shimano = 259.99

Kickstands are still not cool, except for loaded touring where a 2 leg kickstand is a necessity.

Lots of us still use toe clips and straps. I also like Power Grips.

Forget the Bontragers. Get the Panaracer Pasela Tourguards in 700 X 32. You can often find them cheap online.

I do have one on my utility/commuter bike and it is a nice thing to have. Especially on some of the large casual rides, when we make a stop at a pub and I don't have to rush to find one of the good spots to lean the bike up at. Also good when I am out with the camera in the rack trunk. Nice to have the bike upright for that. I wouldn't put a kickstand on my road bike, however. That bike is for going, not stopping.

Lots of folks still use clips & straps. I'm not one of them, but I know plenty of folks that prefer them.

I have the Paselas on two of my bikes. Nice tread design to handle gravel and wet roads. Lots of bite, but still road tires.

My LBS has suggested two dynamo hubs.
one is heavier but can disconnect the dynamo with a mechanical switch.
this is a 5 month project so the cost difference is not an issue.
I just need to choose the dynamo


Super nova infinity 8 has the ability to turn the resistance off completely when riding but it is quite a bit heavier. I
priced both, so you can decided if one looks more appealing over the
other.

the completed cost of a front wheel, built with the same specs as the rear wheel:
w/Infinity 8 = 399.99
w/Shimano = 259.99

I am probably getting the shimano hub because the headlight and tail light that I chose have daylight functions.

the "Axa Nano 50 Plus" has a USB port for charging toys
http://www.velofred.com/product_info.php?products_id=891

and the "Busch & Müller Toplight Line Brake Plus" has a break light when it detects the dynamo slowing speed
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzQoUy3wHd0

EDIT:
I'm adding this update because I didn't think it was note worthy enough to bump my thread.
(My frame is painted and ready to pick up ($135). I will post that soon.)
My current power and lighting plans are this:
Shimano hub
Busch & Müller E-WERK charger with the E-WERK battery pack.
Tubus Cosmo Bicycle Rack with a "Busch & Müller Toplight Line Brake Plus" mounted to it.

a "surly nice" front rack with two lights on the front of the rack:
on the right, an Inoled 10+ plugged into the dynamo
on the left, a Inoled Extreme plugged into the Inopower NiMH Battery Pack.
the wires are easily swappable, so I can run either on dynamo or batt power. I don't picture turning both lights on at the same time unless it's raining. the battery also gives me 10 hours of campsite light.

the charger, head light and taillight will all be plugged in parallel to the dynamo so they can be used or not used as I choose. the taillight will always be on because it has a brake light. the e-werk charger will be powering toys whenever I don't need a head light.

I will cut a piece of hard black plastic in the shape of the side of a bicycle bag and mount my e-werk toys to the outside of the bag with zip ties. I assume they need to cool. that way the charging wires are inside the bag. I want to mount all the electronic extras in or on the handlebar bag with electrical quick connects. that should clean up the wiring.

the fact that I don't need to finish the bike before spring allows me to build this system over time. I think I can clean it up so the only noticeable thing about it is the double head lights

For shoes that are walkable, it is hard to beat SPD.

I have SPD pedals and wear my bike shoes to and at work. They are that comfortable off the bike, and look reasonably "civilian". Shimano MT-22. Unfortunately this particular model is discontinued but there must be similar models out there. I have another pair of shoes for pure fun rides, when I don't care what they look like, that are lighter and have Velcro straps which I prefer for hard pedaling.

There are many types of SPD compatible pedal. Some have a regular cage pedal on one side and the binding on the other. Most are a bit heavy but there are light ones. Wellgo makes some (look for the "98A" cleat) that are inexpensive too.

Frame is painted and the build has begun. (Pics have a little GoPro fisheye)
279505 279506 279507

I just visited the bike shop. I planned on this being a 4 month build and they pretty much ordered everything at once. I got a HUGE bar tab to pay off!!
It still needs front retroshift levers, handlebar tape, seat (they have the seat but it's not mounted yet), front derailuer, 2 racks and cables.
without those things it already weighs in at 27 lbs.
:)
I was in a rush and forgot to take pics today. I will try to snap some pics next weekend