Schumius

while evolving from buying from LBS to building my own touring bike, tons of questions emerge from nowhere(and the realization that i actually know very little about bikes). and here´s the list of the major components that i´m going to put on my new bike, since the focus is on the long term durability, the weight is not a major considration. any suggestions on better(more durable) components are appreciated.

dynamo front hub(SON)
phil wood 36 hole rear hub
LHT frame and fork 54cm
mustache/drop bar
ultegra front derailleur(triple crank)
LX or XT rear derailleur
avid digit 7
dia-compe 287v brake lever
straight bar brake lever ----- whatever
rims ----- don´t know yet
down tube shifter ----- whatever
headset ----- whatever
cranks(crank arm, chainring) ----- whatever
BB ----- whatever

winston

We covered this topic just a week or two ago.... Sounds like you've got a pretty durable setup, with the Phil hub and the downtube shifters.

Probably the most important thing is to make sure you have well-built wheels. If you're going to do it yourself, get double-butted spokes and read Jobst Brandt's The Bicycle Wheel to learn how to do it right. Sheldon Brown has a pretty good online guide as well.

The other thing I'd add to your list is a nice headset. Skimping on a headset will just cause headaches down the road -- it's the one bike component that requires expensive, specialized tools to install and remove, so if you'll save a lot of trouble in the long run if you only need to have a shop install it once. Chris King headsets are the top of the line, and are priced accordingly. Believe me, if you have to replace a worn-out headset just once, it'll bring the total cost (counting labor) to the same as having a King installed once, but you'll have had to go through the trouble of replacing it.

Istanbul_Tea

My responses to this same topic are in the Touring Sub-Area of the forums... double posting might be a No-No... watchout Schumius, Koffee will get ya!

Schumius

oops, i´ll change the title next time

i didn´t know that headset is of such importance, ok, i´ll go get a chris king.

sydney

you got alot of BS on HS. Don't go to the bank with all of it.

markw

skip the sora, get a sugino XD crankset with a 107-110BB if you do the LHT. Great deal for a crankset and the quality is about the same level as Ultegra. $70-110 depending on where you shop.

SAB

Like the Surly Long Haul Trucker Frame...

winston

You're going to have to do better than that. Just saying it's "BS" isn't convincing.

Shops typically charge $30 for installing a headset; some charge extra for pulling the old one. So if you have headset X that lasts twice as long as headset Y, you're paying for one installation and one headset X, vs. two installations and two headset Ys. And in the latter case, you to deal with a worn-out part and you will have to take your bike to the shop and leave it there. I've been there, done that, and decided just it's not worth the trouble.

King headsets are the only ones that everyone seems to agree on as being extremely dependable, and the company backs it up with a ten year warranty. Spending the extra dough is like buying insurance; you might be fine with something less, but you can be sure that everything will work well if you get a King.

Besides, getting a King headset is certainly no more extravagant than getting a Phil hub -- one would probably do fine with, say, an XTR rear hub, but spending the extra on the Phil lets you not worry about it. Maybe it's not worth it to some or even most people, but Schumius sure seems to think that sort of reliability is worth spending money on.

sydney

I don't pay anyone to install a HS,and it doesn't take a bunch of expensive tools either. If you insist on having a shop do routine stuff,that's your problem,not mine.A HS is pretty much a HS,and with all due respect to Mr. CK, several inexpensive ones have performed the same as his hi $$ ones.Besides, the poster is probably kidding himself with the Phil Hub teamed up with all the other 'whatever' stuff he has listed.

Schumius

sydney, well, "whatever" means that i don´t really know anything regarding this particular part, therefore it´s up to what people would suggest according to their own experience. and "dont´know yet" means that i only have some vague ideas. i´m rather new to this tecnical part after all.

winston, because i´m planning for trips to some remote places so i think the reliability is an important factor to put into consideration. but i´m thinking that maybe i can skip phil and SON.

winston

The whole point is that using all those tools to replace a headset isn't and shouldn't be "routine stuff." It should be something you do once. And like I said before, it's fine if a less-expensive headset has worked fine for you. But the point is that a LOT of other people have had far different experiences with cheap headsets, and the extra cost is akin to insurance against failure and trouble down the road. I've personally had the following headsets wear out in the last few years: a cheap Tange ball-bearing headset, a Shimano Ultegra, and a FSA Orbit XL. I've also had cheapo headsets work fine over the years. As I said, maybe a cheap one will work fine. And maybe not. This sort of uncertainty is why people spend a little extra money to buy Toyota cars instead of Fords.

sydney

....and a Toyota will NEVER crap out ...eh?...LOL

winston

No. But they are known to be more reliable. The point is that a lot of people are willing to pay more now to save money and trouble in the future. That's one of the primary reasons that people buy bike-shop bikes instead of Huffys and the like.

roadfix

Exactly what kind of financing?

seely

Good god, a headset is two bearings and some aluminum cups. Thats ALL it is... when the sealed cartridge bearings in my $35 FSA wear out, I will spend the astounding $3 for new bearings and go through the horrible effort of placing them in the cups. I will never, ever be convinced that a Chris King is worth half as much as they charge for it.

Come to think of it, I have never had a cheap headset, even a $10 one, just spontaneously burst into flames, explode sending shrapnel into my chest, or otherwise randomly fail. I've always replaced them because I wanted a nice smooth FSA or Cane Creek cartridge setup

Raiyn

Never pay retail.

seely

I don't think I follow on this one?

Berodesign

Guess Raiyn means that you should buy them bulk, in tens of thousands. Your price at 3 bucks suggest that you buy only so many as you need for the time beeing.

dobber

They even throw in the lil rubber strip.

Schumius

i´ll get a chris king if i can get one here, if i can´t then i´ll just go for others they have in the shop.

does anyone know something about dia-copme 204 QR?

Raiyn

You've never heard of sales?