Finally built up - my middle class man's Rivendell
07-14-15, 04:47 AM
#26
Cisalpinist
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Now, a 'stache to match the bike!
Oh, and btw, far prettier than any proper Riv I've seen. Universals and hammered fenders go together like gin & tonic.
Oh, and btw, far prettier than any proper Riv I've seen. Universals and hammered fenders go together like gin & tonic.
07-14-15, 07:08 AM
#28
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07-14-15, 07:33 AM
#29
Fat Guy on a Little Bike
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You're probably more detailed than me...as long as stuff isn't slipping, I'm ok. The rack does look more angled in the photo.
07-14-15, 07:47 AM
#30
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Looks great!
You probably know this already - you can shellac your white tape, but there's no such thing as white shellaced tape. Even the clear stuff will turn it yellowish. You might want to play around with both clear and amber, if you have some scrap tape. Amber (or a mix) might actually give you a nicer tone, albeit a darker one.
Like Bandera, I never saw it used bitd, but shellac prevents sun fade to a large extent; it also seals the edges well so if you want to wrap top-down to avoid finish tape, there's no annoying rolling of edges.
You probably know this already - you can shellac your white tape, but there's no such thing as white shellaced tape. Even the clear stuff will turn it yellowish. You might want to play around with both clear and amber, if you have some scrap tape. Amber (or a mix) might actually give you a nicer tone, albeit a darker one.
Like Bandera, I never saw it used bitd, but shellac prevents sun fade to a large extent; it also seals the edges well so if you want to wrap top-down to avoid finish tape, there's no annoying rolling of edges.
07-14-15, 08:19 AM
#31
Fat Guy on a Little Bike
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Looks great!
You probably know this already - you can shellac your white tape, but there's no such thing as white shellaced tape. Even the clear stuff will turn it yellowish. You might want to play around with both clear and amber, if you have some scrap tape. Amber (or a mix) might actually give you a nicer tone, albeit a darker one.
Like Bandera, I never saw it used bitd, but shellac prevents sun fade to a large extent; it also seals the edges well so if you want to wrap top-down to avoid finish tape, there's no annoying rolling of edges.
You probably know this already - you can shellac your white tape, but there's no such thing as white shellaced tape. Even the clear stuff will turn it yellowish. You might want to play around with both clear and amber, if you have some scrap tape. Amber (or a mix) might actually give you a nicer tone, albeit a darker one.
Like Bandera, I never saw it used bitd, but shellac prevents sun fade to a large extent; it also seals the edges well so if you want to wrap top-down to avoid finish tape, there's no annoying rolling of edges.
I'm hoping to have the shellacked tape look like a darker brown to match the Brooks.
07-14-15, 08:58 AM
#32
Senior Member
You might get the right tone with amber shellac; if not, yellow tape with amber seems to work well.
07-14-15, 09:25 AM
#33
Senior Member
Gray cloth tape with amber shellac will get a good match to a Brooks saddle. I found shellacked tape is much easier to maintain and lasts years. If the handlebars get scrapped a quick touch-up is easy.
07-14-15, 11:59 AM
#34
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BTW, I still haven't figured out what makes this bike Rivendell-like.
07-14-15, 12:07 PM
#35
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Aaron...great job!
I tend to use cloth tape WITHOUT shellac...but...hey...your bike, your way! One comment...don't ride it too much before you shellac...or your white tape will not be white due to dirt!
I tend to use cloth tape WITHOUT shellac...but...hey...your bike, your way! One comment...don't ride it too much before you shellac...or your white tape will not be white due to dirt!
07-14-15, 12:14 PM
#36
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Nice bike.
What exactly is the need to "shellac the tape"?
I was around as a professional mechanic "back when" and had team members who raced pre-WWII and Never saw shellac applied to bar tape by anyone, even the ex-pat Brits or wood rim devotees.
Why would one negate the sweat absorbing effect of cotton bar tape w/ bug carapace juice suitable for wood product finishing?
Someone has promulgated a nice joke here as being Period Correct..........................
-Bandera
What exactly is the need to "shellac the tape"?
I was around as a professional mechanic "back when" and had team members who raced pre-WWII and Never saw shellac applied to bar tape by anyone, even the ex-pat Brits or wood rim devotees.
Why would one negate the sweat absorbing effect of cotton bar tape w/ bug carapace juice suitable for wood product finishing?
Someone has promulgated a nice joke here as being Period Correct..........................
-Bandera
07-14-15, 01:02 PM
#37
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I'd say its the:
- moustache bar setup
- Wide gearing
- Friction shifting
- Brooks saddle
- Fenders
- Fatter tires
- Lugged steal
- Cotton tape
- Brass bell
Still, none of this is anything Riv pioneered (may GP did introduce the moustache bar?). Its just the kind of functional and aesthetic package that Riv is trying to produce new without folks having to put it together themselves.
- moustache bar setup
- Wide gearing
- Friction shifting
- Brooks saddle
- Fenders
- Fatter tires
- Lugged steal
- Cotton tape
- Brass bell
Still, none of this is anything Riv pioneered (may GP did introduce the moustache bar?). Its just the kind of functional and aesthetic package that Riv is trying to produce new without folks having to put it together themselves.
07-14-15, 02:11 PM
#38
Shifting is fun!
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A poor man's Rivendell? Isn't a Rivendell a rich man's Peugeot? How confusing.
07-14-15, 02:17 PM
#39
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There's nothing wrong with it, it just doesn't work that much better than other derailleurs, and it's fugly. Honestly I think long cage deore is better. Perhaps I'm less sensitive to shifting. If I can find some Deerhead that fit you can have them.
FYI - one of the selling points of the front derailleur is that it will handle a triple and they were stock on some touring bikes.
The crank isn't going anywhere
I like the aesthetic. No other reason.
FYI - one of the selling points of the front derailleur is that it will handle a triple and they were stock on some touring bikes.
The crank isn't going anywhere
I like the aesthetic. No other reason.
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1 Super Record bike, 1 Nuovo Record bike, 1 Pista, 1 Road, 1 Cyclocross/Allrounder, 1 MTB, 1 Touring, 1 Fixed gear
1 Super Record bike, 1 Nuovo Record bike, 1 Pista, 1 Road, 1 Cyclocross/Allrounder, 1 MTB, 1 Touring, 1 Fixed gear
07-14-15, 02:37 PM
#40
Fat Guy on a Little Bike
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I'd say its the:
- moustache bar setup
- Wide gearing
- Friction shifting
- Brooks saddle
- Fenders
- Fatter tires
- Lugged steal
- Cotton tape
- Brass bell
Still, none of this is anything Riv pioneered (may GP did introduce the moustache bar?). Its just the kind of functional and aesthetic package that Riv is trying to produce new without folks having to put it together themselves.
- moustache bar setup
- Wide gearing
- Friction shifting
- Brooks saddle
- Fenders
- Fatter tires
- Lugged steal
- Cotton tape
- Brass bell
Still, none of this is anything Riv pioneered (may GP did introduce the moustache bar?). Its just the kind of functional and aesthetic package that Riv is trying to produce new without folks having to put it together themselves.
07-14-15, 02:47 PM
#41
Shifting is fun!
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BTW, it is a nice bike, Aaron. Forgot to mention that.
07-14-15, 02:48 PM
#42
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It was the mustache bars, wider tires and barcons with cotton tape in particular that strikes me as a riv aesthetic. The pedals are the exception. I agree it's nothing that others didn't do before or after GP, but they're things that I associate with GP/Riv. Also the parts mix and suntour.
07-14-15, 08:00 PM
#45
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07-14-15, 09:26 PM
#46
Fat Guy on a Little Bike
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I'm going to be a trend setter - I'm adding a second seattube!
I also left out that it's the ugliest, crappiest feeling QR skewer I've seen used with top of the line hubs (other than Mavic).
I also left out that it's the ugliest, crappiest feeling QR skewer I've seen used with top of the line hubs (other than Mavic).
Last edited by KonAaron Snake; 07-14-15 at 09:31 PM.
07-15-15, 05:42 AM
#47
Senior Member
Looks beautiful!! Love the colour as well and always thought brown with red was under-rated. +1 to what bikedued said about the sram 8 speed chain and twisted tooth freewheel when it comes to shifting.
07-15-15, 11:28 AM
#48
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I've been working on this Palo Alto off and on for ages...it hit a LOT of snags. The frame is Biemzetta built - he also built similar frames branded as Performance. This is my first mustache bar build, it took a bit to find the right position on the bars. They're more sensitive to change than drop bars. I still need to shellac the tape. It rides very nicely and the weight is pretty reasonable...it's quicker than I thought it would be. The Suntour is fine - certainly not the relevation some here make it to be. It looks like drek compared to campagnolo.
I did a build with mustache bars last year; they were OK but they weren't the life-changing experience for me that GP asserts (or used to). Also, getting them dialed in took longer than expected.
Eventually I took them off -- for long rides I found that just having 2 hand positions wasn't great. However, I did appreciate the upright position and I may throw them on my fixed gear commuter one of these days for just that reason.
07-15-15, 11:43 AM
#49
Fat Guy on a Little Bike
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Nice work, that thing is pretty.
I did a build with mustache bars last year; they were OK but they weren't the life-changing experience for me that GP asserts (or used to). Also, getting them dialed in took longer than expected.
Eventually I took them off -- for long rides I found that just having 2 hand positions wasn't great. However, I did appreciate the upright position and I may throw them on my fixed gear commuter one of these days for just that reason.
I did a build with mustache bars last year; they were OK but they weren't the life-changing experience for me that GP asserts (or used to). Also, getting them dialed in took longer than expected.
Eventually I took them off -- for long rides I found that just having 2 hand positions wasn't great. However, I did appreciate the upright position and I may throw them on my fixed gear commuter one of these days for just that reason.
I don't see much real advantage over drops...though I can see them being fine for most applications. I think the advantage for others is that I do like the shift location better than drop bars/DT shifters...but that advantage disappears because there's another option called ergos/STI better than either. They're pretty at any rate.