groovestew

Get some cycling shorts regardless. For a self-proclaimed Clyde, you're probably going to have rubbing/chafing issues no matter what saddle you have on there.

irclean

So I tried on some Under Armour compression shorts at a sporting goods store today. Very interesting effect on this Fruit-of-the-Loom boxer brief-wearing Clydesdale. Nevertheless the effect would be hidden under my shorts, so that wasn't a deal-breaker for me; the price tag of $39.95 CAD per pair was. For that price I might as well go with the MEC padded shorts. They also had some Nikes for $29.95, but only up to XL and I had a hard enough time squeezing into the Under Armour XXL shorts.

I was wondering... has anyone here used cheap compression shorts (e.g. from WalMart) to any degree of success? The ones I saw on the Wally website were $25 for two pair and made out of cotton/spandex. Eventually I want to graduate to full kit, but I blew my entire budget on my bike. Also, my rides are usually less than 35 km (22 miles).

wolfchild

I have a pair of padded shorts from MEC, I only use them for long distance rides 100km+++. They work very well for me. I always wear them underneath my baggy shorts. If your rides are very short distance then any seamless underwear should work. If chaffing is a problem then some vaseline on the butt before the ride helps. I also have some very cheap polyester briefs form walmart they are ok for very short rides 40-50km.

no motor?

I've only used the Under Armour compression shorts, and they work great. I find the padded shorts are annoying, and between the B17 and some sort of wicking material in my shorts I'm good to go.

rex_kramer

Agreed.

Very nice bike, btw. IGH and belt drive is definitely what I'm going to be wanting on my next bike.

groovestew

I tried some cheapies from Mark's Work Warehouse (their "driWear" line), but didn't like them, mainly because they were too short. You need something that extends down your thighs a ways. Spending a few extra bucks on good quality shorts is worth it, in my opinion. And it's cheaper than trial and error buying cheap stuff and eventually buying the better stuff in the end anyways. I`m a big fan of cotton undies too, and wearing spandex for the first time made me feel pretty ridiculous, but I've come around. (Actually, I still wear cotton for my 10-mile commute, but I'm skinny and chafing isn't a problem for me on short rides).

irclean

I tried on some WalMart compression shorts today - their own "Athletic Works" brand. The XLs fit so well that I bought 4 pair; hard to resist at less than 8 bucks apiece. They are 80% nylon and 20% spandex. I tried them on a relatively long (for me) ride and, while my inner thighs were still sensitive from earlier rides, there was a noticeable improvement. I think these will do just fine until my budget allows for proper cycling shorts/bibs.

Anyway - back to the bike: The creaking that I mentioned in an earlier post seems to still be there, but again it disappears after a few kms. On a ride with my wife the other evening she mentioned that the sound seemed to be coming from the rear of the bike (the hub?) but from my perspective it was the BB. I guess I'll have to put it on the stand to find out, but Murphy's Law dictates that the sound will likely only appear under load.

I did notice today that the hub hesitated a few times when shifting; every time it happened the bike was under load (i.e. climbing) and when I eased off the shift took place. I've read about this issue regarding not only the Alfine, but other IGHs as well, and I guess it just takes some getting used to. To be honest it's not much different than easing off when shifting my derailleur-equipped bikes during climbs to avoid it "clunking" into the next gear.

One thing I absolutely love about the IGH is its ability to shift while the pedals are stationary. Not only is this an advantage at stoplights, but also on hills - when I'm coasting down a hill and my speed is increasing I just shift to a (numerically) higher gear and when the ground levels out again I am already in the right gear. The more I ride this bike the more I find myself liking the IGH and I think I'm going to have a hard time going back to derailleur shifted gears. The IGH has come a long way from my 3-speed Sears Free Spirit bike that I had as a kid.

This bike gets all kinds of attention when folks notice the belt drive. It never fails to astound onlookers and all of them seem to get this goofy smile on their faces. It's probably the same smile I have while riding it. Everyone seems to like its looks; the consensus seems to be, "understated, yet very cool!" I'm gonna be sweating bullets the first time I have to lock this baby up somewhere.

Oh, and about the belt drive... flawless... and eerily silent. This bike is a stealthmobile.

EChing

Wow. This is definitely in the running for my next bike buy.

slcbob

Check that the cable tension is right. On Nexus, you align the yellow dots in 4th gear. Probably similar on Alfine.

Can't help with the creaking. Could be 500 things...

irclean

Will do, thanks! I'm taking it back to the LBS this week anyway for a tutorial on rear wheel removal.

canyoneagle

On the shorts discussion, I'd like to throw in a recommendation for double-shell mountain bike shorts, with a padded cycling short inside and a semi-baggy outer short. You could accomplish the same thing by simply wearing baggy shorts of your choosing over the lycra.

I like it because I get the functionality of the padding without doing the roadie superhero look. <I can say that 'cause I once wore REALLY colorful team lycra for many years>

irclean

I'm almost done adding accessories to my new bike and turning it into a functional commuter - I'm just waiting on my Ergon GC3s and Topeak rack (apparently the rack I want is hard to find in Canada - at least around these parts). IMHO the PB Cascadias look great; thanks to canyoneagle for the pointers. I can't wait to try my new Airzound on an unsuspecting cager or a MUP user with headphones on.

I didn't really want to mount the pump on the down tube, but mounting it on the top tube would require a longer cable for the rear brake. I tried mounting the Airzound bottle in the triangle with its Velcro holder but it looked too busy once I added the second water bottle. BTW the bottle says "CARS-R-COFFINS". I like it!

p.s. Please excuse the unfinished state of my mud room. Like many other projects around my house... it's a work in progress!

slcbob

Curious on a couple of fronts --

1) did the little extension sleeve for the rear left fender mount come with the fenders, or is that something you scrounged?

2) why would mounting the pump to the top tube require a longer brake cable? Can't it just go alongside and maybe only need a mm or 2 of movement?

3) that air zound is really a big clunky thing. Have you used before? It seems you'd have to be terrorizing folk weekly or so to warrant all that kit.

slcbob

A couple more thoughts after flipping through your well documented and commented upon travails....

Compression shorts are less for chafing than for muscle performance. Anything smooth and seam free ought to be OK if chafing is a problem. Unlike the hiker's two sock thing, multiple layers on the bike seem to be more things to chafe rather than a vent for rubbing (though I haven't had problem with, e.g., the free-ride style two layer shorts). Make sure all the layers are seam free in all the right / wrong places. But you said "sore butt" more than chafing, and for that I'd heartily recommend you get some proper cycling shorts with a chamois in them. Huge value leader is the Performance house brand, models Ultra, Elite, or lower end Century. Get the bibs, you'll never regret it, especially as a less svelte rider. They're always on sale next week if not this week, and seem to be on sale this week.

There is absolutely nothing to worry about re belt durability, temp / moisture performance, etc. As others have said, they've been around in cars, motorcycles, etc. for a long while. Rare manufacturing defects can cause them to delaminate, but if yours has been made by a quality manufacturer, which I suspect is the case, you can ride without worry for a lifetime or so.

I'm conflicted on the totally enclosed chain case being "90% of cleanliness and maintenance benefits of a belt". I think it might even be 110% on the cleanliness side, as the belts do pick up some splatter and grunge that can get your pant leg (negligible compared to chain, but > chain case albeit splitting hairs). But I think they're a PITA when it comes to changing flats and for regular chain maintenance as they are in the way. It is much harder to wipe and lube the chain because it is inaccessible. Sure, you can argue you don't have to do so as often because the case provides some protection from the elements. But there's enough splatter and humidity that a chain still needs some fairly regular lubing. I've pondered the full case but wound up with this guard instead which gives me all the pant leg protection, negligible protection for the chain from the elements, none of the interference with maintenance, and a goofy retro chrome style suitable for this old fat man.

irclean

The extension sleeves came with the fender hardware.

I considered displacing the cable as you mentioned, but I didn't like the look. There are attachment points running along the down tube, but I measured it and discovered that I would need another six inches or so of cable. Unfortunately, there are no mounting points along the chainstay on the brake side so I would have to use a few zip ties.

I had not used the Airzound before purchasing it. I agree that it's a big, clunky thing, but I'm just trying to be proactive. If I never have to use it, great, but if I need it I feel good knowing it's there. I feel that I've had enough close calls with cars to warrant its installation.

irclean

Thanks for the info re Performance Bicycle. Their shipping charges to Canada seem reasonable. I do plan to eventually upgrade to padded shorts and I am definitely considering bibs - I hate constantly having to hike up my shorts while riding.

I am hoping you're right about the belt - I feel that I did my research before buying the bike as a year-round commuter (and it can get pretty cold with snow and ice here in the winter).

I hear you on the chaincase thing; if I had purchased a chain-driven bike then that would have been high on my priority list. I never considered that it would interfere with wheel removal - that's a good point. For the record I removed my rear wheel last night without incident to install my fenders.

canyoneagle

Nice job - it's looking dorkier by the day!
Nah, that is a great looking bike! The silver and black thing you've got going on looks really sharp, and will really work well with your Brooks saddle and dapper dan grips.

Let me know how that rear kickstand works for you - I'm considering my options for the Vesta and am not sure if I'm going with one like yours or a double kickstand that mounts near the BB.

Congrats!

irclean

I've been running the same kickstand, a Greenfield Stabilizer, on my Schwinn for a couple of years now. I like it so much that I had my LBS mount one on the Norco before leaving the shop. Smooth action, very stable, and well constructed. Also seems to hold up well to the elements (i.e. winter). No fit issues with my bike so it ought to fit your Vesta just fine. FWIW I mounted a double-leg kickstand on my MTB to help stabilize the bike while loading my son into his child seat, but I think the Stabilizer would work just as well.

irclean

So... I'm out on a ride today to see how the bike feels with the new fenders; checking for toe overlap, tire rub, etc. when I hear this racket coming from beneath me. I check the fender fit... nothing. I continue on but so does the noise. I check the fenders again... still nothing. I sit down on the grass with the bike on the sidewalk and give it a good going over. The culprit turns out to be my kickstand; or rather one of its mounting bolts. The bolt was just touching the rear brake rotor ever so slightly. I checked the disc for damage; none (whew!), re-installed the kickstand further up the rear triangle, and carried on.

While searching for the source of the noise I had noticed that the belt was not quite centered on the rear sprocket - i.e. it was not touching the inner flange. A gentle nudge got the belt back to where it should have been, but when I later looked down between my legs I noticed that it had wandered off track again. I began to have visions of the belt slipping off the cog while I was mashing on the pedals. A few kilometers later I approached the first noteworthy hill on the MUP and I began to climb when... wait for it... vision realized.

Now, before all you belt-drive naysayers (and you know who you are) start jumping up and down shouting a collective, "I told you so," let me finish the story. The bike has sliding dropouts and, while I've never used them, the principle is not so much different than the horizontal dropouts on my BMX that I used to ride and wrench on as a kid. These are just a little more sophisticated. After looking them over to get an understanding of their design, I loosened the bolts, tightened the drive-side set screw until I was satisfied with the belt tension, tightened the set screw on the other side to bring the wheel (and therefore the sprocket and rotor) back into alignment. I then tightened everything else back up and carried on again.

I was of course concerned that the incident would repeat itself, but upon rolling inspection the belt seemed to be staying in alignment. I gritted my teeth and mashed up the next hill, and summited successfully. Nearing the end of my ride I rode up the longest hill on my route and the belt worked flawlessly.

Side note: While passing through London's version of "the projects" on my homestretch I ran over a piece of glass. You know - you hear that "pop-whiz" sound and catch something shiny taking off like a shot in your peripheral vision. I was approaching a group of a half-dozen or so young men socializing around a shaded picnic table when it happened and I found myself thinking, "Oh, Lord... don't let me get a flat tire here!" I started to have more visions... this time of my bike being used as a weapon/shield as I tried to save it (and myself) from further mishap. That being said, this group of young men might just as likely offered their help in fixing my flat, either that or just sat there jeering while watching me sweat bullets. In any case the tire and tube held out and I made it home safe and sound (whew again!)

After I got home I began to fret that I had maybe put too much tension on the belt. I wasn't worried about the belt per se, but rather the lateral stress I might be putting on the BB, the rear hub, and their respective bearings. I checked the Gates website for tutorials on tensioning and, lacking one of their carbon drive tension testers, I was forced to use cruder methods to test the tension: A tutorial on the website instructed me to place 5 to 10 pounds of pressure on the belt span and look for approximately one-half inch of deflection. Having no way to measure the force I would be placing on the belt I searched my house for a 5 to 10 pound object that could be easily placed on the span. Not as easy a task as one would think. I finally settled on the kitchen knife block which, according to my scale, added 7.2 lbs to my weight. The block had a nice, narrow edge that I was able to place on the belt and sure enough, it deflected about 1/2". I will leave it as is and pray to the Cycling Gods that my work will be sufficient.

In retrospect I suspect that this was more of an alignment issue than a tension issue so I will be sure to keep an eye on alignment as I rack up the kilometers. Thanks for reading and I will keep you posted on further mishaps and successes as they happen.

p.s. I got to use the Airzound for the first time today, and on my first ride with it! While riding on the MUP I approached a city worker from behind; he was busy clearing grass clippings from the path using a gas-powered blower and he was also wearing ear protection. Two short blasts got his attention and he quickly jumped out of my way. Cool. I can't wait to unleash it on unsuspecting motorists!

canyoneagle

Yep, the way the vertical dropouts are designed on our bikes, the axle slot is angled ever so slightly to the front, so the tension of the belt will naturally keep the drive side akle from seating in the apex of the slot without focused pressure to ensure this happens.
So, if this isn't done when re-installing the wheel, the alignment problem will occur. this has been my experience of it, but I noticed it while the bike was on the workstand and re-seated the wheel in the dropouts - alignment was spot on.

I've also determined that the best way to do it is to back off on the driveside slider set screw 1/4" or so, which should allow the rear wheel to be seated properly in the dropouts, nuts tightened enough to prevent movement, then adjust the set screw to proper tension and cinch the slider bolts.

irclean

Just to follow up on yesterday's events - I took the bike on a 25 km ride today and the belt drive worked flawlessly. This bike is so nice compared to my other two that I know I'm gonna have a hard time riding them. I might just keep the MTB for family cruises and a backup bike, but I'm considering putting the Schwinn on CL and using the funds for more accessories (like a new, matching helmet... among other goodies)! Then again, I'm loathe to part with it since it provided me with countless kms of riding pleasure. Besides, I've put too much love and sweat (not to mention money) into it to just let it go.

Unfortunately, not everyone had such a great riding experience today: Approaching downtown on a MUP I came around a corner and saw that the way was blocked by a large vehicle. Before I could even think, "What the f-," I realized it was an ambulance. I came upon a trio of middle-aged gentlemen all dressed in full kit, one of whom was being attended to by paramedics while the others looked on with obvious concern. One of the riders said that his comrade had landed on his head, and the injured rider declared that the pain was centered in his back. I watched as the EMTs loaded him onto the gurney before carefully carrying on, mindful of my speed and the line I was holding.

Reminiscing upon my own accident (not bike-related) in 2006, which left me with a fractured spine, I couldn't help but think of this poor rider and the effect this might potentially have on him and his family. It's a dangerous world out there, and here we are trying to ride bicycles through it.

Here's to wishing the injured rider a speedy recovery, and all my fellow cyclists a safe ride today and in the future. Cheers! BTW - that's root beer in my mug; I'm a teetotaler!

Justiss

Given your later posts, this may be irrelevant now, but I had a lot of creaking in the drivetrain when I first picked up my Ceres. Talked to Gates and the drivetrain is somewhat sensitive to tension. The shop told me they used the official tension tool, but when I tested mine using the 7.5 pound manual version, I found the belt to be waaaay to tight - it had no give at all. After loosening it up, the creaking was significantly reduced.

My shifting action is similiar to yours. Dropping into first on a steep incline means backing off the pressure a touch. I've also experienced misc mis-shifts in general (mostly going from 6-5, but I also do that one a lot, so can't conclude anything there).

Kipa

irclean

Finally fully dressed! I installed my Ergon GC3s a couple of weeks ago and today I finally received my Topeak rack (I had to special order it from the States and they sent me the wrong one first). Last week I picked up a PDW Radbot 1000 from MEC for $17.50; same price as they charge for the PB Super Flash but way, way brighter. I'll keep my Super Flash on the bike for backup but the Radbot is definitely my first line of defense for defending my rear end.

Here she is in all her glory (sorry for the somewhat fuzzy pics):



And a shaper pic with the flash (and resulting reflective bits):

Bosch

Sure looks nice, hope you have years of trouble free fun with your new ride.

irclean

Thanks! It performed admirably this morning through a torrential downpour (so much for the Weather Network's forecast of "light rain"). I wish I could say the same for the rider; I looked like a drowned rat when I got to work.