cpg

Agree with all that Bhkyte said. I did a Sram dual drive with 9 speed derailer conversion to my I4. It was a lot of work and expense. It would have been much cheaper and easier to convert the I4 to an Alfine 8 or 11 speed. Good to hear that ABT sales are still supporting the bike, they really should do a better job of marketing it.

invisiblehand

That's not terrible for an aftermarket odd-ball fork.

But glad to read that you and the bike are back on the road.

bhkyte

I payed £100 for both several years ago

bhkyte

Obviously I am going to agree......
Yes there are alternatives to another bike out there for people that want a more modern bike with better components.

jefmcg

Well, yes and no. The bike needs new cables and quite a bit of TLC, but should be roadworthy next week or so.

As for me, I was back on the road in March, but my clavicle never mended. It's harder to swap parts on a human than a bike.

But thanks

bhkyte

Is it the joint of the clavical that didn't mend? The bone will given time.
Its possible to do physiotherapy on the sternal claviclar joint and the acrominal clavical joints.
(take that ! spell checker lol)

Fit teflon inner cables to improve braking, and shifting and a tad of light lube. Easier to fit inner cable when bike folded a little to thread cable around bottom bracket stretch of outer.

jefmcg

No, it's a lovely clean break in the middle of the bone. Apparently about 80%(or some other large percentage) just pull together and knit, and it's all lovely. I'm in the unlucky minority, where it didn't. By six weeks, there was no chance it was going to heal.

The fix is a 2 hour operation, stripping the muscle from the bone, getting a bone graft from the hip, bits of metal, tons of bad outcomes. Or do nothing. I've gone with the latter, on good medical advice.
Yup, saw your mention of teflon coated upthread, and ordered them to click&collect.

bhkyte

Ok. Sorry to hear that its a non healing break. With all the muscle,nerves,vascular structures around there I guess its conservative management if possible.
Is your first rib moving well on that side?
Does your shoulder move ok?
There may still be a chance it could heal after 6 weeks but its not ideal. Other healing systems do come in to play like inflamation and ligament thickening in addition to normal mineralisation to repair the bone. It will improve in function and structure over time to at least some extent.
Tough break....
Try to maintain normal movement to avoid secondary adaptations like shoulder hitching or posture deviation.


Next, how to suck eggs....

Are you back riding yet?

cavan97

Hi
Bit of advice please, currently upgrading my I4 to a shimano nexus 8 hub what would be the best number of teeth in rear cog and chain ring for the conversion?

bhkyte

Hi that sounds nice.
Run sheldons gear calculator to get an idea.
A I4 has a smaller front cog about 46 and that should work ok with the nexus.
I run a birdie with a nexus 8. Front 53 rear 16 I think.
Its a slow touring bike. Possibly a tad overgeared. 1st is not low enough for some terrain.

cavan97

I have taken advice from this site for the other adjustments and upgrades and hopefully will have pics up shortly. I want to complete the bike in my eyes but still keep the original Mezzo as much as possible. Ill have pics when fully completed.
The reason I didn’t buy the ORI Mi8 is because there is only a certain amount of people with Mezzo bikes. They are special little bikes that probably will never be seen in production again as Mezzo and I’m delighted to own one.
53T chainring with 16 sprocket is slightly overgeared.
I checked the Ori Mi8 spec which runs a nexus 8 and its 48T with 16 sprocket. I would fear though that it might be slightly undergeared from the I4 experience anyway.
I wonder would 50Tchainring and 16 sprocket be about right?

bhkyte

The nexus 8 speed gears up from about 5th gear afaicr. 13%ish
The nexus 4 is direct in gear one then gears up. 26%ish

Therefore despite the bigger range you need to gear up MORE for the 8 speed.
If you find the 4 undergeared youll need to gear up a lot to get more with the 8 speed.
I would treat it like a drailler bike on a 16" wheel. You really need 54-62/11 to get 700c road race top inches. Minus the 13% upgearing of the nexus 8.

I would go for 53/12-16 on a nexus 8 mezzo as its a road bike.
53 cogs are plentlyful and cheap and mezzo only takes up to a 54t due to standard chain guard. The chain catcher accommodates up to 56. The D10 has a different chain guard for the 56t thats fitted.

cavan97

Wow I really don’t know now!!!
When I meant undergeared I meant that 1[SUP]st[/SUP] was ok for hills, 2[SUP]nd[/SUP] and 3[SUP]rd[/SUP] were undergeard and 4[SUP]th[/SUP] was too strong for flat but not strong enough down slopes. I thought 50T would be a bit more than the Ori and would suffice. I tried using Sheldons calculator but I didn’t get it working. I don’t want 1[SUP]st[/SUP] gear on the nexus 8 to be too strong as there are a couple of hills on my commute.
On another note, justcallmeadit had brackets on his Ori on this thread at the front of the carrier for easy wheels. It was angled out to make a broader base. That is exactly what I’m looking for to finish my rolling kit. Does anyone know where they can be got or do I need to go to a steel fabricator? Ori do a kit but justcallmeadit seems to have the perfect ones.

bhkyte

Hi sorry I was not trying to confuse!!

Basically you need to upgear about 12%.

If you have 48/16 then you need to go to 53/16

I cant remember i4 gogs so correct me if I am wrong.


Basically you said you were undergeared. But its actually that only 4th is not high enough. I suppose its reasonable that you though adding 4 more gears would give you more high gears.
This is not the case in a nexus 4 to 8 swap.

If you keep the same ratios and dont change cogs you will have much lower gears and a lower top speed when you change to the nexus 8. Great for uphills.

The road race bike 62t is if you want a road race top gear on a 16" folder with a drailler.
The nexus is simular in gearing to a drailler. It only upgears the gog ratio by 13% in top. This is iralervent unless you want a road race spec folder like mine with drops and other mods.

To summerise.
You are losing about 12 percent of upgearing changing from a 4 to a 8 nexus. Therefore to keep the same top speed you need to upgear 12%.
Mezzo i4 is 48/16?
If so you need a 53 /16to keep the same top speed. You will have lower gears for hills also.
If you want higher top speed then you need to go for a bigger ratio.
Ie 54/14.

Hope this makes sence.

What are the cogs on your I4 ?

cavan97

The I4 is 44/18

bhkyte

Ok so a 50t gives you about the same top gear.
Upgearing to a 53 sounds about right to get reasonable range.
Upgearing up one gear and better range and lower bottom gears than the 4

cavan97

Thanks very much for your help. 53/16 will give easier 1st gear and stronger 8th gear?

cavan97

hi Bhkyte. Just checking what would you reckon on a 56T/23 combination? I ask cause I bought a 56T black alloy Mezzo chainset off ebay and a 23T nexus sprocket came with the new Nexus 8 IGH (its going on dahon 36 hole) while the older IGH (28 hole) is being built for the Mezzo upgrade.

bhkyte

Hi sounds good. I bought a mezzo d10 crank also. The chain guard is worth about £25 so its a bargin.
Try it and see. 56 would give a good range afaik. Just mind you still have low enough first for thoes hills.

Roaddaddy

Hello everyone -- I recently joined the Mezzo club by picking up a D9 from a Craig's List sale. I had previously tried a Downtube Mini, but was not happy with it. Thanks for the wealth of info in this thread! I have, so far, replaced the two original Mezzo tires and the rear brake cable. The roller upgrade looks interesting. I bike to the commuter train station, take the train to NY, then bike to my office. The Mezzo is terrific, wish only that it was a bit lighter.

cavan97

Hi all. Have a problem upgrading my Hi4 to a nexus 8. Wheel is on. I tried the original 44T/18 chainring/ rear cog and far too easy peddling. I had bought a 56T front mezzo chain wheel and found a few problems. I knew I needed a longer chain so got that. The Hi4 bottom bracket is 118/68. For the D10 its 124.5/68. I had one and put it on. The big problem is the chain studs that the chain wraps around in the fold is a lot bigger on the D9 and D10 then the i4. Its too small and won't let the chainring on. Its a black bracket. Any ideas where I could get one of these. I'm sooooooo nearly there!!!!!!! Help

bhkyte

Hi I thought they had another drilling on the bottom bracker tensioner for a bigger gear.
cqg did this conversion to a larger chainring so he should know.

cavan97

Hu Bhkyte. There is but the peg was already on the farthest hole. I've attached a pic with 44T and 56T

FietsDontFailMe

I too just bought a used D9. I like the bicycle very much. Mind if I ask how much you paid? I paid about $700 US.

Roaddaddy

About half of that. Sorry.