I just joined the forum and already made an intro thread but being that I ride an hour I thought I'd add a pic of my bike on here.
http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...2/_MG_4863.jpg

Nice looking bike, What pedals/straps are those? I'm looking to upgrade from the stock ****ty ones on my Hour.

Thanks, they are wellgo pedals, and the retrogression cages and straps, way better than the stock ones.

I've just purchased a yellow Hour from BikesDirect with about $100 to spare, what parts should I be looking at to upgrade? Thanks

Lockring; the stock formula lockring is complete garbage and you risk stripping your rear hub; replace it ASAP with a a shimano dura ace lockring; you're upgrading from buttery aluminum to japanese machined steel.

^^^^^^That. You don't neeeeed to go dura ace, but get something steel and not ****ty.

The pedals are garbage and barely usable. The seat is not great, but I've found an okay position. Everything else, use the bike until you figure out you don't like something.

Just received it a few days ago. My lbs didn't want to install the rear brake as a front brake because they didn't want to be liable. They didn't have a longer bolt and installing a longer nut would compromise strength and they were also out of front brake calipers so as of now I am brakeless. I've been looking into buying a new front brake caliper altogether, anyone have any recommendations? Best bang for the buck?
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=241610

I call BS... they are the same, you're not sacrificing anything with a longer nut to the extent that failure would result.

Love your Hour. Mine's a bit beat up now (1.5yrs of daily riding), but this summer comes a repaint and overhaul.
http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/7...0174520144.jpg

This isn't an hour but I just got my clockwork. I don't have any allen keys with me at college so I'm going to have to go buy some to finish the assembly. I just used some of my friends tools that he had laying around.

So I read that I should replace the lockring a page back. Not sure if the clockwork comes with the same lockring as the hour but I am assuming so. Any other little upgrades that I should be aware of? Looking to get bullhorns and new pedals in the near future. This is my first bike so I am still trying to figure everything out.

http://i39.tinypic.com/25rmrgo.jpg

As far as I'm aware, being a singlespeed and not a fixed gear, the Clockwork comes with a 16T freewheel? So you shouldn't have a lockring on there at all. Fixed cogs need a lockring to keep them on for when you stop (stopping would screw it off). Freewheels get more and more tightened simply by riding.

My Hour came with the lockring loose, so I just had to tighten the fixed cog and lockring (with a chainwhip and lockring tool, respectively), after that it gave me no issues for a year. After a year I ended up switching it out just because I bought a new size cog and didn't feel like reusing the old lockring. Other than that I dunno about concerns... I had my bottom bracket blow out after a year? But I had been riding 10-20mi a day fixed and doing tricks so I'm sure it was just the stress. Installed a plain shimano bb and no issues since.

If you do wanna flip and go fixed (it's so fun and addictive) pick yourself up a 17T cog and lockring (with your chainring and tire size, should give you a 5.3 gain ratio/71.4 gear inches). I got mine from amazon for $12.39 shipped (Avenir 17T cog and lockring). You currently run a 46 chainring, 16t cog, 170mm crankarms, and 25c size tires. Your gain ratio is 5.7, this just means that every 1 full rotation of the pedals will rotate your wheels 2.9 times (5.7/2). With a lower ratio, you can expect to put in less effort in pedaling, but you would need a higher rate of pedaling to achieve the same speed. My Hour is set up at 5.6 fixed (48 chainring/17t cog)/ 5.3 freewheel (48/18). Generally you want a slightly lower gain ratio freewheel (easier for climbing up hills and coasting down hills without needing to spin so much).

Gain calculator: http://software.bareknucklebrigade.c...it.applet.html

Hopefully my rambling was helpful, but I saw that "This is my first bike so I am still trying to figure everything out." and I figured you might make use of it. Have fun riding, I'm sure you'll love it!! =)

Can anyone tell me what Fork/drops those are?

This bike is reallllly nice looking, I want mine to look like it.

Thank you, that helped a lot.

I am looking at some new pedals now, I will probably try to go a little lighter as it's pretty hard going up some hills right now.

You mean lighter with your gearing? Because lighter pedals will really do nothing to make hills easier.

Yeah, looking at new pedals and new cogs.

42/17... it's magical

Where do you ride? That seems really low.

I don't ride 42/17. Just a simple recommendation for anyone looking to climb on their SS.

I'm in SF too :D

Climbing mountains. Sheesh. lol

I'm going to convince him to run it at the track with us for the lulz.

300RPM, just broke 20MPH

side note: you all goin this saturday?

I should be there. gigantor isn't done with his sw8 fixay yet. Mucky should be there too?

Coolio. I should see you all there.

For sure man, just come up to us, because I have no idea what you look like.

Let's see... I weigh about 300 pounds, nice teeth, and have nice flowing hair...