hwdxbassist

i think more people need to try the 52/18 gear ratio out for a try before they think its obsolete. i find it to be easier to pedal at a slight slower rate and give it more power to achieve more distance.
instead of my legs moving at 5 rotations when they could be going 4 or 3!! specially on the downhills. meh.. call me weird but i want to look into getting a 17t.. maybe even join some races.
what would you need to join a local race-50 maybe 100 miles? now that would be cool on a fixed/ss.

Leukybear 

Centerpull brakes will not work on your frame without modification and extra money spent to do so....

Tektro long reach road brake calipers will do the trick cheaply and properly.

Squirrelli

I think you'll hurt your knees if you mash a tall gear in San Fran...especially when your saddle is not adjusted properly.

hwdxbassist

yea some of them, but slowly im getting there. having direct power to the wheel gives me an added strength i never knew i had. now im climbing with my arms back abs and leg muscles. i never push beyond my physical limits everytime i ride is like meditating. you are aware of every muscle in your body and every moving part of the bike. when you ride in such synchronicity huge challenges are overcome by simple actions.

hwdxbassist

i have some dura ace alloy brake calipers but their side pull. i wanted the center pull just for ascetic reasons.

FastJake

Center pull brakes might fit, but you'll need a cable guide because center pull brakes require a bare cable to run down to the yoke. This picture doesn't actually show the cable stop, but you might get the idea from it:



Hope this helps. Wait... why do you want a center pull for aesthetic reasons?? Personally I think they're ugly, but that's just me.

hairnet

I'll take the Dura Ace off your hands for free

fuji86

I figure if you're going to keep the dual crank gears, add a chain tensioner so that you can switch it by either adding a front derailer, cable and lever or simply by manually moving it over by pulling over and stopping ? Hills would be easier and flat land stretches, you could get a little more out of it because it has the 52/18 GI. Make it a 2 speed that way ?

hwdxbassist

yea i know what your saying. yea if it doesn't fit those alloy brakes are next in line.
-the idea of a derailleur makes things to complicated. i like the fact that this bike has no other components but the bare minimum.
-so what do you guys think about old ten speed frames being candidates for conversions? should they be? or not?

fuzz2050

I'm confused by the 'frame modification' involved. All you need to use centerpull brakes is a cable hanger like this, or this and one like this for the rear. Most bike shops should have a box full of them from take-offs.

Some centerpull brakes can be made to stop wonderfully, and there is no reason to eschew them because they need a cable hanger. Get yourself a pair of Mafac Racers, and set them up with a pair of modern Koolstops. There aren't many brakes that look, stop, or modulate better.

Or, if you get really lucky, you can find a pair of these

sulr

I dig the bike, though I do not understand why only some of the handle bar is gripped. I would rather just grip tape the whole handle bar, seems like it would be a more comfortable setting.

hwdxbassist

yea it would be..but i did only spend like 50 bucks on all of this. im liking the idea of just getting a brake hanger centerpull brakes are really cool. i have a pair of Weinmann 610 Vainqueur 999 center pulls. im looking forward to using these. their less maintenance and their way more reliable in my experience.

hwdxbassist

those where the handlebars i had b4 i put these track drops

EssEllSee

Did you build the bike yourself? Or buy it?

TheBikeRollsOn 

You sure about the less maintenance part? Your ever tried tightening a centerpull by yourself? Plus cable stretch seems much more likely, so you'll be adjusting more often, and it's a pain in the ass. I actually broke the foot rest of a recliner couch i used to have because I got so damn frustrated while trying to simply tighten the brake.

hwdxbassist

hahaha yea im way more familiar with the center pulls. although i just found some diacompe 500 side pulls. and they work very smoothly!!
by tightening do you mean the cables?

hwdxbassist

yea i built it up from parts i had and others that i traded. took me about a month.

CardiacKid

There is a thing called a third hand tool that makes this job easier. The are several ways to rig your own tool if you search the forums for third hand. I use my 14 year old, but the cost of a 14 year old is fairly prohibitive.

hwdxbassist

haha yea. i have a little brother that will do the job perfectly

TheBikeRollsOn 

Yeah, I was doing it by myself with no third hand tool. It was painful

hwdxbassist

what size does this bike look like to you guys??
54cm?

FastJake

"One measurement is worth a thousand opinions." Unless you're just trying to test our skills at guessing. It does look like a 54 to me.