Racer Tech Thread
#2551
OMC
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: South Louisiana
Posts: 6,960
Bikes: Specialized Allez Sprint, Look 585, Specialized Allez Comp Race
Mentioned: 199 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 461 Post(s)
Liked 116 Times
in
49 Posts
I'm having problems with funky shifting on one of my bikes. I bought the drivetrain and shifters (DA 7800) used from a couple of different people, so I don't know how many miles are on the parts. Recently I was able to adjust the rear shifting to work correctly only in either direction but not both. Alternately, I could get it to shift correctly on the outside and inside three cogs, but not the middle four. I replaced the RD with a new 5700 short cage one (it's my rain bike
), no change. I thought that maybe the cable was hanging up somewhere so I replaced it, no dice. I had previously straightened the derailleur hanger and checked it again today, it's fine.
Might it be that the shifter is worn out? If not, what else might it be?

Might it be that the shifter is worn out? If not, what else might it be?
#2552
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Folsom, CA
Posts: 3,888
Mentioned: 32 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 417 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times
in
3 Posts
Is the head of the cable seated properly and going through all the right mech in the shifter? I threaded mine through just oh so slightly wrong on one of my red shifters once and it made life miserable. Not sure if that can happen on shimano stuffs.
#2553
OMC
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: South Louisiana
Posts: 6,960
Bikes: Specialized Allez Sprint, Look 585, Specialized Allez Comp Race
Mentioned: 199 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 461 Post(s)
Liked 116 Times
in
49 Posts
The nice thing about that generation of Shimano shifters is that it's a straight shot from where the cable end seats right out the side of the shifter. It's hard to screw up, even for me.
#2556
Ninny
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: The Gunks
Posts: 5,295
Mentioned: 53 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 686 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
The frame repair guy has repaired my frame. He also stripped it down and now he's asking me what color to paint it.
Since I had basically written off this frame for dead before I discovered it could be repaired, I sort of feel like the frame is on stoppage time and I am inclined to treat it like Shaun treated his undead buddy Ed, and fully embrace the ugliness. I don't want to paint it, I want it to just look like an ugly patchwork of raw carbon.
Is it bad to leave the carbon totally uncoated, not even a clear coat? Hazardous, or prone to minor damage becoming major, or UV degradation or whatever?
Since I had basically written off this frame for dead before I discovered it could be repaired, I sort of feel like the frame is on stoppage time and I am inclined to treat it like Shaun treated his undead buddy Ed, and fully embrace the ugliness. I don't want to paint it, I want it to just look like an ugly patchwork of raw carbon.
Is it bad to leave the carbon totally uncoated, not even a clear coat? Hazardous, or prone to minor damage becoming major, or UV degradation or whatever?
#2558
OMC
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: South Louisiana
Posts: 6,960
Bikes: Specialized Allez Sprint, Look 585, Specialized Allez Comp Race
Mentioned: 199 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 461 Post(s)
Liked 116 Times
in
49 Posts
Have it painted flat grey, so when you get caught in the rain and your chain lube washes onto your chain stay nobody will be able to tell how dirty it is.
#2559
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Folsom, CA
Posts: 3,888
Mentioned: 32 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 417 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times
in
3 Posts
I just got a repair back and just had them do the most basic paint over the repair area (UV protecting clear coat I guess). This will just be a thrasher bike, so no need to pretty it up.
#2561
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Redwood City, CA
Posts: 10,978
Bikes: aggressive agreement is what I ride.
Mentioned: 109 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 967 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 4 Times
in
4 Posts
@tetonrider what is the bar setup you had at nats, and how do the brakes even work? pictures are mystifying.
#2562
Version 3.0
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: SoCal
Posts: 12,897
Bikes: Too Many
Mentioned: 296 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1185 Post(s)
Liked 1,977 Times
in
1,155 Posts
GC

#2564
OMC
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: South Louisiana
Posts: 6,960
Bikes: Specialized Allez Sprint, Look 585, Specialized Allez Comp Race
Mentioned: 199 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 461 Post(s)
Liked 116 Times
in
49 Posts
The New Orleans Bike Club actually has a subgroup with that as a jersey design. It's known as the Bovine Paceline.
#2565
Rides too much bike
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Boston
Posts: 842
Mentioned: 22 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 232 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
1) Your cassette needs replacement
2) Your cables need replacement
Could be one, or both. I have found that once a cassette begins to have trouble going either up, or down smoothly, then that means it is getting to be ready to change it.
#2566
OMC
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: South Louisiana
Posts: 6,960
Bikes: Specialized Allez Sprint, Look 585, Specialized Allez Comp Race
Mentioned: 199 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 461 Post(s)
Liked 116 Times
in
49 Posts
I think the cassette is in good shape, but changing it out won't hurt anything. Thanks for the idea.
#2567
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Western MA
Posts: 15,669
Bikes: Yes
Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 9 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
The third thing is 7800 specific. The grease in the mech gets old and dirty and can cause erratic operation. Dump a half a can of WD-40 into each one, flushing out all the garbage. You can add a little spray white lube after it dries out if you want.
#2569
Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Avondale, AZ
Posts: 22
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Need some help with an upgrade.
I just upgraded my wheels to some lighterwheight 55mm carbon with aluminum breaking surface, not super light, but aero advantage and good for riding regularly.
My issue is that my I have a G3 Powertap Rear Wheel, and would like to always have power, so I would like to upgrade to a crank based power meter. My issue is that I have a BB30 with a Specialized Carbon crank, and that basically means I need to completely upgrade my crank correct? My goal is to sell my PowerTap wheel and use that to buy the crank based PM, but with having BB30, that is making things difficult.
Any advice?
I just upgraded my wheels to some lighterwheight 55mm carbon with aluminum breaking surface, not super light, but aero advantage and good for riding regularly.
My issue is that my I have a G3 Powertap Rear Wheel, and would like to always have power, so I would like to upgrade to a crank based power meter. My issue is that I have a BB30 with a Specialized Carbon crank, and that basically means I need to completely upgrade my crank correct? My goal is to sell my PowerTap wheel and use that to buy the crank based PM, but with having BB30, that is making things difficult.
Any advice?
#2570
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Folsom, CA
Posts: 3,888
Mentioned: 32 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 417 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times
in
3 Posts
Need some help with an upgrade.
I just upgraded my wheels to some lighterwheight 55mm carbon with aluminum breaking surface, not super light, but aero advantage and good for riding regularly.
My issue is that my I have a G3 Powertap Rear Wheel, and would like to always have power, so I would like to upgrade to a crank based power meter. My issue is that I have a BB30 with a Specialized Carbon crank, and that basically means I need to completely upgrade my crank correct? My goal is to sell my PowerTap wheel and use that to buy the crank based PM, but with having BB30, that is making things difficult.
Any advice?
I just upgraded my wheels to some lighterwheight 55mm carbon with aluminum breaking surface, not super light, but aero advantage and good for riding regularly.
My issue is that my I have a G3 Powertap Rear Wheel, and would like to always have power, so I would like to upgrade to a crank based power meter. My issue is that I have a BB30 with a Specialized Carbon crank, and that basically means I need to completely upgrade my crank correct? My goal is to sell my PowerTap wheel and use that to buy the crank based PM, but with having BB30, that is making things difficult.
Any advice?
https://www.quarq.com/store/item/1710/
Specialized power meter Type S | Power2Max North America
or get an SRM
SRM PowerMeter Specialized S-Works Road
or get pedal power
Garmin | Vector
https://www.powertap.com/page/pedals
#2571
OMC
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: South Louisiana
Posts: 6,960
Bikes: Specialized Allez Sprint, Look 585, Specialized Allez Comp Race
Mentioned: 199 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 461 Post(s)
Liked 116 Times
in
49 Posts
Check Powertap's website and see if their crank-based power meter will work with your crankset. If it will (and if it's available now, I'm not sure) it's probably the least expensive way to get crank-based power.
#2573
Nonsense
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Vagabond
Posts: 13,906
Bikes: Affirmative
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 873 Post(s)
Liked 523 Times
in
226 Posts
Either my Rival 10spd stuff is entirely worn out or it's no longer adequate for my needs. The only thing that hasn't been replace this year is the rear derailleur so I may have outgrown it. Talk Sram 11spd. How's the shifting compare to 10spd stuff? Anyone got hands on experience switching their drivetrain over?
#2574
Resident Alien
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Location, location.
Posts: 13,089
Mentioned: 158 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 349 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 9 Times
in
5 Posts
@tetonrider what is the bar setup you had at nats, and how do the brakes even work? pictures are mystifying.

#2575
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 7,542
Mentioned: 54 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1843 Post(s)
Liked 662 Times
in
416 Posts
Just replace the spider:
https://www.quarq.com/store/item/1710/
Specialized power meter Type S | Power2Max North America
or get an SRM
SRM PowerMeter Specialized S-Works Road
https://www.quarq.com/store/item/1710/
Specialized power meter Type S | Power2Max North America
or get an SRM
SRM PowerMeter Specialized S-Works Road
I picked up a Cannondale SRM spider used not too long ago for $550 - including new 11-speed chainrings. My wife has the Specialized Quarq on her bike - Specialized Bicycle Components. Teton may be able to get you a deal on an SRM.
That said, the cost of the Power2Max at $740 seems like a solid deal.