acidfast7

Also, I realised that the tracklist was devoid of Welsh music ... so I wish to rectify that ...

ThermionicScott 

It's the end of an era.

bigbenaugust 

Rigorously.

acidfast7

I don't **** around.

acidfast7

Just a quick update ...

due to Brexit ... we opted not to buy a house and I haven't changed the bars on my bike and I've been running a lot recently.

Here's a shot from a morning jog recently

Hope all is well with you guys.

Also, I'm strongly considering Switzerland, but let's see where all of the cards lie.

Note: can I not upload photos directly any longer? Imgur only?

Bike Gremlin

Another similar "project". This one at half the price of Acidfast's. 162 euros new. We'll see how it fares and how much it costs in the long run...

Capriolo Sunrise - long term test - Cycle Gremlin

noglider 

By the looks of it (when assembled), it looks like you get a lot for the money. And then from your description of all the problems, it looks like you don't.

Bike Gremlin

To be objective: most new bicycles sold in my country need a similar proper first service. Most LBS, especially in spring time (new goods arriving at the shop, lots of paperwork, plus lots of bikes being sold and repaired after winter break) - don't set the bikes up perfectly when selling them.

We'll see how it fares in the long run. For example, the budget wheels, it's unbelievable: cheap hubs that can be set up for either excessive drag, or slight play, not machined with precision. Rims without metal reinforced eyelets for nipples. Cheap spokes that rust rather quickly. They still last for ages on my beater bike - 5 seasons now for the front, 3 for the rear (since old one got busted by a car!). No pitting, no coming out of true, no spokes breaking even though they're completely rusted now.

Friend called after the first ride and he was very pleased. Said something like: "see, you don't need an expensive bike, just a well tuned, set up one".
If he sticks to his original plan, this will be 30+ kilometres 6 days a week, with some up and down hill riding. So a decent test for a commuter bicycle. His job is an office one, sitting all day, and I've already "converted" two guys to year round commuting by my example, this might be the third "aren't you cold in the winter?!" - then start doing it themselves "victim".

P.S. Is acidfast still alive, didn't see his posts in a while?

Bike Gremlin

Some problems after first 100 kilometres.

Capriolo Sunrise - long term test 02 - Cycle Gremlin

acidfast7

I just wanted to say that I bought a house in the UK (not the EU) and will cycle with the old bike in every day.

However, the bike has been in a British garage and it mouldy all over ...

but it will come back and beat this POS of Slaninar

acidfast7

watch this space ... I'm sure we'll have some fun and some new music

acidfast7

Consider me the old guy in this vid:


A long-term challenge from Novi Sad? really ... I don't recognise Slaninar

acidfast7

I've been listening to some FM4 (Austrian) so I don't lose my German in the UK:

A couple of suggestions:

on Spotify

https://open.spotify.com/album/6gTrmIkn7RLL5iwNEIlHLf

and on Select track 2 *****es!

https://www.sandrakurzweil.com/music

good ****

tommorow the bike gets rebuilt and ridden every day next to the north see

acidfast7

I'm rusty at BF:

Maybe start with this:

acidfast7

still the best clothes on the planet and tomorrow I'll resurrect the beast just for you

noglider 

Good to see you back.

litieulong48

I hope your bike shaped object is pretty good, because in the U.S., that's more money than the cheapest LBS bikes. We have derailleur BSO's that cost $80

acidfast7

https://imgur.com/g89JhwE

Here we go again:

Just moved into the house, doing a full renovation but now I'm going to start commuting on bike.

Just cleaned the mold and finally swapped the bars ago.

Back in business

acidfast7

You're missing a few accents there chief.

acidfast7

new battery for the trusted old sigma 1009 ... goes back on today and we'll update the business.

thankfully even though the battery died, my total kilometers and time were saved:

GESAMT KM: 3.679
GESAMTZEIT: 156.22

8 CR2032 batteries were £1, so 12.5p each ... i'll add that in and recalculate.

acidfast7

episode 193.1

I can walk into work ... about 20 mins ... also there is a city bus that I can use freely with my job, so I won't be saving as much money as before ... but it's good to keep the system running ... however, I was walking in the same shoes about 200km/month and most shoes were making it only 1000km before they need to be disposed off / resoled ... so there's that ...

Items that have been added to restore Marley back to functionality ...

Bars as I'm riding in the city and don't want drops now ... £15
New grips ... £4.99
1 CR2032 battery ... £0.125

Total to add: £20.12

stats:

3679km/2286mi
£567.12/$714.63 total
£0.154/km
€0.19/km
$0.312/mi

The total money saved below will be stopped as of 21 JUN 17.

maintenance (after recovering the cost of the bike): £29/$44.54 (three bicycle tubes and one 23-622 Schwalbe Marathon)

money saved on bus fare (after recovering cost of bike): £389.10/$598.60

net money saved on the bike: £360.10/$553.48

acidfast7

full update with history:

PHASE I (Northeast England)

Costs/location of purchase (standard MSRP in UK converted to USD/EUR on day of purchase)

Bike (SS Mangobike from mangobikes.com): 299 GBP / 466 USD
Front/Rear Knog lights, Kryptonite U-lock (amazon.co.uk): 92 GBP / 148 USD
Sigma 1009 cycloputer (amazon.co.uk): 26 GBP / 41 USD
Crud Roadracer MkII (amazon.co.uk): 23 GBP / 37 USD
Total initial rolling cost: 440 GBP / 691 USD


Failure modes and outcomes (i.e. running costs):

02 APR 2014 (1406 km / 873 mi / 28 GBP / 46 USD)

Rear tire worn through canvas - replacement needed
1 Schwalbe Lugano
1 Tube
1 10min service

08 MAY 2014 (1559 km / 968 mi / 13 GBP / 22 USD)

banged rear rim on kerb cutting a corner short
1 new tube
1 bend rear brake track with adjustable spanner

12 MAY 2014 (1597km / 992 mi / 28 GBP / 47 USD)

Split Schwalbe Lugano in half with only 191km on it
1 Gatorskin tire (cost of Lugano refunded)
3 new tubes (one used)
1 10min service

04 JUN 2014 (1789 km / 1112 mi / 30 GBP / 50 USD)

Front tire worn through canvas
1 new gatorskin tire
1 tube used (second of three)

06 JUL 2014 (2119 km / 1315 mi / 4 GBP / 6.8 USD)

Flat rear tire and front bake pad replacement
1 pinch flat after leaving bike in locker and riding without inflation (last tube used)
1 set of new front brake pads

15 JUL 2014 (2177 km / 1352 mi / 1 GBP)

Tape for bars

10 DEC 2014 (3132 km / 1946 mi)

Slightly ruptured Gatorskin on road surface and lost a tube

26 MAR 2015 (3511 km / 2181 mi)

Fully ruptured Gatorskin
Replaced with a Schwalbe Marathon and 3 extra tubes

Last commute: 30 APR 2015 (3679 km / 2286 mi)


PHASE II (Southern Coast of England)

Preparation for the new series of commutes

18 JUN 2017

Rear brake rusted ... cut cable ... pulled cable and lever off ... kept caliper on to hold fender
Swapped bars and tape as above
£0.13 for a new cycloputer battery

Honestly, just pumped up the tires but the one year of not moving isn't so good for the bike ... tons of mould and rust.

However we're back in business.

Total stats:

stats:

3679km/2286mi
£567.12/$714.63 total
£0.154/km
€0.19/km
$0.312/mi

acidfast7

Also, just started renovating an Edwardian ... been teach myself wiring, plumbing and some other UK-based stuff that I never saw in the US/DK/SE/DE...

fietsbob

Yea that 220v stuff is different.. but the electric kettle does heat faster than the US 110v versions.

acidfast7

Yeah, the tea is quite good over here ... the coffee is utter rubbish.