I'd still ride that, but then again if I were worried about performance and chain wear I wouldn't use a bottom end part. My self, I would probably return this obviously damaged part, even if only cosmetically, and put out the cash on something a little nicer.

Thanks for the quick response. You're right: I'm not after high-end performance (the main limiting factor here is my fitness - or lack of), so I might as well use this part. The chain doesn't really touch any of the marks on the sprocket anyway.

EDIT: On second thoughts, for a few quid extra I might as well get a Surly sprocket that will last a while longer.

Sounds like a plan. The Surly cogs are pretty nice as it is. The high dollar stuff is just bling bragging rights on a cog/lockring anyway.

Morning All. I just have a quick question that I figured was best answered here. A girl I have been seeing, recently changed from drop bars to a flat bar with a little rise on her Surly Steamroller. Obviously her old top-mount brake levers won't work. She needs a 25.4 clamp and I cannot seem to find one to replace them. I see a lot of 26's but .6 is a big gap. Any suggestions? I have provided a link below to her new bars. Thanks for you time and thank you for all the help this forum has already given me.

http://www.jensonusa.com/!bAktMmFqNh...FQtgMgodJ0cAog

I just googled "25.4 brake lever" and got plenty of results.

They're not scratches, that's just what they look like on the underside. You can't expect jewelry quality machining of a $12 cog.

It's perfectly fine.

On which planet?

I know not to expect too much from a cheapo part, though the 17t Miche sprocket I bought a little while ago did not have these grooves. There are lots of little scratches on it as well, though I know they won't affect the workings. Anyway, it has at least made me realise not to skimp on some things.

Again, they are not "scratches". Those marks occurred when the steel sheet the cogs are cut from was initially manufactured.

The machining of the teeth is what's actually important and Miche cogs are good.

She wants her levers out by the grips, not in by by the stem, right? Unless you want to have to shim them, you should not be looking for 25.4 or 26.0 clamp levers. The ends of riser bars are generally 22.2mm. BMX or mountain bike style levers with a reach compatible to work with road calipers are what you should be after.

Exactly. She has cross levers now but they are too large. If it were me I would simply tape the bars until they fit but she wants her bike to be pretty. I will look into the levers you suggested. I will also take my micrometer to the area where she wants the levers to actually be. Some of this is new to me as I am a BMX guy who rides a a fixed Varsity with BMX parts. Thanks for your help.

sram omnium or sugino messenger? for the same price.

omniums

does a piece of a scrap inner tube work well as a patch?

i just bought a big thing of vulcanizing fluid and wonder if i should buy a pack of patches too or just use cut up pieces of inner tube. i assume if i sand it down it and clean it it should work fine right?

It's really really crappy.

Get on ebay and buy a hundred pack of patches from China for like 2 bucks.

thanks, just bought a 48 pack for 1.67 w/ free shipping.

Did I just piss away 3 hours of my night?

So I got hit awhile ago, front wheel got trashed and got a new wheelset out of the ordeal. So tonight I was bored and was trying to be all mechanical and use my rear rim and spokes to lace to my front hub. I haven't fully trued up and tightened the wheel because I don't have a spoke wrench or a stand but, I checked the hub flange width and discovered the rear was narrower than the front, did I waste my time? I didn't want to use the front spokes because they are bent, but can they be reused if I'm trying to be as thrifty as possible? Both front and rear wheels were 3x.

I guess I did learn how to 3x lace though...

Spoke length calculators exist for a reason.

I eye balled them and they looked the same, but I see that MMs matter. Can I reuse the front spokes even though they're kinda bent?

Maybe?

If you're going to take the time and energy to build a wheel at least use good spokes.

Do you grease the inner hub before you put the cartridge bearings in? (formula hubs)

Found a tutorial, and got the answer.

I need a set of new, low-priced drop bar brake levers for a project I'm planning.

After a bit of shopping, it looks like Tektro is the way to go. But I've run across a buttload of different versions from them. My hands are small & the handlebar I will be using is small too, so I would like a compact lever with a short reach. Can anybody here steer me to which Tektro model is the right choice in this case?

TIA...

Tektro R341

Universal Cycles -- Tektro R341 Brake Levers