I like old Panasonics and think it will make a great conversion.

Yeah, I'm looking forward to working on the bike. I have yet to decide if I can afford a flip flop wheelset, or if I'll just get a new rear hub and teach myself to lace rims.

So About a week ago I busted my chain in the middle of an intersection lucky I did not get run over by a car.
I replaced the chain with a bran new 1/8 KMC k410 the rest of the drive train is also 1/8.
The chain is not too tight and it is the only thing I replaced, now the bike is very noisy when under load.
The bike is quiet on the bike stand and the chain line is good.
Any Suggestions?

It's a new chain on an older cog and chainring. New chains are loud. Ride your bike.

Scrod, I've tried some googling, and the responses seem mixed, so I figured I may as well ask. I'm right about 200lbs on the nose, and ride around Chicago, so the terrain isn't exactly far from off-road on most of our busy streets, but I try to be gentle about riding off of/over curbs and potholes the like.

I'm working on building up my bike and I've always liked the look of wheels with less spokes, and I'm wondering how few I could realistically get away with. Some people seem to be of the mind that any urban riding pretty much requires 32h rims/hubs, and I suppose that makes sense, just curious what your take on it is. I was hoping I could get away with something like 28 or 24h for a new wheelset, but I don't know very much about how strong bike wheels really are, and of course I'm not trying to have one fold on me while riding in traffic.

If it helps, the bike is an old steel Motobecane, so it weighs a decent bit, probably just under 30lbs, but I'm not a messenger, and don't often ride with much more than a laptop and some clothes for cargo.

Personally, I wouldn't bother with riding wheels with less than 28 spokes on a fixed gear bike seeing daily use. This being said, all my bikes have 32h wheels and I very rarely need to mess with them.

It isn't fixed gear, though I'm not positive if that matters at all in context, but there that is. Maybe I'll just stick with 32s, just to be safe, and because not having to mess with them much sounds ideal.

tried. no dice. thanks for the idea anyway. I'm just going to ride it as is until i can find another nds cranks on that auction site or something.

Does this sound like a good idea? to run a Sugino Messenger chainring 44t with 19t fixed cog on one side and 15t on the other? I kind of want something that gets me in the 60 gear inch range as well as the high 70s. I run 48x17 right now on my kilo and that seems to fit me well.

also are there more issues with running a small chainring like a 44t compared to running with a 48t?

Bigger gears are smoother and won't wear out drivetrain components as quickly as similar gear inches on smaller gears.

Congrats on 300 pages.

The Urban Platforms only have one slot on the underside for a strap to go through. Should I do something like zip-tie the loose one to hold it in place. Or, is that anal overthinking, especially since I havn't had any problems.

There's really no need to do that. I'm using doubles with my Urban Platforms and the straps stay put.

Thanks.

Small town life..........you sent the pedals out last Monday. They got to the "sort facility" in Atlanta at 3:46 AM last Wednesday. Atlanta finally saw fit to get them the last sixty miles to our PO today after sitting around for five days. The maillady saw that I had a package when she finished her route and noticed how long they had been sitting in Atlanta. She put 'em in her car and ran by my house on her way home to give them to me.

Gotcha, I'll probably go with a 48t chainring then, and get cogs that can lower me down into the 60 range as well as keep me up in the high 70 range seeing as how i ride around 76 gear inches.

hey scrod

So im currently using a set of Sram omniums. I was out riding tonight and I went to push off at a light and it felt like the crank slipped forward if that makes any sense. Checked everything out and it seemed fine but noticed on the way home that the bike would make a squeeking noise it didnt matter if I was pedaling slow or trying to pick up speed.

You think something is wrong with my gxp bb?

I am gonna take apart the bike tomorrow and check out the BB and apply some grease.
If the BB is messed up any recommendations on a new one?

BTW cranks and BB were installed by an LBS.

I'm thinking I'll go with the fyxation rodeo pursuit bars for my panasonic conversion, have wanted a pair of bullhorns for the longest time. Since I have the tools and skills required, is it safe to drill my own cable routing? just a hole near the center so I can internally route a bar end brake on the left side. Would this affect the strength of the bars?

edit: and could you recommend a bar end brake that isn't bolt on? Not looking for super high quality, just something that will stop me.

The GXP system consists of two external bearing cups, a spindle attached to the drive side crank arm that passes through their center and a non-drive side crank arm holding it all together. There would be no way for any of it to "slip".

Usually when people think something is wrong with their BB, it turns out their cog/lockring is loose.

i have had this happen to me too. however, i was using speedplays. so it turned out when i pushed off i lifted my back wheel slightly, making it feel like slipping. although i didnt experience squeaking. is it possible you lifted the rear by accident?

You should be alright.

Tektro RX 4.1 should do the trick.

Thanks for the info. I took the bike apart and made sure to apply grease and tighten everything up. Didn't have time to ride before work so I have to wait until later tonight to see if the noise went away.

I am running a cheap lock ring right now. I think I might upgrade that to avoid it getting loose.

Hey Scrod, were you at CicLAvia this sunday on a tall bike and a gopro on a stick?

Nope.

Scrod,

How do you like the MKS Urban Platforms? How durable are the tabs where you mount the clips to?

I had a little bit of trouble flipping them to get my foot in when I first started riding with them but got the hag of it after a few days. They're super comfortable. The clip interface is a little thicker than that on a GR-9 and seems plenty durable to me.

You ever use clipless?

What'd you run back in your BMX days?