Bike Forums - Ask Scrod

Hey Scrod,

Sorry if you've answered these types of questions a million time. Thought I'd bug you with more.. haha

Anyways, I'm in the process of building my Leader 725 and I'm planning on getting SRAM Omniums. I'm just deciding on which size would be optimal for me.. I've searched around a bit and used an online calculator and found that with my inseam: 32", it would be good to get a 167.5mm crank length? I've also found that for my size its okay to go with the 170mm. Could you chime in on this? I have a 55cm bike frame. Thanks again in advance.

There's no actual way to answer this question. Two people with the same inseam and proportions could easily use two different length crank arms. While some of it has to do with math and numbers, a lot of it also has to do with your ability, riding style and what you are comfortable with.

I used 170mm for a long time until I recently figured out that 165mm feels much better.

jalopyman

05-31-14 10:47 PM

Thanks for your last reply.
Not a question, but I thought you might be entertained by the fact that the root of Godzilla in Japanese means "Whale Gorilla", which alludes to its marine birthing grounds.

Scrodzilla

06-01-14 10:51 AM

As a longtime fan of the original Godzilla movies (I still own the entire box set on VHS), I was aware of that. But thanks for sharing!

prooftheory

06-01-14 11:07 AM

Did you see the new one yet?

Scrodzilla

06-01-14 11:39 AM

I haven't seen any of the "new" ones.

Philasteve

06-01-14 10:52 PM

Do you have any plans on selling tubes on the RG website? The one's I get from my LBS keep breaking, where the tube is vulcanized to the valve after a few months it starts to rip there. They're bontrager standard, I know pretty much all tubes are the same but do you have any recommendations?

TejanoTrackie

06-01-14 11:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Philasteve (Post 16812728)

Same experience here with Bontrager tubes. I now just buy Q-tubes (QBC) from Universal Cycles, which run $4 to $5 and are mostly Kendas. Only a few failures with dozens of them over the years. Also, Continental tubes are very good, but a bit more expensive. I can understand why RG wouldn't bother to carry generic items like tubes, which are so widely available.

Philasteve

06-02-14 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TejanoTrackie (Post 16812754)

Thanks for the suggqestion man, I think i'm going to order 2 of the $5 Q-tubes. I actually could order the Continental and be happy also. I was paying $7.41 for those bontrager's so it's not far off.

Scrodzilla

06-02-14 11:44 AM

Bontranger loosely translated to English is "garbage". http://www.bikeforums.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

Continental tubes are thicker and made of more supple rubber. In my experience, they are very good but I sell more Q-tubes than anything else here at the shop.

AristoNYC

06-02-14 11:50 AM

Can you be my new best friend if I get the job I applied for in San Diego?

Scrodzilla

06-02-14 01:38 PM

I can't guarantee you'll get the position but you can certainly fill out an application.

TMonk

06-02-14 02:06 PM

hahahahha

good answer.

steady407

06-02-14 03:19 PM

I currently have a generic stem that's 1 1/8th forged alloy and it's 26mm w/ a 90mm ext... I want to upgrade to one with a 31.8mm clamp. Any suggestions? kinda want to stay below 70$. Btw if i switch to riser bars should i get one with a longer extension?

Scrodzilla

06-02-14 03:42 PM

The Deda Zero1 is probably the best bang for the buck 31.8 stem out there (Deda labels them as "31.7" but it is perfectly fine to use with any 31.8mm handlebar).

When switching to risers it's usually a good idea to go with a longer stem because your hands will end up being a little closer to you. I switch back and forth between risers and compact drops often and use a 100mm with drops and 110mm with risers.

steady407

06-02-14 04:07 PM

Thank you for the quick reply.

cw_	06-02-14 06:20 PM

I have a Purefix bike but I would like to upgrade my frame to a Leader 725. Can I just swap all of my hardware onto that frame? I'm new to the whole biking/fix gear scene. Just want know if everything will fit. I will be upgrading every part eventually but this is just so I have a running bike to get around on rather than just buying the Leader frame and building off of that. Thanks!

Dannihilator

06-02-14 10:23 PM

Why do FSA Compact drop bars suck so much?

TMonk

06-02-14 10:43 PM

hey!!! by fsa "compacts" do you mean omega or wing pro?

I have them on my track and road bikes and like them both!

Scrodzilla

06-03-14 12:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cw_ (Post 16815518)

Everything except the seatpost. The Leader will need a 27.2mm and I'm pretty sure the Pure Fix is 25.4mm.

Scrodzilla

06-03-14 12:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dannihilator (Post 16816081)

Why do FSA Compact drop bars suck so much?

They don't!

I do find the top portion of the Wing Pro to be a little too flat though and prefer the Deda RHM02.

rndstr

06-03-14 04:17 AM

Hey Scrod, I bought a Phil Wood bottom bracket for my omniums but it seems its non-driveside's hole is ~24mm in diameter while the one on the original gxp bb is 22mm. There is also a clear wiggle room if I put the cranks in which doesn't happen on the original one.
The driveside is 24mm on both bbs.

Any idea whether I'm doing it wrong or got the wrong bb or I should use an adapter?

Edit: I now found a post that explicitly says "SRAM's GXP cranks have a 24mm spindle that steps down to 22mm on the non-drive side." which would suggest that I got the wrong PW BB?

Dannihilator

06-03-14 07:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scrodzilla (Post 16816269)

They don't!

I do find the top portion of the Wing Pro to be a little too flat though and prefer the Deda RHM02.

Neither omega or wing pro. Perhaps I'm just not compatible with compact drops.

Scrodzilla

06-03-14 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rndstr (Post 16816408)

You bought the right BB but to use it with Sram cranks you also need to buy the Phil Wood Sram/Truvativ adapter, which needs to be pressed in (like a cartridge bearing) on the NDS after the plastic dust cap has been removed. Installing the adapter will be tricky without using an actual bearing press.

https://www.philwood.com/products/bbpages/outboard.php

FWIW, if you ordered it directly from Phil Wood's site they would have pressed in the adapter for you had you specified you were using it on Sram cranks. The ones we order for the shop always come pre-assembled.