Scrod,

Found a Sugino VP double crankset at the co-op. The crank arms are pretty nice, but the chainrings are made of steel. What's a nice 52-53t 110bcd chainring? It's going on the townie.

https://s-hphotos-iad1.fbcdn.net/hph...11872927_o.jpg

how do you like the sugino VPs? I have a pair laying around and cant decide if i want to put them on my bike or not

I would just go with a Sugino Standard.

Haven't ridden on them yet, but they certainly look and feel a lot more substantial than the 105 cranks that are on it now. Those Shimanos are SUPER flexy.

Ugh. This townie is getting expensive.

Scrod,

So I managed to get the rim pretty straight after I felt the tension was good. I can't seem to true it anymore though. It'll have a SLIGHT wobble that's in like, maybe half of the spokes on the wheel, and I just can't seem to fix it. I try to true only two or three spokes at a time, but that seems to make it worse. Should I just give up and say good enough? lol

If your rim is not rubbing your brakes, go for it. Racing downhill, I have had some horrendously untrue wheels. Im sure if you ride it a bit, then throw it back on the stand, you should be able to fix most of your problems.


/notscrod

EDIT:
If you just bought brand new wheel components, don't follow my advice. Only do what I said above for crappy components you don't really care about.

Don't listen to PlattsVegas. There's a big difference between a wheel that's "good enough" and a properly built wheel.

Keep trying, man. You'll get it. If your spokes are all really tight, you'll be able to dial it in by both loosening and tightening certain nipples in extremely small increments. Not having a truing stand makes it a little more tricky but I have faith in you calv!

How are you radially? No hops?

I gotta return this spoke wrench to the lbs. I guess I'll just order one online. I don't want to drop 40 dollars to true my wheelset :/

If the tension really is high then perhaps loosen the spokes a turn and try to true the rim again. It is easier to true when the spokes aren't real tight

You got it calv! :thumb:

Whenever food threads get started you always post awesome food, so I trust your judgment in food. What should I eat for dinner? I need to study all night and my brain is currently shutting down, so I need to buy something on my way back to the lab.

Dearest Scrod, a friend is coming in town this evening whom I haven't seen in years. I'm thinking about going and getting tattooed together (not matching, cuz no ****). I'm debating between an anchor with "Hold Fast" in script cuz I dig old school sailor tattoos, or an outline of Chicago city limits with the city flag in it cuz I love Chicago. Which would you get?

"Hold Fast" tattoos are played out. Go for the Chicago one because it actually means something.

****, dude...I don't know. If it helps any, I just made a killer sandwich consisting of grilled uncured Canadaian bacon, lettuce, tomato, cucumber, avocado and a little bit of brie on freshly baked marble rye bread.

Yeah, I was leaning that way, but dude forgot his ID, so no tattoos.

Scrod,

When/how did you become a moderator?

I don't know. I just woke up one morning and had these super powers.

Scrod,

I have a 1988 Trek 660 frame that I am interested in converting to a fixed gear. I was just curious if you happen to know if a SRAM S300 GXP bottom bracket will fit the frame or not. Thanks.

How bad would it be if I grinded down this Tektro brake so a fatter tire clears? Would there be any structural issues or rusts or some bull**** like that?

I'm fairly certain that frame has a standard 68mm English-threaded BB shell so you should be alright.

Aluminum doesn't rust so no worries there. As long as you're not cutting half the thickness away, I wouldn't be too worried about it.

Now, would you kick my ass if I tried to grind it down with a quarter or something because I don't have anything else? :D

No. You'll wear yourself out first.

Dude...if you don't have a file or dremel, sandpaper is cheap.

yah go buy a concave file with knarly teeth.

anywho hi scrod:

What is your opinion on pairing a 25.4 handlebar with a 25.8 stem? beer can shim?
i've read people have used a beer can shim that was just slightly too thin and filling the rest of the space with aluminum foil wrapped a few times...and that the aluminum foil fills in whatever space when compressed....your thoughts? or are you strictly "25.4 stem means 25.4 handlebar" ?

That is a tiny difference. What happens if you just try it without shimming?

i dunno, instant face murder?
lol well i bought a cheapo ebay ritchey 25.8 stem for a rockhopper build (still in mail)
and i have a 25.4 riser already...ill give it a try, it might just clamp without any type of shimming, ill give it a try :thumb:

Depending on the risers, they may not even be an actual 25.4mm. ****, the stem may not even be a true 25.8mm for that matter.

yah thats sort of what i was thinking when i bought the stem...that my 25.4 bars would work just fine in a 25.8 stem...and that the bars could be more like a 25.5 and the stem more like 25.7...and that .2 of a mm is not enough to worry about.

i just have read exact opposite reactions to shimming bars....
theres the "its no biggie" group, and the "omg ur gonna die" group.
im sort of in the first, but i tend to listen to actual bike mechanics over people with unfounded opinions on the internet

Beer can shim it if you really need to.

Wouldn't a soup can shim work if you needed something slightly thicker?