Aw jeeze, here we go again...

[davkatreb]

So I swapped the cheapie dual pivots on my road bike for some nice old 600 sidepulls. Now I've got fender clearance. And I'm climbing pretty good now with just a road double. (Singlespeed content coming; hold on.) And 2x7, barcons, friction is all the gearing I will ever need. Looks like I've finally got my all-rounder.

So I'm looking at my Crosscheck and thinking, "Crap, look at that thing. The shift cables aren't taped so the barcons could come off. Derailleurs? Two screws and Poof! Gone. Swap cranks. Put about a 6mm spacer on either side on my fixed wheel, pull off the skidded to death slick and put on the cross tire, done and done.

I mean it's not like I NEED two geared bikes. And I bet if I left both brakes and put a freewheel on the flop I'd even try actually racing cyclocross. (Mmmmm, cowbell...)

And it would be SO much more versatile than that old Raleigh I've got halfway converted. Shit, I could even mount those 700x38s I have in the garage and STILL run fenders. Hey, know what? I could mount the BIG tires on the fixed wheelset and put a Surly singlespeed cog on the wheelset that's on the Crosscheck now and use that for cross. (I've seen cross, and I doan' need no steenkin' gears.)

And that old HooKoo I got half took apart in the garage? Lack of shifty woodsy bike would be just the kick in the arse I need to put it together.

Or I could just leave well enough alone...

[cMc]

You can dooooo iiiiiiiiiiit, man!

You know you wanna. ;)

[fudgedit]

Geez, I don't know (do it) if you should. Why would ( do it ) you want to mess ( do it ) your bikes like that? It doesn't make (do it) sense. ;) Seems to be that time of year when old guys want to start mussing with things. Pretty soon we will be oiling the guns and shooting brown critters.

[Spalls]

It's autumn, the time when a man thinks of winter projects. Do it. Change is good. If yer not happy with the results, change 'em back and you will be that much happier. What's to lose, other than some trips to the LBS for random parts? Could be worse.

I think you are on to something with doing 'cross singlespeed. I saw several people drop chains at a race I went to last weekend.

[tryandgetme]

sounds like you already got yourself convinced dave, what do you need us for!? :D

[davkatreb]

So I swapped the cheapie dual pivots on my road bike for some nice old 600 sidepulls. Now I've got fender clearance.

NOT!!!! Crap, even with those nice roomy Shimano 600 sidepulls I can't squeeze a fender in there. @%$!& DANG!!! And they aren't but 700x26 tires. Shit! DAMN!!@! Why can't all road bikes be designed by Grant Peterson? Sonsabitches...

[fudgedit]

Dav-I was lucky several years ago and salvaged some long reach calipers off of a Bridgestone touring frame. They fit 35mm tires with fenders with some room to spare. You might try these from Harris Cyclery (sheldon brown) Tektro 984 Extra Long Reach Calipers $19.95 each complete, black only. Sorry couldn't get the link to work.

[davkatreb]

'Preciate it, Fudgie, but I don't think brake reach is the problem. The damned thing just wasn't designed with enough clearance. Plus, it doesn't have a chainstay bridge making fender attachment even more of a chore. Jeeze, why is everything made for racer wannabees? Still, it ain't a bad bike for what it is.

Oh well, I did about a 30 mile road loop on the Crosscheck yesterday. Still geared, yet. And yeah, I spent some time in the pussy ring and was glad to have it. Guess I'll leave the Crosscheck geared for awhile as I really need something for road riding with fenders. And a rack. And a cooler full of drinks. Mmmmm, refreshing...

[robcycle]

Guess I'll leave the Crosscheck geared for awhile as I really need something for road riding with fenders. And a rack. And a cooler full of drinks. Mmmmm, refreshing...
Don't worry, Dave, you'll be back. There's something in the Kool-Aid!::D

-Rob

P.S.- Quit pussy-footing around and FIX that Hoo-Koo. How long have you been talking about it? Two years!:p

-Rob.

[davkatreb]

Okay, so I've decided to leave well enough alone with the Crosscheck. Yeah, yeah, that totally ain't like me, but I finally got that old Raleigh fixie conversion squared away to where I can halfway stand to ride it. Spent a good long time today in the drops, spinning like a MoFro. It was good. And at 65 gear inches I really don't even need a brake. And the clearance is enormous. Hell, I bet I could mount those 700x38s and STILL have room for fenders.
Life is finally starting to make sense.

[davkatreb]

Oh yeah, and for those who got nothing better to think about-The HooKoo has given up some parts to the Crosscheck. When I get everything squared away the HooKoo will remain Singleated, at least for now.

But what it really wants is geared with drop bars and barend shifters. That ain't what it's getting, but that's what it wants.

Six bikes? Jeebus! Seriously, it probably costs less to drive.

[Cricket]

did you just reply to your own post?
17958

[robcycle]

did you just reply to your own post?
17958I think he was replying to the "Fix the Hoo-Koo, Gal-Darn-It!" post, but I could be wrong. ;)

And don't worry, Dave, someone asked me to count the number of bikes I have the other day and it was seven functional and two frames, and I share a two bedroom apartment (with a 4x8 cage in the basement) with another guy. And the funny thing is ... the collection has been downsized since the divorce :p

-Rob.