The "what bike bits have you just bought" thread Vol 2

[defblade]

Got around to fitting the new bits I bought further up the thread.

46cm gravel bars as OE are now 40cm Zipp Service Course 80, as decided by my shoulder size.

I still wanted more bulk to the tops (long hands/fingers), so added some extra strips of bar tape under the wrapping. This meant that there was a sudden big drop in size just where I needed the wrap to end, so had to finish off with more insulating tape than I would have liked... comfort > pretty, this time around.
Fairly happy with my first wrapping in 20 years or so though, feels lovely underhand.

[nails1979]

I managed to get my hands on a Hope Fortus 30 rear wheel for my 160 action team as the shimano free hub was dying after only 900 ish miles ( some quite tough rides in there though and) and also built a slide out bike carrier. Works a treat.
I'm not sure which I'm more pleased with.

[IroningMan]

defblade said:

Got around to fitting the new bits I bought further up the thread.

46cm gravel bars as OE are now 40cm Zipp Service Course 80, as decided by my shoulder size.

I still wanted more bulk to the tops (long hands/fingers), so added some extra strips of bar tape under the wrapping. This meant that there was a sudden big drop in size just where I needed the wrap to end, so had to finish off with more insulating tape than I would have liked... comfort > pretty, this time around.
Fairly happy with my first wrapping in 20 years or so though, feels lovely underhand.

That looks like the Fizik tape I use - it's very good and seems to last much better than anything else I've tried, too.

[MiltonBaines]

nails1979 said:

I managed to get my hands on a Hope Fortus 30 rear wheel for my 160 action team as the shimano free hub was dying after only 900 ish miles ( some quite tough rides in there though and) and also built a slide out bike carrier. Works a treat.
I'm not sure which I'm more pleased with.

May I ask what van that is, make and model, I'm not so good with recognising commercials from their lights and am looking to buy something similar.

Are the rear seats in use in this pic or are they slid too far forward? Also can't work out if the middle seat of the three is missing?

I need a people carrier with a similar set up, 2/3 front seats, then 3 in the rear with at least one removable or foldable to give a bit of extra length.

Looks like you have a good set up there, cheers

[MiltonBaines]

take-good-care-of-the-forest-dewey said:

MiltonBaines said:

The good thing about adding accent or contrasting colours with grips and pedals is they are cheap items that will need replacing relatively often. On my matt black bike I've gone with pink, next summer I'll choose something else.

Oil slick though... are you 12?!

Edited by MiltonBaines on Wednesday 23 June 20:31

When I bmx'd in the 80s it (oilslick) was cool AF. Sadly my pocket money didn't extend to anything cool... Just replacing rear tyres from imoressiving girls with skids and getting wheels trued.

Now I'm my 40s I'm reliving my youth and I can afford tacky ste to bolt onto my bike.

E.g. Oilslick spokes and valve on my carbon wheelset. To be fair, the bike is raw ally so a little colour helps it not be completely monochrome.

The 12 YO me loves it So does my 12 YO son.
Sadly girls STILL aren't impressed with skids and wheelies - wife just tuts loudly.

I don't mind oil slick in moderation, at the local pump track there are a couple of BMX that are full oil slick, frame, wheels, bars... They look so Argos. My opinion is also swayed by my 7yr old boy who thinks oil slick is for kids... he wants dull matte colours like the adult BMXers have. Jeez they grow up so fast these days.

[hyphen]

defblade said:

Got around to fitting the new bits I bought further up the thread.

46cm gravel bars as OE are now 40cm Zipp Service Course 80, as decided by my shoulder size.

Noob question, but why gravel bars? As your tyres are smooth and not grippy so assuming you are road?

[defblade]

IroningMan said:

defblade said:

That looks like the Fizik tape I use - it's very good and seems to last much better than anything else I've tried, too.

Fizik Tempo Microtex Bondcrush Soft... lovely suede-y feel, just been out for half an hour or so tonight with it, seemed really nice, and it didn't notice when I got heavily showered on (which is why I wasn't out for an hour!)

hyphen said:

defblade said:

46cm gravel bars as OE are now 40cm Zipp Service Course 80, as decided by my shoulder size.

Noob question, but why gravel bars? As your tyres are smooth and not grippy so assuming you are road?

The bike came with gravel bars; the "gravel" bit was really just the wide flare on the drops... I suspect it was mainly a fashion choice by the manufacturer; tbf this bike is not designed as an out-and-out racer, so it maybe made a bit of sense if you squint. I wouldn't have worried one way or the other and left them there, but they were just far too wide for me.

The new bars are road bars, although they do have a small flare to the drops as well - this time aimed at wrist position and clearance when out of the saddle while holding them. And a small backwards sweep to the tops - again, for better wrist angle.
If I seem a little keen on the wrist thing, it's because I broke my left wrist in a motorbike crash some years back, and when these things aren't right on a pushbike, I fairly quickly end up with not-exactly-pain-but-tingly-come-pins-and-needles problems in the last 2 fingers and palm below them on that hand.

[MrBarry123]

MiltonBaines said:

May I ask what van that is, make and model, I'm not so good with recognising commercials from their lights and am looking to buy something similar.

Are the rear seats in use in this pic or are they slid too far forward? Also can't work out if the middle seat of the three is missing?

I need a people carrier with a similar set up, 2/3 front seats, then 3 in the rear with at least one removable or foldable to give a bit of extra length.

Looks like you have a good set up there, cheers

My money is on a Citroen Dispatch.

[IroningMan]

defblade said:

Fizik Tempo Microtex Bondcrush Soft... lovely suede-y feel, just been out for half an hour or so tonight with it, seemed really nice, and it didn't notice when I got heavily showered on (which is why I wasn't out for an hour!)

This has done 10,000km without needing any attention.

[Robster]

This turned up quicker than I thought !

[MiltonBaines]

Pedals and grips for my new Orbea Laufey. Dyedbro kit to apply and waiting for a renthal bar to come. Then I might be able to ride the thing.

[Robster]

MiltonBaines said:

Pedals and grips for my new Orbea Laufey. Dyedbro kit to apply and waiting for a renthal bar to come. Then I might be able to ride the thing.

Nice choice of colours

[nails1979]

MiltonBaines said:

nails1979 said:

I managed to get my hands on a Hope Fortus 30 rear wheel for my 160 action team as the shimano free hub was dying after only 900 ish miles ( some quite tough rides in there though and) and also built a slide out bike carrier. Works a treat.
I'm not sure which I'm more pleased with.

May I ask what van that is, make and model, I'm not so good with recognising commercials from their lights and am looking to buy something similar.

Are the rear seats in use in this pic or are they slid too far forward? Also can't work out if the middle seat of the three is missing?

I need a people carrier with a similar set up, 2/3 front seats, then 3 in the rear with at least one removable or foldable to give a bit of extra length.

Looks like you have a good set up there, cheers

Its a 2012 citreon dispatch L2 2.0 hdi (a 9 seater). I've removed the 3 seats in the back and left the front and middle row. So it's still a 6 seater ( middle seat is folded down in the pic). I looked at quite a few different options and discounted the VW range because of badge tax, transits because of rustyness and people seemed to like the dispatch/expert/scudo for being reasonably cheap and OK to drive. Its still a van though, noisy and lots of clanging and rattling from it. Done a couple of 100 miles + trips in it and get around 40mpg. The tray in the back slides out 1.5 metres so really easy to get bikes on and off, especially heavy emtbs.

[Rich135]

Mars said:

It all turned up today. It's really decent stuff. I'll fix it to my bike after work.

I went this route too, you will be very pleased with it.

[louiebaby]

nails1979 said:

Its a 2012 citreon dispatch L2 2.0 hdi (a 9 seater). I've removed the 3 seats in the back and left the front and middle row. So it's still a 6 seater ( middle seat is folded down in the pic). I looked at quite a few different options and discounted the VW range because of badge tax, transits because of rustyness and people seemed to like the dispatch/expert/scudo for being reasonably cheap and OK to drive. Its still a van though, noisy and lots of clanging and rattling from it. Done a couple of 100 miles + trips in it and get around 40mpg. The tray in the back slides out 1.5 metres so really easy to get bikes on and off, especially heavy emtbs.

When I was looking, this van / range of vans seemed the best option really. I looked at ex-motorbility stuff too, as they would already have a ramp in them.

Thanks for the info on mpg, very useful.

[MiltonBaines]

nails1979 said:

MiltonBaines said:

nails1979 said:

I managed to get my hands on a Hope Fortus 30 rear wheel for my 160 action team as the shimano free hub was dying after only 900 ish miles ( some quite tough rides in there though and) and also built a slide out bike carrier. Works a treat.
I'm not sure which I'm more pleased with.

May I ask what van that is, make and model, I'm not so good with recognising commercials from their lights and am looking to buy something similar.

Are the rear seats in use in this pic or are they slid too far forward? Also can't work out if the middle seat of the three is missing?

I need a people carrier with a similar set up, 2/3 front seats, then 3 in the rear with at least one removable or foldable to give a bit of extra length.

Looks like you have a good set up there, cheers

Its a 2012 citreon dispatch L2 2.0 hdi (a 9 seater). I've removed the 3 seats in the back and left the front and middle row. So it's still a 6 seater ( middle seat is folded down in the pic). I looked at quite a few different options and discounted the VW range because of badge tax, transits because of rustyness and people seemed to like the dispatch/expert/scudo for being reasonably cheap and OK to drive. Its still a van though, noisy and lots of clanging and rattling from it. Done a couple of 100 miles + trips in it and get around 40mpg. The tray in the back slides out 1.5 metres so really easy to get bikes on and off, especially heavy emtbs.

Thanks for the reply and info, someone else above said it was a Dispatch and I had a google and they certainly seem pretty good value compared to VW/Transits. Your seat set up looks to be what I need too, 6 seats with the flexibility to fold one down for longer bikes. Tax seems pretty high but I think most diesels are these days, will have to look into any ULEZ issues but I'm certainly going to consider one now, thanks again.

[trails]

MiltonBaines said:

Pedals and grips for my new Orbea Laufey. Dyedbro kit to apply and waiting for a renthal bar to come. Then I might be able to ride the thing.

Wot no flange

[DoubleSix]

Ti spindle and Mg body…

[MockingJay]

Le Col x Strava jersey. £25 with a code from Strava. Decent.

[MiltonBaines]

trails said:

MiltonBaines said:

Pedals and grips for my new Orbea Laufey. Dyedbro kit to apply and waiting for a renthal bar to come. Then I might be able to ride the thing.

Wot no flange

My only experience of flanged grips was with a 1980s Raleigh Bomber, once the original foam grips wore out my dad replaced them with hideous grips with plastic chrome flanges. I got so many blisters from them. Never seen the point of flanges, considered them when buying these deathgrips but didn't see how they don't get in the way. And most importantly I think they look a bit naff.