So..... cycling - Page 15

Jonny69 · 26-09-2010, 16:45

And now I present to you last week's top score: the Yellow Peril

A chap at work wanted a new mountain bike and his wife wouldn't let him have a new bike until he got rid of one. He'd been pestering me for ages about it and I finally backed down and agreed to take it last Thursday. Monday morning there was a brand new bike in the bike shed at work and this one at my house

Under the ridiculously thick yellow paint it's a 1979-1981 Peugeot with 40-spoke 27" wheels and a single speed flip-flop hub at the back, so I can run single or fixed:

Why is it called the Yellow Peril? Well, aside from the very keen steering geometry it seems to have, at some point a previous owner decided it would be a great idea to paint the rims yellow as well. So that meant no brakes, basically. Coupled with a very distorted tyre, brakes round the wrong way and very low front bars it was quite a mission to ride. I've sorted all that, got some new tyres on their way and hoiked the bars up a bit:

It rides really nicely. I have to say I do like single speed

I also scored a cheap, very old, battered Brooks saddle for the Viscount. Slathered on loads of clear polish top and bottom and gave it a shine, here's what it looks like:

They say these can be uncomfortable but I quite like it

Goose · 29-09-2010, 14:38

I need to buy a bike from you, methinks!

I borrowed my girlfriend's bike today when popping into town, as I'm yet to ship my bike over. Coaster brakes are the worst inventions ever! I was zipping along, thinking that if the chain comes off (which still happens these days), I'm toast! Who invented these terrible things!

LeperousDust · 29-09-2010, 17:02

Jonny you do score some beauts you ********. Thats a decent single speed. I do and don't want a single speed. I want one for sheer love of their simplicity. But Edinburgh is far from flat, and i live over the other side of a massive hill. I've tried cycling in the same gear and although i can do it. It would fast **** me off... Either way the frame on that is probably something gorgeous

Jonny69 · 30-09-2010, 13:30

Interestingly it's easier to get up hills with a single-speed than it is with a geared bike in the same gear. I couldn't work it out at first when someone told me, but it is definitely easier. I can only guess that the derailleur and the chain angle saps a lot more energy than you think it does. I've been told that running fixed is even more efficient again, because there's no lash from the freewheel or anything.

LeperousDust · 30-09-2010, 22:50

No seriously thats what people with fixed and single speed tell you because theyre delusional, it cant possibly be easier. But you generally do get on with it! Im sure i'd manage but im trying to work out why id really want one except that theyre cool...

Jonny69 · 02-10-2010, 22:35

I've just got a bit carried away on eBay. Got some NOS alloy 36H and 40H (rare as wotsits) 700c rims on their way which I can lace up to the hubs on the Yellow Peril, 700x20c Michelin tan-wall tyres and an alloy seatpost to replace the cracked chrome one. This just got WAY too expensive and out of hand

I think, more sensibly, I wanted 27" rims so I could use the same tyres. The rims need replacing anyway because they aren't straight and the braking surface is knackered, but this way they can outlive the bike because they will fit everything else. Plus I get to use ultra narrow tyres that you can't get for 27" wheels

LeperousDust · 03-10-2010, 01:31

I have 23c tyres and i can feel evvvvverything

Still uber jealous. But i still keep telling myself i REALLY don't need a bike that isn't dirt cheap. Its just too easy to get carried away though...!

Jonny69 · 03-10-2010, 14:24

I know. The wheels and tyres now owe me the best part of £100. I wasn't intending for that to happen

I took a ride out in London shopping with the wheel on the fixed gear for the first time. It's pretty strange to ride. The bit I can't explain is why the bike doesn't slow down when you stop pedalling. Normally if you want to shave off a tiny amount of speed you just coast, but I felt myself grabbing for the brake quite a lot because it didn't slow by itself.

LeperousDust · 03-10-2010, 14:48

Fixed is just wrong man! I can understand single, and kinda want that myself. But fixed is silly/dangerous!

£100 for just rims and tyres is steep. I've not even paid anything like that for my mtb! Worst was £90 for front and rear mavic 717 disc rims with hope pro II hubs and some nice maxxiss tyres. Although i've since cracked the rear hub me thinks

Jonny69 · 03-10-2010, 16:39

I thought it was quite reasonable! Road rims can get very expensive with entry level cheapies at about £20 each, then tyres can be quite a bit if you want performance and puncture resistance. I had to find a 40-hole rim which are basically non-existant but a NOS at £30 didn't seem too bad. Matched it with a NOS Mavic that looks like it might have the same profile. Like I said, they are more of an investment, so won't go with the bike if I sell it. Plus there will be the luurve of lacing them up myself, which I'm dead excited about [getting wrong]

26-09-2010, 16:45	#141
Jonny69 Noob Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Socialist Republik of Kent Posts: 5,032	And now I present to you last week's top score: the Yellow Peril A chap at work wanted a new mountain bike and his wife wouldn't let him have a new bike until he got rid of one. He'd been pestering me for ages about it and I finally backed down and agreed to take it last Thursday. Monday morning there was a brand new bike in the bike shed at work and this one at my house Under the ridiculously thick yellow paint it's a 1979-1981 Peugeot with 40-spoke 27" wheels and a single speed flip-flop hub at the back, so I can run single or fixed: Why is it called the Yellow Peril? Well, aside from the very keen steering geometry it seems to have, at some point a previous owner decided it would be a great idea to paint the rims yellow as well. So that meant no brakes, basically. Coupled with a very distorted tyre, brakes round the wrong way and very low front bars it was quite a mission to ride. I've sorted all that, got some new tyres on their way and hoiked the bars up a bit: It rides really nicely. I have to say I do like single speed I also scored a cheap, very old, battered Brooks saddle for the Viscount. Slathered on loads of clear polish top and bottom and gave it a shine, here's what it looks like: They say these can be uncomfortable but I quite like it __________________

29-09-2010, 14:38	#142
Goose The list is long, but distinguished Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Århus, Denmark Posts: 1,643	I need to buy a bike from you, methinks! I borrowed my girlfriend's bike today when popping into town, as I'm yet to ship my bike over. Coaster brakes are the worst inventions ever! I was zipping along, thinking that if the chain comes off (which still happens these days), I'm toast! Who invented these terrible things! __________________

29-09-2010, 17:02	#143
LeperousDust Bananaman Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Liverpool/Edinburgh Posts: 4,817	Jonny you do score some beauts you ******. Thats a decent single speed. I do and don't want a single speed. I want one for sheer love of their simplicity. But Edinburgh is far from flat, and i live over the other side of a massive hill. I've tried cycling in the same gear and although i can do it. It would fast ** me off... Either way the frame on that is probably something gorgeous __________________

30-09-2010, 13:30	#144
Jonny69 Noob Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Socialist Republik of Kent Posts: 5,032	Interestingly it's easier to get up hills with a single-speed than it is with a geared bike in the same gear. I couldn't work it out at first when someone told me, but it is definitely easier. I can only guess that the derailleur and the chain angle saps a lot more energy than you think it does. I've been told that running fixed is even more efficient again, because there's no lash from the freewheel or anything. __________________

30-09-2010, 22:50	#145
LeperousDust Bananaman Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Liverpool/Edinburgh Posts: 4,817	No seriously thats what people with fixed and single speed tell you because theyre delusional, it cant possibly be easier. But you generally do get on with it! Im sure i'd manage but im trying to work out why id really want one except that theyre cool... __________________

02-10-2010, 22:35	#146
Jonny69 Noob Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Socialist Republik of Kent Posts: 5,032	I've just got a bit carried away on eBay. Got some NOS alloy 36H and 40H (rare as wotsits) 700c rims on their way which I can lace up to the hubs on the Yellow Peril, 700x20c Michelin tan-wall tyres and an alloy seatpost to replace the cracked chrome one. This just got WAY too expensive and out of hand I think, more sensibly, I wanted 27" rims so I could use the same tyres. The rims need replacing anyway because they aren't straight and the braking surface is knackered, but this way they can outlive the bike because they will fit everything else. Plus I get to use ultra narrow tyres that you can't get for 27" wheels __________________

03-10-2010, 01:31	#147
LeperousDust Bananaman Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Liverpool/Edinburgh Posts: 4,817	I have 23c tyres and i can feel evvvvverything Still uber jealous. But i still keep telling myself i REALLY don't need a bike that isn't dirt cheap. Its just too easy to get carried away though...! __________________

03-10-2010, 14:24	#148
Jonny69 Noob Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Socialist Republik of Kent Posts: 5,032	I know. The wheels and tyres now owe me the best part of £100. I wasn't intending for that to happen I took a ride out in London shopping with the wheel on the fixed gear for the first time. It's pretty strange to ride. The bit I can't explain is why the bike doesn't slow down when you stop pedalling. Normally if you want to shave off a tiny amount of speed you just coast, but I felt myself grabbing for the brake quite a lot because it didn't slow by itself. __________________

03-10-2010, 14:48	#149
LeperousDust Bananaman Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Liverpool/Edinburgh Posts: 4,817	Fixed is just wrong man! I can understand single, and kinda want that myself. But fixed is silly/dangerous! £100 for just rims and tyres is steep. I've not even paid anything like that for my mtb! Worst was £90 for front and rear mavic 717 disc rims with hope pro II hubs and some nice maxxiss tyres. Although i've since cracked the rear hub me thinks __________________

03-10-2010, 16:39	#150
Jonny69 Noob Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Socialist Republik of Kent Posts: 5,032	I thought it was quite reasonable! Road rims can get very expensive with entry level cheapies at about £20 each, then tyres can be quite a bit if you want performance and puncture resistance. I had to find a 40-hole rim which are basically non-existant but a NOS at £30 didn't seem too bad. Matched it with a NOS Mavic that looks like it might have the same profile. Like I said, they are more of an investment, so won't go with the bike if I sell it. Plus there will be the luurve of lacing them up myself, which I'm dead excited about [getting wrong] __________________