Road Cycling Essentials

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GreatAuk said:
Slightly OT as it's a mountain bike, but does anyone know what kind of grease/substance is supposed to be on a seat post?
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You can use any grease - it's just there to stop the seatpost seizing in the tube. Anything you use on the car, Copperslip or even Vaseline will be fine :)

While we're slating tyres, stay away from Michelin Pro 3's. Fixing another puncture this morning, I found a shard of glass through the tyre which looked suspiciously not sharp enough to have gone through. I also pulled out another 5 bits from various nicks around the surface. Sticky tread strikes again. Still, the new Kenda tube I put in was substantially thicker than the old one, so hopefully might be a bit more resistant until the tyres wear out. I'm going for bulletproof over high performance for the next set.
 
Jonny69 said:
While we're slating tyres, stay away from Michelin Pro 3's. Fixing another puncture this morning, I found a shard of glass through the tyre which looked suspiciously not sharp enough to have gone through. I also pulled out another 5 bits from various nicks around the surface. Sticky tread strikes again. Still, the new Kenda tube I put in was substantially thicker than the old one, so hopefully might be a bit more resistant until the tyres wear out. I'm going for bulletproof over high performance for the next set.
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And yet I went 3 years commuting 30 miles a day without puncture on Michelin Pro 3s.

Well; not entirely puncture free. I had both tyres explode on me when I cycled over a large metal object in the dark.
 
platypus said:
And yet I went 3 years commuting 30 miles a day without puncture on Michelin Pro 3s.

Well; not entirely puncture free. I had both tyres explode on me when I cycled over a large metal object in the dark.
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Sounds like me - I've had Schwalbe Stelvio's on my Pinarello for the past couple of years and they have proven to be suspiciously good when it comes to puncture resistance. Apart from the time I also ran over a road works sign frame in the dark which someone had kindly left at the side of the road causing both tubes to explode and a buckle in the front wheel. I did however pick up a puncture a couple of weeks ago in the rear tyre. Pulled away from a set of lights and heard a 'click,click,click' sound as the wheels went round. Stopped to check chain, gears, brakes etc and carried on as they were all fine. Noise still there. Stopped again and flipped the bike over on its saddle and bars and had a closer look to find what I can only describe as the biggest nappy pin I've ever seen sticking out the rear tyre, it was catching on the rear stays as it went round and round making the noise. Tyre hadn't went down so I had that 'Well it needs to come out and it will either stay up or it won't' moment.

It went down. :(
 
Lead_Head said:
Pre-Empting the arrival of my 1200 lumens chinese light, I want to think about weather proofing the batteries.

I understand the soldering isn't great so I'll re-solder the points and then look at surrounding them in something. Do the batteries get hot when charging? I'm thinking a silicone sealant casing might make the batteries explode when charging due to the heat not being able to escape.

Any ideas?

Also, I know someone put up a few links saying the mount wasn't great, was this with the torches and not the magicshine clone?
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Also interested in replies to this. Mine has arrived and I want it fitted for my commute tonight.

Anyone got pics of their installations?
 
Lead_Head said:
Pre-Empting the arrival of my 1200 lumens chinese light, I want to think about weather proofing the batteries.

I understand the soldering isn't great so I'll re-solder the points and then look at surrounding them in something. Do the batteries get hot when charging? I'm thinking a silicone sealant casing might make the batteries explode when charging due to the heat not being able to escape.

Any ideas?

Also, I know someone put up a few links saying the mount wasn't great, was this with the torches and not the magicshine clone?
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Why not just wrap them in a zip lock bag?
 
Lead_Head said:
Pre-Empting the arrival of my 1200 lumens chinese light, I want to think about weather proofing the batteries.

I understand the soldering isn't great so I'll re-solder the points and then look at surrounding them in something. Do the batteries get hot when charging? I'm thinking a silicone sealant casing might make the batteries explode when charging due to the heat not being able to escape.

Any ideas?

Also, I know someone put up a few links saying the mount wasn't great, was this with the torches and not the magicshine clone?
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condom.. no seriously.. :D
 
Just wrap the the pack in fair bit of electrical tape, mines been fine through the absolutely torrential rain we have down here at the moment.
 
Jonny69 said:
I'm going for bulletproof over high performance for the next set.
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Schwalbe Durano Plus. It's essentially a Marathon Plus but as a slick. Heavy but its what the cockroaches will be riding after nuclear war kills destroys everything else.

I used to have them on my fixed because changing a tube was such a monumental pain in the bum.
 
Lead_Head said:
Pre-Empting the arrival of my 1200 lumens chinese light, I want to think about weather proofing the batteries.

I understand the soldering isn't great so I'll re-solder the points and then look at surrounding them in something. Do the batteries get hot when charging? I'm thinking a silicone sealant casing might make the batteries explode when charging due to the heat not being able to escape.

Any ideas?

Also, I know someone put up a few links saying the mount wasn't great, was this with the torches and not the magicshine clone?
Click to expand...

See my posts 2-3 pages back.
 
whoops my finger slipped on the buy button :o

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Lead_Head said:
Pre-Empting the arrival of my 1200 lumens chinese light, I want to think about weather proofing the batteries.

I understand the soldering isn't great so I'll re-solder the points and then look at surrounding them in something. Do the batteries get hot when charging? I'm thinking a silicone sealant casing might make the batteries explode when charging due to the heat not being able to escape.

Any ideas?

Also, I know someone put up a few links saying the mount wasn't great, was this with the torches and not the magicshine clone?
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Li-ion cells don't like heat, it's best to keep them cool. Below 40 degrees is best which is why they tend to die in hotter environments such as a toasty laptop.

As for the need for ventilation, I've had 2 x 18650's in my steerer tube for a few months now and they havent gone bang yet. :eek: I try not to leave the bike out in the sun where the steerer tube would get warm, as if it did go bang it would probably blow my top cap off! :o

They are pretty well sealed in, I glued a coin the the bottom of the steerer tube and my top cap is surrounded by silicone sealant, so it's pretty watertight and airtight.

They don't get hot while charging unless you charge them quickly.

I'm talking about charging them at 5 amps or more, but lower quality cells will get hotter due to higher internal resistance than higher quality branded cells.

I charge mine at 1A and have had no issues so far. They'll get hotter while discharging as the light uses more than 3A while on full mode.

As far as the mount goes, mine has been ok, but I've got it done up tight and have replaced the included bolt with a larger M6 bolt which seems to stop it slipping around my bars when going over bumpy stuff.
 
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[DOD]Asprilla;23222255 said:
Schwalbe Durano Plus. It's essentially a Marathon Plus but as a slick. Heavy but its what the cockroaches will be riding after nuclear war kills destroys everything else.

I used to have them on my fixed because changing a tube was such a monumental pain in the bum.
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I need to get some of them I think, had yet another puncture tonight. Least I'm getting quicker at replacing tubes!
 
FAO Damien and minty - I'm trying to find out what's happening on Saturday. Even if my neighbour and the usual lot aren't out, I'm up for it (assuming the rain stops at some point) so I'll let you know as son as I do. I'll send you my address and whatnot in trust.
 
Vonhelmet said:
FAO Damien and minty - I'm trying to find out what's happening on Saturday. Even if my neighbour and the usual lot aren't out, I'm up for it (assuming the rain stops at some point) so I'll let you know as son as I do. I'll send you my address and whatnot in trust.
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Cool. I'm still fine for it too. The weather looks ok for Sat so far. Where do you fancy going? I'm up for taking on Moor Rd again (I hate that hill with a passion but I'm too competitive to quit) unless you've a better idea? Perhaps go up to Belmont? I've not been up there yet.
 
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