[ringoism]

Originally Posted by vsathyap

Can the experts here confirm here if its OK to ride a cycle with tires that have not been "in use" for some time ? I will inflate the tires to the standard ~50PSI and hope there wont be any tube/tyre cracking damage due to lack of usage?!?

If they are of good quality (Kenda/Maxxis/Bontrager or Indian with nylon cords at least), they should be fine. If old-skool desi cotton-corded, then beware - I had three spectacularly blow out in a single day last year, ripping the casings wide open and losing the tubes in the process. Nearby witnesses must have jumped, thinking a gun was being fired - they were LOUD explosions!!! (Ralco) seems to be making some ok "modern" stuff now with their Explorer series, but their older standard lines were frightfully bad when old - if I see even light cracking in the sidewall, I dispose them.

-Eric

[ringoism]

Originally Posted by Red Liner

You also seem to have a very pretty garden around you

I only wish it were mine!!!

[ebonho]

Durga Tekdi, Old Bombay Poona Highway.

That's the Bypass - Dehu Road junction up ahead, where the road goes on straight to Kamshet, Lonavala, Khopoli, Panvel, and Mumbai.

Great weather. But hope the Sunday ride has some rain.





Loads of cyclists. Especially the pro road bike riders (services and Maharashtra state boys ... the paceline just ahead in the second photo).

Got wedged in the middle of one paceline as the lead guys passed me at nashik Phata, and just for fun I tagged along. They of course we're warmup spinning, early into their training ride, but we're really amused with the uncle on the blue Hercules inside their pack. Lol

Gassed out and lost them at the climbs on the big flyover finally at Bhakti Shakti Chowk, 10 km later, and some thumbs-up's later they were gone and disappeared into the distance.

Pretty chuffed at being able to hold their pace for that distance, which is an uphill drag. Even gor a PR at 27 kmph. Happy puppy me is.

Cheers, Doc

[Sherlocked]

Got Rockrider ST30 home yesterday. Perfect for my light usage. Did a small morning ride of 9 kms. All good except that sometimes I can hear a kat-kat noise from the rear chain side when I shift to higher gears. Noise goes away when I shift to lower gear and come to the same gear again. Any idea what could be the issue?

Didn't opt for any accessories as it was getting late. Things I have decided upon:

1. Helmet
2. Water bottle cage
3. Portable Air pump
4. Derailleur guard - if it fits (doesn't come out of factory in this model)
5. Stand (not particularly interested in getting one as I like clean and minimalistic look, but at the same time don't want that my bike takes a fall, especially at home. But will decide on it later).

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by Sherlocked

Attachment 2180245

Got Rockrider ST30 home yesterday. Perfect for my light usage. Did a small morning ride of 9 kms. All good except that sometimes I can hear a kat-kat noise from the rear chain side when I shift to higher gears. Noise goes away when I shift to lower gear and come to the same gear again. Any idea what could be the issue?

Didn't opt for any accessories as it was getting late. Things I have decided upon:

1. Helmet
2. Water bottle cage
3. Portable Air pump
4. Derailleur guard - if it fits (doesn't come out of factory in this model)
5. Stand (not particularly interested in getting one as I like clean and minimalistic look, but at the same time don't want that my bike takes a fall, especially at home. But will decide on it later).

Celeste Blue! Love it. Bianchi will NOT be happy. Lol

Congratulations. Enjoy your new bike!

Decathlon have outdone themselves with this one really. A quality frame and gears in under 10,000 bucks.

Cheers, Doc

[Sherlocked]

Originally Posted by ebonho

Celeste Blue! Love it. Bianchi will NOT be happy. Lol

Congratulations. Enjoy your new bike!

Cheers, Doc

Thanks! The bike is really a looker! Looks even better in flesh. If I ever upgrade to a better bike or stop riding this then surely I am gonna hang it on a wall in my room

The idea is to change the fat tyres to some hybrid tires and the grip shifter to thumb shifters. But that's for later once I get bored of the current setup.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by Sherlocked

Thanks! The bike is really a looker! Looks even better in flesh. If I ever upgrade to a better bike or stop riding this then surely I am gonna hang it on a wall in my room

The idea is to change the fat tyres to some hybrid tires and the grip shifter to thumb shifters. But that's for later once I get bored of the current setup.

On the tyres, I tried the same on my Hercules Top Gear MTB. To get more speed.

Speed did not really change much. But the ride quality went down. And the bike looked (looks) funny.

Like a muscle guy with noodle legs.

I changed from 2.25 to 1.95 and then to the current 1.75.

1.95 was best. With a smooth road tread replacing the original knobbies.

But use these lovely tyres first. Trust me, only undiluted crap is available in the market currently in the tyre space.

Tyres are gold.

[Sherlocked]

Originally Posted by ebonho

But use these lovely tyres first. Trust me, only undiluted crap is available in the market currently in the tyre space.

Tyres are gold.

Thanks for that valuable advice Doc . I am gonna use the current setup for a year at least. Will come to you for suggestions when I ever change the tyres.

[Red Liner]

Some updates from today's ride. Guess pictures will do the yakking. Thousand apologies for the instagram hype













I have some bad niggling pain in only my left knee. Its kind of IT band pain. If not for this, i think even a 100k today would have been alright. I am doing exercises to strengthen my knees through the week. Lets see how tomorrows rest day goes. No pain anywhere else with god's grace

[ach1lles]

A weird day yesterday.

Had some free time so called the guys to get the medium size bike ready so I could come in and take a ride.

“It’s been sold”.

Yikes.

Okay, when will a new one be back in stock? They can’t say, because they can’t choose the sizes they’re being handed by the brands.

Nevermind.

Called the other store, in noida. They didn’t have it either. Hmm.

Get a call from the first, MGR store telling me that the noida store has the bike, and I should go there for a test.

“I just spoke to that guy in Noida not 5 minutes ago”.
Noida guy online: yes sir we have it.
“Okay, I’m leaving now, please have it ready in 30 mins. I wish to ride.”

Noida guy calls back 5 mins later, tells me to wait, as he wants to be sure it’s there. Wait, what? It’s a full bike, not a small bell. How do you not know if it’s there? I started smelling something fishy.

Calls me in another 5 mins, confirms it’s there, and so I leave. I’m thinking if this works I’ll pick it up and am already speaking to someone on the phone while on the way for a Sunday ride. LOL.

Anyway, reached, saw the bike, and it seemed fairly new but not “taken out of the box” new. The only wrapping was on the handlebars.

The guy gets on with setting up the bike. I’m keenly watching everything because I want to learn. And I spot a few oddities. The left brake lever is too loose, and dangly. The rear tyre has a wobble, and it is off-center, towards the right. The chain ring set at the rear is not the same colour as the front set.

“Don’t worry sir, we’ll set everything.”
To his credit, he did get rid of the wobble by adjusting the spokes, center-d the wheel by opening the quick-release and re-closing it by holding the wheel in position, and adjusted the lever to good enough but not perfect, like the right one.

Did some basic seat and handlebar positioning, set the gear and the brake system and asked me to take a ride.
Sure. I’ve been waiting. I’m excited. Is this it?

And I ride.

And it feels… normal. Not great like the first time.
Not like how I felt the first time. Was it just initial euphoria then? Was it rose coloured glasses? Can’t be. I hopped on and off that bike multiple times for multiple minutes and every time I felt that magic. Not feeling it here. Also the brakes were shit.

Plus this medium feels big. My arms are a bit stretched.

I tell them this. Fortunately they have a large that I’d tried a few days ago. That one gives a similar (magic) pedal feeling to the first one, except the size and fit. So it’s the “new” medium that’s the issue.
I inspect the rear chainring more closely. It doesn’t say Shimano anywhere. The one on the large does, and it’s black. The one on the medium is chrome. Hmm. Weird.

We take a closer look and the one on M says “suntour”. Wait, what? That’s not right.

“Don’t worry sir, we’ll swap it out with the large in one minute. You try that.”

And we do this a few times, swapping the tyres back and forth. But the magic is just not there. Plus the medium feels big.

I ask the noida store guy to call the MGR store where I tried the small. Based on which I asked for the medium.
Turns out, I was misinformed, and the bike I tried was actually XS.

“So I need the small”.
“No stock.”
“When do you think you’ll get it?”
No idea sir.

And there went my Friday evening.

I’m going to try the XS again today, the one that I originally tried and loved, to make sure the magic is real.

But how did the suntour thing happen? Were they trying to chepo me a ghapla bike? If that is the case, wonder what else was replaced.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by Red Liner

Some updates from today's ride. Guess pictures will do the yakking. Thousand apologies for the instagram hype

Great progress!

If you're doing IF, then black coffee is definitely allowed. Even if you don't have the coconut oiled bullet coffee version.

You might be grinding very tall gears. A common newbie mistake in the mistaken machismo of no pain no gain.

Try spinning with a lower torque load through your legs.

[Red Liner]

Originally Posted by ebonho

Great progress!

If you're doing IF, then black coffee is definitely allowed. Even if you don't have the coconut oiled bullet coffee version.

You might be grinding very tall gears. A common newbie mistake in the mistaken machismo of no pain no gain.

Try spinning with a lower torque load through your legs.

Oh, i have other reasons to get off the black coffee in the morning. More to do with Cortisol production in the body. Wrong thread to go into this...but if you wanna know more maybe the IF thread? But will carry some black with me along with some snacks next time. Totally forgot to carry them this time.

No man, i was going quite easy. On the return trip, i went taller to get home sooner lol. I actually have recurring knee issues, thank god this time the pain is only in one knee though. Hope these exercises work.

How do you shift smoothly? I saw something about not loading the bike as you pedal to shift smooth. I need to get this down.

[DaiusPitar]

Originally Posted by ach1lles

Called the other store, in noida. They didn’t have it either. Hmm.

Get a call from the first, MGR store telling me that the noida store has the bike, and I should go there for a test.

“I just spoke to that guy in Noida not 5 minutes ago”.
Noida guy online: yes sir we have it.
“Okay, I’m leaving now, please have it ready in 30 mins. I wish to ride.”

Noida guy calls back 5 mins later, tells me to wait, as he wants to be sure it’s there.

If I may ask, which or where is the store in Noida?

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by Red Liner

How do you shift smoothly? I saw something about not loading the bike as you pedal to shift smooth. I need to get this down.

You always shift with low to minimal or just eased off tension on your chain through your legs.

[Red Liner]

Originally Posted by ach1lles

A weird day yesterday.

Wow XS! How tall are you man?

Luckily almost all my bike fit issues seem to be sorted. No pain for me at the usual places and i was actually singing out loud with my earphones today while pedaling!