[ebonho]

Originally Posted by aravind.anand

Your views Doc?

Get another 35c tyre. Preferably the same Ralson one. I'm not a fan of mixing and matching tyres. And on a cycle it makes sense to rotate the tyres front to back every once in a while so they wear equally. You get a lot more life out of the set that way. My current GRL's in the photos are nearing 7000 km that way.

Yes, so that is definitely on the cards now. What difference would a Altus crank have over the regular Tourney crank? Also, should I get the bottom bracket replaced along with the crank?

Lighter, stronger, better shifting, stiffer (less flex, better power delivery). All marginal things at this low end of the spectrum, but the price difference is not much, so might as well get the better crank.

Yes, you might need to replace your bottom bracket. Will definitely need to. See what mine looked like. And mine is a lot newer bike ...

Would it make a difference when I retain the Tourney derailleurs and change to just the shifters to Altus or Alivio ones? Also, is it a mandatory to have the shift cables replaced while replacing the shifters?

Good point. But something is better than nothing. And I'm suggesting only for what absolutely HAS to be replaced. Not good to replace ...

Alligator outer and inner shift cable set costed me just 200 bucks at the Scott guy some time ago. Night and day difference in shifting and quality of shifts.

Your cycle looks brand new, and the brass spoke ends from Giant are really shining making it stand out. Kudos for all the inspiration and advice you have been providing.

Thanks bro. Its taken time and patience and a lot of small things. This is how she looked when I bought her ...

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/shift...ml#post4430195

And some pictures of how she was when I went to check her out ....

Bone dry and rusted drivetrain. Broken/missing spokes. Rusted nipples. Crank perfect with zero play. Both derailleurs and both shifters perfect. Complete. Frame perfect and under all the grime in good shape and true (no signs of a fall or dents). Rims and hubs perfect. No parts missing. The bike had hardly been used. But obviously neglected. Tyre tread unused and in great shape. But tyre sidewalls badly cracked (he actually had a puncture, and never got around to getting it repaired, and the bike kept standing .... sigh!). Pedals perfect and without play. Complete. Brakes and cables in bad shape. Brake noodles totally corroded. Small nuts and allen bolts and fasteners all rusting.



















Brought her home ...





First thorough wash before taking her in .... already looking much nicer!





Ordered a new MegaRange freewheel (14-34) ... HUGE difference!





Old stock (hardly used) 14-28 freewheel ...



New inner butyl tubes (Schraeder) and tyres







Cheers, Doc

[Ithaca]

For Punekar Members, received following on Whatsapp.

I have zero commercial interest in Pro Sports & Bikes
Posting the above to help members interested in exchanging their older bikes or upgrading their bikes.

[raamki]

Originally Posted by ebonho

That looks like a quality frame and very nice fork.. Not much choice in the market for XL size. The Triban has a single chainring up front if I'm not mistaken. And the Trance Pro has a basic rear derailleur while the Rapide I think has an Acera.

If you have a Giant or a cycle weighing scale close by, could you weigh your bike and tell.me the weight please. Exact, in kilos. Please remove the add-ons like the cable lock, bags, bottle, pump, etc. before you weigh her.

Don't worry about nicks and scratches. They build character. Birthmarks!

Cheers, Doc

Thanks Doc! Yes, you’re right about single chainring on the Triban100. I had originally gone to see the Riverside 500 but kind of liked the ride experience better on the Triban instead. Yes, you’re also correct on the rear derailleur setup on the Montra Trance vs Rapide!

About your weight query doc, unfortunately I don’t have the kind of equipment to measure its weight but according to the official Firefox product page, in stock condition the bike weighs 13kgs. It’s not too heavy at all, I carry it around by the frame with ease.

Originally Posted by sanjbmw2001

A quick and dirty way.... Put your heel on the pedal, ensure pedal is at 6 o'clock position. Your knees should be straight w/o straining. This would give you, your saddle height.

Hope this helps.

Thank you!

[silverado]

How to carry your bike in a Nano

My bike Montra Rock 1.0 26" fits in Baleno without removing wheels, but I am happy that it fits with some effort in my Nano.
Took it to Rotary Club Cyclothon event on 10th Feb.

The event was not worth Rs 600 IMO.

[huntrz]

How are schnell bikes? Any first hand experiences?
I am 108 kgs and I am looking to start cycling and therefore looking for something within 20K to ride on city roads. After owning Fiat and Enfield I really value after sales service and therefore I am quite inclined towards Decathlon. I liked their RR ST100 and Riverside 500, and both have double walled rims. Will it be prudent to go for hybrid bikes at my weight?

I also looked at Montra, looks like it is quite popular brand. Went to another shop called Peddlers point in hyderabad. Their so called worksop was a small place below the stairs or a small corner(at another branch) with hardly any tools or equipments. I really doubt the ability of their service staff. They had Montra and they also suggested many Schnell models. They look good and match the number of features with Montra. But I am concerned about their durability. I couldn't find the site for schnell bikeskes or any decent reviews online.
Are they worth the money?

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by huntrz

How are schnell bikes? Any first hand experiences?
I am 108 kgs and I am looking to start cycling and therefore looking for something within 20K to ride on city roads. After owning Fiat and Enfield I really value after sales service and therefore I am quite inclined towards Decathlon. I liked their RR ST100 and Riverside 500, and both have double walled rims. Will it be prudent to go for hybrid bikes at my weight?

For your weight, I'd suggest a steel framed Hybrid with rigid fork. Suspension in the basic range would be useless ... money, weight, maintenance, just for show, would not work, would eventually break down and would spoil the entire ride. Either BTwin in the lower price range (basic 6 or 8 speed) under 10-12K, or Marin in the higher price range with all the bells and whistles (super light, 3x9 Deore gruppo) between 40-45K.

Cheers, Doc

[huntrz]

Originally Posted by ebonho

For your weight, I'd suggest a steel framed Hybrid with rigid fork. Suspension in the basic range would be useless ... money, weight, maintenance, just for show, would not work, would eventually break down and would spoil the entire ride. Either BTwin in the lower price range (basic 6 or 8 speed) under 10-12K, or Marin in the higher price range with all the bells and whistles (super light, 3x9 Deore gruppo) between 40-45K.

Cheers, Doc

Thanks. Never thought from this perspective that the cheaper steel frames are actually stronger. Only issue being single walled rims in basic models. I guess if I can make them fit double walled rims on the basic hybrid then that should fulfill my requirements.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by huntrz

Thanks. Never thought from this perspective that the cheaper steel frames are actually stronger. Only issue being single walled rims in basic models. I guess if I can make them fit double walled rims on the basic hybrid then that should fulfill my requirements.

Single walled steel rims (which I have on my Hercules Top Gear steel MTB) are 100 times stronger than the double walled alloy rims.

Never had a spoke break on my Top Gear.

Cheers, Doc

[huntrz]

After referring to the owner manuals of few brands I have found out the following facts-

1. Giant cycles, Kona cycles and Raleigh cycles officially limit max rider's weight to 125 kg -135 kg across their different categories i.e. excluding cycle and accessory weight. This is as per their user manuals.

2. Decathlon cycles(rockrider, riverside , triban etc) limit max weight to 100kgs "including" the weight of bicycle and accessories(cycle+accessories+rider = 100 kg). So effectively they are built only for riders weighing upto 85-87 kg.

3. Firefox cycles limit the total weight "including" the weight of cycle+accessories+rider to 120 kg

[silverado]

This is for all those who own Montra.

I had a tough time getting my faulty Suspension replaced. It was after 2 months of follow-up that I got my suspension replaced today!

I was told they do not have spares, response on mail was average.
God save you if something important like frame has some issue.

[ninjatalli]

Originally Posted by huntrz

2. Decathlon cycles(rockrider, riverside , triban etc) limit max weight to 100kgs "including" the weight of bicycle and accessories(cycle+accessories+rider = 100 kg). So effectively they are built only for riders weighing upto 85-87 kg.

Take it with a pinch of salt - back in 2014, I rode my Rockrider for hundreds of kms when I was over 90 We still have it, now used by my father and brother occasionally; and I'm the lowest on the scale within the family. The bike is running fine.

I'd make a fair guess that the weight limits for Firefox and others should be usable even if you near the limited weights. Also if you head to any of these stores; they'll push you towards the 29-ers and similar bikes which obviously would be more expensive too!

[roy_libran]

Originally Posted by ninjatalli

Take it with a pinch of salt - back in 2014, I rode my Rockrider for hundreds of kms when I was over 90 We still have it, now used by my father and brother occasionally; and I'm the lowest on the scale within the family. The bike is running fine.

Same here - I have a Triban 500 for 2.5 years or so. Started using it when I was about 95, and still do at 78-80. Even today runs like it did when new. No visible ageing anywhere, with just routine maintenance and care.

[ACM]

Originally Posted by huntrz

2. Decathlon cycles(rockrider, riverside , triban etc) limit max weight to 100kgs "including" the weight of bicycle and accessories(cycle+accessories+rider = 100 kg). So effectively they are built only for riders weighing upto 85-87 kg.

Have used the Rockrider 5.3 (2011 till date) for years in the weight range of 142-119kgs.

Used on and off mainly in dry months 15-25 kms a day when I took it out.

Only required a chain (rusting in monsoon) and three tube replacements. Replaced Kenda for continental tyres just for confort. Shocks are still fine as also the entire gear mechanism. 3×9 srams. Replaced seat for comfort.

[huntrz]

Originally Posted by ninjatalli

I rode my Rockrider for hundreds of kms when I was over 90

Originally Posted by roy_libran

Started using it when I was about 95, and still do at 78-80. Even today runs like it did when new.

Originally Posted by ACM

Have used the Rockrider 5.3 (2011 till date) for years in the weight range of 142-119kgs.

Wow! Thanks for sharing your first hand experiences. That's precisely what I was looking for. I was anyway inclined towards decathlon simply for the ease of dealing with them and professional attitude. This makes it easier for me.

[ebonho]

Hi guys, some video stills of my practice hill climb on Dive Ghat. 4.5 km, 6%, 220 meters of elevation gain.

Tried to get all 4 quadrants of the pedal stroke.

Would love it if the experts like graaja and ninja and Amitoj could comment on what they see. Any suggestions.

Upper torso and arms position. The stem is at its highest position. I find this the most comfortable. I could put the stem lower and more forward, to get a lower more stretched out upper body stance, but I find that puts too much pressure in the hands and I get low back pain (especially on the right for some reason) if I'm doing a hard climb or over 100 Kms.

How about the knee extension and saddle height? And the knee over pedal spindle at 9 o'clock position (did not manage a good sideways shot for that).



















Finally, does the bike frame look ok or small (not that I plan to or can do anything about it ... )?

Cheers, Doc