As spring approaches I discover myself consumed by an nearly pathological need to get all my wheeled conveyances working as easily as attainable. This extends even to THE CAR THAT I OWN, and so within the morning I dropped it off with the mechanic and returned dwelling by way of bicycle:
In the event you’re questioning what I used to be having carried out to the automotive, clearly I used to be having it lifted:
Simply kidding:
Additionally, should you’re questioning what sort of automotive I personal, I can’t disclose that as a result of this can be a bike weblog and I’m supposed to take care of an arm’s size relationship with the hated vehicle. Nonetheless, it’s fairly simple to determine, as a result of should you dwell within the New York Metropolis space or actually wherever within the northeast, you experience a bicycle, and you’ve got a household, there’s just one automotive you’re legally allowed to personal, and that’s the one I’ve. I solely point out this as a result of I used to be pleasantly shocked to study that should you fold the rear seats down in stated car you may slide a 54.5cm Roaduno proper in there, ample wheelbase and all, with out even having to take away the entrance wheel:
And sure, I’ve varied racks for carrying bikes on the automotive correctly, however I don’t preserve them on the automotive on a regular basis, and I’m actually not going to undergo the difficulty of putting in one for a 10-minute drive to Yonkers.
Anyway, with the automotive in succesful palms I then unleashed my very own incapable ones upon my bicycles, and as I discussed just lately my subsequent challenge is the re-modernization of the Milwaukee:
To that finish, I’d organized for the supply of a model new Shimano 105 drivetrain from Ben’s Cycle:
My regular method when tackling a challenge of this magnitude is to go about it as shortly as attainable, and within the course of screw up like fifteen issues. Nonetheless, this time I’m decided to be gradual and methodical about it, and solely screw up like 10 issues. So over the weekend I patiently eliminated the previous components, and my modest purpose for at the moment was to easily bolt on the brand new ones–no cables, no changes, simply put every little thing in approximate place and “mock it up” if you’ll.
Nonetheless, earlier than I even obtained began, I obtained it in my head to swap derailleurs on the Roaduno, for the reason that chain’s just a bit bit slack within the grandparent ring, and I figured a barely longer cage would do the trick:
Naively, I figured this might take me at most 5 minutes. As a substitute, the restrict screws on the Campagnolo derailleur turned out to not be lengthy sufficient to lock the derailleur into place beneath the only freewheel, and the opposite derailleurs I attempted have been too lengthy to permit the chain to shift into the massive ring, and the opposite chains I had have been too brief, so after a protracted interval of swapping and swapping and swapping once more I simply ended up placing the previous derailleur again on there–although I did change the worn pulleys whereas I used to be at it, so I suppose it wasn’t a whole waste of time.
Oh, and right here’s how an expert mechanic creates sufficient slack within the chain to reattach it:
I’m certain there are a few thousand extra elegant methods to do this, however magnificence is for “woosies.”
By this level I’d frittered away a lot of the morning, and if the derailleur detour wasn’t distracting sufficient, within the midst of all this fussing I obtained a package deal. A pair weeks in the past, whereas the 105 components have been already in transit, an extremely beneficiant reader despatched me an electronic mail alongside the strains of, “Hey, good weblog, would you like some previous 11-speed Campy stuff I don’t want anymore?” Naturally I stated sure, however I couldn’t actually inform a lot from the photograph he despatched, and so I actually had no concept what I used to be getting till I opened the field and located it stuffed with not simply Report however SUPER Report parts!
The humorous factor about Tremendous Report is that it appears utterly pointless and indulgent till you obtain a package deal containing it, at which level you caress it lovingly after which run round exhibiting it off to anybody within the fast space, together with the cat. Certainly, I used to be tempted to abort Venture 105 altogether and put the Tremendous Report stuff on the Milwaukee as an alternative, however as I discussed I’m decided to be methodical and so I resolved to stay to the unique plan. Sorry Campy-philes, however relaxation assured the Tremendous Report shall be discovering its method onto one other deserving bike very quickly.
And thanks very a lot to Stan, I’m eternally grateful.
Within the meantime, I rolled up my sleeves and obtained again to work, although I don’t undertake any bike challenge lately with out loads of Dumonde, the official lubricant* of Bike Snob NYC:
*[Dumonde would probably rather I not refer to them as my official lubricant, but I will continue to do so until they tell me to stop.]
Whereas the bike was principally aside I additionally took the chance to lastly file out the rear dropouts a bit since they have been a bit of comfortable after the refinishing:
Lastly, I turned to the components. I do have expertise utilizing this iteration of Shimano 105, having spent a while with a test-cycle that was thusly outfitted:
However, on a day-to-day foundation I’m extra accustomed to engaged on older parts, comparable to cranks with 5 holes:
Solely 4 holes? Unimaginable! I should be sooner or later!
Additionally, as soon as upon a time you may inform which method as much as put a chainring simply by taking a look at it. Now it’s anyone’s guess:
I lastly figured it out by doing a picture search, and naturally it went the alternative method I assumed it did.
Then there are these space-age Torx bolts:
Fortuitously I do have a set of Torx keys, which I’ve used possibly as soon as within the final 10 years:
I do get the rationale for Torx bolts, however what I don’t get is that the pinch bolt nonetheless makes use of Allen bolts:
However I’m certain an engineer will dork-splain it to me.
Within the meantime, as I used to be considering this thriller, my spouse appeared with a cappuccino for me:
Receiving a package deal containing a Tremendous Report drivetrain and receiving a shock cappuccino–on the exact same day no much less!–had me pinching myself with a cable crimper to verify I wasn’t dreaming.
With the crank put in, I moved onto the cassette:
After placing it on spent about 5 minutes making an attempt to interact the lockring, finally resigning myself to the truth that the wheel I had thought was 11-speed all this time wasn’t 11-speed in spite of everything. “Oh, nicely, I suppose I’ll should get a brand new wheel,” I concluded. Then I spotted I had did not take away the spacer that had been behind the previous cassette.
Fortuitously at this level I used to be saved by the auto mechanic calling to inform me the automotive was prepared, so I documented my meager progress and put every little thing away:
Then I hit the path:
Stopping solely briefly to {photograph} this hawk:
Regardless of my presence it was as reluctant to go away its perch as I used to be to method it, and I questioned if maybe it was guarding a current kill, or ready for a chance to grab some roadkill off the Main Deegan:
No matter it was as much as, fortunately it didn’t claw my face off.
