HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: tomk@netcom.com (Thomas H. Kunich)
Newsgroups: rec.bicycles
Subject: Re: Putting your bike on a diet
Date: 28 Jul 92 18:29:23 GMT
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest)

Ahh, then there is the real weight of the bike. After you put a
seat pack on your bike with a spare tube or two, a patch kit,
a couple of allen wrenches, a spoke wrench and a chain breaker;
a pump, a couple of water bottle cages and two large water bottles
full of water, a cycle computer and anything else you might want to
carry and your super light vs light bike looks a lot more like
32 lb.s vs 36 lb.s.

The $1,500 in unobtainium parts looks even weaker in that light.

It may be understandable if you're using your bike to race with
professionally, but to build a bike like that for ordinary use?
Newsgroups: rec.bicycles
From: sala@eued34.tuwien.ac.at (Cristiano Sala)
Subject: Advice requested on buying MTB
Organization: Institute for Microelectronics, TU Vienna, Austria
Date: Tue, 28 Jul 1992 14:32:47 GMT

Hallo all,

I'm a novice MTB fan, and although my enthusiasm has been somewhat damped
following the theft of my three-weeks-old bike. I'd like to put the
insurance money towards the purchase of a new bike, and would
appreciate hearing from anyone out there with advice on which
brands should be avoided, and

Before I start, there are a few things you ought to know about buying
bikes in Austria:

1) If I extrapolate from the amounts I see quoted on r.b, it appears
that prices here are preposterous when compared to the US. My budget,
which is in the $700-800 range, puts me in the bottom bracket for
quality MTBs. Cr-Mo C'dales, Treks and so on with DX/XT gruppos do not
retail for less than $1500 or so.

2) Some of the brands/models discussed here are simply not to be found
in Vienna. On the other hand, brands which are unknown on this
newsgroup seem to be all the rage, Mistral being a typical example
(there are others, but I don't recall the names right now).
  
3) As far as bikes go, I'm basically an unexperienced sucker. Apart
from reading the FAQ (done), is there anything else I should be
looking out for when making my decision? In other words, does anyone
wish to volunteer a tried-and-true procedure for at least reducing the
risk of my buying a complete lemon?

For istance, the shop where I'd bought the now-defunct MTB (and which
I'm stuck with, since the insurance money comes in the shape of a
refund coupon which is valid only in this shop) has a sale on a brand
called something like Greg Smith or so (forgive the inaccuracy, I only
gave the bike a cursory look). With DX components except for no-name
pedals, Araya RM-20 rims and don't-remember-which tires, it was going
for about $900. Anyone ever heard of it? The salesdroid (yes, it is a
department store) semi-raved about it, which made me instantly
suspicious.

I'd principally like to go with Deore DX gruppos, or something of
equivalent quality, and of course a sturdy frame that won't fall apart
within the next three months would be a big bonus :-). BTW, I'll be
grateful if anyone convinces me that I can just as well make do with
cheaper components (I'm a pathological hype believer).

Sorry I rambled on so long, and many advance thanks to those of you
who will take the time to answer (I know, it's boring).

BTW, I'll be on holiday until the end of August, so E-mail would be
preferable. Tips, hints etc. from local posters will be especially
appreciated.

Cheers
Cristiano Sala
sala@iue.tuwien.ac.at
From: BRANDT_JOBST/HP1900_01@hplomg.hpl.hp.com
Newsgroups: rec.bicycles
Subject: Re: Question: wheel rebuilding
Date: 24 Jul 92 02:37:41 GMT

Malcolm Butler writes:

> The question is, is it worth putting new spokes into old rims and
> hubs?  Should I go the whole way and buy new everything?  What should I
> look for in determining how worn the old parts are?  As far as I can
> see, there are no noticeable kinks or dents in the rims, and the hubs
> are OK.

If the hub works and the spoke holes aren't chewed up, you shouldn't
toss it out just to be current.  On the other hand, it doesn't sound like
high quality stuff by your description.  Get a new rim though and not an
Arrya.

> Finally, I'm fairly new to wheel-building, so any advice on that is
> also welcome (and yes, I've read the FAQ and I already have
> _The_Bicycle_Wheel_: thanks Jobst, it's a great book).

Well thanks for the ah... compliment although it doesn't ring quite that
way because in the same "breath" you ask for advice.  I cannot imagine
finding the subject digested in more detail than in the book, even by a
lengthy essay on the net.  Try it, I think it will work.  But first you
must open the book.

jobst_brandt@hplabs.hp.com
Newsgroups: rec.bicycles
From: pamela@keps.kodak.com (Pamela Blalock)
Subject: Re: Suspension question
Organization: Kodak Electronic Printing Systems
Date: Mon, 27 Jul 1992 20:58:57 GMT

In article <1992Jul27.023840.29619@access.usask.ca> choy@skorpio.usask.ca writes:
>
>Anyone have any horror stories or interesting knowledge on
>suspension stems, suspension forks, or suspension bikes?
>Feel free to spout.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

What an invitation....

I have a Allsop Softride System on the back of my tandem. Those who
read my (long-winded and probably boring:) ride reports may know that
despite loving the feeling on gently floating over bumps, we had 
major problems with the clamps that came with the beam.

They never fit right and allowed way too much lateral motion in the 
beam. It squeeked to wake the dead!

We tried to get Allsop to suggest a solution or come up with something
better, but they weren't very responsive.  After the beam actually
broke on a ride, in the middle of nowhere, they got a little more
involved. They helped us to find Glen Swan, a frame builder in Ithaca, 
NY, who had some familiarity with Allsops. He built a set of clamps
specifically for our bike and they have worked flawlessly ever since.

He was going to try to convince Allsop to buy clamps from him. I don't
know if he's had any luck, but I have raved to them about the superiority
of these clamps.

I love the Allsop enough to be in the process of having a tandem built
around the beam. (Rodriguez will be doing this), but I recommend either
going with a power curve frame (frame built for the beam) or getting 
special clamps made.

(The horror story of the breakage and attempted repairs is detailed 
in my Tour of New England story, available from me by email request)
-- 
Pamela Blalock                                     pamela@keps.kodak.com
Kodak Electronic Printing Systems, Inc             7 down, 5 to go!
164 Lexington Road, Billerica, MA 01821-3984
From: bhilden@bigriver.Eng.Sun.COM (Bruce Hildenbrand)
Newsgroups: rec.bicycles
Subject: Re: Alpe d'Huez stats wanted
Date: 21 Jul 1992 20:00:09 GMT
Organization: Sun Microsystems, Mt. View, Ca.
NNTP-Posting-Host: bigriver

Here are the stats on the L'Alpe D'Huez.

The climb starts in Bourg D'Oisans(700m) and climbs 13km to the
top of L'Alpe D'Huez(1900m).  The first 3km are about 12% the remaining
10km are 8-9%.  There are 21 numbered switchbacks.  The top climbers
take 42-45 minutes to climb it and use a 39x17-20 for gears.
There is a rock wall on the side of the road for a large part of the
climb that generates a lot of additional heat, making an afternoon
ascent quite hot.

I hope this helps,

Bruce

ps - this is one tough climb!  Many people tour up it in a very small
gear(32x34, etc.) and take two hours and can't figure out why it is so
tough.  There appears to be a few more things about life that they can't
figure out as well.

Newsgroups: rec.bicycles
From: "Michael Smith" <p00004@mail.psi.net>
Subject: Re: How much pollution....
Organization: Performance Systems Int'l
Date: Thu, 30 Jul 1992 17:25:55 GMT
X-Mailer: PSILink (3.0)

Another addition to the list: psychological damage to drivers. And those most
seriously affected are, of course, the least aware of their illness.

Remember all those experiments a few years ago with sensory-deprivation 
tanks? There's a lesson here. The poor driver is fully convinced that he has
freely chosen to spend hours every day under conditions of physical
immobility and crushing boredom, isolated from all human contact except 
the insidious ersatz of radio. All sense of physical and social reality 
is drained from his environment by a cocoon of metal and glass and the 
fugue-state transience of everything he encounters at speed. Combine 
this with the suburban-cowboy ideology of the white-collar proletariat 
and you have a recipe for murderous near-psychosis. Not to mention the 
profoundly disturbing effect of the unconscious equation "vehicle = penis." 

We've recently been seeing a type-specimen of the ailment on this 
board. I forget the patient's name, but he started a quite extensive 
thread with some lumpen-bourgeois bluster to the effect that when he 
wants to drive, people should "get the hell out of [his] way," and 
followed this up with an absolutely classic rant about socialism, 
left-wing conspiracy, and of course the indispensable "American way of 
life." Ought to be required reading for anybody contemplating a 
life-style choice that will land him in the car culture.

Newsgroups: rec.bicycles,ont.general,can.general,soc.culture.canada,ott.general
From: jsparkes@bwdls138.bnr.ca (Jeff Sparkes)
Subject: Car inspections..
Organization: Bell-Northern Research Ltd., Ottawa
Date: Thu, 30 Jul 1992 16:07:01 GMT

In article <2A76AFA0.163E@telly.on.ca> evan@telly.on.ca (Evan Leibovitch) writes:
>The law takes (at least minimal) steps to ensure that cars are in decent
>working condition. When sold, they must pass inspection. Police
>routinely stop cars with burnt-out lights. I agree this is not enough,
>but neither does it excuse the *complete* lack of control over bikes
>that share the same congested roads.

I've always been amazed that inspections are done *only* when the car is
sold.  Back in Newfoundland, you have to get annual inspections once your
car is more than 5 years old.   I can't believe some of the rust buckets
I've seen driving around here.
--
--
Jeff Sparkes jsparkes@bnr.ca	Bell-Northern Research, Ottawa (613)765-2503
"For better gas mileage, do not drive with the parking brake on."
  - paraphrased from the owners manual of my Integra.
From: chuang@micro (Michael Chuang)
Newsgroups: rec.bicycles
Subject: Re: U.S. Federal Bicycle  Policy
Date: 29 Jul 92 20:47:24 GMT

In article <27JUL92.15295450@alcvax.pfc.mit.edu> stek@alcvax.pfc.mit.edu writes:>Come on now.  6 miles per hour is about the speed of cars downtown in
>most cities.

blagdon@engin.umich.edu (Kenneth James Clark ) says:
# 6 miles per hour!  The only people who go that slow around here are 
# pedestrians.  Maybe you should get out of Southern California a bit more.
                                            ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
# In this city of 100,000+, traffic moves around 30 mph, and smart cyclists
# (who use the road) travel around 15-20 mph.  Not-so-smart cyclists
# attempt to ride on sidewalks and bikepaths and end up dodging pedestrians,
# cars pulling into the crosswalk, and potholes.  I suppose they probably
# manage around 6 mph.

If we're attributing the top quote to the right person, I think he's
in the Boston area.  Traffic here is slower than that in Ann Arbor, but 
the general incompetence of drivers here is a greater danger than
speed.  (Natives think they're "tough" drivers, but they're just not
very good at driving.  For real aggressive driving you have to go some
place like Taipei or, I'm told, Tel Aviv.)

I was recently in Ann Arbor and noticed that maybe 90% of cyclists
there ride on the sidewalks.  Granted it's a college town, and they've
redesigned S. University with those stupid planters that narrow the street
to a single lane each way, but why is everyone on the sidewalk ?
People seem not to know how to react when encountering cyclists. I was
going down Division at about 30 mph (downhill section) taking an entire
lane and drivers were treating me politely and no one even tried to pass
me in an unsafe manner.  The experience quite threw me and I had to stop
by the Kroger's on Broadway and have a sitdown to regain my bearings.


chuang@micro.ll.mit.edu
Newsgroups: rec.bicycles
Subject: Re: UG vs. HG chain...
From: jbrodsky@oolong.hacks.arizona.edu (cool flowin gotta keep goin...)
Date: 25 JUL 92 15:47:30    
Reply-To: jbrodsky@oolong.hacks.arizona.edu
Distribution: usa,local
Organization: UofA Hardware And Computing Knowledge Society
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.4-a4  

In article <3623@blue.cis.pitt.edu.UUCP>, jwgst2+@pitt.edu (James W Gourgoutis) writes...
>Dear Rec.Bicycles:
> 
>	As you may remember, I posted a few weeks ago regarding the project
>I am presently working on:  I am building a mountain bike.
> 
>	My problem is this.  I have a chain which has UG stamped on each
>sideplate.  I am assuming that this means that this chain is a Uniglide chain.
>From what I understand, UG chains are not compatible with Hyperglide.  I am
>getting a set of wheels with Hyperglide cogs, so I need a compatible chain.
>HOWEVER, a friend of mine has an MTB with Hyperglide cogs, and HIS chain
>also has UG stamped on it.  The only visual difference between his chain and
>mine is that his also has "Deore" and "narrow" stamped on it, while mine only 
>has "narrow" stamped on it.  Here's the kicker:  his bike works fine!
>	If UG and HG are not compatible, then why does his bike work?  And if
>his bike works, then can I use my UG chain with my new HG-equipped wheels?
>Maybe it's just that with a non-HG chain, the FULL advantages of HG can not
>be used, but it will still work.  My friend's bike shifts as quickly and as
>accurately as any other bike I have seen.
>	Please Help!  If I can use this chain, I'd like to, since I'm getting
>DESPERATELY short on cash, and can't afford another order from Nashbar!
>(Although if I could, I'd get me a Sedis ATB chain!)
> 
>=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

    I have been racing mounatin bikes for two years now and have broken many
Shimano chains.  If it is in your power, there should be no questions about
getting the Sedis ATB chain.  You don't have to worry about the insane little
Hyperglide chain pins, that are only poppable once, then have to be replaced
never to be popped again.  The Sedis works great with all Shimano sets and
shifts like a dream under load.  The Shimano chains have a tendency to break
if you shift under too much load.  Think about it.  If you can spare the 15
clams or so, go for it.  I know from expeience that walking back after
snapping the Shimano chain in the middle of a 20 mile loop, really sucks!
The sedis has never given me a problem1  Even after an event of terrible
chain suck, with the chain all twisted and bent, it still got me back.
I have no idea what would have happened if I had a Shimano UG chain then.
Who knows, my skeleton could still be out on the trail!  Take it easy
think it over.  If you get the UG chain, remember to get the CORRECT
chainbreaker for the chain.  A standard chain breaker won't work with a 
Shimano chain, ask around.

    Joel Brodsky   jbrodsky@hacks.arizona.edu
                   jbrodsky@seagull.tucson.az.us
                   jbrodsky@maria.wustl.edu
                   jmbrodsk@nyx.cs.du.edu
Newsgroups: rec.bicycles
From: georged@meaddata.com (George Dibos)
Subject: Re: Help with an elusive creak?
Organization: Mead Data Central, Dayton OH
Date: Thu, 30 Jul 1992 13:24:08 GMT

In article <10908.9207281200@hilliard.ecs.soton.ac.uk>, G.J.Hill@ecs.soton.ac.uk (Gary Hill) writes:
|> 
|> I would be grateful for any suggestions for the source of a creak that
|> my bike has recently developed.  It occurs on the downstroke of the
|> left crank, when any degree of force is used.
|> 
|> The frame is hand-built Columbus Cromor tubing, I have cleaned and
|> greased the entire transmission (Bottom bracket, pedals, chain) to no
|> avail.  The equipment is a mix of shimano (bb - 105, chainset - quite
|> old 600, pedals - ultegra w/clips).  Everything seems to be in order, there is
|> no visible problem with the frame.  Unfortunately the standard of bike
|> shop around here is such that I would expect to spend a lot of money
|> for no return if I were to try them.
|> 
|> Any help will be gratefully received
|> 
|> Gary Hill, gjh@ecs.soton.ac.uk - Internet
|> 	   gjh@uk.ac.soton.ecs - Janet


This is going to sound crazy, but TRY it anyway...  I fought a creak
for months and laughed off a friend's repeated recommendation to loosen
my shoe cleat and then retighten it.  I finally got so frustrated that 
I did, and (you guessed it) the noise disappeared.  I can't explain it
(nothing in your shoe should be moving, right?) and neither could my
friend, but he just said, "It works, so who cares why?" 
-- 
+---------------------+--------------------------------+-----------------------+
| George Dibos        | Views expressed are my own.... | (513) 865-1689        | 
| Mead Data Central   +--------------------------------+ Software Engineer     | 
| P.O. Box 933        | Every day I drink a toast to   | NGS Update/Data Svcs. |  
| Dayton, Ohio  45401 | the wonders of beautiful women | georged@meaddata.com  | 
+---------------------+--------------------------------+-----------------------+
From: bs.rekso@ds5000.DAC.Northeastern.edu (ojdorposkeR S B)
Newsgroups: rec.bicycles
Subject: Opinion on Cannondale M500
Date: 21 Jul 92 19:20:39 GMT
Followup-To: poster
Distribution: usa
Organization: Northeastern University


	I'm thinking of buying a Cannondale M500 MTB
	I got a price quote from the local store for $550
	is that a good price/not ?? or can I get a better bike
	for that price  ??


	Thanks in advance

-----
#include "std_disclaimer.h" ---> see warranty for details

Budi S. Reksoprodjo
bs.rekso@ds5000.dac.northeastern.edu

Newsgroups: rec.bicycles
From: MEDELMA@cms.cc.wayne.edu (Michael Edelman)
Subject: Re: Help! Knee Pain
Organization: Wayne State University, C&IT
Date: Tue, 28 Jul 1992 14:01:07 GMT

In article <25639@sophia.inria.fr>
chandy@marais.inria.fr (Chandra SHEKHAR) writes:
 
>
>I started biking recently (about 4 weeks ago), and
>I have been doing it rather intensely for the past
>2 weeks (2 hrs/day in a hilly region). I have started
>experiencing pain in my left knee, along with a funny
>feeling that the joint has become a little looser.
>
>Can someone tell me what I must be doing wrong?
>
The main cause of knee pain and damage in new riders is pedaling
in too high a gear. New riders are often surprised to find that
the preferred rate of pedaling- around 90 revs/minute- is *much*
faster than they're been doing, or are initially comfortable with.
 
Spin fast. Put the load on your heart and lungs, not your knees.
If you feel like you're pushing heavily on the pedals, you're
in too high a gear. You can give yourself terrible permanant damage
that way.
         --mike
From: tomk@netcom.com (Thomas H. Kunich)
Newsgroups: rec.bicycles
Subject: Re: cleaning and lubricating a chain
Date: 25 Jul 92 05:39:48 GMT
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest)

At the shop where I do business they had a sample bottle of 
Citra-Solv and it contained a warning label that stated that 
it contained petroleum products. I'll try and find it again.

It also had several warnings in the literature about not using
the stuff in an enclosed area -- oh-oh -- not for me!
Newsgroups: rec.bicycles
From: chandler@wc.novell.com (Mark Chandler)
Subject: Re: AVO31
Organization: Novell, Inc. - Walnut Creek
Distribution: ba
Date: Thu, 30 Jul 1992 18:51:25 GMT

In article <159bsiINN98r@agate.berkeley.edu> gtchen@glacier.berkeley.edu (George Chen) writes:
>Quick question:  Does the Avocet 31 take the same battery as
>the Avocet 30?  I just had my 30 replaced with the 31, and the
>casing looks a bit bigger.

The Avo 31 uses the same case AND battery as the model 40.

>***********************************************************************
>* George T. Chen       * This isn't right.  This isn't even wrong. WP *
>* gtchen@speech.sri.com * I Ski, Therefore I Am - shirtprint Whistler *
>***********************************************************************


--
Mark Chandler               Novell, Inc.          510/975-4522
chandler@wc.novell.com      Walnut Creek, CA      510/938-2562 FAX
==================================================================
     The opinions expressed above are mine, not my employer's.
From: tan@lynx.msc.cornell.edu.UUCP (David Tan,Box 219 Baker Lab,54810,2720402)
Newsgroups: rec.bicycles
Subject: Re: Indurain prior to 91
Date: 28 Jul 92 14:48:02 GMT
Distribution: rec
Organization: Cornell-Materials-Science-Center
Originator: tan@msc2.msc.cornell.edu

From article <PSIERRA.92Jul28123606@chinchon.dit.upm.es>, by psierra@dit.upm.es (Pedro Luis Sierra Hernando):
> In article <1618@spam.ua.oz> jday@spam.ua.oz (Jemery Day) writes:
>    >did exactly the same thing when he was a neo-pro in the 85 (?) TdF.
> 
>    What was Indurain's cycling career like prior to 1991. Can anybody who knows
>    post a summary of his achievements prior to his first Tour win? Riders like
> 
> Now , let me tell you some things : Indurain was helping Pedro Delgado in those
> years, when Delgado was the boss in this team (now Delgado help a lot to Indu)
> But one year that I don't remember now he won the Tour de Europe (a copy of the
						    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I believe it was the '85 Tour de l'Avenir (literally, "tour of the future").
The year after, he joined Reynolds, and spent the next several years (to '91)
as a domestique to Delgado.

Dave
Newsgroups: rec.bicycles
From: idelson@bms.com (Ira Idelson)
Subject: Cassette Cog Longevity Followup
Reply-To: idelson@bms.com
Organization: Bristol-Myers Squibb PRI
Date: Mon, 27 Jul 1992 12:26:16 GMT






Thanks to all who responded to my inquiry about cassette cog longevity.

The majority of responders were surprised that the cassette should be worn after 2700 miles given the fact that I had already replaced the chain twice and keep my drivetrain clean. The "see if the chain skips after you replace it" test was suggested.

Well, I learned two things.

One -  I am happy to say that after chain replacement everything is running as smoothly as ever ( well, actually after a small adjustment - see  reason two)

Two - I won't be using this mechanic any more.

I bought the bike from him because my preferred bike shop was out of my size
of this bike when I was ready to buy. Since then anything that had to do with the cannondale I took to shop #2.

I brought the bike to shop #2 last Monday because I thought something was wrong in the freehub mechanism and I wanted it checked out.

He called me on the phone and said the freehub was okay but that I needed cogs and a chain. Since the bike was already there I let him replace the chain.

When I picked the bike up, I was hit for a $9 labor charge!. "Nine bucks to change a chain?", I said. "I spent an hour working on that stupid bike", he said. (Yeah, he called it a stupid bike)." I checked the freehub like you asked and had to adjust the front and rear derailleurs. Your chain was over oiled very dirty and too long."

"Too long? That was the original length of the chain when I took delivery. Why did you make it so long?"

(Cock and bull story about gears etc. deleted)

I was also surprised that he could tell me thw chain was too dirty and over oiled, because as I said I take care of the drivetrain.

I unhappily (because of his attitude) paid for the bike and left.

When I rode the bike next day, the rear derailleur was so far out of adjustment that I had to keep stopping to adjust it. I finally cut the ride short so I could bring the bike home and adjust it properly.

So, I am happy  to say my cassette is still alive and kicking. I will continue to maintain my drivetrain as I have and will replace the cogs when the chain finally skips.

Ira Idelson

Newsgroups: rec.bicycles