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HC Bike/Cycling Thread


boomana

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I want a brighter dynolight for the Brompton.  

The bike came with a Lumotec Lyt-Bn, which was an apparently free upgrade from the halogen lamp I thought I was getting. This lamp may actually be less expensive than the halogen, and I really like the range (distance) but find it a bit too narrow. There are a few paths on my way home from work that the light just barely doesn't go edge to edge on. Not being able to see the edge of the path freaks me out. 

 

Now debating between expensive German lights or cheap knock offs from who knows where.

Probably going with a nice German lamp. 

 

Just rambling out loud. 

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Well the right pod my vector snapped in half upon installation (with a torque wrench) after I tried to align the pods. The only thing I can think of is that I was using one of their washers and one that was from my previous look pedals and that somehow messed it up. They better send me a free replacement fast.

Edited by Dreadhead
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I have two washers on mine. The reason the first pod broke was because it did not clear the arm so tightening it snapped it. I assume you would have plenty of clearance. We also set torque on the low end of the Nm scale they give. Will your shop take a pod from a spare kit for you? That is how I got mine so fast. Evidently 2 weeks for a pod from Garmin.

Edited by VPI
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So I looked at the pod a bit more today and it was definitely the washers. The Look pedal washer has a larger diameter hole than the garmin one and the garmin one settled unevenly inside the look one and made the loading on the pod uneven and cracked it. The proof is in the fact that the face of the pod is deformed down into the crack and I also observed that the pod looked like it was misaligned relative to the crank. I guess they could argue it was my fault but I was using washers as ordered.

 

My shop has a second set of them on order but I'm not going to ask them to give up revenue so I can get it faster (not that that would be unreasonable) so hopefully Garmin steps up and gets me things faster than two weeks or I guess if my shop wants to give me the replacements then so be it. I don't know when the second set are supposed to arrive.

 

Overall though I'm also not impressed with the pod arrangment as not only did it snap but on both sides they nicked my carbon cranksets when they over-rotated. How hard would it be to include a small piece of rubber to make sure you align it right with the crankset?

Edited by Dreadhead
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These things sound like a complete failure.  Given the installation issues what hope do you have that they'll last for even a season of hard riding? 

 

Me: had a great commute back and forth to work yesterday although the morning trip was rather cold (35 when I left the house) and I had a bee fly into my helmet on the way home and sting me on the top of my head (at 30mph).  But I'm trying to take the good with the bad. 

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Nate, I'm still hopeful that they'll work great once installed right (which is other people's experience) that said I'm hoping that long term they switch to steel or titanium for the pods (and send free replacements). They need something with some strength and ductility in that area not brittle ass aluminum. It's just unacceptable that the pod failed rather than force the washers to align! That or they need to send 4 pods with the pedals. They also need to include a cheap claw foot adapter with the pedals.

 

I'm going to return them to the shop today and let them deal with Garmin. I will still take them as I said I would but I'm less than thrilled right now that's for sure. Very glad I didn't end up selling the Quarq as I'll just keep it as a backup at this point.

 

Glad you had a good commute. I had a great ride out of work yesterday and I'll be riding again tomorrow.

Edited by Dreadhead
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The seatpost on my Brompton is a bit too short. I have known this from day one, but kept telling myself "no, it wont matter."

 

I have mostly been riding 20-25miles at a time and have not experienced any real pain, just a nagging feeling that things could be better, but nothing annoying enough to act on. Last night I rode 45miles (from my office in Mahwah NJ to Nechama's apartment in Brooklyn). It fucking matters. 

 

I am trying to decide between the "long" seatpost which would make the bike a bit bigger when folded and the 2-section seatpost which is much more expensive. 

 

While typing this Nechama texted me to say that she ordered the long post. That made that decision easy. 

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So when I was dropping my Vectors off I was showing the shop what happened and I discovered that for 100% certain I'm not responsible. The issue was that just inside the threads the shaft of the pedal gets a bit smaller so what happened is that their own Garmin provided washer dropped down on this section and then tightened on out of true and applied pressure unevenly and shit broke.

 

I really should just take my money and run but I want pedal based power.

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I really should just take my money and run but I want pedal based power.

 

I really think you should just take your money and get another crank power meter. I understand it doesn't measure L/R power but pedal power seems to be very early in it's development stage still. JMO, of course.

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The seatpost on my Brompton is a bit too short. I have known this from day one, but kept telling myself "no, it wont matter."

 

I have mostly been riding 20-25miles at a time and have not experienced any real pain, just a nagging feeling that things could be better, but nothing annoying enough to act on. Last night I rode 45miles (from my office in Mahwah NJ to Nechama's apartment in Brooklyn). It fucking matters. 

 

I am trying to decide between the "long" seatpost which would make the bike a bit bigger when folded and the 2-section seatpost which is much more expensive. 

 

While typing this Nechama texted me to say that she ordered the long post. That made that decision easy. 

 

i think the bike attached to your seat post is too short

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Just reserved my room for the Sebring Bike Fest December 6-8th, I will be there Friday night through Sunday. Anyone thinking of attending should reserve now the rooms book fast and if you bail the deposit is refunded if you let them know 48 hours in advance.

 

Back to riding to work today felt great, gonna get soaked on the way home. 

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I really think you should just take your money and get another crank power meter. I understand it doesn't measure L/R power but pedal power seems to be very early in it's development stage still. JMO, of course.

 

I did this and just emailed the shop to let them know I had changed my mind on the replacement and I just wanted my money back. We'll see how it works out. If it ends up that my shop is left holding the bag I'll then purchase them and make do.

 

^ Yes, on rolled threads (good), the OD of the threaded portion will be > than that of the material they are rolled in.

 

For sure I understand why it was that way my issue is that they design it so that where the gap is also has a washer near it.

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Just reserved my room for the Sebring Bike Fest December 6-8th, I will be there Friday night through Sunday. Anyone thinking of attending should reserve now the rooms book fast and if you bail the deposit is refunded if you let them know 48 hours in advance.

 

Back to riding to work today felt great, gonna get soaked on the way home. 

 

i got a flight last night and just reserved the room.  i get in thursday and will be visiting some companies in orlando then will come to sebring

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It seems like a very nice frame, and the components are decent.  If my daughter decides she's really into bikes, we'll eventually find an old campy group for it, and make it a good classic rider.  The cables are in need of some help, I'll replace them in the near-ish term.  After the pictures were taken, I pulled the front derailleur cable, cleaned and lubed it, and replaced it, and adjusted it.  It's in much better shape now (it wasn't moving at all before).

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