I noticed that while I’ve been posting about my biking experiences, I’ve never taken the time to talk about my bike itself in detail.¹ As such, I’ve decided to consolidate all my bike’s “details” into a single entry which I can update whenever applicable. This makes it easier as I just have to just point people who ask about my setup to a single URL and know that it will be fairly current.

I also will discuss my personal journey/process of how I picked every part of my bike in context of being a newbie myself – which could be useful for anyone who’s planning to get into the sport and have the same concerns/questions that I once had.

Frame (07.06.09)

Most bikes are identified by their frames. Since I don’t really name any of my stuff, I guess it defaults to Alma – which is spanish for “soul.”²

If you get into cycling as a hobby, you’ll find out that there are literally hundreds of brands – and that trying to choose a frame based on “brand” would be a pointless exercise. I personally had trouble looking for a frame at first, because I just wanted to know what was the frame brand to have… and whenever I would ask different people, different brands crop up.

Having said that, there’s really no particular reason why I chose Orbea as a brand as far as “quality” goes, as I’m sure any other reputable brand would have a similar quality. Instead, I chose Orbea for the following reasons.

First, of course, was that it was not only a reputable brand, but a respected one. The fact that Julien Absalon won with the exact frame I use is apparently was a big deal to those in the know.³

Second, given that there are hundreds of good brands, I didn’t want to get a “common” brand. So the Giants, the Treks, etc. were less appealing to me simply because everyone had them. Just like how Apple users want to be “different” from the “majority,” I guess that mindset affected my decision of choosing a frame as well :)

Third was that european brands in particular appealed more to me. It is a subjective thing, but the best analogy I could use is how european car brands are, at the very least, perceived to be a cut above the rest. Given a Honda (Asian), a Ford (American) or a BMW (European); I’d definitely go BMW. Even in the case of “super-cars” (if ever you get the itch of say pitting a Nissan GT-R with your regular BMW), the proper comparison in that context would be with the Porches, Ferraris, etc. – and Europe wins yet again.

Last and most importantly, ever since I started canvassing, I was set on a carbon or titanium frame. Turns out it is the only brand that has a lifetime warranty that’s honored in the Philippines. Distributors in our country are weird like that; even if the manufacturer itself touts a lifetime warranty, that doesn’t guarantee that it will be honored here. Since I was set on a more expensive material (carbon) which is structurally “weaker” than regular materials – the warranty was a big deal for me.

Drivetrain (07.06.09)

The drivetrain is the [collective] mechanism that converts your pedal strokes to motion. So that would be your cranks, cogs/sprockets/cassettes, derailleurs, et all. When people use the term loosely, usually that immediately translates to the derailleurs and corresponding components that work with it.

There’s a debate as to which should be prioritized when investing on a bike; should you spend on your frame, or drivetrain? It is a good question; one I don’t know the answer to. I guess it would depend on what you prioritize in your riding.

The biggest benefit of investing on a frame is weight savings – the weight of a bike is not something to be underestimated. You’d be surprised how “useful” a light bike can be when traveling long distances, going uphill, or even the simple task of transporting the thing (e.g. loading/mounting it on your car, etc.) but again, it’s not necessary, you can still bike with a regular “heavy” frame (and it’s good for training)

The biggest benefit of investing on your drivetrain is the “smoothness” of operation, and reliability under load. They will be machined more precisely, they’ll use stronger (and lighter) components, they’ll generally be more “accurate” than the rest. Think of investing in drivetrains as investing in a mechanical watch; any watch will do its job, but a Rolex will keep time better than a Swatch, and will also be more impervious to damage (not that you’d want to test that claim, but I’m pretty sure it’s the case). But just like the frame, it will work no matter how “low-end” a drivetrain you have.

Having said that, I was lucky enough to afford both, so this wasn’t really an issue for me. I’m on a full Shimano XTR 970 ’09 group set. So that covers drivetrain right to the brakes – but lets discuss the drivetrain first. I chose Shimano purely out of preference… that and they seem to be the only ones making Dual Control Levers (DCL), (since it’s their technology). Apart from using DCL, the only other thing worth pointing out is that I’m on a rapid-rise (low-normal) setup.

Dual Control Levers (07.06.09)

DCL puts the shifter and brakes into one contraption; you also shift with the brake lever. As far as usage goes, both DCL or Rapidfire (thumb-shifters) are the same. The debates between the two sides I read about often boil down to preference. Whatever “faults/flaws” a person sees with the other system is simply because of their preference of how their hands should operate when riding.

For example, as a DCL user, I could argue that having to use your thumb to shift is less efficient because you’re essentially shifting your grip position (no matter how miniscule a movement it may be) in order to allow your thumb to access the shifters. While you will definitely reposition your hands a lot when riding off-road, the point I’m trying to make is that ideally, you’d only change grip positions for the purpose of balance… not shifting. Now, depending on your riding technique, this may or may not be an issue. Similarly a person used to thumb-shifting can claim that DCL causes accidental shifts when they only intended to brake.⁴ Again, this may or may not be an issue depending on your technique. I personally have never experienced that problem – which proves the point that it would depend on what you train your hand to be accustomed to. Whatever “flaws” the other party sees, are likely non-existent to a user that has fully acclimated him/herself to the system in question.

I started with no preference, which means my hand’s muscle memory was a blank slate – and based on the approaches of the two systems, I decided that I DCL was better for me. This is best explained in person where I can physically show what I mean,⁵ but for now let’s just say that all things being equal, if you’re just starting and aren’t used to any shifting system yet… I think DCL would be a better system to grow on… that and possibly SRAM’s twist/grip-shift, but then I’m partial to Shimano components :)

The only disadvantage I can see with DCL is that it would be more expensive to repair/change. Regardless if the shifting or braking mechanism is faulty, you have to change the whole thing.

High-Normal vs Low-Normal (07.06.09)

This is also quite a controversial topic.

Derailleurs undergo either of two things whenever you “actuate” a shift; either you’re going against the spring by brute force until it “locks” onto the next cog/gear – or you “release” it to a cog where the spring naturally pulls towards.

Basically hi or low normal means which cog the the spring naturally pulls towards. So when you do a shift that invovles “releasing,” if it’s naturally jumping to a lower gear (i.e. bigger cog/those gears that make your bike “lighter”), then you’re on a low-normal derailleur.

High-normal is the most common setup. And for the most part, just like the DCL vs. Rapidfire argument; I feel its just a matter of preference. I personally prefer a low-normal setup because I like that fact that it prioritizes shifting to a lower (lighter) gear. High gears are used for acceleration; and while I guess racers would prioritize that, I think its far more practical to have a low-normal setup especially on a mountain bike, and here are some situations that emphasize the point (taken from another site):

Coming around a blind corner in a high gear, and facing an immediate steep and technical climb.

Crossing a rocky creekbed, getting slowed down by the rocks more than you planned, and needing a low gear fast so you can climb up the steep bank on the other side.

All these scenarios are common with off-road (MTB) riders, and you need access to the lower gears immediately or you lose momentum/balance fast. The only time quick access to higher gears is absolutely necessary is on a race scenario where you need to maintain or increase speed immediately after coming out of a climb. While I can understand the need for that, that situation isn’t so common with everyday riders.

Also, as Sheldon Brown would say: “High normal rear derailleurs (RDs) let you make a downshift by brute force on the shifter whether the chain wants to move or not. Low normal RDs moderate the side force on the chain and let the cog’s ramps and release teeth complete the shift under less stress.” So, as far as general practicality goes, low-normal wins in my book.

I’m of the opinion that the “need” of a low-normal setup is unpopular on road bikes because it’s far more easier (and safer!) to climb pavement than it is to climb uneven/rocky ground. Besides, if you’re a roadie, you obviously prioritize speed/accelleration over anything else – so it’s not even an option at that point.

Brakes (07.06.09)

Brakes are the most important part of the bike IMHO. In fact, I’d go as far as to say, the most important part of any moving vehicle are its brakes. You can ride a bike with faulty gear-shifting, but it’s just plain stupid to try riding a bike with faulty brakes. The confidence you will have in going as fast as you possibly can is directly proportional to the confidence in your ability to stop. Hence the better your brakes are, the better off you’ll be.

As mentioned earlier, my brake levers are the DCLs. And the actual brakes (calipers/rotors) are from the XTR group as well. They’re hydraulic disc brakes, and I wouldn’t have them any other way.

Disc vs V-brakes (07.06.09)

There’s no debate as to what brake-type is “better.” Disc will always win over v-brakes… period. The only two reasons I can think of why people would want v-brakes are due to them costing 1/3 the price of disc systems, and that they’re lighter. But as far as “application” goes, discs are proven to be more reliable, proven to be more powerful, proven to be easier to align, proven to be easier on the bike (they don’t wear down your rims), proven to work much better than v-brakes under extreme weather/environmental conditions, etc.

Hydraulic vs Mechanical (07.06.09)

XTR brakes are hydraulic. On such a system, not only is the lever extremely light to actuate,⁶ but you can also easily feel/control the stopping power you’re applying (which is why you hear the term “modulation” a lot when discussing hydraulic systems).

Truth be told, the selling point for me isn’t really how “light to the touch” it is, but the by-product of such lightness; how you can control the amount of brake applied by very small finger movement and actually feel the response – thats the “modulation” everyone’s talking about.

As if it wasn’t enough that discs are better then v-brakes; but hydraulic disc brakes are a different class altogether from mechanical disc brakes. Cris’ bike is on mechanical, and after riding it, I’m seriously considering upgrading hers one of these days. Her hand is weaker than mine, and I feel guilty that my brakes are much easier to apply/control than hers – given that she’s the one that needs good braking power more than I do.

Lever positioning (07.06.09)

I’ve mentioned this in the past (very often at that); I have my brake levers reversed. The front brake is controlled by my right hand, while the rear by the left. I will not bother going into the nitty gritty details of why I want it that way, but I’ll just reiterate these two key points:

1. If you take the time to study the physics involved in balance, momentum, weight shifts, and [tire] traction as far as cycling goes, you will realize that the front brake is the most important brake – and should be the primary if you really care about braking effectively.
2. My right hand is my more skillful hand – so I want that hand to be in control of the most critical brake :)

Brakelines (07.06.09)

I even added weight to my bike by “upgrading” the brakelines. Yes, by “brakelines,” I mean the hosing and fittings used, nothing more. And yes, the metal braided hose and titanium fittings alone already cost as much as an entry level BMX bike. So I can understand why this is an indulgence for most people, but it is an investement for me.

The standard XTR regular hydraulic (plastic) hoses were much lighter than when I “upgraded” to Goodridge metal-braded ones. All this was to ensure that I got all the bases covered as far as braking goes. I didn’t want my brakes to fail on a critical situation due to hose expansion, or heat, or worse; getting cut somehow. I admit that given my style of riding, my brake setup is overkill – better suited for DH. But I don’t want to take any chances as far as safety is concerned.

Mix and match? (07.06.09)

As far as the brakes themselves go (the calipers) I’m not sure if I want to upgrade to better brakes (e.g. Magura or Hope). Since I’ve changed to Goodridge hoses, I’d think its possible to use the DCLs in conjunction with different brand calipers, since all I have to do is buy the proper fittings for the calipers (and Goodridge has got fittings for practically every brake brand out there). We’ll see. For now, the XTR brakes seem to be doing their job well.

Fork (07.06.09)

I’m on a 100mm Fox 32 F-Series Remote. Cris has my old fork; it’s a 32 F-Series RLC, which technically I guess is better (and lighter… by about 10 grams hahaha) than what I’m using now. RLCs basically have an extra setting where you can adjust the “lockout force;”⁷ making it possible for the fork to compress even if locked out to prevent it from being damaged in the event of an unexpected hit that could damage a rigid fork.

Unfortunately, RLCs don’t have remote lockout switches. And I wanted a remote for it because reaching down the fork to “flip a switch” (And by “flip” I mean “twisting” something) was proving to be impractical, and even downright difficult in some cases (especially when you realized you wanted to lock-out while already on a steep climb).

Also, this fork, while top of the line of the Fox brand, is considerably heavier (about 200 grams) than its SID (SRAM/RockShox) counterpart. But as they all say; Fox is Fox. I only heard about SID/RockShox when I got into biking; and that’s not to say that they’re good or bad; but I’ve always been familiar with the Fox brand when it came to suspension no matter what vehicular sport I was watching.

That, and I heard RockShox customer service are a pain in the ass to deal with in the Philippines. It’s all about after-sales support baby!

I also got fork boots to protect the stanchions

Wheelset (07.06.09)

I’m on ’08 Mavic CrossMax SLRs (Disc).

Nothing much to say here, it’s the top model of the Mavic MTB line, hubs and all.

I was supposed to have been able to get a great deal for it (about 20% off) over the newer (09) model which had a negligible weight savings. But now that I think about it, my [not so] old wheelset (CrossTrail disc 09) was half the price of the SLR and 200 grams heavier. The 09 model was probably less than hundred grams lighter than the 08… so techincally, while it was at a discount, I just paid a great big deal just to shave off about hundred grams. I’m not so stoked about that :(

Oh well, at least I got bragging rights to have one of the best MTB wheelsets hahaha. Yes, I’m aware that I’m just synthesizing happiness at this point, but whatever!

Intermission (07.06.09)

With the exception of the brakes, I’ve just mentioned what I consider to be the 4 major parts that contribute to a bike’s quantifiable value: frame, drivetrain, fork and wheelset. If you’re buying a new bike, these are the components you should spend time researching on because they easily represent about 90% of what you’ll be spending for your bike.

My general rule would be, if it’s too expensive for you to get ever, then don’t get it. But if it’s something that’s kind of expensive but you can see yourself wanting/getting it eventually… get it.

Bicycling is one of those hobbies where you end up paying double by “putting off” investments when you could’ve just bit the bullet and spent on what you really wanted the first time around. Just like my wheelset; if I had just gotten the SLR right away, I wouldn’t have had to spend on the CrossTrail – and saved 20k in the long run – same 20k savings applies to the fork.

Thankfully, those “second thoughts” are compensated by the fact that I get to hand down Cris really good components as a by-product. Siyempre I wouldn’t want people to think I was matipid with her bike when I went all out on mine… that’s just selfish hahahaha.

Cockpit (07.06.09)

The cockpit, from what I know, is basically your handlebar, seatpost and stem. There’s no general rule as to how you should set it up, but in true Apple-esque fashion, there seems to be a consensus that it’s nice to have a matching cockpit set.

I personally wanted to go Easton’s EC90 series components for my cockpit – because I personally am attracted to Easton’s composite technology (i.e. they seem to make really good carbon components) So that meant the EC90 handlebar, EC90 stem, EC90 Zero seatpost.

Handlebar (07.06.09)

Unfortunately, the EC90 handlebar was too narrow for my tastes; I wanted to use bar-ends, and the EC90 wasn’t made to support it both by its usable width and construction (I don’t think it was reinforced to support bar-ends).

Instead, I chose the EC70, which was the next best thing; it had the length I needed, and was bar-end ready.

Stem (07.06.09)

There is an EC90 stem, but the site recommends it for more for road bikes. I found it amusing that the EC90 stem is just as heavy as its aluminum counterpart; the EA90. So that wasn’t really a choice at that point. Aluminum is stronger than carbon. And if they practically weigh the same anyways, why even bother with carbon?

While stems may or may not be expensive (which is why I didn’t include them in the 4 major parts above), they are arguably one of the critical parts of your bike – because technically, all the stress goes to the stem – so you really need a reliable one.

I’m guessing the reason why carbon seatposts, handlebars, and frames can afford to be uber-light while maintaining a reasonable amount of durability is because they have surface areas that can distribute the different forces acting on them. Stems on the other hand, are extremely small fuckers relatively speaking; there’s nowhere to distribute/dissipate said force, so either the stem can handle it or it can’t. Which is probably why the amount of material needed to be used for carbon stems end up being just as heavy as aluminum.

Having said that, at this juncture, when you get a carbon stem, you’re really just after the look to match, because from what I know, it has no advantage over its time-tested alloy counterpart… at least not at this point in time.

Seatpost (08.12.09)

To finish off the cockpit set, I have the Easton EC90 Zero (no setback) seatpost. It’s a tricky thing; deciding if you need a setback or not. But over time, I just found out that the position I tend to gravitate towards when biking normally while allowing space for the saddlebag I use is best achieved with a zero setback post. And because it’s straight, just like with flat handlebars, it will be lighter than their “bent” (w/ setback) counterpart.

It is worth noting though, that these factors I just mentioned are a lousy basis for deciding to get a zero setback post; seatpost height and setback are there to fix the geometry between your legs and the crack/pedals… the distance between your ass from the handlebar should normally be dealt with via the stem length. But I found that my ideal saddle position would work on both types of seatposts… so it really didn’t matter as far as that went. That, and well, the current line of EC90s don’t seem to have offers with a setback.

Headset (07.06.09)

I’m on a “stock” headset, if you can call it that (FSA integrated). It’s good to invest on a headset if you can, but probably not imperative if you already have one.

Any headset, especially when brand new, is very much usable for a long time to come, assuming you’re not an aggressive rider – and you don’t take your bike apart often. If you ride on mostly pavement, or do trails once in a while, chances are whatever headset you use will last a bike’s regular lifespan.

Of course it still will wear down eventually. And I guess once that happens, then you can decide if you want to just buy a cheap replacement that will last just as long, or go the extra mile and invest in a really good one that will last for much longer and can handle a lot of abuse.

To give an idea, Chris King is the popular name which I believe gives a lifetime warranty on their headsets, Cane Creek is said to be even better since the designs that made King popular are their patents. And Cane Creek gives an amusing 110 years warranty just to demonstrate how confident they are with their headsets (also as a tongue in cheek response to King’s claim). So getting either will give you the piece of mind of not having to worry about maintaining them literally forever, and if something does happen, it’ll be fixed free of charge :)

So right now, I’m going to wait till my headset dies or gets damaged (or if I suddenly have extra cash lying around, whichever comes first) before investing in a good headset… it’s not a priority for me now. If you’re into a discipline that dishes a lot of punishment on your bike (or if you compete a lot), then you probably could afford to invest in a good headset right off the gate.

Grips (08.12.09)

My grips of choice are Ergon GX2s (carbon). I chose them because I was feeling discomfort at my hands when doing extended periods of riding. The metacarpal region of my thumbs would feel ngawit/ngalay (that’s “sore” for the english speakers, but the filipino words are more articulate for the sensation I was feeling)

I adjusted my gripping position/style, and while it did help a great deal (in fact the soreness is almost completely eliminated at this point), there still are traces of that feeling when I get into really grueling rides.

I’m a programmer, and I also like playing the guitar, so I don’t want to take chances and damage my hand due to some variant of CTS⁸ just because I was riding a bike. So I’ve purchased the Ergon grips to hopefully solve that problem once and for all.

Bar Ends (08.12.09)

I also got the GX2s because they had adjustable carbon bar-ends already integrated (as seen in the picture linked above). And the overall clamping design of the whole contraption seems to be very carbon handlebar friendly. Handlebars can be very picky with bar-ends that even if your bar is rated for bar-ends, you can still damage them if you apply the wrong clamping force or if you’re unfortunate enough to put too much pressure on them while riding (e.g. snagging a tree, pulling on them too hard when ascending, etc.) The way Ergon made their grips alleviates this as much as it possibly can.

Bar End Plugs (08.12.09)

To be on the safe side, I still got HS100 bar end plugs) for the handlebars. Basically, what bar-end plugs do are they “inject” an opposing outward force from the inside of your handlebar⁹ – in the area where the bar ends are clamping down – for added durability.

Saddle (08.12.09)

I’m now on a Selle Italia SLR saddle.

I’ll still be keeping my Serfas Furano for the first few months of using the new saddle – just in case my ass doesn’t “warm up” to the latter.

The dilemma everyone will have to face once they get “picky” on their bicycle saddle is if they want “comfortable,” or do they want “lightweight?”

As such, when getting your first bike, it would be wise to put off investing on a saddle for a later time. Take the time to know how your body weight and riding style affect the comfort of how you ride… then in time, you’ll have a good idea on what type of saddle you can afford to invest in without any regrets. For now, just prioritize comfortable and cheap when getting your first saddle – because you most probably will change it eventually.

Tires (08.26.09)

I guess what people were saying about riding off-road would kinda necessitate a tubeless system is true. I used to think it was because people who needed it would ride uber aggressively that they were accidents waiting to happen – which justified tubeless. Turns out I was wrong.

During a ride in Sta Rosa, my rear tire [fortunately] decompressed at the end of the ride. We found the culprit to be a small thorn; about half a centimeter long, and much less than a millimeter in diameter. In short, the little fucker was annoyingly small to waste a spare tube on… not to mention the delay it would entail if you’re unlucky enough to get flat in the middle of a ride.

So the best advice I could give is know how you ride and most importantly where you ride. If you’re more of a comfort/scenic rider that would rather slow down and be safe, then I guess staying on a tubed setup would be better overall (cheaper, lighter, etc)

But if you like riding off-road fast… you increase the chances of things puncturing your tires without you having time to notice (much less avoid them); that just comes with the territory. In that case, I recommend going tubeless. If you like technical trails/mountains, tubeless would be the best setup since you’ll need lower pressure for more traction, as well as not getting pinch-flats due to the drop in pressure.

Having said that, I’ve now switched to a full legit UST tubed system (Schwalbee Jimmy’s w/ Joe’s sealant) primarily because bastard (non-legit) tubless systems may compromise the life of the tires over time (as their inner walls may not react well with sealant chemicals). So doing aftermarket conversions kits may be cheaper, and may even ride fine initially… over time, it can get more dangerous if the sealant starts corroding the inner walls.

Computer (07.06.09)

Here’s something that’s not really needed, but almost every biker tends to buy one at one point.

A bike computer, depending on its available features tells you a number of things; speed, cadence, distance travelled etc. This is very useful for training as you can get hard numbers of your performance regardless of how you’re feeling that day. With enough information, you’ll know if you’re pushing yourself too hard, or if you’re taking it too easy.

Personally, I prefer the computers I use have at the very least speed and cadence – speed is universal, but not all computers have a cadence option (as it entails a secondary sensor).

Of course me being me I still found other stuff to nitpick about, like it being wireless, using the least amount of zip-ties, etc. So I eventually got Mavic’s top of the line computer; the Wintech Ultimate. Just click on the link for my post about it.

Skewers (07.06.09)

My wheelset skewers are Token titanium TK235s (that’s actually an older model, I upgraded to the newer ones and Cris is using the ones in the picture). Extremely light, even lighter than the Mavic SLRs Ti skewers. I only use the back skewer though, since my front skewer is the Wintech’s integrated front sensor.

Bottle cage (07.06.09)

I’m using a Bontrager Sattelite Elite Sideswipe (carbon). It would be good that you know what type of cage is compatible with your frame (regular, or side-pull) because mounting a bottle on a regular cage on a small frame is damn near impossible. Know how much clearance a loaded bottle will have from your top-tube. Because if the bottle’s top is too near the top tube, that means you’ll be having a lot of trouble pulling that bottle out from a regular cage – as it will be hitting your top tube before you get enough clearance to pull it outwards (sideways).

Mud Guards (08.12.09)

Just like with bar-ends, I opted to have provisions for mud-guards despite people saying that they’re “not that cool to look at.” The more you ride in trails in less than ideal weather, mud-guards end up making cleaning your bike easier as well as keeping yourself cleaner at the end of the ride.

And I don’t just mean the back-of-shirt-getting-dirty shit. The rear mud-guard deals with those skid-marks at the back of your shirt; which ultimately, is purely cosmetic.

What’s more iportant is the mud-getting-in-your-eyes-and-mouth type issues you could experience when aggressively riding down muddy terrain. Front mud-guards will solve that problem.

I use Topeak Air Fenders for two other reasons apart from the ones mentioned above.

1. The “main guards” are detachable. The rear mount is just an inconspicuous collar/clamp. The front mount is a bit more noticeable but still “cute”
2. The detachable “main guards” are inflate/deflateable – so it’s easy to just roll them up and put them in a bag when you don’t need them; but still want to have them handy when you do.

I also modified the mounting mechanism of the front air fender by marrying it with my fork’s “cable holder assembly mount.” More about that modification here.

Bolts (08.12.09)

Even premium components tend to skimp on their bolts (understandably), so I’ve tried to “upgrade” wherever I can.

A quick test you can do is to put a magnet to the parts in question. As much as possible, you don’t want to avoid parts of your bike to be “magnetic” – as they suggest regular metal (i.e. RUST-PRONE). But the worst “side-effect” here is that those bolts tend to be really heavy – and you wouldn’t believe how heavy they could be.

I would guess that in terms of “upgrade paths” the order of bolt quality you can get is from regular < stainless < alloy < titanium (and yes, that is a LESS THAN sign signifying the inferiority of the earlier mentioned materials). So far, I swapped the FF:

1. Front and rear brake caliper bolts
2. Stem bolts
3. Bottle cage bolts

I still want to be able to change the RD/FD cable mounts as well as the FD band bolt. Also the DCL band bolt as well. Actually, as long as its a big-ish bolt, I’d rather it be Ti.

Maintenance (08.12.09)

Let’s just say that after my usual OC-ness in research and practical application, as far as cleaning, tuning, assembly/dissasembly, adjusting goes, (with the exception of equipment failure; where only the service centers could fix them… or bottom bracket assembly; since my torque wrench cannot handle the required amount of torque for those parts), I actually trust myself more than the the local shops when it comes to tuning and cleaning.

Tools (08.12.09)

I have 5 “tools”; two multi tools, a torque wrench, and two pumps.

The most useful tool, which I always have handy whenever I bike, would be my Topeak Ratchet Rocket DX, which is basically a multi-tool with ratcheting capabilities. This is absolutely perfect for on-road use because of its size, weight, and practicality – and I would recommend it to anyone anytime.

I also have a Topeak Alien II multi-tool, which I usually leave in the car, it’s non-ratcheting, considerably heavier, but has a wider selection of tools/sizes – perfect for those “not so often” adjustments/fixes one might encounter (e.g. changing your chain, accessing bleed-nipples, changing hose fittings, etc.).

The torque wrench obviously is needed to make sure I don’t damage my carbon parts when clamping down on them. I leave this at home because you only use this when you’re tuning up (or changing parts) – which you really should do at home before you ride. That and, it’s too expensive to be bringing along for any reason.

The pump I always bring along is a Topeak Two-Timer. It’s a hand-pump that is compatible with Presta or Schrader valves, and can be used both manually or with a CO2 cartridge. Simply put, it’s a perfect hand pump for those emergencies.

The one I leave at home (or in the car) is a Topeak JoeBlow Sport II floor pump; useful for its pressure gauge, and obviously because it can drive air much faster than a hand-pump.

I also have carbon compound/paste which is ideal for carbon components as it allows you to under-torque to a certain degree for ease of mind. The best description I could give the compound is that its like “sandpaper paste;” it makes the surface rough with very fine particles so naturally, when in contact with any other surface, it would have more “grip” than usual – allowing you to under-torque by as much as 30%.

Cleaning (08.12.09)

Thankfully, the more complicated procedures aren’t done as often, so I usually just focus on general bike cleaning.

I have a set of bicycle specific brushes by Park Tool, as well as other brushes from the local hardware store to get the job done.

Coupled with a hose with an adjustable nozzle, and some soap, I have everything I need.

Stands (08.12.09)

I have two types. My “normal” stand is the part where there are hooks on the seat stay and chain stay; essentially lifting the rear up. I chose this type of stand because it lets me manually pedal in place by hand when tuning the drivetrain, degreasing/lubricating the chain, etc.

The second is a full-on maintenance stand like you see in bike shops. I use a Park Tool PRS-20 race stand. It’s such a joy to use both when cleaning and when doing more “involved” maintenance procedures.

post updated on September 16, 2009 @ 10:49 pm