Early Dave Lloyd
- Thread starter NeilM
- Start date
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Re:
Right, a proper shakedown ride today, despite the playful little summer gale we have 'passin thru'.
All good really, although. I was told by Argos that they had reamed the seat tube to 27.0 and despite my best efforts I could not get a 27.0 seatpost in. Well, 76Kg's on a 26.8 seatpost is enough to see it gently sinking, so a couple of stops were require to bring it back up, and a replacement has now been ordered, amazingly, exactly the same Selle San Marco G.S. Special. I have also changed the saddle to a San Marco, not because of anything other than the one I have got hold of is new, and it has a couple of tabs to allow for a small saddle bag. Final tweek was to sort out the back brake cable clips, I was sure I had set them up evenly, but the photos say otherwise, so that's all taken care of now.
Anyway, the Lloyd rides like an absolute dream, maybe a touch on the stiff side, but tight wheels and 100psi won't have done me any favours. Cornering is on a par with anything I have ever ridden, and standing in the pedals for a climb just produces forward motion. There may be a tiny bit of flex and wind up, but I am not sensitive enough to feel it.
On the subject of climbing, I did feel the limitations of the gearing today. It didn't stop me, but I really had to modify my cadence to suit. Mind, having a saddle 15mm too low probably did me no favours either.
An old buddy of mine used to race back in the 50's and 60's. He told me they used to wrap old inner tubes around the tops of the bars where they held on most of the time, I can understand why, as on the rough country lanes around here I really did feel the vibration.
Brakes. Well, they are not as effective (yet) as modern brakes. I am hoping once the pads and rims get used to one another then I may have something a little more effective. They stop the bike OK, it is just I am so used to having too much braking power, that when I have just enough, it can be a little unnerving.
Friction shifters. Hmmmm, I hadn't expected the tiny amount of movement that is needed to change from gear to gear, I also will have to learn how to 'trim' both front and back mechs, and found myself chattering away in traffic a few times, when I really needed to be kicking on and holding the bars. I am sure I'll get there.
It's a different sort of riding on a 70's bike, less cadence and more thigh power, no wonder all the riders back them had thigh muscles like Chris Hoy. Lots of fun though, and only 1KPH average slower over the whole ride than my usual carbon KTM. There may be something in this retro malarky.
Right, a proper shakedown ride today, despite the playful little summer gale we have 'passin thru'.
All good really, although. I was told by Argos that they had reamed the seat tube to 27.0 and despite my best efforts I could not get a 27.0 seatpost in. Well, 76Kg's on a 26.8 seatpost is enough to see it gently sinking, so a couple of stops were require to bring it back up, and a replacement has now been ordered, amazingly, exactly the same Selle San Marco G.S. Special. I have also changed the saddle to a San Marco, not because of anything other than the one I have got hold of is new, and it has a couple of tabs to allow for a small saddle bag. Final tweek was to sort out the back brake cable clips, I was sure I had set them up evenly, but the photos say otherwise, so that's all taken care of now.
Anyway, the Lloyd rides like an absolute dream, maybe a touch on the stiff side, but tight wheels and 100psi won't have done me any favours. Cornering is on a par with anything I have ever ridden, and standing in the pedals for a climb just produces forward motion. There may be a tiny bit of flex and wind up, but I am not sensitive enough to feel it.
On the subject of climbing, I did feel the limitations of the gearing today. It didn't stop me, but I really had to modify my cadence to suit. Mind, having a saddle 15mm too low probably did me no favours either.
An old buddy of mine used to race back in the 50's and 60's. He told me they used to wrap old inner tubes around the tops of the bars where they held on most of the time, I can understand why, as on the rough country lanes around here I really did feel the vibration.
Brakes. Well, they are not as effective (yet) as modern brakes. I am hoping once the pads and rims get used to one another then I may have something a little more effective. They stop the bike OK, it is just I am so used to having too much braking power, that when I have just enough, it can be a little unnerving.
Friction shifters. Hmmmm, I hadn't expected the tiny amount of movement that is needed to change from gear to gear, I also will have to learn how to 'trim' both front and back mechs, and found myself chattering away in traffic a few times, when I really needed to be kicking on and holding the bars. I am sure I'll get there.
It's a different sort of riding on a 70's bike, less cadence and more thigh power, no wonder all the riders back them had thigh muscles like Chris Hoy. Lots of fun though, and only 1KPH average slower over the whole ride than my usual carbon KTM. There may be something in this retro malarky.
Re:
Thanks.
I'm a long time MTB'er recently turned roadie, so all road bikes are new to me.
Much of the credit must go to Midlife (Shaun), who has been a encyclopaedia of information and even contributed the BB axle FOC... what a gent.
Blowing a gale and raining here today, so I have just lovingly removed all traces of yesterdays road grime, well, dust, and now it's nice and shiny again.
Thanks.
I'm a long time MTB'er recently turned roadie, so all road bikes are new to me.
Much of the credit must go to Midlife (Shaun), who has been a encyclopaedia of information and even contributed the BB axle FOC... what a gent.
Blowing a gale and raining here today, so I have just lovingly removed all traces of yesterdays road grime, well, dust, and now it's nice and shiny again.
Re:
It's really been bugging me that I could not use the 28 tooth sprocket when on the 41t chainring, you know just niggling away in the back of my mind.
Then a light bulb came on. Admittedly it was a very dim lightbulb, but a lightbulb never the less.
So, this afternoon, me and the chain link extractor got busy and two links later she works like a charm. I had deliberately left the chain a little long, but without a B screw to maladjust I was not able to compensate.
It's really been bugging me that I could not use the 28 tooth sprocket when on the 41t chainring, you know just niggling away in the back of my mind.
Then a light bulb came on. Admittedly it was a very dim lightbulb, but a lightbulb never the less.
So, this afternoon, me and the chain link extractor got busy and two links later she works like a charm. I had deliberately left the chain a little long, but without a B screw to maladjust I was not able to compensate.
Re:
Out for a ride in the evening sunshine yesterday (sorry no photo's), with the new MKS Sylvan pedals, suitably adjusted to match with my AXO shoes and vice versa.
I had no issues with straps, cranks, shoes or anything else, but my goodness the gearing really makes you work.
Having real fun and games trying to find the technique for 'kicking' the pedals round once moving to stuff the shoe into the toeclip....... 25 miles later, I still have not worked it out. :facepalm:
Out for a ride in the evening sunshine yesterday (sorry no photo's), with the new MKS Sylvan pedals, suitably adjusted to match with my AXO shoes and vice versa.
I had no issues with straps, cranks, shoes or anything else, but my goodness the gearing really makes you work.
Having real fun and games trying to find the technique for 'kicking' the pedals round once moving to stuff the shoe into the toeclip....... 25 miles later, I still have not worked it out. :facepalm:
Re: Re:
If I could find another identical frame, I'd retromod it in a minute as it rides like an absolute dream and corners like it's on rails.
I understand what you're saying, but the whole point of this build was to make as close a reproduction of a 1978 bike as possible.coomber":1zjb3dbb said:
If I could find another identical frame, I'd retromod it in a minute as it rides like an absolute dream and corners like it's on rails.
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