Lipstick on a pig? Kona Jake upgrades

[bikeworkshop]

That redundant left hand shifter is perfect for dropper post operation, or even a cable- actuated bottom bracket dynamo?

 

[moonlite]

That redundant left hand shifter is perfect for dropper post operation, or even a cable- actuated bottom bracket dynamo?

Cor -- never thought of that! I've never used a dropper -- I've always worried about extra weight but friends tell me they're indispensable.

 

[bikeworkshop]

Cor -- never thought of that! I've never used a dropper -- I've always worried about extra weight but friends tell me they're indispensable.

Once you've got a dropper, you won't stop banging on about it

- when you stop at the cafe
...pssstch...
Off you get, without all that roadie nonsense of hopping off the saddle before you come to a halt

 

[Woz]

Been through similar with chain-sets.

Found a road triple to be sort of OK, but not really perfect. 130 / 74 BCD felt limiting and the road FDs pretty weak.

Then I tried a compact road double, and got caught up with the fuss trying to get a smaller 110 BCD outer ring. It was better. Think it was a FSA Vero or something like that.

Then went down the MTB hole. I always use square taper, so could actually compress the q-factor and chain-line unlike that more modern XT one - that is probably hardwired with at least a 50mm chain-line, whereas you need something like a 45 - 47mm depending on your rear spacing / hub. Retro MTB cranks are interesting for these builds. I've successfully mated MTB FDs with STIs using an alternative cable pinch position closer to the anchor bolt.

Also tried single up front using cheap out of fashion DH chain rings with the 104 BCD LX M569 (one of the last Shimano square taper with a reasonable Q-factor and chain-line). There's some interesting choices like 36, 38, 40 teeth and they can be flipped for either middle or outer ring position. Personally think the narrow / wide stuff (which I have never used) would be overkill for this. https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads...n-xt-m739-4-bolt-crankset.415584/post-3138371

 

[moonlite]

Been through similar with chain-sets.

Found a road triple to be sort of OK, but not really perfect. 130 / 74 BCD felt limiting and the road FDs pretty weak.

Then I tried a compact road double, and got caught up with the fuss trying to get a smaller 110 BCD outer ring. It was better. Think it was a FSA Vero or something like that.

Then went down the MTB hole. I always use square taper, so could actually compress the q-factor and chain-line unlike that more modern XT one - that is probably hardwired with at least a 50mm chain-line, whereas you need something like a 45 - 47mm depending on your rear spacing / hub. Retro MTB cranks are interesting for these builds. I've successfully mated MTB FDs with STIs using an alternative cable pinch position closer to the anchor bolt.

Also tried single up front using cheap out of fashion DH chain rings with the 104 BCD LX M569 (one of the last Shimano square taper with a reasonable Q-factor and chain-line). There's some interesting choices like 36, 38, 40 teeth and they can be flipped for either middle or outer ring position. Personally think the narrow / wide stuff (which I have never used) would be overkill for this. https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads...n-xt-m739-4-bolt-crankset.415584/post-3138371

Hmmm . . . this is very useful -- there is a nice square taper STX-RC chainset somewhere in the shed. If there's a nice BB to match, we may be onto something. Details at 11.

 

[moonlite]

Continuing to mess about with this . . . today the budget narrow-wide chainring arrived from China, so spent a bit of time replacing its non-1x predecessor. This took a bit longer than anticipated because the ring is thinner than the previous one, so the longer bolts and spacers I had used didn't tighten fully.

The brand name, 'Snail', while a little uninspiring, does rather reflect my riding pace, so that's all good then.

Also, the instructions on the package, clearly translated from the vernacular via Google Translate, were quite diverting. Here's but a small sample:

The characteristics

1. Extended edition of plus or minus tooth shape, overall optimization, chain effect better, more outstanding, easily deal with all kinds of bumpy road.

. . .

4. Conversions, single plate, the vehicle to remove dip before the dial before transmission line transmission pipe and three piece of tooth plate, the vehicle can reduce 1 kg weight, make the whole car Looks more simple, beautiful and performance coexistence.

Anyway, it's done now, so will be going for another test ride tomorrow. Buckle up!




Meanwhile, I welcome your thoughts on whether it Looks more simple, beautiful and performance coexistence.

 

[Imlach]

Continuing to mess about with this . . . today the budget narrow-wide chainring arrived from China, so spent a bit of time replacing its non-1x predecessor. This took a bit longer than anticipated because the ring is thinner than the previous one, so the longer bolts and spacers I had used didn't tighten fully.

The brand name, 'Snail', while a little uninspiring, does rather reflect my riding pace, so that's all good then.

Also, the instructions on the package, clearly translated from the vernacular via Google Translate, were quite diverting. Here's but a small sample:

The characteristics

1. Extended edition of plus or minus tooth shape, overall optimization, chain effect better, more outstanding, easily deal with all kinds of bumpy road.

. . .

4. Conversions, single plate, the vehicle to remove dip before the dial before transmission line transmission pipe and three piece of tooth plate, the vehicle can reduce 1 kg weight, make the whole car Looks more simple, beautiful and performance coexistence.

Anyway, it's done now, so will be going for another test ride tomorrow. Buckle up!

View attachment 896256
View attachment 896257

Meanwhile, I welcome your thoughts on whether it Looks more simple, beautiful and performance coexistence.

Me likey. Snail/Deckas look fugly but works a treat.

 

[Woz]

Love how you are fiddling with this. These bikes represent sometimes nothing ever finished. Ever.

https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/masi-modern-retro-cx-gravel-confused-build.407551/post-2997291

The above is now gone up very North in Helsinki, Finland. Where I hope it get's thrashed and run and serves to a bitter end. In an harsh urban environment. Close to it's original USA a la Iltalian construction thinking from about a decade ago. It serves a new purpose of unbeatable and care free riding. I'm constantly on the look for that bike and I love following what you are doing because it is very close to my thinking.

A do-it all is a myth worth pursing.

A do-it all myth in finding the right period and evaluating all the inns-and-outs demands is considerable homework. The industry never wanted it nor supported but had to position itself to wonderfully event something "new" despite the essentials and ingrediatiants where already out there much prior.

 

[Woz]

To cross thread.

https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads...gn-before-its-time.454933/page-3#post-3649629

It is there. There must have been some very very early fudging / engineering to mate that good old sexy STX FD to road RSX STIs.

The thinking back then is right on the ball. Blur the lines.

 

[moonlite]

Great examples, @Woz -- responding to similar requirements that mine is. Much as I love singletrack, there's not a lot within reach of our front door here. What we do have is a lot of gravel roads which can be very dry and dusty in the summer, but rutty, corrugated and muddy when it rains. Getting to some of them requires a stretch of tarmac too, so going out on an MTB with 26" wheels, suspension forks and big knobbly tyres isn't the best use of time and energy.

I'm also a bit obsessed with getting better at climbing some of the bigger hills hereabouts, which affects gearing choices. And lightness always works in our favour.

Here are some of my attempts to address these requirements.