Vitus 979 commuter and TT project (WIP)

[raw]

Re:

I think perhaps you might be a little more experienced and qualified to talk about this than I am! A combination or weighted marches and squash, along with collapsed arches in my feet has made my knees a bit fragile and I always used to find that cycling made them hurt when they were bad before, but don't with this bike, but then the chain rings aren't the only thing different so I can actually be sure they're contributing to the change. I wish I could get one smaller than 42 though! Did get hold of a 40 but it wasn't straight :/

 

[Jonny69]

I've bought new, which I don't normally do, but they worked out about the same price as a set of second hand cranks and I know I'll get enough use out of them. Should be 130BCD if it's Biopace - I think it all was. I can't remember how small the Biopace rings came but it's a matter of keeping an eye on eBay for that sort of thing. I'm pretty sure the mountain bike Biopace was smaller than the road ones - edit: it is, and there's a triple setup if you want even more gearing.

 

[Jonny69]

-205g

Weight: 9.2kg

This is getting interesting! With non-lardbucket tyres, the bike is going to be well under 9kg!

 

[Stick Legs]

39-48 seems very short geared with a 13 out back.

I'm trying to get something closer to my compact gearing on my modern bikes but without compromising the classic look of my Merckx, I am using 38-52 up front on. A 130 bcd chainset and 13-26 out back, it is a few inches taller for climbing but the important mid range is pretty close.

Lovely Vitus though, always liked these bikes.

 

[Jonny69]

15 out back

I've got a badly torn meniscus and I'm waiting for surgery. No big gears for me until it's fixed!

 

[Stick Legs]

A very manly answer. Nice.

 

[Jonny69]

Yeah, that's what I meant by 'rehab' gears!

Here's the tear. Big round dark blob in the middle is the end of my femur. One below it is the fibula. Two dark triangular wedges in the white section between them are the menisci. They should both look dark like the one on the left. The white line through the one on the right is the tear.

 

[Blackbike]

Yeah, that's what I meant by 'rehab' gears!

Here's the tear. Big round dark blob in the middle is the end of my femur. One below it is the fibula. Two dark triangular wedges in the white section between them are the menisci. They should both look dark like the one on the left. The white line through the one on the right is the tear.

OUCH. Jonny I wish you a fast recovery, you will be pushing the big gears soon.

Best Wishes: Mike

 

[Jonny69]

My knee has been keyholed and I'm now treating it to rehab. That's meant I've had to dig out the geared bike - this one! Lovely day out and I thought I'd take a snap with the new tyres:

They're a fair bit lighter than the wired on Zafirro slicks, by the tune of 300g according to my scales, so...

Weight: 9.2kg

Weight: 8.9kg!

And it'll drop a bit more when I switch back to SPD pedals. Maybe I should build some light wheels!

 

[raw]

Re:

Still liking this a lot. Best of luck with the rehab! I ought to get some photos up of mine with new tyres, cables and bar tape.

Enjoy the good weather!

Rich