Cervelo S2 Bike Build

Customer suppliers the frame and parts, I assembled and setup. 

Cervelo S2 frame

Rotor Q Rings 

  Cutting Carbon 3T Funda Pro Forks using Parktool saw guide and vice from the mobile workshop

  Gear Cable routing 

Supporting Chiltern Hundred

Cycle Tech UK Ltd are proud to be supporting the Chiltern Hundred this year. 

Quiet time on training rollers 

Cool Will showing me how to ride the rollers 

 Mike from Cycle Tech Hertforshire, My daughter Jodie, Me and Will

The Cycle Tech UK Team 

Tuesday Night Bike Ride

Welcome to this week`s blog where last night The Good Lord was kind with the weather for the first time in a long time. (Start as usual from The White Lion Pub Great Kingshill 7pm.)

 

In attendance: Yours truly

                        David

                        Martin Wilkins

                        Tim

                        Colin (a welcome returnee)

                        Alan (home again after a nappy changing experience in OZ)

 

This evening`s ride took in the picturesque route of Gt Missenden, South Heath, The Lee, Ballinger, Hyde End, Hyde Heath, Lt Missenden and home.

 

Once again it was good to see Colin and Alan back in the fold and looking forward to more rides as the summer progresses.

 

Unfortunately the ride didn`t start too well as Dave`s chain jammed in Gt Missenden, but once free he fainted as Martin W informed him as to what it would cost to repair!

 

When he came round we continued for approx 15-20 miles whilst revelling in near daylight conditions until at least approx 21.00.

 

A good time was had by all - especially those who stopped at the pub afterwards,

and let`s all hope that the weather next week will be as good.

 

A date for your diary is Saturday 9/5/12 as we intend to get the train from Wycombe to Leamington and cycle the canal towpath into Birmingham (approx 35 miles), before returning home that afternoon. All welcome on the day but this may involve an early start. 

 

Hope to see you all again en mass next week.

Martin Bowen Mr Trek!

Tim on his new bike

Great Missenden church 

The Lee

Oxford Street The Lee

Genesis Fortitude 29er 11 Speed Alfine Hub Bike Build

Between jobs I have started building my new bike

Genesis Fortitude Steel Frame

 Fitting Hollow Tech 2 Bottom Bracket

Pre-loading Bottom Bracket Bearings

 

Fitting Headset Cups

 

 Dropouts 

Grupetto The Italian Made Road Bike you've Been looking For

 Grupetto range of Italian made bicycles

 MERGOZZO CL Carbon Road in Italian colors 

 CS MAGGIORE CORSA - An iconic frame design. This is classic Italian, beautiful to look at but even more impressive in its performance. Built to be raced, this Columbus tubed bike is equally at home riding a Tuscan Gran Fondo as it is flying round a city centre. Assured and elegant this is a road bike that will fast become your favorite. Frame £975 Complete bikes from £1350 Colour shown: Crema / Castania

MERGOZZO CL Carbon Road: Perfect for Race and Sportive riders. Monocoque carbon frame with sloping geometry that gives both fantastic handling and performance aswell as comfort on longer rides. Available to your very own colour choice from XS-XL sizes, Campagnolo / Shimano , Deda F/Kits options. Frame/Fork £985 Complete bikes from £1550 Colour shown: Azzuri Alassio.

UPGRADE OPTIONS: Whether it's a real leather saddle or colour co-ordinated lever hoods Grupetto can supply finishing kits that are specific for you. Grupetto know how important it is to have both the right performance aswell as the right look so if its Magenta bar tape or Sky blue tyres you crave Grupetto will help you build the ultimate specification for you and your budget.

See www.grupettoitalia.co.uk for more info

Pedal Push 2012

17th Pedal Push Enjoy a cycle ride through the lovely Chilterns and  Aylesbury Vale countryside while at the same time raising money for these and other Rotary charities. You have a choice of a 25 mile route through quiet country lanes & cycle paths, 

or a medium difficulty 50 mile route (also suitable for road bikes).

Both start and finish at Saunderton, at the HQ of Hearing Dogs for Deaf People.

Martin with the Mayor and Mayoress of High Wycombe

Oiling brake cables

  

Getting ready to set off 

Mayor and Mayoress at the start

First riders set off

 Changing battery in computer

Fitting inner tube 

29er Front Wheel Build

I am building wheels as part of my 29er Genesis Fortitude Adventure bike build. 

I first learnt to build wheels at the age of 15 and still use the same wheel jig, for all my wheel builds and truing. Wheel building is an skill and it's a job I still enjoy doing today. 

The front wheel has a Mavic 'TN317' 32 hole disc rim, black anodized, Shimano SLX M629 29er front hub for Center-Lock disc, 32 hole and DT Swiss revolution double butted spokes 292 mm & 294 mm long with 12mm brass nipples. This is a normal 3 cross pattern wheel build. 

Placing first spoke in to hub

  First group of 8 spokes going in to place

2nd group of spokes going in to the hub.
Lacing is best done sitting down and holding the rim on edge in your lap.

Lacing 3rd group of spokes

Drop of oil on spoke threads

After adjust all of the nipples so that each is screwed equally far onto its spoke it's time for truing. Using the wheel jig that I first used to build wheels over 18 years ago.

Tour Of The Milburys

Another report from another hard race, DNF again.  

Tour Of The Milburys 2/3/4

The popular Roy Ludford Memorial race - the Tour of the Milburys every year in May. The T.O.M is a two stage 6Km timetrial and 107Km road race on a demanding circuit around the Meon Valley in South Hampshire.

Hill Climb  10:00am

Will started the day by getting lost  in his warm-up so had to add an extra minute to his TT time. Came dead last with the extra minute added on, only about a minute down from top 20,  which is good as 80% were cat 2 and Will was the only junior. TT started at bottom of Winchester Hill and finished 4 miles away at top. Will very pleased with TT performance as was quite close to some very good riders. Glad to be able to get a decent result 2 months into his first real season 

Road Race 69miles 1:00pm

A very demanding circuit of twelve miles, with sharp downhills and steep ascents. Started very quickly with six members of Dream Cycling Team  pushing the pace on as they had the leader in their team. Riders getting dropped every minute with will getting dropped at least 5 times before half way and just about staying on. Will got completely dropped 37 miles in with an average of 22MPH, stopped and dropped out, again. Will going to change some of his races to 3/4 to allow him to compete and get some results instead of just trying to survive in Cat 2 races, as he is one of the strongest Cat 3. 

Andy Morrison Memorial Road Race

Will’s race started in Cranfield Uni Sports hall, very few Cat 3`s and most Cat 2`s so Will knew it was going to be a quick race.

The course was a 2 mile triangle, with the first mile being a long drag downhill, and the rest of the course going up a long drag with a slight flat section before the finish.

Will found it very difficult to stay in the bunch on the downhill with junior gears and he had to push very hard to stay in the group. Will spent the entire race struggling to stay in the bunch on the downhill and pushing himself back up the bunch on the hill.

Will completed 16 of the 18 laps before completely blowing up and having to stop as he was going very dizzy and struggling to change gear, not knowing why his brain would not work. Will was glad to have stayed in the bunch most of the way and again improving each race. 

We decided the night before the race, that Will's Cinelli is now just over 1 year old, so was time to upgrade with new 105 5700 shifters and new gear mechs:

Fitting gear cable

Tune up new gears

khamsin wheels replacing bearings & freehub body

I don't ride on these wheels myself, but I do service them frequently. From a mechanics point of view, they are a pleasure to work on and are well built. 

When up grading wheels on your bike, the best way to gauge what to spend, is 30% of the total value of your bike. Most new bikes you buy are fitted with wheels to the value of 10% and are not up to the job, and would soon need to be upgraded!

Below are photos of overhauling Campagnolo Khamsin wheels, from the mobile pro workshop:

New parts: Mini spoke kit, Freehub body and sealed bearings.

Bearings removed from front hub, cleaned and ready for fitting new bearings.

  Pressing-in new bearings to rear wheel, using my homemade press.

 Pressing-in new bearing to front wheel.

New bearing fitted to front wheel.

Fitting new freehub body.

New freehub body fitted.

Replacing damaged spoke.

Truing rear wheel.

Read More:

• Bicycle Service Maintenance Guide
• Sealed Bearing Service
• DT Swiss 240s Hub Service Repair
• Carbonsport Lightweight Disc - DT Swiss 240s Hub Overhaul
• Noisy Or Creaking BB30 Bottom Bracket Bearings
• khamsin wheels replacing bearings & freehub body
• Campagnolo Service Centre
• Disc Brake Repairs & Maintenance
• Chain Wear & Care
• Price Menu (Full menu of service, eBike service and stand alone repairs)
• ParkTool Home Mechanics School