What have you done to your bike today?

EJphotos

Well-Known Member
I finally decided to wash off Creek.
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1speed

Incredibly profound yet fantastically flawed
Since I'm still without a functioning MTB, I've been riding my Routt as if it were an MTB a bit more lately. I've ridden some pretty chunky stuff out at Green Lane (or I should say, I've ridden what I can of it - I'm just not good enough on a drop bar bike to ride some of the really chunky stuff.) And last week, I rode some of Middle Run and Fair Hill on it and decided to get some beefier tires. I've been running 35mm Michelin Power Gravel tires so I switched it up to 44 mm WTB Riddlers. Just put them on this afternoon, and I'll test them out tomorrow (heading to Michaux to do the old IC course.) They look so much beefier than the 35s! The max clearance on a Routt RSL is 45mm, so I'm pushing on that (the Routt 45 fits up to 50mm, but that's not what I have.) Hoping this will let me get my singletrack fix locally ...

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Quick follow-up on this: if you have a gravel bike, consider wider tires. The 44 mm on the Routt felt super stable. And while I'm sure they'll roll slower on pavement, I didn't notice any slow-down on dirt and gravel. I rode them out at Michaux and put them through their paces - from techy singletrack to sand, they just felt so much more stable than the 35 mm I had before, and descents were so much more fun. I'd say that if you have a gravel bike, try wider tires if you can fit them. And if you're considering buying one, try for a frame that allows you a wider range of options (ifI had it all to do over, I'd probably go with the Routt 45, which can fit up to a 50 mm tire.) Even if you just keep a set for more aggressive rides, wider tires just make for a really fun ride.
 

serviceguy

Well-Known Member
Ah. forgot to mention, swapping the wheels also meant swapping the freewheel and cassette over from the 650+ wheels (because DT Swiss/OneUp Shark 50T/10T and 54T ratchet). I went for a quick spin around the backyard and snapped the chain! It was in a mild gear and literally snapped in a random link, at first thought the quick link gave way but that wasn't the case. Never thought it would happen...not at my lack-of-power level!
 

mtn

Well-Known Member
So sick of the leaves on the ground. Literally cannot see any obstacles under the 3” of leaves, which means going slower is the only option. And we are only in the beginning.
 

Dusty the Whale

Mr.Chainsaw
Quick follow-up on this: if you have a gravel bike, consider wider tires. The 44 mm on the Routt felt super stable. And while I'm sure they'll roll slower on pavement, I didn't notice any slow-down on dirt and gravel. I rode them out at Michaux and put them through their paces - from techy singletrack to sand, they just felt so much more stable than the 35 mm I had before, and descents were so much more fun. I'd say that if you have a gravel bike, try wider tires if you can fit them. And if you're considering buying one, try for a frame that allows you a wider range of options (ifI had it all to do over, I'd probably go with the Routt 45, which can fit up to a 50 mm tire.) Even if you just keep a set for more aggressive rides, wider tires just make for a really fun ride.
I ride 42's on HED Belgium + wheels. My Whisky fork doesn't allow for anything bigger.
 

Turbotrix

Well-Known Member
Woof. If it's a retail-available rim/you can get something that is the same ERD, they're easy to swap.
They're a pretty crappy set of e13 rims wich are no longer available. I never expected them to last all season on the DH bike so no complaints. Now it's time for a proper set of hoops.
 

Zudnik

Member
Swapped the front to a Pirelli Scorpion S and did my first setup as tubeless. Man, I must be getting old. It used to be much easier to get tires onto the rim. Odd thing... you can't find 36mm tubeless rim tape anywhere these days.
 

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pkovo

Well-Known Member
Cobbled together an old Giant Boulder I got for free using odds and ends I had on hand. It is now sporting a Sun tour drive-train. The derailleur looks like one I pulled off of a kids bike at some point, and the rear shifter is from my old '92 GT Tequesta. Gripshift front shifter, mis-matched grips, an old bulky gel seat and this thing is just oozing with style. Pure 21 speed bliss!

Quick spin after dark and it seems fully functional. Will fine tune it tomorrow and then it's going to the mother of one of my kids friends so she can cruise the neighborhood and the Columbia trail with the kids. It should be more than adequate for that duty.
 
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