Status update: my increasingly frustrations with my old Specialised hybrid have led me (see previous posts) to take a radical step and I've now ordered ... a new bike on Cyclescheme.
With these things, I always worry that you guys out there will immediately go "ha ha, the fool, he's ordered the one bike which we know is useless - why on earth, etc etc". So please be nice, when I say I've ordered a Giant Seek Zero. Does that mean anything to anyone?
The main things I like about it are: it's got disk brakes (they're kind of new to me, but it seems they are much better in the wet and last much longer than the usual V brakes). And - it's got a kind of enclosed gear hub - so again all your gears are covered rather than exposed to the elements.
I cycled in this morning on my old Specialised and it's a nightmare - whenever I pedal hard the chain slips. I fiddled around with all sorts of screws and suchlike last night and made it a bit better, but I fear the fundamental problem is ... my teeth. They're worn down and the chain can't take it. Here's photographic evidence. Give me advice if you can tell me straight away I need to replace it all. Though with the new bike coming in a couple of weeks, I'm not sure it's worth it ...
5 comments:
Hey there, Karma... good to see you back!
I think the Seek is a neat looking bike -- I've even been tempted by them myself, though I have absolutely ZERO need for one. I'll look forward to your review when it arrives.
Just a tip from looking at those drivetrain pictures... replace your chain more often on the new bike. It looks like a stretched chain wore the chainrings/cogs to match, and then you were doomed. Of course, I only know because I recently let a chain go too long and it cost me a cassette...
Thanks Jason - comforting to hear your views on Giants! And yes - chain replacement on a regular basis needs to be a new karmacycle mantra! Hope all is well in your neck of the woods...
Yikes - that looks hammered. Are you still planning a fixed-wheel retirement for the bike? Would be interested to hear how that works.
Hi Paul - good to know you're still reading! (Have you got a blog yourself by the way I could link to?). I've got a little confession. The idea of turning the retiring bike into a one-gear fixie is not my original idea - it was suggested to me by my bike guru brother-in-law who also converted my very first bike from a multi-gear into a single. In fact, I still have that bike and rode it in this morning.
It's very interesting riding on one gear. The great thing is that you feel it's unlikely to go wrong, even if you're standing up on the pedals ready to go for it in front of 38 motorbikes and juggernauts. The bad thing is that when you go downhill you feel pretty pathetic with your legs whizzing around at top speed but doing nothing.
The actual conversion has worked out very successfully. I'll take some photos of what it looks like and post them up.
It seems like a pretty economical way of keeping your bike going but perhaps not using it for intense cycling.
Phew, that was a long reply - perhaps I'd better create a post out of this topic!
Thanks for the comprehensive reply - I don't have a blog, but I do have a knackered chainset on my old hybrid, hence my interest. Priced up some bits on Wiggle and think I might give it a go.
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