Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Fixed gear to eight-speed in under 5 minutes!


The fixed configuration


The evolution of the 720 continues. I put the Origin-8 Space Bar rip off of On-one Mary bars on there so I can haul the big front loads.

It's still an ice bike until I'm super sure that the ice is gone. Hence the studs.


The 8-speed configuration


But now, I can swap between fixed/free and 8-speed in about 5 minutes... assuming I don't have to change the tire. Come spring, I'll have all wheels wearing my favorite high value tire, the non-tourgaurd Panaracer Pasala, 32mm.

I'll also have a Tubus Fly on the back for the bucket panniers. I have very specific plans for the bucket panniers this spring.

These pictures really show how important the placement of the rear brake bridge is. I wish this one was just about an inch or so higher. When I run smaller tires, it's not so pronounced and I can fuss with the fender line. But with these fatties in there, I need every mm of space, so the squeeze spot is obvious.

4 comments:

  1. Hmm, so what are the pros of these panaracer paselas you keep raving about? Do they make them in 27in?

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  2. "very specific plans for the bucket panniers this spring"-- Could that be to haul tasty cold beverages up our many wonderful hill-climbs?

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  3. Parker: they're just super cushy tires and they're cheap. I've talked about them before; check out this post and the commetns: http://cyclingspokane.blogspot.com/2008/03/1st-commute-of-season.html

    Note also that I prize comfort/ride over the occasional inconvenience of a flat tire.

    Anon: No, but good idea. The buckets will be for ice though -- to hold fresh caught fish.

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  4. Paselas do come in 27" (and 26" for that matter). You may have to special order them.

    I had Avocet Kross tires on my commuter before switching to Paselas (prior to learning that they carry the Speare stamp of approval) and I noticed a huge improvement in speed and handlng, yet they still hang on pretty good in dirt and even light snow.

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