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Post by lurker on Apr 21, 2018 12:00:51 GMT -7
i sent jennifer at bikeworld a nice email saying i found my stuff at another site, but that i would continue to recommend and shop their site. i've been holding off on ordering anything anywhere because...
today (3rd saturday of month), i went to the co-op and got parts free (i justify it by donating parts i no longer need. today it was the mismatched aluminum handlebar i got for the denali, and the derailleurs that were on violet). i came away with aluminum handlebars to replace the steel denali 2-pc bar, a set of half-clips for the denali, a kickstand, a set of suntour friction stem shifters and a set of dia-compe brake levers with safety/suicide levers for violet, and a stem, which last i will probably donate back. so now i have everything i need to swap out the steel denali bars and grip shifters for aluminum and a050 thumb shifters. so now i've got the peugeot headtube and handlebars apart, and will do the same with the denali tonite.
and i had an insight. the denali is a little tricky to get on and off of, so i have to get my leg up another couple of inches to mount and dismount. which makes sense. the pedal-seat distance on both are set to fit my inseam, but because the denali bottom bracket is higher, so is everything above it. no big deal, just a bit awkward, especially after a tiring ride.
so now i get to revise the shopping list. the helmet mohawk waits...
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Post by lurker on Apr 22, 2018 12:48:07 GMT -7
last night i pulled the handlebars, stem and fork off the peugeot, and cleaned everything. today, i installed the kickstand, cleaned and repacked headtube bearings, sanded the 22.2 mm stem down to fit the 22mm headtube, polished it up. swapped on stem shifters, brake levers with safety levers. adjust brakes and derailleurs. fine tuned the kickstand. wait, what's this? a thumbtack in the back tire? that explains the slow leak. yanked that sucker out, now it's a fast leak. patches, we don't need no stinkin' patches!* today i think i'll ride the denali, tonight fix the flat tube, tomorrow i'll restart the denali build if i get to it. i have a clean aluminum handlebar and the a050 thumb shifters, will reuse the stock brake levers. have to weigh everything, might have to cut and re-use the shim to make the handlebars work.
*treasure of sierra madre reference
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Post by gatorbite on Apr 23, 2018 19:50:50 GMT -7
If u had to do a 10 mile commute every day would you use the denali or peugeot. or alternate between the 2?
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Post by lurker on Apr 24, 2018 4:31:32 GMT -7
If u had to do a 10 mile commute every day would you use the denali or peugeot. or alternate between the 2? well now, that's kind of a tough question, not so much to answer as to justify. they're very similar but i think i'd choose the peugeot. right now i'm using the denali as backup. the denali is very reliable which the peugeot is not, because i'm constantly tweaking it. even in its day, the U08 model peugeot was not the top of the line, although it earned a good rep for a consumer-level bike. top of line in a 70s peugeot would be the P or PX models. we have a couple of actual measurable physical differences, (height, weight and material) which i think trend in favor of the peugeot. the extra height of the denali makes mounting and dismounting slightly more difficult. the aluminum frame of the denali makes for a stiffer, hence harsher ride. they make springs out of steel, not aluminum. the weight difference is still noticeable but i'm working on equalizing the weight, hopefully at 26 or 27 pounds all of this is leavened with a sentimental attachment. in the 70s i had a peugeot and learned to love the suppleness of the ride and even the quirky hardware. this was back in the day when you really only had 3 choices for a road bike, the french peugeot, the english raleigh, or the american schwinn. the japanese bikes had yet to burst onto the scene. i remember my surprise when i first saw a nishiki. would i say that one is better than the other? not really. pretty much a matter of taste. there was a time when i did use a peugeot for my commute, 7 miles each way, and it was more than good enough. did i answer your question?
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Post by lurker on Apr 24, 2018 16:12:50 GMT -7
today i took the plunge, which is risky, because if it doesn't all go back together, i'm down to 1 working bike. pulled the handlebars, shifters, and brake levers off the denali, weighed them. 1213 grams, not counting the shims that cover the join and size them up to 31.8mm. loosely slid together the replacement bars, shifters and brake levers, weighed them. 712 grams. there's some wiggle here, because i *will* have to shim the replacement bars, or replace the stem, which opens another can'o'worms. the shims (2 of them) weigh 50 g each and will not fit the new bars. at any rate, the difference for the handlebars etc. is 501 g., or 1.1 lbs give or take. that makes 2 and a third pound difference overall, and the only major thing left to change is the front fork. maybe i'll weigh the wheels, just to see, even though they would put me well over budget. nominally, the denali on a diet is now 27.7 lbs, down from 30. i'm going to have to play with my calipers some, see if i can make sense of the multiplicity of tube diameters. eta: i'm seeing lots of vendors selling bar shims. this should be easy once i figure out what i need, likely 25.4 to 31.8. stem 22mm, handlebar mount 31.8, handlebar 25.6. so yes, 25.4 - 31.8 shim, <=45mm wide. here are some at niagara: www.niagaracycle.com/categories/components/handlebar-accessories/handlebar-shimsbikeworld only appears to have the 22-25s edit edit: i'm seeing new wheels as low as $35-40. the stock denali already has aluminum wheels. maybe they are in my budget. not everyone publishes the weight. i need to think on this a bit.
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Post by lurker on Apr 27, 2018 15:14:37 GMT -7
here it is, folks, the much reviled/loathed/feared 2-piece denali handlebar, with brake levers and revoshift twist shifters. in retrospect, i didn't need to do anything to get them off except remove the mtn-bike-style stem clamp and disconnect the cables. i was hoping to re-use the brake levers on the replacement bar, so i unwrapped the bars, disassembled the shim, and loosened the shifters and brake levers, all for nothing. the stock bars are 22mm diameter, so the brake lever clamps won't fit the larger 25.4 diameter aluminum bars. complete they weigh just over 1200 grams. fearsome beasts, aren't they? actually, not a badly thought out setup once they decided to use the revoshifts.
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Post by desertbikes on Apr 30, 2018 19:24:46 GMT -7
I didn't know & never would have guessed that it is 2 pieces. The logic part of my brain knows it's probably not a big deal but the kid-on-a-bike brain cells say, WTF!
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Post by lurker on Apr 30, 2018 21:01:12 GMT -7
the revoshift grip shifters won't go past the bends, so this is the way to get them on drop bars. if you read lots of denali reviews, you'll run across some people complaining that the 2-piece steel bars are flimsy and unsafe. most of those people appear to be just repeating something they've heard but know nothing about, much like those who insist that general motors made the bike. i'd never seen a picture of them. it's not entirely clear from the pic, the left side inserts about 3" into the right, secured with a bolt, and then the joint is covered by the shim and clamp.
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Post by lurker on May 3, 2018 4:50:53 GMT -7
well now i've gone and done it. i put the peugeot in the shop for some professional TLC, and the denali needs handlebar shims to be functional. so i'm temporarily bikeless. on the upside, this will force me to order the parts i want/need. and the guy at the shop perked up and said "good bike" when i mentioned the denali. that was unexpected.
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Post by lurker on May 3, 2018 14:38:53 GMT -7
so today i finally got around to ordering my stuff from niagara cycle. order was completed about 4:30 pm, so it likely won't ship till tomorrow. i paid $10 and change for USPS priority mail, so i'm hoping for delivery on monday. it's going to be a long weekend, nobody's fault but my own. i've ordered the 25.4-31.8 shims ($5.08), a helmet mirror ($6.75) a rear rack ($14.39) remarkably similar to the one i had in the 80s, and of course the helmet mohawk ($17.08) tax is about 5 bux more. will report.
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Post by gatorbite on May 5, 2018 8:43:51 GMT -7
still a few mohawks in my area but they aint wearin a helmet ;-)
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Post by lurker on May 5, 2018 18:16:40 GMT -7
dang, was pretty sure i replied to this. sometimes, my memory... as i recall from "last of the mohicans" that would be in upstate new york or canada. mohawks in NYC would be walking high iron and apocryphal gators in the sewers. there will be pics. order status as of this afternoon, "awaiting fulfillment", which i think means they're getting the order together. hurry up, dammit!
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Post by desertbikes on May 6, 2018 21:16:01 GMT -7
well now i've gone and done it. i put the peugeot in the shop for some professional TLC, and the denali needs handlebar shims to be functional. so i'm temporarily bikeless. on the upside, this will force me to order the parts i want/need. and the guy at the shop perked up and said "good bike" when i mentioned the denali. that was unexpected. Always nice when a bike shop doesn't immediately denigrate our budget bikes. What did you decide to have them do to the Peugeot? I still use a shop for truing wheels - my last unconquered bike hurdle. Maybe to cut a fork tube if I'm lazy.
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Post by desertbikes on May 6, 2018 21:25:08 GMT -7
still a few mohawks in my area but they aint wearin a helmet ;-) Yeah we have confused white boys sporting them to make some kind of statement I suppose. Often dyed a bright color or two like a punk rocker time traveled from 1985. Sometimes see a Hopi or Gila wearing one although it's not part of their history. Saw rednecks & Cherokees in Oklahoma wearing them too. - Sorry for the subject hijack, lurker
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Post by lurker on May 7, 2018 8:21:41 GMT -7
i'm just here to talk bicycles, have fun. or both. hijack all you like. (sorry, botched quote)
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Post by lurker on May 7, 2018 8:30:54 GMT -7
well now i've gone and done it. i put the peugeot in the shop for some professional TLC, and the denali needs handlebar shims to be functional. so i'm temporarily bikeless. on the upside, this will force me to order the parts i want/need. and the guy at the shop perked up and said "good bike" when i mentioned the denali. that was unexpected. Always nice when a bike shop doesn't immediately denigrate our budget bikes. What did you decide to have them do to the Peugeot? I still use a shop for truing wheels - my last unconquered bike hurdle. Maybe to cut a fork tube if I'm lazy. the crank races are rough. i asked them to find replacement parts and install them. french parts. trueing wheels is on my "quit whining and pay the man" list, too. i actually went in for advice, but figure i should pay them something for their time, so got the quick-and-dirty tuneup for 10 bux. i should probably go in in the next day or so and see if there's been any progress.
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Post by lurker on May 7, 2018 8:35:35 GMT -7
order still "awaiting fulfillment" grrrr.
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Post by lurker on May 8, 2018 12:55:00 GMT -7
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Post by desertbikes on May 8, 2018 17:16:45 GMT -7
Frikin Ouch is right! Although if that included a new crank too, & pulling the old one, then I spoze that sounds like a normal bike shop deal. A shimano UN-55 68x110 sealed bottom bracket is $18 or so. $55+ to have the nearest shop do it. But I've known guys that stripped the shell threads not knowing one side is left hand threads. Would have been worth $$$ for that bit of information. Plus the cost of tools if you don't already have them, & not the same on every bike. Yeah, probably worth every bit of $80 Not to mention the surcharge for french anything. I swear they don't build anything the same way other western countries do.
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Post by lurker on May 8, 2018 19:52:45 GMT -7
the parts came from velo orange allegedly for $25, the rest was R&R and tax, so not totally outrageous.
oops, misspoke. that's what they told me when i dropped it off. the receipt shows $50 for the part, 25 for labor. same outcome.
"velo orange grand cru cartridge bottom bracket 68x113mm french 35x1"
i actually sort of understand the "french surcharge". peugeot was one of the first bicycle manufacturers and probably the longest in continuous business. they likely defined (along with a couple of others) for the better part of a century what a bicycle should be and then during the bike boom, the period of their rise to international fame and (in their minds) dominance in the marketplacve, along come these upstart japanese and americans and their mountain bikes, and peugeot fades into near insignificance except for a certain nostalgic je ne sais quois appeal. if they'd won that war, everyone would make and sell parts that fit, but no, that didn't happen so yes, we franco-velo-philes pay a premium to keep them alive. as we can see from the link i posted, the parts can be had, and for cheap, but you need to know where to look.
i very definitely need to stay away from the bicycle shop, because i'm starting to like the look of modern (expensive) bikes. and i'd rather spend >$3,000 on a decent used car.
i did at least get the old used parts back.
and it's still a cheap bike. still less than $150 in it.
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Post by lurker on May 10, 2018 5:27:09 GMT -7
niagara cycle reports package shipped yesterday evening, USPS expects arrival tomorrow (friday) afternoon/evening. so far, not impressed. maybe try nashbar next time.
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Post by lurker on May 11, 2018 12:49:06 GMT -7
package arrived this afternoon! hooray! helmet mirror? check! springer rack? check! helmet mohawk? check! handlebar shims? - wait, what's this? only one? that won't work. i've heard of this sort of thing before.
left them an e-mail:
"I ordered shimS. I received shim( ) which is quite useless. Web page clearly shows a pair of shimS, says "shimS", receipt says "shimS". Make it right, please. My review depends on how you respond."
denali on hold.:evil: definitely nashbar next time. let's see how *they* F up.
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Post by gatorbite on May 12, 2018 9:52:39 GMT -7
We need a picture of you and the bike when done. Maybe I already said this but if the shims don't have like teeth and are just smooth they slip on handlebars. fine for derailer mounts and such but they slip on handlebars. You will strip the stem clamp bolts before theyre tight enough to hold in place. Polly worse on drop bars cuz your front teeth are lined up for removal when the bar slips ;-0
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Post by Deleted on May 12, 2018 12:57:14 GMT -7
ditto for the pictures. At least you didnt order shoes from niagra. Hopping around on one foot gets old fast!
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Post by lurker on May 12, 2018 14:30:00 GMT -7
ha! stuck the velcro strip on the helmet this a.m., stuck the mohawk on the velcro, definitely planning to get a photo of that. the mohawk is not exactly what i expected, it seems to have some glue or stiffener. i was hoping it would wave in the breeze like you see in the old casts-of-thousands-movie roman legionnaire's helmets with the horsehair crests, and it may yet loosen up and do that. but it is glorious, so much so that i'm hesitant to wear it out in public, which is why i did it in the first place. yes, there will be pictures.
the one shim i have has little teeth, and so does the replacement handlebar, so i think my pearly whites will be ok. first time i took violet out after changing her bars i noticed that after every bump they were pointing more and more down toward the pavement, so i understand what you're talking about. fortunately it tightened up, we'll see how it plays out with the denali.
since i'm bored waiting for niagara customer service to respond and it's too hot (94 degrees? in may?) to do much in the garage, i've done some research. specifically, carbon forks for the denali. nashbar sells bare forks, and lists weights, so i've done a little comparison. bare threaded 700c forks. all steel, just over 1000 grams, 2 lbs+. carbon legs, alloy steerer, 600g, 1 lb+. all carbon, 454g, exactly one lb. so in theory, i can save 400 g, almost a pound by going to the carbon-alloy fork, and 550 g (pound and a quarter) by going full carbon. short of weighing an actual denali fork, which i may yet do, i'm not expecting much weight savings, and we're in $89 and up territory, for about a pound. i may yet do it because i've spent very little, mostly second hand and free parts. we'll see. if the denali fork is exceptionally heavy, i may yet try for the full 3+, almost 4 pounds. if anyone has actual weight for a bare denali fork, i'd like to hear about it.
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