Author Topic: Spring Break Fever - OP GONE WILD!!! (Read 4996 times)

Old Proflexer · « **on:** April 08, 2003, 02:08:35 pm »

well, may not be what you were thinking.

i had to do it, my bontrager wheels were giving up the ghost. the hubs were not doing well and i couldn't get the freehub body off for replacement so i'd been making do. then the cogs were wearing badly and the chain started skipping even tho it was barely stretched to 12 1/2". you guys know the routine.

i'd taken an oath to never leave the 8 speed world as i've so much - even lots of new stuff like xt shifter pods still in the box, i have two sets of complete xtr 8 speed shifter levers and v's etc. sitting in there.

i pulled the wheels off and started building up the 959's - that mean't a 9 speed only cassette. i stopped by rocknroad and bought a cheapie new deore 9 speed right side shifter with OGD for $18.

i have two new '96 girvin cranks still packaged and in the box so i pulled the 32 and 22 off one of 'em and replace the wearing rings on the xt crank with the girvins. next the 9 speed 12-34 cassette from on sale at supergo and ditto on an sram pc 99 speed chain. i had an xt mega 9 front derailler laying around so i swapped that out for my fav lx 8 speed front derailler. i may change back as i'm getting the 'rub' in gears that i'd prefer not to.

what to do about the rear derailler? - i cleaned up the xt 8 speed and left on the 10 tooth g-pulley and replaced the lower with an 11 tooth off my neighbors discarded deore rear derailler (from a crash - never throw anything away - he did, i kept it)

leaving the 10 tooth on top allowed me to position the derailler further forward with less than maxed out b-screw adjustment. and 11 tooth would have necessitated moving the unit too far back for good shifting (imho), messing with reversing the b-screw to keep the g-pulley from pressing the chain against the 34 cog and allowed me to remove 4 links in the chain, still getting good travel for the cage.

http://idriders.com/cgi-bin/album_k2.pl?photo=Old_Proflexer/959_wheels.jpg

the pic show the crossover lacing of the spokes fairly well. spokes come out of one side of the hub and crossover to attach to the other side of the rim. first impressions were that they were a tad heavy but fine for my taste, very strong and very chic.

OP

any comments?

Irby · « **Reply #1 on:** April 08, 2003, 03:00:48 pm »

OP, Hey there. Good to hear from you. Yes, I have a comment. I thought 7-speed was just fine. The cassette and chain lasted a long time. Whenever I ride the older 7-speeds, I just pedal and forget. Sure the range on the Mega-9 is nice, but I think Shimano thrust with technology is a double-edged sword. Some of the improvements are stellar...while some are marketing hype and forced obsolescence. I wear out three of the gears on my 9-speed cassettes...wish I could just buy those instead of a whole new cassette every year. I'll be looking forward to hearing feedback from you on this issue as time passes. So OP, go out and ride that bike. I'm sitting here in Syracuse still looking at snow. What a winter!! Dan

slowride · « **Reply #2 on:** April 08, 2003, 03:15:26 pm »

Looks good... I'd never trust those wheels though (I tend to destroy lightweight stuff).

One question though... why couldn't you use an 8 speed cassette? The spacing on the hub is the same, just the spacing between the cogs in the rear is different (narrower, which is why 9-speed chains are narrower).

Here's a picture of the wheel I was building before I got distracted by the internet... spokes look goofy because I haven't tensioned them yet...

Old Proflexer · « **Reply #3 on:** April 08, 2003, 03:49:45 pm »

for some unknown reason (reason known only to shimano, probably so they could be the only company to sell compatable parts) they built the hub facing so the cassette rides closer to the wheel than on other hubs. the freehub body actually set into the hub flange about an 1/8 of an inch or so. the four spokes on the cassette will hit the hub where the spokes attach except only on a few of their 9 speed hubs such as the 12-34 xt and one of the 11-32's (the 8's all hit). i believe what works is the csm 953 and the csm 750 only - the 750 has the 11 and 12 tooth model.

i almost took the wheels back when i found out but decided to keep them. i actuallyy took them back into supergo and tried on several different cassettes to find out for myself and convince the supergo manager i was not blowing a lot of hot air.

memories still haunt me of when i purchased the first set of center pull campy brakes for my racing bike many, many years ago - they had a recall although the brakes worked fine. i took them back and downgraded to side pulls, i always regreted that.

now whenever i see something that is a once in a life time even though it's frivolous, i get it - it's like going to a garage sale and seeing something you could really want and say youself 'hey, i'll stop by later and if it's still here, i'll get it.' you go back and it's gone.

aint' never gonna happen to me again - that's how i ended up with my wife by the way (and she loves to ride her 857 since i softend the shocks, put cushey grips on it and a big soft, spring loaded seat) she says it's like riding in a rolls) said to myself 'this is a lifetime moment, don't let it pass you by'

oh, reviews on the wheels are that they are quite strong. they are billed as 'freeride' - whatever that is.

OP

85 degrees and dry, clear and sunny here dan my man - good to hear from you bud.

slowride · « **Reply #4 on:** April 08, 2003, 04:05:04 pm »

That's goofy, but not surprising, since it is Shimano.

I'm sure they are strong (I saw the reviews when they first came out). I'd jsut feel funny having only 8 spokes. One of those things...

Enjoy!

Joe · « **Reply #5 on:** April 08, 2003, 06:19:37 pm »

you REALLY need a rollamajig!!!

nice wheels btw, although personally I'm a traditionist.

Hammer · « **Reply #6 on:** April 17, 2003, 07:39:16 pm »

I got given a set of those when they first arrived at the bike shop... I didn't like the look of them and he didn't either... but he gave them to me for free saying.. " I have to stock a minimum number of these...." he is an authorised shimaNO dealer... (woooo hoooo!)

Anyway.. I took them with the brief to break them....... And I couldn't...!

That was two years ago and they are still like new.

A little heavy for the money... but the stiffest wheels i have ridden a MTB on.. and thats saying something... all the weight is in the rim.. very sturdy....

I agree though..... Odd looking!

When we built up Tams Oz (Proflex 959) we got another set for her... to keep the bikes identical looking....

Goodchoice of wheels OP.... I am sure you'll be happy with them...

Take it Easy...

Hammer.

ps...

For the time being I am still switching between 8spd... and one speed.... ;-)

Still not jumped on the 9sp bandwagon yet.

Have Happy easter Guys---

Di.R.T. · « **Reply #7 on:** April 18, 2003, 07:21:24 am »

The first frame I every built up myself was the k2 carbon. I went 9 sp because I figured the latest was best.

While I like the 9sp okay, every bike I've built up since has been an 8sp (that's four bikes now).

Somehow, I just like the older 8sp stuff. I really can't say why except maybe for the cost difference. But there's more to it than cost--there's a feeling too.

And I am usually so quantative about these things.

Enjoy your new wheelset. I love new wheels. Almost better than a new frame.

Old Proflexer · « **Reply #8 on:** April 20, 2003, 02:18:01 pm »

Mr. DiRT -

I know how you feel -

And after riding these wheels for a while and using the new shifters and all - it's not the same - hard to explain and put into words. Maybe it's relearning which gears to be in on familiar trails, hitting the shifts just right, not sure -
very intangible

the single speed guys must be in a world all their own

OP

Carbon_Angus · « **Reply #9 on:** April 21, 2003, 06:11:48 am »

Quote

the single speed guys must be in a world all their own

OP

but remember OP, here in CA it's the

What's with this rain

Old Proflexer · « **Reply #10 on:** April 21, 2003, 07:36:08 am »

i'm in a constant state of wonderment -

"Who did move my

?"

I live in a planned community (Mission Viejo) and our CC & R's don't allow for rain except as required and even then only on Monday thru Wednesday during the nightime hours.

OP

Di.R.T. · « **Reply #11 on:** April 21, 2003, 03:25:26 pm »

Quote

the single speed guys must be in a world all their own

I actually know how that feels a little. Most winters here in Michigan I end up riding a de-facto single speed as the gears and ders freeze up.

Enjoy the new set up, OP. and don't do any more endos this year!

rapiddescent · « **Reply #12 on:** April 22, 2003, 11:13:14 am »

I'm the singlespeeder. the K2 Razorback RS is still in 32x16 format. I'm going to buy another Razorback for geared use though.

All my other bikes are 8 speed. Some of the biikes use Roadie cassettes - Especially the one I ride around London. You don't really need the full 32-11T for trails.

callum
rdi

Old Proflexer · « **Reply #13 on:** April 23, 2003, 02:02:30 am »

Mr. DiRT

Went over a few weeks ago when my front wheel hit a fresh mound of gopher dirt heading down a steep fast section of one of my personal trails into the canyons behind the home. flipped and landed on a wild artichoke bush and spent the last few weeks picking spikes from near microscopic to 3/8" long out of my legs and hands.

sorry to dissappoint anyone - but i do fall down a lot.

my wife stood my golf clubs up in the middle of the garage floor the other day and just left them there.

isn't she special -

OP

Di.R.T. · « **Reply #14 on:** April 23, 2003, 03:09:27 am »

Quote

Mr. DiRT

my wife stood my golf clubs up in the middle of the garage floor the other day and just left them there.

isn't she special -

OP

Okay, explain that one.

-dave

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Author Topic: Spring Break Fever - OP GONE WILD!!! (Read 4996 times)