Upgraditis #1

Bargain Hunt

Ah, there it was. After going to all the trouble of packing my headset with grease and wrapping it in rubber to help keep the elements out, I still hankered after a well sealed headset that didn't need cuddling away in a rubbery blanket. Something a bit more UK friendly.

More Winter Fettling

Anyone who lives in the UK will have spotted that it has been a bit wet recently. For me, one thing that means is less riding, and more fixing.

Last week's job was another "winter-ising" moment. My commuter/utility/child-carrying MTB needed some full length guards for the next few months. As usual that means trying to stick things on a bike that doesn't have any handy screw holes...


Oh yeah - more P clip magic. This time I needed two on the fork legs, two at the top, and the piece-de-resistance: a home made alloy bracket running across the fork to hold the front guard mount. Its just a small piece of 4mm aluminium cut to size and drilled (5mm) for the mounting bolts. It's been a while since metalwork class at school!

That's it for now...

Keeping Your Backside Dry

SKS Commuter Mudguards Review

I needed some guards for a road going mountain bike, the SKS commuter guards seemed to fit the bill: "high quality - low cost - full length mudguard set with high quality - stainless-steel fittings from the producers of the World s finest mudguards". Let's see if they match the hype.

Them's The Brakes

Project Elixode 5, The Frankenbrake

	+		=
Elixir 5 Levers		Code 5 Callipers		Herman?

The Dream

Take lightweight Elixir 5 levers with their nice feel, and marry them to Code 5 callipers with large pads. Get the improved modulation of the Elixir levers, get the increased power of the Code callipers.

Bleedin' 'ell, guv

A lot of Elixir

Recently, I've added a couple of pairs of Avid's Elixir brakes to the RideItFixIt garage. Second hand pairs mind, that had some problems... Problems which thankfully turn out (so far) to mean "by jove, these brakes are in need of a jolly good bleeding". I've also had to bleed another pair not long ago - that's a few bleeds I've done lately.

As you might guess, I'm a big fan of Avid brakes here - especially the current models (Elixir, and no, I don't like Juicys). Decent modulation and power and good vfm. The levers can feel a bit plasticky, especially on the cheaper, models, but they work, well, and are very effective bits of kit. I've ridden some Hayes (never again) and Shimano (quite nice) brakes, I think the Avids are a tough act to beat.

So, let's take a look inside the Elixir, and I'll list a few hints and easy fixes for common problems with these things.

A trip round the Elixir lever, or how TaperBore(TM) works

Prototype Elixir lever was "a bit plasticky"

2012, the Year the Road Bike World gets Disc Brakes

Iceberg Ahead Captain

Iceberg	Disc Brake

It's coming. One way or another, because you, yes you, the public, demand it. Hydraulic disc brakes have been so effective for mountain bikes, we must have them on road bikes, now!

Ghetto Tubeless Do & Don't

Knackers

I had my first failure on a ghetto tubeless setup a few days ago - while experimenting with lower pressures and landing a small jump I had the front tyre lose pressure... with the amusing (not at the time) side effect of putting me right over the bars and landing my little chaps on the top tube. Painful. And the tyre didn't re-seal properly, either, leaving me with a wheel I had no confidence in, with a slow puncture. Time to head home...