Raleigh Tamland 1 questions

Zurichman wrote:So DrSpoke or NoCoGreg I see dangle above suggested I make sure my LBS do a hanger adjustment. With the bike only having 30 miles on it is there a chance that it wasn't lined up right from the factory. I am not sure if my LBS has that tool but if he does I am sure he would use it if I asked him. Here is the kicker though I was going to drop the bike off at lunch time so I could pick it up after work. If this hanger adjustment is that critical I probably won't take it in till after work so I make sure it is done. Not that I don't trust my LBS but if I am paying good money to go over and beyond to have it fixed right I want it right. If that makes sense.

Yes, I agree it would be a good idea to have the derailleur hanger checked. As Dang said, it is more important with larger cassette cogs.  I also would be surprised if the shop doesn't have this tool - it's necessary for many bikes which come into a shop for "derailleur adjustment". 

I'd suggest calling the shop and asking if they can do a derailleur hanger check as part of the service.  The tool, made by Park Tools, is only about $40 for a shop to purchase.  The check takes a few minutes to unscrew the derailleur bolt, screw in the bolt for the tool and then it's very quick to check alignment and make any minor adjustment.  Fenders and racks make the check a bit more work but we're talking a 5 to 10 add'l minutes if the mechanic knows what he's doing.

So all the changes were made on the bike and I can't wait to try it out tomorrow night. So here are a few questions.

I probably won't pull the plug on this until next year. The bike has a steel fork on it. What would be the price be of a mid level grade carbon fork. How  much weight savings would I see? Would I gain any comfort on the bike or lose some? My LBS recommended maybe Heed Belgium wheels, possibly standard 32 3 cross spokes. I guess there is no advantage of bladed spokes. Do most build wheels up for gravel grinding with alloy or brass nipples. He suggested either Ultegra or Dura Ace hubs since they can be rebuilt. I probably would go with that as I don't think you get much better performance from Phil Woods hubs or do you. What would be a good guess to get a custom wheel builder to build a set of wheels up like this? I know lots of question just still trying to get my bike the best set up for me. I doubt I would ever pull the plug and buy a Salsa Warbird unless they change the design to have bosses on the back for rack mounting for tent camping.

Is it worth at some point spraying the inside of my bike with Frame Saver?


What about a different set of tires that would be gravel grinding specific..

Oh I know what I wanted to ask. I have always fun mt. bike pedals and shoes while road riding. Do most people have one set of shoes for road riding and a different set for gravel grinding. It sounds like they are going to get trashed. 

Thanks
Zman

Zurichman wrote:So all the changes were made on the bike and I can't wait to try it out tomorrow night. So here are a few questions.

I probably won't pull the plug on this until next year. The bike has a steel fork on it. What would be the price be of a mid level grade carbon fork. How  much weight savings would I see? Would I gain any comfort on the bike or lose some? My LBS recommended maybe Heed Belgium wheels, possibly standard 32 3 cross spokes. I guess there is no advantage of bladed spokes. Do most build wheels up for gravel grinding with alloy or brass nipples. He suggested either Ultegra or Dura Ace hubs since they can be rebuilt. I probably would go with that as I don't think you get much better performance from Phil Woods hubs or do you. What would be a good guess to get a custom wheel builder to build a set of wheels up like this? I know lots of question just still trying to get my bike the best set up for me. I doubt I would ever pull the plug and buy a Salsa Warbird unless they change the design to have bosses on the back for rack mounting for tent camping.

Is it worth at some point spraying the inside of my bike with Frame Saver?


What about a different set of tires that would be gravel grinding specific..

Oh I know what I wanted to ask. I have always fun mt. bike pedals and shoes while road riding. Do most people have one set of shoes for road riding and a different set for gravel grinding. It sounds like they are going to get trashed. 

Thanks
Zman

Lots of excellent questions...

I upgraded the fork on my titanium Dean from steel to CF. My primary goal was for a higher position and I needed a longer steerer tube.  I was surprised how much the feel of the ride changed - much smoother ride. My guess is this is the Ritchie fork is much more flexible and compliant and the CF helps dampen some of the high frequency vibration.

Some of the inexpensive CF forks will weigh around 2 pounds (900g) - about the same as a steel fork.  You can find good CF forks for CX around 450g so best case you're only talking one pound.  Pricing is all over the place, but being conservative I went with a brand name. If you're lucky you will find something on sale for around $250 or so.

If you want extremely durable parts then consider Phil.  If you're looking for light weight you'll want to search elsewhere.  Phil makes great stuff, but you pay for the durability.  There are lots of decent pre-built wheels out there.  Check this out:
http://ridinggravel.forumchitchat.com/post/new-gravel-wheels-8495792?pid=1295569968

Frame Saver is good if you're going to be riding in a lot of rain such as on a tour AND if you have a frame which you plan to keep and abuse for a long time.  To properly apply you'll need a shop to remove the bottom bracket and fork.  For riding in extreme wet conditions I've seen people fashion covers from old inner tubes:
1. Attach to seatpost and keep water from going into seattube both at the top of the tube and also at the slot where the binder bolt squeezes.

2. Place on lower bearing race of headset where the fork exits the headtube. This helps protect the bearings, but not the frame.

Use grease to keep water from entering the frame:
  - Grease seatpost
  - Grease bolts/screws used to mount stuff (water bottle cages, fenders, panniers)

Electrical tape to cover the breather holes on the seat stays, chain stays and fork. But moisture in the air will get into these tubes so IMO the tape should be removed after the tour.

-OR-  Instead of worrying about rust, get an aluminum or titanium frame and move your parts over.  

All tires have their pro's and con's: rolling resistance, weight, how well they float in gravel/sand, cost, puncture resistance, etc.   How much you're willing to compromise, along with how much your riding terrain & speed varies, will determine how many different tires you'll want.  I've got two sets of wheels for my primary gravel bike: 38's for gravel and 32mm road tires.  

As for shoes - I used mtb shoes for just about everything including racing on the road.  After the 2nd time I showed up for a ride with the wrong shoe for my bike I standardized.  Most road clip-in pedals cannot handle dirt or mud so I'd expect anyone with a clip-in pedal to use MTB shoes/pedals in the gravel - the same for cyclocross.

Hope this helps,
Greg

So another newbie question at my end. The stock tires that came on my bike Clement x'plor mso can they be made tubeless? What is a fair price for the LBS to install Orange seal for you in the tires?

Thanks
Zman

Zurichman wrote:So another newbie question at my end. The stock tires that came on my bike Clement x'plor mso can they be made tubeless? What is a fair price for the LBS to install Orange seal for you in the tires?etc

Thanks
Zman

Probably this is task you should do yourself. While it can be intimidating; once you go to a tubeless set up, you should learn how to do it yourself. Lots of youtube videos on how to. The Stan's video on installing tape is very good. I've used both Stan's as well as Orange seal endurance. For tires under 40mm 2 ounces should be sufficient. If you don't own a compressor; you might consider buying one. Instead of paying your LBS for doing it for you; ask them to give you a lesson. Of course, buy the tires, sealant, valves etc from them. It's just not a big deal -- especially dealing with low pressure gravel tires. BTW, if you are looking for a reasonably priced tubeless gravel tire, the tubeless ready Panaracer Gravel King SK 38 mm, mounts and seats easily, is relatively light weight, and performs well on a wide range of surfaces, including pavement.

My question is whether the Clement Xplor can be made tubless. I would prefer to try them out first maybe.

Thanks
Zman

The short answer is yes. The long answer is it depends on your rim. With that said many others have gone tubeless with that tire when it first came out with success. Many others including myself did not have success. Sometimes you just have to try it yourself and see.

RoverAl wrote:The short answer is yes. The long answer is it depends on your rim. With that said many others have gone tubeless with that tire when it first came out with success. Many others including myself did not have success. Sometimes you just have to try it yourself and see.

I guess you can see what rim I have. So what makes a rim unsuccessful to go tubeless?

Zman