Show "Bicycle"

Well, the obsession is real. I don't aim to be the fastest bike, I just want to be a mountain conquerer! My latest 11-42t cassette which will be paired with a 30/46 crank and derailleur extender. I've decided to move my 11-36t cassette to another wheel set for backup. I'll sacrifice the added weight for better hill climbing!

20210407_111054~2.jpg
 
Last edited:
I finished tuning the Shimano 11-42t rear 10 speed cassette while running a 30/46t front crank. I also installed a Wolf Tooth GoatLink derailleur extender using the stock B-screw and installed flared 44cm gravel drop bars which amazingly enough allow me to run the bars fully slammed on a 90mm stem. Also as mentioned earlier, I have a Velo Speedflex saddle and a suspension seat post I harvested from my old mountain bike! At this point, I feel like this bike is it's own Franken-bike category!

I'll probably run this setup as-is for awhile. Thought I'm now thinking I should get a dedicated road bike so I can start riding in the fast group rides here in LA! :D

Whole bike:
DSC_3527.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)


Flared drop bars:
DSC_3529.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)


11-42t 10 speed cassette with a 2x 46/30t front crankset:
DSC_3530.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)


Wolf Tooth GoatLink derailleur extender:
DSC_3517.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
 
I finished tuning the Shimano 11-42t rear 10 speed cassette while running a 30/46t front crank. I also installed a Wolf Tooth GoatLink derailleur extender using the stock B-screw and installed flared 44cm gravel drop bars which amazingly enough allow me to run the bars fully slammed on a 90mm stem. Also as mentioned earlier, I have a Velo Speedflex saddle and a suspension seat post I harvested from my old mountain bike! At this point, I feel like this bike is it's own Franken-bike category!

I'll probably run this setup as-is for awhile. Thought I'm now thinking I should get a dedicated road bike so I can start riding in the fast group rides here in LA! :D

Whole bike:
View attachment 254681

Flared drop bars:
View attachment 254682

11-42t 10 speed cassette with a 2x 46/30t front crankset:
View attachment 254683

Wolf Tooth GoatLink derailleur extender:
View attachment 254680
Wow . . . you have it bad. :D
 
From today's ride! I wanted to test my new rear cassette setup on the trails, so I ended up at the Angeles Crest Mountains taking the off-road trails first and then finished going aero tuck all the way down the highway! I've also decided to get some roadie clothing gear just to be more comfortable when riding!

gravel_switch.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)


DSC_3541.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)


DSC_3578.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)


gravel_rider.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
 
Last edited:
Whole family did the trip out to Mosier (8 miles away) and back to do a quick wildflower hike yesterday evening. I stayed for band practice after, not coming home til after midnight.

KBRY2072.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)


KBRY2083.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)


KBRY2095.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)


KBRY2102.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
 
Nice ride pics everyone!

I spent this week tuning my derailleur. I'm starting to see the trade offs of the bigger cassette and GoatLink derailleur extender, most noticeably the rougher shifting especially on the small chainring. On the plus side, my big chainring actually feels better in high gear than before. I guess it's the price to pay to get the 30:42t low gear ratio! I was reading the 1x specific Shimano GRX derailleur adjust the distance regardless of cog size. For my GRX 400 derailleur to clear 42t, means it's at the same distance from the small cog and big cog, hence the small cog just won't perform as well.
 
I've been spending so much time customizing my geared bike, I decided to to give my single speed a few upgrades this week! I swapped out the stock drop bars for Ritchey Comp flared drop bars, a Velo gel saddle and I've committed to leaving this bike at 34:16t with an Origin8 chainring and KMC S1 chain. I also put back my Panaracer gravel slicks in mustard w/tan sidewalls!
JSF07317.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
JSF07319.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
JSF07326.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
 
I've been spending so much time customizing my geared bike, I decided to to give my single speed a few upgrades this week! I swapped out the stock drop bars for Ritchey Comp flared drop bars, a Velo gel saddle and I've committed to leaving this bike at 34:16t with an Origin8 chainring and KMC S1 chain. I also put back my Panaracer gravel slicks in mustard w/tan sidewalls! View attachment 255335View attachment 255336View attachment 255337
Be careful, or you'll end up with a cabinet full of spare bike parts in your garage. Then you'll have so many collected, you'll decide you need to use them to build another bike. Of course that's just theory; I don't know anything about that.
 
Be careful, or you'll end up with a cabinet full of spare bike parts in your garage. Then you'll have so many collected, you'll decide you need to use them to build another bike. Of course that's just theory; I don't know anything about that.

I plan to sell off the extra drop bars and saddles on CL. The good thing about living in LA is that it's a city with over 10 million people and someone is always looking to buy something!

I actually just put back my black WTB Riddlers on my single speed bike. I ended up buying a 2nd wheelset for my geared bike, so I can put the Panaracer slicks on that bike when I only want to focus on road riding. I've also been looking at Panaracer Pasela touring tires with the tan sidewalls, they seem to have decent reviews while looking good.
 
From today attempting to ride to the highest point in Los Angeles County! Unfortunately I had to turn back half way to the summit on the fire trail (though I rode up the mountain highway to get there), because I was experience major leg cramps and I probably didn't want to pass out in the middle of nowhere! I ended up riding back home, but I had to make several stops due to leg pain. After arriving back home, I weighed myself on the scale and found out I sweated out 10 pounds of water weight in under 5 hours of high elevation riding! I was most likely dehydrated hence the cramps!

Thankfully my wife had dinner ready and I gorged myself just to gain back all the lost nutrients and energy!

I rode about 32 miles roundtrip with over 3000 feet of elevation gain:
Screen Shot 2021-04-17 at 5.59.00 PM.png


DSC_8290.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)


DSC_8249.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)


DSC_8250.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)


DSC_8332.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)


DSC_8292.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)


DSC_8327.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)


DSC_8306.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
 
Last edited:
From today attempting to ride to the highest point in Los Angeles County! Unfortunately I had to turn back half way to the summit on the fire trail (though I rode up the mountain highway to get there), because I was experience major leg cramps and I probably didn't want to pass out in the middle of nowhere! I ended up riding back home, but I had to make several stops due to leg pain. After arriving back home, I weighed myself on the scale and found out I sweated out 10 pounds of water weight in under 5 hours of high elevation riding! I was most likely dehydrated hence the cramps!

Thankfully my wife had dinner ready and I gorged myself just to gain back all the lost nutrients and energy!

I rode about 32 miles roundtrip with over 3000 feet of elevation gain:
View attachment 255568

View attachment 255489

View attachment 255490

View attachment 255491

View attachment 255492

View attachment 255495

View attachment 255493

View attachment 255494
Cool pics. That's a lot of miles when you're climbing. I've hit the wall like that when I ran out of water and was far from my car. It's pretty unsettling.
 
Cool pics. That's a lot of miles when you're climbing. I've hit the wall like that when I ran out of water and was far from my car. It's pretty unsettling.

It's been awhile since I hit a physical wall like that. My body flat out just gave out and I was basically running on an empty tank! I think I'm going to give it one more try, maybe in a month or so. I'll probably carry four times the food, double the water and another bottle filled with electrolytes. I'll spend the week prior eating daily bananas and yogurt for the potassium and calcium to avoid the cramps. I was probably just 3-4 miles from reaching the summit. So close, but so far away! :dash2:
 
Ha, I put back my WTB Riddlers on my single speed! I actually scored a 2nd set of wheels for my geared bike, so I'm going to put the slicks on those instead. I hadn't ridden this bike for awhile and I forgot how quiet the ss freewheel sounds and just how clean the 1x setup looks! The flared drop bars work great on this bike as well, giving me flat bar handling while still being able to go aero in the drops. Also I'm quite content now leaving this bike at 34:16t, it won't go as fast, but I can at least ride up all the steep hills in my neighborhood.

DSC_8373.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)


DSC_8367.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
 
Back
Top