Re: Doin' the (Kona) Dew: what to keep, what to upgrade?

On Sep 3, 8:48 pm, landotter <landot...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
My Dew should be in next week. Got the basic model as I'm mounting
fenders and racks, and Tektro LP brakes are just fine on a utility
bike. Bike will be used to fetch things, like beer, dog food, and 2
pound mackerels within a five mile radius, so I don't need "passin'
through Fife Alabama" type reliability.

I already got a Deore rear mech for peanuts($15, Nashbar), although
I'm sure the chintzy Altus would have been fine, as I've got to at
least have an allen bolt holding the cable--cuz that passes for class
in these parts. ;-)

Pedals will be MKS Sylvan Touring. Strapless for fall.

Not even worried about the post, as I'm riding a larger size for my
inseam, so no towering post.

Wheels are what concerns me. They have single wall Rigidas:http://www.rigida.com/eng/produits/mtb_single/cyber_10.html#

So I'm thinking about immediately lacing to some brutal Alex DM18s and
forgetting about them. Then again, after bringing up to tension and
destressing--it's sort of interesting to see if I can manage to dial
them in enough to stay round. I'm 175#, btw. 36H I sold my last
utility bike a couple days ago. It went a year on some Alex single
wall X404s with no touch ups needed. Hand built. So I'm thinking the
Rigidas might be good with some love. They're 100g lighter than the
Alex rims, so obviously they'll get the mackerels faster.

Why not 'tune up' the Rigidas and give 'em a go? If they don't last,
the DM18s will still be there.

Also, it's got the ubiquitous cheap cupncone Formula hubs. I'd imagine
that a repack with 25 grade balls first thing would be wise? I've had
great luck doing this with Sora hubs in the past, a prophylactic
bearing job and cone adjustment has kept them from pitting. Think the
Formulas will appreciate it?

Hey, BBs, even Gr25s if you get them from the right source, are pretty
darn cheap, so why not?


Other than that, it looks to be a fine fetcher of things. The EZ fire
shifters should prove to be just fine and cheap to replace if I whack
them against something. Bars will likely be too wide, but I've got a
fresh hack blade.

I'll post my mini reviews of that nifty front rack from Nashbar and
the Knog city panniers when I get it all bolted up.

That little Nashbar rack ain't half bad, despite what some rack snobs
might say. If the Knog panniers fit well on it's wide-but-short
shelf, it should be a nice combo - frugal, funky, functional. ;-)


.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Doin the (Kona) Dew: what to keep, what to upgrade?
    ... Bike will be used to fetch things, like beer, dog food, and 2 ... Why not 'tune up' the Rigidas and give 'em a go? ... darn cheap, so why not? ... That little Nashbar rack ain't half bad, ...
    (rec.bicycles.tech)
  • Re: OT shopping by bicycle
    ... Get the bike industry to modify the back rack. ... Secondly, as he admits himself, the front basket isn't great for heavy ... and so if the load is on a rear rack, that extra second could make all ...
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  • Re: GENERAL QUESTION
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  • Re: OT shopping by bicycle
    ... Get the bike industry to modify the back rack. ... Secondly, as he admits himself, the front basket isn't great for heavy ... and so if the load is on a rear rack, that extra second could make all ...
    (uk.media.tv.misc)
  • Re: OT shopping by bicycle
    ... Were there pictures of the bike outside a pub by any chance? ... Get the bike industry to modify the back rack. ... Secondly, as he admits himself, the front basket isn't great for heavy ... and so if the load is on a rear rack, that extra second could make all ...
    (uk.media.tv.misc)