Ask a Bicycle Question - Part 5

[HexenHeretic]

OK guys, need recommendations from you.

I am currently riding on 451 wheels, and the config is this:

53/39, rear smallest is 11.

So my theoretical gear ratio is very small-- 53/11. I found myself out-spinning at Pungool and ECP while chasing after road bikes.

I am looking at increasing to 55/42 to give a bit more push. But I am using Ultegra crankset, which means I will need to use third party chain rings which look awful.

Or the second alternative is to use Shimano Capreo hub and cassette, which has the smallest cassette cog down to 9. A 53/9 has equivalent gearing compared to a typical road bike setup (50/11 with 29 inch wheels), but this means I have to change my 10 speed groupset as the capreo is only 9 speed.

Any recommendations?

Cheers

i'm been thru this before

my suggestion is that don't waste time/money/effort on upgrading the mini velo if u want to chase after road bikes.

i posted sometime back about my case, not sure if were around
ultimately i got a roadie.

 

[Sadisticnoob]

How expensive are chainrings? About $200?

Outer ring is about 150 SGD for the cheapest online price.

Inner ring around 70

youre looking at >54Teeth, super expensive.

CRC is selling 54T at 128 pounds

thats just the outer ring still havent consider the inner ring

 

[wackymaus75]

Anyone got lobang on where to get Giant Fastroad Comax 1 in SG?

I emailed bike shops in taiwan and they only stock up comax 2

you could try asking fusion
Fusion Cycles - Redefine Value & Performance

But he gets his stock from TW too so I am no sure if he can get it. try seeing if shops in HK or Thailand or JPN ?

From the specs it seems like the difference are frame colour and components,
you could always buy the comax 2 and ask the dealer to change the groupset to 105

 

[furryballs]

Is S$78 a good price for a saint platform pedals? I thinking of changing my stock pedals, but litepro/wellgo ones are going for S$50, and weigh half that of the saint pedals

Does the extra $ goes to shimano's marketing, or does it translate to real durability technologies over wellgo and litepro ones?

 

[Sadisticnoob]

Is S$78 a good price for a saint platform pedals? I thinking of changing my stock pedals, but litepro/wellgo ones are going for S$50, and weigh half that of the saint pedals

Does the extra $ goes to shimano's marketing, or does it translate to real durability technologies over wellgo and litepro ones?

on crc

saints are 60 sgd, wellgo is slightly cheaper at 54 sgd.

Shimano Saint MX80 Flat Pedals | Chain Reaction Cycles

Wellgo CNC Platform B164 Flat Pedals | Chain Reaction Cycles

both have very different usage style if you ask me i dont ride mtb

 

[p00p00]

you could try asking fusion
Fusion Cycles - Redefine Value & Performance

But he gets his stock from TW too so I am no sure if he can get it. try seeing if shops in HK or Thailand or JPN ?

From the specs it seems like the difference are frame colour and components,
you could always buy the comax 2 and ask the dealer to change the groupset to 105

Thanks Wacky. i saw Australia selling Comax 1 for AUD 1899 which is like $700 cheaper than our local dealer. Fusion is selling Comax 2 much cheaper than local dealer too.

Another question, how much better is 105 compared to tiagra? Assuming everything else is the same, will i be able to ride faster on a bike with 105 than tiagra?

 

[Sadisticnoob]

Thanks Wacky. i saw Australia selling Comax 1 for AUD 1899 which is like $700 cheaper than our local dealer. Fusion is selling Comax 2 much cheaper than local dealer too.

Another question, how much better is 105 compared to tiagra? Assuming everything else is the same, will i be able to ride faster on a bike with 105 than tiagra?

the biggest difference is 11 speed and 10 speed.

the best part is one which is really hidden not observable to most, I thought 10 to 11 not much, but there is

11 speed are 11-28 and 10 speed are usually 10/11-25

the 11 speed has a biggest range of gears for all sorts of terrain, a one size fits all solution. from mountain to flat.

10 speed also has 11-28 which you need to buy off the shelf, but the jump in gear ratio is abit funny

 

[wackymaus75]

Thanks Wacky. i saw Australia selling Comax 1 for AUD 1899 which is like $700 cheaper than our local dealer. Fusion is selling Comax 2 much cheaper than local dealer too.

Another question, how much better is 105 compared to tiagra? Assuming everything else is the same, will i be able to ride faster on a bike with 105 than tiagra?

faster is very hard to define on a bike, after all, you are the engine, like SNoob jiejie says, the wider range of gears gives you more options when dealing with terrain differences.

 

[wackymaus75]

i'm been thru this before

my suggestion is that don't waste time/money/effort on upgrading the mini velo if u want to chase after road bikes.

i posted sometime back about my case, not sure if were around
ultimately i got a roadie.

Yes, I remember that post well, after all a minivelo is a minivelo, no amount of gear will be able to compensate the revolutions/distance loss of a 20" vs a 700C wheel.

that being said, I want a minivelo too!

 

[Jack_Chen]

Get a nice big chainring. I used a 56T on my Tern. Taiwan stuff. Less than $100.

 

[furryballs]

on crc

saints are 60 sgd, wellgo is slightly cheaper at 54 sgd.

Shimano Saint MX80 Flat Pedals | Chain Reaction Cycles

Wellgo CNC Platform B164 Flat Pedals | Chain Reaction Cycles

both have very different usage style if you ask me i dont ride mtb

Thanks! But I figured that if I buy online/crc, I will need to get the grease and pay for shipping, in contrast to bringing to bike shop to get it professionaly installed. But hey $18 is alot for just workmanship and that small dab or grease!!

http://wheelonfire.com/index.php?route=product/category&path=72_61
found this sg-based online shop that sells foldie stuffs at better-than-crc prices. Free shipping. Got this urge to change out my spongy brakes to shimano XT, and plastic pedals to an Al one.

 

[furryballs]

Get a nice big chainring. I used a 56T on my Tern. Taiwan stuff. Less than $100.

http://wheelonfire.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=72_70&product_id=143
58T at s$69 shipped

 

[(^@^)"]

I got dahon and java if you are interested.

You have a shop?

 

[SmilingDevil]

Thanks! But I figured that if I buy online/crc, I will need to get the grease and pay for shipping, in contrast to bringing to bike shop to get it professionaly installed. But hey $18 is alot for just workmanship and that small dab or grease!!

Brakes
found this sg-based online shop that sells foldie stuffs at better-than-crc prices. Free shipping. Got this urge to change out my spongy brakes to shimano XT, and plastic pedals to an Al one.

Who charges $18 to change pedals? Come to my shop. I will do it for you foc.

You have a shop?

Yup. Address as below.

 

[erwinrommel]

i'm been thru this before

my suggestion is that don't waste time/money/effort on upgrading the mini velo if u want to chase after road bikes.

i posted sometime back about my case, not sure if were around
ultimately i got a roadie.

Well, if I can get 70% performance of a road bike and can still fold and roll into mrt station and keep inside cupboard/car in less than 10 seconds, I consider it as very good.

One can only cycle road bikes on roads, rarely on pcn.

 

[HexenHeretic]

Well, if I can get 70% performance of a road bike and can still fold and roll into mrt station and keep inside cupboard/car in less than 10 seconds, I consider it as very good.

One can only cycle road bikes on roads, rarely on pcn.

It's a very expensive route if u want to head down this path...

The only brand that comes to my mind that has maybe 70-75% performance of roadies is Tyrell, and Tyrell costs 30-50% more compared to a similarly speced roadie, that i'm not even talking about the foldable Tyrell.

The cycling group that consists of mainly roadies which i used to ride with, there was this lady with a super souped up Birdie with 60t chainring, fitness wise she's about the strongest rider in the group in my opinion.
This same lady now rides a pinarello.

There were other decent riders with Tyrells, Alex Moultens and other high performance minivelos or foldables, a handful of them changed to roadies to ride with the group now, the rest don't ride with the group anymore.

 

[HexenHeretic]

Yes, I remember that post well, after all a minivelo is a minivelo, no amount of gear will be able to compensate the revolutions/distance loss of a 20" vs a 700C wheel.

that being said, I want a minivelo too!

I sell u my minivelo, want?

 

[Sadisticnoob]

Thanks! But I figured that if I buy online/crc, I will need to get the grease and pay for shipping, in contrast to bringing to bike shop to get it professionaly installed. But hey $18 is alot for just workmanship and that small dab or grease!!

Brakes
found this sg-based online shop that sells foldie stuffs at better-than-crc prices. Free shipping. Got this urge to change out my spongy brakes to shimano XT, and plastic pedals to an Al one.

no, shops got many overheads.

online stall the overheads are much lesser in comparsion.

if you can get it at 70 is okay.

crc has free shipping if you hit 250 sgd . and pedals are relatively easy to do, just need a 8mm allen key or a 15mm pedal wrench spanner

 

[Sadisticnoob]

I sell u my minivelo, want?

got mv8 ah ? i want to get one to try.

Well, if I can get 70% performance of a road bike and can still fold and roll into mrt station and keep inside cupboard/car in less than 10 seconds, I consider it as very good.

One can only cycle road bikes on roads, rarely on pcn.

not really la can cycle on pcn, just cannot go too fast, pedal abit already hit 30.

the other solution is to get cleats + shoes. cause the relative high cadence is almost impossible to get if your footing on the pedal isnt good. theres a dude that i know that rides a brompton on his group rides, he uses cleats shoes

 

[binary_0011]

crc free delivery is back.... but i dunno what to buy