The 'new' Kaff rolls « CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum

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The 'new' Kaff rolls

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Started 11 years ago by Wilmington's Cow
Latest reply from Stickman

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Wilmington's Cow
Member

It's taken a while, though at least this time not down to prevarication, procrastination and ineptitude on my part (simply a spokes sourcing issue), but the Kaff was back on the commute today. And damn it feels fine.

It's basically an entirely new bike to before. New wheels (built by Dave's of Dave's bike shed, and they look and feel great); new tyres (I'm a sucker for the amber sidewalls with this frame, but the 25s at 80psi are also beautifully comfy); new flat bar (nice and narrow, but not too narrow, which felt great through the traffic); new brake levers (work a treat, and feel like I have more stopping power than the drop levers on the 'tache - also new blocks which might help...); friction thumbie for the rear (so so so smooth); rear rack is back on (primarily to protect the 'guard from the Carradice, but also for weekend pootles with Mel to be able to carry more); wee rack on the front (more than just Hipster/kaputnik chic, got a new wee camera bag coming in the post so will ditch the daily camerabag on my back).

It feels solid. Still some work needed. I've got to hook up the lights to the dynamo yet. Need either a new ring, or chainset (if new chainset can get all silver, if new ring needs to be one without shifting ramps as the chain won't stay on the middle ring, so currently riding on the granny after taking off the front derailleur). The bottom bracket is shot, so could tie in replacing that with getting a new chainset to get the best chainline. And I have a fancy painted bell coming from HubJub cos I'm a tart.

Anyway, forgive me the indulgence of a post of such dullness, I was just quite enthused by the ride in this morning! (and now I can start saving for a fancy new wheelset for the Cotic X - finally take up Insto on the wheelbuild tutorial - to get it rieady for the Bealach Mor, and get the 26" slicks back onto the Soul, as well as the new rear derailleur I got... Never ending (story, ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh)).

Untitled by blackpuddinonnabike, on Flickr

Posted 11 years ago #
DaveC
Member

Looks lovely WC, enjoy!

Posted 11 years ago #
Min
Member

Looks great. I like the idea of the front loaded camera bag.

Posted 11 years ago #
Wilmington's Cow
Member

Yeah, it's really what sold me the idea of the front rack - toploading bag, so just unzip and camera pulls straight out, just a bit more accessible than on my back.

For weekend pootles in the country, when I tend to carry the 500mm lens in a Camelbak I'm going to make a rear rack-top padded box thing. All just aimed at adapting the bike to my needs really. I think I may have finally nailed that on the Kaff.

Posted 11 years ago #
kaputnik
Moderator

Handsome, distinct, unique. Lovely job and I might have to copy your style and get some skinwalls when my current Gatorskins wear out next.

wee rack on the front

Definitely decaleur. Very American Randonneur-chic. I believe it's to support a socking big handlebar / map pack. From the french décaler, to shift / displace / move, as the little backstop on the rack allows a strap to be looped around it and lifted easily off. So there you are.

I think your rear rack/box thing you refere to needs to be made out of an old sherry bottle box, correct colour and completes le look.

Posted 11 years ago #
steveo
Member

Looking good.

Let me know how you get on with the camera on the bike. I've read some bad things happening to SLR mirrors due to the little vibrations. I've been meaning to stick a cheap film slr in the carradice and see if it does break after a month of commuting but never got round to it.

Posted 11 years ago #
kaputnik
Moderator

Ortlieb offer photographers inserts designed to drop into for some of their bar bags / panniers. I'm sure you could achieve the same with some foam and glue.

Posted 11 years ago #
Wilmington's Cow
Member

"I think your rear rack/box thing you refere to needs to be made out of an old sherry bottle box, correct colour and completes le look."

Oh man, that is such a good idea....

"I've read some bad things happening to SLR mirrors due to the little vibrations"

That's my worry. Bag is a little Crumpler, so quite well-padded, but I might augment that. The D90 is feeling its age a bit, and due to be replaced probably by the end of the year (once I've got the finances together!) so will be able to judge any effects.

Posted 11 years ago #
DaveC
Member

WC, you might be interested in joining the 'Bicycle parts for Sale or Free' group which is an East Scotland Group on FB.

Posted 11 years ago #
DaveC
Member

DP.

Posted 11 years ago #
Its_Me_Knees
Member

@WC: "The D90 is feeling its age a bit"

Nikons have a heavier mirror action than (say) Canons; keeping images blur-free when using non-VR lenses can be a bit of a challenge without a sturdy tripod. I've never quite figured out if that makes Nikons more or less susceptible to jarring/vibration damage, although in general my experience of Nikon cameras is that they are a tad heavier and more robust than Canon equilvalents, and much more bullet proof than Pentax/Fuji etc.

Not just mirrors could be affected of course; cameras where the vibration reduction mechanism (ironically) is in-camera can come a cropper too. That said, the impact on lenses could be equally profound, but a little less easy to detect as images can degrade by degrees depending on the extent to which lens elements go out of alignment. Modern lens design is pretty good at minimising this, but not completely preventing it.

FWIW, I've invested in a Lumix mirrorless system camera for bike expeditions. Image quality is not the same as my SLRs', but it ain't so far off and is certainly good enough for magazine and web use. And it is absurdly light, too.

Posted 11 years ago #
Its_Me_Knees
Member

Actually, that was a bit OT, wasn't it. Sorry...

Posted 11 years ago #
Instography
Member

Vibration schmibration.

Posted 11 years ago #
steveo
Member

Ruh Roh, Nikon vs Canon. And you thought H* were bad!!

Posted 11 years ago #
rust
Member

Nothing wrong with OT, surely...

Or do we need a what camera for cycling thread?

I've recently got a fuji x100s after tiring of carrying a 5D + lens' mountain biking over full days. It's a bit on the budget busting side of things, but the sensor in that thing is awesome - and so far it seems to be earning it's keep.

Posted 11 years ago #
kaputnik
Moderator

On-topic, schmoff-schopic

Posted 11 years ago #
Wilmington's Cow
Member

See the thing is the Nikon, with a 'normal' lens on I don't mind lugging about because at weekends I stick in on my back with a 500mm lens attached (most miles done in this fashion was 73, and there was no decent wildlife to shoot).

Posted 11 years ago #
Stickman
Member

Was admiring a distinctive bike in work today and thought "that looks familiar".

Checked this thread and it was this Kaffenback. .

So I work in the same building as Wilmington's Cow. Edinburgh is indeed a small place.

Posted 11 years ago #
Wilmington's Cow
Member

Hey Stickman! Edinburgh is just a big village...

Posted 11 years ago #
kaputnik
Moderator

Just sayin'...

Posted 11 years ago #
Wilmington's Cow
Member

Don't be daft, my saddle is 'real' leather...

Posted 11 years ago #
allebong
Member

I checked out this thread when it was first created with only a few replies. I come back now and we're talking about DSLR mirror vibrations and there's a picture of a bus seat. Let's keep this moving.

Since you have a decent padded bag for the camera I'd stop worrying about it. My D90 is well traveled on both bike and foot and is none the worse for wear. In fact the thing has been downright abused at times, including plenty of drops and falls, and even an incident in which it fell into shallow water upside down and pretty much the whole upper half (viewfinder/top LCD) was flooded. Exactly how this happened and how much was my fault is a long and rambling tale best left for another time ;) That was two years ago and it's done tens of thousands of pictures since then with no ill effects. Except for some slow growing mould on the inside of the flash. Eww.

I belong to the 'you can pry my optical viewfinder and mirror out of my cold dead DSLR-grip hands' camp with regards to mirrorless cameras. This makes me the photographic equivalent of a retro-grouch and I fully expect by the time I hit mid-age I will be reminiscing about the good old days of sensible steel frames, handbuilt wheels and phase detect autofocus sensors that weren't on the main sensor.

Posted 11 years ago #
Wilmington's Cow
Member

Yeah, D90 is a little over 3 and been used and abused pretty much daily since then. Replacement planned for later in the year, but D90 will then likely remain as the bike/work/everyday cam.

Rear brake has gone slightly 'squidgy' - sort that before riding home.

Posted 11 years ago #
Wilmington's Cow
Member

Last night I put a picture of the 'cockpit' on Twitter, commenting that it was a little crowded. In reality there's room for it all, but there's the light mounted to the rack; the rack; the videocamera; bell; computer; and thumbie shifter. One comment was that it sort of ruined the 'chic' look of it. Which is true if that's what I was aiming for, but honestly, it's all just practicality mounted on there.

Posted 11 years ago #
Wilmington's Cow
Member

Connected up the lights tonight. The wires are a little... ugly, so might have to do some shortening and better routing, but all working fine (took a wee video, and the front especially is really bright!). Standlights working fine - the front light has an occasional rattle, which on inspection appears to be a little copper circle thing, but might be magnetic, because it stop every now and then and seems to stick to something - not explained that well, but the rattle disappeared as I trundled the street, so assuming it's doing whatever it's supposed to be doing.

Also, I'm pretty sure I didn't order the front light that has the light sensor on it, so has a switch setting that means it won't come on during the day, but will automatically switch on at night. Certainly didn't pay for that, so I might have got a Brucie bonus there...

Posted 11 years ago #
kaputnik
Moderator

My IQ Cyo rattles in the "off" position - it's the switch. It has left/right off positions (centre is "on"), and generally only rattles when turned off in one direction and not the other.

Posted 11 years ago #
Stickman
Member

Must confess to having a right good nosy at this in the work bike park this morning.

On closer inspection: nice....very nice.

Particularly like the small clock/watch face mounted in the stem - very classy. At first I thought it was some kind of vintage speedo!

Posted 11 years ago #
Instography
Member

Oh yeah, meant to reply on the wheelbuilding thing. Any time. Suspect by the time you get to yours I'll have built another two. Who knows, might even remember the lacing pattern without Sheldon in front of me.

Posted 11 years ago #
kaputnik
Moderator

RE wheelbuilding I might try my hand at dynamo wheel for tourer. Are we doing a teach-in?

Posted 11 years ago #
DaveC
Member

@WC, I have a similar light to yours but with the daytime option and no auto sensor. Could swap for a bit if you want to see the difference as it has the option of shiing in daytime, if you prefer that. Happy to pay the difference. Also DON'T SHORTEN THE WIRES!! Instead wrap the wire round your fork in a spiral to take up the slack, and pop a small tiewrap on the bottom to hold it in place. The connectors are a bit rubbish and I have had to cut the corroded ends off and take a bit off the insulation to bare clean wire when recrimping etc....

Posted 11 years ago #

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