@DaveC, hope to see you on the 11th. Whether I'll be keeping up with your group's speed is another matter! The trusty Van Sweringen Raleigh is not a speed demon...
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Questions/Support/Help
Bike for audax?
(101 posts)- Started 12 years ago by crowriver
- Latest reply from crowriver
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Posted 12 years ago #
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@Crowriver,
Don't worry, we're not speed merchants. If you can hold a ~13mph average pace I'm sure you'll be fine.
Posted 12 years ago # -
13mph up Redstone Rigg? Hmm, may not manage that!
Posted 12 years ago # -
I DID say average..!! so you'll be flying down the other side. I'd struggle to do 5mph up the steepest section of Redstone Rig.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Looking back over the shots I took of the stock Pioneer Trail, then with semi-north road bars, and now with drops and short reach/high stem, I realise the following:
- the hoods of the current setup are almost exactly the same position as the original straight bar on high riser stem.
- the flats of the drop bars on current setup are slightly forward of the position of the grips on the (much wider) semi-north road bars on the high riser stem.
- the saddle has inched higher and back a wee fraction over the three iterations.This all makes sense as I am essentially replicating some of the geometry of the original stock bike, which had a fairly sporty position, plus trying to retain a more upright position occasionally as I had with the semi-north road bars. Drop bars not only give me that flexibility but also allow 'racing' position to be adopted on flats and downhills. I've already tested this out to my satisfaction.
Don't know why I didn't fit drops in the first place, probably the stem question was unresolved.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Added a bottle dynamo, mounted to the canti boss, plus a wee halogen lamp. Also added a nice bell to the stem.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Looking slick. How does it run? The 1976(possibly) bottle dynamo on my iron horse is effectively a brake. Arguably better than the actual back brake, in the wet anyway.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Getting the dynamo wheel contact pressure right is the tricky bit. I have a bottle dynamo on the rear stays of my Raleigh Swift folder and it is incredibly draggy: clearly I got the pressure wrong when installing, will have to readjust the angle slightly.
With this install, once I'd bolted the dynamo on, at first there was no contact with the tyre at all. A quick bend of the dynamo mounting arm in a vice, and correct contact achieved. I did a quick test ride, and no noticeable drag. Some noise, but you'd expect that. The Marathon Pluses have a special sidewall track that is designed for bottle dynamos to use, and it seems to work well.
I'm just running the front lamp from the dynamo to keep it simple. Have a battery LED fixed to the carrier at the back. When I don't need the lights, just disengage the bottle, no drag at all.
The only thing I'm worried about is the damn thing rattling loose from its mount: will need to check and tighten retaining bolt before each ride, I reckon.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Well I dropped some hints about n+1 in another thread.
I just acquired a (late?) 1990s/ (early?) 2000s Dawes Audax Giro from fleaBay in timewarp condition. Looks as though it's been sitting in a garage for a decade or more.
531 Competition frame and forks, nice paint job and no rust. Shimano RX100 groupset, with the exception of the chainset which is RSX. RX100 hubs, Mavic MA2 rims, plus what look like the original Conti tyres.
I've re-assembled it and looks to be in excellent nick, though have not had a chance yet to test ride. Bar tape has rotted a bit and needs replacing; front mudguard got a wee bit snapped off the very front in transit (found the bits in the box); interesting threaded/threadless stem converter, so it has a quite short reach threadless stem round the bars, not sure if it's original or not.
Anyway, I'm itching to get it out on the road for a test but will need to wait until the weekend... Pics below are from the fleaBay listing as no chance yet to do my own. It came with that retro Altura bar bag included...
Posted 11 years ago # -
Ooh very nice.
Posted 11 years ago # -
@Crowriver - nice! Is there a model number? I have an Audax Giro 700 in 531 Competition, dated to 1997. The "GIRO" logo is the same as on your frame, and I think they share the same Dawes logo (vinyl) on the headtube.
I got it as a frame plus bars, headset and stem (3TTT). It's a slightly larger framesize than yours I think - taller headtube anyway.
It's a fantastic frame - light, very comfortable and a great ride. Go anywhere, do anything.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Yeah the bike's nice and light and rides well. I couldn't find a model number on the frame as yet, maybe I didn't look hard enough. It does say "Handmade by Dawes UK" on the rear stays.
I've just been for a short test ride, everything seems to be fine, except the RSX STI shifters (not RX100 as I thought). I shifted okay with the outer levers (the brake levers) until I was on the biggest chainring and the biggest rear sprocket. But the smaller inner levers just don't seem to work at all, I could not get the gears back to a smaller chainring or a smaller sprocket. I did a search online and it seems this is a common issue with these old RSX shifters due to grease drying out. I don't think it can be fixed easily.
Disappointing, and I've contacted the seller to complain. If I can't get them working then probably I'll need to replace these with some other 8 speed STIs (2200? Sora?) for a triple chainset, or put bar end shifters on and some aero brake levers.
Seems to be the only major issue, but I'm sure there'll be a few other wee ones that come up: whole thing needs some grease and lube too I think.
Posted 11 years ago # -
@crowriver yes I have sora 8 speed STIs on mine shifting a mix of Sora 8-speed, 105 and Ultegra 9-speed components. All works just fine, Sora shifters are clunkily reliable and pretty much indestructible in my experience. Who wants nice, subtle shifts when you can have some POSITIVE FEEDBACK that you've changed gear!
Posted 11 years ago # -
[must not buy another bike, must not buy another bike.......]
Posted 11 years ago # -
@DaveC, yeah that's what I was saying only last month! Look where it got me...
@kaputnik, I managed to track down a Dawes catalogue scan of the exact model, seems it's an Audax Giro 600 from 1999:
So that's what the bar tape's supposed to look like! ;-)
Oh, if anyone has any spare 3 x 8 speed STI shifters kicking around, I'm currently in the market for a pair...
Posted 11 years ago # -
Ahem.
They're old-style Sora STIs without the indicator dial the newer ones allegedly have but are definitely 3*8 and were functioning when I removed them in the spring...Posted 11 years ago # -
The Dawes Giro 400, rebadged, was sold by EBC as the first of their Continental road bike range in 1999. It had Sora kit mainly and Rigida wheels. I had one, frame number: YF99K00931 and I still use the Sora levers.
Posted 11 years ago # -
I think the issue with the RSX levers is they've hardly been used, and thus not maintained. The grease inside has probably dried, hardened and is stopping the ratchets from working properly. I may try squishing some WD40 in there, but I'd rather just have something that works...
Posted 11 years ago # -
So I got around to removing all the fixings from the handlebars yesterday: the rotted bar tape, the dud brifters, the quill/ahead converter and the short reach riser stem. There were signs that the original stem had been replaced: on one side of the bars there was an extra layer of different tape holding the brake cables in the bar ferrule/groove.
All fine, except when I tried to fit a new quill stem (conventional single bolt bar clamp) I could not get it around the tight angles of the drops where the brake hoods fasten on. Bummer!
I have a quandary now.
1. I could just refit the old quill/ahead/twin bolt riser stem. However it is not quiet high enough, not much scope for adjustment, and is a bit ugly: shims inside the stem, big black plastic bung in the top, bar clamp bolts rusty...
2. I could buy some drop bars to fit my stem, or nick the nice randonneur bars off my single speed (which will transfer the problem to that machine...).
3. I could get another quill stem with two bar clamp bolts (ahead stylee) or nick the one off my Raleigh (which will transfer the problem to that machine...).
What to do?
Posted 11 years ago # -
Crowriver, for what it's worth there are some 8-speed bar end levers in the EBC sale at the moment. Nice and reliable.
Posted 11 years ago # -
@Arelicat, I have some bar end levers, and I also have Sora 8 speed STI levers (courtesy wingpig) to replace the RSX duds.
However, that's not the issue. The bars need to come up a few centimetres and there just is not the adjustment in the quill/ahead converter on there just now. Hence the new quill stem.....which I can't get past the top of the drops.
Posted 11 years ago # -
I've two sets of drops in my box of spare bits, one of which was extracted from a single-bolt quill stem, though not without some scoring.
Posted 11 years ago # -
I think I've got the original quill stem from my Giro 400 and the one I replaced it with. You can have them if you think they'll fit. Pair of drop bars too - I can see if they work together.
Posted 11 years ago # -
@wingpig, Tom, thanks for the generous offers.
I am going to try and persevere with the quill stem again today, and if it really won't budge round the drops with renewed efforts then I'll be in touch.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Well, I tried the tall stem again, to no avail. This particular stem will just not get around the sharp bend in the bars.
I looked out another quill stem that I have, which is not as tall as the one I failed to get on. I got it on the bars with no hassles at all, plenty of clearance for the bends. Very strange. Clearly the taller stem is a tighter fit around the clamp, though both are nominally the same size clamp. Both the same width too.
The bars are now in more or less the same position as with the ahead converter/riser setup, maybe 0.5 cm higher, which kinda puts me back at square one. The bars are still a bit lower than I would like (ie. just less than an inch approx. below the saddle height). The quill stem looks much nicer though.
So my options appear to be:
1. Put up with it like this, at least for the time being, ride it, and address any discomfort issues if and when.
2. Bung the ahead/quill converter back on, and find a longer. higher riser stem.
3. Try and find another, taller quill stem (like hen's teeth) and hope it fits the bars.
4. Find some drop bars that fit the tall quill stem.Sigh...
Posted 11 years ago # -
Here's the set-up on the bike I had:
Edinburgh Continental by Cycling Mollie, on FlickrI struggled with the stretched out position and raised the quill stem as far as it would go. That was the Mollie of Cyclingmollie (from the Cromoly sticker on the frame).
Posted 11 years ago # -
Aye that stem has quite a long reach: 110mm? 120mm? Did you not feel the weight on your hands a bit? The bars look very similar to the ones on the Dawes, I note you have angled them up a bit, I might do that too for a bit more comfort on the hoods.
I prefer to have the bars closer for a more upright riding position. 40mm to 60mm reach stems are more my style.
My single speed has the bars slightly lower than the saddle, and is fine. Then again I've never ridden it for 100km in one go. let alone 200km.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Yes, 120mm. Replaced with 110mm. That made a big difference. The bike is a bit of a gate. I would go for a smaller frame now but the Bike Co-op were notorious for recommending larger frames than nesessary. The original bars had a central ferrule which creaked. Very stable going downhill compared to jittery aluminium and super comfortable.
Posted 11 years ago # -
The bars are too low (for my liking). Over an inch below the saddle height, nearly two. So, once I've completed a DIY audax tomorrow I will be converting the Raleigh back to North Road bars (with thumb shifters, all the bits, cables etc. are still attached to the bars) and swiping the higher rise stem from the Raleigh's current drop bars (it has an ahead type two bolt bar clamp). That will allow me to ease the bars on the Dawes up an inch or two to a comfortable height. I can then fit the STIs, bar tape, etc. Hopefully I'll get that done, new tyres, and so on in time for some test rides before the ToEL next month.
The drop bars and brake levers from the Raleigh will be transferred to the frame below, which I took delivery of today. An old Thorn Brevet SE in pretty good nick. I'll use the quill stem that's currently holding the Dawes bars. Some bar end shifters will work with the 8 speed triple drivetrain I'm planning. I have most of the parts I need, though I have to source a few bits like brakes, guards, chain, tyres, possibly a seatpost too though I may have one lying around.
I'm looking at the Dawes as a light, quick bike to take me around rides up to 200k, and the Thorn as a slightly sturdier beast for longer distances, with a bit more of a tourer spec, though not as heavy or limited in gears as the Raleigh.
Once both those bikes are running smoothly, hopefully that'll be me set up for a while, with two audax bikes of slightly different spec, plus the single speed for training. I might have to dispose of a bike or two to make space...
Posted 11 years ago # -
Oh that's well good, and a classy paintjob too. Most handsome and I hope rides superbly. Nice to see the headlamp bracket and low-rider brazeons on the fork. If you're thinking of putting larg-ish tyres on this (say 32mm) I can recommend an excellent long-read double-pivot from Tektro which has a special double-jointed quick release to allow you to get a fat inflated tyre on and off without letting the air out.
Great buy.
Posted 11 years ago #
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