The Blog

October 20, 2020

Terry Titania Titanium Road Bicycle

byGT onFor Sale

2002 Terry Titania Titanium 21.5″ Road Bicycle

This Terry Titania titanium road bike was built for a computer science professor in Durham, NC in 2002. It had been stored, unused for seven years in her garage, until it was donated to the ReCyclery NC (https://www.recyclery.org/), a Chapel Hill, NC-based 501(c)(3) non-profit community bike shop. The bike is being sold to raise funds for the shop. The asking price for this Shimano Dura-Ace equipped bicycle is $2000. All serious offers will be considered. The price includes shipping to the lower 48 states.

The Titania’s custom titanium frame was fabricated by Titus Titanium, and built to the Terry “Symmetry” spec, with a Profile BRC carbon fork. Overall, the bike is in excellent condition and is being sold as-is. Minor flaws to note: scuffed decals, small rust spots on the front derailleur and bottle cage bolts, and minor scuffing on the seat and shift/brake levers.

Frame specs:

Seat tube: 21.5”
Standover: 31.7”
Head Angle: 72 degrees
Seat Angle: 73 degrees
Top Tube: 21.5”
BB Height: 10.5”
Chainstay: 16.9”
Rake: 2.1”
Tire clearance: 25 mm
3Al/2.5V titanium frame tubes; 6Al/4V dropouts
Weight: 19.2 lbs with pedals

Components:

Headset: Shimano Dura-Ace
Bottom Bracket: Shimano Dura-Ace
Shifters: Shimano Dura-Ace 7700 (9×3)
Shimano Dura-Ace 7700 Triple Crankset (170) 53/39/30
Rear Derailleur: Shimano Dura-Ace 7700 mid-cage
Front Derailleur: Shimano Dura-Ace 7700 Triple
Cassette: Shimano Dura-Ace 7700 9-speed, 12-25
Brakes: Shimano Dura-Ace 7700
Wheels: 28-hole Dura-Ace hubs, laced to Velocity Aerohead rims with DT Swiss spokes (radial front and 2x rear)
Stem: Nitto ~50 mm
Bars: 3T Prima 199 (42cm)
Seatpost: Thompson Elite
Saddle: Avocet O2 with titanium rails
Tires: Michelin IronMan, 23 x 650c

Interested parties are welcome to get in touch with the ReCyclery for additional information. If you’re local to Chapel Hill, you are welcome to meet us and take the bike for a test ride. Please get in touch by emailing: recyclery_nc@yahoo.com attention David Schreiber.

Please scroll down for photos of the bike’s details.

About the ReCyclery NC

The ReCyclery NC (https://www.recyclery.org/) is a Chapel Hill, NC-based 501(c)(3) non-profit, whose mission is to encourage the use of bicycles for transportation and recreation. This mission is accomplished by:

Refurbishing unused bicycles
Teaching self-reliance through bicycle maintenance and repair
Encouraging constructive community involvement
Promoting bicycle safety

The ReCyclery relies on donations of bikes, bike parts and cash from a variety of sources. Interested donors and prospective volunteers are encouraged to visit the shop’s website or Patreon page to learn more and support the shop!

3T Prima 199 (42 cm) handlebars.

Shimano Dura-Ace 7700 “brifters” (9×3).

Shimano Dura-Ace 7700 brakes.

Shimano Dura-Ace 7700 mid-cage rear derailleur. 28H 2x Velocity Aerohead rims on Dura-Ace hubs.

October 12, 2020

Terry Precision 185SS Road Bicycle

byGT onFor Sale

1987 Terry Precision 185SS Road Bicycle

Bill writes: “My wife fell in love with this bike and bought it in about 1990. She decided quickly that cycling was not a sport that she wanted to pursue and the bike has been lovingly stored in our basement since that time. The bike has been ridden less than 50 miles and is in excellent condition. We’re hoping to find a new owner who will appreciate all the features of this custom fabricated bike.”

This bright blue metallic beauty was built in our production facility in East Rochester, New York. It has all the hallmarks of top-class handbuilt frame: Henry James investment cast lugs, fork crown, and bottom bracket shell, Shimano vertical dropouts, Tange tubing, and a full set of braze-ons: all brake and derailleur cable guides, two sets of water bottle bosses, pump peg, chain hanger peg, and down tube shift lever bosses.

The “185SS” in the model name denotes the size (18.5 inch center to center seat tube) and the style (SS for “sport” bicycle with a “small” front wheel).

The rider who fits this bike will be approximately 5’1″ – 5′ 3″ tall.

The price of the bike is $1500. It is in northern New Jersey. For more information, please contact Bill at bantoshkiw@icloud.com.

Details and photographs:

Geometry

18.5” seat tube measured from the center of the bottom bracket to top of the seat lug
28.7″ standover height
19.3” top tube length
16.7” chain stay

Construction

Tange cro-moly tubing
Henry James investment cast lugs, bb shell, fork crown and bottom bracket
full set of braze-ons

Components

TA Cyclotouriste double crank; 48/40 chainrings; 165 mm crankarms
Sun Mistral rims on Shimano New 600EX 36 hole hubs
Shimano New 600EX front and rear derailleurs
Shimano Uniglide chain
SR alloy stem
SR Laprade seatpost
Vetta women’s saddle
SR Maes drop handlebar – 37 cm
Shimano New 600EX Aero brake levers
Shimano 6 speed freewheel 13/15/17/20/24/28 teeth
Shimano New 600EX side pull brakes
Shimano New 600EX with toeclips and straps
700c rear wheel/24″ front wheel (ISO 540/541; also referred to as 600A)

1987 Terry Have A Fit catalog.

Tange #2 cro-moly tubing. Small brake levers. Down tube shifters.

Shimano 600 drivetrain.

Built in East Rochester, NY.

A beautifully proportionate bicycle!.

June 5, 2019

Recent Georgena Terry Custom Bicycles

byGT onGT's Blog

Recent Georgena Terry Custom Bicycles

Looking for the perfect job always eluded me until I discovered the bicycle! Since I started building bikes in my basement years ago, nothing has given me more pleasure than figuring out how to construct a beautiful bike that will do all the things the rider wants. If a bike could fly, this is how it would feel.

The accompanying photos are a glance at the kinds of bikes I’ve been building recently. There are some definite trends evolving. About half of my customers want disc brakes. There doesn’t seem to be a preference for cable or hydraulic. I recommend hydraulic for the rider who has small hands, or who wants a brake that responds to a gentle touch. The fork for disc brake bikes may be either steel or carbon, depending on the type of brake.

1X (“one by”) gearing is becoming increasingly popular. With a single chainring in the front and 12 cogs in the back, you can achieve about the same gear range as with a triple in the front. True, the steps between the gears aren’t as tight, but when you think about it, how many of the gears on your bike do you actually use? Why carry around a bunch that do nothing? Food for thought. And for those who prefer something more traditional, double and triple cranksets are readily available. I always prepare a gear chart so you can see what your new gearing will look like compared to your current gearing.

Electronic shifting is in demand. Pricey, yes, but if you want to shift with a minimum of effort, this is the way to go. Shimano and SRAM are the big players with radically different approaches. Shimano Di2 uses wires; SRAM is wireless. For Shimano Di2, I route the wiring internally so it’s tucked away. Both brands are excellent. The one you choose is matter of taste.

Trends in wheel sizes? About 90% of my bikes are using the 26” size (559) because that’s the size that allows me to build a proportional bike for riders typically under 5’6”. And…tire widths from 1” and wider are available. The other 10%? 24”, 700c, or 650B, depending on the fit and the use of the bike. Most riders are using 32 mm tires. As we all know now, a wider road tire offers a better ride and lower rolling resistance than a narrow road tire.

What are my recent design highlights? There have been several. I’ll start with the adventure bikes built for two women tackling the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route this summer. These bikes feature S&S couplers, Rohloff internal hubs with Gates belt drives, SON generator front hubs, 2.2” tubeless tires, and cable disc brakes. The learning curve was steep….

Ready to take on the Great Divide! S&S couplers, Rohloff hub, belt drive, SON generator hub, disc brakes.

Another customer needed a bike with a very low standover height. Even a severely sloped top tube didn’t do the trick. For her bike I used a bent top tube which allows much more step through clearance than a sloped tube. Bending a piece of thin wall tubing without causing it to buckle is tough. I think Waterford went through quite a few pieces before getting the perfect result! It’s all about meeting the customer’s needs.

The curved dropped “top tube” on this Gale Force gives the rider a very low step through height.

Flat bar bikes get such a bum rap sometimes. They seem to be stereotyped as slower bikes whose riders just aren’t as serious as the drop bar types. Don’t tell that to my customer who rode Seattle To Portland twice on her flat bar Terry. Or to another customer whose flat bar bike has an Enve carbon fork, disc brakes, and an oh-so-cool mix of Shimano road and mountain components (yes, it can be done) for the ultimate in gearing, DT Swiss hubs, and Chris King headset and bottom bracket.

Flat bar bikes rule! Second time for Seattle to Portland!

Flat Bar Gale Force – hydraulic disc, Enve carbon fork, Shimano road and mountain components.

But if the bike doesn’t fit, it’s all for naught. That’s why I include a professional fit with the bike. I’ve worked some wonderful fitters and have perfect confidence that they will guide us from the essence of the fit through to the final assembly of your bike. If I don’t feel I can build a bike that’s right for you, I won’t take on the job. All of which is to say — this is your bike. Your personality and goals are reflected in everything from the color to the components. It has to be perfect!

A great fitter makes a bike great!

Disc brake Gale Force. Purple pearl with silver panels.

Gale Force at rest by the American River in California.

Traditional Gale Force with Brooks saddle, bar end shifters and triple crankset. Color: Baby Blue Moon.

Need the handlebars high relative to the saddle? No problem. Kickstand? No problem. Color: custom — PPG Subtle Blue.

A Gale Force in an Intense Red to Solo Yellow fade. SRAM 1X gearing and cable disc brakes.

Bicycling bliss! Gale Force isn’t only lively — she’s light! Color: English Light Blue.

An Hawaiian Green Gale Force taking a winter break in Tucson.

A Coto Doñana Tour enjoys a sunny day in the Pacific Northwest.

Gale Force mechanical disc. Love the color: Rose Quartz Metallic fade to Rosewood Metallic.

A Gale Force in a custom color. We matched the customer’s swatch.

Yes, we can design custom decals for you! This customer loves daisies! (Who doesn’t?)

Traditional Gale Force with an Ultegra mechanical group. It takes a strong woman to ride a Willow Green bike…and she is!

Just a sweet Gale Force in Solo Yellow. So proportionate! Short custom cranks from Speed and Comfort. Shimano compatible.

Gale Force triple in Charcoal Silver with PPG Hot Licks Aqua cross panels.

Gale Force for urban riding. Kickstand, Cane Creek Cross Top auxiliary brake levers, and Panaracer tires. Color: Starlight Purple.

A Copper Metallic Gale Force with tri bars (because the customer loved them on her Jamis)!

Campagnolo Athena gruppo on an Intense Red Gale Force. Yes, the rider is pretty intense herself!

Custom decal detail. The customer told us what she wanted and our art director came up with a design that complemented the Gale Force decal set.

Detail photo of Gail Force in Charcoal with Aqua Panels.

September 22, 2016

Small Bicycle Brake Levers for Small Hands

byGeorgena Terry onTechnical

Small Brake Levers for Small Hands

How appropriate that I’m writing this as Interbike, our industry’s major trade show, is beginning. I hope all the product managers who oversee the design of small brake levers will read this.

Let’s face it: there’s a dearth of small brake levers available for dropped bars. Yes, I know integrated brake/shift levers are hogging some of the real estate since they incorporate a lot of “innards.” Shimano does have a reach adjusting screw in their levers (can’t speak to SRAM since I’m not as savvy about their line), but…is it enough? More on that later.

How about just plain old brake levers that don’t have any shifting capabilities — ones that just actuate the brake itself. Some manufacturers have “ergo” levers that are supposedly downsized for small hands, but when one is trying to design a bike for a rider with truly small hands, these are still a reach (no pun intended). Thank goodness for cross top brake levers — they may be the only things stopping the bike.

I started searching for small brake levers even though I knew none were to be found. In the process, I found this delightful thread on the Cycling UK Forum from (!) 2011. Thank you, JonMcD, who offered a thoughtful, analytical look at the difference in size between his two Tektro levers — one the Junior Road Racing lever and the other a “standard” Tektro R200. Surprise! No real significance in reach and none at all in the hood size. Amazing — it’s now five years later and we still have no solution.

But JonMcD made me think about how the industry could give us hard, cold numbers about the size of their small brake levers. Words like “junior”, “ergo”, etc. just don’t cut it. And asking a tech person to tell me the distance from the front of the lever to the back of the handlebar is an apples to oranges comparison. Where is the lever mounted on the bar? What kind of bar — anatomic, round…??? All of these things will affect the reach.

So, dear industry, how about establishing some criterion that will let bike designers compare brake levers? Here’s my idea. Mount the brake on a straight piece of tubing. Then publish the measured distance between the tubing and the nearest part of the the lever. Granted, this tells us nothing about the reach of the lever when mounted on a handlebar, but it gives us a good idea of how levers stack up against each other. And with this information, it’s not difficult to approximate the actual reach of the lever on a handlebar.

Measuring a brake lever.

Now, about that adjusting screw in Shimano’s “brifter.” One of the sources I checked while looking for a small lever was Islabikes. Don’t know Islabikes? It’s the company founded by Isla Rowntree, well-known in the U.K. for her cyclocross achievements — British National Cyclocross champion for three years and British Veteran Cyclocross champion for two years. She saw a huge gap in the market for children’s bikes — the need for lightweight, serious machines. With that in mind, Islabikes was born.

Islabikes uses Shimano brifters on their Luath Pro series of bikes. They’ve replaced the stock reach adjustment screw in the brake/shift lever with a longer screw so the lever can be snugged in closer to the handlebar. I’m not necessarily recommending this, but just sayin’ … why doesn’t Shimano do this?

The screw that adjusts small brake levers reach.

The screw that adjusts brake reach.

Frustrating — but some enterprising company will look upon this as an opportunity. “If you build it, they will come.” It’s never failed. Anyone up to the challenge?

December 15, 2015

Georgena Terry Bicycles – Photos of recent bicycles

byGeorgena Terry onGT's Blog

Georgena Terry Bicycles – Photos of recent bicycles

It’s been a wonderful year for taking orders for my Georgena Terry bicycles. That translates into meeting lots of super people who love to ride their bicycles! These women are doing all kinds of neat things on their bikes. From commuting and loaded touring to simply enjoying a quiet ride on a back country road at a leisurely pace, they’re doing it.

What stands out? All of it, but some things in particular. Like the Gale Force the customer and I tweaked to become a gravel road racer. Or the Coto Doñana Vagabond that’s doing double duty as a city bike/explorer without the weight constraints typically associated with a city bike. And then there was the Gale Force that coveted the gearing of the Coto Doñana Tour. On the flip side, a Canadian nature photographer opted for a Coto Doñana Vagabond with an Ultegra compact group.

Isn’t this what a bespoke bike is all about? It’s a bike that’s not just steel and components, but a best friend, a trusted friend, who will take you where you want to go, on your terms. How does that happen? Well, it’s a joint effort, an iterative experience. We design the bike together. It’s like putting a puzzle together — bit by bit, the pieces fall into place. It’s my job to figure out how to turn your riding aspirations into the perfect conglomeration of tubing and components…with a paint job that’s over the top. Synergy at its best!

Here are some photos of a few Georgena Terry bicycles. I would be remiss if I didn’t include a legacy Precision, the custom bike I began building in my basement when a career in cycling was barely a blip on my radar.

Enjoy!

An original 1987 Terry Precision. This is the infamous Sea Sprite Green.

An original 1987 Terry Precision painted in Imron® Sea Sprite Green.

A vertical fade on a Georgena Terry Bicycle, the Coto Doñana Vagabond. The perfect paint scheme is an expression of the rider's personality.

A vertical fade on a Georgena Terry Coto Doñana Vagabond. The perfect paint scheme is an expression of the rider’s personality.

Gale Force turned gravel bike! Carbon fork; steel frame. Its owner was thrilled: “I had complete faith in your design for fit and it is perfect, just perfect. I had compete faith that steel was the right choice for gravel, but didn’t expect it to match, 100%, the snap of my carbon frame on asphalt. I don’t know what you did, but this bike climbs like a dream and accelerates much better than its engine will ever be able to test its limits.”

Georgena Terry Bicycles Coto Doñana Vagabond

A Coto Doñana Vagabond, flat bar version. Tubus Tara front rack, SKS Longboard fenders.

Georgena Terry Bicycles Coto Doñana Tour

A Coto Doñana Tour ready to come off the roof rack and start a cross country tour.

S&S couplers on this Coto Doñana Vagabond make it a cinch to pack when visiting far away places, like Alaska.

A 650c Gale Force for a 4′ 11″ customer. This one uses SRAM components. Says its rider: “I went from a 12-13 mph rider to a 16 mph rider with seeemingly no effort.”

The elegant simplicity of a white Coto Doñana Tour, complete with Brooks saddle and matching leather bar tape.

“The most beautiful bike in the world,” said the owner of this Gale Force.

November 14, 2015

Elk Pass 26” road tire (32-559)

byGeorgena Terry onTechnical

Elk Pass 26″ road tire (32-559)

Compass Bicycles recently introduced a new 26” x 1.25” (32-559) tire, the Elk Pass.

I purchased a pair to see if they would live up to my expectations. After riding them for over 700 miles on paved and dirt roads, I can honestly say the Elk Pass is the best tire I have ever ridden.

The Elk Pass has a very light casing and a sticky tread. Actually, there is no tread in the traditional sense— this is a slick tire. At 178 g (6.3 oz), it is also a very light tire. Compare it to the 32-559 Panaracer T-Serve and 28-559 Schwalbe Durano used on the Coto Doñana Tour and Coto Doñana Vagabond. These tires weigh 260 g (9.2 oz).

I mounted the Elk Pass on Velocity Aeroheat wheels. The fit was excellent, as I would expect from Panaracer (who manufacture the Elk Pass) and Velocity: two companies known for the quality of their products. I used the Schwalbe SV12A inner tube, which is a perfect fit in the Elk Pass — not too big and not too small. On 24 mm Aeroheat rims, the width of the Elk Pass measured 28 mm.

The first clue that this tire was very special came as I walked my newly shod bike through the house on the way to its maiden voyage. It seemed to roll effortlessly. Once I was on the bike, I understood what it means to ride a superbly comfortable tire. The supple sidewalls soaked up road vibration the point that I almost felt like I was riding on a glass surface. Acceleration was immediate because of the low weight of the tires. I really didn’t want to get off the bike. For those of you who wondered where I was for most of October…well, I was riding my bike!

But the most interesting revelation was how the tire affected the feel of the bike. I admit that the Coto Doñana Tour has always been a little stiff for my light frame. I would not describe this bike as one that “planes” for me. But the Tour’s personality changed with the Elk Pass. The bike felt like my Coto Doñana Vagabond and Gale Force — two bikes which definitely plane.

So what’s the catch? Well, the Elk Pass is a lightweight tire. Suppleness comes at a price. It is less puncture resistant and more prone to wear. I wiped the tires regularly while riding. After each ride, I wiped the tires down and checked for nicks. The front tire is in mint condition — the mold marks are still well defined and there are no blemishes. The rear tire has suffered four small cuts. I gently pried out the offending flints. The mold marks have started to fade. No surprises here — the rear tire takes the brunt of the ride.

I weigh 90 pounds. A heavier rider may find the tires wear more quickly. Jan Heine, the owner of Compass, recently rode the 700C x 32 Extralight Stampede Pass tires on tour. Jan weighs a lot more than I do, but reports that the tires performed very well. That says the tires weren’t made just for featherweights like me. But ride them for what they are: a tire that is designed primarily for comfort and efficiency, not for puncture resistance. At first, I wasn’t sure I would want to make this tradeoff, but after 700 miles on the Elk Pass, I’ve changed my tune.

The Elk Pass tires are offered as an upgrade on the Coto Doñana Tour and Coto Doñana Vagabond.

November 22, 2014

How to Store Your Bicycle for Winter

byGeorgena Terry onTechnical

How to Store Your Bicycle for Winter

Here are some tips on how to store your bicycle for winter. Before you put it away,

clean and wax the frame
clean the wheel rims and spokes
clean and lube the chain
replace the handlebar tape — it’s probably pretty tired after a season of riding
clean and treat the saddle surface (note to Brooks users: use Proofide® sparingly, every 6 months)
apply oil at the pivot points on the derailleurs
put clear nail polish on any dings in the paint to prevent rust
loosen the seat post binder bolt, remove the seat post, lube it and reinstall it
fix anything that needs to be fixed so you don’t have to worry about in spring

Depending on where you live, your bike could be in storage for as much as 6 months. If you store it in a garage or shed, cover it with an old sheet or tarp to keep the dust off. Hanging it up so that the wheels are off the ground will keep the tires from taking a set as they slowly deform from declining tire pressure. I prefer to keep the bike in a horizontal position.

Don’t worry about rust causing condensation when storing your bike in a cold location. Even if a moist warm front blows in and raises temperatures, condensation will occur on the outside of the frame, but not on the inside. Consider this comment by an engineer’s engineer, Jobst Brandt on condensation: “Before moist warm … air can effectively diffuse through the tiny openings into unpainted tube interiors, the frame will have warmed up to ambient. Condensation on the exterior finish is certainly less damaging than one ride in the rain, but then fear mongers abound on the net.”

If you store your bike inside, in a place where you see it every day (and give it a fond pat on the handlebars), don’t worry about hanging it up. Just turn the tires a bit every week or so and pump up the tires every 60 days. That will keep the tires nice and round.

You may have some electronic goodies on your bike. If they use rechargeable batteries, check the manufacturer’s instruction for the best way to store them for a long time. Should the batteries be fully charged prior to storage, partially charged or something else?

Now, all you have to do is wait for Spring!

August 13, 2014

Cycling and Wind

byGeorgena Terry onTechnical

Cycling and Wind

Nobody knows,
Where the wind comes from,
Where the wind goes.
~ A.A. Milne

A friend and I were riding the other day and joking around about how wind is “wind” in winter, but in summer, it’s just a “breeze.” Is that because we’re in better shape in summer, so wind resistance is easier to deal with? Undoubtedly, that’s some of it, but there’s more to it than that.

Enter the Ideal Gas Law, which calculates the density (how much a volume of air weighs) of dry air as a function of its pressure and temperature. Dry air is air with no moisture content — zero humidity.

Plugging some numbers into the Ideal Gas Law reveals that a cubic meter of 77º dry air has a density of 1.18 kg/m3 and a cubic meter of 32º dry air has a density of 1.29 kg/m3. Warm air is lighter than cool air.

Air exerts a force against the bike rider which we refer to as wind resistance. How much force depends on air’s density (which we calculated above), the square of the velocity of the rider, the drag coefficient (based on the shape of the rider and bike) and the cross sectional area of the rider and bike.

Everything else being the same, the wind resistance of 32º air is about 10% higher than the resistance of 77º air. So the perception that “wind” morphs into a “breeze” as the weather warms up is real.

Here’s something that’s completely counter-intuitive. Humid air is lighter than dry air. Read the informative blog referenced below for the reason why.

Hmmm. This means that a hot, humid day is better for cycling than a cold, dry day…at least in terms of wind resistance. How many of us would opt for the hot, humid day? Not many! Humid conditions introduce a lot of physical challenges for the cyclist. They usually override the benefits of that lighter, faster air. But to the extent that we can acclimate to that kind of weather, the easier the cycling will be.

Cycling and wind — fun things to think about the next time the wind or breeze blows!

_________________________________

References

The Ideal Gas Law

Calculating drag

Why Dry Air is Heavier than Humid Air

June 5, 2014

Bicycle Tire Tools: It’s all about the leverage

byGeorgena Terry onTechnical

Bicycle Tire Tools: It’s all about the leverage

I hear from lots of women whose hands just aren’t strong enough to cope with tight fitting tires. It’s scary to think you might get stuck with a flat tire and not be able to get it off the rim. So much for a great pump or CO2 cartridges! When it comes to bicycle tire tools, it’s all about the leverage.

Leverage! If ever there was a woman’s best friend, leverage is it! The dictionary defines leverage as a way to gain mechanical advantage. It’s also defined as the “power to influence a situation to achieve a particular outcome.” I think that says it all. The goal is to influence the tire to respond to your wishes. Leverage is best achieved through the use of proper tools.

When replacing a tube, the first hurdle is coaxing the tire off the rim. Tire levers are the best way to do this. But not all tire levers are created equal. In order to pry the tire off the rim, the lever needs to be thin enough to squeeze between the tire and the rim. The business end of plastic levers tends to be too thick to be effective on a tightly fitting tire. My recommendation is to use the aluminum Minoura levers. Three will do the trick.

Minoura Tire Levers

Once the tube is back in place, there are two tools that can get the tire back on to the rim. The Kool-Stop® Tire Bead Jack tool is industrial, but gets the job done easily and quickly.

Kool-Stop Tire Bead Jack

If you’re looking for something a little more svelte, consider the Crank Brothers Speedier Lever. Rather than jacking the tire onto the rim, it “slides” it into place. (This video demonstrates how to use the tool). The drawback with this method is friction — if there is a lot of friction between the tire casing and the tool, dragging the tool along can be difficult, if not downright frustrating.

Crank Brothers Speedier Lever

Only you can decide what the tradeoff is between carrying these tools and keeping things simple. Whichever you go with, try a practice run at home so you’ll be prepared when you need to use them. Enjoy the peace of mind that comes from using leverage!

February 9, 2014

Beginning of Season Bike Maintenance Checklist

byGeorgena Terry onGT's Blog

Beginning of Season Bike Maintenance Checklist

If you’re like many of us who live in the frozen north, your bike has been sitting around for weeks waiting patiently for you. While you still have a few weeks of quiet time on your hands, there are a few things you should check out on the bike before embarking on the new season. Get started on bike maintenance now while you have the time.

Wax and clean the frame. You can use the same wax you’d use on your car. Clean and de-dust the frame first. Apply the wax and then buff it off with a soft, lint-free cloth. Don’t use a paper towel — it can scratch the finish. Make sure you get into all the little nooks and crannies around the braze-on bits. Keep the bike looking good by periodically spiffing it up with Lemon Pledge. (Note: if you have a carbon fiber frame/fork, check with your bike shop to make sure you don’t use any cleaning or waxing products that could damage the finish. Plain old water always works!)
Check the tires for wear. Wipe the tire down with a damp sponge and then look for little shards of grit and glass that embed themselves in the tire, just waiting for a chance to cause a flat. Using a knife with a fine blade, you can pry these out (wear eye protection). Inflate the tires to the recommended pressure, which is stamped on the side of the tire. If the tires have more than 1500 miles on them, consider replacing them. You get what you pay for with tires, so get the best. They are your only contact points with the road!
Brake pads eventually wear out, so check them to make sure they are still within the manufacturer’s recommended range. Really old pads may have a lot of material on them, but they dry a bit with age and don’t stop as well as new pads.
Give each wheel a spin and make sure it’s true (not wobbling from side to side) and round (no hops or dips when viewed from the side). If they need a tweak, take them into your local bike shop.
Lubricate your chain. It’s a dirty job, but when it gets too worn out, the shifting degrades. A wax product like White Lightning is clean, easy to apply and, if used enough, will clean your chain and keep it clean.
Check your chain for wear. It’s best to replace the chain before it get so worn that it wears out the cassette cogs. It’s much cheaper to replace just a chain than a chain and a cassette. This video will show you how to check chain wear with a ruler.
Use a light oil to lubricate the pivot points on the front and rear derailleurs. Apply the oil and then shift gears a few times which will move the derailleurs and distribute the oil.
Run the bike through all the gears to make sure it’s shifting properly. If you put it away for the winter with a shifting problem, it won’t have self-healed! If there’s a problem, get it squared away now.
Spin the wheels and squeeze the brake levers to make sure your brakes are operating properly.
Change the handlebar tape. If the bike looks clean and new, you’ll ride faster.
Check the contents of your tool bag. Spare tubes? Tire irons? Allen wrenches? If you took something mission-critical out after your last ride, make sure you put it back!
Keep a journal — especially if you’re maintaining multiple bikes. Make a note of the date, the bike’s mileage and what you did. This really helps when you can’t remember if you lubed the chain recently or checked the tire pressure.

Enjoy the new riding season!

(This blog is also posted on Women’sCycling.ca.)