It's also a long way down.
Or at least it feels that way.
Although the 27 inch wheels are a just bit larger in diameter, the Bike With The Funny Name rides really really tall:
Seat post just came in and that's my old Selle Italia on there.
It was a bit tall, the seat post I mean, so I cut it down with my trusty tube cutter thingy:
The front end is also really squirrely, twitchy if I may, I don't know if it's the rake or just the tallness.
I kept checking to see if the front wheel was loose or something.
It may be the riser bars that are on there:
That's causing the tallness factor I mean.
The seating position is very upright.
That's what I'm talking about Willis!
I got a new set of bars coming in with more sweep, not the sweep I wanted but they were cheap so I figured I'd give them a try.
I'm still having trouble with the shifting a bit, but the wheel isn't seated in the drop out very well:
I'll have to take a look at that later.
The bike rides light, meaning although it's on the heavy side, it feels light.
I went up and down my hill a couple of times just to make sure the brakes work:
That's the rear brake set up.
It was kind of a pain to adjust since it was under the top tubes. The brake cable runs in between them.
The top tubes I mean.
In other banana head news, if you check the image of the handlebars, you will note that I installed the brakes the wrong way.
The right lever actuates the front brake.
I swear there's something wrong with me.
Or maybe not.
Here's the Bike With The Funny Name next to the Celeste Devil for comparison:
Not a very good image I know, but you can see the seat tubes match up and the difference in head tubes.
Of course the Celeste Devil has a way nicer seat post.
The freewheel is making all sorts of bad sounding noises, it sounds really dry in there so I guess I'm buying another tool thingy.
I hope I can get some grease in there.
There's a couple of other things that need attention, but I think I'll leave it for when I strip it down again.
If I strip it down again.
I'm sort of liking it how it is and besides I'm really lazy and don't want to go through all the hassle of sanding it down and painting it.
Maybe.
As in maybe I'll feel different this weekend.
After I give it a shake down cruise.
I mean I sit up there so upright, I sort of feel like a sail.
Get it? sail? shake down cruise?
Nevermind.
6 comments:
If your freewheel is making sounds while you're freewheelin', it's probably done for. I had one start making noises, and after I realized I couldn't get it apart, decided to get a new one.
Those handlebars are way up there, especially compared to your Bianchi. I wonder if maybe that's why it feels twitchy?
That's not good.
The freewheel works and everything, it just sounds, how can I put it, dry.
If you know what I mean.
Maybe I should just get a cheapo wheelset with the freewheel already installed.
Oh and those handlebars are a bit freaky.
Lay the rear wheel on the ground, freewheel up, and run a bead of Tri-Flow (or similarly thin) lube around the seam where the bearing race and the freewheel body meet. Spin the freewheel to help the lube infiltrate the body. Repeat that a couple of times, and everything should sound and work better.
You don't want grease in a freewheel. It sticks the pawls in the open position, resulting in freewheeling in both directions. Repeat the oiling whenever the freewheel starts to sound "dry", and it should work fine.
A longer stem, or lower bars, will probably help with the handling.
And, if you get the axle seated in the dropouts, the shifting should improve. The jockey pulley is not lining up with the correct part of the cogs, as it is.
Good luck.
Thanks!
I did the Triflow thing, maybe I just didnt' use enough?
I noticed the derailleur misalignment right away, I just don't know what's hanging up the wheel in the drop out.
Maybe I need a bigger hammer.
Okay, maybe not.
Cool Univega! You don't see too many of them around.
A pipe cutter sounds like a good item to have in the toolbox. I'm going to hunt one down.
Thanks!
Yeah that tubing cutter comes in handy as I have a habit of cutting down my handle bars and other assorted tube thingys.
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