Recommended utility tool for road bike? - Page 5 - Cycling Mob: Road Cycling, Mountain Biking and More

03-04-2005, 06:03 AM

Zoot Katz wrote:
>
> A chain tool could also facilitate getting home with a badly busted
> rear derailleur. Just turn your bike into a single speed.
> You might like it!

This is can be tricky to do with vertical dropouts.

03-04-2005, 06:10 AM

In article <1109886755.399235.169360@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups .com>,
"Art Harris" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:

> gds wrote:
>
> > On longer rides I'm ususally with a group
> > so there are always a bunch of tubes, boots,
> > CO2 cartriges, pumps and tools available.
>
> Oh, I love this logic: Let the other guy carry my load.
>
> I can't remember how many times someone with a mini pump wanted to
> borrow my Zephal HP "cuz this little thing doesn't work worth a damn."
>
> Art Harris

This is not a terrible plot. I carry mini-pumps, and they get me home.
But on a group ride, you want the tire inflated as quickly as possible,
so you should use the best tire in the group.

Most embarrassing flat-tire moment: popped a rear, and realized my spare
tube's stem was not long enough to fit through the deep-section rim.

--
Ryan Cousineau, [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
Verus de parvis; verus de magnis.

03-04-2005, 06:10 AM

In article <1109886755.399235.169360@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups .com>,
"Art Harris" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:

> gds wrote:
>
> > On longer rides I'm ususally with a group
> > so there are always a bunch of tubes, boots,
> > CO2 cartriges, pumps and tools available.
>
> Oh, I love this logic: Let the other guy carry my load.
>
> I can't remember how many times someone with a mini pump wanted to
> borrow my Zephal HP "cuz this little thing doesn't work worth a damn."
>
> Art Harris

This is not a terrible plot. I carry mini-pumps, and they get me home.
But on a group ride, you want the tire inflated as quickly as possible,
so you should use the best tire in the group.

Most embarrassing flat-tire moment: popped a rear, and realized my spare
tube's stem was not long enough to fit through the deep-section rim.

--
Ryan Cousineau, [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
Verus de parvis; verus de magnis.

03-04-2005, 11:48 AM

Pat wrote:
> How many containers of CO2 do you bring with you? We had a guy have 5
flats
> one day. I only bring along 1 CO2 container, but I also carry a Road
Morph
> pump.
>
> On the other hand, what you said about the group helping out---one
day I
> completely forgot my Hydrapak (left it in the trunk of the car) and
another
> guy gave me one of his water bottles for the day. It was MUCH
appreciated!
>
> Pat in TX
I usually carry the cartridge already seated in the inflator and one
extra. Since I generally carry only one tube I shouldn't need more :-)
When out solo I do worry after I get one flat about not having the
ability to fix a second. Luckily I have never needed to do so. But
perhaps someday I'll see if those little glue less patches work.
Probably not as mine are so old.

I should add that whne I am going out for a long solo ride (50+ miles)
or after a heavy rain has washed all sorts of stuff onto road
shoulders I generally add a second tube and a frame pump to what I
carry. It's all a matter of measuring acceptable risk and different
folks have different comfort levels.

I haven't toured in long while but when I did I really didn't carry
much more in the way of gear. The only time I had a real problem was in
rural Wisconsin in the summer of 1966. I completed ruined a wheel. I
would have needed my whole home shop to fix it and was able to hitch a
ride to the nearest town with a bike shop and get it fixed there. I
think the whole time from trashed wheel to full repair was about 3
hours and I happily traded that for keeping my total carrying load for
a 10 day tour at under 15 lbs.

03-04-2005, 11:48 AM

Pat wrote:
> How many containers of CO2 do you bring with you? We had a guy have 5
flats
> one day. I only bring along 1 CO2 container, but I also carry a Road
Morph
> pump.
>
> On the other hand, what you said about the group helping out---one
day I
> completely forgot my Hydrapak (left it in the trunk of the car) and
another
> guy gave me one of his water bottles for the day. It was MUCH
appreciated!
>
> Pat in TX
I usually carry the cartridge already seated in the inflator and one
extra. Since I generally carry only one tube I shouldn't need more :-)
When out solo I do worry after I get one flat about not having the
ability to fix a second. Luckily I have never needed to do so. But
perhaps someday I'll see if those little glue less patches work.
Probably not as mine are so old.

I should add that whne I am going out for a long solo ride (50+ miles)
or after a heavy rain has washed all sorts of stuff onto road
shoulders I generally add a second tube and a frame pump to what I
carry. It's all a matter of measuring acceptable risk and different
folks have different comfort levels.

I haven't toured in long while but when I did I really didn't carry
much more in the way of gear. The only time I had a real problem was in
rural Wisconsin in the summer of 1966. I completed ruined a wheel. I
would have needed my whole home shop to fix it and was able to hitch a
ride to the nearest town with a bike shop and get it fixed there. I
think the whole time from trashed wheel to full repair was about 3
hours and I happily traded that for keeping my total carrying load for
a 10 day tour at under 15 lbs.

03-04-2005, 05:51 PM

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ] (Tom Keats) wrote in
news:97190d.g89.ln@bud.garden.local:

> knock-off 'power link' doesn't undo. I think MEC still sells
> /real/ PC-48s.
>
It does as of yesterday anyhoo.

03-04-2005, 05:51 PM

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ] (Tom Keats) wrote in
news:97190d.g89.ln@bud.garden.local:

> knock-off 'power link' doesn't undo. I think MEC still sells
> /real/ PC-48s.
>
It does as of yesterday anyhoo.

03-04-2005, 05:53 PM

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ] (Tom Keats) wrote in
news:rb490d.pd9.ln@bud.garden.local:

> I too prefer separate tools. And I like the cheap-o Rivoli
> chain tool better than the Park unit because I find it more
> grippable.

Plus it will do 1/8" chains that the park won't.

03-04-2005, 05:53 PM

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ] (Tom Keats) wrote in
news:rb490d.pd9.ln@bud.garden.local:

> I too prefer separate tools. And I like the cheap-o Rivoli
> chain tool better than the Park unit because I find it more
> grippable.

Plus it will do 1/8" chains that the park won't.

03-05-2005, 06:06 AM

4 Mar 2005 06:03:33 -0800,
<1109945013.557124.34250@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups. com>,
"Peter Cole" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:

>>
>> A chain tool could also facilitate getting home with a badly busted
>> rear derailleur. Just turn your bike into a single speed.
>> You might like it!
>
>This is can be tricky to do with vertical dropouts.

Arguably nigh impossible if you're not the lucky sort.

I thought that with 8 - 10 closely spaced rear cogs and two or three
chainrings you've got a few chances of hitting on one that works
acceptably without cross-chaining too wildly.
--
zk