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Transmission / Re: Replace chain
« Last post by mickeg on Today at 02:24:44 PM »
On a loaded Nomad ( 45 x19 ) I did 46.6km downhill on Ardnamurchan in May. Still love the adrenaline rush and utter folly 😂

I only do the fast downhills on my derailleur bikes, not my Rohloff bike.  Ratio of chainring to sprocket in top gear on my road bike is 50/12.  My two derailleur touring bikes is 46/11, and my rando bike is 52/11. 

But if I am going down a long hill, I let my cadence drop to a slower pace to relax and let gravity do the work. 

The only time I put effort into pedaling on a downhill is if I am going down into a valley and several seconds later I will be pedaling up a steep hill on the other side.  On those occasions I do that to help maintain momentum on the uphill.
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Transmission / Re: Replace chain
« Last post by in4 on Today at 11:44:44 AM »
On a loaded Nomad ( 45 x19 ) I did 46.6km downhill on Ardnamurchan in May. Still love the adrenaline rush and utter folly 😂
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Transmission / Re: Replace chain
« Last post by jul on August 15, 2026, 09:52:43 PM »
For information, 36x16  transmission,  aboie 33km/h you can no longer pedal, sometimes it’s frustrating

Depends on your pedaling cadence.

I generally pedal relatively fast at about 90 rpm (tours par minute). With a 36x16 combination that translates into 36 km/h, which is way above a sustainable speed for me on the level, unless I have an exceptionally strong tail wind.

If necessary I can increase pedal cadence for very short periods. With a 36x16 combination at 120 rpm in the highest gear that would be 48 km/h. In practice, that kind of speed is not really useful for me, except perhaps when I negotiate medium size roundabouts, where I feel safer if I am doing roughly the same speed as most of the motor vehicules. 

My current highest gearing on any of my bikes is 42x19 on my Rohloff equipped Raven Sport Tour. I use that bike mainly for day rides with little luggage. Top gear with 42x19 is slightly lower than with a 36x16, the maximum speed I managed recently when pedaling (downhill) was 53 km/h at 137 rpm, just to see if I could still do that at age 69. But normally I would just stop pedaling and coast down the hill.

Yep, i did a mistake, 36x16 transmission, you can ride max at 43 km/h..

At 47km/h you pedal as a salade drainer
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Non-Thorn Related / Re: Stem bolt size question
« Last post by mickeg on August 15, 2026, 03:32:12 PM »
Ian, a time-honored way to remove rounded socket screws is to pound in the next larger size Torx bit. The damaged screw usually twist out easily with this method.

Best, Dan.

I have never heard of that.  That is BRILLIANT.
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Non-Thorn Related / Re: Stem bolt size question
« Last post by mickeg on August 15, 2026, 03:30:48 PM »
Bolt thread size or wrench size?

Usually, but not always the stem bolts that tighten onto the steerer tube are a 5mm wrench size, thread size 6mm.  But there may be exceptions out there.

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Non-Thorn Related / Re: Stem bolt size question
« Last post by Danneaux on August 15, 2026, 03:29:31 PM »
Ian, a time-honored way to remove rounded socket screws is to pound in the next larger size Torx bit. The damaged screw usually twist out easily with this method.

Best, Dan.
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Non-Thorn Related / Re: Stem bolt size question
« Last post by UKTony on August 15, 2026, 03:05:34 PM »
The bolts on my Deda Zero stem are M5 by 16mm. AK is 4mm. I think the bolt heads, albeit tapered,  would be classed as socket head. Spare matching bolts for various Deda stems are available eg from Condor Cycles.
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Non-Thorn Related / Stem bolt size question
« Last post by in4 on August 15, 2026, 12:56:08 PM »
Anyone know what size bolt this is? It’s on my Deda stem and it’s  ’rounded off’ probably because I used the wrong size hex/allen key. I think it’s an M5. I’m not sure what the correct description is for the top of the bolt. Tapered crown perhaps?
TIA
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General Technical / Re: Brooks saddle
« Last post by in4 on August 15, 2026, 10:28:55 AM »
Brilliant, Andre. Have you thought of writing as a career!?  🤣
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