Fitting Ergon GP5 grips

[Slammin Sammy]

Let us know how the new Chainglider is working out.  To get the Chainglider on my Nomad, I had to trim some of the plastic away from the rear portion of the Chainglider to get it to fit past the seat stay.  Did you need to do that?  And how is the noise?  I've never been able to make mine silent, but I have read of people on this forum that talk about the almost-silence of it.  I want to know if this is a goal that is still achievable for me, or if I should stop fussing with it.  There is nothing worse than the nagging feeling that a situation could be made better by just fussing a bit more with the setup.  It never ends...

Dave, I've had a similar experience with the Chainglider, and I've come to the conclusion the problem is the thickness of the Thorn chainring. My next drivetrain is still a ways off, but I will change to a Surly steel ring, and probably go from a 16T rear to 17T (although I'm reluctant to lower my gear range any further than it already is...).

[David Simpson]

Dave, I've had a similar experience with the Chainglider, and I've come to the conclusion the problem is the thickness of the Thorn chainring. My next drivetrain is still a ways off, but I will change to a Surly steel ring, and probably go from a 16T rear to 17T (although I'm reluctant to lower my gear range any further than it already is...).

I'm using a Surly stainless-steel chainring. My noise is coming from the back end, where the Chainglider fits around the sprocket. The noise from the front end is barely perceptable. I am using a 38T chainring and a 16T sprocket.

(Sorry for hijacking your thread, Matt.)

- Dave

[Matt2matt2002]

No problem Dave.
I haven't time to upload the pictures from today re the Ergon bar ends etc.
However on the test ride today I did pay attention to the Chainglider since its new, along with the x2 sprockets and chain.
So....
I had to listen hard for any noise at all.
I have a Surely on the front, 38T and a new Rohloff 17 on the back.
Maybe there was a slight noise from the rear. The chain is new but not done more than 30 miles so I don't think it has 'slackened off' in any way yet. I think after a settling in period they require a little tightening?
So I don't think it was rubbing.

The gearing is new to me. I had a 40T on the front and 16t rear.
Today I was unable to go faster that 20 mph on the flat.
Normal?

Matt

[Danneaux]

The gearing is new to me. I had a 40T on the front and 16t rear.
Today I was unable to go faster that 20 mph on the flat.

Matt,

I am running a 36x17 setup. I typically cruise at 17-21mph with my fast, light cadence.

When pursued by wolves, bear, the occasional mountain lion and the odd dachshund, I find I can manage 25mph or so.  

What is the limiting factor on your speed? Is it cadence? Do you feel under-geared?

Best,

Dan.

[Matt2matt2002]

Dan
Under geared.
Plenty of puff left in the tank but cannot spin faster.
Matt

[David Simpson]

Here are the ratios for 38T or 40T chainring with 15T, 16T, or 17T sprocket:

	38	40
15	0.395	0.375

16	0.421	0.400
17	0.447	0.425

If Matt is doing 20mph using 38T/17T, here is his speed with these ratios at the same cadence:

	38	40
15	22.667	23.860
16	21.250	22.368
17	20.00	21.053

Here is the increase in speed compared to 20mph (38T/17T):

	38	40
15	+13.33%	+19.30%
16	+6.25%	+11.84%
17	+0%	+5.26%

Using a Chainglider does limit the choice of chainring size, since they do not make a Chainglider for a 40T chainring.  I changed from 40T/17T to 38T/16T to fit my Chainglider.  Note that those ratios are almost identical.

If you want to go faster, you could try a 16T with your 38T, but that will take you only halfway to your previous 40T/16T ratio. If you want to go to the smaller 15T sprocket, then you would be very close to your 40T/16T ratio. The disadvantage of the 15T is the shorter expected life of the sprocket and chain due to increased angle of the links as the chain goes around the smaller diameter sprocket.

- Dave

[Danneaux]

Dan
Under geared.
Plenty of puff left in the tank but cannot spin faster.
Matt

Matt,

Tackling this problem from a little different direction, I see you're using platform pedals with no mechanical connection to the pedals through your shoes except friction.

This can surely make it harder to achieve a high spin 'cos there's no way to really retain your foot-pedal connection at at a high cadence, and you have no way to pull up on the backstroke to pedal "roundly". Switching to plain old toe clips and straps or a clipless pedal-shoe combo can make a real difference in both pedaling speed and efficiency, even with the same gearing.

I'm really happy to use my ancient Detto Pietro racing cleats and quill pedals with toe clips and straps on some of my bikes...and equally happy with my Shimano MO88 SPD shoes and T400 platform clipless pedals. The latter have a feather-light multi-angle release, yet have always held securely even while "honking" --standing out of the saddle -- uphill. Both setups give me the connection I need to achieve my  preferred, knee-saving high cadence. Unlike the racing cleats, the SPD shoes allow me to walk easily and safely and were really the only shoe I used off-bike for extensive tourist walking on last summer's trip.

Of course we're all different in our preferences and needs, but perhaps something like this might be an alternative to consider instead of boosting the high end of your gearing. Moving up the top end will move the whole range upward, requiring you to up the low gear as well.

All the best,

Dan.

[il padrone]

I run a 42-17 with a Chainglider ready to be fitted soon. Well, when the thick Thorn chainring wears out - it gave way too much friction in the Chainglider when I first fitted it. I have a Surly SS ring to replace it.

The 42-17 is the same as 40-16.

[Matt2matt2002]

Many thanks for everyone's interest and contributions.

Here are a few snaps to show the latest situation.

Bar end right way up!
Thanks Dave.


View from the top.

The bike shop have fitted the brake lever between the 2 cables from the shifter.
I cannot recall my previous set up.
Is this normal / acceptable?



Another view showing the brake / cables setup.



With the left brake positioning, the cable bends slightly against my bar bag.



I wanted to loosen the fitting and turn the brake downwards slightly in the hope the cable would then clear the bar bag.
However the shop have tightend the fitting so hard, I am unable to loosen it. ( both sides as it happens).

I am off to the shop this morning to have them loosen the brakes slightly

I guess I may need the extension bit for the bar bag if cables still rub?

Thanks again folks

Matt
Who feels he is almost there....

[Danneaux]

Hi Matt!

Didn't you once have a Thorn Accessory T-bar fitted?

One of those (available in two sizes, 55mm and 105mm forward extension) can place the 'bar bag a bit lower...your headlight might shine over the top of it then. Leaves your handlebars free and carries the weight a bit lower as well and in the longer size might well push the bag ahead enough for cable clearance. The T-bar (either size) would replace some of the spacers on your steerer.

Just a thought in case you hadn't considered it. 

All the best,

Dan.

[il padrone]

The brake cable between the Rohloff cables is entirely  OK - the normal way to set it up.


The bar-bag does rub against your brake cables. Rotating the brake levers down a little and the bag-mount up a little bit may resolve this. I have a similar set-up with no bag-extender in use and they sit fine. I do not like the idea of the bar bag slung out too far forwards so have foregone the extender.

Re your headlight, give consideration to a dynohub light-set longer term, and possibly this type of light mount in the short term. It will take any handle-bar mounted light:




It is a B&M bracket and the light placement at the fork crown, below your handlebar bag. This will give the best height for the light and ensure you  get a good beam onto the road. It is generally always quite well visible to approaching traffic as long as your bag des not hang too low. The bar-extender mount above the bag may get the beam over the lid, but the lid will always cut off the bottom of your beam, meaning that you will not get any beam onto the road surface - generally not a problem around town (maybe), but a real disadvantage if the light is bright enough to give a good beam and you are riding on darker roads (eg. country lanes).

[David Simpson]

However the shop have tightend the fitting so hard, I am unable to loosen it. ( both sides as it happens).

I am off to the shop this morning to have them loosen the brakes slightly

Around here, the common practice for mountain bikes is to tighten the brake levers onto the handlebars only enough so that they don't move around, and no tighter. The idea is that if you crash your bike, the levers will move on the bars rather than break. I can't see any advantage to making the levers really tight, so I've followed the practice of making them only tight enough that they don't move.

- Dave

[John Saxby]

Hi Matt,

Dan's suggestion above worked for me with my Raven.

I used the 105 mm acc bar as a mount for my Arkel h/bar bag.  (Have 2 acc bars, the shortie and the long 'un, on my steerer -- the upper short one holds my rohloff shifter & my bell.)

Although I have a headlight (powered by the dynahub) mounted below the h/bar bag, I sometimes fit a flashing headlight on my bars. And, I have a bracket for my GPS if I need it.  Putting the h'bar bag on the acc bar frees up a lot of space on the bars.

David's advice on not overtightening the brake lever mounts is well taken.  Be prepared for them to loosen over time, however, and hence to tighten them on the road at some point.  My Tektro drop-bar levers are a lot less convenient than the Shimanos on my other bike -- but maybe yours are more accessible.

Nearly there, as you say -- good luck!

[JimK]

FWIW, here is an old photo of my bar bag set-up. I think the brake cables do get pushed up against the bag a little, but I can't see it being a problem. It's a Carradice bag.

[Matt2matt2002]

Many thanks folks. Lots of good info to take in.
Shop slackened off the brakes but as advised, I'll keep an eye on them.

The bar bag still rubs the brake cable so I will explore the T bar options.

I recently bought a GoPro and wondered about the clamping arrangements to the handle bar.
I think Dan demonstrated his set up a year or so ago?
Any chance of a link?

Matt