tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24415034.post3537370890097259876..comments2024-03-18T10:19:55.782-04:00Comments on The Velo ORANGE Blog: Open for DiscussionVelo Orangehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02835615331417822722noreply@blogger.comBlogger78125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24415034.post-46900134817763270332009-08-31T13:47:03.459-04:002009-08-31T13:47:03.459-04:00Im dying to get my hands some of the new shallow d...Im dying to get my hands some of the new shallow drop "compact" bars out there. but alas, they are only available in 31.8. you know the rest of the story...no reasonable 31.8 stems in silver. im just about to break down and drop $90 on a thomson. unfortunately 31.8 is the way the rest of the industry in going. I for one think that VO can create great products that can compliment newer trends with classic style, rather than simply isolating itself from the rest the industry. we all ride. its not us versus them. There are some really sweet 31.8 bars on the market, and no doubt there will be more in the future.art vigerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05533839554007664644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24415034.post-49552233122219980332009-02-20T18:24:00.000-05:002009-02-20T18:24:00.000-05:00I have three working bikes. Two use 26" (559) whee...I have three working bikes. Two use 26" (559) wheels, the other uses 700c. I'm happy with what I've got and have no plans to get into another wheel size.<BR/><BR/>My only wish is that when I'd had my custom city bike built ten years ago I'd asked for more tire clearance. The largest tire I can run with fenders is 700 x 32, and I'm starting to think I'd like to go with something a little wider, even on paved roads. But that's a minor quibble.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24415034.post-80365410484136276242009-02-09T12:50:00.000-05:002009-02-09T12:50:00.000-05:00I will go out on a limb here and say that wide/hea...I will go out on a limb here and say that wide/heavy 700C tires on a low trail bike may increase its tendency to shimmy. My approx. 42mm trail bike shimmied with 35mm Paselas, but is a lot better with 32mm Paselas. If you look at the classic French bikes, none of the 700C models had tires wider than about 30mm -- anything wider fell into the 650B domain. I think there was a specific reason for that....jim ghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02161517903295268167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24415034.post-4947889860188480162009-01-21T01:02:00.000-05:002009-01-21T01:02:00.000-05:00Oy yup, quite a conversation happenin' here. I jus...Oy yup, quite a conversation happenin' here. I just rode my xtracycle across country on pretty big tyres. 700 x 38 specialized in front and 26 x 2.1 schwalbe in back. Going any smaller on the back of an xtracycle is bad b/c you can't lift the rear wheel up and so it slams. Upon arrival in NYC it started snowing and since I run with a steel niner fork on the front, (the surly instigator is a suspension corrected 26" fork that accepts a 29 x 2.3 mtb tyre and a fender). ANd so i put a 29 x 2.1 maxxis with a pretty solid center tread and it is sweeeet. Riding around on ice and slush with potholes and so forth, BIGGER is sweet. I'm back and forth to manhattan from brooklyn comfortably and happily all the time, rock solid.slppyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06897312217431968766noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24415034.post-27361414734735163182009-01-20T16:56:00.000-05:002009-01-20T16:56:00.000-05:00that is an interesting discussion going on here. I...that is an interesting discussion going on here. I am a bit confused, though. There is not much talking about really narrow tyres. i've ridden 700x23c for years and was always pleased.. then again i live in europe and never actually tried bigger tyres. what is people's comment on the slicks?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24415034.post-53220336685048070852009-01-20T09:45:00.000-05:002009-01-20T09:45:00.000-05:00700 x 35 with fenders for the win!700 x 35 with fenders for the win!The Driverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05389898860055551571noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24415034.post-59273375054105145362009-01-19T19:36:00.000-05:002009-01-19T19:36:00.000-05:00All of my handlebars use 25.4. Having the older a...All of my handlebars use 25.4. Having the older and not commonly used sizes limits the handlebars I can use.<BR/><BR/>I run fatty rumpkins on my 650b and I like them- they are smooth and pretty fast and manage anything off pavement. I think they are 42mm. 700c... I have 50mm, 35mm and 23mm and they all serve a good purpose.umarthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06636273350631457401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24415034.post-30013772401551097922009-01-19T17:23:00.000-05:002009-01-19T17:23:00.000-05:00How about a nice, light, shiny adjustable reach st...How about a nice, light, shiny adjustable reach stem. 26.0. Even if the reach was only 60 - 100mm you might have a market if it was pretty and safe.<BR/><BR/>Another project for your idle hours!<BR/><BR/>StevyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24415034.post-74239621022876314572009-01-18T13:45:00.000-05:002009-01-18T13:45:00.000-05:00How about a nice, lugged, highly polished stem?How about a nice, lugged, highly polished stem?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24415034.post-16364182999459095702009-01-18T08:19:00.000-05:002009-01-18T08:19:00.000-05:00single bolt clamp, please. removable face plates a...single bolt clamp, please. removable face plates are not only uglier, they are structurally less sound, and probably more prone to creaks. why not build a stronger, lighter, prettier stem if you have a choice? Salsa's sup quill stem is the only two bolt quill I would use currently. It's not as ugly as most. I think the whole bar-swappability thing is way over-rated. I don't believe most people really do that; they just want to believe they do.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24415034.post-45010214237320646402009-01-18T05:55:00.000-05:002009-01-18T05:55:00.000-05:00thank you, patates frites. the other reason they ...thank you, patates frites. the other reason they exist, i think, is because of carbon steerers.<BR/><BR/>as for faceplates, it's not a bad idea. I don't find it takes that long to switch handlebars, though. I mean, unless you're doing it all the time. but if you wanted different bars, you'd probably want a different stem,, too. like, going from drops to preacher bars. For a one-time trying out of longer stem reach, I don't think it's a big deal.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24415034.post-65436174856925402552009-01-17T18:03:00.000-05:002009-01-17T18:03:00.000-05:00anonyme,You are right. That is not a bad-looking ...anonyme,<BR/><BR/>You are right. That is not a bad-looking stem. I would definitely polish out that huge logo, though. But it has an elegant shape that would look good on cruisers and city bikes.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24415034.post-88322002459844929072009-01-17T14:45:00.000-05:002009-01-17T14:45:00.000-05:00Kalloy (poor man's Nitto) actually does make a for...Kalloy (poor man's Nitto) actually does make a forged quill stem with a removable face plate. It's not bad looking either - if you take the time to polish off the logo. The downside is that they only offer it in two lengths and it's rise may not appeal to aesthetic purists. I love Kalloy components, they generally look nice and are made just fine. I have several of their stems and seatposts.<BR/>Picture:<BR/>http://tinyurl.com/9nklyuAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24415034.post-6016510883940760832009-01-17T14:11:00.000-05:002009-01-17T14:11:00.000-05:00Re tire sizes, one consideration that hasn't yet b...Re tire sizes, one consideration that hasn't yet been noted here is how different widths of tires work better or worse, depending on whether one mainly does tempo type rides, or whether one mainly does group rides in peletons which by nature involve a great many quick accelerations. <BR/><BR/>There's an 18 mile loop on the northwest side of Santa Fe that cyclists here all ride--it's rolling terrain. I do it all the time at tempo on a variety of different bicycles.<BR/><BR/>My times on this loop during tempo rides are virtually identical, regardless of whether I do the ride on my 18 lb. Litespeed Tuscany with 700x23c tires, or on my 35 lb. Surly Long Haul Trucker with 700x37c tires. <BR/><BR/>However, when I do group rides with performance oriented riders, it is dramatically more demanding when using wider (hence heavier) tires. Getting those bigger tires quickly up to speed takes a lot more effort. I would be loathe to change my Litespeed to wider tires (even if they would fit, which they would not) for this reason. Bottom line would seem to be that for tires, even among serious cyclists who don't race, one size definitely does NOT fit all.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24415034.post-89865065330916813412009-01-17T12:31:00.000-05:002009-01-17T12:31:00.000-05:00Your size and weight should factor in to your whee...Your size and weight should factor in to your wheel size and tire width. For someone 5' 2" and 105 lbs. 650x32B is a very cushy setup. If you are 6' 2" and 270 lbs. you might need 700x38c to get close to an equivalent ride.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24415034.post-7757943188071762002009-01-17T12:09:00.000-05:002009-01-17T12:09:00.000-05:00I may anger the fit nuts, but I don't think you ne...I may anger the fit nuts, but I don't think you need stems in 10mm reach increments. You sell technomics in the 8 sizes: 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 110, and 120. For a removable face plate quill stem, you could get by with 4: 50, 75, 100, and 125. That would help lower the mold cost. Of course, I would really like a 150 and/or 175, but I know I am weird. A longer stem would help set VO apart - they are extremely difficult to find.Mark Mullerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10096731473715097086noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24415034.post-4023253725379260842009-01-17T11:42:00.000-05:002009-01-17T11:42:00.000-05:00Stems require a separate mold for each size. So th...Stems require a separate mold for each size. So the tooling cost, particularly for quill stems, is very very high if you want a full range of sizes. I would be surprised to see any company spend that much on what is perceived as a shrinking market. Maybe it could be done in China.<BR/><BR/>Actually there is one stem out there that fits the bill, but it is really ugly so we have not imported it.Velo Orangehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02835615331417822722noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24415034.post-51368442900648917052009-01-17T11:14:00.000-05:002009-01-17T11:14:00.000-05:00I agree 100% with Mark. Faceplates are very conve...I agree 100% with Mark. Faceplates are very convenient and there ought to be more quill stems out there like the Technomic with that feature. ALL the existing quill stems with faceplates are hideous AND too short vertically.<BR/><BR/>The whole threadless system is just plain stupid. You depend on the length of the steering tube for your stem height. Whereas with the quill system, you can make stems of different heights and slide them up and down easily for a perfect fit. The only reason threadless exists is ease of assembly in mass production factories.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24415034.post-66855748484433054692009-01-17T10:26:00.000-05:002009-01-17T10:26:00.000-05:00One other thing: It would be great for you to off...One other thing: It would be great for you to offer a nice, traditional quill stem, but with a removable face plate. In other words, a Nitto Technomic with a removable face plate. Removable face plates are so much easier to deal with. There are very few quill stems with removable face plates, and the few that exist are ugly.Mark Mullerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10096731473715097086noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24415034.post-25575521907427461632009-01-17T10:21:00.000-05:002009-01-17T10:21:00.000-05:00Ideal tire size? For whom? For what use? There ...Ideal tire size? For whom? For what use? There is no such thing. In a perfect world there are a range of tire sizes, so everyone can choose the size that suits their needs, their likes, and their dislikes. An ideal tire size is like and ideal frame size, or an ideal wheel size. If anything, I would like to see more diversity in tire sizes - there are currently no skinny ISO 584 tires (would allow ISO 584 to kill ISO 571), no wide tires for ISO 571, and no very wide size for ISO 630. The latter would be nice for cheap conversion of the loads of old 27" (ISO 630) bikes into comfy cruisers. For some reason, 32mm is as wide as street tires go for ISO 630. I would love to be able to put a 37-42mm wide tire on old "ten speeds" - they have the clearance for them.<BR/><BR/>As for handlebars, I wish 26.0mm would die, and take 31.8mm with it. I can't see 25.4mm going away anytime soon - there are just way too many bikes, both old and recent, that use it. I don't see why we need more than one size - save the different sizes for the parts of the handlebar that matter - width, rise, reach, drop, etc.<BR/><BR/>Unfortunately, I don't imagine 31.8 will go away, but I don't imagine too many of your customers will use it anytime soon. Probably lots of your customers will remain your customers if you continue to offer 26.0mm stems, but If I were you, I wouldn't sell 26.0mm handlebars.Mark Mullerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10096731473715097086noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24415034.post-84804681965768005382009-01-17T01:55:00.000-05:002009-01-17T01:55:00.000-05:00Maybe this is the wrong place for requests, but I'...Maybe this is the wrong place for requests, but I'd really, really like a reproduction REG bottle cage. They only come NOS or used in clamp on, and they're really beautiful. Search for "REG" on everybody's favorite auction site to see what I'm thinking.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24415034.post-87387163704776575142009-01-17T01:03:00.000-05:002009-01-17T01:03:00.000-05:00sorry...you need a few extra sizes700c 28, 32, 356...sorry...you need a few extra sizes<BR/><BR/>700c 28, 32, 35<BR/><BR/>650B 32, 38, 42Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24415034.post-27124448411702499282009-01-16T23:37:00.000-05:002009-01-16T23:37:00.000-05:00tires. nothing quite like my '61 olmo with 700x32 ...tires. nothing quite like my '61 olmo with 700x32 paselas.<BR/>my riding style is relaxed, whether dirt or pavement. this bike has had the same wheelset since 1980, never needed truing. and man, is it comfortable. and efficient. the directional stability is just excellent. i have many other bikes, equally lovable for different reasons. riding style has so much to do with how wide your tires need to be.<BR/> i keep my motobecane grand record in reserve (700x25, longlivethemichelinman)for that "skinny tire buzz" IT'S ALL GOOD!<BR/><BR/>ps i am never in a hurry, and find that in a city environment (portland, oregon), my commute times, bike vs. car, are quite similar. it is possible to ride efficiently AND conserve your equipment.<BR/><BR/>thanks chris, city bikes is my main local source!john k novackhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09516750053415355527noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24415034.post-63597128111169351772009-01-16T23:01:00.000-05:002009-01-16T23:01:00.000-05:00I don't think anyone has mentioned this yet, but t...I don't think anyone has mentioned this yet, but the big reason for fat tires on the street is air volume. A smaller diameter wheel will need a fatter tire in order to get the same air volume as a narrower tire on a bigger rim. A 700x28 tire is pretty cushy for most people, but a 28mm tire on a 20" wheel would be harsh in comparison.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24415034.post-23115338657729946522009-01-16T20:17:00.000-05:002009-01-16T20:17:00.000-05:00Wider is better. I bought a little folding bike t...Wider is better. I bought a little folding bike to take on an airplane trip, and intended to sell it when I was done, but now it is the bike I ride most due to its lovely 16" big apples. I rode it when it got a little snowy - handled like a champ. They feel fast enough and are very comfortable for commute trips (even with 16" rims). I just wish I had a frame that fit 700c big apples (or fat franks). If weight isn't your biggest concern, go wide.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com