[python] Re: Pythonjetrike update
- From: Patrick van Gompel <patrick_van_gompel@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <python@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 4 Feb 2012 20:27:52 +0100
Hey Dirk,
You wrote:
Now with the russian wind, winter finally started in Danmark. Which
means even more salt and streets that are only partially cleared.
Problems that I experience when riding the pythoon are:
* Everything begins to be really messy. Because the wheel runs
between my legs, my pants get soaked with salty black water, dirt
from chain etc..
* What is very annoying are the wheels blocking inside the
mudguards. The mudguard distance is 1-1.5cms and sometimes I can
hear the rear wheel slipping as as it all is clogged up with snow
:-(
* One of the brake cables freeze up. I only have one brake now :-(
* Because of the salt the bike is rusting. I'll have to paint the
frame again :-(
* I hate disc brakes - even my avid bb7. Disc brakes are just to
sensitive for real use - after several years I still do not
understand why mountain bikes are so happy about disc brakes. The
distance of the brake pad to rotor is so little it must get clogged
in the forest mud!?? Give me my V-brakes with koolstop pads back!
:-(
I still ride with my big apple tires. It has a praofile that is so
shallow it is practically painted on. Does anybody know a good
winter tire for 20"?
*Yep, things get messy. Since I only have a mudguard (no enclosed front wheel),
the snow piles up between mudguard and seat (snow spray). Problem is that at
that spot is a rather sensitive body part ;-/ And, at location (friends home)
it looks like you've wet yourself.
*We didn't have the sticky snow, so I didn't really have the problems that
wheels get clogged.
*Never had frozen cables with any bike. Do your cables run downwards from the
brake? If yes, water/dirt might run into the cables. A rubber dustcap (grease
inside) might help to keep the dirt out.
*Yep, salt is bad for your bike. Every bike I had, had problems. Mainly on the
brakes. After one winter I always had very rusty bits which makes disassembly a
problem (mostly the aluminium adjustment rings on the brake pads). So when
people advise me to build a frame from aluminium instead of stainless steel
since it is less heavy and doesn't corrode either, I always find it funny. Even
my stainless steel frame rusts, mostly close to welded spots. Though, it is
only a very thin layer and doesn't get porous as aluminium does.
*Yep, I hated my first experience with disc brakes too and was really
considering to go back to V-brakes. (btw, disc brakes are hyped and that is
mainly to sell new stuff, but I guess you know that). I had a BB7 too to try on
my mountainbike to see whether it was worth it to build on my python. The
roundagon disc was a nightmare. Why would you ever make a disc not round? I
still think it's a serious design flaw, only for the looks. When braking hard
with a 100kg trailer I was even afraid my front suspension was falling apart
since the roundagon supplied unevenly brake force (like ABS). I switched to a
perfectly round Shimano XT disc and braking has been great ever since.
Not sure what you problem with the BB7 is. The distance between pad and rotor
isn't as much as with V-brakes to the rim, but not sure why that would matter.
If mud gets inbetween (and it does), then it will get out of the way when you
brake. That is basically the same with V-brakes, but it takes longer. For me
the advantage of a BB7 over a good V-brake is that it is lighter to control and
I don't need to worry about an exploding tire when going downhill. And if you
talk about snow.... the rims get in touch with snow and after some time when
you hit the brakes.... it takes quite a bit of time till you actually have a
good braking force (of course, talking about second here). With the BB7 I
experience somewhat the same, but it takes less then half the time (less ice on
the disc and less metal to clean by the pads).
Btw, I am not a real mountainbiker (hillbiker at most), but for the more
serious guys (downhillers), I think that disc brakes are a must nowadays. That
is because tires don't like hot rims, (hydraulic) discs brakes are more direct
and your fingers get quite tired after braking so often.
Greetings, Patrick
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