bendo
Viscount
Posts: 538 
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Post by bendo on Mar 5, 2015 12:40:59 GMT
 Just to give this little subforum a boost, I thought I'd post a picture of one of my trusty commuting steeds, the Victor. He's the one I run with the single ring up front. Recently I swapped the former 47t ring for a hefty 53t (the 47t going on my Bianchi project bike). It looks pretty mighty doesn't it? But even so, with that 30t freewheel on the back, it's not too bad. If the frame was any less lively, it would probably feel hard to get going with such a big ring, but the Aerospace frame just leaps. Even after doing the swap with the Bianchi, and riding both Victor and Bianchi on quick stints around the block back to back, I was amazed how amazed I still am by Victor's performance. And that Bianchi's no slouch! Columbus SL and all. I must say though, 47t up front is almost perfect. With it I regularly used all of the five speeds (probably used 1st the least, because of chain line and also the Positron mech goes uncomfortably close to the spokes...) at some point in my daily commute. As for the much maligned Positron, I've not had a lick of trouble from it in about 3 solid years of commuting. And it handles this massive range of gears easily. It was only the other day that I realised how Victor really was made for the Positron: no braze on cable guides or stops anywhere. The cable has to run inside cable-outer the whole way, from shifter to mech. Just wish I had a more elegant solution for attaching than cable ties. b |
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Post by velocipete on Mar 5, 2015 14:51:30 GMT
You used to be able to get rubber cable mounts which would fit the down tube,but not the chainstay.
At least the cable ties won't harm the paint,not like the chrome plated jobs do.
Looking good with the 53.I used to use a 54 on one of my old tandems.A flying machine!
Cheers,
Pete.
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Post by whippet on Mar 7, 2015 18:07:48 GMT
Even before I'd read your post, the first thoughts were "MANS GEARS!!". :-)
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Post by velocipete on Mar 7, 2015 21:34:10 GMT
My stoker was a woman!!!!
Cheers,
Pete.
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bendo
Viscount
Posts: 538
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Post by bendo on Apr 1, 2015 12:25:18 GMT
OK, the "man's gears" and super smooth precision shifting of the new Suntour system have caused something of a personality re-alignment for Victor. No more is he the "high-performance gentleman's townbike" but more a Path Racer with gears, a Sportif without drop bars and handlebar bag. He is dangerously fast. He's been able to become that way because Supa Sport has been up on blocks for so long, and VA Pro needs new wheels. So Victor is stepping into the speed vacuum. To keep with the Commuting theme however, I am thinking about a handlebar bag arrangement. I have a Dia Compe front rack that attaches to the pivot bolts of a centre-pull brake caliper, somewhere... b PS - apologies for not-perfect mudguard line. Shouldn't photograph before everything is perfect  |
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Post by triitout on Apr 8, 2015 3:51:16 GMT
Love the commuter look. It was one of my inspirations on the little gp town bike conversion. Frank's Viscount (Middlemore) saddle now more appropriately sits on top. Get those racks/baskets on!
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