Getting Off the Fence
- Thread starter GetBent
- Start date
Speed Wax is here. Waiting for ultrasonic cleaner and hot plate. Now watch as I burn the house down waxing...
Still riding the Windcheetah outside when the weather permits, and the V20 indoors on the trainer. I am pooped. Just finished the Tissot Challenge on Kinomap, which consists of three different rides which need to be completed by today. The first one I finished 50th overall, 4th in my age group. Since then, I have been bumped to 90th overall and 6th in my age group. It turns out that I was at a bit of a disadvantage, as my bike it set up for climbing (30/46 & 11/32) so I could not keep up on the descents. The second one was all up hill, finishing 85th overall and 3rd in my age group. The last was also up hill, 98th overall, 4th in my age group. I guess that means that all the good riders are on Zwift.
Still riding the Windcheetah outside when the weather permits, and the V20 indoors on the trainer. I am pooped. Just finished the Tissot Challenge on Kinomap, which consists of three different rides which need to be completed by today. The first one I finished 50th overall, 4th in my age group. Since then, I have been bumped to 90th overall and 6th in my age group. It turns out that I was at a bit of a disadvantage, as my bike it set up for climbing (30/46 & 11/32) so I could not keep up on the descents. The second one was all up hill, finishing 85th overall and 3rd in my age group. The last was also up hill, 98th overall, 4th in my age group. I guess that means that all the good riders are on Zwift.
Bill Wightman
Well-Known Member
A good waxed chain is the way to go if you have the time. I have the ultrasonic cleaner with non-foaming soap and run that hot for about an hour while repositioning periodically. Then the chain gets a good rinse then paper towel drying because there is inevitably a very small amount of carbon grit still in the joints and this helps wick it out. Then follows a bake-out at 170 degF for an hour or two, then I put the uber clean/dry chain in a small crock pot of paraffin on lowest setting overnight. In the morning I hang the chain from a coat hanger to harden the wax. My chain is going on at least 12,000 miles (I swapped this Shimano chain out from the SRAM gold chain in 2018) so I bought a Park Tool chain measurement tool to see if it might be stretching. No skipping yet but the V20 hobby demands that I have all the toys just in case I might use them once. I have also used and re-used the same Quik-Link all this time although I do not recommend that. I get it very alcohol-agitated-clean and it clicks into place like normal, no hints of yielding, cracking, or surface wear.
So here is the set up:
This is actually a "Smokeless Range". My wife took up target shooting about 2 years ago. With the turbulence in the country, ammo has been difficult to acquire, and has gotten to be expensive. She burns up a couple hundred rounds every weekend she goes to the range. So the solution is a 150 inch screen, a projector, an IR camera (to register the hits), and a fast gaming computer. The standard magazine for her pistol is replaced with one that has a cylinder of compressed gas, and a battery. A laser goes into the barrel. Now she can blast away any time she wants. Her pistol (semi auto) operates like normal, just no flash, no bang, and no chance of accidentally offing the neighbors. Of course, I did connect some vintage Speaker Lab 4 speakers and an equally vintage stereo system for some great sound.
It turns out that it works well for indoor cycling, also. I really get a sense of movement, especially when blasting down winding roads. Of course, just for cycling, all that would be needed is the projector and the screen. I am currently running Kinomap on an iPhone SE using a Lightening to HDMI adapter to connect to the projector. I would probably get a sharper image if we had WiFi to the shop so I could use the computer rather than the iPhone. Another project for another day. Nice to get multiple uses out of this equipment.
This is actually a "Smokeless Range". My wife took up target shooting about 2 years ago. With the turbulence in the country, ammo has been difficult to acquire, and has gotten to be expensive. She burns up a couple hundred rounds every weekend she goes to the range. So the solution is a 150 inch screen, a projector, an IR camera (to register the hits), and a fast gaming computer. The standard magazine for her pistol is replaced with one that has a cylinder of compressed gas, and a battery. A laser goes into the barrel. Now she can blast away any time she wants. Her pistol (semi auto) operates like normal, just no flash, no bang, and no chance of accidentally offing the neighbors. Of course, I did connect some vintage Speaker Lab 4 speakers and an equally vintage stereo system for some great sound.
It turns out that it works well for indoor cycling, also. I really get a sense of movement, especially when blasting down winding roads. Of course, just for cycling, all that would be needed is the projector and the screen. I am currently running Kinomap on an iPhone SE using a Lightening to HDMI adapter to connect to the projector. I would probably get a sharper image if we had WiFi to the shop so I could use the computer rather than the iPhone. Another project for another day. Nice to get multiple uses out of this equipment.
3bs
whereabouts unknown
@GetBent we now need pictures of the wife's set up. is she doing bullseye or plates or practical?
i would like to see the pistol to see how the recoil is mimicked.
i am not sure i would like gallery shooting any more than zwift (which i exited after a year) but i am interested.
be sure to include your bike in any pictures for compliance purposes LOL.
ammo should come back in line before the end of 21. i hope.
i would like to see the pistol to see how the recoil is mimicked.
i am not sure i would like gallery shooting any more than zwift (which i exited after a year) but i am interested.
be sure to include your bike in any pictures for compliance purposes LOL.
ammo should come back in line before the end of 21. i hope.
This is a relatively new install, and I really do not know much about the shooting aspects. I only use it for indoor cycling. Beats riding in the rain. I went through the menu and chose a few scenarios.
This was "filmed" using an iPhone SE sitting on a bench while I stood off to the side and ran the computer. What you are seeing is the image projected on the screen.
This was "filmed" using an iPhone SE sitting on a bench while I stood off to the side and ran the computer. What you are seeing is the image projected on the screen.
Last edited:
So all you folks who extol the virtues of chain waxing are right. After my first time chain waxing, it is quieter and has smoother shifts. Now, the big question for me is, will this stop the metal specs that have been gathering on my bottom bracket, chain stay, and crank arms?
As soon as I finished, I jumped on the "V" to set a new (indoor) PR. Failed by 42 seconds. I was absolutely dumbfounded. How could this happen? As I pondered this, and replayed step by step the waxing process in my mind, I realized I made a huge mistake. The directions specifically state to hang the newly waxed chain from an expensive chandelier to cool, whereas I used the old, cheap, ugly chandelier that came with the house. This waxing stuff is getting expensive, hot plate, ultrasonic cleaner, and now, a new chandelier....
As soon as I finished, I jumped on the "V" to set a new (indoor) PR. Failed by 42 seconds. I was absolutely dumbfounded. How could this happen? As I pondered this, and replayed step by step the waxing process in my mind, I realized I made a huge mistake. The directions specifically state to hang the newly waxed chain from an expensive chandelier to cool, whereas I used the old, cheap, ugly chandelier that came with the house. This waxing stuff is getting expensive, hot plate, ultrasonic cleaner, and now, a new chandelier....
Trying to stay motivated in the winter by doing the Kinomap Alltricks challenge, which consists of 16 rides to be completed from Jan 24 through 14 Feb. Unfortunately, I did not find out about it until after yesterday's ride, which was particularly hard. I went for it today anyway. Today's ride was 10 miles. I narrowly held somebody off at the end. Two miles out, he was about 800 ft behind me. 0.1 mile out, he was about 50 ft behind, but the last tenth of a mile was down hill, so hitting the hill first allowed me to pull just enough on him to stay in front. Turns out he is in my age group, and we went 1 & 2 in our age group, and 8 &9 out of 43 overall. I am thinking that somebody is going to be seriously pissed at losing by such a small margin.
Weird.
The headrest did not feel as comfortable as normal on my last (indoor) ride.
Now I know why. The backing plate fractured where it mounts to the head rest bracket.
Replaced with 1/8 inch plywood, with reinforcement where it attaches to the mount.
I had previously modified the rest slightly. I cut out the factory foam along the top and both sides, and replaced it with much stiffer memory foam. That helps keep me centered on the head rest. I also cut a small lip that covers the top of the backing plate.
Last winter, I replaced the standard chain stay with the short one. That, of course, raised the handle bars decreasing my visibility. At that point in time, I did not care as I was using it indoors only (for rehab), and could see the projector screen just fine. One thing that I really like is that it is much easier to get on and off the bike with the handle bars slightly higher, so I am going to go with it. I got the wedge for the S40 to raise my shoulders up to see over the handle bars, but it was too high and uncomfortable. This winter, I sliced 1/3 off the top, and it fits well, is comfortable, and I can see like I did before swapping the chain stay. I raised the head rest to the top, moved it forward, and now it is once again very comfy. This is most likely less aero.
The headrest did not feel as comfortable as normal on my last (indoor) ride.
Now I know why. The backing plate fractured where it mounts to the head rest bracket.
Replaced with 1/8 inch plywood, with reinforcement where it attaches to the mount.
I had previously modified the rest slightly. I cut out the factory foam along the top and both sides, and replaced it with much stiffer memory foam. That helps keep me centered on the head rest. I also cut a small lip that covers the top of the backing plate.
Last winter, I replaced the standard chain stay with the short one. That, of course, raised the handle bars decreasing my visibility. At that point in time, I did not care as I was using it indoors only (for rehab), and could see the projector screen just fine. One thing that I really like is that it is much easier to get on and off the bike with the handle bars slightly higher, so I am going to go with it. I got the wedge for the S40 to raise my shoulders up to see over the handle bars, but it was too high and uncomfortable. This winter, I sliced 1/3 off the top, and it fits well, is comfortable, and I can see like I did before swapping the chain stay. I raised the head rest to the top, moved it forward, and now it is once again very comfy. This is most likely less aero.
Tuloose
Guru
A little farther north, in SW WA, about 45 miles north of Portland, OR.
So it is getting to be about that time. I am a little nervous, mostly it is just a mind thing. After 2 years, it is time to take the "V" off of the trainer and hit the road. (Not literally, I hope!) It was just a freak accident, and was the first time I had ever had more than a little road rash. But still, it has been a long recovery.
It was a frustration for me when out on long rides, as the weather in the PNW dictates taking rain gear and something warm, just in case. There was really no place to carry it, so I re-purposed an old seat post mounted bag to fit under the frame just below the Moose bag. It worked, but it is ugly and it is difficult to get stuff in and out. Unfortunately, the race case is no longer available.
Since I was pretty much out of action, I signed up for a metal art class at the local CC. Yup, you know where this is going. See the pics for my "art project".
.
It was a frustration for me when out on long rides, as the weather in the PNW dictates taking rain gear and something warm, just in case. There was really no place to carry it, so I re-purposed an old seat post mounted bag to fit under the frame just below the Moose bag. It worked, but it is ugly and it is difficult to get stuff in and out. Unfortunately, the race case is no longer available.
Since I was pretty much out of action, I signed up for a metal art class at the local CC. Yup, you know where this is going. See the pics for my "art project".
.Wow that's impressive!
