Vendetta 'mini skunkworks'

[Eric Winn]

On a slightly different tack,

On a slightly different tack, some sort of adapter to fit into the front wheel drops using the existing QR after the front wheel is pulled for travel, for example in the back of one's Chevy Equinox would be really nice.

I'm going to figure out something but if John beats me to it, I'm alright with that.

Taking the front wheel on and off is annoyingly clumsy. The chainstay and fork like to pop apart and shift around and still wiggle some with just the QR installed. With no hub to tighten everything down onto, the QR just holds things loosely together.

I'm thinking a quick, easy to use adapter to hold things in place, including the chain and RD with enough clearance to set the adapter on a flat surface when mounted in the bike to either clamp down or perhaps with extended dropouts on the bottom to clamp into a bike rack would be very helpful. Include it in the Vendetta and Silvio frameset package.

-Eric

 

[ratz]

travel quick release

Eric,

This might do it.

http://www.amazon.com/Hollywood-Racks-T970-Block-Bicycle/dp/B000QJC5F8/ref=pd_sim_sg_3

We use to mount these too 2x4 boards to haul 4 bikes in the bed of a pickup trick. Aka the cheapest bike rack ever. But this should suffice for your needs.

Attached it to a block of wood of sufficient size probably a 4x8 cut to size; drive a couple of nails in the correct spots on the wood to hold the chain then put rubber ends on the nails to protect the chain or better yet mount an old unused single speed sprocket; . Paint it yellow and you are done.

 

[ratz]

travel quick release

Eric,

This might do it.

http://www.amazon.com/Hollywood-Racks-T970-Block-Bicycle/dp/B000QJC5F8/ref=pd_sim_sg_3

We use to mount these too 2x4 boards to haul 4 bikes in the bed of a pickup trick. Aka the cheapest bike rack ever. But this should suffice for your needs.

Attached it to a block of wood of sufficient size probably a 4x8 cut to size; drive a couple of nails in the correct spots on the wood to hold the chain then put rubber ends on the nails to protect the chain or better yet mount an old unused single speed sprocket; . Paint it yellow and you are done.

 

[Eric Winn]

Front wheel transport adapter

Hi Bob,

Good suggestion but I already have a Seasucker Talon which works really, really well for a standard fork. I highly recommend their bike rack products. Unfortunately you can't use these and other fork drop out mounts without these issues:

• The Vendetta chainstay ends at the fork are not slotted so you have to remove the QR skewer completely and re-insert. Not a biggie as I do this when I put the Vendetta on my Wahoo KICKR trainer.
• Generally, these mounts are sized for OLD 100 and the Cruzbike FWD is 130 OLD. Again not insurmountable but the fittings would need to be sized for 130 OLD and easily removeable because of the first bullet
• The vertical clearance from where the mount fits into the fork dropouts needs to accommodate the rear derailleur (RD) hanger dimension extending down past the bottom of the dropouts - and potentially a cog to hold the chain in place. I've been pulling the RD out of the fork/chainstay cup and arranging the excess chain and RD into a gallon ziplock bag that I velcro strap to the right chainstay. This can get really annoying if the stuff flops around as when I returned home from the N24HC, the RD had twisted around the chain in such a fashion that I had a couple of chain kinks it took me 2 hours to de-rubik
  

So, I'm thinking something similar to what you suggest but more like a dummy hub with a single cog to hold the chain in place where I can release the RD cage lock so the chain is tensioned around the cog with enough vertical height to keep the bottom of the RD clear without adding so much height that my handlebars will clear my Equinox's rear opening with the bike upright.

What is also tempting is one of these Ford Transits. Then I can carry the bike upright and fully assembled inside.

alt="2013 Ford Transit Connect interior"

Here is the Seasucker Talon. I hauled my MTB 2500 miles with this sucker last year. I can modify it as described above but instead I decide to give it to my eldest son who is starting to haul his MTB around again.

alt="Seasucker Talon Bike Rack"
Go here for a really large photo.


-Eric

 

[1happyreader]

only half of what your wanted ?

now if this chain keeper fit inside a shorter sawed off version of seasuckers flight deck. ( wheel keeper )

must be pick on Eric week. sorry.

 

[Eric Winn]

Very cool Tim, I like it! And

Very cool Tim, I like it! And I have an idea of how I can make a modification to make it work.

Tried to put it in my shopping cart but I guess they don't let you backorder out of stock items. I'll hunt around for another vendor or check back periodically with Nashbar.

Thanks,

-Eric

 

[ratz]

Hydrolics, Discs and Electrics oh my.....

Kiwi,

I like the stopping power of the disc brakes; living with hills and all; but as you noted the cost of wheels with 130mm disc mounts isn't going to come down until they are UCI legal for several years. Probably not a bad thing though; while the Vendetta has the mounts for the disc brakes I'm not sure I could live with that ugly cable zip tied to the outside of such a beautiful frame; maybe some yellow cable housing could clean that up. If someone has a photo of a V looking pretty with a disc brake I'd love to see it.

Right now I'm torn on the drive train good thing I don't have to decide until January. I really like what SRAM has done in the Force22 and their hydrolics, but those not work with the bulhorn kit gear (11speed, and hydrolic); and the only way to see if the brifters could just be mount to the bullhorns would be to do it and see. I'm assuming the Bullhorn bars could be purchase without the shifters and brakes for less than the $409 kit.

Then at the same time the Ultegra Di2 look sweet and would be the cat meow on the bullhorn if the external cable routing be overcome? John's description of plastic grocery bags feeling from the cable gives me pause. Also would there be space inside the frame for the internal battery configuration? Erics photos make me think it could.... Perhaps we need to convince Eric to use his insurance settlement to upgrade to electric when he does his repairs. Then we could call him "Electric Eric"

 

[gwoodbridge]

TRP HY/RD disc brakes.

Ratz,

Have you seen the TRP HY/RD disc brakes? ?http://www.trpbrakes.com/category.php?productid=1198&catid=206
They have the master cylinder at the brake instead on the the brifter. That way you use cables instead of hydrolic lines to the brake. Plus they work with any cable brifter. Also, they us mineral oil instead of brake fluid. Mineral wil will not strip your paint like brake fluid does.

 

[Dwight H. Collins]

Hydraulic Brakes with di2

Has anyone seen the Ashima PCB brakes. They use a diaphragm instead of a piston. Is supposed to have power equivalant to a 21mm piston hydraulic set up. I was curious if you thought these may be compatible with the bullhorn bars and Shimano di2 ???

-Dwight