CRM Cycle Repairs

Hello Everyone,
I’m sorry but I need to say goodbye to some dear friends that have been with me since the start of my solo journey.
Please say a prayer for my dremel and Ultrasonic cleaner. Both passed whilst doing what they loved. I will miss you so much. 😢

Hey everyone, been getting a lot of enquiries for lower gearing for trips up north and abroad. If you have a 12 speed bike then no problem as they have a longer cage to deal with anything from a 25t to 34t large sprocket.
So what about an 11 speed option. It’s possible yo change the cage for a longer one. This will mean you can also run any large cog from a 25t to 34t.
Things you need are a cassette, chain, pulley cage inner and outer plates.
Here is a quick picture story of how it’s done.
On this one I was able to use the original chain as it was a touch long to start with. Please note that the chain wear and length were checked before proceeding to use the original.

Summer is coming and it’s time to think about getting the tomatoes planted. I’ve been weighing up the options on grow bags, or bottom brackets?

What fun have you had this winter with all the wet weather we’ve had. It’s been really hard on outdoor bikes this year. Make sure you look after you 2 wheeled friends.
Post your pics of how good your cleaning is in the comments.

Hey everyone, please don’t forget to wash your bike off regularly if it’s on the trainer!

It’s Christmas so what better way to see out the new year than by getting a new bike.
The idea with a new bike was that it could as much as possible to help justify (like I need an excuse). Many of you may know that back in the 80’s I used to race MTB cross country and I had a full rigid Yeti with drop bars. It was amazing. With that in mind and with Gravel bikes have completed the circle.
My choice for a frame is a Basso Palta. Long established and with a great understanding of what is needed with a touch of 🇮🇹 styling. Simple and stylish. No gimmicks.
Next was the wheels. I wanted deep section. Strength for the off road and fast on the road. For this I chose the new Miche Kleon 50mm. I have been a fan of their hubs for a long time. Mainly for the ability to adjust the pressure on the bearings. Removable freehub body for servicing. The bearings are by Ceramic Speed, really good on the tolerances and serviceable.
Tyres for the moment are Schwalbe Ones with the new TPU tubes. The idea being that I can run summer tyres through the winter and get the extra grip the softer compound offer but get the puncture protection of a winter tyre. Also i change tyres to suit conditions. On the gravel set up this will be more important. Tubeless will just be a pain to change at short notice an hour before a race, so I’ll see how it goes over the winter. I’m still on the fence about these but will update after the spring and some good miles.
Groupset choice is Shimano Ultegra. I was going between the GRX and Ultegra. I prefer the look of the Ultegra and will change the chain rings in the spring to a 46/33 as opposed to the 50/34 now on there.
The chain I have gone with a KMC as it matches the bike. Mechanically the Shimano works better. Stick with the original manufacturer. Sram with Stam, Shimano with Shimano etc. The Shimano deal with the chain offsets much better than the others. Once this wears out I will be putting a Dura Ace on.
I love the bar and stem combo. I like to be able to position my bars and levers to the angles I like and this way affords me this option. The cables are fully integrated through the bars and stem but you can still change a stem if needed without having to replace all the cables to do so. Not something you see much in the one piece systems.
The outer cables stop at the bottom bracket. This is brilliant. It means that there are no really awkward corners for the outer cables to go through on the lower half of the bike and the integration to the mechs is smooth and simply. It also means the soft outer can be used from the frame to the rear mech. This is essential on the modern set ups with short runs of outer cable through extreme angles.
The bars and post are included with the frameset and blend perfectly.
The bars have been finished with my favourite tape from Velox. This is the 3.5mm option and is only slightly tacky to give extra grip and comfort.
Enjoy your festive time and I’ll see you all on the road next year.