Gernot: thanks for the tip. I'll give it a try -- nothing like blindly bending expensive metal to give you that pit of stomach express elevator drop feeling of thrlll! The legs won't have to bend far to get the rack level.
In other news (y'all): I ordered some Civia flat aluminum fenders in silver (they come in "many designer colors" but silver will complement the racks and rims and bars, etc). These are 622X42, but I figure that a fender without a curved cross section ought to bend nicely, without lasting strains, and give me ample length. I daresay they won't protect as well as the Berthouds, but I do want this bike to have some sort of fenders. Photos when all said and done. Have been too busy to ride much, but I did do a couple of 16 milers and the new Kojaks -- dare I say it? -- transform the bike. Perhaps it's just the encouraging feeling you have with new stuff, but I would swear that the bike is, at least, as fast as with the Turbos and, of course, it is much smoother over bigger bumps. And even though the gear is 72 instead of the 69 with the skinnies, climbing seems to be just as easy. If I have to guess, I would attribute the improvement to the flywheel effect of the heavier tires: 400 versus 200 grams. The Riv now feels more like the 700C fixies I ride, with their inevitably heavier wheels -- and the weight extended further out on a "lever arm." The Kojaks feel more like those. Oh, and I cannot recommend highly enough the new old-style Maes Parallels: long, flat ramp even with the ends of the hooks perfectly level. An inch higher, about an inch longer in reach (115 versus 90), and 15 mm shallower (125 versus 140). I get as aero but with higher flats: the hooks and hoods are higher but further away. Wonderful. Anyway, climbing 1 mile long Meadowlark between Corrales and Rio Rancho, and standing for 2/3 of it, the bike felt just perfect. On Sun, Aug 28, 2011 at 9:36 AM, Earl Grey <earlg...@gmail.com> wrote: > It's called cold setting. :) Keep the bolt through the crown locked in > place, undo the P-clamps, and then massage the rack into the right > shape with your bare manly hands. If you are gentle, it should be > fine. They actually bend with surprisingly little force. I just did it > to my Nitto M-12 to fit on my new rSogn, which has ridiculous tire > clearance and thus more than the usual distance between canti-brake > brazeons and fork-crown hole. > > Gernot > > > On Aug 27, 5:48 am, PATRICK MOORE <bertin...@gmail.com> wrote: >> The struts are welded to the top, and they are tubular stainless >> steel: how can I bend them without either breaking them off or >> crimping them? >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> On Fri, Aug 26, 2011 at 8:20 AM, Earl Grey <earlg...@gmail.com> wrote: >> > I am glad so many people like your bike as is, Patrick, so I don't >> > have to feel so bad saying this: :) >> >> > I like it too, but since you have the front rack on P-clamps, why not >> > move them lower and bend the rack stays a bit so you can get the rack >> > level? I don't mind the look of bikes without fenders (see my Sam: >> >http://tinyurl.com/3epfv47;though it has been sporting fenders for >> > the last 16 months or so) but a largish frame with skinny 26" tires >> > would to my mind look better with fenders, just because it makes the >> > wheels look more in proportion with the frame. Of course I am not >> > advocating putting on fenders just for aesthetic reasons. If it don't >> > rain where you ride, and no one waters the road, neither, why bother? >> >> > Gernot >> >> > On Aug 26, 8:55 am, Johnny Alien <johnnyal...@verizon.net> wrote: >> >> I'm actually starting to like fenderless bikes. I took the fenders off my >> >> Bleriot recently and really like the way it looks. Your bike looks >> >> fantastic. >> >> > -- >> > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> > "RBW Owners Bunch" group. >> > To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. >> > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> > rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >> > For more options, visit this group >> > athttp://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en. >> >> -- >> Patrick Moore >> Albuquerque, NM >> For professional resumes, contact >> Patrick Moore, ACRW >> patrickmo...@resumespecialties.com >> >> A billion stars go spinning through the night >> Blazing high above your head; >> But in you is the Presence that will be >> When all the stars are dead. >> (Rilke, Buddha in Glory) > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "RBW Owners Bunch" group. > To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en. > > -- Patrick Moore Albuquerque, NM For professional resumes, contact Patrick Moore, ACRW patrickmo...@resumespecialties.com A billion stars go spinning through the night Blazing high above your head; But in you is the Presence that will be When all the stars are dead. (Rilke, Buddha in Glory) -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en.
