Going Out of Town

I'm going to be out of town from Saturday, July 21 through Sunday, July 29. During this time, both Tullio's and Heron Bicycles will be closed. I'll be back in town and open for business on Monday, July 30. Thanks.

New Heron Web Resource

While I personally construct and maintain the Tullio's website, a good friend has handled the Heron website for me. Unfortunately, that means it takes a little longer to resolve problems or update site information. So, I have begun the process of integrating all of the Heron information into the Tullio's site.

Some of you have reported sporadic problems accessing the Heron site. If so, you should now be able to find the information you need on the Heron portion of the Tullio's site. Eventually, everything will be on one big site, and the Heron URL will forward to the new, expanded Tullio's site.

--Todd

Computer is Back Up

I got the computer going again and am working to return e-mails. Thanks for the patience. Also, the Heron website is down, but I'm checking into that. Darned computers!

Computer Problems

Just a quick note to let folks know that my computer is down. Until it is repaired, I'll try to check e-mail from friends' machines. However, it might take me a bit longer than usual to get back to you. If you have something that you need quickly, give me a call at 815-488-1858. Thanks.

A Discussion of Super Thin Spokes

There is one known issue with spokes with very thin middle sections like DT Revolutions. At some point while tensioning the spokes, the force required to turn the nipple on the spoke will become greater than the force required to twist the spoke at its middle. Beyond this point, it will be impossible to turn the nipple without temporarily relieving the spoke tension. This point will occur at a spoke tension that is less than optimal. The result is that the wheel will not be as strong as it should be.

It is possible to force the rim inward enough to relieve the tension so the nipple can turn. This will allow the wheelbuilder to achieve the optimal spoke tension. The downside is that this is such a pain-in-the-butt that many wheelbuilders don't do it. It will also be a pain-in-the-butt should you ever need to true the wheel.

I believe that most wheels built with Revolutions are built with less than optimal spoke tension, and durability is usually sufficient. However, if durability is sufficient with, say, 32 Revolution spokes at less than optimal tension, it will be just as sufficient with 28 15/16 spokes at optimal tension. The weight of the spokes will be nearly the same.

I won't build with Revolutions any longer because I won't build with lower spoke tension and I don't want the pain of dealing with temporarily relieving spoke tension just to turn the nipple. Of course, should the opportunity arise, I wouldn't be opposed to using them on the left side of the rear wheel since those spokes are never at high tension.

Touring Front Derailleur Update

There is a new problem when using the Shimano Deore LX front derailleur with the Sugino XD600 (or similar) crank. The latest version of the LX front derailleur (and most of the other current Shimano front derailleurs) has a new cage that is more profiled with larger shift ramps than before. It is optimized for Shimano MTB cranks with 44-32-22T chainrings. When using it on the XD600 crank with 46-36-26T chainrings, the inner portion of the cage will hit the middle chainring when shifting to the large chainring unless the derailleur is mounted VERY high. When mounted high, the shift ramps are in the wrong places and will rub against the chain in many gear combinations thus requiring constant trimming.

The current road triple front derailleurs from Shimano have a similar cage profile. They are now all pretty much limited to use with Shimano's standard chainring combinations. This is true even with a friction shifter. As a result, I have now switched to Campagnolo triple front derailleurs. Their cages are also profiled but not nearly as much as Shimano's. They work extremely well with both friction shifters and Campagnolo Ergo shifters. The cages are wide enough that trimming is seldom required to avoid chain rub.

This trend makes me want to buy up any NOS straight cage derailleurs I can find on eBay. Those old derailleurs are very light, durable, and functional. They just don't index well with STI shifters.

Heron Site Down

The Heron Bicycles website is currently down because of problems at our site host. Hopefully, the problems will be resolved soon so we can get the site back up. I'll post any news here. Thanks for your patience.

Wiggles Freak-Out

I have two kids, ages 1 and 3. They love the Wiggles. So, this afternoon I was surfing YouTube for Wiggles videos with Mary, the 3-year-old, and found this video. It's very odd, somewhat disturbing, and hypnotically addictive. Don't ask me why, but if you know the Wiggles, you need to take a look.

What is Your Ideal Religion?

I'm a little bit off of the subject of cycling for the moment, but it is a Sunday. What is the best religion for you? There is a way to get an idea. It's called (I'm not making this up) the Belief-O-Matic. The Belief-O-Matic is part of the Beliefnet website, and it's an online quiz that will rank 27 different religions (including atheism/agnosticism) based upon how compatible they are with your own beliefs. There are twenty questions to answer, and it doesn't take long.

Beliefnet seems to be a great tool for gaining a basic understanding of various faiths. They provide impartial descriptions of many religions along with resources to find additional information. If you ever wondered if you were in the right place spiritually, it might be worth checking out.

I'm no Bible-thumper nor am I looking to convert anyone (except maybe to the Church of Steel!). For a guy like me who gets turned off by hardcore proselytizing, it was a comfortable place to visit.

Nitto Stem Comparison

I've been asked about the quill length of the new Nitto UI-2 stems. It measures about 78 mm from the top of the quill to the minimum insertion line. This is slightly shorter than the quill of the Pearl stem, but since the UI-2s I received have a 90-degree extension, the clamp still winds up higher.

This photo shows the two stems side-by-side:


Here is the same view with a rod showing the height of the clamp of the UI-2 stem:


Another view shows the approximate installation angle:

Politics and Obama

I am often reluctant to bring up politics because some folks might decide not to business with me if they happen to disagree with my views. My friends in the bicycle industry are all over the map politically, and I support them all. I respect their views even when we differ. I would hope that most folks feel the same way.

In the coming presidential primaries, I am supporting Barack Obama. If you favor someone else, that's fine with me. In fact, if you get involved and do something, it's great even if your candidate is not my candidate. If you do happen to like Mr. Obama and would like to support his campaign, I've set up a fundraising page. You can learn about his views and contribute if you'd like. You can see the page here.

Thanks.

Nitto Pearl Stems in Stock

I also received a bunch of Pearl stems from Nitto. These are cold-forged masterpieces and maybe the most beautiful stems of all time. Here's the scoop:

Quill Diameter: 22.2 mm for 1" threaded steerers
Clamp Diameter: 26.0 mm
Extension Angle: 71-degrees
Available Extensions: 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 cm
Price: $65 each

Note: Because Nitto measures the extension length through the center of the extension rather than the top, their sizes wind up being a little smaller. So, a 8 cm Nitto stem will be the same length as an 8.7 cm stem measured as most other companies do. Generally, you can buy one size shorter than usual.

New Custom Nitto UI-2 Stems in Stock!

As I wrote earlier, I've got the new UI-2 stems in stock. Nitto usually builds these with a 71-degree angle, but I asked them to build this batch with a 90-degree angle for a more upright position. Here are the details:

Quill Diameter: 22.2 mm for 1" threaded steerers
Clamp Diameter: 26.0 mm
Extension Angle: 90-degrees
Available Extensions: 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 cm
Weight: 272-319g
Price: $55 each

Note: since these stems have a 90-degree extension angle, Nitto's method of measuring the extension length will give the same figure as other manufacturers.


As you can see below, the UI-2 will give you about 1 cm more vertical adjustability than the Salsa SUL stem. With the longer quill and the fact that the extension mounts slightly higher on the quill, the UI-2 will give a taller riding position than the Salsa.

The Nitto UI-2 logo on the extension is actually a decal. It removes easily for a cleaner look as seen below:

New Custom Nitto M12 Front Racks in Stock

I've got our new M12 racks from Nitto. The old version was customized for us to place a threaded light mount on the right side support stay. This new version has a second light mount on the left support stay. So, if your looking for a clean way to mount two headlights nice and low, this is it!

Since the support stays are not adjustable, I'm often asked if these racks will fit a specific fork. My experience shows that the lower stays are flexible enough to fit most fork widths and crown heights. I haven't found a cantilever-equipped fork that didn't fit, yet. So, unless you have something really unusual, it should fit.

Price: still a low, low $50!

Nitto Stuff Is In!

I just received my long-awaited order from Nitto. I haven't even had the chance to unpack it all yet, but I wanted to check out the new UI-2 stems and get a few pics (quick, improperly lit, and without tripod).

The UI-2 is a TIG-welded cromoly stem with a two-bolt faceplate. "UI" stands for Ultimate Ideal, and, as it says on the box, these stems are "Light Weight, Heavy Duty, Finely Made." The Nitto UI-2 logo on the sides of the stem is actually a sticker. I'm going to remove one to see how that looks. I'll get pics when I can. The Nitto logo is also etched onto the faceplate.

These stems are for 1" threaded steerers. The clamp diameter is 26.0 mm. I have them with 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 cm extension. The extension angle is 90 degrees. Price is $55 each.

I'll get some better pictures tomorrow and include some of the Pearl stems and M12 racks I also received.

More NOS Freewheels on eBay

I found a few more NOS freewheels in my parts stash. They are all SunTours and include a 7-speed 13-24T, a 7-speed 13-28T, and a 6-speed 13-21T. You can see them in my eBay store here.

Ed's Oracle Update

A while back I asked folks to prod me about my progress on my novel, Ed's Oracle. Nobody has asked, and it's likely that nobody really cares. However, it helps keep me motivated. So, I'll do a pretend prodding:

So, do you have a publisher for your book, yet?

A publisher? I haven't even finished the rewrite!

Oh. So, how's the rewrite coming?

I have one chapter done (almost). Actually, it's starting to move along. I have to fit the rewrite in between Tullio's stuff, Heron stuff, other writing projects, family stuff (how in the world can two little kids such up so much damn energy? I'm exhausted by the time they go to bed!). So, it isn't going to be quick even if all goes well. I'm just trying to keep making progress.

Yawn.

OK, so it's not the most interesting thing in the world. I'll put something about bikes up here soon. I promise.

NOS 6-Speed Freewheel on eBay

I found an old Shimano 600EX in a box of parts and put it up on eBay. It's still new-in-the-box. Here is the listing.

A New Blog to Check Out

I just found a fun, new blog. Good stuff - Stevie Joe Parker's Guide to Life.

E-Mail Problems Fixed

It took a few days to figure it out, but I think I've finally fixed all of my e-mail problems. It appears that messages that I had sent were not being properly delivered. Unfortunately, I had no indication that there was a problem, and it may have been going on as long as two months. If you tried to reach me recently and received no reply, I apologize.

I should be able to receive and send mail now from my primary e-mail address, todd@kuzma.com.