Brake Upgrade

The original brake pads on my bike were adequate to slow me down.  I wanted more stopping power so I upgraded to a set of Kool Stop Thinline Salmon pads.

After installing the brake pads, one of the caliper arms was stuck to one side.  I gave up troubleshooting it and installed a spare set of Avid Single Digit 5.  The front fender was lowered so the calipers can clear it.

The difference in braking is like night and day.  It's way stronger and smoother than the factory set-up.  I should have upgraded the brakes when I got the bike.

UPDATE FEBRUARY 18, 2012:  These brakes have been squealing something fierce lately.  =/

UPDATE MARCH 11, 2012: The brakes suddenly stopped squealing.  I wonder if it has something to do with the warm weather (17° Celsius or 62.6° Fahrenheit)?  

PDW Bar-Ista

I got my Portland Design Works Bar-Ista cup holder from Mountain Equipment Co-Op.  There is free shipping till December 7.

Installation is straight forward.  Just fit it over the handlebar and tighten it with a 4mm allen (hex) key.  I set mine in front of the handlebar.  Mounting it the other way takes up precious real estate that makes hopping on and off the bike weird.

I picked up a Eco2 cup at Walmart.  I trimmed the band so it can sit lower in the holder. Now I can ride with a hot cup of Ovaltine (I love that stuff).  Just in time too.  It's getting pretty cold these days.

UPDATE DECEMBER 1, 2011: This setup works great.  The cup never flew out, and it keeps my drink hot/warm.  Just make sure the cup is screwed on, and the flap is closed. Occasionally, a bit of Ovaltine manages to splash out when I hit a bump at speed.

Sealed Cartridge Bearings?

I was gonna overhaul the bottom bracket till I came across this (see picture).  I was expecting to see the standard one piece bottom bracket setup. 

It looks like sealed cartridge bearings.  I didn't know they make it for one piece cranks.  If it is...it shouldn't require any maintenance for a long time.  Anyway, I couldn't remove it easily so I left it alone.

P.S.  To remove the locknut you'll need a 30mm wrench.

OURY Mountain Grips

I just installed a pair of red OURY grips.  They feel great with or without gloves.

Both grips were kept at standard length.  Shifting feels the same even with the extra length.

I cleaned the handlebar with Windex and used rubbing alcohol to install the grips.  I put a nickel in each grip to act as bar end caps.  That should prevent the handlebar from punching a hole through the grip.

UPDATE NOVEMBER 17, 2011: The combination of these grips and the Misfit Psycles FME bar gives me a lot more knee/handlebar clearance for those super tight, slow speed turns.

UPDATE NOVEMBER 29, 2011: I left out two points that may help prevent the grips from twisting.

• I wrapped the ends of my handlebar with 4 revolutions of duct tape (just the width of the tape) to make it a little thicker.  
• The handlebar ends stick pass the grip a bit.  You can see it a bit on the 3'rd picture on this post.

UPDATE MARCH 7, 2012:  The grips never twisted on me during riding.  Twisting is a common complaint for slip on grips.  I really think the duct tape helps.  

Red Cables

Today I installed a new brake, and shifter housing.  This was done for aesthetic reasons.  The original ones are still in good condition. 

The new cables were cut 6" shorter than the original to make the cable routing tighter.  I used a Dremel with a cutting wheel to make smooth flat cuts without crushing the housing.

I applied a light coating of Finish Line Dry Teflon Lube (for bicycle chain) on the cables before inserting it into the cable housing.

This could all be in my head but it's shifting smoother/easier.  Is it because of the shorter cable?  The lube?  I dunno. = /