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Tech letters for May 2, 2002
Edited by John Stevenson
Confounded by carbon fiber? Need to sound off about superlight stuff? Tech letters is the forum for your gear-related questions and opinions. We'll attempt to answer all questions that don't require a PhD in astrophysics or industrial espionage.
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Contents
Parts for smaller riders
Brake lever positioning
Dura-Ace?
Aluminium discs in the pipeline?
Suspension seatpost
Bars and stems
Indoor Training
Shoes
Crank Click Noise
Handlebar/stem creaks
Tire weight
Carbon handlebar clamp woes
Pedal stroke theories
Handlebar drop
Wheel choice
SLR saddle
Tyre pressure
Frankenbike
STI problems
Parts for smaller riders
In your recent review of the Titec stem you write, "Definitely worth consideration, but if there's a product category where you're truly spoiled for choice, stems is it." NOT SO, at least if you're the average 5'3" female. Try to find a nice 7cm stem. Your choices are crappy, ugly, heavy and/or flexy. After relentlessly searching and eliminating all the garbage, there may be one suitable stem, two if you're lucky.
I'm building up my last bike. It's my dream bike, a custom Spectrum Titanium. Now I can be just like all those old guys we used to train with that could afford their dream bike but not the time to train.
This bike is going to be sweet, but here's the deal. I'm 5'3" with typical short torso/long femur, pretty average as a female goes. Do you think I can get a nice 7cm stem or a nice set of 40cm o-o bars with a reasonable, well-proportioned reach and moderate drop? And what ever happened to the Campagnolo Record cranks in a 167.5mm length?
ITM manufactures "The Bar" in a 40cm o-o; they carry them in Italy. In fact, ITM makes a full spectrum of their bars in a 40cm o-o (Thanks ITM!), but do you think anyone distributes them here in the US? Doesn't make sense that a small group of US manufacturers are beginning to manufacture women specific parts (almost invariably not the high-end stuff available to the average male), yet parts which are already available in Europe aren't being imported.
I searched relentlessly for a nice 40cm o-o bar. I checked all the shop, manufacturer, and distributor catalogues I could find. I even contacted ITM in Italy, and was preparing to buy a pair from Europe when I finally stumbled upon a 40cm o-o "The Bar" in the US; it was mislabeled in the catalogue as a 40cm c-c. I think someone made a mistake. I suspect he thought he was stocking a bunch of 40cm c-c. I have never seen this store carry anything decent in smaller sizes). I bet he gets fired.
To be fair, Salsa makes what appears to be a nice 40 o-o, but it's a single groove, and the reach was actually a little too short for me.
Don't get me started on stems. Yeah, Salsa makes a 7cm stem; it's one of the extremely few that are readily available in shorter lengths; I should be thankful to Salsa for that. I have a Salsa quill on one of my bikes. It looks nice, but I flex the crap out of it (I'm sure the SUL threadless is an improvement). How about decent stem for a change, like a Newton or Easton or something. Thomson makes a nice road stem in 7cm; Bontrager is making their RaceLite in a 7cm too, but I can eliminate that because it's at 7 degrees. Two stems from which to choose is pretty slim pickens; they're pretty heavy too. OK, that makes sense; give the light weight women more mass than their large male counterpart to drag up hills.
OK, I got one bar to choose from: "The Bar" in a 40cm o-o, reach and drop 100/170 o-o, bulge diameter of 25.8mm. It's a little lighter weight than I wanted to risk, but I have to settle for what I can get. I have two stems to choose from with clamp diameter 26.0mm. I'd like to get a perfect match, and they're a little heavier than I wanted, but I'll have to settle for what I can get.
As for shoes, did you ever notice that there are very few choices of nice shoes in a 38.5? Most of the shoe manufacturer don't make their best shoes below a 39, and those that do certainly don't do half sizes. There's a pretty big difference between a 38 and a 39! I have the most common shoe size for a female, yet it's virtually impossible to get a decent shoe. You have to pick from what's available and hope that the 39 runs small or the 38 runs large, and the shape is right for your foot. By the way, it's not.
Lydia White
USA
Brake lever positioning
I've just spent a while setting up a new handle bar and stem combo, and have been reminded what a major pain it is to set up the brake levers on the handlebar, at a level height. I thought it was ok and taped up the bars only to find when I rode it (I live up many stairs!!) that one lever was higher than the other. Wouldn't this process be easier if there where markings on the bar (like the scale on some seatposts) so you could guarantee that both levers where level?!!
Does anyone have any tips on setting the brake levers level? I use different levers also which makes it harder to do, as I run a standard aero left lever (down tube shifter) and an STI shifter/lever on the right.
Gavin Atkins
Berkhamsted, UK
I place a straightedge across the levers, resting on the hoods. If it's parallel to the top section of the bar, the levers are at the same height. – JS
Dura-Ace?
Do you know when Shimano is scheduled to release a new Dura Ace group?
D Hochman
Shimano tells us no changes are planned for the 2003 Dura-Ace group. That means at least 2004, then. I wonder what they have in store for us. Anyone care to guess? A 12 month Cyclingnews subscription for the best ideas... – JS
Aluminium discs in the pipeline?
I was told many years ago by the tech guys from Michelin that the prototype sports cars at La Mans and Formula One Teams were using carbon fibre discs. Would think carbon discs for bicycles would solve the weight problem? Never know when it comes to bicycle applications though. One thing, heat wouldn't be a problem.
Jamie Bedford
Australia
Suspension seatpost
Does anyone manufacture a decent 29.4mm suspension seatpost? I have a Pace MTB with a 29.4mm Control Tech seatpost at present. Pace recommend NOT using shims on their bikes and I've not been able to trace any 29.4 suspension posts so far.
Many thanks for any help you can give.
Brian Sheppard
Edinburgh Scotland
Bars and stems #1
Can an oversized Deda Newton handlebar be used with the new oversized Ritchey WCS stem?
When are manufacturers going to get with the program and make no-rise stems (so that we can get back to the same positions we had with "flat" quill stems)?
Noel Murphy
Mill Valley
USA
Ritchey's catalogue is short on details (and the website is worse), but seems only to offer non-oversized bars.
Bars and stems #2
I noticed that most racing bikes now seem to have thread less stems with much lower and extended profiles. If I wanted to change to this set up but have a threaded stem, what would you recommend? Also, how do I determine the appropriate size? Thanks for your help.
William Fijolek
You can't easily do this. Threadless stems include a top cap that's used to tighten the headset and it needs to press on the top of the headset via the stem clamp. Combining a threadless steerer with a stem intended for a threaded setup will therefore require some sort of bodge, like a clamp between the stem and the headset. You'd be far better off simply finding an appropriate threadless stem.
Indoor Training
It is fast approaching the "terrible weather" season here in Australia, which means the beginning of the Road Cycling season.
Because I work full-time during the day, it leaves no light for training on the bike out on the road.
I am planning on doing some indoor training, on a wind trainer or rollers. Does anybody have any ideas as to the more appropriate form of indoor training ie. Wind trainer vs Rollers?
Nathan Goss
Australia
Shoes
Does anyone know of a company that makes shoes with wide toe boxes? I have had a pair of Nikes and a pair of Adidas shoes, and they seem to hurt the outside of my foot, right around the bottom of the pinkie toe a couple hours or so into a long ride. Can anyone offer me any help? Thanks.
Tim Root
Blacksburg, VA
Try Carnac - Gerard The Publisher swears by them, and says they're roomier round the toes than anything else he's tried.
Crank Click Noise
I have had this problem off and on for years and I've not heard of anyone else having it. Currently, I am using a Campagnolo Chorus Crank with Campagnolo Record pedals and I have two bikes set up this way. The problem is that every so often I get a "clicking" sound when I torque the pedals. It isn't shoe noise and it appears to be the pedals and the crank. The click occurs on the down stroke usually on one side or the other. The solution to this seems to be greasing the threads heavily on the pedals and inside the crank arms. My question is: am I doing something wrong to be getting this noise so frequently. It does seem to come around after riding in the rain which I don't do all that often or after several hundred miles of riding. Is this common to others or just me as no one else seems to complain about it.
Roger Pagel
Springfield, MO
Handlebar/stem creaks
I have a continual creak in my handlebar / stem connection. I'm riding a Fondriest U107 and am using a TTT Forgie 13cm stem and TTT Prima 199 bars. I've tried everything I can think of. I've regreased everything that I can imagine and even used emery cloth to sand away the black anodising and on the contact points between the bar and stem. It still creaks in out of the saddle climbing and sprinting especially when I rock the bike from side to side a lot. Any suggestions? Do I need to replace the stem with another type?
I know it doesn't seem like it should be such a big deal, but it's driving me nuts.
Lee Waldman
USA
Tire weight
Does anyone know what the lightest production tubular weighs? I suspect there is some extraordinary tires out there. I suppose it might only be fair to use 700c tires but the smaller diameter tires usually don't get the attention for lightness. I know Tufo is making a 110g 700c and a 100g 650c tire.
Jim Cushing-Murray
USA
Carbon handlebar clamp woes #1
I had a similar problem with my MC stem on my Klein combined with an alloy bar. I think the problem was associated with me tightening the stem too tight and deforming the bar! As a result it kept slipping. I had to buy a new MC3 and a new alloy bar. But this time I let a bike mechanic torque the bolts. I haven’t had any problem since…
Kamran Marashi, P.E.
Seattle, WA USA
Carbon handlebar clamp woes #2
I've always found that a small piece of wet-and-dry sandpaper, cut so that it doesn't show, and slipped inside the stem so that it's clamped when you do up the clamp bolt, works wonders. It's sometimes a little difficult to slip it into the clamp, but it's definitely worth persevering!
Jon Brooks
Qld Australia
Pedal stroke theories #1
Many thanks to Regis Chapman for his pedal stroke insights from the UC Davis lab.
My experience suggests that he's really onto something with his focus on smooth efficient pedal strokes. In my early 20's (15+ years ago) I did a lot of work on this, and eventually was able to spin up the cranks very quickly, accelerating like a track sprinter. I was also into weight-lifting at the time, and had large but balanced leg musculature. Now in the third year of an attempt to return to the sport in the latter half of my 30s, I no longer have the muscles of a young man, but am slowly regaining that fast, round pedal stroke, and find that every incremental increase in my comfortable pedalling cadence equates to an increase in speed over the roads.
For me, the key to regaining my smooth spin (besides just focusing on spinning while on the bike) has been doing leg lifts at the gym, to increase the strength of my hip flexors. This has allowed me to pull up and push forward more forcefully on the pedals, balancing the innate tendency to stomp down hard. I do this exercise holding onto an overhead bar, and raising my knees up to try and reach my chest, for 20-30 repetitions. After some months, I was able to make it more difficult by adding extra resistance. I now do this with a 15 lb dumbbell held between my feet.
For those who still doubt the importance of a smooth, fast, round pedal stroke, I would recommend a review of the stage to l'Alpe d'Huez in last year's TdF. Look carefully at Lance's pedal stroke, and at Jan's. Then note their relative velocities up the mountain.
Alex Parker
Natick, MA, USA
Pedal stroke theories #2
Regis, I'd like to ask about the relationship between pedaling efficiency as you define it (a relationship between minimum and average torque, I believe) and efficiency from a more general point of view. In other words, I would have expected pedaling efficiency to be described as "the amount of energy driven through the pedals for a given expenditure of calories". Perhaps "expenditure of calories" should be "percent of VO2max" or "level of fatigue sustained" or some other measure, but you get the idea.
In short, how does roundness of pedal stroke relate to actual performance, given a fixed level of strength, aerobic fitness, and so on?
Steve Ryan
USA
Handlebar drop #1
I also have shallower drop after using Cinelli 66, I now use ITM Millennium Strada similar shape, lightweight but shallower.
Carl
Handlebar drop #2
I just got a new bike and it has a Zepp XL handlebar. It has a very shallow drop bar, it was a noticeable difference to the old Modolo on my old bike.
Karl Knutson
Handlebar drop #3
Check out: www.dedaelementi.com and go to Deda 215. 215 has three geometries: shallow, deep, and anatomic.
I bought the anatomic; it has a real tight grip for small hands and comes with a closer reach to the shifters.
Most manufacturers have the specs (dimensions) on their web site and you can print them out to compare.
Kamran Marashi
Seattle, WA USA
Handlebar drop #4
Try 3TTT Prima. 215g, shallow drop and close to the brake levers, which is good for riders with small hands like I have.
Ian Simpson
UK
Handlebar drop #5
I am in the exact opposite situation where I am looking for a deep drop. I have recently purchase a set of Ritchey Pro bars in a 42 (c-c). The drop is very shallow, which I don't like, but the bar is 235 g, the anatomic part has a good feel and the bar is stiff. It may be worth checking out.
Scott Nelson
USA
Wheel choice #1
I would probably choose the Campagnolo Neutrons out of the wheels mentioned. If it were up to me though, I would build a set of wheels with Campagnolo hubs (probably Chorus), DT Revolution spokes and alloy nipples, and a light rim such as a Velocity Razor, or Aerohead. A wheelset like this will give you the classic look you want, yet be as light as all the wheels you've mentioned. Hey wait! When it was up to me that's exactly what I did!
Charles Beal
Connecticut
USA
Wheel choice #2
I could recommend the Campagnolo Neutrons. We use them for almost every race. (except for classics with lots of cobbles or when we know the roads are really excellent) I think they're perfect for the combination of hilly roads and bad road surface. Greetings
Ken Ilegems, Telekom team mechanic
Belgium
Wheel choice #3
I have a pair of Campagnolo Sciroccos that fly and that I trust. Go with a Campagnolo wheelset for that Colnago of yours.
Patrick Hartigan
USA
Wheel choice #4
I had to make a similar choice when I decided to replace last year's Ksyriums for my DeRosa Merak . I liked the Ksyriums but didn't like the idea of @ £45 a time to replace a spoke - I thought it only a matter of time before I'd have to.
The choice was bewildering at first but I did a spread sheet with all the weights of all manufacturers wheels and purely on weight/budget. I was left with a choice between the Eurus and Bontrager RaceLites. I've always been a Campag man and loved the Eurus at 1st sight but I went for the Bontragers as they are lighter and seem a better engineered wheelset. I can't help thinking that although they look the business, the 'snowflake' spoking is bit of a gimmick.
3000 kms and so far I can say that the RaceLites are the best wheels I have ever had. They're good enough for Kirsipuu and if the worst happens you can repair them with a standard 14g spoke.
I'm saving up for a set of Carbon RaceLites now...
Guy Watson
Portsmouth UK
Wheel choice #5
I have recently upgraded from Campagnolo Protons (last years) to Campagnolo Eurus for my Casati. I have several riding mates with Colnago's equipped with Mavic Ksyrium SLs which I reckon look too heavy on the classic Italian frame. My protons served me well but I succumbed to the great looks of the black & bladed Eurus profile (would I be the only rider to do it for the looks!). My early trepidation regarding the dished rims making the ride harsher( I live in the Adelaide hills and often ride the Tour down Under routes) quickly evaporated. My brother uses Neutrons but reckons the Eurus are a definite improvement at speed. Whilst I will never give Stuart O'Grady a run for his money, I do believe I can tell what's comfortable and what's not and although my mates swear by their K's I would take the Campagnolo E's any time (besides everyone seems to have K's these days!).
Paul Tardif
Australia
Wheel choice #6
I'd go for the Neutrons. They stay true in my experience despite taking them over some rough roads and (as my wife found on the Etape du Tour last year) can still be ridden even with a broken spoke in the front wheel. I think the build quality is better than the Eurus in terms of how true they are out of the box. Ksyriums are said to be more rigid laterally but I weigh about the same as you and think the Neutrons are fine in that respect - maybe flex is more of an issue for heavier guys. I think the downside of the Ksyriums is the fact the nipple thread is in the aluminium rim. There's the potential to strip it for one thing but what I have seen to be a problem is corrosion and it's inevitable you will get water into that area. If the thread gets corroded, it will be impossible to replace a spoke should one go on you. I'm also nervous about radial spoking on the drive side, but maybe that's me being old fashioned!
If your roads are really rough though, you might be better off with a conventional wheel set, which can be build up just as light. I couldn't see anyone at the Tour of Flanders or Paris Roubaix using Neutrons, Ksyriums and the like, which probably tells you something.
Ian Simpson
UK
Wheel choice #7
I own a set of Ksyriums and they are great. Reasonably light, fairly aero and bullet proof. I weigh around 170lbs and have used them for training and racing on all surfaces including dirt and gravel road with pot holes and they are still perfectly true. The bearings are super smooth but I have had to replace them inside 12 months and with not a lot of miles on them. The bearings cost me around 7% of the original retail price. I have read differing opinions on the "aero" nature of the thick bladed alloy spokes (ie that they are not terribly aerodynamic) and that standard round or ovalised stainless spokes are better (the fewer the better too obviously).
I myself am looking for something different/better and to my mind the Eurus looks the business. I've actually had a look at a set but haven't had the chance to ride them. I did measure them on an electronic scale in bike shop. I can't remember the exact figures but they come up lighter than the Ksyrium SLs by around 30 to 50 grams. They are the similar weight to the Neutron but have a deeper rim and less spokes (therefore more aero) and the bearings although not super smooth like the Mavics would be more cheaply serviced and probably have lower friction. Remember our perception of smooth when spinning a wheel in our hands isn't necessarily the same thing as low rolling friction.
If you want to stick to the Italian theme, have great wheel for the uphill and the downhill and is also stiff, strong and comfortable then I don't think you could go past the Eurus. They look great too! The only thing against it perhaps is that the design is new and isn't proven. I'd also like to say that this is just my opinion. I am not an expert and opinion and perception is a very personal thing.
Good luck with your decision and if you do choose the Eurus I'd love to hear some feedback as I can't quite afford mine yet.
Dave Coultas
Australia
Wheel choice #8
I ride on a pair of Campagnolo's Nucleon (or Neuron... the ones for tubulars, whatever they're called). I weigh 150 lbs and ride around Montreal, Canada, where roads are much worse than you can imagine (the very cold winters and long thawing period, coupled with the very high axle weight allowed for trucks by local regulations and poor quality of construction of our roads combine to turn them into minefields...).
My wheels have stayed true and never broken a spoke in one year of riding. They did not require retightening either. They are lighter and more aerodynamic (with the low spoke count and bladed spokes) than standard wheels and offer a much softer ride than deep dish aero wheels.
I like them very much and, being an Italophile, I would not have considered anything else fit for my beautiful DeRosa.
François Grignon
Montreal, Canada
SLR saddle #1
I just finished a two week trial of the Selle Italia SLR, and agree with your conclusion: this saddle is excellent for short events if saving 100 - 200 grams is important, but it makes a poor everyday saddle. I found the saddle comfortable (I am 1.73m, 68.5 kg.), which may explain my surprise to find that after 4 or 5 days of 2+ hour rides my thighs were beginning to be rubbed raw, an uncomfortable condition which worsened with each subsequent ride. Perhaps this is due to the relatively sharp edges on the sides of the saddle. Moreover, my longer-term test discovered that the saddle bottoms-out on hard bumps, delivering a shock to the hips and back (the middle of the saddle hits the top of the seat post). I was relieved to return my weathered Selle Italia Tri-Matic to my road bike. The SLR – all 135 grams of visual speed – will see use only on short courses with smooth roads.
Thank you for your technical articles and product reviews. Keep up the great work!
Kirby Krieger
SLR saddle #2
I've been riding the SLR XP now for three months, and have nothing but good things to say about it. I take it over everything, including rough country roads and bricks, and don't see much difference between it and my much heavier Serfas saddle that it replaced. Later!
Gene Bellavance
SLR saddle #3
I got this saddle about a year ago, and can't say enough good things about it. It was a bit different adjusting to a flat saddle, no rise to push up against when climbing, but that was an easy adjustment. I did the Seattle to Portland ride on it in July and thought it was great. No issues at all on a day where I rode 200 miles over just average roads. It's easy to slide around on for climbing or sprinting, and the saddle has a nice flex for someone in my weight range (165 pounds) I've put several thousand miles on it, and still think it's great.
John Ebenal
USA
SLR saddle #4
From where the roads are much smoother than Sydney's..
I have the 165gm (not 185) Vanox rail version and yeah, it works. It is as comfortable as any saddle I've used. Also it is good to slide back & forth on. Admittedly the first few rides had me wondering what I was doing with such a rigid beast, but since the old butt got used to it, its been perfect - even on 5 hour training rides. You wouldn't think so by looking at it. Goes to show that maybe soft padding isn't so important if the shape is good.
People ask me about it and I suspect they don't believe my answer. As for performance, well I've scored a couple of B grade victories since bolting it on. So what more can I say?
Gary King
Perth, W Australia
SLR saddle #5
I'm using the SLR on my Rocky Mountain Element full suspension XC mountain bike. I've even had a good crash on it – handlebar... seat... wheel... handlebar... seat – you get the idea, and it held up. Just a tear in the leather. On a mountain bike it's fine, since you're not consistently in the saddle as much as a road ride. I've had it since May of 2001 and I will get one for my track bike before the season heats up. I don't know about the road bike, even though my longest rides are usually ~50 miles.
Chris Echelmeier
Boulder, Colorado, USA
SLR saddle #6
I've never been a fan of flimsy lightweight products, but when I rode this saddle I gained respect towards it because it is perfectly flexible. Therefore, it feels very comfortable even though it has little padding. The only problem that I found was that it is very smooth and that translates into a slippery feel. It would be perfect if it had some sort of stitching or engraved lettering like other Selle Italia saddles. I give it an almost perfect rating.
Vinny
SLR saddle #7
Put an SLR on my new C40. It's very comfortable, one of the best seats I've used in my 28 years of racing bicycles. The only seat that was more comfortable but certainly not as light was the Brooks that came with my Raleigh Pro that cost me $460.00 including Vittoria silk tires!
Walter Liedke
Anchorage Alaska, USA
Tyre pressure #1
I am not sure what Tom means by the tyre pressure that leads to the least loss of inertia. As stated, it makes little sense.
Tire pressure on a bicycle is a trade-off between performance and comfort. The optimal tire pressure is for each one to decide according to his own weight, quality of roads and priorities. The higher the pressure, the lesser the rolling resistance. Obviously, tire construction determines the upper limit. One must also keep in mind that rolling resistance is a relatively small part of the energy losses, compared to aerodynamic losses.
A softer tire will absorb road irregularities better. The risk of flats caused by pinching by the rim due to under-inflation sets the lower limit. A tire with a larger section will be able to absorb a greater amount of deflection before bottoming out and, therefore, will be more resistant to pinch flats and can thus be run at a lower pressure. A heavier rider will deflect the tire more for a given pressure and, therefore, must use a higher pressure to compensate.
I doubt very much that heat-induced changes in the rubber coefficient of friction will have a pronounced effect on cornering performance, in the case of a bicycle. It just does not go fast enough and does not use the soft super sticky rubber of, say, racing motorcycles.
Speaking of motorcycles, I have raced them many years ago and I recall that tire pressure adjustments where made with the aim of maintaining the tire at the optimal temperature for traction. A softer tire deflects more under load, and this deflection causes friction in the tire carcass, which generates heat. Too much heat and the tire turns "greasy" and starts to slide. Too little heat and the tire remains hard and glass like, with less than optimal traction. Higher speeds require higher pressures because higher speed mean a higher rate of deflection of the tire per unit of time, hence, a greater heat input per unit of time. It has to be compensated by not allowing the tire to flex as much. But this does not apply to bicycles. Overheating of tires is not a problem, except on the stationary home trainer where the tiny roller accumulates heat and does not allow the tire to cool like pavement does.
I weigh 65kg and am performance-oriented. I use 21mm or 22mm wide tubulars. I run my tires at about 8.0 to 8.5 bars on smooth roads, and go down to 6.5 to 7.0 bars on very bad roads. It is not often that I puncture.
François Grignon
Tyre Pressure #2
I an a 145 pound rider and was wondering if, since I am not too heavy, I could benefit from running tires at a pressure higher than listed "max", since I am putting less weight on the tire and therefore the pressure under use is less than a normal (sorry, higher weight) rider.
I know less pressure is more comfortable, but I don't give a crap about comfort! If I can reduce rolling resistance while still being safe I will... Please don't speculate, Any Pro Mechs advice would be great, and save the traction talk also, as I am in Arizona and the roads are as Hot dry and clean as any...
Charles Manantan
Phoenix AZ
Rolling resistance decreases linearly with pressure, so more tyre pressure is always better if the only aim is lower rolling resistance. Most tyres are designed to blow off at about twice their maximum rated pressure, so there's a large safety margin, though I'm sure if you put 150psi in a tyre rated at 110psi and anything went seriously wrong, the tyre company's lawyers would eat for breakfast any attempt at a claim for damages. Not that you'd try that, of course – just a thought.
As a proof test I'd inflate the tyre to, say, 30psi over the pressure you intend to use. If it doesn't blow off, the target pressure is probably safe.
Frankenbike
A search of the Google archive of usenet newsgroups (which goes back to 1981)
shows that the first utterance of the word "Frankenbike" appeared on August
6, 1996:
Project
Frankenbike
'Rich and Jules'
STI problems
Jonathan's STI lever sounds as if it is not letting the plastic cable anchor slide back into place. I have run in to this problem several times, and in most cases it was a build up of dirt/gunk that prohibited the inner workings from proper function.
Your first painless solution would be to remove the lever from the bike, and then the brake hood. Then submerse the whole lever in a dunk tank filled with solvent that does not react to plastic (we use a mild petroleum based solvent). An hour or so later I follow up with a soft bristle brush to remove build up and flush the lever clean in the solvent. Allow to air dry, or carefully use an air nozzle to blow out remaining solvent. Then liberally apply a teflon based lubricant (tri flow) into the shifting mechanism area by "applying the brakes" and through the derailleur cable exit area. 95 percent of the time this cleaning is all the lever needs. The other five percent have broken a return spring or return spring stop, and if this is the case the lever is now clean and lubed for easier disassembly.
Pat White
Grand Forks, ND
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