Bike Rock City 2009

BlackBox · Post by **BlackBox** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 11:30 am

We will be back repairing bikes on the playa this year. If you are a bike mechanic and want to volunteer with our camp, please get in touch.
[email protected]

Post by **Elderberry** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 12:14 pm

great. hope you're listed in the book.

JK

Henry and June · Post by **Henry and June** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 1:30 pm

Awesome!! Let's hope the biking conditions are better this year.

Tom2 · Post by **Tom2** » Sat Mar 07, 2009 1:24 am

i setup 3 mountain bikes with a very cheap (~15 bucks) single speed conversion last year, and all 3 of us rode all week long, daily. we had zero bike failures or issues at all. i think 15 bucks is worth one less thing to worry about!

id like to post up the easy conversion for people to do before the event, and ill bring the parts to do 5 or 10 more at bm. id like to help for a few hours a day or so!

im actually a lexus mechanic, but if i can fix a $120K lexus, i can probably fix your beater burn bike ;)

alt12 · Post by **alt12** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 9:17 am

hey Blackbox, would you guys be interested in being a check point for an alley cat race? We're organizing one this year (in true Mission style) for Thursday afternoon and need a few check points....I can't think of one more apporpirate than Bike Rock City....
alex
www.missioncountryclub.com

alt12 · Post by **alt12** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 9:21 am

Tom2 wrote:i setup 3 mountain bikes with a very cheap (~15 bucks) single speed conversion last year, and all 3 of us rode all week long, daily. we had zero bike failures or issues at all. i think 15 bucks is worth one less thing to worry about!

id like to post up the easy conversion for people to do before the event, and ill bring the parts to do 5 or 10 more at bm. id like to help for a few hours a day or so!

im actually a lexus mechanic, but if i can fix a $120K lexus, i can probably fix your beater burn bike ;)

why not just stay in one-gear of a cheapo mountainbike? I don't think I've shifted a gear in 3 years....No need to, its all fat...

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 8:59 pm

alt12 wrote:
Tom2 wrote:i setup 3 mountain bikes with a very cheap (~15 bucks) single speed conversion last year, and all 3 of us rode all week long, daily. we had zero bike failures or issues at all. i think 15 bucks is worth one less thing to worry about!

id like to post up the easy conversion for people to do before the event, and ill bring the parts to do 5 or 10 more at bm. id like to help for a few hours a day or so!

im actually a lexus mechanic, but if i can fix a $120K lexus, i can probably fix your beater burn bike ;)
why not just stay in one-gear of a cheapo mountainbike? I don't think I've shifted a gear in 3 years....No need to, its all fat...

All that bacon.

Korwedge · Post by **Korwedge** » Sat Aug 08, 2009 5:36 pm

[quote="Tom2"]i setup 3 mountain bikes with a very cheap (~15 bucks) single speed conversion last year, and all 3 of us rode all week long, daily. we had zero bike failures or issues at all. i think 15 bucks is worth one less thing to worry about!

id like to post up the easy conversion for people to do before the event, and ill bring the parts to do 5 or 10 more at bm. id like to help for a few hours a day or so!

im actually a lexus mechanic, but if i can fix a $120K lexus, i can probably fix your beater burn bike ;)[/quote]

So what is the coversion? I converting my mountain bike to just one speed this year. Which gears should I put the chain on?

Tom2 · Post by **Tom2** » Sun Aug 09, 2009 12:50 am

wow, i forgot my log in..

more chain = more crap to go wrong.. more links to go stiff. the playa dust gets in everything, including cable housings. people have a tendency to play with crap if its on the bike. dont touch the shifters!

break the chain, run it through the FIRST rear derailleur pulley only, and around the front middle chain ring. screw the low limit screw all the way in, until you get it solid on a gear.. it should be the 2nd or 3rd from the bottom. repin the chain.

screw your front derailleur limit screw in far enough to keep it on the middle ring.. once it stays in gear, remove all your shifters and cables. wala! single speed, reliable.

sram chains have the link that makes it easier to do.. but you can reuse a pressed out pin if you're careful.. drivetrain problems are the most common bike problem.

the derailleur keeps tension on the chain, and the shorter overall length is just less to go wrong.

ill be at bike rock city volunteering a few times.. bringing full tools and a repair stand.

Korwedge · Post by **Korwedge** » Sun Aug 09, 2009 4:24 pm

Can you just remove the derailer and shorten the chain? If so, which gears should the chain use for playa use?

Tiahaar · Post by **Tiahaar** » Sun Aug 09, 2009 10:38 pm

Like Tom2 says, you need the derailer in the loop to keep tension on the chain, because unlike single speeds with horizontal dropouts where you can slide the wheel back to tighten the chain, derailer bikes have vertical(ish) dropouts.

Plus the derailer can be set to keep it in the single gear you want.

FWIW, I'd say this conversion would be ideal for some old mountainbike where the shifter pods were already thrashed but the derailers were still serviceable. If everything works I'd keep it on.

I've also found my beach cruiser to be geared too high for slow playa pedaling, so went and put a bigger sprocket on the back and a smaller chainwheel on the front. Much nicer!

I'll bring my stand and tools over to the bike shop this year too, and/or be set up in random places through the week.