Conference noted::bicycle

    	Can anyone comment on shift levers at the end of the dropped
    hadlebars like I have.? Anyone have a fondness for the Raleighs
    bikes? How do the rate? Are they Chevy's quality or Buick? Just
    wondering what to expect about dependability!

    
    
    No worries, ya got a good machine. The Ralieghs are great bikes.
    Belmont is a real good shop. They're not cheap but you'll get what
    you pay for. I used to know all the folks in that shop but that
    was a couple years ago.
    
    Spenco makes a seat pad that's filled with a colloid (like ski boots)
    that's supposed to help saddle soreness. I use a saddle by Pearl
    Izumi called a Flolite that has a similar material in it, and it
    really helps. However, the best way to combat saddle soreness is
    to ride, ride, ride! Toughen up that bum.
    
    Barcons were really popular for criterium racers in the sixties
    and early seventies, and are still popular now for touring types.
    They have more flex and slop than downtube shifters, so I don't
    like them, but that's just my opinion.
    
    Have fun
    CdH
    
    

    re :-  bar_cons	I wonder if they'll get popular again now that
    click shifting is coming back into style.  The lack  of feel is
    probably a lot less of a problem with click shift.   
    
    Reg 
    
    	(Me ?, nah, I'm probably going back to single speed again.)

The barcon handlebar shifters are nice - I have them on both of my 
derailleur bikes. A little more play than downtube shifters, as .2 
mentioned, but I have sort of stubby arms, and a TALL frame, so I 
appreciate not having to reach for the down tube! (My ears sometimes pop 
on the way back up :-) ). In general, if the downtube shifters are
suitable for you, I would choose them over the barcons, but I wouldn't 
bother switching if you like them....

Also, the Suntour barcons seem to be the ones to get. Several die-hard 
Campag fans I've run into have tried the Campag barcons, and all were 
last seen using Suntour. The Shimano barcons I last saw quite a number 
of years back were just AWFUL. Sort of spring loaded to provide an 
effect similar to the ratchets in the Suntour. Didn't work at all well.

                                                ken

>Also, the Suntour barcons seem to be the ones to get. Several die-hard 
>Campag fans I've run into have tried the Campag barcons, and all were 
>last seen using Suntour. The Shimano barcons I last saw quite a number 
>of years back were just AWFUL. Sort of spring loaded to provide an 
>effect similar to the ratchets in the Suntour. Didn't work at all well.
>
>                                                ken

I agree about the Campy barcons, but really like the Shimanos.  I have Shimano
barcons on my good bike and suntour on the old one.  The reason for the spring
in the Shimanos is to counter the spring in the deraileur.  An opposed spring 
system means that you don't have to pull as hard to tighten the cable and you 
don't need a ratchet system or a very large friction lever.
The only problem with the Shimanos is that installing them is a minor pain 
(anything involving springs is!)

		-David

    Is a Raleigh a good bike?  I think so.  I've always had Raleighs
    (my first was a Super Course with barcon shifters... nice bike!).
    
    However, I now own a Raleigh USA Grand Prix Racing and I'm not as
    satisified.  The frame (reynolds 555 triple butted) seems to have
    excessive flex in it when I apply "careful" lateral pressure to the
    bottom bracket.  The problem with frame flex is that it absorbs
    a lot of energy instead of directing it to the crankset.
    
    Also, both my Super Course and Grand Prix seem to have poorly built
    wheels (I've heard this can be a problem with Raleighs).  The spokes
    tend to move around on the rear hub since they are oversized (causing
    a lose fit in the hub).  The problem is that the spokes make a noise
    (mostly when cranking up hills) since they are not fitted tightly
    against the hub.  
    
    Overall, I like Raleighs but watch those wheels!  
    
    regards,
    
    Keith

    	You people are great! This response is better than I expected!
    I haven't seen a conference yet in Notes that isn't top-flight!
    This one's high up on the ladder; the more that I read the more I
    understand.
    
    	I love to ride with the wind in my face! Especially out the
   Rt.4 & 225 Minuteman highway from Lexington out to the Concord area.
   I'll learn more about cadence and all the good stuff this season.
   
    	Again, thanks for the answers and opinions. I secretly wished
    I had A Fuji but they didn't have a 19-1/2" frame when I was looking.
    Nice bikes but I'll get some use out of mine this year before I
    get into dreaming of greener pastures.
     
    

    re .7	Well, you must come ridin' with ME sometime;  whichever
    direction I head its *ALWAYS* into the wind.  Anyone know the tail_wind
    and downhill rides around here ?
    
    	Reg
    

    WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING
    
    Riding with Reg is ALWAYS riding UPHILL and INTO the wind.
    Reg can turn around in the middle of a long uphill, and the 
    road will rise up to meet him. I mean LITERALLY RISE UP so
    he's going uphill again!!!!!
    
    WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING

    	Reg, it sounds good to me. I feel like flying after all this
    bad weather has kept me indoors. I wonder what it'd be like to do
    Plum Island again? 	
    	I was a former jogger that was comfortable with an 8 min/mile
    pace when in shape. It takes me about 2 or 3 weeks to get into shape
    for running, but I'm sure it'll take longer for biking. I have alot to 
    learn about cadence and smoother riding technique but I have the
    rest of my life to learn. 
    
    	Aren't beer dispensers at every mile marker the indicator of
    an ideal bike path?



                      

    RE: .0
    
    I second Chris's recommendation about Belmont Wheel Works.   They
    are generally very professional, but not the cheapest.
    
    I think it is worth paying a little more for top quality repair
    work though.
    
    (Better yet, learn how to do it yourself.  Very few things on a
    bike are really difficult.)
    
    Chuck
    

    I'm going to learn how to do the repairs this month. My girlfriend
    has a book. Can anyone recommend a well-written book for someone
    with some basic mechanical ability?
    
    I still feel that either I'm not shifting properly or I still don't
    have a proper adjustment on my front derailleur! I can't effectively 
    (quickly) shift from large sprocket to small going up a hill even
    slowly. I don't know which is the problem. It shifts better but
    not well enough! 
    
    I'll be riding more (weather permitting) and troubleshooting my
    technique. I'm going to do this right without aches and pains and
    frustration where it's unnecessary. I hope! Maybe what I need is
    somebody that has experience to check out my shifting technique
    and my bike's adjustment. I had the shop adjust the front derailleur
    again while I was there.    	


                                      

I like Eugene Sloane's `Bicycle Maintenance Manual', Simon and Shuster, 1981.

It's much harder to shift under load than not. So I think that
most folks would say that you should shift *before* the hill, not on it.

bob

    	Read notes 31.0 and 59.3 and 59.4
    
    	They mention some books you might like to consider.
    
    	Scott

    Read rules and riding with rhythm regularly. Responding to rotation ritual
    rather reasonably! Please, no raspberries for the rhymes.  

             				Regards,
                                        Russ

    Re:  Problem with chain coming off when shifting from large chainring
    to small one:
    
    Are your rings widely different in size?  If so, I would bet that
    your REAR derailure has insufficent capacity, or isn't adjusted
    correctly.
    
    For example, I have 30-50 rings on my touring bike.  So, changing
    rings frees up about about 10 links of chain ('cuse the chain is
    wrapped around about half the ring).  That's five inches.  It is
    the arm of the rear changer that has to take up this slack - and
    quickly - is your chain has to stay on.
    
    In general, even the cheapest front changer is fine even for my
    absurdly wide rings - but you need a good 'un at the back.
    
    One more tip:  slide the front changer down the seat tube until
    the cage clears the rings by a millimeter or maybe two - no more.
    But any good bike shop should have done this already.
    
    	Andrew