SRAM Red lever tune...

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dereksmalls
Posts: 2305
Joined: Tue Aug 02, 2011 9:20 pm
Location: New Zealand

by dereksmalls

theremery wrote:I sent the manufacturer of plastidip an email yesterday asking for local stockists......


You tried these guys in Auckland? http://www.griffiths.co.nz/Griffiths/Plasti-Dip.asp

by Weenie


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weeracerweenie
Posts: 500
Joined: Mon Aug 15, 2011 4:48 am

by weeracerweenie

Nope, will have a look!
I guess there's worse hobbies than making a bike light? Right?

weeracerweenie
Posts: 500
Joined: Mon Aug 15, 2011 4:48 am

by weeracerweenie

On the heat shrink front the first shop I visited wanted $100nzd/m so that's not gonna happen. :shock:

I'll exploit my dads local trade (auto electrician) for finding a source, then I'll get his discounts on it too... More progress to come!
I guess there's worse hobbies than making a bike light? Right?

User avatar
theremery
Posts: 2658
Joined: Sun Jun 12, 2005 10:56 am
Location: New Zealand

by theremery

Thanks, Derek.....the manufacturer never bothered replying (why would they.....I only wanted 1 can :/ )
Game on for full modded levers coming up this holiday :)
Updated: Racing again! Thought this was unlikely! Eventually, I may even have a decent race!
Edit: 2015: darn near won the best South Island series (got second in age
-group)..woo hoo Racy Theremery is back!!

kevosinn
in the industry
Posts: 630
Joined: Mon Mar 05, 2012 7:28 am
Contact:

by kevosinn

rode my foam hoods yesterday and they were nice but I can tell they wont last to long. Im not worried about it because I dont ride that bike to much. they weigh only 1.5 grams :) the looks are not the greatest but im ok with it!
Www.crypticcycles.com Custom carbon frames, bar/stem combos, repair and component tuning.

weeracerweenie
Posts: 500
Joined: Mon Aug 15, 2011 4:48 am

by weeracerweenie

Oh pics please kevosinn!
I guess there's worse hobbies than making a bike light? Right?

dereksmalls
Posts: 2305
Joined: Tue Aug 02, 2011 9:20 pm
Location: New Zealand

by dereksmalls

theremery wrote:Thanks, Derek.....the manufacturer never bothered replying (why would they.....I only wanted 1 can :/ )
Game on for full modded levers coming up this holiday :)


You're welcome. Let us know how it turns out obviously.

kevosinn
in the industry
Posts: 630
Joined: Mon Mar 05, 2012 7:28 am
Contact:

by kevosinn

Sorry Ive been lagging on the pictures! Ill post them tomorrow!
Www.crypticcycles.com Custom carbon frames, bar/stem combos, repair and component tuning.

weeracerweenie
Posts: 500
Joined: Mon Aug 15, 2011 4:48 am

by weeracerweenie

I look forward to it! :D
I guess there's worse hobbies than making a bike light? Right?

weeracerweenie
Posts: 500
Joined: Mon Aug 15, 2011 4:48 am

by weeracerweenie

@kevosinn do we have pictures yet??
I guess there's worse hobbies than making a bike light? Right?

jpeterson1012
Posts: 258
Joined: Fri Dec 20, 2019 10:06 pm
Location: Chicago

by jpeterson1012

Alright here's my version. Spent way too many hours on them to just save some 13 odd grams, and then I weighed the shifter clamps (which I'd taped in place and really, really didn't want to touch) and they turned out to be 19 grams (which I knew beforehand but was hoping I was wrong) and schmolke sells 8g clamps for 50 bucks so I'd be dumb not to go for them after having dumped so much time into these... also bought some cheapish ti bolts in the hopes of a saving a gram. might make those hollow on the lathe, but I'd have to get a tailstock chuck which is $$$.

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starting weight of 17g. do not confuse this with wrw's 20+, he weighed then with the brake cable catch still on there.


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shorten them down by 20mm or so, open square slots like an idiot. if I was actually using my brain at the time I wouldve done triangular trusses instead. monkey see monkey do...


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in the process of cutting holes, I had to remove the little rubber bumper that pushes the shift paddle back then you brake. as a result, I built a little bridge out of cf with an elongated slot in it where the bumper originally went. it was important to have this bridge sit shy of the edge of the lever blade for the plastic bumper insert.


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for the plastic bumper insert, I decided to try some polymorph. you know, those little plastic beads that you boil and they turn to goop... I am slightly concerned about this stuff melting if the bike is left out in the sun uncooled, however plan B is to mold it out of Alumilite's Flex80 casting rubber which has a Shore A hardness of around 85, a little harder than the bottom of a shoe.

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as far as polymorph is concerned, I can't find anything concrete on its characteristics or specs, but have seen brands claim it as something of an in-between of PP and nylon, which is great. in actuality, this stuff is tough, wear resistant, and pretty hard at room temperature, all great traits for what I'm using it for.

Final shaping of this stuff is a pain. The answer was heating a box cutter over a heat gun and then carving little by little. once you remove it from the pot you really only have a minute or so to work it into shape (at least with how small my piece was) before it starts to gum up and act more like an eraser than a play-doh. It's held firmly in place because I "riveted" it in place using the hole on the bridge. the elongation of the hole prevents it from rotating. it's solid.

I considered dying the stuff black, but all I have on hand is carbon fiber dust and that would increase wear significantly... so it's staying white for now.


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The bridge and bumper added 0.3g


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I forgot to take a before and after weight of the shift paddle, but I'd say I saved 1.5-2g there from clear coat and that hole.


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as much as I appreciate the strive for even lighter diy hoods, I personally can only accept things that look like a final, marketable product. no harsh feelings.


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bumper works perfectly as intended.


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it's a 1x system, so the left shifter has been gutted and is sub 100 without the clamp


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oof. nowhere near where I want it. I'm aiming for 220.

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I've already dumped like 20 hours into these, it would be a disservice to myself to not just buy the 50 buck schmolke clamps at this point...
Last edited by jpeterson1012 on Thu Jan 06, 2022 12:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Maddie
Posts: 1532
Joined: Tue Oct 17, 2017 5:44 am

by Maddie

Great stuff, love the enthusiasm.

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