Show me Your Tuning!

[wally318]

I'm a little dissapointed at the response on this particular thread.
On a personal level as well as on a Topical level.
I went through great effort to put posts on here to try to help keep
this tread alive, in hopes that it would embolden others who have or are working
on things to come out of the closet and share with us, as I have done.
It took a lot of effort/time for me, I'm not a fast typist or that great w/ cameras
and computers. A lot better at designing/building things.
Besides cycling/building bikes (pedal-o-filia) I'm also an audiophile with an interest
in both music and the reproduction equipment. In which I have done a lot of tinkering
and mods. As well as in machining which works well in the other two interests but
has another area of moding machines and tools or making special tools/jigs
to work on a particular bike compnent for example.
In each of these areas of interest there are groups like the one here at WW's
for example in Machining there are proffesional and hobbyist groups some who
buy all their equipment and some who make all/some of their tooling as projects
for their machines or to save money.
In Audio there are groups that discuss what equipment they use and... what they've
modded on them or what they plan on doing. Some that buy all their equipment
and experiment w/ swapping out different components to improve sound, and
some who buy components they like or are known for their moddability, and put
sweat equity into their systems instead of spending money. Either because they don't
have it, but enjoy the hobby. Or because they enjoy the work, or they know it will
yeild a superior end product and in most cases for less money.

But here at weight weenies...

I'm sure you can find a better analogy

[thisisatest]

Don't let the lack of response get you down. I'm in complete awe of your work, I certainly plan on doing stuff like that for myself. But planning is one thing, you're DOING it.
I think most people, like myself, don't have anything useful to contribute. Believe me, though, there isn't one of us out here that doesn't wish we could be doing what you are doing. Keep it up! please!

[lechat]

Agree, the forum has shifted from creative weight reduction to adoration of the latest, usually most expensive goodies. It's enough to make an overpaid, OCD, Rodeo Dr. dwelling starlette blush.
That's why we need posters like yourself to keep the flame burning.

[cmdr199212]

I 3rd that.. I could never afford the stuff that a lot of members are able to, and this is a viable way to actually reduce weight. Its fascinating!

[weeracerweenie]

When I started this thread I thought it would encourage those members who do radical stuff like yourself Wally. All it's done is proven that the entire forum has shifted from "look where I saved 3 grams by drilling here" to "what shoes should I get" or "help me spend $573". Those threads are all good and well but when the true weenies I know (who I can count on two hands) try something new it's not recognised. I'm not sure why. I'm all for drilling and dremelling. But it's like they are to scared or it's now considered stupid or idiotic to make something rather than blow $20,000 on a new bike.

Don't get me wrong I love some of the threads on here about new products and Company specific threads (cannodales etc etc.)

But seriously. What happened to all the true weight weenies??

[mikep77]

I'm a relatively new poster here (long time reader though). I think you have to understand that the typical cyclist these days comes from a relatively well-to-do background in order to buy into what has become a rich man's sport. That usually means they have a white collar profession and very little or no background in what it takes to do the amazing work you guys do on tuning your bikes. Ask your doctor or dentist next time you visit about lathes, dremels, or cnc work, my guess is they would be hard pressed to give any meaningful response beyond layman's terms.

Unfortunately that is the cost of "progress". I remember watching my coach drill out his campy chainrings for a 20+ lb steel framed bike that was "cutting edge" at the time. (and cost a fraction of "cutting edge" bikes of today, even with inflation)

I can't say I like the change in costs for our sport, but they are what they are, and we should be happy there are people still willing to pay to play.

I love seeing what you can do on your project bikes even if I no longer do any of it these days. Keep it up!

[dereksmalls]

I second the totally in awe factor of you all doing this tuning, experimenting and taking that risk. Hats are off to anyone on here doing it themselves. That is the passion, don't lose it. I enjoy these types of threads more so that the dieting, my billion dollar brake type threads. Just don't have the know how, balls or spare cash if it goes horribly wrong and needs replacing, to do it myself.

[totoboa]

I'm a little dissapointed at the response on this particular thread. On a personal level as well as on a Topical level.
and,
I second the totally in awe factor of you all doing this tuning, experimenting and taking that risk. Hats are off to anyone on here doing it themselves. That is the passion, don't lose it. I enjoy these types of threads more so that the dieting, my billion dollar brake type threads. Just don't have the know how, balls or spare cash if it goes horribly wrong and needs replacing, to do it myself.

Agree x2. And yes, I read the sticky - Please don't quote people unnecessarily. I wish I had more technical to add. Wally, your thread is appreciated and well received. I can't articulate how needed this topic/thread is. Edit: defender of the faith !!!!

[totoboa]

Just went back through your links and posts and the pics on Photobucket. This came up:


How has that held up ?

One of the comments on your intro thread is telling. "How does a 17 yo afford a 5.1 kg bike ? "

By working at the pieces and sweating the details.

[theremery]

Many places of 2-20g adds up mighty quickly
Stronglight pulsions are good cranks!! Used them for years. You MUST check the chainring bolts regularly and I wouldn't ride one that has had a decent smack to the arms, but otherwise they are light and very rigid (a bit of a fail aerodynamically tho).
Going to claviculas saved very little over the pulsions on an average Ti b.b. On a xxlight scandium axle, the pulsions were a few grams lighter, from memory.

[HammerTime2]

Many places of 2-20g adds up mighty quickly

A billion nanograms here, a billion nanograms there, pretty soon it adds up to real weight savings.

[lechat]

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This is a Force RD I trimmed down to 143gms. I won a Red one on eBay last night for $25 shipped. A victim of a maladjusted set screw. The cages and inner link are toast but everything else looks good. With the Ti springs and alloy pins, should be able to pare a good bit of weight.
The pulleys w/ceramic bearings are still good so I'll probably re-eBay them. Should fetch $20 easily to offset my expenses.
So don't despair Weenies. With a bit of cunning , patience, and eBay, you can have bikes that are light and high-performance. Without paying full retail to some clip joint, on products with obscene mark-ups to begin with.

[weeracerweenie]

Just went back through your links and posts and the pics on Photobucket. This came up:


How has that held up ?

One of the comments on your intro thread is telling. "How does a 17 yo afford a 5.1 kg bike ? "

By working at the pieces and sweating the details.

They are really nice cranks. People always ask if I cut the hole! Hahahahaha tey are nice and stuff, so light too! And with my Super Record Front Derailleur it shifts like a dream!

And yes, I'm 18 now and I ride a 5kg bike, but I worked for every bit. Plus everything I can't ford for it I have a crack at building instead. I enjoy building just as much as riding. I worked damn had for the bike (I worked for my dad at $7.50 an hour, crafty bastard, before I got a job at a bike shop)

@lechat, nice effort! What was the total weight saving?? My SRAM Red rear derailleur went from 145gm to 104.71gm. There is a heap of extra weight in them!

@HammerTime, if you take 1 gram off in 100 places your lost 100 grams. Now repeat

[weeracerweenie]

Here is my first ever tune, it was a SRAM Red front derailleur, i tuned the hell out of it and the result was this, ive never actually ridden it though since as soon as i did this tune i moved to a braze on front derailleur frameset and havent gone back yet... So its been in the man cave for about a year now... One day ill put it on someones bike and see if they can break it...

Original weight was 84 grams?? Correct me if im wrong... its now down too 62.17 grams. Only riding will tell if its actually going to work though. Here are some pics for you all!


You can see the concave form to the arm, it looks better in person and when comapred to a standard un tuned one really looks cool!


Lets just say i got drill happy here... although stiffness is still pretty damn good! The little joiner at the end snapped off when tuning so i remoulded with carbon saving a gram or so.


Took a large amount of material out of the arms, the only issue i would see this having is to little surface area on the frame resulting in cracked paint or worse...


I decided the old original spring was to heavy so i made a new one from a Ti spoke wrappedaround a 8mm allan key in the vice at home. Less coils = less mass = lighter

Although i think this will break if ridden the skills i learnt out of doing it are invaluable, so in my opinion worth writing off (most likely) a SRAM red component.

[artray]

wally I think using ... analogy is a bit strong and out of context. We are after all only talking about bikes and bits of carbon etc etc . There have been a lot of tuning posts already . I have enjoyed this thread very much but not everyone has the means and skill to tune to some of the levels on this sight and don't forget there will be a lot of ww who will read your posts but may not post anything . I think you and everyone else who contributes keeps this sight going and show what can be achieved.
It's always best not to expect to much and any words of admiration you recieve should be accepted with grace. Keep doing and keep posting