Monday, December 26, 2011

Where Is The Snow?

Well, I am not going to complain too much, because there are certainly benefits to not having all the white stuff around, but when you have a fat-bike, it seems a bit of a let down.

The temperatures have been uncanny here, and i know that they have been weird elsewhere too. My relatives in El Paso, Texas have had more snow so far than we have had. Heck.....they even had a white Christmas, while we were brown all the way through.

Strange days indeed, and especially so when you consider that the last four years have been really snowy. I think we have short term memories though, because if you go further past the last four years, the winters before that were not very snowy at all.

But that was the past, and this year seems odd at best. One thing it helps is with regard to T.I.V8 recon. I hope to be out there doing that today, actually. A report to follow if I am successful. In the meantime, I will share some more on the build of the titanium Mukluk, which has been dubbed "By-Tor".


I decided to go with these SRAM TT 10 speed shifters and Paul Thumbies. The end result will be a 10 speed rear thumb shifters that are SRAM compatible with my SRAM rear derailleur and 10 speed rear cassette.

Of course, some assembly was required. You have a few bolts to mess with to get the thumb shifters you desire, but it really isn't too hard a process. Give yourself about tem minutes and you will get there. Choice of beverage is optional. I went with "The Black Goodness" for this project, as I was feeling kind of tired.

Viola! Thumb shifters!

Of course, I won't be using the front/left shifter right off. That will be held in reserve for now, but I figured I may as well just swap out both at the same time.

I gotta say that the SRAM shift action is stiff! I wonder if that will break in a bit smoother after use, but right now it is a hard lever to move and when you do, it gives a solid "ker-chunk" when it goes into the next gear position.

My next task is to prepare the crank set. I have quite a bit of cleaning to do, and then I need to source a 32 or 34 tooth chain ring that will work with a 10 speed chain. I may have something, but I may not. Some digging around down in the Lab may turn something up, we'll see.

Until next time.....


3 comments:

S Sprague said...

GT, I see your SRAM shifters are the TT500 versions (correct me if I'm wrong). Sounds like my 9 speed Dura Ace's shift a little easier. Your comments on comparing the two. I was hoping you'd try the R2C shifters with the Thumbies. I think that set up would be the best. If it wasn't for the cost of the shifters, I'd try it.
Thanks,
Steve

Guitar Ted said...

@S Sprague: Yeah....I'd like to try them as well, but for the cost, and I can't see the benefit for that much more money myself.

Dura Ace bar ends do shift with much lighter action than these do.

S Sprague said...

GT, In my mind (where lots of things happen), the R2C would be nice so you know where the lever is at all times. Not sure if they'd be in the ideal location mind you.

I do not recommend a Saint rear derailleur and Dura Ace thumbies. The stiff spring was too much for my thumb. I went to a Saint shifter and a much happier thumb!

Thanks! Steve