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Tech Tip: V-Brake Arm Lengths

 This very useful post is copied from http://www.gravelbike.com/v-brake-arm-lengths/ which is gone from the internet :( Tech Tip: V-Brake Arm Lengths June 20, 2014 Mark Chandler Gear & Tech Despite their age, our articles on  v-brakes  and  v-brake conversions  remain  very  popular with GRAVELBIKE’s readers. To help folks determine whether a certain brake will clear their bikes’ fenders or fat tires, we’ve compiled a list of popular v-brakes’ arm lengths (the list will be updated as new information becomes available). Model Length (mm) Tektro 917A 75 Tektro 926AL 80 Paul MiniMoto 83 TRP CX8.4 84 BOX Eclipse (short) 85 Campagnolo Mirage 85 Promax P-1 (short) 85 Tektro BX3v 85 Tektro RX5 85 Shimano BR-R353 87 Shimano BR-R463 90 Shimano BR-R573 90 Tektro RX6 90 TRP CX9 90 Tektro 930AL 95 Tektro BX25 95 Bullseye Raceworks 96 Tektro M530 102 Tektro M730 102 TRP M920 102 Paul Motolite 103 Avid SL 104 KCNC 105 AEST 106 Koski Lite 106 Shimano Deore X...
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Centurion Ironman Dave Scott

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 1985 Centurion Ironman Dave Scott So my good friend Rob at Got To Get Out convinced me to take on this project of a "good bones" retro road bike. I've had old bikes before, but not a race style bike. 1967 Raleigh Riviera  1984? Peugeot PH40 This looked pretty good and rode fine. The rust annoyed me so I tried to clean it up a bit. Then I discovered that the paint had completely failed, with surface rust under the paint! So now the frame is stripped and raw. I've got some paint waiting to go on. This is one of those projects that takes way longer than expected...
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Makena build list

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 Here's the parts list Lizard skin mini machine grips in pink Polished aluminium bar 580mm to replace the boat anchor steel bar.  Ultegra RD-6600 SS to replace the junk Tourney derailleur. New pads New chain New cables New derailleur hanger Schwalbe Smart Sam 2.35" tyres. The rear stays have approx 60mm of clearance so I hope it fits. I did consider Minions but they're twice the price. DMR V6 pedals in pink. Might be too big, TBC. Oxford cartridge bottom bracket (68x122) The current crankset is 32T and 140mm so I'm also considering finding something shorter and lower. Thanks to  Josca Bicycle Repairs  for some of these parts. The V brakes don't quite fit with the 2.35" tyre so I need to find ones with longer arms. Or get smaller tyres...
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Kona Makena 20

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 After checking out a few 20" frames, many with geometry that just didn't make sense for trail riding, I found this Kona Makena on FB for $90. It is well loved and needs a fair amount of work. Which is exactly what I'm looking for, a good base for customisation. Pink was the requested colour from Miss 5. I quite like this pink and teal colourway. So what have we got? 2018 Kona Makena  Bald tyres Worn brakes and chain Bent derailleur  Stiff cables Smooth bearings Wonky wheels The goal is to build a bike for trail riding on greens, build some skills, and hopefully create a biking addiction.
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Giant Kronos

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 This is a ~1990 Giant Kronos, in great condition. I picked it up cheap on trade me. Specs: 14 speed Exage 400 groupset. 52-42 cranks, 13-26 cassette. I'm pleased it's an HG hub instead of a freewheel. 25c tyres, which is a tight fit. The plan is to just get it running smoothly and ride it. I've filled new brake shoes, tyres and cables. This is my first experience with downtube shifters. It's challenging!  My area is quite hilly so I may swap the cranks for the 52-38 Shimano 600 from my Centurion. A 12-28 cassette should fit too if I'm really struggling!
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Finding a first Mountain Bike

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MTB at 5 years old My kid started riding pedals at 4. After a BYK 250 then 350, it's now time for n+1. The 350 with it's slick tyres and coaster brake isn't great on trails, although we've had fun rides at Woodhill and Ambury. When I was a kid my Dad got me in to fly fishing, golf, and duck hunting. Those hobbies didn't stick, but I'm glad I tried. Hazel is keen as to try MTB, so I'm going to push it as long as she's interested! So where do I start with a kids MTB? She's just about big enough for a 20" bike now. That opens many options. These are the bikes I considered: BYK450: 22" wheels, but MTB spec is rare. Giant XTC Jr Kona Makena Specialized HotRock / RipRock I wanted something with common parts that can be swapped with modern adult MTB parts from my stash. I'm sceptical of the current trend for fat 2.6"+ tyres on kids bikes. I think it's style over performance. There's a reason those dropped out of favour for adult b...
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