[ebonho]

Originally Posted by prabuddhadg

This Hero Thunder has seen more iterations than makes sense. I have tried 700c wheels with 23mm tires and calliper brakes and full road bike set up. I have tried fixed gear setup. I have ridden it with bull horn bars and track drop bars. And finally, now I have decided that it makes most sense to use it with 26 inch wheels, 1.5 inch / 37mm tires, cantilever brakes and a 2X9 standard chainring setup.

The wheels though, the Decathlon Rockrider wheels are terribly heavy- just the front wheel with 26X1.5 Serfas Drifter tire and tube weighs a full 2 kgs. Considering lighter wheels. As things stand now, with the mudguards, the toolbag, the pump and the mudguard, the bicycle weighs in at over 14 kgs. As a result, I struggle to average 27-28 kmph over my 30 km loop.

But I have to admit, it handles very neutrally. Very predictably. Not twitchy, not sluggish. So, it is a conversion worth considering.

Some photos of the various iterations would be really nice.

I've ridden the Thunder when it was launched. I seriously would have doubted it was less than 15 kilos. By heft only. Bone stock. Never actually weighed it.

First gen Indian alloy bike. Was a quantum leap for us cyclists in 2001-2002 used to 19 kilo steel MTBs till then.

Originally Posted by shipnil

Doc could you please list the dealers who stock Ralson and GRLs in Pune?

Same Phadke Haud guys. Surana etc.

Cheers, Doc

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by shipnil

Doc could you please list the dealers who stock Ralson and GRLs in Pune?

My friend (whose bike and wheel it is in the photos) got the Ralsons online though. 650 bucks for one.

[ninjatalli]

Originally Posted by ebonho

Ralson 25c (rated to 116 psi)

Once you move on to these, do share your feedback after you have done a bit on them. A fellow cyclist I rode with mentioned he had Ralsons on his other cycle and they have lasted decently well over the last few years. Not in the league of the Schwalbe he has on his road bike, but still decent enough (as per him).

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by ninjatalli

Once you move on to these, do share your feedback after you have done a bit on them. A fellow cyclist I rode with mentioned he had Ralsons on his other cycle and they have lasted decently well over the last few years. Not in the league of the Schwalbe he has on his road bike, but still decent enough (as per him).

Actually if I have a choice and the GRLs are rated for pressure 100 psi or above I will not go for Ralsons at all. I've been riding on GRLs and I find them very good. Lot of guys here rate them at a much higher level to Ralsons.

I've ridden on GRL 23c's for thousands of kilometres with less than a handful of punctures. Maybe 2-3 that I can remember.

After that I've used them as my indoor trainer tyres for most of past year and a couple of months this year at the start of the second wave as well. One has started bubbling. The other still has a way to go.

[alphadog]

Originally Posted by ebonho

Fret not boys, two decent Indian tyres available for road bikes now. As a long term user of Indian rubber (not in any kinky sense)
Cheers, Doc

Thanks for the clarification, Doc . These do seem like a good replacement option atleast for immediate needs, considering shortage of imported tyre brands. Would you be able to find out from your friend, which website these were ordered.

I am at present running 25c tyres on my roadie and I was looking for wider tyres like 28c / 30c. I don't think my bike's frame will allow for wider tyres than these numbers, as clearance will be an issue.

Cheerio!

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by alphadog

Thanks for the clarification, Doc . These do seem like a good replacement option atleast for immediate needs, considering shortage of imported tyre brands. Would you be able to find out from your friend, which website these were ordered.

I am at present running 25c tyres on my roadie and I was looking for wider tyres like 28c / 30c. I don't think my bike's frame will allow for wider tyres than these numbers, as clearance will be an issue.

Cheerio!

Flipkart

Take a look at this RALSON 700 * 25c Tyre For City Bike Tyre with Side Grooves for Stable Cornering for on Flipkart

He says, after running them in some, and I quote -

" Comfort mast, rolling is good. Grip is awesome. Tough tyres. Much more than expected. "

Cheers, Doc

[prabuddhadg]

Originally Posted by ebonho

Some photos of the various iterations would be really nice.

I've ridden the Thunder when it was launched. I seriously would have doubted it was less than 15 kilos. By heft only. Bone stock. Never actually weighed it.

First gen Indian alloy bike. Was a quantum leap for us cyclists in 2001-2002 used to 19 kilo steel MTBs till then.



Same Phadke Haud guys. Surana etc.

Cheers, Doc

Hmm okay. I do have photographs of some of the iterations. Here are four.

Starting with the 700c single speed version,


The one by 26inch wheel bull horn version, with the bar end shifter.


The single speed compact drop handlebar version


The repainted 2X9 drop handlebarred version that I am riding during this monsoon. Actually, at present I do not have the stem height extender and I have a shorter stem.

[ebonho]

No

Originally Posted by prabuddhadg

Hmm okay. I do have photographs of some of the iterations. Here are four.
Attachment 2194880
Starting with the 700c single speed version,

Attachment 2194881
The one by 26inch wheel bull horn version, with the bar end shifter.

Attachment 2194882
The single speed compact drop handlebar version

Attachment 2194883
The repainted 2X9 drop handlebarred version that I am riding during this monsoon. Actually, at present I do not have the stem height extender and I have a shorter stem.

Brilliant mods Prabuddha. Loved the photos and the smaller details. Thanks for sharing.

Like me with my ACT you must really love this bike to have spent a lot more than its purchase price on it over the years. Those pedals and that Deda drop bar (sacrificed for the bull horn) itself I think cost more than the Thunder did. Not to mention the bar end shifters and other stuff.

I wanted to ask you about the stem height extender. Without it, wont the drop to the handlebar from your saddle position be too aggressive?

This is my current ACT flatbar setup. What would be the simplest way to convert her into a drop bar bike?



Cheers, Doc

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by prabuddhadg

The repainted 2X9 drop handlebarred version that I am riding during this monsoon. Actually, at present I do not have the stem height extender and I have a shorter stem.

Also, is the pull ratio of the brifters compatible with the cantilever brakes or did you have to do some mod to make it work?

Cheers, Doc

[shipnil]

Originally Posted by ebonho

Same Phadke Haud guys. Surana etc.

Originally Posted by alphadog

Would you be able to find out from your friend, which website these were ordered.

Originally Posted by ebonho

Flipkart

Doc, the reason I always ask you the stores and not assume Phadke Haud is because I stay in PCMC and hope the store might be nearer to me.

Anyways, my ACT needed a second new tyre in the span of two months, so I visited a store closer to me who stocks Ralsons. The 700x35c cost me 530. I enquired for GRL but he said he doesn't stock it anymore.

He also has stock of Ralson 700x25c and he quoted 550 for it which is cheaper than Flipkart.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by shipnil

Doc, the reason I always ask you the stores and not assume Phadke Haud is because I stay in PCMC and hope the store might be nearer to me.

Anyways, my ACT needed a second new tyre in the span of two months, so I visited a store closer to me who stocks Ralsons. The 700x35c cost me 530. I enquired for GRL but he said he doesn't stock it anymore.

He also has stock of Ralson 700x25c and he quoted 550 for it which is cheaper than Flipkart.

Last 2 months of base building I have passed PCMC on the old highway regularly (I love that road). We should meet up!

In fact the photos of the two gents with the matching blue ACTs, they too are both from PCMC.

I'm VERY tempted to now convert my ACT into a drop bar monsoon / everyday / every road / training bike with 28c or max 30c tyres.

Could you ask your store guy if he has any Ralsons (or other Indian make) in these sizes please?

Cheers, Doc

[prabuddhadg]

Originally Posted by ebonho

Also, is the pull ratio of the brifters compatible with the cantilever brakes or did you have to do some mod to make it work?

Cheers, Doc

Hey thanks for the nice comments.

Well, to be fair, I usually have a few parts lying around in my parts bin, and not all the parts you see were bought specifically for use on this bike. I keep swapping parts between my bicycles. It starts with a What if... and ends up with lots of cables being cut, chains being shortened or lengthened and the like.

Cantilever brakes, unlike V brakes work with regular calliper brake levers. So there is no modification required there.

About the stem extender, yes it does result in a pretty aggressive drop, though when I am riding the bike, I don't feel at all uncomfortable. Actually, because of its weight, this bike benefits the most from myself adopting as aero a position as I can, to sort of, counteract the effect of the weight as I climb flyovers.


EDIT: By the way, those were bought as bull horn bars and not drop bars cut down.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by prabuddhadg

Hey thanks for the nice comments.

Cantilever brakes, unlike V brakes work with regular calliper brake levers. So there is no modification required there.

EDIT: By the way, those were bought as bull horn bars and not drop bars cut down.

Nice info on the cantilever brakes.

So essentially, were I to use the standalone brake levers with the hoods that you have, on a drop bar on my ACT, I would not be able to make them work on my V brakes, and would need to get road bike type rim brake callipers as well? And probably extended reach too, for the shoes to contact with the braking strip of the rims, when attached to the central frame and fork holes.

Yes I noticed later that the flat part of the horns was too long and straight to be a drop bar cut mod.

Any other advice for converting my ACT into a functional drop bar with the least amount of mods, changes, new parts?

Cheers, Doc

[ringoism]

Ahhh... just when Doc had started making me feel bad about slogging away on my mtb's, and I was getting ready to entrust myself to skinny rubber...

Originally Posted by prabuddhadg

I ride road bikes only. I just can not get myself to feel comfortable on straight bars. But I too agree about slim tires being a little risky on slippery roads. In fact, I have had a few crashes in the past on road bikes.

The best solution I have gravitated towards over the years is a mish-mash bike of sorts. The frame is a Hero Thunder MTB (aluminium alloy). The wheels are 26 inch Decathlon Rockrider, with 1.5 inch tires with decent road rolling treads...

It handles the rough with aplomb. The fork being rigid, it feels pretty much like a heavy road bike.

Originally Posted by alphadog

So, after my recent accident on my Carbon Merckx roadie, partly contributed to by the narrow wheels on bad roads and drainage grills, I came to the conclusion that an MTB is the way forward on our bad inner roads, more so during monsoons.

Alu frame,
Suntour 100mm shocks with lockout,
Tourney-Acera combination,
3x8 gearing and mechanical discs.
Quick releases front and back and also a quick release type adjustable seat post. It has hidden cables.
The bike weighs in at 15 kg. I paid 36K online. !

Thanks a ton, guys!

Honestly did get thinking that as I'm not a serious rider/trainer or even avid group rider, knee injuries are probably going to be pretty predictable/ preventable, whereas mad motorists & road obstacles are considerably less so (and I value my skull/neck/spine and other parts, too)... A bit more rubber on the road seems wise actually. Aside from off-rosd.

[Dont worry, Doc - will see the Riverside 700C build through and put in some time on it for sure. Waiting for tyres/tubes.. and just realized today that my seat post was sawed off by a previous owner and is 2" shorter than I need it - and it's an oddball 26mm (not 25.4 / 1") size, I guess from back when Decathlon was really French and they weren't about to use an Imperial measurement??!!! - Anyone with leads here on a source?]

The '91 sounds spec'd very similar to my Raleigh Conan 29er ('cept I managed hydraulic brakes in the deal), at about the same weight. Mine got a little heavier with the carrier and Ralson Explorers vs. the original Maxxis.

That Thunder is so cool... I've got one I'd already got running several months ago but-needs some cosmetic refurb and refining which I guess is my next project I too may consider a 2x9, as I've got a nice (freebie) Mavic rear wheel with cassette setup waitiing. It is my lightest bike by far, around 12kg on my scale - so I don't know whether my scale's off or your tool kit /tyres are REALLY heavy (I've got Schwalbe/ Kenda on it). Doc, you'd said the Rockrider 300's were 16kg, and remember those had not only a steel frame, but steel cranks, neck, handlebar, seat post, brakes... The only aluminum on them was the rims and brake levers! Whereas contrastingly the Hero's only substantial steel is in the bottom bracket, chain/sprockets, axles, derailleurs - where almost all bikes have it.

My Schwalbe Blackjack has a very prominent and fairly unbroken center rib thst is said to roll well, but I too thought to go for some hybrid-design 26x1.5's for it. - anyone know a good online source?

-Eric

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by ringoism

Ahhh... just when Doc had started making me feel bad about slogging away on my mtb's, and I was getting ready to entrust myself to skinny rubber...

-Eric

Lol I'm not having your old bones on my conscience. I have enough of my own.

I still maintain that 28 to 30 is enough rubber for the kind 0f photos of your rides you've been sharing. If you want to still feel really comfy and safe, go 32 or 35. All of these in smooth rolling non proud tread.

Both of the gents above were talking of proper roadie tyres, likely 23 or 25c's. Yes those can get dicey in the wet especially on fast descents.

Your call. Whatever you enjoy riding on. Those MTB tyres on tarmac are just plain effort sapping. They do nothing to enhance grip till you hit proper mud.

Cheers, Doc