20 July 2010

Double vision


We now have got into the swing of things. Saturday morning is when we go down "en famille" to the town centre to the farmer's market to buy the weeks fresh food. Previously we had stopped biking, walked and hauled everything back on foot in the scorching sun. As although with one Yuba Mundo and various other bikes it was possible to go, we just felt in danger in busy angry Saturday morning stop start traffic. Constant shouting instructions at one or two slow distracted children on kiddy bikes over the sound of dozens of car engines, screeching tires, car stereos, and putting up with drivers with little awareness of anything else on the road just didn't make for a fun outing, or good blood pressure. Now with the two Yuba Mundos as a family of 5 we can zip down to the square in a couple of minutes, park up, potter around buying fruit and veg, have a coffee while the kids run around playing and having fun in a car free space. The only problems are the arguments between the children of who gets to ride on the new orange Yuba Mundo !


Often, with the food stowed in the fridge we zoom off to the beach with the beach gear and kid's bikes hanging from or pulled along behind the Yuba Mundos. That way if they want to ride they ride, if they want to be cargo they hook up and ride the Yuba.


The V3 Mundo is noticibly lighter, a great ride, and the lighter MTB wheels are still straight and true.


One of the problems with having two Yuba Mundos is the temptation to load and load with stuff that you don't need.

40 km in the day on her Yuba Mundo. Mrs Yuba is pleased and was not running empty.

1 July 2010

Hint hint


Wouldn't it be great if we could go down to the market with the kids on the two Yubas Saturday morning, and the beach on Sunday, Mrs Yuba mentioned at the breakfast table recently.


Today was too hot to go out, and I had my day so I was a man with a mission, finish the V3 Yuba before the end of the day. Rumbling through my parts bin I popped the BB7 cable pull brake on the front which as ever was easy to fit and mega powerful. On the back I put an Avid single digit 7 v-brake and levers which are capable of locking up the back wheel at speed. These too are excellent.

I had a rear Shimano SLX derailleur,

two SRAM chains an old set of cranks. The toughest part was fitting the bottom bracket (a wide one !) to the frame threads which were full of paint overspray and crap. But most of the frames I have come across are like this... Once that was on it all fitted together nicely.


I have not fitted a front derailleur as I dont have one, and I think 9 speeds is great for now.


All this done I took her out for a spin by the river. The headset creaked as did the crankset, so I tightened them up. The main difference was from the tires I felt. I had a set of Maxxis Larsen TT tires which zip along and hum on the road, but are quite hard compared with my V2's ballon tires. The bike feels longer too, but that is because of the stem which is longer and that I will have to swop out. The brakes are tighter and the 9 speed drive is a dream. I put the H bars on the back too, they don't seem as wide as on the V2 and are slightly swept back. Look good though and went on really easily. Lighter bike too...