12 years ago I weighed 350lbs and thought to myself "self, you're pretty fat, you need to lose a ton or two". So I got my Diamondback hybrid out of the shed where it had been in a coma for about 15 years and replaced the saddle, tires, tubes, chain and cables. I lost 160 pounds riding that bike and a subsequent Scott Speedster road bike. It's great fun to go fast on my current road bike, but it's just as nice saddling up on my current hybrid and just tooling around town for 20 or 30 miles.

@davidkrammes396

2 ай бұрын

So inspiring to hear. Bicycling really does changes lives!

Dude, the way you reinstalled the new tube and tire without yelling or screaming, or throwing anything... I mean... I shed a tear.😂

@rollinrat4850

5 ай бұрын

For a bike mechanic, tube and tire changes are our bread and butter. We might do over 1000 tube/tires in a year. It's the most common repair/ 'upgrade'. Most of us can fix a decent quality wheel/tire literally blindfolded in not much more time than with eyes open. Out here in dry Wackofornia, late summer into fall is known as 'thorn season'. I once did 17 tires in one day on a busy Saturday , plus a whole bunch of other repairs and adjustments.

47 year old Gen X here. I haven't ridden a bike in around 30 years and my doctor decided I needed to be healthier. I found a Trek FX stagger (2017-ish?) at a local pawn shop and probably over paid but it was in good condition so I bought it. Still cheaper than a new one so there's that. That was last week and I've ridden around 25 miles on it thus far. This video, and my posterior, has made me decide to mod for a little more comfort. I enjoyed the video. Thanks for all you do.

I am impressed with your bike channel, and your bicycle philosophy of restoration, especially of older bicycles. Your ideas of using products such as Dawn Powerwash, or Tri-Lube as part of your ‘toolkit’ are brilliant and accessible for almost anyone. While I may not have a Trek, or a Rocky Mountain, your ideas will certainly help maintain my vintage cruiser bicycles. Thank you for your ‘alternative’ approach to bicycles.

@bkefrmr

7 ай бұрын

Thank you very much!

I volunteer at the local co-op, have done this maitaiance countless times. The community is fine. But in the end, I agree with you, I do it for the bikes. Honestly if dogs could ride bikes it would be a perfect world. I subscribed when the furnace popped on. Good day sir!❤

I have the Trek Soho 1.0 that I got for my 40th B-day. (2010) Somehow my friends thought I was over 1.75 and bought a Large. Thankfully I have long legs and long arms so it worked out perfect with a a similar handle-bar and a shorter stem. In the aftermath I wished they would've picked the FX - model b'cuz of the tire clearance. The Soho is very limited with a max for 37mm with fenders and 40mm without. But to be honest! The Miche XM40.29 wheels with Panaracer Pasela 700x38c makes the bike as fast as a racer but with 24/7 comfort. It's still my daily comuter! I prefer Hybrids over any bike. You get the best of both worlds. Love your vids man! 👌✋🤟✌👍

I’m not a fan of the flat bars the manufacturers put on these hybrid/fitness bikes. I’m a tinkerer at heart but when it’s time for the annual bike tune-up my local bike repair guy gets the job. All for the same reasons you expressed in your commentary. I bought a repair stand but I mainly use it to lift the bike to give it a good scrub down several times a year. It’s amazing how filthy a bike gets.

Biking is a true joy. Being comfortable is super important

Nice job, she's a beauty! Add full fenders, rack, lights and it becomes the perfect commuter. Can also be a great light touring bike, plus enjoy some dirt trails and roads. Very close to the perfect bike!

Bought a 2003 gary fisher zebrano from new for commuting. Got it back out of the shed in 2023 and put on a new groupset and saddle. Cost me a tenth of a new bike. Looks and feels like new, new bikes are so expensive these days and dont have a complete groupset. Keep the old ones going. Keep the videos coming and thanks for the advice

@geraldtakala1721

2 ай бұрын

Really like my Gary fisher Nirvana bought it new in 2004(2003 model)

If there's one single comfort upgrade I could recommend to anyone on any flat bar bicycle it would be to try a handlebar with 15° or more backsweep. For me it is impossible to go back to using standard handlebars after trying bars with more backsweep.

@Westg001

5 ай бұрын

Hey Nathan, What handlebars are used in this video? GW

@rollinrat4850

5 ай бұрын

Agreed. I'm using a SQ Labs straight bar on my full suspension. Your hands are in much more neutral positions which doesn't put so much pressure on the wrists. I've been trying lots of dirt drop bars on my gravel bike, my 'cross bikes, drop bar 29er and my roady. So for, I like Ritchey Venturemax and Surly Corner bars the best. The Ritcheys have a bit of backsweep on top and a very short drop. Not too much flare on the hooks, which makes the hood position much more usable. The Corner bar offers a hand position much like a cruiser bar. It's a pseudo drop bar that allows using mtb controls to save money rather than buying drop bar controls. I also believe using mtb hydro brakes offers much more brake power (than road discs) and save LOTS of money. I'm really liking these bars so far. It puts my hands in a most neutral position for the ultra long rides (all day, day after day dirt tours ) I enjoy most. Dirt drops are designed to be ridden in the hooks. They're not meant to be ridden in the hoods as many roadies like to. Unless you're young and flexible, (I'm 62) You need an extra tall stem (bars about level with the saddle) to get the hooks up where you can mostly ride in the hooks. Riding in the hooks with your hands in the most neutral and powerful position allows you to control the bike much more effectively and comfortably. It also lowers your CG and weight the front wheel better for better handling, traction and front brake action. Also a personal saddle fit as well as a dialed in position are very important if you spend more than an hour or two on your bicycle. I've been going back towards old school leather saddles lately and I'm pretty happy with the personal 'wear in' fit. I was given a vintage French Ideale saddle (40+ yrs old!) and I'm really loving it on my long distance dirt rig.

@Westg001

5 ай бұрын

It looks like a Surly Terminal Bar?

@Order4627

5 ай бұрын

Agreed did the same myself,

@Vladimir_39

4 ай бұрын

What particular handlebar if you dont mind?

Well I'm glad to see I'm not the only one that struggles with simple tasks and also adds sound effects while struggling 😂

The bicycle in your video is from 2008 , the head badge and fittings tell us this . The 7.3 had mechanical discs , Shimano br -m 375 on the Australian model .

Dead sexy bike that .. and aged like fine wine ! Thank You for promoting bicycles being good for the environment after decades of them being the most wasteful, trending, fast fashion for middle aged men in lycra around.

Love the content..i have 40 bikes...from the 50s all the way to 2023 electric 29inch mountain bike..im 60 years old..love my cypress giant hyprid.. mid 90s trek mountain bikes... their all very special to me..have some old school mongooses... featherweight tour de france bike.. love watching bikes being worked on..from queensland Australia 💯💯🎯ive also started waxing my chains..seems to run smoother and stay cleaner..although i still like oil on my chains better rust protection , i also put talcom power in some of my tubes helps prevent chafing..

@rollinrat4850

5 ай бұрын

Pretty impressive you can still count that high! 😂 I'm 62 years young. Been riding hard all my life. I've got about a dozen bikes (I'm not sure) in various states of disrepair. Keep it up man! RIDE ON!

@treepop1550

5 ай бұрын

We have 2 2009 giant dx cypress hybrid bikes and they have served us well. We bought them at the LBS. We were considering trading them in for new hybrid bikes and decided not to because the only feature that we would gain was disc brakes! We just had ours serviced instead and they should be fine until we reach an age where electric bikes may be more practical.I am a gadget person and am tempted to buy an electric bike but it just doesn't make sense for us we use our bikes to gain as much exercise as possible. And of course the cost is significant. It will be interesting to see electric bikes that are offered in 5 or so years as the market will hopefully offer e-bikes that are more refined in quality, durability, engineering and practical value !??

@rollinrat4850

5 ай бұрын

@@treepop1550 I hope you're patient. Engineering and QC wise, the larger bike industry has been devolving for a couple decades now. The high cost of new modern bicycles, even relatively affordable ones is simply not equal to their value. Not by a long shot. Buying used and with a bit of DIY and thinking 'outside the box', riding a bike is very affordable transportation. It costs me very little. I'm a lifetime, lifestyle and serious rider. I'll put 10k-20k miles over all my bikes in a year. I wrench in this industry. I'm a retired high reliability manufacturing expert. Nobody's fooling me. My motto is K. I. S. S. Singlespeeds just might last indefinitely. That's what I usually ride every day and it doesn't even coast. Modern bicycles keep getting more complex for little reason besides marketing BS. Keep pedaling! I'm 62 years young. I can afford and procure high end bikes at cost or even below, yet I want little that's new. I can test ride some of the most expensive bikes on the market and I'm not impressed given their insane cost. I simply buy used, vintage stuff, I DIY, or custom frames made just for me. My old school bikes haven't worn out yet, so I'm going to keep using them until they're done. Cycling is supposed to be a 'green sport, but all I see is lots of newer junk going into a dumpster, then I'll assume, a landfill or a homeless camp.

@roncooke2188

3 ай бұрын

If one bike went missing you could be weeks before realising and noticing it gone

Just found your channel and I’m just starting out learning bicycle mechanics. I will be binging this channel now

I would have put BMX cruiser bars on it. More upright and way more comfortable.

Suggestion- put in links to parts sources and make a commission on things purchased if possible. Tires?

I mounted a 20mm suspension seatpost on my hard tail MTB. Probably the best bike investment I have done in many years. I ordered one for my cyclocross bike too.

What bars did you end up using ?

Happy Birthday to him, indeed!! Looks great, man!!!

Hi, bike farmer. Love what you do, here in the UK it saddens me to see good used bikes lined up at the recycling centre with little wrong with them other than a bit of maintenance work. Sadly a throw away item for some. Keep up the good work.🇬🇧

What bars did you use on this build? I like the sweep.

I love the idea of the 3 stage rag process. I always have the medium and the clean rag around but keeping the filthy rag around will save a lot of my medium rags from chain gunk.

my curiosity and fondness for your channel compels me to request you show us around your property. My mild ocd compels me to request a "tidy-up the workshop" vid from you.

@bkefrmr

4 ай бұрын

venmo $500 to @qoognish and consider it done.

Practical bikes for practical people...🙂

Way to keep a good bike relevant! I would add the test ride as important step. Shifting always changes under a load, especially on cheap shifters!

Yup. Plushy tires, more comfortable seat at lower height, riser bars/shorter stem(I love my Jones 2.5" H-bar & Brooks B67 saddle). Another thing that really helped me was switching to 170mm from 175mm crank arms. My knees feel much better with the shorter arms.Oh yeah, lower gearing. Switched from from 43/28 11-36 to a 44/33/22 11-42.Nobody lives forever. My body reminds me of that every day. Happy trails.

I always remove seat posts to replace saddle and pop copper grease on the post before refitting

Just found your sight, and really enjoy watching your repair procedures, I'm hooked !! Anyway, have you ever done a tutorial on how to adjust deraillures front and back? Most of the tutorials i have watched concerning this are from British guys and to be honest with you, i can't understand one word they're saying. Any help, even for a small adjustment would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

@grahamskilling2147

6 күн бұрын

Im an english guy…cant make head nor tail of what you’ve written! At least bikes are a universal language. And such fun. Have a great day

I worked at a Trek dealer during the era this bike was built. I sold more of these bikes than any other bike I ever sold.

I installed a riser bar onto a 26" Fuji Taho Comp and I was shocked how much cabling length mattered :)

Great video. A friend of mine gave me a Trek 7300. I put a new seat post, stem, handle bars, trigger shifters, tires, front rim, brake pads, bottom crank, paddles, cables and housing, repacked all the bearings and a 11x34 cassette. I'm planning on doing the Gap and C&O canal so my next project is racks and panniers.

@bkefrmr

7 ай бұрын

Very nice!

I love how you think about these 'older' type of bicycles. I also like it and love 7 or 8 speed bikes, with mechanical brakes and gear and rimbrakes. I also got them for myself. I ride every bike in 7 or 8 speed so I can exchange parts en ride cheap and it is less bad for the invironment, because I don't have to throw away parts. I can always ride them on short track bicycles till completely used and put new stuff on touring bikes for longer rides. Super thx and greatings from The Netherlands.

Have you used any shock absorbing handle bar stems?

Great video. Just noticed you didn't re-install the front reflector. (Just kidding). I wish I was living close to you to stop by. Love all your videos - keep making them :D

Love those hybrid comfort bikes, I had a Trek 7.5 FX with the carbon forks and it was a sweet ride for long distance. That bike was the first time I experienced Ergon grips, they are a game-changer.

@bkefrmr

10 ай бұрын

The 7.5 is a great bike, but a bit overkill. The 730/7300/7.3 have always been my favorite. Nice combination of practical, functional componentry and performance.

@maskedmotorsdiy3575

10 ай бұрын

@@bkefrmr As with most bicycle purchases, I chose the 7.5 because I liked the color. ;)

@robertmcfadyen9156

9 ай бұрын

@@maskedmotorsdiy3575 A friend made the same mistake , colour related , and I ended up with it , see comments from me above . It was too small a frame size for him . I built him a Giant Boulder custom as a barter agreement .

Great backstory! Older parts of town have a certain flair and vibe to them. Appreciate you sharing some of the history and digging the rebuild.

I just bought a gravel bike the set was killing me I went and got a gel seat from the Walmart made for road bikes . Night and day difference . It’s so comfortable now

I like valve hole to air psi ratting. That way it's easy to find.

Very cool , we need Bike farmer t shirts sponsored by Dawn Power Wash.. Ride safe everyone..I'd wear that and rock that shirt ..

I added some narrow sweep bars with a bit of rise. SUPER COMFORTABLE. More upright, less pressure on wrists and back. can ride for hours now. Not very aero though.

Glad I found this video. I'm thinking of modifying my Marin Fairfax 2 into a more comfort orientation as opposed to fitness, and then get a separate road bike. I like the fairfax but it's a little too fitness oriented for casual riding with my kids.

Thanks! Sometime, give a talk about adapting a road bike (700c) type for older riders! I so enjoyed your experience on this bike and what you chose to do!

@bkefrmr

2 ай бұрын

Thanks hey!

Could you list the comfort conversion parts that you used in this video? Asking for a friend. ;)

Awesome! Great upgrades

Wow, I'd like to Thank You for solving a problem for me I just couldn't figure out. Watching this video gave me the answer. Riding my 1997 Specialized Ground Control AIM A1 Comp. Bought her new and still love riding today. Upgraded last fall to Hollow Tech II (if that really is an upgrade) and had a heck of a time with the front derailleur. Rubbing in high gear. Limit screw out as far as it will go without falling on the ground. Still rubs. But today, watching your video you showed me the answer. I seem to always neglect the barrel adjustments to fine tune. That's what you demonstrated in your video. Immediately, I went into the garage and began fine tuning. To my surprise it worked. Can't thank you enough for helping me solve this particular annoying riddle. Really enjoy your channel and the work you do. I'm not a fan of all the fancy new bike and components in the industry today. Love my old 3x8 running Shimano Deore XT front and rear.

I got a Selle Royale seat for my road bike. I tried some of the other road bike seats that were allegedly supposed to be comfortable to sit on, but they never worked right for me. Also, I have crank brothers eggbeater pedals, and I was using road bike shoes, which were horrible for walking in. So, I got shoes that are meant for mountain bikes, which have actual tread on them, and the clip is recessed so that it doesn't touch the ground when walking in them.

I used to enjoy that work .1990-1993.huffy service 1st and cycling store.i built my mt.bikes.and I raced my 82 supergoose 2. Still have it next to my 2007 iron horse sachem3.hardtail forever. ❤

Love this content, thanks for doing what you Sir!

before changing the handlebar, one may consider just changing the stem for one that is shorter and with a steep upright angle. It's easier and cheaper. Bottom line is to bring the handles where you want them to be. So first you need to know and measure where you want them to be. I have changed stems to longer and shorter, it depends on the frame. In general, the higher the handlebar the more comfortable. Some stems are adjustable, that may be a great idea: simple ones adjust the angle, others adjust both length and angle. On this particular bike the stem is already pretty high on the steering tube.

Your customer should be happy, very happy with this comfort setup.---I have done a similar thing with my Trek Allant 7 D. The bar was too low. I found a nice GT Windstream with a swept back riser bar that also has longer straight ends after the curve. It works wonders for changing hand positions. And after mounting the the bar of the Trek I could sell the GT at a small profit. I have done other upgrades (derailer, brakes, luggage racks) in the same way.

dig it! the handlebar change...kool!

Nice rant! Really good advice!!

Same bars I put on my 2018 FX-1. I like those 38s.

Enjoying these videos. Sound was fine on my device, even when the ‘furnace’ kicked off, but there would be nothing worse than watch a video when you can’t hear the words and I get that on professional news channels sometimes too.

If I’m not mistaken, those are some dimension bars. I love them! I have them in 2 of my bikes. Looking for a third. I combined it with some esi grips and feel no vibrations.

Great video, real world. Good commentary while you work. This is super helpful for me to learn to maintain my bikes. Thanks!

Nice work, your attention to detail is on point, they’re great bikes

Perfect.

You are the best!

Nice conversion video. I thought about converting my early 80's Univega road bike to an upright posture. I found a used Electra Townie comfort bike so cheap I had to buy it. Once I had an upright comfort bike, I decided to keep the road profile on my old bike. I added Nitto wide drop bars, and a Nitto tall stem. It's not as comfortable as your project looks, but a big improvement and I kept the vintage look going.

@kippywylie

5 ай бұрын

I purchased an upright comfort Gazelle Ultimate C380 Low step ebike and it's my main ride for all errands. The big mistake I made was thinking that I only needed one bike so I sold my old 2008 Cervelo. Actually I gave it away for $400 after investing $2500 over many years. I loved that bike and miss it so much

Good video but a little noisy in the background... 👍

Thanks!

very impressive , wish you you lived in Tucson AZ !!

What phone mounts are your go-to options? And what programs do you use to track rides and ride data?

Thanks for the video and down to earth point of view. Over the last few years I have rebuilt my 1999 Giant ATX740 Hybrid. Had an idea that I spent too much and "over-capitalised" especially with the latest maintenance I was forced to do (see below), but glad to see that the old bikes are still so respected and valued. I discovered a lot of the comfort upgrades mentioned here like comfort grips (you can get Ergon clones with decent quality at a decent price) and a new seat. OK, three new seats until I found a good one. Frame was a little small for me so a variable angle extended stem helped move the grips forward and I get a more upright position, though I got caught with the cables too short problem. Mud guards are an essential here in the UK, and I've found I need to use the ones made for 29" wheels on my 26" wheel bike because the 26" ones are always too short, you still get a lot of mud on your back! Check, lube and change your chains- the checking tool is very cheap and easy to use, I had to replace my whole crank, chain and rear cassette because I hadn't ever (!!!) changed the chain. I thought it was still working OK so why change it... well, all the components in the drive train then just wear together and all go at once. Change the chain and keep the rest in good shape. He says, $200 later 😲. Also, lots of chain lube doesn't mean a well lubricated chain. Another recent lesson. Anyway we are all learning, and it is all still fun... have learned a LOT over the last few years.

nice work. i keep watching

@bkefrmr

8 ай бұрын

Appreciated

I got your Jackson Browne verse at the end of your video.

Tastefully updated!

I love your channel. This bike is cool. I wish I had a shop like yours in Detroit. At least I haven’t found one yet. I would love this bike. Good work. I want to learn what I can about bikes, this is a great resource.

Thank You, another helpful video. My wife has loved cycling all her life, and now has serious rheumatoid arthritis at 68 years old. I've been slowly working down the list of comfort items starting with the Selle Royal big seat, and ergonomic grips

Interesting cleanup I like the idea of the sweptback handlebars

I wonder why anyone would prefer rim brakes over disc? My reason for preferring disc, is that if I bend my wheel rim slightly, if I have disc brakes, the bend doesn't affect my brakes, but w/ rim brakes, of course, a bend not fixed can quickly wear out cheap brake pads, negativing affecting stop distance. (I don't have a wheel truing machine, nor the knowledge, yet). Edit: As I perhaps hinted, your view MAY change, as you acquire experience, tools, and most of all, know-how, and lack of those 3 doesn't hinder you from fixing anything you encounter. AND, some people grow up "old-school" and cannot see the new technology as the better solution it is.

I really want one of those swept back handlebars. I'll be having a good chat with my local bike mechanic.

Nice, giving me ideas for an old Trek mountain bike from about 1993

Yes man exellent ! Im very ,impressed bro ✌️

i love this bike and your new version is killer ! ( this sparkle brown is really nice.) ...that just PERFECT for a daily bike . I Make the same job ( in france). We have the same philosophy about bike (it so funny to hear you. I say myself: "i m so agree with him. ..Damn ! this dude ROCk as Hell ! ." ) :-) Yes, Simplicity is the best . ,Good tuning and lubing, good tires with right air inflation , snappy brakes, and "enjoy the ride !" No need fancy stuff . Here, in Europe, vintage bike are the best because lots of cheap modern bike are sh t ! . Especially bolts and screw with bad quality metal. :-( I specially love old Peugeot bike from 70's and 80's ( wife's bike frame are beauty !) I Recently worked on some old 90 MTB and I admit that 's cool to "lube the noodle" sometimes ^^ keep going bike Famer . You do a great job !! merry christmas from France .

Great channel and subscribed.! I was wondering what you think of the Transition Spur?

Howdy from western Colorado! I would like to see you ride the bike before and after, and also links to where a person can buy the products that you use.

Ever considered pouring tyre talc into tyres? Improves rolling measureably by reducing inner friction.

Instead of a bike computer one could get a Garmin GPS watch too. Phone mount, as you said, is also a solution.

Love this. Seems like you could even fatter on tires?

37 years of riding an assortment of diamond frame bikes and eventually the body started to object to what I had taken for granted for so long. Nerve damage in both hands so that in as little as 3 blocks I can feel it. Landing on my head in a west Vancouver ditch also made an impact on my neck bones , and it is so nice to hear a helmet crush in hindsight ! So what is presented in this video is good if you have the available parts but I took a step further and now ride a Bacchetta Giro A 20 touring model. I sit in a seat, not on , I look straight ahead as my riding position is comfortable without putting any weight on my hands, and there is no vison problems of seeing or being seen. When you spend 9 hours on your bike on a tour you need to be comfortable and my bike is really comfortable . Comfort and speed, what more could you ask for. Wish I had changed bike styles a great deal sooner..

@themoodyteam

2 ай бұрын

Recumbent?

@brucewmclaughlin9072

2 ай бұрын

@@themoodyteam Yes a recumbent and as there are different attributes to different models I am on number 11 that I have come to enjoy the most out of the 13, I have owned. Diamond frame bikes give me the speed I love, but the recumbent gives me the speed and the comfort I enjoy.

Yes for what a tube costs i always fit a inner tube with a new tyre and replace the rim spoke tape. Nothing better than avoiding a customer from getting a tyre problem on a long ride in the middle of nowhere Great Video

Man, wired computers. ALWAYS a fight!

I'm gonna check out that Giant Cypress bicycle to see what it holds for me. Subscribed.

@bkefrmr

6 ай бұрын

It holds the key to a happy and prosperous future!

Look! 😳 Jones H bars and ISM male parts friendly saddles.

Bike farmer , you and I are like minded .

I made my wheel building equipment myself as I have done fitting machining when I was younger .i made some other bicycle service tools as well .

@rollinrat4850

5 ай бұрын

I'm a retired machinist and mechanical inspector. I've built custom wheels for 30 years and run a little garage repair business. I bought a Park TS2 stand after a couple years building and it paid itself off the 1st set of wheels I built with it 25 yeses ago. That stand was an investment and has earned me plenty of money. I've also made my own metal and wooden dishing tools, indicator mounts and some other small things. I machine and fabricate lots of my own bike junk. I get EXACTLY what I want.... eventually. I made a portable truing stand that mounts to the tailgate on my 4wd for long mtb trips. I also built a tailgate mounted bike stand.

You know what they say. 'Do something you like...' (for an occupation), and 'never work a day in your life.' I think the owner of this bike shop followed his dreams and found this saying to be true.

Maybe I missed it, did you check the chain? Excellent job on describing your maintenance procedures. Good video.

Just picked up two trek bikes, a 800 and a 820.😊 they will need some tlc😢

At last I see a real workbench with a real order of tools and not with a sterile gallery of them in the background. Greetings, Robert.

I put Marzocchi Bomber air forks on both the Trek 4300 and the Giant Yukon .

For seats I have a Flizik ALIANTE 00 race seat that I bought at Marden's in Maine for $35 USD ($389 CAD at a local shop), and that is the most comfy seat I have ever used on a "D" bike. Why, because it has support for my big bones (blubber and muscle doesn't count when choosing a seat). Most seats are built for small people, just too narrow for my frame. All the springs and padding does nothing if the seat doesn't fit. That seat is on a 1987 23" Cannondale (L.L. Bean decals) ST400 with terrible side pull brakes which don't stop quickly as it was bought as a loaded touring bike but was retired in 1991 after a downhill stop sign scare. It was replaced by a 1990 23" Cannondale (L.L. Bean Classic decals) T1000 with V brakes and Deore XT. The ST400 sat around until 2006 when I repurposed it for triathlons with 105, Profile aerobars and I kept the triple cranks as I hate walking those hills route planners love to add. The ST400 it glides at an average speed of 26 to 40km/h (15 -25MPH) I have taken the T1000 on a multi day, fully loaded self contained (4 paniers plus tent sleeping bag and ridge rest under pads)100+ miles per day tour @ 5 to 7 hours per day in the seat. I have had no other bike that rides better than that one. (out of service due to its Alsop Softride quill stem developing a crack on the bar clamp, it will ride again in 2024) With that said, nothing is as comfortable and easy on my body as my 2014 Catrike Expedition tadpole trike bought this summer. It was new (old stock) for $1300 CAD, but I still maintain my 4 diamond framed rides (2 listed above plus a 1992 Divinci Vandal and a 2023 EVO Old Man FAT 26*5"). I am also looking at a hill taming 500w hub based E assist for the trike, but I haven't decided anything yet.

The shifter / brake combinations are Shimano ST -EF 50 and I have never seen them lack responsiveness .

So on the front left handlebar, you said lefty Lucy, but on the derailer barrel adjuster you went right clockwise to tighten the cable tension doesn’t make sense

I noticed your park truing stand is warbling about !

Every mechanic needs hairspray!!