# Raleigh Rush Hour....modified a bit....



## ChuckUni (Jan 2, 2003)

I picked up a rush hour a few weeks ago, it's been great so far, but I wanted to upgraded it and swap some of the stock parts to my beater fix. It also needed a smaller gear....the stock 48x15t was killer on hills and headwinds.

I switched out the drop bars and levers to Syntace bullhorns with one cross lever for the front brake. The drop bars and levers that came with it went to the beater...it needed them badly. No waste so far. I followed this with a set of black Paul high flanges laced to some mavic cxp33s. I've been wanting a set of Paul hubs for a while now...just had to get them. The stock front wheel went to the beater...it was in need. Have a spare back wheel now. Moving on....the cranks: I needed a smaller ring. I also needed a different chainline for the paul hubs. So I ordered a set of White Industries cranks with a 44t ring. I took a chance and ordered a green ring...after only finding a few pics of them on the net. The old cranks will most likely goto the beater. The stock 48t chainring was finished off by my grandfather over the weekend as he backed over the bike with his lawnmower! He only damaged the ring, scuffed the cranks, and bent the stock rear wheel out of true....somehow.

Anyway...enough text...here are the pictures:


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## Mosovich (Feb 3, 2004)

*Sweet ride!*

Man, that looks sweet! Very nice ride. Hmm, that's got me thinking. How much do those babies run? Thanks.


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## scrublover (Oct 1, 2002)

that is a sharp looking ride. i like the graphics on it. fairly understated. 

nicely put together.


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## ChuckUni (Jan 2, 2003)

They are $600 msrp as seen here: http://www.raleighusa.com/items.asp?deptid=5&itemid=264&va=0

The stuff on it was pretty nice for the price. Pedals are garbage, but I think most people swap those out anyway. The wheels seem ok...although mine need to be retentioned....common for new wheels I guess, but these need quite a bit.

Otherwise, the only thing I had trouble with was the seatpost slipping. I wiped all the grease off the post and it seems fine so far.

Oh and the 48x15 gearing is a little much for the road. I'm running 44x16 now.


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## FishrCutB8 (Aug 2, 2004)

Nice bike...and your dog is adorable.


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## ChuckUni (Jan 2, 2003)

He is my grandfather's dog. Nice dog too...doesn't bother bikers and is normally free to roam around. He must have been digging in the yard...the chain is his punishment. Always poses for the camera too....


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## Mellow Yellow (Sep 5, 2003)

*Msrp $600*



Mosovich said:


> Man, that looks sweet! Very nice ride. Hmm, that's got me thinking. How much do those babies run? Thanks.


https://www.raleighusa.com/items.asp?deptid=5&itemid=264&va=0

<img src=https://www.raleighusa.com/images/items/road/full/2006/2006-Rush-Hour-grey-f.jpg>


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## grimlock (Jul 31, 2005)

It doesn't look like the frame has any braze ons for water bottle cages. Is that correct? I'm looking for a cheap fixie that can hold two water bottles and am exploring my options other than building my own (haven't found the frame I'm looking for yet). I really like the look of the Rush Hour.


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## ChuckUni (Jan 2, 2003)

No it doesn't have bottle braze-ons. It's the main thing I don't like about it. 

Nashbar has some strap on bottle cages by a company called Twofish. I'm going to try those. If they suck I may go ahead and install riv-nuts into the frame.

Annoying,...but I'll figure it out one way or the other.


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## beantownbiker (May 30, 2002)

*water bottle solution?*



ChuckUni said:


> No I doesn't have bottle braze-ons. It's the main thing I don't like about it.
> 
> Nashbar has some strap on bottle cages by a company called Twofish. I'm going to try those. If they suck I may go ahead and install riv-nuts into the frame.
> 
> Annoying,...but I figure it out one way or the other.




Bikeman has got some solutions:
http://www.bikemannetwork.com/biking/p/ACH2OSYS/WC3102
http://www.bikemannetwork.com/biking/p/ACH2OSYS/WC3100
http://www.bikemannetwork.com/biking/c/ACH2OSYS


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## hairscrambled (Nov 18, 2004)

I got a Rush Hour yesterday from Steve at the Bicycle Doctor. He does a great job! I set it up as a fixie with a front brake and threw on some Time ATAC mbt pedals. I had never ridden a fixed gear before and it took a degree on concentration. I was suprised several times by not being able to freewheel. The gearing is 48x16. Not too bad for my area but I did order a 44t. The bike itself is quite nice and real sharp looking.

PS - Chuck should do a photo book!


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## czardonic (Jan 11, 2002)

*Bling hubs, crank on $600 bike?*

Awesome! 

Looks great. One of the classiest I've seen.


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## serpico7 (Jul 11, 2006)

Sweet-looking ride.

Why not just change the cogs to get the right gearing? Wouldn't that be cheaper (granted, not as colorful)?

I'm guessing you put the brake lever near the center of the bullhorns because that's where your hands typically are? Could you have just as easily mounted it near the end of the bars? Also, I guess mounting near the bend (where my hands would be more often than not) is difficult?


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## ChuckUni (Jan 2, 2003)

serpico7 said:


> Sweet-looking ride.
> 
> Why not just change the cogs to get the right gearing? Wouldn't that be cheaper (granted, not as colorful)?
> 
> I'm guessing you put the brake lever near the center of the bullhorns because that's where your hands typically are? Could you have just as easily mounted it near the end of the bars? Also, I guess mounting near the bend (where my hands would be more often than not) is difficult?


Cool....Blast from the past. Thanks.

As for the gearing I could have easily changed the cog or ring (130bcd) but I had plans for the stuff on another bike. So I swapped it over. I was looking for a inexpensive frameset to build up to my spec at the time. The Rush Hour kinda fit the bill, plus offered a bunch of standard sized stuff that my other fixed was in need. The cranks weren't really on the list, but since I wanted paul hubs, I figure why not go with the cranks as the paul hub chain line allows for them. Plus, I had a bit of bike lust when I first saw pics of the cranks.

As for the brake...I don't know. I guess I just figured that the end of the bars would be more or less an aero position and the backs of the bars would make for a place that I would use when needing a brake. In practice it works well. Bonus is that when I go down steep hills the brake is in a position so that I can sit up ....non-aero style and it helps keep the speed down. It's also very easy and fast to go from the ends of the bars to the brake lever if need be....more so than the other direction. 

Here are some other, more recent post of the bike: http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?t=62866
http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?t=45451
http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?t=46542

As well as the first fixed that got parts from the rush hour....

http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?t=52984
http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?t=52769

And that one has since broke and now has a new frame using rush hour parts....(need more pics of this)

http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?t=64744

I sold most of the other stock parts off that came off of the Rush Hour (cranks too). I think I have a lock ring, chain ring, and rear caliper left over from it.

Oh and FWIW, I never went to a bottle cage and just use a camelbak. Works great.


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## minus9 (Oct 11, 2005)

I love those White Ind cranks. How well do they work as far as the chainline is concerned?


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## ChuckUni (Jan 2, 2003)

minus9 said:


> I love those White Ind cranks. How well do they work as far as the chainline is concerned?


They are wide. If I remember right (been a while) I got them at around 44 - 45mm using a 107mm UN72 bottom bracket. This works fine with the Paul hubs because if you use the cog in the standard position (teeth out) it comes out to be about 45 too.

You probably could get the chainline on the cranks lower but not with the shimano BB. With the 107 the crank comes pretty close to touching the driveside cup.


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## weltyed (Feb 6, 2004)

i love the barebones graphics on that rush hour. mounting the name large like that on the downtube was a sweet idea by them. they must be listening to people.

and that ring just pops!


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## roadfix (Jun 20, 2006)

ChuckUni said:


> Nashbar has some strap on bottle cages by a company called Twofish. I'm going to try those..


I use it and it works well.


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## Hardtail (Feb 4, 2003)

Those are without a doubt the "dopest" cranks I've ever seen

Beautiful bike


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## ChuckUni (Jan 2, 2003)

roadfix said:


> I use it and it works well.


Cool. I skipped that and went right to the Camelbak. I like it....

Thanks for the comments.


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## serpico7 (Jul 11, 2006)

ChuckUni said:


> Cool. I skipped that and went right to the Camelbak. I like it....
> 
> Thanks for the comments.


I have a Camelbak, but unless I'm going offroad, I find water bottles to be much more convenient because they're easy to clean - just put in the dishwasher. With bladders, cleaning and drying is tedious.


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## roadfix (Jun 20, 2006)

serpico7 said:


> I'm guessing you put the brake lever near the center of the bullhorns because that's where your hands typically are? Could you have just as easily mounted it near the end of the bars? Also, I guess mounting near the bend (where my hands would be more often than not) is difficult?


Really makes no diff where you put that lever. I've had them set up both ways in the past. It's less complicated and much cleaner aesthetically to mount it neat the stem.


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## ChuckUni (Jan 2, 2003)

serpico7 said:


> I have a Camelbak, but unless I'm going offroad, I find water bottles to be much more convenient because they're easy to clean - just put in the dishwasher. With bladders, cleaning and drying is tedious.


True, but I've slowly gone to Camelbak for most everything. The cleaning tradeoff is somewhat offset by having a pouch to carry all tools needed. Which I guess you could do with a saddle bag, but with the Camelbak it's always there and I don't have to worry about changing when switching bikes.

I've come up with a method for drying by just stuffing a few bunched up (dry) paper towels in it...open. Drys it out fast. No mold problems over the last year, even with Gatoraide.

Plus I tend to drink more than most, so the capacity is nice.

Whatever works though.....


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## barry1021 (Nov 27, 2005)

I bought a Rush Hour last winter, starting to ride it for longer rides. Only changes have been upgrading pedals (obviously), seat and post. Relative to my regular road bike, its a pretty harsh ride (get what you pay for). Anyone upgrade the fork with success, and have a story to tell?? Thx

B21


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