#1
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Which frame?
OK, I have come into a bit of money & find I can afford my "dream bike"
(well, uo to a point). I currently ride a 10 yr old Roberts columbus EL frame with 8 spd Campag gruppo. This is nice, but a bit harsh & tiring over long(ish) (40+ miles) rides. I would like a "pretty light" bike (no, I don't mean with fairy lights) say around 17lbs or better, all up, and to absorb the road "buzz" etc. So, do I go custom Ti or Carbon (don't think custom carbon is an option?) Still want Camp, not S, probably Chorus/Record mix. Any/all (polite) suggestions/input welcome. Niv. |
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#2
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Which frame?
in message , Niv
') wrote: OK, I have come into a bit of money & find I can afford my "dream bike" (well, uo to a point). I currently ride a 10 yr old Roberts columbus EL frame with 8 spd Campag gruppo. This is nice, but a bit harsh & tiring over long(ish) (40+ miles) rides. I would like a "pretty light" bike (no, I don't mean with fairy lights) say around 17lbs or better, all up, and to absorb the road "buzz" etc. So, do I go custom Ti or Carbon (don't think custom carbon is an option?) I bought a carbon monocoque (a Dolan LoPro, similar to this years' Pallotola model) a year ago and I love it. Carbon is definitely more comfy than steel by a good margin, while still being plenty stiff enough for as much power as I am capable of producing. It also looks wonderful. I've built it up with a Centaur groupset, and although it's designed to be a time trial frame I've used it for a hundred mile audax, and many 100Km+ rides. It's just a lovely bike. If you want something that's light, fast and comfortable, definitely go full carbon monocoque. I don't know about the longevity and it won't survive a serious crash, but apart from that it's the perfect frame material. There are monocoques in most big ranges now; I like my Dolan but there are lots of other makers. -- (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/ -----BEGIN GEEK CODE BLOCK----- Version: 3.1 GP/CS s++: a+ C+++ ULBVCS*++++$ L+++ P--- E+++ W+++ N++ K w--(---) M- !d- PS++ PE-- Y+ PGP !t 5? X+ !R b++ !DI D G- e++ h*(-) r++ y+++ ------END GEEK CODE BLOCK------ |
#3
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Which frame?
You don't say how big a dream :-)
I test rode a Giant TCR-2 Composite on Saturday. Ultegra 10spd triple and carbon frame. 1650 all in, seems to be the bargain. Rode beautifully. Looks fairly dull untill the sun shines, then it's Carbon weave glowing under gel coat. Omega Matrix at 1450 is also a great deal. Personally, I'm looking at titanium, Airborne if small dream, Omega if medium dream and Litespeed Tuscany if out of this world dream. Groupset would be campy veloce/centaur, as I'd prefer to spend more on the frame. If you are of the larger proportion, Omega have a true thoroughbred Record Alchemy (Ti/carbon) made up for Marcel Wurst of Procycling, at about 2400 (1000 saving). Too large for me (58 cm top tube). regards, Daren |
#4
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Which frame?
You don't say how big a dream :-)
I test rode a Giant TCR-2 Composite on Saturday. Ultegra 10spd triple and carbon frame. 1650 all in, seems to be the bargain. Rode beautifully. Looks fairly dull untill the sun shines, then it's Carbon weave glowing under gel coat. Omega Matrix at 1450 is also a great deal. Personally, I'm looking at titanium, Airborne if small dream, Omega if medium dream and Litespeed Tuscany if out of this world dream. Groupset would be campy veloce/centaur, as I'd prefer to spend more on the frame. If you are of the larger proportion, Omega have a true thoroughbred Record Alchemy (Ti/carbon) made up for Marcel Wurst of Procycling, at about 2400 (1000 saving). Too large for me (58 cm top tube). regards, Daren |
#5
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Which frame?
Simon Brooke wrote: in message , Niv ') wrote: OK, I have come into a bit of money & find I can afford my "dream bike" (well, uo to a point). I currently ride a 10 yr old Roberts columbus EL frame with 8 spd Campag gruppo. This is nice, but a bit harsh & tiring over long(ish) (40+ miles) rides. I would like a "pretty light" bike (no, I don't mean with fairy lights) say around 17lbs or better, all up, and to absorb the road "buzz" etc. So, do I go custom Ti or Carbon (don't think custom carbon is an option?) I bought a carbon monocoque (a Dolan LoPro, similar to this years' Pallotola model) a year ago and I love it. Carbon is definitely more comfy than steel by a good margin Just change the tyres, It is a cheap way to get less buzz. Alternatively, just get a monster. Light and lots of fun. ...d |
#6
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Which frame?
Niv wrote:
OK, I have come into a bit of money & find I can afford my "dream bike" (well, uo to a point). I've been on the horns of a similar dilemma for a couple of months. Now I've decided I'm a "cyclist" I've decided to splash out on a nice roadbike. I want something to have a laugh on for a couple of hours, do shorter (under 100km) charity/audax/fun rides and possibly have a bash at some club 10's next year. I want something as light and responsive as my fixed, comfy-ish but with a good spread of gears (prolly triple) for climbing HUGE hills eg Holm Moss etc. It goes without saying that the new bike must also be drop-dead georgeous and sexy.. up to a point anyway (the point in question being around £1800 tops). There is a Fuji Team SL that looks great, but I've never actually seen one and it's an ally race bike with a double chainset, maybe a bit too hard core for my old bod. A bit old fashioned too. Then I sort of decided I wanted a carbon frame and the Specialised Roubaix looked favorite, or maybe a Dolan. Then C+ reviewed the Pedal Force frame and that looks good too BUT: I want a bike I can ride for years to come and I can't see carbon frames lasting thirty years like my old Raleigh 531 fixie. Now I'm favouring a ti bike, in particular the Airborne Zeppelin or Komet. Lifetime warranty, hmm... that's confidence, even if they are not around in twenty years. Once I get chance I'll pop up to see Paul Hewitt in Leyland for a chat.. however I fear that may be like going to the dog's home "to see if there are any nice ones" and no doubt the chat will be expensive. Ultegra for me though... hth, Tony B |
#7
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Which frame?
Tony B wrote:
Now I'm favouring a ti bike, in particular the Airborne Zeppelin or Komet. Lifetime warranty, hmm... that's confidence, even if they are not around in twenty years. I've got a Zeppelin and it's nice. Airborne customer service have been good to me as well. It's also a sufficiently good frame that you can get the Ultegra version now and upgrade bits as they wear out. -- Arthur Clune PGP/GPG Key: http://www.clune.org/pubkey.txt The struggle of people against power is the struggle of memory against forgetting - Milan Kundera |
#8
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Which frame?
Arthur Clune wrote:
Tony B wrote: Now I'm favouring a ti bike, in particular the Airborne Zeppelin or Komet. Lifetime warranty, hmm... that's confidence, even if they are not around in twenty years. I've got a Zeppelin and it's nice. Airborne customer service have been good to me as well. It's also a sufficiently good frame that you can get the Ultegra version now and upgrade bits as they wear out. 12th commandment. Thou shalt not be passed by an Airborne |
#9
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Which frame?
in message , MSeries
') wrote: Arthur Clune wrote: Tony B wrote: Now I'm favouring a ti bike, in particular the Airborne Zeppelin or Komet. Lifetime warranty, hmm... that's confidence, even if they are not around in twenty years. I've got a Zeppelin and it's nice. Airborne customer service have been good to me as well. It's also a sufficiently good frame that you can get the Ultegra version now and upgrade bits as they wear out. 12th commandment. Thou shalt not be passed by an Airborne Oh, it happens, you know. They're common as muck on audaxes hereabouts. Don't fancy them myself. -- (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/ :: Wisdom is better than weapons of war :: :: Ecclesiastes 9:18 :: |
#10
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Which frame?
Simon Brooke wrote:
: Oh, it happens, you know. They're common as muck on audaxes hereabouts. : Don't fancy them myself. Yeah. Over the last couple of years my bike has gone from being obscure to being hard to find at a cafe stop amongst all the other Airbornes! -- Arthur Clune PGP/GPG Key: http://www.clune.org/pubkey.txt The struggle of people against power is the struggle of memory against forgetting - Milan Kundera |
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