just went over to a bike shop during lunch.... Took a look at some Merlin road bikes... Incredible! Those are simply beautiful.

my shop will be opening around the end of August.
b i k e t o p i a
2030 Darby rd. Havertown Pa.

Offer mail order? Discounts for Pelican members? :D

my new toy
 

Purdy :D

Love the saddle ;) I don't think my butt could ever adjust to one of them.

My butt actully suffered more from testriding too many bikes in a short time, after not sitting in a saddle for over 8 years. Initially it wasn't as bad as I though it would be and now, I don't even notice it.

Well, after only 8 months, the paint is bubbling up on my Interloc frameset. While it's true I got a Scandium aluminum frame for ONLY $660, I'm not pleased with the durability. I'm seriously considering switching frames, hoping the manufacturer will make things right so I can salvage some resale value.

Any hints on what I should consider? I was thinking Ti, but $750 for frame and fork won't buy much. I'm considering a few used Ti framesets. I'm also considering a few steel frames (853). My primary needs/wants: 1) durability, 2) quality finish, 3) little flex in BB. Weight is not a concern. I don't mind a used frameset, provided it isn't abused.

I phoned the shop that built my last bike. I told him I wanted a frameset that will last me 5 years of riding (15-20k miles total). I was told this is not easy unless you spend $4-5k. I think this is hogwash. Why cannot a frameset last 5 years and still look respectible? I don't mind having to replace the odd component or two, and I run Campagnolo for durability, as well.

Whatcha think? I will post pics of frames I'm considering later today. The road beckons me. :)
Jürgen

Jurgen - check out TST sports. Last I saw they were blowing out some very nice 3.2 ti frames for around 600-700. They're 1 in steerer, but so what? I have over 20000mi on a small one (51).

dave, can you give me a 0% interest, 30 yr loan for the merlin? ;)

Greg, I was just looking at the titaniumsports.com frames. Cambria Bike has the brushed finish, oval tube frameset for $499. For long term, I think it's the best choice. I'm still undecided.

Here are two used framesets I'm considering:

Witt Ti frameset with Wound-Up carbon fork and Record headset. Witt is a small builder in Seattle, it appears. $600

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1093390018.jpg

Concorde Squadra frameset with steel fork. Columbus EGO steel. teardrop shaped tubing. Ultegra headset, Ultegra braze-on FD, American Classic 26.8 seatpost. $350 shipped. A good peleton worthy ride from the late 90s.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1093390415.jpg

And, of course, there are Fuji 853s in the $350 range, and a Raleigh Professional (Zona Steel) with carbon fork for $140 on Ebay right now!

It is painfully obvious after this year of riding, it's 95% about the engine and 5% about the bike, in my opinion.

Decisions, decisions...

I like the Witt frame, never heard of them. One day I'd like to try a ti frame. I just got an older Fuji that I will be building into a single speed minimalist machine.

It looks about 97% like this one:
http://www.bikecult.com/works/archive/fujiACE.html

Cool - a single speed.

That reminds me, need to check the MTB equiv... www.sswc2004.com

Here are the pics (for those interested in the MTB fringe) http://www3.mtb-news.de/fotos/showgallery.php/cat/500/ppuser/22872

I ride with the 2003 winner, but he didn't win this year (came second, his girlfriend says, but at the SS worlds there is no "second", just a first place).

Jurgen

What about an Airborne Valkyrie (sp?) - you might have to use your old fork to get anywhere near the $750 though... http://www.airborne.net

ahhhhhhhhhhh yes heres my nice nice olmo track bike its raelly light like 12ish maybe heavy for a track bike but i ride it on the street to bad its too hilly here in monterey to ride it

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1093407363.jpg

Ok, question for the DIY crowd. I prolly should be asking some cycling forum, but I'm so uneducated ab this that I feel more comfortable getting advice from you guys.

I'm going to be switching the rear hub but I'm going to keep the rim. It will also give me an opportunity to put in different spokes. What I want to know is, if there are different "types" of hubs out there, with bigger and smaller flanges, does that mean that they have different length spokes out there to accomodate that too or is it just a one size fit all?

Also, as far as wheel/tire sizes, when it's listed as 700/23 (most common I guess) 23 is the width of the tire?

thanks.

btw: you are all to blame for this

I think the answer is "yes" to the first question (different length spokes) and definitely yes to the second, although like car tyres the actual width isn't necessarily the "23" or "25".

Not that I've ever tried, but building a wheel isn't particularly easy without a fair bit of equipment:

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/wheelbuild.html

This is very true. The only caveat is durability and ability for the frame to sustain upgrades.

My Colnago is 20 years old. Compared to most frames these days, its archaic. If I wanted to adapt a modern 18 speed gruppo to it, I'd have to have the seat stays spread, which would definitely damage the frame in the long run.

But it has lasted all this time - a testimony to well engineered machinery.

thanks Cam.

I've gone through Sheldon's site many times before but lately I've began to really study it. I'm also reading others. http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/wheels/

I know that it seems fairly complicated to put together a wheel, but keeping a 911 running can be tricky too. Lacing up the wheel is a challenge I'm looking forward to. I'm not going to go for any fancy pattern just yet. I've got plenty of tools, and the only one that's missing is the spoke nipple wrench and thankfully those are not expensive.

I won't do it all. Once the wheel is put together, I'll let the shop adjust the tension, true it, and dish it correctly. Half the fun of this bike will be the build up. It's a project on a smaller scale, that can be worked on w/o a garage.

I guess the tire size refers to how much the tire will "balloon" upon inflation, rather than a typical width. Just wanted to confirm that.

(And yes, if anyone is wondering why I'm creating work for myself, my 911 is running trouble-free.... :D )

Yes spoke length changes with flange diameter, flange offset (distance of flange from cenerline of the hub) and the number of spoke cross you do ie: radial, 2 cross, 3 cross etc. If you are good mechanicly you can do it but you should have someone teach you.

Geez, I am almost ashamed to admit I like bikes more than my Porsche. :confused:

This is my 'new' frameset. I wanted to buy one last year, but they were backordered. I got a killer deal, and I couldn't refuse the offer. Frame, fork, and headset = 3.2 pounds. The carbon fiber is incredible.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1094171286.jpg

That`s a nice frame! Fom Giant TCR. I came close to making a purchase but it was the team Mobile Frame @ our local bicycle shop here called Supergo. But i ended up buy a killer bike for my wife instead cuase i couldnt pass this deal, i bought her a Cervelo Dual Tri Bike sz 51 with Ultegra derailer,FSA Carbon Pro Lite Cranks ISIS, Ritchey Deep Lite Wheels sz 650 and all the good carbon parts cervelo has to offer only for 900.00 dollars because it was hidden in the rafters and they forgot all about it. This bike is a 2003 model but for the price for a complete bike couldnt pass it up :D But i still want my Team Mobile Bike Frame from Giant...

back into cycling the roads
 

After 10 years off of road bikes I have decided to get back on and compete. I was able to get a great deal on a Specialized Allez built to pretty good specs for the price. This week I have made 4 good training rides of about 30 km each...the difficult part is I was a racer in England and then in Texas, so I never really trained in the mountains. I have went in almost every direction from my home and there is at least one 10% grade climb on every road...but I am no quitter and made it up each one of them. So at the end of the month I will be in the US Forces Championships...I doubt I will place at all but I feel good considering how long I have been off the bike.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1094319401.jpg

And this is my freeride bike, 5" of travel with the Z-1 Wedge and the bike is super tough considering the downhill runs I have been on with no damage at all.

Changed the hardtail
 

Well I made some changes and now my Kona can handle the DH and FR runs much better!

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1094813933.jpg

http://www.gruppeb.org/users/upload/...eefy_stuff.JPG

Marzochi Jr T fork

Sun Doublewide rims

26 2.5 front and 24 2.7 rear

SmileWavy

An MRP Crank would be sweet on that Kona..
Frank B
biketopia
2030 W. darby road
Havertown, Pa. 19083
(610)-789-4500

Frank...that is exactly what I will do next! We took the bikes up to Berg Frankensteen the other day and every time I did this one larger jump the chain would come off...so an MRP crank is much needed.

I have 5 in stock :)

Mmmm, new bike this week for me - I bought it second hand:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1097121501.jpg

- Specialized Roubaix Pro frame (2005 model)
- Ultegra everything except the brakes which will be Ultegra (I have to give back the DuraAce ones)
- Mavic Cosmos wheels
- Ritchey WCS bar and stem (light!)
- Fizik Aliante seat (I had it on the Giant, which is now for sale. Looks much better on a black bike than a yellow one!)
- Ultegra pedals

8.54kg, ready to ride (but without saddle bag...) - not especially light but pretty good. It very comfortable but still seems nice and stiff!

Am trying to do 300+km/week at the moment because I've got a 200km event coming up on the 30th. I'm feeling a bit worried about it - there is approx 2500m of climbing in the 200km. I don't know if I can handle 7 hours on the bike (yet!). I'm gonna try do 7hrs this weekend.

If anoyne is intersested I am selling my black beauty.

[url]http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=7298&item=

and my new steed....the Stinky Ho

http://www.gruppeb.org/users/upload/images/stinky.JPG

bump for gratuitous happy topic pics...

Ah, those Italians... and its bathed in campy record;)
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1099621542.jpg

For the minimalist out there...
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1099621562.jpg

The Klein (converted to a single speed) has a bit of a cool story. It was originally called the 'Top Gun' but got sued by the movie company for infringing upon the movie of the same name. It would be rebranded as the 'Rascal'.

Its getting cold here in Chicago... but I bundle up and ride anyway in an attempt to not get fat.

Nice!

How are you tensioning the chain on the single speed?

its a horizontal dropout... so you just pull back on the axle and tighten.

I changed it recently to use a surly singulator tensioner so that i could add a second smaller ring on the back for commuting. i need and allen key to shift gears :) i use the larger rear gear for off road (don't need gears for illinois hills) and then switch to the smaller rear ring when commuting on aphalt.

it still have a santa cruz superlight... but its been getting less and less use as i've been riding the single speed offroad more.

Here's a pic of the santa cruz heading down from porcupine rim in moab a few weeks ago.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1099626025.jpg

what a trip... Hermosa Creek in Durango, South Boundary in Toas, Porcupine Rim in Moab (several other 'lesser' trails that trip too) All while getting hauled around in my buddy's Defender 90.

Cam ,I didnt realise you were a gruntwheeler! I have been riding a Colnago Master for about 8 or 9 years ,but I had to sell it to pay for the storage on my 911. I had planned Round Taupo
but didnt get the miles in ,so common sense prevails.
Bought a titanium Colnago Bi-titanio frame off e-bay a while back
as it was broken, but my contact at Air NZ welded it for a couple of packets of chocolate biscuits ! Building it now--all Campy.
Incidentally ,I once was the veterans record holder for Round Rarotonga 32 Kms.
Apologies to all the people who have no idea what I am talking about.
Bob

Here is the only pic I have of me in action...
 

I use to race MTB's and was Semi-Pro class rider back in the day note the date on Pic..... This is myself and a buddy Phil Noble going at it for a race win... ( I am the one showing my A-yuss or cathing a draft depending on how you look at it ) :)hahaha
I use to ride a Gary Fisher with XTR kit.... great bike but it broke at the end of one season.. it led a HARD life.. but Gary sent me a new frame no questions asked.. :)

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1099669692.jpg

Eric....SmileWavy

Re: Here is the only pic I have of me in action...
 

Nice! I have very few 'action shots' the pic above was actually taken by some company that sets up at the bottom of porcupine in moab.

Most of my biking pics are after the fact... cuts, scrapes, blood, dehydrated, beer in hand (carbo loading).

A couple of pics-- first one is my revolutionary training technique, and the second one is the secret weapon!
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1099789658.jpg http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1099789695.jpg

Bob, yeah - its a pretty new thing. Good for me though :D I'm entered in round taupo = I need to do a couple of 300km plus weeks I think (I don't usually get much over 200km)!!

How many potholes did you hit in the round rarotonga?

Nice kit guys! Had a Principia with Campy kit 'till Wednesday last week, when tire blowout at speed turned it (and myself) into a wreck...

Hopefully the bike can be repaired! :-)

You guys are really bringing back memories! I raced in the US and Europe way back in the late 60's and early 70's. Rode with a guy named John Howard if any of you can remember back that far... still looking for the pictures of all of us.

Boy, the welding and frames look nice! Not surprised to see the carbon fiber parts working their way into the mix. We flew Lance a few years ago and of course the bike he brought aboard was mostly carbon fiber.

Best thing back when I was racing was a Peugeot PX-10. Saved up for a year for that one then hopped on Pan Am and headed overseas. No such thing as a mountain bike then, we just took off the good wheels with tubulars on them, put on clinchers and took the road bike into the boonies. Still have the scars from those races...

Whole different world in Europe, toured a bit and raced a bit. Picked up a full set of Campy toys to make the PX lighter. Worst thing in my life (so to speak) happened when I got my drivers license. Rode another couple of years afterward then traded the bike in for enough money to buy a '57 Chevy. Still have a Cannondale for riding these days but miss the old road bike.

JoeA

an action shot
 

Well I have reverted to being a kid...it's just not simple at 35 since I now have a fear of pain! LOL

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1099980292.jpg

The photo above is at a freeride area near Frankfurt GE (Burg Frankenstein) and the locals have set up some pretty nice jumps...this jump covers about 18 feet and crosses a fire road.:D