Ultimate Bike Thread....

[herr_oberst]

Thanks for the wheel ideas. I have been leaning the Mavic direction, my buddy jyl is a Mavic advocate, for sure.

I have a Force 10 speed gruppo on my Kona Zing Deluxe and I like it just fine, but I did break a shifter last summer and it cost me 200 bucks for a new one, so that made me grumpy. Nothing rebuildable in those brifters at all...

I think hills are where my superpower is, if I have one...Not the fastest rider at the end of the century, but I can usually keep up with the fellas when they turn up the gravity.
Figured the Tarmac with it's shorter stays would help me even more!

I'm 56 and I'll be 57 when I start putting miles on this beauty!

[look 171]

Originally Posted by herr_oberst

Thanks for the wheel ideas. I have been leaning the Mavic direction, my buddy jyl is a Mavic advocate, for sure.

I have a Force 10 speed gruppo on my Kona Zing Deluxe and I like it just fine, but I did break a shifter last summer and it cost me 200 bucks for a new one, so that made me grumpy. Nothing rebuildable in those brifters at all...

I think hills are where my superpower is, if I have one...Not the fastest rider at the end of the century, but I can usually keep up with the fellas when they turn up the gravity.
Figured the Tarmac with it's shorter stays would help me even more!

I'm 56 and I'll be 57 when I start putting miles on this beauty!

I started out as an Italian bike junkie, still am in many ways. I have had a bunch of Italian made rims but only a couple of sets of wheels. They were ok, but can't hold a candle to Mavic. I must confess, I have not had any Italian wheels since the Campy Neurtron. While light but I was able to beat up the rear wheel in two years. Great riding wheel BTW. I am bias. Mavic is the first company I look at when I look at wheels. I will report back with the Zipps. I screwed up, I have a set of 303s and one 404 rear for those long flat days where the big guys come out and start pounding our faces into the pavement. Too bad you aren't close to me, I loan you my zipps or mavic wheels for a few weeks to see if you like em'. I like super stuff wheels. I saw the finish to this year's Tour of CA at the Rosebowl. At the end of the race, I had a chance to see roam around and see some of their equip. Many of the European teams were riding Mavic Cosmics. It was fast, flat stage.

I hate climbs, don't really enjoy them but love rollies with a bunch of speed. Shift up a gear when you crest the hill and make em' catch ya. If anything, a head game. If you are a climber, then you have a natural gift and I tell you this, no amount of training is going make someone a good mt goat. That shorter stays in that Specalized is going to make it go like heck when you get off the saddle in the climbs. Love the way that feels. Its keeping it going is my problem.

When someone crossed my wheel and broke my collar bone and ribs early this year, my first thought was my levers. Since they carbon, I am thinking they are gone. As it turned out, I took most of the impact and the scratches were only skin deep on the levers. Saved me a few bucks there.

[look 171]

Keep up the good work. As we get older, its really hard to keep the fitness. I know a couple of guys that I rode with back in the 80s. They were strong like bulls taking turns up front and in their prime They have more then 10 years on me. Some of those bastards are still riding the same damn ride going really strong, at over 60. They were strong to begin with, one of em' was a national rider, but the trick is that they never stopped.

[look 171]

Originally Posted by herr_oberst

Thanks for the wheel ideas. I have been leaning the Mavic direction, my buddy jyl is a Mavic advocate, for sure.

I have a Force 10 speed gruppo on my Kona Zing Deluxe and I like it just fine, but I did break a shifter last summer and it cost me 200 bucks for a new one, so that made me grumpy. Nothing rebuildable in those brifters at all...

I think hills are where my superpower is, if I have one...Not the fastest rider at the end of the century, but I can usually keep up with the fellas when they turn up the gravity.
Figured the Tarmac with it's shorter stays would help me even more!

I'm 56 and I'll be 57 when I start putting miles on this beauty!

I have an old set of mavic cow horn handle bar I want to sent him. I am never going to use it, so its collecting dust.

[herr_oberst]

Researched the wheels and decided to go with a set of Cosmic Carbone SLE's, which are, thankfully, pretty heavily discounted right now.

Thanks for the advice!

[greglepore]

Nice wheels, but keep in mind that the rap on Mavics is that they're kinda narrow. The modern trend is towards wheels that are 18-19mm inside the bead. This allows for much greater air volume, lower pressures, low crr and better ride.

Nothing wrong with Mavics though. I'm looking for a rear SLR Krysrium-someone just GAVE me a supersix evo with just the front...

Oh yeah, I've heard nothing but good about the SL4. Its a racebike tho, with aggressive geometry, but it rides beaucoup well for such a machine. Much like the Supersix.

Just got the Wilier above built out and am working out the position. Used aeronova bars which have a reach about 10-20mm more than I'm used to.

[creaturecat]

Originally Posted by herr_oberst

2012 Spesh SWorks Tarmac SL4.

Just bought a NOS SRAM Red 10speed gruppo

Open to suggestions on a wheelset.....

nice!

[look 171]

Originally Posted by herr_oberst

Researched the wheels and decided to go with a set of Cosmic Carbone SLE's, which are, thankfully, pretty heavily discounted right now.

Thanks for the advice!

Oh boy, you will like those wheel. They are faaaast.

[look 171]

Originally Posted by greglepore

Nice wheels, but keep in mind that the rap on Mavics is that they're kinda narrow. The modern trend is towards wheels that are 18-19mm inside the bead. This allows for much greater air volume, lower pressures, low crr and better ride.

Nothing wrong with Mavics though. I'm looking for a rear SLR Krysrium-someone just GAVE me a supersix evo with just the front...

Oh yeah, I've heard nothing but good about the SL4. Its a racebike tho, with aggressive geometry, but it rides beaucoup well for such a machine. Much like the Supersix.

Just got the Wilier above built out and am working out the position. Used aeronova bars which have a reach about 10-20mm more than I'm used to.

Have you ridden those aero bars? I have tried with the oval shaped ones from TTT and love the way they feel the first time I held it, but on longer rides, the edge puts my hands to sleep. When I am a little tired so more weight is put upon the bars, that's when it get me. Gone back to a traditional round bar, problem gone. Have you ridden that Super 6 yet? I hear nothing but great thing about them. I am bias because I raced an old Cannondale for a couple of years. It was a fun bike.

[herr_oberst]

Originally Posted by greglepore

Oh yeah, I've heard nothing but good about the SL4. Its a racebike tho, with aggressive geometry, but it rides beaucoup well for such a machine. Much like the Supersix.

Just got the Wilier above built out and am working out the position. Used aeronova bars which have a reach about 10-20mm more than I'm used to.

I like that Wilier a lot - did you have a fit done, or are you just swapping parts until you find the fit?

I know the Tarmac might be more bike than I want, but it sort of found me and I'm looking forward to giving it a go. I won't be into it TOO much, money wise in the grand scheme of things.

[greglepore]

I've ridden flat topped bars for some time (chinese no name integrated compact bend bars/stem) and really like them. I don't climb much on the bar tops, usually on the hoods. I'm not sold on the aeronovas because of the reach issue. I've recently become enamored of the pro position of flat arms reaching out to hoods rather than on the drops as its allegedly more aero and I'm much more comfortable there than in the drops. Trying the aeronova's because i thought they would work for that. Didn't account for how extreme the reach difference would be.
Haven't had a fit done, but know what my position is. The two issues with the Wilier-no zero offset post, so saddle is well forward, and the aforementioned bars. I'm also trying the new Specialized Power saddle out, soon as it arrives.

The Supersix? Well, I've been riding a bike with identical geo for almost 3 years (an open mold Chinese frame) that I thought was nice, but 25 miles on the Evo blew me away. Much more "together" feeling, racebike stiff under acceleration, but wow, does it take the edge off most road chatter, and boy does it track well. I think the front dropout arrangement really helps (Pina and some others going this way too) as does the radical layup. I was very, very skeptical , but now I get where they get the praise. And its right at 15.5 lbs with stock 10 spd DA electronic, metal railed saddle, and heavy (1600g) carbon wheels. With my 1100g climbing wheels, a carbon saddle and ee brakes it ought to come down to 14 or below. And free...

[herr_oberst]

I was going to get the Aeronovas but I read one comment that the Red brifters don't line up well with the cable openings, so I guess it's round bars for me....I may take another look at the FSA aero, though

[jyl]

Originally Posted by look 171

Oh boy, you will like those wheel. They are faaaast.

That is going to be a sexy bike!

You need red kit. Head to toe. Shoes too!

After many rides with you, including some hard ones, I think you have the ability to sustain a solid power output, enough to cruise at 20 and to climb at a strong steady rate, more or less forever. It must be a combination of physical stamina and mental toughness. Now you will have the unfair advantage of a 17 (?) lb bike. EDIT: wss referring to herr-o. Not to look. Though I'm sure he'd leave me ibn the dust too.

[look 171]

Originally Posted by jyl

That is going to be a sexy bike!

You need red kit. Head to toe. Shoes too!

Hey, if ya gonna walk the walk, then gotta to look good too.

[herr_oberst]

I was thinking blue jeans and Chuck Taylors, cut the sleeves off an old tee shirt.

I want to look like Moocher in "Breaking Away".

[greglepore]

Originally Posted by herr_oberst

I was going to get the Aeronovas but I read one comment that the Red brifters don't line up well with the cable openings, so I guess it's round bars for me....I may take another look at the FSA aero, though

Everyone that I know that has tried the K wings swear by them. It'll be my default if the Aeronova's don't work out

[look 171]

I was inspired by this thread, so I want and swapped out my new zipp wheels onto my Ridley. Called a couple of people to go for a ride this afternoon. We pulled a 12 mile hill and I was dead last working my tail off just trying to keep up. The wheels felt great, not too different compared to the Mavic. Pretty stiff set of wheels, but I will know more when I get them in the flats. Sprints pretty well too.

[Joe Bob]

Anyone know if Trek is covering the LeMond bike with the life time warranty?

[patz]

Joe Bob and his Geek handle bar set up.

[Racerbvd]

Originally Posted by herr_oberst

I was thinking blue jeans and Chuck Taylors, cut the sleeves off an old tee shirt.

I want to look like Moocher in "Breaking Away".

Are you short enough to pull it off
I always liked that movie.