buying a bike

all advice welcome of course

I should add that I haven't ridden a bike since I was maybe 14 and don't know shit about anything.

Motobecane were pretty decent, we used to be a dealer. they weren't anything like high-end, but they were well-made, solid machines. IIRC they used to sub-contract their frame-building to small rural shops in France.

The downside to buying such a bike is that if it has its original gear on it, and you need to replace EG a sprocket cluster, you can wind up having to replace a bunch of other stuff as the newer gear is incompatible. In an extreme case, it could have something long-obsolete like a helicomatic block, which = new rear wheel time when the chain & block wear out. OTOH, if it's not too worn, there could be miles in it yet.

Best advice is take someone who knows about bikes, and who isn't a latest/high-end gear fetsihist w/you and get them to look at it.

Rev, you're at least 6 foot tall, right? That bike is probably ideal for the kind of 6'1" range. Also, 10 speed might not be enough if there are a lot of hills of varying steepness - well, it'll be enough, but not ideal probably.

I used to have a motobecane, years ago, and I liked it. That's a classy looking bike.

6'0, but close enough. I don't think I'm really in for anything too steep, but I definitely need to go up as well as down.

The problem with your suggestion, Pash, (which is otherwise completely solid) is that I don't know any bike people. At any rate, this is more a temporary fix than anything. Something to help me get around until I save up enough money to buy a car and maybe provide me with some recreation afterward. If it doesn't last forever, that's alright.

At that price, it's possible there will be fundamental problems with the bike, hence why it'd be good to have someone who can spot them with you. You can of course ask the seller to explain the flaws to you, but most of all you'll need to take a test ride - try out the brakes, all the gears, feel for warped wheels, listen for odd noises etc.

I dunno, I'm not nearly as knowledgeable as Pash (or indeed most other posters on this thread - Laurel in particular will know a lot I'd guess), but at this kind of price I'd be worried that fatigue and general wear and tear might have compromised the integrity of bits of the bike you don't want failing on you.

Thanks. I'll definitely check for all those things.

I'm still a beginner at bike stuff, but the shop I occasionally volunteer in does specialize in used and donated bikes, so I know nothing about new tech but have been taught a little about looking at old bikes.

When you go to see the bike, take a metal ruler or something that you know has a perfectly straight, rigid edge. Get a good look at all the tubes to make sure they're still straight; if the bike's been in an accident or had the frame bent, you prob won't want it. Use the metal edge if yr suspicious but can't tell by eye. Esp check from the back to see that the seat- and chain-stays are still straight, if any are bent it'll throw the whole rear alignment off.

To check for bends in the steerer tube, hold the bike by the handlebars and turn them as far as you can in either direction. They should move smoothly with the same resistance all the way. If if seems tighter when you rotate to the side, something in there could be damaged as well.

Check the paint for places that look creased, crumpled...not normal scratches as much as kind of...directional damage. It could hide a crack underneath or just show that the tube has been stressed by impact.

Pash, you're the expert, what else do you recommend?

I don't know, if you're looking for a no-hassle bike and have little experience with bike upkeep, a vintage bike might not be the way to go. Especially considering the low price of that bike ($75 definitely suggests that it might be a project), you can safely assume that little has been done in the way of upkeep on that bike. You can take a look at it, but you very well might end up sinking another $100 into the bike when things start to fall apart. Vintage frames last a long time, but components need maintenance and replacement. Anyone who spent the time and money to get that bike into good shape will charge more than $75.

I think you're better off finding a newer bike and paying a bit more.

Or maybe finding a vintage bike with a description and price that indicate it's been overhauled.

Turns out that bikes been sold. I've been hitting up bike shops today, looking around. Thing is, I don't have much money to spend, only about $150, maybe $250 maximum.

Does that maximum include gear (you will need stuff like lube, a pump, spare tubes, a lock, tyre levers, set of allen keys)? You could keep looking on craigslist but maybe up your expectations slightly - a $150 bike is that much more likely to have been looked after I guess. You should be able to figure out from the listing whether the seller is genuinely knowledgeable and affectionate about the bike, or whether it's some pile of crap he just wants rid of.

Don't bother looking at bikes less than 56cm or more than 59cm - 57/58 is probably going to be perfect for you unless you have very long or short legs and arms. Seriously, don't compromise on frame size, otherwise you'll be in pretty much permanent discomfort.

With the price you have you can also look for sale-reduced items - go into a bike shop and ask what they have that's reduced, shop-soiled, discontinued etc. in a 58 frame and go from there.

I am mostly legs, fyi, so I probably want the higher end of that range. Thanks for the advice. Heading to a couple bike shops right now.

I might be able to get a (very lightly used) bike from my grandpa for free, but I haven't seen it and he hasn't gotten back to me, so I have no idea whether it will be suitable or not.

Hang on a sec fella - if you are all legs then you may want a higher saddle and a smaller frame, otherwise the reach involved might be too much for your relatively small body and/or short arms.

Hopefully in a bike shop they'll know what kind of size your body shape requires better than me, though.

It's probably too late, but even if you don't find anything to buy, try and get a couple of test rides in so you can tell what size and shape of bike feels most comfortable to you.

Any update, Rev?

In other news, my bike-buying efforts are going pretty badly. The bike I ordered in early April was first due to ship late April, then they changed the date to late May, and today's email says mid-July. This means I won't have it for the ride to Paris (i.e. the whole reason I am buying it!), so I've emailed them the following. Does anyone think it'll do the slightest bit of good?

I think it's about time I speak to a customer representative who can talk me through my options.

After being a regular customer (almost platinum!) over the last year or so, I put in an order in early April for a bike that I understood will be in stock end of April. When this was delayed for a further month to end of May, I decided the bike itself was something I really wanted and that it's worth the wait, despite my frustration. So it's a real blow, 8 weeks later, to be told that I have another 6 weeks minimum to wait.

I am buying this bike to reward myself for taking part in a multi-day charity ride - my prize for all the efforts I've spent training on my faithful but exhausted old machine. With the current timing, the bike won't arrive before the journey.

My company is signed up to the Wiggle Cycle to Work scheme because I pushed for it, because I was so keen to purchase this particular bike (the Focus Cayo Pro). My colleagues who have made purchases are delighted with their bikes, and more are planning to do so. I've been paying since April for nothing.

I hope you can console a seriously disappointed customer. I've heard (and experienced) enough crappy things about the bike industry but I'd become convinced Wiggle was different!

I look forward to hearing from you.
Mark

And what do you think the odds are of them offering me the next bike up in the range for the same price? Especially since it retails at £900 more expensive...

Is the bike Wiggle's own brand?

Well, wiggle are the sole importer in the UK (the brand is Focus).

My guess would be that the hold-up is on the manufacturer's end and thus out of their control. Nonetheless, the letter will make them aware of your frustration and the importance of good customer service. Maybe they'll try and make it right and you'll get a nice present.

Yeah, I don't think they're fucking me around intentionally, it's just a supply thing. But clearly I'm going to have to cancel this order (sob) and it's very much in their interests to offer me something else for my $3,500...

Any update, Rev?

-- Mark C, Tuesday, 3 June 2008 12:49 (5 hours ago) Link

I got the bike from my grandpa. It's an old 10-speed Schwinn Sportabout that needs new tires, but is otherwise solid as far as I can tell. Has tools and chain with it. Rides well. It'll work for now.

Mark, that's so frustrating... when I worked in a shop, Trek pulled that stuff all the time, and customers would go ballistic when we just kept telling them to wait and wait. The worst was when they'd schedule a small end-of-season run in mid-July, and then cancel it, making us call everyone with orders to tell them they wouldn't have bikes until November.

On the flipside, and speaking as a former shop employee, when the mfr F's the retailer, that's not your problem- it's the shop's problem, because they took your money. You deserve a comparable bike, and if they end up losing money, they can always hit the mfr up for a credit or better dating or whatever the next time they order bikes.

If they tell you there's nothing they can do, they're lying. There's always something a shop can do to keep customers happy.

Yeah, that's what I figure too - I just wish the guy I am speaking to was one with a bit more balls/imagination and was prepared to make me an attractive offer. I'm sure he could manage to do so without costing the shop a lot of money. Let's see if he does (though I strongly doubt it). If anyone has suggestions as to what I could ask for - my current thinking is a wheelset upgrade.

These motherfuckers refuse to come up with an alternative that gives me a similarly-specced bike for the same price. A discount of £135 on the £900-more-expensive next model up ain't going to cut it, to be honest.

I suggested they upgrade the wheelset of the next model down, which would give me an effective discount of £100 (not unfair I don't think, considering the delay and disappointment?

Thank you for your email.

Unfortunately - as advised previously - we do not do part swaps (unless you pay for alternative parts fully).
I am sorry for this.

Regards
Adrian

Wiggle Customer Services

Adrian has a manager...

Time to escalate I think, given that you have been paying since april for this and presumably your company has paid in full at that point under the cycle to work scheme and good have not been delivered they are on somewhat dodgy ground trading standards wise. standard mail order procedure is not to charge until goods are dispatched. You may wish to point this out.

well that blows
xpost to mark

awesome abt getting yr grandpa's bike, rev! that is sort of the dream way to get a sweet vintage bike b/c you know at least it's prob been sitting in a dry garage for a long time even tho it'll need some work

i realllly want another bike, tho i'm so comfortable with mine (old specialized rockhopper, with road slicks) maybe i should just get a more comfortable saddle and cut down the ridiculously wide handlebars or put dif ones on. but wld like a road bike, something light and fast but obv not $$ b/c a) i don't have much $$ and b) i wld commute on it and therefore be locking it up places and c) it wld be better for longer rides, put some panniers on it, yknow. but maybe not this year, sigh

was talking with a friend abt multi-day even multi-week treks and am surprised at how much the idea appeals to me

Okay, we've sorted it out. I am getting effectively the same bike but with Campagnolo Chorus gruppo rather than SRAM Force. I can live with that, I think. It also means I'll have a spare set of wheels (Fulcrum Racing 5), which I can either sell or keep as spares.

awesome abt getting yr grandpa's bike, rev! that is sort of the dream way to get a sweet vintage bike b/c you know at least it's prob been sitting in a dry garage for a long time even tho it'll need some work

Yeah, this is the case. I'm taking it to get new tires today.

Okay, new tires are go!

: |

Learned the hard way that one needs to take the curb at an angle. I'm alright, but there's a large bloodstain on the knee of my jeans.

What do you mean by "take the curb?" Are you jumping curbs? I wouldn't advise doing that on a 30-year-old road bike (or any road bike for that matter). You'll mess up your bike.

Or do you literally mean that to turn, you simply turned the handlebars? Yup, you need to lean into them - indeed you'll barely turn the bars at all except in the slowest and tightest of bends.

No, no. I mean I went from the street onto the curb at a place where the curb was lowered to street level (not jumping) at pretty much a 180-degree angle, at which point my bike immediately fell over to the right and I found myself on my hands and knees.

Ah, fuck. The bike I wanted had 50/34 chainrings and a 12-27 cassette - nice and gentle and good for hills. The bike I have ended up buying, I have just discovered, is 53/39 and 11-25. I am fucked as soon as I come across a hill.

You could ask the shop to switch out the cassette or chainrings. If you give them the stock one that comes with the bike, hopefully they won't charge (or charge much) for the new cassette and labor. Seems like they owe you.

(xpost) rev, that can happen. I fell on my ass in a similar way just a couple of weeks ago (first time I'd fallen in a long-long time). The pavement was wet and I rode up on a lip between pavement and driveway and the front wheel kicked out. Bloop - one second I was on the bike the next second I was on the ground. Jumped up and got back on the bike and kept riding. Came away with a little bruise on my hip and a scuff mark on the handlebars. No biggie.

mark- how much do you care about keeping the group intact? i ask because campy stuff fetches a lot on ebay, so you could always sell the cranks and pick up a set of FSA or SRAM compact cranks for less $$$, and that would at least solve that problem. that'll make a way bigger difference than the cassette (although a cassette swap is so easy, i don't know why they wouldn't do it). switching out the chainrings won't work, since a 50/34 is a compact (and could possibly require a different front derailleur as well). also, campy may make compact cranks now... i've been out of the campy loop for a while.

your bike will get more looks with campy on it than SRAM, that's for sure.

I just scored a cheap Kona jake frame to build a new bike for my GF's birthday.

Anyone got any tips on respraying bike frames as this looks a little beat. Obviouly plugging any threads, guides and holes is a must as is a grease free and slightly sanded down surface, but anyone got any tips for getting a good finish, what type of paints I should be using etc.

I have ended up compromising AGAIN and settling for a Dura-ace groupset with compact chainrings. Less stylin', but £100 cheaper and I'm so hacked off with the entire process I don't care any more

Rev, will you post pictures of yr new bike? I'm not purely asking that to give me an excuse to post pics of mine :)

Mine's black. Not sure how I feel about that.

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m134/johnjusten/rcstcat.gif

Sorry sorry, I am very bored at work (you may have guessed)

Bike might arrive tomorrow! (but more likely early next week)

Next week it is, then.

Bugger, make shure you check it over carefully when it arrives.

I will, as carefully as I know how, in any case! Want to give me some pointers, assuming that I am one step up from absolute noob?

clean the grease off the chain and lube it up... shimano chains ship with this horrible grease on them- it gets everywhere, and after a few weeks, it's like tar on your chain. (otherwise, dura-ace is tits, and don't let any campy fanatics tell you it ain't.)

invest in a torque wrench, and check the torque on seat post and stem bolts if you're using carbon parts.

make sure the rim strip is covering all the holes.

make sure the two bolts holding the non-drive side crankarm onto the spindle are tightened evenly (and if you ever take the crankarm off, loosen them by alternating half turns for the first few turns).

ride it a few weeks, and then reindex the rear derailleur, and then give the cables a shot of lube after a couple months once everything has settled in.

sorry if you know this stuff already- some people call themselves noobs and end up having better wrenching chops than i do.

Jordan I could barely follow the above! But thanks, that's priceless info. Do I reindex the rear derailleur myself or do I need to get a non-noob to do it? Also, how does one lube a cable?

Thanks again!

Bike is HERE. Woohoo! It's pretty, though more carbon-looking than I anticipated (I thought the primary frame colour was black, but it's actually a thick carbon weave effect). Seems weird that I'm only 6 foot and yet it's classed as an XL (58cm) frame, but I think it's a wee bit more compact than my Trek. The tyres (Schwalbe Ultremos) look terrifyingly slick but apparently they do have excellent grip. Very excited about riding home now!

I was thinking more along the lines of a very close inspection of the frame for any damage, especially as it is carbon.

Are we talking visual damage, or are there other ways of checking?

It's all set up now - eggbeaters are attached, handlebars sorted, cleats fixed to shoes etc. I may have to adjust the height of the saddle a touch but that can wait till I get it downstairs I think. Am a bit nervous about using a new clipless system in rush-hour London traffic but I'll be ultra-careful.

Just visual damage, scratches, nicks etc. Carbon is much more sensitive than metal to these and your frame should be send back if it has the slightest hint of these.

HI DERE

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/biondino/focus1.jpg

I know that's not a great pic - I'll take some more soon and post some better angles.

sweeet

nice

http://img49.imageshack.us/img49/1382/bicicletasf6.jpg

i think i could bite through that lock

WITH SEXY RESULTS

Sorry. I only came here to post another picture of the machine, a better one. I'll stop after this.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/biondino/focus100608.jpg

Ledge, I know. That one came w/ the bike. It's not gonna stop anyone who really wants the to take it, but at least no one's gonna just walk away with it cause they can. I did get a better lock from the bike shop, but I haven't gotten around to depackaging it.

wow mark- i dig the fat carbon weave... kinda looks like a scott. how's the ride?

rev you have actually scored upon a pretty sweet frame I fink

what are those cranks?

I heard from a dude who knows stuff that nobody does the fork tube joists anymore like they did on those old schwinns

actually you can see it on the bottom bracket joists as well

i have never irl seen anyone use those eggbeater pedals on a roadbike. Is the cleat (or whatev) chunky??

xposts

I use them on my road bike and the cleat is wee.

Mark can you do a photo so we can see the gruppo?

The cleat is wee, almost exactly the same size and similar shape to an SPD cleat. I use mtb shoes as I am more than happy to add 100g if it means I can actually walk in them.

Jordan, I don't have a lot to compare it to, but the ride is pretty cool. It really is a lot lighter than my Trek - 18lb rather than 24lb - and with quite decent quality wheels it moves beautifully. The difference in climbing a hill is just ridiculous. There is a fundamental difference in dampening between the aluminium Trek and the carbon Focus - less high end jarring, perhaps?

When I rode it home from work the other day (so I've only actually done 7 miles on it so far - would have ridden it today but it was raining, and quite glad I chose the Trek as it started hailing (?!) 10 minutes into my ride) the setup wasn't quite right, so I've tweaked the handlebar angle (and might have to again) and the seat angle (it was giving me lower backache) and might adjust the seat position slightly if backache persists. The biggest difference was when I stood up and, as you do, compensated with my upper body for the pedal pressure and almost toppled over, the bike was so light!

There are a couple of odd things that I will ask about when I give it its 100km service - the freewheel noise isn't uniform, it gets higher and louder for half a rev, then quieter and lower for the other half. Any idea why, and whether this is a problem? I am also slightly concerned that the angle of the rear derailleur wheels is a bit off (pointing inwards, rather than parallel to the chain), perhaps it got banged in transit - it seems to work fine but I haven't yet tested the whole gear range so I don't really know.

The gruppo is Ultegra front mech, Dura-ace rear mech, FSA Gossamer chainset, Dura-ace shifters, cassette and chain unknown. I'll try and do some photos soon.

fork(?) tube...joists(?)

If only I spoke bicyclish.

Here's a cycling glossary that will help with the terminology. It was put together by the late and great bicycle guru Sheldon Brown.

http://sheldonbrown.com/glossary.html

Is a "joist" what we call a stay in the states?

http://science.howstuffworks.com/bicycle1.htm

I say joist because I consider a "joint" to be something where one or both parts are mobile - thus the architectural term (I figure. probably it's just because I'm an idiot)

howstuffworks is a fucking awesome site regardless

Assembling the bits for my girlfriend's new bike has been fun, also it gives me a chance to acquire some new tools. I now have vernier calipers, I have always wanted an excuse to get vernier calipers.

hello bicycle peoples, i wish to obtain bicycle

so for my first real bike, which i would like to evetually use for a 9 mile work commute & transport around the city, do you think i should invest the $$ in a new machine? only reluctant because new bikes be spendy

Where are you elmo?

city of providence, state of rhode island and providence plantations, united states of america

Second hand would be fine if you have got someone who can look it over for you. If there is a second hand bike coop that rehabilitates old bikes then this is probaly the best option (see the excellent Recycle-a-bike in NYC that laurel works for).

Try starting here:

http://www.recycleabike.org/

"works for" is extremely generous -- more like "lets use their tools on the pretext that she's volunteering her time". But yeah, they're awesome!

so for my first real bike, which i would like to eventually use for a 9 mile work commute & transport around the city, do you think i should invest the $$ in a new machine?

On the one hand, 9 miles is a good bit of riding on a daily basis, and you'd want a capable and reliable bike for that. On the other hand, you haven't been riding enough to know what you really want or know how much you would put a nice bike to good use. So I would consider buying used or getting a cheaper new bike with the idea that you can invest in a nicer bike down the road (so to speak). You could also just get a nice bike now.

Do you have any notion of what kind of bike you want? Start with materials: aluminum or steel? Do you want something that can handle trails and light off-road or a true road bike? Do you want a more upright riding position or something more aero? What's your general budget?

Give us more to work with.

i'm not sure what material would be best, as i don't really know the advantages or disadvantages of either. whichever is more durable, i suppose. ideally i would be using the bike around the city, commuting to work on back roads, and weekend recreational use on bike paths etc. i won't be taking it off-road but it should be able to handle the occasional rough patch of pavement and smaller potholes.

i probably won't be commuting on bike every day, at least not right away -- i'll probably have to work up to it, physically -- but my eventual goal would be to cycle to work at least half the time from spring through fall. i don't need a bike to be particularly fast or agile, but i do want it to be durable and reliable.

budget -- I have about $350+ that i can spend right now -- which is basically 5 tanks of gas for me these days, hence the interest -- but I could probably augment that as needed, either by saving up for a little while, or soliciting bike fund donations for my approaching brithday.

i'd like to have a rack so i can port some stuff around, and maybe add fenders, but these are less than essential. it would nice if the bike looked cool, too.

I think a rack is essential for the sort of use you want to do, it makes popping to the store or bringing stuff to and from work easier. (Rack haters - I can get more six packs and potatoes home in panniers) But you can add this later. I think a flat-bar road or tourer would be ideal or a cross bike that will take a rack (like a kona jake, for example).

i'll admit i'm a bit intimidated by bike culture because i know next to nothing about it -- if i'm buying a new bike i just want to have a clear idea of what i am looking for. the employees at the local bike place i'd go to are (allegedly) pretty snotty / haughty to the uninitiated, so i want to have at least a basic vocabulary in place so they don't mark me for a sucker and try to sell me shit i don't need.

These could be some ideas:

http://providencebicycle.com/itemdetails.cfm?id=575
http://providencebicycle.com/itemdetails.cfm?id=747
http://providencebicycle.com/itemdetails.cfm?id=640
http://providencebicycle.com/itemdetails.cfm?id=640
http://providencebicycle.com/itemdetails.cfm?id=564

Ed, you are a treat!

i will definitely be stopping by prov bike after work -- the other shop i'm more familiar with is quite a bit higher end / specialty

http://www.thehubprovidence.com/

From their selection take a look at the Jamis Coda, KHS Urban XPress and Surly cross check and long haul trucker (the last two or probably out of your price range but I ride a cross check and it is a great bike).

The Hub carries Jamis, and I've heard a lot of good things about the Jamis Coda line. You should check into that.

I think you should tell the shop guy that you're looking for a hybrid or cyclocross bike. Explain that you want something closer to "road geometry" and you don't want a suspension fork. By saying those two things, I think you'll get more respect and can skip all the granny bikes.

The Bianchi Volpe and Surly Cross Check are both awesome, but totally out of your price range.

yeah! you guys are great

Thinking about buying this thing (will prob be commuting more if/when change job)

http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii129/Eunimave/IMG_0089.jpg

It looks pretty fucking sweet imo

It's 56cm, my road bike is 58.

My first decent road bike was a 56cm alu Bianchi thing (rip ;_;) which I just scraped in with wrt height.

bought a bike!! -- or committed to buy, picking it up tomorrow

jamis coda sport

shop owner initially directed me towards the jamis coda and was selling it really hard but of course he didn't have my size / could get more -- so i went for the coda sport. shop owner is including a rack & a helmet to help offset the price diff.

excited

That's a great bike, and Jamis is a nifty company. Congrats!

Lovely! Is it this one:

http://capitolhillbikes.com/images/library/large/jamis_coda_sport_08_m.jpg

I love the blue.

that is it!

I might reverse my stem tonight for that important 1/2 inch reduction in reach. I have basically decided my bike is a wee bit too big for me but I don't really want to have to buy a new stem.

So I reversed my stem, apparently successfully, but I am now convinced there is some play in my headset that wasn't there before. Possible? Everything seems appropriately tightened, and my bike didn't fall apart when I rode in today, but I'm panicking about every little noise and vibration right now. I guess it'll have its 100-mile service in the next week or two so they can tell me if anything's wrong.

do you get any knocking or play if you hold the front brake tight and gently rock the bike back and forth?

A tiny bit, if I remember rightly. Should a headset be absolutely rigid (while still turning, obviously)? I also haven't figured out how much of the noise/rattling is the cable hitting the tubes - carbon is more echoey than aluminium, it seems.

it should be rigid, yeah. but the above test is not foolproof, it's possible the play is in the brakes not the headset. you did tighten the top cap and then the stem bolts, right?

I have only just realised what you mean by reversing the stem, for some reason I thought seat post. I am unsure as to whether this is that great an idea you will have changed the loading on the fork, steerer, headset and head tube quite dramatically. I'd worry more on a carbon frame as well as they are optimised for certain loadings

It seems to be a standard thing to do, Ed - certainly loads of people seem to recommend it as a simple way of changing your riding position and, indeed, my stem actually has "+/- 6 degrees" written on it - I am pretty sure it's part of the selling point.

I might undo the various bolts and re-tighten them, see if it makes a difference.

Ah, I understand further now, I though you had flipped it as in running it backwards over the cross bar.

YOu should tighten the bolt on the headset cap first I think, before doing the ones on the steerer clamp.

Wow, backwards would be a radically different riding position!

Yeah, I might give it another go. I have also convinced myself that the stem is now a 1/10th of a degree off centre, so that needs sorting too! I definitely prefer the position now - more sportive than race :)

if you have an expander in yr steerer (for carbon steerer) instead of a starnut, its a fussy adjustment. you need to load topcap enough to eliminate play, but the bars should turn freely and throughout range. then gradually tighten the stem bolts, alternating bolts. if you have a carbon steerer, its also fussy because the steerer may deform a bit. for this reason, you sometimes see guys with a spacer on top of the stem. this allows the stem to "grip" lower on the steerer, less deformation. stems in the past 5 years are better designed and its not such an issue. on my bike tho, i HAVE to have this arrangement, my steerer is just too soft.

one of my mates insisted on removing the topcap/expander wedge from his steerer after tightening stem to save 20g.

I have I think 5 spacers, then stem, the 2 spaces, then topcap. I hope I haven't deformed my steerer! I have to admit I have no idea what a starnut or an expander is.

Take off the topcap and look down the steerer and all will be revealed.

oh, you wont permanently deform it. it just flexes a bit. dont worry.

if you take off the cap and a plug comes with it, its an expander. if its just a bolt, then as ed says you can look into the steerer and see a "star-fangled nut" wedged up in there. 'course, after you tighten the stem, the cap and the wedge/expander serve no real function.

What shall I do with the large 70s/80s Holdsworth road bike I currently have in my shed, gathering dust and rust? It's a 14-speed (2x7) steel racer, very heavy, and completely unused at present. Is it even worth wondering whether it can be converted to single-speed? Perhaps it's just fit for using as a machine which might help me understand how bikes are put together - although I doubt it has a great deal in common with my lithe carbon beauty. I'll try and take some photos, maybe tonight if I remember.

If it's got horizontal drop-outs it should be relatively easy to convert to a single speed. I did this last fall with a 80's Trek road bike, and I've since inherited a box of frames and parts from a friend so I'm probably going to put together a couple of Frankenbikes.

I learned a whole lot by taking apart and rebuilding the Trek so it was totally worth it if you like to do that kind of thing. I think that having an untouched, fully-functioning main bike is a key element for this kind of thing - no matter how messed up your project bike is you can still actually ride your main bike.

Thanks joygoat. I took some pictures of the bike today - please have a look at the first 13 pics of this set on my Flickr!

I am thinking about perhaps trying to restore it to either close to its original spec, or to renovate the frame and usable parts and give it a more modern feel. At the moment I have bugger all idea, in all honesty, but as a medium-long term project it could be quite fun.

(p.s. Holdsworth was founded at my local bike shop, even though this bike came from elsewhere, so there's a bit of sentiment attached too)

<3 flat crown fork
the whole thing is cool

Decided against that hillbrick thing and opted for a too expensive bianchi pista frame :/

Are you in the US? If yes, have you checked out bikesdirect.com? The Hour and Kilo TT are both very popular and cheap.

shit that is cheap. I'm not in US tho, everything is super expensive in Australia :(

And by the time I added shipping it's probably not worth it.

Like I did look around quite a bit for frames and parts, both in aus and overseas, but I decided to just bite the bullet and do it.

re: the purpose of a headset top cap- even when the stem is tightened, you still need something to preload the bearings in the headset. tightening the stem on the steerer doesn't exert any downward pressure on the headset by itself. but don't over tighten the top cap bolt- otherwise, your bike will steer stiffly.

mark c- are you still having the rattling/looseness problem? i'm almost 100% sure that when you flipped the stem, you didn't force the steerer tube all the way back up before putting everything back together, and now you've got some play in the headset. if you haven't already solved the problem, take the top cap off, loosen the stem, and put your bike on the ground so the fork (and steerer) are snugged up as far as they can go. then put the top cap back on, tighten it, and see if you still have the problem. also- keep in mind that the steerer should NOT be flush with the top of the stem- it should sit about 2mm down.

anyway, sorry to be long-winded. hope this helps.

Thanks Jordan - I got back on the bike, the play seemed worse if anything, so I got out my tool, loosened the stem, tightened the topcap, made sure everything was aligned okay and woot! It worked!

Walter, have you actually bought the Bianchi? They're very pretty, I doubt you'll regret it.

even when the stem is tightened, you still need something to preload the bearings

think about this.

sorry to sound smug there

pretty damn sure once you tighten the stem, the steerer is loaded for good. those steerer clamps are pretty tight.

actually i think im here stupidly writing about something you didnt say ytth- gah. sorry again and back to work

xps Mark, yes I actually bought it. I'm going to put an oldish dura ace lever on it, which will make it somewhat ugly.

will post pics eventually

Is Recycle a Bicycle my best bet in NYC? Too bad they don't sell out of their L.I.C. workshop. Should I try East Village or DUMBO? And about how much money am I looking at for a general no frills bike?

i am buying....a bike!

Bro works at a shop is hooking me up. Thinking about pulling the trigger on a Traveler's Check since he can get me the frame at sub-$800. A Cross-Check is more likely, however.

Gonna dingle-speed it!

Is the S+S really worth it. Given that most airlines are charging for luggage now, the advantage of getting it down to luggage size is much less. Save your bucks and get a nice bag when you fly it.

Cross check is awesome though.

Me and the wife got the parents and in-laws to chip in and bought a Cross Check for her little brother's PhD graduation present. Best graduation present ever.

I JUST ORDERED A SURLY {GAYEST NAME EVER} KARATE MONKEY {/GAYEST NAME EVER}...STOKED ON THAT.

lol

my new bike is on the way ^_^

NEW BIKE BONERS ALL AROUND.

YEPP

Is Recycle a Bicycle my best bet in NYC? Too bad they don't sell out of their L.I.C. workshop. Should I try East Village or DUMBO? And about how much money am I looking at for a general no frills bike?

-- Virginia Plain, Sunday, 6 July 2008 00:42 (3 days ago) Bookmark Link

Never saw this, M. You should try both locations as the selection varies and neither seems to know what the other has.

VP:

1. Call ahead and ask what they have.
2. Expect to spend about $125-200 on a bike from R-A-B but keep in mind it will be completely overhauled with any worn/broken parts already replaced and buying a bike from craigslist for $75 might involve another $50-75 in work costs.

also ok minor rant: holy geez how is it that people go and buy nice bikes and even a decent lock and then like lock up only the front tire or put the lock between forks, tire and wahtever they're locking to? it blows my mind. i have felt compelled to leave short notes tucked in water-bottle holders of bikes locked at my workplace. they are not dickish notes, i just don't want people to suffer the pain of a stolen bike. i mean, i don't know what else to do, except obv nothing :/

(when i say 'forks' i mean front forks with quick-release agh i almost took the bike myself but quelled the evil)

Haha! I go for the front wheel-and-frame d-lock action - not flawless (they can steal my back wheel easy enough) but hell, the only place I lock it is in a private underground car park. Let's see how long it takes to get nicked.

i use locking skewers (and headset top cap), and i've had good luck so far. it's super convenient only having to lock the frame and never worrying about the wheels.

getting a flat and realizing i forgot the key is miserable, though... having to search all over for the hole to patch while the wheel is in the frame really blows.

My shit ought to be showing up tomorrow afternoon....they were out of crosscheck frames, so I just went for the complete and will part it out over time. might just replace the wheels immediately, though.

best part: $300 below retail!

I have the pista happening. I need to put a new brake lever on it tho. The Dura-Ace levers look majorly retarded.

Can the many wizened minds of ILTRBMB come up with a new bike for a bike n00b like me?

I'm tired of riding a silly high maintenance off-roader with a heavy frame, fat tyres and about twenty-two more gears than I have any use for. I never cycle anywhere except roads and the steepest incline I face on a day-to-day basis is Waterloo Bridge, so I'm inclined toward a single speed (fuck a fixie tho) with as light a frame as I can afford.

Not looking to spend more than £500 (although could stretch to £600 if the value was there). Initial inquiries have come up with the Trek Solo S and the Trek District (yup, my local bike shop's a specialist Trek dealer).

Thoughts appreciated...

presumably 2nd or 3rd District (the other two are belt drive)

tbh the one the guy showed me was belt drive, and although I can see the benefits (weight, maintenance etc) it doesn't really hold much of an attraction for me. Certainly not worth the extra expense from my point of view. Pretty bike though.

see also: Kona Paddy Wagon, Charge Plug and Surly Steamroller (a little high priced). Evans appears to have a sale on right now so might be worth a look.

The Kona is one I've also looked at online and the brand appeals but my ignorance is such that i can't, in truth, appreciate the tangible advantages of any of the above over any of the others. Am very eager to be enlightened though.

raleigh one way.

i'll sell you mine.

I would buy it, were it not for the fact that I'm buying it through a work cycle scheme whereby it has to be new and I have to go through a participating vendor.

I was in the exact same boat, test rode a Steamroller that was set up fixed, and loved the hell out of it. Keep in mind that you can ride fixed and not immediately turn into an asshole (a concern of mine). But I think it'd be just as nice single speed. Make sure whatever you get you budget for a few things you'll probably want to add (better pedals, toeclips, lights, etc) and, if you want to work on it yourself, replacement parts for the ones you screw up (the left crank is REVERSE THREADED).

I can see the Steamroller being a bit overpriced, but it was a) the prettiest b) the one I didn't have to special order.

Sounds like a test ride would be a good idea. Buying a bike on looks and on-paper spec alone is probably a bad idea.

I am verily appreciating ilx helping me to narrow it down from lots to some.

i was in the exact same boat as you at the beginning of the summer and ended up buying an origin8 uno. not a bad bike at all but not probably the best i could have had. what i figured out tho is that basically every manufacturer has a single-speed road bike offering and they are all pretty good! my only tip from experience is that if you have a vague idea of using the thing for utility as well as fun, make sure it's a road and not a track-style frame as those will probably not have rack mount braze-ons.

Yes, also the track bikes are twitchier and don't absorb the shock of going over curbs (or kerbs) and other road hazards as well.

yeah i hear that

Very few lower priced SS bikes are track geo these days, from what I understand.

But yeah, I switched back to my pista for a few days and even tho I love how twitchy it is, it kills my back before too long. All scrunched up.

Of my cycling buddies the favourite mid-priced ss/fg bike seems to be the Pearson Touche - can you get that through your scheme?

Personally, I can totally recommend getting a steel frame. Mine's a track frame but it is so much nicer over bumps than either my alloy or my carbon roadie.

Is the £500-£600 including the cycle to work discount (if that's the scheme in question), or do you actually mean the RRP of the bike could be about £1000 before the scheme savings?

Spesh Langsters are in your price range, assuming it's the former, and are very popular if you do go for alloy.

And finally, man the fuck up and ride fixed, it's so satisfying once you figure it out!

But WHY is it so satisfying??? I'm gonna buy a flip-flop hub either way so of course I'll give it a go, but all I can imagine is that Dog Kennel Hill's gonna be a shitload less satisfying if I can't free-wheel it.

And the £500-6 is pre-discount cuz I am a cheapskate and disinclined to have much more that £25/month taken out of my wages. Could afford it but don't really think I'd appreciate the extra money spent.

climbing is loads easier on a fix than on a SS, fwiw, but yeah, descending is a pain.

srsly tho, unless you suddenly start putting 650s and flat bars on yr track bike, you've got a long way to go before riding fixed automatically makes you a d-bag.

amen

And yeah dude srsly I was not planning on riding fixed at all, thought I might do it much later but generally had a lot of reservations, worried about hills and stuff, but five minutes and a few comers on that thing and I just wanted to ride it aaaaaaall the live long day.

fuck riding fixed, yeah i said it.

I can see that... Now that I'm not doing a time-trialesque commute on my fixed bike and actually putting in 3-400 miles a week, riding fixed seems slow and inefficient in comparison.

Cuttles, why selling the 1-Way? Seems like an ideal commute/errand bike?

May have to hold off on the new bike purchase as there's a fair chance I'll be leaving this job within the next three months and would have to pay for the bike outright if I did.

Committing to a job for a year just for the sake of a shiny new bike would be pretty stupid, right?

How about singlespeed conversion for yr current?

Or better tyres, unless you plan on going off-road much. Singlespeed conversion's fun though, although not quite as cheap and easy as I was expecting.

Really? What was cost? chain + tensioner + cog = £30-40?

Better tyres whether or not you do the conv though, yup. I guess that adds to the cost too.

Yeah, I've been thinking about new tyres for a while anyway. How much would youse estimate if I were to do the whole thing properly?

Haven't bought a new chain yet, but needed to buy a cone wrench and chain breaker (which are useful tools to have, although if I get a SRAM chain like everyone I speak to says the chain breaker will be surplus), also getting the bus to work for 3 weeks because I'm kind of useless at this sort of thing and didn't really plan it (like buying all the tools and the parts at the same time).

Look at me as a worst-case scenario, maybe.

Costs: tyres, maybe 30-40 for a pair? I don't know about 26" tyres though. Parts for the conversion like ledge said, I paid £30 for a Surly tensioner and a cog was £8 or something. Tools cost about a tenner too.

£30! I got an on-one tensioner for a tenner
http://www.on-one-shop.co.uk/acatalog/Tensioners.html

oh well. Saving you money already!

Honestly dudes, maybe Britisherians' ways are different, but in my experience bike shop workers are insanely friendly and if you talk to them for around five minutes about yr biking goals you'll get the use of things like a chain tool, etc, and they'll usually throw in any v. small parts you might need like screws n shit

Also, if there are any bike co-ops in yr area, as a rule, they'll have specialized tools you can use for free.

That said, a multi-tool with a chain tool is u+k

Yeah I've got the odd free screw from my local bike shop guy.

Ahem.

So today I broke my Fuji frame right above the bottom bracket coming out of an intersection. I think the gear ratio (53:16) was too high for a single speed, although I was going to change it anyway because it had gotten so annoying. I'm thinking about buying a frame on craigslist and then having my old parts put on it. Last time this happened (on a Raleigh frame that broke in a different place) I lived near a pretty friendly bike store and got a new frame and labor for $200. We'll see what my luck is like. I've been, in the meantime, looking at this:

http://orlando.craigslist.org/bik/1355953008.html

Except I want that damn seat.

Also this:

http://orlando.craigslist.org/bik/1355023370.html

That's all I see right now. Comments on those?

yow what is that crazy seatpost?

Cuttles, why selling the 1-Way? Seems like an ideal commute/errand bike?

if i'm communting, generally i have already ridden that morning. i find riding a single-speed (even though not fixed) limites my ability to do strictly a high-cadence recovery ride on the way to work. the bridge ascents especially hurt me on the one-way after a hard work out. i could always switch the chain-ring, but then i'd be spinning out way too much on the flats.

sorry, bikes should have gears, unless you are on the track or riding on an airstrip.

just get a three-speed hub!

i'd rather ride my road bike to work, thanks

eek, hope you can bring it into the office

Having a fixed for my commute and a geared bike for other riding is perfect - I fucked my last road bike by using it for a commute through the winter, so I've found having something that is relatively easy to clean and maintain is useful and I can leave my road bike for the days when I can get out, come back and clean it up if necessary. I clearly don't ride anywhere near as much though as lots here though - it's just a case of what suits, really.

Also, um, I do really like riding fixed in town.

The lack of gears isn't really relevant (in London anyway), and having a nice low gear (48/19) ensures that I've got a generally high cadence and can get away from junctions easily, and well, that feeling of rolling along just really sets me up for the day.

my building has a gated bike area with key entry. also NYC just passed a local law requiring all buildings to have indoor bike parking space.

!!!

I have a friend that works for Tr3k and can get me the 30% employee discount - is this worth it or should I just get a bike on sale somewhere?

Trek make good bikes, there's a lot of choice and you'll know you're getting something decent. If there's something in their range that fits your desired spec and price range, then it might be ideal. But sale bikes are definitely worth keeping an eye on - Trek is perhaps a little bland and commonplace a brand and there are certainly more interesting bike out there.

any of you cats got an opinion of ARGON 18, by any chance? the local bike shop has a couple of their lower-end models in at the moment.

I think they're fine, except a) it looks like you've got a bike from Argos and b) it reminds me of Comb4t 18...

was not aware of the latter group, jesus christ!

lol, what an unfortunate unrelated display name change

Hopefully most people aren't aware of it, haitch! Is 18 the atomic number of Argon, or something?

anyone know anything about flying scots?

Should I buy this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270469942198&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT#ht_9952wt_909

tbh I can't afford it till later in the week, and even then I am borrowing against my salary in january for the job I got offered, however it is really pretty.

oh that looks niiiice. buy it, it's only money!

yeah, tht is gorgeous, another buy it from me!

I restrained myself ;_;

that said, it didn't sell, so if they re-list for <1500 ...

hey haitch been thinking baot buying a bike from wiggle or chainreactioncycles in teh uk even w/postage of about AU$200, so many cheap non-horrible roadbikes O_O. u thot about doing this??

like some no-name brand alu frame w/full ultegra deilvered for $1700

i sorta been leery about the online stuff partly because i wanna try before i buy and partly because of the no-nameness, jees most of it is miles cheaper than what you can get out here tho!

even for the more exxy stuff, like competitive cyclist is clearing '09 cervelos including like built-up S2s with dura ace everything for half what that'd be here

yuh true. the bmc carbon thing w/ultegra for $2877 is intersting to me.

http://i50.tinypic.com/29vx9x5.jpg

watch for local price to rise 20% due to cadel halo effect, lol

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Raleigh_Avanti_Carbon_Race_2009/5360045551/

could pull trigger on this one i reckon

wow really cheap. too small for me tho :(

have also been considering this:

http://www.bikes.com.au/p/514314/2010-mbc-r1-carbon-shimano-ultegra.html

same price practically, and local!

wwoow

srsly considering that

maybe when i get back from the OUTBACK

lol

u could have it delivered, what else are u gonna do out there!!

That is a nice bike! Much nicer than the Raleigh imho. Also, I don't think Wiggle does no-name bikes - which are you thinking of? Focus? I have one - it's ace, and fantastic value.

Hey Mark, I was thinking Cube. But after a bit of research it's obvs not a totally dodge bike co.

focus just got picked up for australian distribution and wiggle won't ship them over here any more. be interesting to see how much they land here for - the one in the ad i saw has deep-section carbon lightweights and super record so i assume that'll be pricey!

^^ha was just gonna say I tried to add a Focus bike thru wiggle and it didn't let me, that's why!

Cube are pretty decent - and (IMHO) one of the better looking brands. I'd be very comfortable buying one.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/images/focus-lzalco-excampy09-med.jpg

$6k for this on wiggle - will not land here under $12k if usual aus distributors are anything to go by

Do you have to pay substantial customs/VAT duties when importing an expensive item like a bike to Oz?

nah vat(gst) is only 10%. market forces i guess.

..wouldn't hav a clue about customs actually tbh

local distributors just seem to ramp up prices on full bikes, parts etc to a massive degree. saw dura ace pedals at bike shop near work for $500 the other week, can get same off PBK for $380. lol mark-up is hueg.

make that $280, even worse!

maybe considering a canyon once they start shipping to aus again (they're working on this apparently). brilliant specs for such cheap bikes!

this is really hott in the black
cheaper alu option

wilter what u think baout malviern star 'oppy' - they're all the same frame (cept for the pro model which has an integrated seat post) - so internal cabling and carbon dropouts for all. meant to be pretty racey!

What's the deal with bikesdirect.com and motobecane bikes?

http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/road_bikes.htm

Why are they so cheap, what's the catch? Googling up reviews seems to suggest they are OK, but to check the assembly/greasing etc. before heading out. Thinking seriously about my first paycheque at the end of january.

What else is out there for around $2000?

Dude, get the Dura Ace Motobecane. It's even pretty. I had one when I was a kid (not a dura-ace carbon job obviously), it was a lovely bike.

Guys, what are the pros and cons of this bike (click the "Description" tag for info, spec etc.), which I am pretty close to getting via the cycle to work scheme (which effectively gives a 40% discount via tax relief):

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Focus_Killer_Bee_2010_Ltd_Edition/5360045262/

I should clarify it's for off-road use - may sound duh but enough people seem to end up with MTBs when they're just pottering around on tarmac...

http://i47.tinypic.com/2s7apgj.jpg

Got paid a bonu$ considering this^

that looks a treat

but is it silly to have goodish components on a steel frame IN THIS DAY AND AGE?

why would that be silly?

heh just meant wrt frame weight. Think I'll do this.

ha i just bought a tt frame/fork/hs for really cheap. i wont have to race my cx frame in time trial after all, just transfer over parts, plus ive got a deep junk bin.

http://www.performancebike.com/images/performance/products/large/30-0789-BLK-SIDE.jpg

not very aero (the rear cutout is only cosmetic) but affords a decent position (steep seattube, slack headtube, shortish headtube).

a bunch of my friends that race cross use the scattante cx frame just cuz it's so dang cheap. it's like the mac mini of bicycles

Hey guys. It's been a while. I wish I could say I was as adventurous & committed as some of you, but the harsh winter has me trapped inside & getting my bike fix on the recumbants at my gym (a dubious replacement to be sure).

My purposes itt are this: This year, preferably before the onset of Spring, I plan to buy a used road bike - something fairly recent & of decent mechanical standards. Money is tight for me at present & as such, this will likely be more of a stopgap bike than anything: something more modern than my '76 Flandria (which I will be converting into a fixie) & a suitable step up for my second year w/ the sport, but also a bike that I will likely replace down the line a bit, money permitting, as I become more knowledgeable of technical matters and such & can either pick out "the bike" or, better yet, customize my own over time. So the "stopgap bike" should be of a level of quality and of recent enough manufacture that I could use it as a starting point for the process of upgrading components and what not.

I should mention that the biggest obstacle I have encountered thusfar in my search is the general availability of bikes which would be suitable for my height (I'm 6.2, my inseam is 33.5"/85 cm, and have thus gathered that the appropriate frame size range would be 60-62 cm/ 24".

I'm looking for something in the $3-700 range, but could possibly go up to the $1-1200 range if I find something I just can't say no to. FWIW, I currently live in Toledo, OH, tho I make regular trips back and forth to NYC & I plan to relocate back east sometime this Spring - so, I'm generally looking in the N. Ohio & mid-Michigan markets, but could conceivably work something out for the NYC general area.

The reason I am posting this right now is that I have a line on this bike: http://toledo.craigslist.org/bik/1584797046.html & would appreciate any general opinions & such on the bike & if it would be suitable to my needs. I'm going to go to dude's house & take a look at it this week & I would like to be able to bust out the wallet on the spot if it passes the rideability test.

thanks guys!

that CAAD is a precursor of what cutty was riding round on recently and what i have (and am0n too) - light and stiff alu frame. i love mine. give it a ride to see how smooth the ride is - might be a bit harsher than later models.

i'd ditch the TT bars tho, makes it look like a fuckin praying mantis!

i might leave this to the other americans as i don't really know what's available for your budget in the US.

thanks haitch. That u guys were sporting similar stuff is a big point in favor of this.

ive it a ride to see how smooth the ride is - I will, for sure. The problem with this, tho, is that my single point of reference for road bike rideability is my Flandria, which I love to death, but which is also over 30 years old! So, really, any pointers on things to look for while test-riding would also be appreciated.

You're tall but I wonder if you're THAT tall, or rather if you need a bike that big. My roadie is a 58cm Focus and I'm 6 foot with 34" inseam and it's a tiny bit big for me (a 57cm would have been great).

Ask if it's ever been crashed (hopefully as he's a triathlete rather than a cycle racer, it won't have been - check the headtube and the front end of the downtube for deformation). Check for any noises or clunks as you ride. Does it look well maintained beyond the superficial? Are the wheels true? The pedals - do you own/will you buy the necessary footwear for them, or just remove them (maybe ask for a discount and he can keep the pedals).

The aero bars - you realise these are integral, and if you wanted regular drops you'd have to buy new bars, shifters, cables etc? This is a specific TT/tri bike and would be illegal in regular road races.

My roadie is a 58cm Focus and I'm 6 foot with 34" inseam and it's a tiny bit big for me (a 57cm would have been great).

^ i'm about 6'1" but otherwise this pertains to me as well, could've gone with a 57

Might be worth playing with the Competitive Cyclist fit calculator:

http://www.competitivecyclist.com/za/CCY?PAGE=FIT_CALCULATOR_INTRO

I prefer a more oldschool style, straight top tube just below an emasculating nut cracking height. My Mercx is 59cm and my Surly 61cm. I'm a shade below 6'2" with maybe a slightly longer than average leg and shorter torso.

thanks for the info, ppl. I'm going to look into the height/frame-size factor more extensively before making any further decisions.

hey guys, (url=http://cgi.ebay.com/Specialized-Allez-Sport-58cm-bike-very-nice_W0QQitemZ200441879029QQcmdZViewItemQQptZRoad_Bikes?hash=item2eab4459f5)I'm thinking about jumping at this(/url) & I wanted to get your thoughts.

At this point, I've expanded my search to include closeout deals on new '09 models at some of my local shops, so I've actually been eyeing the Allez line & while I think my ideal frame size would be 59/60, but 58 would certainly be doable. Like I mentioned upthread, this will be my first *serious* bike, so I don't have a lot of basis for comparison. I do like the fact that this model has some of the 105 components. Ultimately I plan on customizing my own bike over time, so the initial strength of ALL components on the bike I will be buying is not as important as the upgrade-potential factor imo, but I have gathered that having a full 105 set to start with would be ideal. This one has some Tiagra components, so maybe I would be short-changing myself? This does seem like a good value, though.

Any thoughts?

whoops, sorry about the link mess.

I feel like that might be a little on the pricey side or at least I wouldn't want to pay much more than $400 for it.

All I can tell from the listing is that it has a 105 rear mech. However the saddle does suggest that it hasn't been ridden that hard.

Thanks Ed. I've got about 48 hours to think about this. On one hand I know from actual tactile experience that this model line & size would be suitable, or at least a suitable starting point, for my needs. On the other, I don't like make a split decision about something I'm not 100% sold on. The dilemma here is that size-specific shopping on the used market hasn't exactly yielded a bumper crop of bike possibilities thusfar. I've also thought about just dropping the extra cash for a new ('09 prob) model in this series, but the more recent lines are all outfitted w/ the Sore & Tiagra components up until you get to the Elite models, which would be a stretch for me to afford at this point.

http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?arc=2005&spid=21298&menuItemId=0

2005 fwiw. agree w/ ed, a little pricey, its hard to know how much wear is on it-- it has non-original tires (of high quality). the rims look worn, but the derailler is pretty unscuffed. its def not a beater by appearances. the question then is what is the level of wear on the drivetrain? replacing a cassette chain and inner ring can be $100 or more. it looks pretty good tho.

if u buy, and dont want t2 clipons, i will make u an offer on those.

Yeah, I'll let you know if I buy it b/c I'll def want to go the clipless/cleats route. I would also be swapping out the seat, in case any of you are into the comfort-pillow thing.

just for clarity, the t2s are the aerobars.

FTR, I am no longer considering the Allez Sport. The more I get involved in this process, the more I am rationalizing going a bit over my initial budget. The latest thing i am considering is a titanium Merlin Extralight w/ some really nice wheels & full Dura-Ace. I had no idea that something like that could even fit my budget, but it is looking like a might be able to pull it off.. At any rate, enough possibilities have been occurring at such a rate in the last couple days that I'm pretty confident I can come up with something nice by early April, so that I can be ready for the Spring season.

titanium Merlin Extralight w/ some really nice wheels & full Dura-Ace

O_O

Your budget has gone up by a factor of 10?

I'm pretty sure I would be getting a super-awesome deal on it b/c the guy seems more interested in passing it along to someone who would appreciate it than shopping it on the internet. I don't want to speak too soon about this b/c it could very well be too good to be true, but the dude does seem really cool, so we'll see..

I don't want to speak too soon... - lol, OK, it's done. This guy is fucking cool as hell. Not only is he selling it to me for what I can gather is a VERY good price, but he is not in any hurry to sell it & is giving me as long as I need to pay it off (April, or thereabout, I imagine), during which time I will have plenty of time to test ride & have my bike tech friend give it the once over. Even if it isn't a perfect fit, I'm still going to plan on buying it & possibly swapping out for a dif frame. From all i've gathered tho, there is no reason to expect that this frame won't do me just fine. From what I've read, these are supposed to be good for both speed & comfort in long-distance riding & at 59cm, it only one notch away from what I have determined is my ideal frame height (60).

fuck yes this is going to be my new bike, bitches!

http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/8797/thebike02.jpg

love that ti frame look.

what ARE those wheels??

Rolle Vector Pro - From what I've read they are lightweight and durable & retail for about $800/pr. I think those ones were purchased in 08. He claims to have only put 300 miles or so on the wheel/tire setup (I do not know what kind of tires).

er. Rolf, not Rolle.

duuuuuuuuuude

srsly merlin extralights are ridic ace. are those toplines or cook bros cranks?? im not a rolf fan, but thats a niiiiice bike.

someone stole all the spokes u_u

that is fucking ridiculous. good things come to all who wait, and i take back everything i said about not buying a bike that i hadn't ridden yet.

kudos2u

frame reminds me v much of that moots cx on the top of the bikelust thread that is infinite bonertime imo.

how tall are you btw?

kudos2u - thank you. it is assuring to have the approval nod from the storied gearheads of ILX!

good things come to all who wait - a major catalyst in my search came from submitting "bike wanted" posts in my nearby major CL markets w/ info on the sort of bike I was looking for, my price range, personal stats etc. This drew out several people who were thinking about selling bikes but who, for whatever reason, were reluctant to post them for open sale. The process seemed to open the door to friendlier, more personal interaction & ultimately led to a great deal!

how tall are you btw? - just shy of 6'2"

are those toplines or cook bros cranks?? - will have to get back 2 u

if frame is a little short 4u, u know who to pass it on to kthx? ;-P

I'm closer ;-P

Love the pink accents! (Seriously, my bike is part-pink). Are you going to tell us how much it's costing you?

cranks = Cook Bros.

cost = $1350

h8u

hatersgonnahate.gif

FFFFUUUUUUUUUUUU

buying selling a bike

http://newyork.craigslist.org/brk/bik/1614288039.html

you forgot to put size in the listing, you fail at craigslist

i can edit duhr

WANT

how are we the same size, though??? or is 54 secretly too big for me

how tall u?

srsly ev if you want it i'd sell for $1000 to you

I'm 5-7, prolly 31" inseam (in bibs)

will assess my finances, but don't hold yr breath. dang tho

i'm 30" inseam but my torso is the long part of my body. short legs.

gotcha

gahhhhhhhhhhhh i really don't think i can afford this :(

FINE

me in the break on said bike:

http://hphotos-snc1.fbcdn.net/hs132.snc1/5654_1195071429613_1013273219_30611260_5287681_n.jpg

lovin the gulf-inspired colourscheme of yr jersey - been a sucker for that ever since 'le mans' with steve mcqueen

http://www.jonathanadlerracing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/lemansuq4-500x486.jpg

woops u can delete that can't u

my IP

ohhhhhh

let us now analyze cuttybreak.jpg

#1) empire guy doing pull: @threshold despite just taking the first few rpms of a pull, sucking massive wind, full lactic acid cramping imminent, creative brifter grip imo
#2) our sweet prince cuttye: smiling, perfect posture, riding the rivet, tucked in the slipstream, slight echelon to the right, white shoes/gloves, epic
#3) empire guy no2: vision blurred/tunnel vision, having focus problems, looks like he'd take the sprint tho if he could keep his eye on the road ahead, thought he was checking out his computer but i don't see one on the bike, could be a weight weenie despite being a heifer (says the heifer).
#4) took a pull, looking back at the chase, probably not smiling like our sweet prince cuttye.

lolllll

re #3: karl did take the sprint

what % of guys wear shoe covers in a rr? cuz i think he deserves to blow up for that. "u saving .4 of a watt-- u stay on the front bitch!"

i have done central park races that averages 27.4mph over 2 hours--pretty fricken fast. shoe covers are used by quite a few guys who are serious about their wattage in the wind

yah, the reason i asked % is that i think the current ubiquity of power meters/figures has changed ppls awareness of issues like shoe covers. i think 10 years ago, youd get clowned here. but ive not raced in so long, ppl probably are doing it here too.

So the weather is good the sun is shining and I'm thinking about longer faster rides and this brings me to thinking about a new road bike to do them on, something light and shiny to get me excited about tackling the rollers outside of town.

I want to spend $1500-$2000 and want toss out all my pre-concieved notions. There's so much out there, especially in that price range. Give me some ideas.

you want a pre-spec'd complete bike or want to build one?

Could go either way, a second hand frame or complete bike that would take a bit of work to get ready would be fine as well. That said a complete bike gets me going faster.

aluminum or carbon?

I don't know, I've never ridden carbon. I worry about long term durability of carbon, especially given the terrible quality of the roads round here. I don't want to hit a pothole, spill and have to junk the frame. Steel and Ti are not out of the question either. I guess I need a hit-list of things to try.

I worry about long term durability of carbon, especially given the terrible quality of the roads round here. I don't want to hit a pothole, spill and have to junk the frame. Steel and Ti are not out of the question either. I guess I need a hit-list of things to try.

― American Fear of Pranksterism (Ed), Thursday, March 18, 2010 9:05 AM (49 minutes ago)

sounds like me pre-carbon bike. Ed, you and I are similarly built ja? I was in the market for an aluminum frame and the shop that I ended up purchasing from has a semi-pro team and showed me 2 versions of the frame I was interested in made by a major manufacturer (*cough*cervelo*cough*) and showed me 2 frames that had been raced on (ie, not trained on, just raced): the first had major fatigue in the BB and then second had a significant fail (shorn off where the Front Derailleur clamps on to the seattube!)... and these were ridden by little guys (130-150#ers who I'm sure are wattage-monsters but still!). I eliminated aluminum from my list after that.

basically the way the shop owner put it to me is that aluminum frames are awesome if you're sponsored and can afford to race on them and retire them when the season is over, but if you are looking for long-term durability: carbon/steel/Ti.

another thing: all carbon frames are made different. some are butted/jointed/lugged, some are monocoque, some are experimental (I saw a dude riding one of those "webbed" looking frames that are transparent and look like they'd shatter over a bump but are supposedly just as strong as most carbon frames).

also, all carbon is different. there is the stuff made in Taiwan, and then there is the USA-military grade stuff that cannot be exported that Cannondale uses on their super high end which is supposedly best in class. ymmv.

ti is really real

Al work hardening does concern me as well.

i guess it comes down to:

Lower end Trek, Focus, Cannondale, Look, Felt etc. in Carbon

That Motebcane Titanium bike that Bikes Direct do and I remain slightly suspicious of (what precisely is wrong with a $2000 Ultegra Ti Bike?)

Picking up at 10-20yr old high end steel or Ti frame on ebay and building it out.

Titanium + Ultegra - x = $2000

What is x?

x = life expectancy of the child slaves welding the frame
x = weld quality
x= alloy

What's wrong with steel?

imo steel has many pros but the main con is the weight compared to the weight of the other materials. wouldn't make much of a difference with me, but for a spindly mantis-like fellow it may.

what kind of fellow are you? ;)

;_;

lol

lol

It think that should be the name of ILX's Sportive Club.

Ti seems to be cheap this year because of Market forces. So now I have a Ti hitlist:

Motobecane LeChampion Ti with FSA/Ultegra Mix, $1699
Motobecane LeChampion Ti with Ultegra, $2000

People seem to like it, a little more compliant than Carbon, semi compact geometry

Planet-X Pro Sport Ti Frame and Fork only, $1179
Veloce Build Kit, $999
Rival Build Kit, $1099
105 Build Kit, $1150

This is a Lynskey build frame, compact geometry, looks more trick than the Motobecane, etched decals

Habanero Classic Road, Frame Only $895
Habanero Classic Road, 105 $2223
Habanero Classic Road, Rival $2273

US made frame, not butted tubes, again seems to be liked, classic geometry.

Next up, carbon and steel

Carbon List

Planet X PRo CArbon Road
Specialized Roubaix
Trek Madone 4.5
Focus Cayo
Felt F5
Felt Z5
Scattante CFR
Raleigh Competition
Fezzari Foré CR2
Motobecane Immortal Spirit

I like the idea of having a Raleigh as my first ever road bike was a Raleigh. I'm sure there is more that I could dig up. It's incredible the range of equipment standard on a c. $2000 carbon bike.

i like specialized or felt

This BMC is looking pretty sweet:

http://www.competitivecyclist.com/road-bikes/frame/2009-bmc-road-racer-sl-01-sram-rival-complete-bike-6950.html

That was almost the same exact kind of deal that was tempting me last year (08 cervelo S1 with 09 Ultegra SL) but again it came down to frame material (ie, Aluminum). That said, $1700 is a kick-ass deal.

the look 566 w/ rival on comp cyclist looks a great deal too - although that's $2700, so it's a fair jump up in ca$h unfortunately.

that BMC looks siiiick

So I've been watching Milan San Remo and researching bikes and using ILX as my notebook.I think top of my hitlist is either of the BMCs or the Felt, based on pure gut feeling and looks. The only thing stopping me from dropping $1700 on the SL01 right away is the fact I discounted Aluminium at the start of this process. There are at least BMC and felt dealers in town so I can go and try an approximation to both of these.

unfortunately BMC dealer is not open on sundays and i have committed to go biking and bike mechanicking this afternoon. Open late on Monday though. should probably try the trek and specialized as well.

BMC SL01 Rival
http://www.competitivecyclist.com/road-bikes/frame/2009-bmc-road-racer-sl-01-sram-rival-complete-bike-6950.html

Pros: looks very trick, orange is me, not full carbon, under budget
Cons: not full carbon

BMC SLT01
http://www.competitivecyclist.com/road-bikes/frame/2009-bmc-team-machine-slt-01-sram-force-complete-bike-6949.html

Pros: More Carbon, force gruppo, top tube more horizontal
cons: busting the budget, cutty will disapprove of replica BMC team colours

Scott CR1 Team 105
https://www.racycles.com/product.aspx?catid=2,445,909&pid=3725

Pros: full carbon
Cons: a bit boring looking

Felt F5 105
https://www.racycles.com/product.aspx?catid=2,441,619

Pros: Full Carbon Horizontal Top Tube, looks good, no temptation to jump up a model (too much green or garmin argyle), can try the F4 in pittsburgh which should be good for the frame sizing
Cons: can't find any

Specialized Roubaix Elite 105
http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?spid=39265&menuItemId=0

Pros: can actually try this in pittsburgh
Cons: busting the Budget

Eddy Merckx EMX-1
https://www.racycles.com/product.aspx?catid=2,432,608&pid=3708

Pros: natural step form my alu team
Cons: Really busting the budget, the look haitch posted is a way better deal, Merckx paint jobs aren't a fun as they used to be

Trek Madone 4.5 105

Pros: Can try this in pittsburgh, friend of a friend works in the trek store
Cons: Irrational Dislike of Trek

Planet-X Pro Carbon SL lots of gruppo options

Pros: cheaper frame, better gruppo, force under budget, only thing I found with campy, 2 year warranty on the frame, planet-x/On-one seem to have a good rep back home
cons: don't do chorus or athena, only veloce or record, record busts the budget

Planet-X Pro Ti Road Veloce, or Rival
Pros: frame looks trick, has a good pedigree
Cons: not actually in stock

Focus Cayo Team ultegra
http://www.bikebling.com/Focus-Cayo-Team-Replica-Complete-Bike-p/focus-cayo-teamreplica-2009.htm

Pros: Trad geometry, Ultegra
Cons: Milram colours

using ILX as my notebook

^^^ this is dope. v. interesting.

CR1s are really popular down here, though more in the old version - that new one you posted has more relaxed geometry apparently.

makes me want new bike, stoked 4 u ed!

only get SRAM imo

SRAM does seem to be the way to go. I just have a soft spot for campy even if there is no earthly reason to choose it.

OK, so the difference between the two BMCs on Competitive Cyclist is 500g more or less. Thats something I can loose if I stop eating breakfast for a week or don't hydrate properly. I could weight weenie that out over time if it really mattered to me. What difference am I going to feel between Aluminium (with carbon seat stays) and carbon? Bear in mind that I am used to the comfortable squish of the surly steel and don't have a good mental picture of the ride on my merckx, it's been too long.

Also, compact vs trad geometry, this is irrelevant and all about the best fit, right? I have an a prejudice against compact based on being a big fellow and not wanting too much seat tube exposed, any views in this?

sram vs. campy vs. shimano is a very complicated endeavo(u)r that comes down to a variety of variables. well, campy is easy to eliminate because of price. but w/r/t shimano vs. sram: it's all a matter of feel and comfort and taste in shifting styles. i know cutty prefers sram because he can shift in the sprint easier (although i can shift in a sprint, i think this might be more of a brifter positioning/bar choice?) and he also prefers the anatomics of the sram hood to the shimano.

i feel shimano's shifting mechanics are more intuitive than sram which was the top priority for me.

I loathe shimano shifting! the brake lever moves when u shift! gross!

not entirely true! only when your front derailleur upshifts or when your rear derailleur downshifts.

still

Three bike stores today after shaking myself out on the hazlewood avenue hill. Truly not the day to be looking at bikes, its the first sunday of spring and lots of little jimmys and janes need new bikes for the summer. Also, Pittsburgh runs a little small so this meant 2 out of three stores didn't have the right bikes in the right size for me to try. First store was the best, short staffed but swamped for them being big meant I could have the pick of the closeout stuff because they have more leftovers in large sizes. Shopgirl there seemed vey keen on putting something together to beat what I could find on the internet. She sent me off on a Cannondale carbon 6 which was an instant revelation not having ridden carbon before. So sharp, so tight, I could get used to this.

Hot, tattooed shopgirl is a stan for the CAAD 9 so wants me to come back in the the week to try that and a specialized roubaix and work out what they have in closeouts.

Shop two was the felt dealer, the guy in there was a bit less helpful but he did have to deal with a mainly teenage labour force and a mother who was insitant that her 10 year old son would have a 'proper' mountain bike whatever that is and it would last 5 years. To accomodate little jimmy's growth he rode out on something with wheels nearly up to his chest and no seatpost extension. He didn't have an F5 or F4 in my size but sent me out on an X45. A combination of it being too small and it being a tiagra bike with a massive stem rise meant I was really upright so couldn't really get a feel for it but it felt all wrong. He's going to get in a big F4 for the end of the week for me to try. (Not sure if I can stretch to the F4 be he's happier to have that in stock as he sells more of them)

He sent me out on a jamis xenith comp as well, which I wasn't that into and mercifully it flatted out after 200m with a sidewall blowout.

Then on to the trek store. No Madone anything in my size so test rode a aluminium gary fisher (carbon rear stays). Softer ride at the front end, whilst still being tight at the back, didn't dislike it but didn't drive me wild. 61 may be a better fit than the 58, I think but they only had the tiagra setup in a 61 and this again comes with the high rise stem. No other trek store in pittsburgh has a madone in my size and they weren't prepared to get one in on the offchance and I don't care enoguh to pursue it.

On then to the bmc dealer, probably on tuesday. I think it will end up being a toss up between the bmcs from competitive cyclist and whatever closeouts the first store has.

Also, this years carbon 6 is black and gold (yellow). Although it shouldn't matter it is kind of cool to be in a city where everything from the nfl team to the roller derby all wear the same colours for sports.

I don't think Tiagra requires a high rise stem?

It doesn't but the bikes that fit it tend to be aimed at a more relaxed rider so they tend to come with a stem that gives a more upright position.

I'm sure you could ask them to fit a racier stem without any worries. Tiagra's a decent groupset, but even if you're not buying a Tiagra bike it'd be good to have it at least set up like a bike you might buy.

Absolutely, wasn't going to happen today though. I think on the felt it wad too small anyway. The Gary Fisher I don't care enough about.

Also, this years carbon 6 is black and gold (yellow). Although it shouldn't matter it is kind of cool to be in a city where everything from the nfl team to the roller derby all wear the same colours for sports.

― American Fear of Pranksterism (Ed), Sunday, March 21, 2010 1:14 PM (3 hours ago)

Live strong my friend, live as strong as the Allegheny steel.

I'm really hoping the BMCs ride well because they just look so so good.

What I have learnt today, 59cm is about the right top tube length for me.

hello ILTRMB, it's been a while. I'm torn between the following 3 bikes (to be bought on the cycle to work scheme, they're pretty much making the budget as I need to get pedals, shoes etc on top). I'm really racking my brains what to get, do want something slightly different, but I do need to buy through Evans thanks to work:

Fuji Roubaix 3 - not common in the UK, but looks nicely 80s, decent groupset for the price too:
http://www.evanscycles.com/product_image/image/794/de5/271/47882/product_page/fuji-roubaix-30-2010-road-bike.jpg

Genesis Aether 10, rather nice looks, but groupset is basic. Is a ridgeback tho.
http://www.evanscycles.com/product_image/image/794/de5/271/47882/product_page/fuji-roubaix-30-2010-road-bike.jpg

last up - a felt 95, looks proper, very decent setup for the price, shame about the Garmin livery
http://www.evanscycles.com/product_image/image/e9f/892/77f/47149/product_page/felt-f95-2010-road-bike.jpg

oops, that genesis ain't right

http://www.evanscycles.com/product_image/image/165/65b/9f9/47849/product_page/genesis-aether-10-2010-road-bike.jpg

So yeah - any thoughts? recommendations?

close-run thing, i'd maybe go for the felt.

this honky tonk looks like fun!

in what godforsaken world is a welded sloping top tube bike with straight blades "retro looking"? i get that its steel with a panel paint job but...

nice bike tho

btw u nice for not replying "the world where u super old" zing etc

LOL U OLD FAT MANTIS!

Felt makes an F95 w/o the team colors…

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/multimedia/archive/01409/mantis_1409722f.jpg

dude on my club is selling this:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Garneau-Sonix-6-4-Pro-2009_W0QQitemZ140393176900QQcmdZViewItemQQptZRoad_Bikes?hash=item20b015df44#ht_943wt_1072

for $1950... too bad it's a M, think may be too small for you Ed.

I think it would have to be an XL for me, but that looks sweet.

Rain has slowed this process down. Tried to try some BMCs on saturday but the local store has almost zero stock as BMC is "between distributors", which is presumably why competitive cyclist has a bunch of '09 stock cheap. I did their fit calculator on saturday and I'm leaning towards a 59cm SLT01, although I'm reluctant to buy without having ridden. However payday approaches and I kind of want to place the order then.

one of the dutch dudes i ride with is looking for what appears to be a super-limited Rabobank team edition of a Giant frame in XL, so if anyone happens to run across one in their shop visits, kindly let me know!

picking up my Felt tomorrow, 58cm frame, getting the stem flipped to lift me up a little.

paid for the Kona steel machine $2.1k delivered to aus, could not resist :|

I went for the BMC SLT in the end. waiting for delivery.

Good looking bike Ed!

lots of nice bikes itt.

If i enjoy the Kona HAOLE, think I might move on purchasing a Kona UNIT for dicking around on..

http://i39.tinypic.com/67t62o.jpg

Any thoughts on this thing?

the unit looks all burly, like a pub bike, I like it. Up the top of crystal palace hill? I would die returning home.....

Look though, I'm all felt up and that:
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4024/4493212082_77dfe746b2_b.jpg

bike here, putting together. Experience with competitive cyclist has been very good. They even threw in an extra stem as there was a little discussion over 10mm of stem length in the fit which was an unexpected surprise.

7.90kg before I put pedals, bottle cages and computer on

throw us a freakin bone with a pic or 12 to drool over imo

yeah jesus get the lead out

the steal bike I've got coming (v excited) is allegedly 8.00kg. ish.

I love how Kona's single speed bike is called the "Band Wagon" :)

This is what *might* be mine if I decide to pull the trigger:

http://s.wiggle.co.uk/images/focus-blk-for-exp-2010-med.jpg

Renting a Bike: What to look out for?

My cousin is getting married in Santa Rosa, CA in June, and I was thinking of renting a (road) bike and making cycling vacation out of it. I guess I just bring my pedals, helmet, and kit and that's it? What's the regular pricing I'm looking at? Anybody know of a good bay area / north bay place to rent from?

I rent a Specialized Allez Sport (w/ 105) 2x a year in Hawai'i for $200/week. I bring everything you list plus bottles and shoes.

No idea about rental situation up north but I can ask around in SF if you'd like? What are your expectations?

I ride a Giant TCR with 105 gear, so anything around that level would be fine. Extra points for a shop that has BMCs. My local shop just started to carry them, and I'm thinking of getting one, but they don't have any testers built up yet.

finally got the Merlin today! I am unpacking it right now & will hence attempt to attach pedals & bars (hopefully one doesn't need to be a rocket scientist to do this..). Can I just say that this thing is LIGHT. I'm half scared it is just going to buckle & bend when I finally get to sitting on it.

pics!!!!! :)

ah, you posted one upthread; hot damn, that's gorgeous
http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/8797/thebike02.jpg

thanks. it is v v nice, tho I can't ride it yet b/c the pedals I bought won't work w/ the cranks! Curses! Tomorrow I will buy different pedals & get it fitted & then it is going to be a beautiful summer.

btw, if anyone is interested in a pair of Shimano SPD-M540 clipless pedals, new in box w/ cleats - they're yours for $50 + s/h (or lets just say $55). I'll prob list them on Ebay before the end of the week.

I'll post a pic or two of my own once I swap out the bar tape.

What makes the pedals not work with the cranks?

these particular cranks (they are Cook Bros.) do not have a double sided-hole for the pedal stem (plz forgive the makeshift tech jargon) to be threaded through & tightened at end w/ an allen wrench, which is what these pedals require. I need something which can be tightened on one side, using only a 15mm wrench. I'm just going to trade down for the M520s, which supposedly will work.

This is my first clipless set-up & I'll prob switch up to road shoes & pedals next year, so I just need something reasonably functional & reliable for the time being.

here is a closeup of the crank, in case yr interested

http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/6886/photo42o.jpg

want to reiterate how ridic that bike is. kudos.

yeah it reminds me a bit of the psychlo-x which I totally covet

so I want to get some cheap, cheap bikes for me and my gf - but if I buy one on cl for less than $100, it's prolly gonna be something that was stolen, right?

iatee, depending on the market where u live, u should be able to find decent 70s-80s era road bikes going for $80-150. Just make sure the components have been well kept, b/c otherwise you'll likely find yourself spending at least that amount on parts & labor to get it up and running.

live in nyc and there def seem to be a lot out there when I glance at cl. just want bikes w/ working brakes, basically.

can't believe the btwin single speed is only £60 otp; can I stick drops on this easy enough?
http://www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/vitamin-117071608/#

scratch that just noticed the mtb tires

But dude, it has 3 layers of paint!

You can buy some cheap road tyres for £15 or so if that helps. But let's be honest, it's probably a dog...

lol yeah, I hear that

anybody want to be a UK delivery address for me to get this:

http://www.canyon.com/_en/roadbikes/bike.html?b=879

haitch, are you buying bikes monthly nowadays?

yes, thank you I will gladly take delivery of that bike

can you send me some wheels too pls?

lol mark, just playin'. that is an amazing price for what is a pro-level frame, though - lotto ride that rather than the more expensive canyon model. interest definitely piqued by this blog post.

got new wheels btw

watchoo get gbx

anyone got any shutt kit? I'm too cheap for rapha
http://www.shuttvr.com/

105s to dt 1.2s

gotta new crankset on the way (used FSA with bb and new rival rings), 105 dérailleurs I've been sitting on for a few years, new SRAM cassette, new chain

gonna strip basically eveything and replace the drivetrain gonna be dope imo

the shutt stuff has been getting some really good reviews on forums and stuff Coz.

FSA is nice stuff, I often think about stealing the FSA triple from my GF's bike. Would like to go compact on the surly having spent the entire bike trip high cadence on the bottom ring. WOuld like to move the surly over to SRAM Apex over time but really don't want to do new levers if I can avoid it.

(Can I shot SRAM with Shimano levers can be the ILTRMB "Can I play Bass through a guitar amp?")

i think you can indeed mix and match shimano and sram as much as you like!

the shutt stuff has been getting some really good reviews on forums and stuff Coz.

thanks chris, have ordered some kit so will report back. pro-tip: if you join their club they give you a code (club10 lol) for 10% off :)

Want to buy a bike for charity?

http://www.bikeweek.org.uk/page.php?id=74

http://blogs.liverpoolecho.co.uk/acyclistslife/sir%20alan%20sugar%20cycling.jpg

man i just can't get with those pinarellos

well the black-on-black versions are pretty nice

why are textforms & logos so lol HUEG & PROMINENT all over most high-end road equipment these days? nagl imo

bike stolen :'(

gonna do ride to work scheme to get next bike

bike has to be from http://www.evanscycles.com

can spend up to a £1000, would like to spend £7-800, but will stretch to £1000 if it's going to make a big difference in quality.

last bike was a giant fcr-1, loved it it was my first road bike and last summer we did 250+ miles a week and a few london to cambridge rides.

i'm still a total noob when it comes to bike stuff though

having looked at my options i really like the look/idea of some of the SS bikes on there, i live in london now and this will be used for communting 10-15 miles a day. like the idea of the trek district with the belt thing

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/trek/district-2010-single-speed-hybrid-bike-ec016811

hoping some of you will convince that getting a SS is a lame idea, because some of them *look* really nice and it is very tempting but i might want to join a club or venture out of london where there are actual hills and things.

so the caad 9 is meant to be a really good frame but kinda shitty bits on it, i could upgrade the bits tho if i want to get serious right? and surely these bits aren't that crappy, right?

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/cannondale/caad-9-tiagra-compact-2010-road-bike-ec020238

the look of the specialized bikes offends me for some reason, so i don't want one of them, the bent bit at the top (top tube?) looks ugly

have heard good things about the trek pilot:

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/trek/pilot-21-2010-road-bike-ec020781

anyone have any thoughts on either of these? or any of the other bikes evans stock?

i also like the idea of the belt-drive trek, perfect commuter really.

caad9 is excellent frame, tiagra bits are only one step down from 105! u should p33p that, imo.

on the SS tip this is kinda corny but so am i:

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/bianchi/pista-via-condotti-2010-single-speed-road-bike-ec021236?query=bianchi%20pista

If you're only able to get one bike, then the Cannondale. However, if you're regularly having to leave your bike where it could get nicked, I'd be tempted to go for something a lot cheaper, either an entry level (£500) roadie or an even cheaper fixie liek the Fuji Track.

yeah that would be my main consideration especially for a commuter - nickworthyness. I think the boardman bikes on the c2w scheme at halfords are about £500 rrp (so less on c2w) and decently specced last time I looked. I think they look nice too but obv ymmv

I'd get this if I were to go fixed
http://www.evanscycles.com/product_image/image/09d/101/92e/45773/product_page/genesis-flyer-520-2010-road-bike-frame-set.jpg

Boardman bikes are excellent value but are exclusive to Halfords. The Genesis FGSS is super pretty, agreed, though in your price range there are loads of excellent ungeared bikes. I say one very similar to mine (Bob Jackson with Phil Wood & Nitto stuff) for £950 in a shop it Putney, it was gorgeous. May be worth checking with Evans what they can get and what they can't. Personally I wouldn't get a Trek because I am a snob (NB I do actually have a Trek, but intend to sell it - I'm sure I'll post a thread soon hawking it :)).

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/charge/mixer-2010-hybrid-bike-ec020530?query=charge%20mixer

quite like the look of this

think i'm gonna go with the caad, hopefully i'll be able to test one round here first, obv i'll get it insured.

so excited about being back on the road again, london cycling seems kind of nuts, i'm used to cambridge which is pretty much the nicest city to cycle around in the uk imo

the commute is stoke newington -> waterloo, hopefully i'll be able to get in on some silly commuter racing

last bike was stolen during the snow we had over here, had to abandon it cuz it was too slippery, d-locked it up in a church in cambridge, hopped on a bus to work, came back in the afternoon w/car to pick it up and it was gone :(

Looking to buy a road bike in the $1000-$1200 range. So far I've test-ridden a 2010 Fuji Roubaix 1.0, a 2009 Scott Speedster S20, and a 2009 Cannondale Six 5.

I liked the Fuji and the Cannondale so far. The Scott, apart from the ugly paint scheme, threw a chain when shifting to the small ring, and would skid when braking hard. I don't know if that was a setup issue, because the Cannondale had the same 105 shifters and front derailleur, but diff. brakes and rims. The Fuji had SRAM Rival shifters and derailleurs, which I liked the feel of. I also think I prefer standard to compact gearing.

I plan to test a 2010 Specialized Allez Elite tomorrow. I had wanted to try the Felt F85 and F75, but one local shop stopped carrying them, and the salesman at the other dealer was kind of eh on them. Also wanted to try a Trek 2.1, but nobody had one in my size.

Any advice? I'm a noob when it comes to new bike shopping, but want to make an informed decision. Should I give it a few months and wait for the 2011 models?

Or give it a few months and wait for the 2010 models to be discounted?

Ultimately, there are few obvious yays or nays in that price range, so it'll more than likely come down to what you like the look of and what feels best when you test ride it. Or the bargain/last year's model approach.

If you'd consider internet bargains (no test ride obv) then how about, say, this carbon lovely? Or a real bargain (aluminium, but check the groupset - also I am a big Focus fan, owning the next model up)?

Of your selection the 2009 Cannodale six 5 seems like a pretty good deal at that price. I liked the ride on that, very direct. Didn't not like the scott much by comparison, although TBF it was a CR1.

Raleigh Competition (fugly paintjob)
Jamis Ventura (road a xenith when I was on the hunt and it was pretty nice)
Gary Fisher Rail Super (Road the ion also when testing things out and liked it)

Didn't like the Felt so much, big rise on the stem on the one I tried which is a 30 second fix.

I won't rep for them as I have never ridden one but if you have a Performance Bike nearby it may be worth trying one of their Scattante CFR own brand bikes alongside the Focus Culebro. Cannondale CAAD 9 6 would be a good one to throw in as well.

If you can find one to ride the Orbea Aqua TTG looks nice, looks like you are trading down on gruppo a little.

Thanks for the suggestions!

JensonUSA isn't an internet thing for me, as their retail store is less than 10 minutes away from my office. I should call them about the Culebro. It's only listed in a 50cm, and I'm about a 51-52 based on what I've tried so far. They seem to be the only local place that carries Jamis bikes as well. I think I saw one Rocky Mountain when I was there, but it could have been a lesser model. Would like to try a full-carbon bike though!

The bikes I liked at Performance were just out of my price range, but they frequently have sales and send coupons. Two weeks ago, I could have gotten that Fuji out the door for about $1000!

I will check for shops that carry Raleigh and Orbea.

I plan to test a 2010 Specialized Allez Elite tomorrow.

i rent one of these when I'm in Hawaii 2x a year. They either come equipped with 105, Tiagra or Sora depending on the rental. It's a great bike. Handles hills well and can maintain speed on the flats. Things to look for when you're testing them are the subtle differences in the frame geometry. Try to (if possible) find a stretch that you can test each bike on and make mental (or written/voice) notes of what frame feels more relaxed, more aggressive to try and tune your comfort zone. Another thing to remember is that as you get into better fitness, what may have at first been uncomfortable may ultimately become what you desire most about the bike... if that makes any sense.

^good advice, I had a great time in a few bike stores with a little loop with a couple of short climbs (and then ended up buying a completely different bike on the internet with a geometry that (somewhat) matched)

Warning - if you try a carbon bike you'll find it very, very difficult to settle for an aluminium one afterwards :)

Which is probably why I ended up going for the Cannondale Six 5, which is half-carbon. Picked it up (along with shoes and pedals) last night, and got ~22 mi. in before the sun went down.

I did like the Specialized, but the carbon seat- and chainstays on the Six 5 seemed to make a difference. I'm far too noob to articulate how exactly, but I'm guessing that the CF stays helped to dampen, but not deaden, the unevenness of the road. Of course that could be part of the placebo effect of knowing what the frame was made of. It could have just been the frame geometry?

The shop itself played a big part in feeling confident about my purchase. The salesman took me on a few rides around the block and put the bike onto a trainer to monitor my knee position, arm reach, and kept making adjustments to the saddle and seatpost to dial everything in. He even adjusted the cleat position on the shoe. Free tune-ups and everything! I've heard of other people getting stuff like pedals thrown into the deal, but I didn't care to ask or haggle, since mom-and-pop stores like that tend to be low-margin, low-volume specialist dealers anyway.

BTW I went with Look Keo Classics as opposed to the Keo Easy or the Speedplay Zeros. I was pretty close to going w/ Speedplay, esp. 'cause they make the Platformer, but replacement cleat prices steered me to the Looks.

Nice! Good job on getting the mileage base in as well! One question though: WDYBLL?

That's brilliant, naus. I hear such great things about the Cannondales in that price range. I'm sure you'll love it.

WDYBLL

should i get bad karma?

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/bik/1874766826.html

Felt FC 2009 Road Bike 58cm - $500 (SOMA / south beach)

To bikers everywhere,

Bitter divorce. Ex-husband hasn't picked up his bike in a week. First 1 with cash takes it. He screwed me, I'd like to screw him.

Pick up only. Cash only.

long stem

think I may need to buy a new bike : (

or at least a new frame

the braze-on for my front mech is torn and so the carbon that bonds it is torn - not sure it can be re-bonded, or removed without weakening the frame - and it's a second hand frame, and way out of warranty, anyway : /

OK so it might be alright

dang there goes my canyon

Dude, there are so many excellent-value frames out there. You owe it to yourself - and, yes, to us too - to find one.

So what should I get to replace the surly? Probably not for a while, I have a loaner till then.

You really liked the Surly, didn't you? Like for like not practical?

Other than the dropout thing that both gbx and I suffered from it's just fine. Soma double cross is functionally the same thing with a proper dropout. Just seeing if there is anything out there I should be looking at and really just hoping something comes good on CL/eBay.

Do you have a budget (sorry if that's a sore point)? Do you know Cotic?

I have less of a budget the longer I can ride the loaner. Need to work that out, constraint is it's a pain the the arse to buy groceries and stuff without a bike, so may end up getting something sooner rather than later, which means cheaper.

Gunnar crosshairs would be good, but not sure it gives much over surly/soma.

Hoping a good steel cyclocross frame turns up on eBay, build it out with SRAM Apex, could swap wheels with the BMC and hold off on buying new wheels till next spring.

Don't know cotic, but the seem to be more of an mountain outfit.

The Roadrat gets a lot of love:

http://www.cotic.co.uk/product/roadrat

is apex really a lot less expensive than rival? last time I looked the saving was only around £70

It's not, but I think it is less of a lower down product, more satisfying a different market. The claim is that you can get close to a triple range with a compact double.

It would be wrong to put a panier rack on this, no?

http://www.wrenchscience.com/DBImages/800H/bmc_crossmachine_blkwht_2010.jpg

and by that I mean the older aluminum frame. I do love my BMC.

fact: i saw a bmc road bike with kickstand yesterday.

I have just bought a Brompton. Sadly, only on behalf of a friend. But it's pretty and I want it (though sitting on it I find the suspension disconcerting).

Hey Americans, the Jenson USA end of summer sale is on - they have A+ bargains.

Garmin-Slipstream Felts 4 sale (including hunter, taylor phinney & steven cozza's)
http://www.shopslipstreamsports.com/bikes-and-equipment.html

someone posted one of these on the bike lust thread recently iirc?

A dude at the local velodrome (san diego) races on one of those Union Jack Felt track bikes with B.Wiggins nameplates on it. Dude wears a full England national kit and is ungodly fast.

He'd have to be with that gear. It's definitely not Brad, is it? Try criticising The Jam in his earshot and see if he explodes.

Hey, Crackle Box, did you buy a bike?

mark sell us ur dog eh

(just been gawping at ur flickr, cutest dog ever imho)

http://img534.imageshack.us/img534/6506/photorp.jpg

terrible pic but yeah went for the caad 9, love it, fast as fuck. haven't used my oyster card since i got it :)

http://img534.imageshack.us/img534/6506/photorp.jpg

Cute!

Thanks for dog compliments, David. I could loan her to you between 6 and 7 am when she'll spend an hour trying to eat your face.

http://cgi.ebay.com/2007-BMC-Cross-Machine-CX01-Cyclocross-Frame-56cm-/170535563402?pt=Road_Bikes&hash=item27b4b6308a#ht_1851wt_1086

or

http://cgi.ebay.com/Salsa-Las-Cruces-Cyclocross-Bike-58cm-Dura-Ace-Ksyrium-/190439369666?pt=Road_Bikes&hash=item2c57122bc2#ht_500wt_1101

plus OMM rack? Fred tastic

wht's the diff betw. a road bike and a cross-bike?

disc brakes and knobbly tires?

geometry for easier (dis)mounts and wheel clearance

wider clearances for knobbly tyres in the main, often less drop from chainstay to bottom bracket for higher clearances.

xpost

My saddle broke this morning - a rail sheared through. I've borrowed a girl's saddle (Spesh Jett 143) to get home on, and have a spare Regal at home which I don't much like. This is for my fixed - any recommendations for a non-hipster, reasonably priced city saddle?

you looking to sell the regal, mark?

(also have you considered a rolls?)

http://www.equusite.com/articles/basics/images/basicsEnglishSaddle.jpg

http://www.jensonusa.com/store/product/ZY268A43-Surly+Long+Haul+Trucker+Bike+26.aspx

can you fit a 62 cm? truly odd looking. ive never seen a 26" wheel long haul trucker befo.

My very short friend has a 48 or 50cm LHT with 26" wheels but I assumed it was only because the frame is so tiny that 700s wouldn't fit.

62 is probably a wee bit too big for me. 60cm on the Cross Check was at the top end of fine.

Coz, I am currently using the Regal and now that I've got it set up right it's so much more comfortable than before. It's still a bit firm and slightly unanatomical but it gives great support so I may even end up making it my number one choice. I'll give it a bit longer (and do some longer rides on it - 11 miles is the most it's done in one go so far) and let you know if it's a pass. Assuming you were enquiring?

yeah kinda - I've been looking into getting a rolls because my current saddle is literally a pita but I imagine a regal would be just as good. don't know how to pick a saddle tho, really, if I'm being perfectly honest

My teammate has the 2009 Orbea Orca with full Dura Ace and if I could do it all over again, I think I would go that route. Unfortunately, I am married to my bike for at least another season or two but I willfully admit a lusty crush on the Orca.

don't know how to pick a saddle tho, really

^ this. tried one of those specialized ultra-firm ultra-anatomical ones - all the weight on yr sitbones. horrid. currently have a charge spoon, s'ok, as ok as any other i've had.

I changed saddles out of necessity (broke my Specialized Toupe in a crash) and had to replace it within 24 hours and a bro let me have his Fizik Arione TT saddle (TT = more padding up on the nose of the saddle?) and let me tell you I was freaking sore. It was a huge difference esp in any ride over 60 mins. I was all kinds of sore up in the uh... contact points.

Now I'm used to it and will probably stick with it for the rest of the season (30 days?) but if anything happens to this one I'll def go back to the Toupe. Key takeaways: if you find a saddle that works, it's probably for a good reason and worth sticking with. Same with shoes/pedals and other contact points so long as you feel good.

I like the Toupe on my Focus. It's been okay for 100 mile rides - not that I'm comfy down there necessarily but nothing terrible's happened, chafing's been minimised etc. It's nice and flat, and has a good grip on lycra shorts. Not a comfort saddle for pootling about town, but a good perch if you're giving it some over distance.

I had an Arione rip-off (planet X own brand) on my fixed for a while but it was slippery, though comfortable enough (generously padded for a roadie saddle too).

Selle italia, anything gel flow seems to work for me, got to love that slot. the WTB on my sadly gone surly was fine up to the 2 hour point and then became numbing. Can't wait to bring back the really nicely worn in gel flow saddle from my merckx to put on the BMC.

As for replacing the surly. I'm going to strip the gruppo from the merckx when I get back to the UK and use it as he basis of my build. Downside, I get locked into campy which is annoying and expensive in the states, upside, I get a shopping trolley up and running sooner.

two words: prologo

one word!

anyone for a pompino at £399 down from £599
http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/CBOOPMPRS/on-one-pompino-road-sport

am doing a couple of accumulators today with the intent of getting one of those, great deal.

ok, if manure beat everton 2-0, sunderland beat wigan 2-1 and wolves draw 1-1with fulham, I am getting one. plus a rapha country jersey.

ha good luck

big money hu$tla$

Bollocks, knew I shouldn't bet on a match between those 2

anyone know anything about tommaso bikes? saw a super leggera titanium w/ultegra on craigslist

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/bik/1973512103.html

Looks nice but I'm a teeny bit concerned about the fit of that FRAME+LONGER CRANKS + LONGER STEM I'd ask him to meet you at somewhere like Above Category and have them give their opinion of you + that bike. but 6700 Ultegra + Ti frame with boutique components for $1,300 = a solid deal.

i bought a bike! my first road bike. $400 more than i wanted to spend. it's at the same shop shasta bought his bike and since he was there w/me the guy threw in free pedals and shoes, free fitting, and no tax. kinda had to do it for such a great bike at such a great deal.

bianchi via nirone 7 w/all ultegra. mavic aksium race wheels w/michelin tires and syncros seatpost.

http://img832.imageshack.us/img832/5664/photopii.jpg

such dope bike and jaxon got a kill deal. watch out for this guy!

i smoked everyone on paradise loop today w/my 400 lb bike w/3 gears. just u wait marin fatties w/expensive bikes!

o, and thanks again!

feelin that!

Woah nice ride! $400 well spent :)

i used to have a via nirone, good choice j

pretty close to pulling the trigger on a specialized roubaix with sram apex, $1800

http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?spid=52874&menuItemId=0

it's ain't cheap, or pretty. feels great though.

when i was test riding bikes recently, that (well a cheaper version) was my favorite ride, but it was a triple and i was talked out of it by everyone.

Looks good. I like that they don't put a sticky uppy 'comfort' stem as other manufacturers seem to do on their bottom end Carbon. SRAM Apex is nice too.

that's nice! a 190mm head tube does look better than an additional 30mm of spacers and a hi rise stem.

I just finished Pastoralia, which is my second Saunders book. I think "Sea Oak" is one of the best short stories I have ever read. I have been wanting to talk about it with somebody, but my wife, a Joycian who doesn't read anything written after 1945, refuses to read postmodern fiction of any kind, at least until she finishes her dissertation (which is fair). So happy to have this thread, then, and nabisco's great posts, which are some of my favorite posts I've read on ILX. It was great to read such an articulate analysis of Saunders' use of language, and why it's so effective:

there's a rich uncle who spouts optimistic banalities about hard work in such a way that you feel he believes it, you understand him -- and even better, when the aunt's grave is desecrated, Saunders pegs the entire role of the policeman simply by putting question marks at the end of his sentences. (I wish I had the book here to quote: I think he says "Typically we find it's teens?" and in that question mark you hear everything -- the desire to be helpful and reassuring, and the complete powerlessness to actually be helpful and reassuring.)

The FIRPO story really got to me, too. It was like a Carver story narrated by the doomed child instead of the unhappy parents of the doomed child. "Winky" and the one about the barber were just ok, but I really loved the rest.

Anyway, I've read CivilWarLand In Bad Decline (though it's been years and I think I want to read it again; someone gave it to me as a gift a long time ago in an attempt to get me to quit reading Sedaris), and now, Pastoralia. Which one next?

ah, crap. Wromng thread. I am looking to buy a bike, though. Lemme read through all these replies and if I still have something to post, I will. That'll teach me to keep multiple tabs open.

Emma wants a Dolce! Yes!

I think we're both getting crosschecks

new yorkers, where do i buy second hand bike without having to troll craigslist for hours each morning?

She might prefer the Trek Lexa. Except it's covered in fucking flowers at the model she wants, which she, rightly, finds sexist and offensive.

I'm pondering a Trek Madone 2.1, Cube Peleton Pro, and Specialized Allez Elite. Any thoughts?

canyon canyon canyon

Roadlite?

As I'll almost certainly be cyclescheming from the LBS if I get one, Canyon's out I think. Likewise Planet X, Ribble, etc.

Emma bought a Dolce. I might have bought a Cube.

Fuck me I love this bike.

fast?