dear Shimano, why do you hate me?
 

My new Tarmac is nearly ready. Most of the parts are sitting on a shelf in the shop. The frame hangs in the window. Why am I not going to be riding it over the lovely, warm weekend? Because Shimano sucks. Where is my 7950 crankset?!? QBP told my shop Feb 2. That has come and gone. Still no word. Maybe next week. Maybe never. WTF?

I was originally going to stick with FSA, but the shop told me DA is so much better. And with the shop night discount, DA was cheaper. Cheaper won.

I have a race next Saturday. I want to race the new bike, dammit! I'd prefer to have a couple rides on it before then. The fitting should be pretty easy, but it still won't be instantaneously dialed in.

This brings me to Competitive Cyclist's lovely rant about Shimanohttp://www.competitivecyclist.com/za...ATS_NEW.ID=243


Racing related question: If I have to race next weekend on the "old" bike, I'm still going to use my new race wheels. I've got a few months on my chain, but it isn't too worn (chains last for a long long time with me...I don't put out mega watts and I clean it all the time). I'm going to run the same model chain on the new bike. Would I tear up the new cassette putting it on the bike with some miles on the chain? I've got maybe 1500-1600 on this chain. The previous one went over 6k. The training wheel cassette was replaced with the chain.

Anybody who puts a compact crank on a racing bike deserves what they get, don't you think?

I'm not a beast. 50/11 is plenty for me. I don't have to go down mountains.

don't worry about the chain. just pop the new wheels in.

I've run new wheels/cassette combos on chains with over 4k miles with no problems. I would add that the the chain was probably gunked up enough to buffer any noise but I think you won't have any trouble.

PizzaMan runs a compact as do many very fast racers.

after delivery I am pretty sure you will appreciate the DA over FSA ... from a current FSA driver

It's crazy how popular FSA seems to be in terms of the number of bikes you see with FSA cranks, but you only hear bad things about them.

I've had no major problems with my SL-K compact crankset.

I just liked the 36T inner ring option for the terrain I'm on most often, but I'm told the DA front derailleur won't be as finicky with a 34.

Heh... "after delivery" are the key words.

Thats funny. I hope your fishing with this one.

They're fine for race bikes....cyclocross race bikes. Maybe you could be out riding if you got the big boy model.









(Yes, I am busting your chops. Welcome to BF.)

I would tell you to forget it and get the standard crank.

All right, time for a group hug and nice round of Kum Bay Ya, pcad.

:hug:

Stlll.

How fast can a guy named 'PizzaMan' be? Enlighten us.

Does it help that I'm not a "big boy"? But I can keep up with them most of the time in training. Y'all should be glad I don't run a triple :p

http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-...61724_3149.jpg

I'm in blue and yellow. (No, this is not the entire field, though it was a wet, technical race with low turnout. I'm in a break, with one lap to go)

I like being able to spend most if not all of my time in the big ring during a race. I couldn't do that with a 53.

Run what makes it easiest for you to turn wattage to propulsion. If the course dictates it I have no issues will putting on a "lady's crank".

I've gotten the chance to do a couple power workouts recently. I've done some spinning on a CycleOps 300PT, and I've just been doing whatever intervals I feel like based on the tempo of the songs on my ipod playlist. I'm going on HR mostly as the tool, but I'm learning about my typical power ranges for different types of intervals.

I noticed when I was doing approx 5-8 min time trial effort intervals that I was the most efficient (fastest and w/in the right HR zone) if I stayed around 200W at 100-110rpms. When I pushed a harder "gear," I could not maintain 200W (with a corresponding slower cadence) for any reasonable length of time, and my speed was slower. I know those numbers are really low compared to most on here, but it showed me that I don't need huge gears.

A rider with 50/11 gearing is faster at the same cadence than a rider with 53/12. Funny huh? This is according to RBA magazine March/April issue pg. 67.

that's because you'd need a 57t chainring for the same ratio as the 50/11

Crap, in two years I'll be 53.

Ignoring Pcad moronicies (there's a new one for me), Shimano probably doesn't hate you, however any shop that really thought Shimano was going to deliver the new cranks on time isn't entirely in touch with reality.

QBP is now showing ETA 3/6

compact: the proud (wo)man's triple.

Yesterday I was spinning my compact at 200 rpm (briefly) and holding 160 (bouncy-bouncy). So, anyone care to do the calculation with a 50/11?

If Shimano won't hate you, I will.