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02-09-01, 06:05 PM
Here's the background: I'm no big bike stud - I'm 48, and put in a 30-35 minute 10 mile ride about 200 days a year, do 30-50 milers about another 30 days, and ride maybe two or three centuries annually.
So I bought myself a Mongoose RX-10.5 titanium road bike last July. Nice bike for my 155 lb body. Comfortable and lively. But at Christmas I got a rare opportunity for a once-in-a-lifetime upgrade, and went for it. First the Shimano 105 stuff went, along with the Ultegra rear derailleur. Then the Mavic CXP-21 rims, and my Shimano SPD pedals. I loaded up with a Campy Record 10-speed group, Campy Moskva rims, Vittoria Corsa clinchers, and an ErgoBrain 10 in place of my Flight Deck, and a Koobi Tri saddle.
Here's my 200 mile evaluation: I still love the frame. The Campy drivetrain shifts with a greater precision (nice, solid, machine-like feel)than my previous stuff, but the mid-level 105 was really quite good, thank you. I absolutely love my Campy double combined with the 12-29 cassette. I find myself using the gears much more intelligently and efficiently. With the 105 triple, I'd hang on one ring too much just to avoid figuring out all the options. The lighter wheels and hubs are taking a little getting used to. I didn't expect the difference in stability when I gave up that nice rolling mass. The Campy Record pedals are nice (no clip/unclip problems), but they seem a little tougher than average to roll rightside up to get into. The ErgoBrain doesn't have the accidental button push problems of the Flightdeck, but the Flightdeck's virtual cadence eliminates that ugly second wire.
Finally, the Koobi Tri is worth its outrageous price. My 48 year-old rear and prostate are happy campers!
So I bought myself a Mongoose RX-10.5 titanium road bike last July. Nice bike for my 155 lb body. Comfortable and lively. But at Christmas I got a rare opportunity for a once-in-a-lifetime upgrade, and went for it. First the Shimano 105 stuff went, along with the Ultegra rear derailleur. Then the Mavic CXP-21 rims, and my Shimano SPD pedals. I loaded up with a Campy Record 10-speed group, Campy Moskva rims, Vittoria Corsa clinchers, and an ErgoBrain 10 in place of my Flight Deck, and a Koobi Tri saddle.
Here's my 200 mile evaluation: I still love the frame. The Campy drivetrain shifts with a greater precision (nice, solid, machine-like feel)than my previous stuff, but the mid-level 105 was really quite good, thank you. I absolutely love my Campy double combined with the 12-29 cassette. I find myself using the gears much more intelligently and efficiently. With the 105 triple, I'd hang on one ring too much just to avoid figuring out all the options. The lighter wheels and hubs are taking a little getting used to. I didn't expect the difference in stability when I gave up that nice rolling mass. The Campy Record pedals are nice (no clip/unclip problems), but they seem a little tougher than average to roll rightside up to get into. The ErgoBrain doesn't have the accidental button push problems of the Flightdeck, but the Flightdeck's virtual cadence eliminates that ugly second wire.
Finally, the Koobi Tri is worth its outrageous price. My 48 year-old rear and prostate are happy campers!