Road Cycling - which parts should I get for my new bike?

Hi,
got a Airborne Capre Diem frame this summer on sale. I'm in the process of getting the wheels, I put a deposit on Dura Ace hubs, and just ordered
CXP33 rims. I not only live near mountains, I like them. That means Mtb gearing, despite the fact that this bike will be a light touring/commuting bike.You can tell from my choices I want comfort over the long haul; but I also want to have a bike that feels lively. Picked up a XTR megarange rear derailleur on sale. My LBS thinks the Surly is an ok fork; and for the $$, I am inclined to agree.While I have picked up the frame and a couple of parts on the internet, the wheels and most of the rest of the parts I will be getting from my LBS.
I would like to get Dura Ace shifters, and 2002 XTR cranks. It's simply too much money, at least for now. Was wondering what components I might pick to save a couple bucks. What do you think of the Ultegra or 105 shifters? I am a big guy, over 200 lbs, and I'm pretty strong. What attracted me to the XTR cranks was it's beefy bottom bracket.
But the XT is not bad. Has anyone tried any of the
high tech cable sets?

So what is so marvelous about the xtr BB?? it's essentially the same as the octalink ultegra. XT/Lx cranks use smaller chainrings and a diffeent spline pattern on the spindle.If you are thinking xtr/DA,you will never be happy with anything else.

Since you already have the XTR rear der, I strongly recommend DA shifters and front derailleur. DA shifters are worth the extra money. Save bucks elsewhere. Personally, I wouldn't spend extra money for XTR stuff. To me the shifting system - shifters and derailleurs - is most important. Within reason, cranks are pretty much cranks and any Shimano bb (since I am running Shimano) works great. I have plain old square taper bbs on my two road bikes, one with old double RSX cranks with 110 bcd and one with Sugino cranks.

Is that the Surly CrossCheck fork? I have one on my primary commuter, and I like it.

Hi,
Bicycling Mag says the XTR BB is the best, stiff, efficient.The whole XTR package is very nice, but it looks like that is place I can cut. I believe the Surly is the Cross Check, it has 44mm of rake. The Dura Ace shifters are very high on my priority list. But...the Shimano road triples have
a 30t small ring. I live on the side of a mountain. As a former hiker, I consider it a hill; but the pleasant way home has about a 25 degree grade at the bottom of the hill. This is a popular road for both roadies and MTb guys, and
everybody complains about this stretch. I know of one competitive roadie who won't even do it. I am hoping my new bike will have a gear low enough that I can pedal it. Up to now, I walk about half of it. My current bike is an old hybrid, a 30/34
setup would have a low gear similar to the low on my hybrid. I was hoping to go lower. Prob about time I checked the gear sizing on my old bike.
Can you drop a 26 or 28 tooth gear on an Ultegra or DA crank?

Well,gee, Bicycling is usually full of it. No doubt the XTR is the best in the mtb lineup,but that does not mean the xt won't do the job.And, as I said the xtr BB is the same as the ultegra,except for the different spindle lengths. Due to the unique design of the DA triple crankset,you are stuck with the 30 and 39 rings. You can use a 26 or 28 ring on the ultegra triple,but doing so will exceed the capacity of the front drailer and shifting from such a small riing to the 42 middle may get sketchy. Sounds to me like you need a xt crank with a 22 granny and 34 big rear cog,but then you have compatibility problems with STI shifters and mtb front drailers which you need with the small chainrings.Maybe an oxyogen bottle or strength training rather than throwing money at it?

Hi,
I work out in a gym, lost 40 pounds over the last year. Couple of brief points, yes, Mtb cranks
and sti were not made to work together. The Xtr front der works really well, and I was hoping that might help with that problem. As it is, I am a middle aged guy, my knees aren't perfect, and it will take real work to lose another 40 pounds. But
a year ago, more than one Doc was saying the kinds of things to me that you don't want Docs to say. I couldn't get out of my car without something hurting. So say what you want, I just did something I thought impossible. Somehow, I will make this work too.

Bar end shifters solve alot of problems and are alot cheaper and lighter too. Or do it like lance did in the mountain stages, and use a STI for the rear and a downtube or barend for the front. Campy ergo front shifters have less issues than Shimanos and give you more options.The World does not revolve around shimano and STI. Congrats on the progress.Been there myself.....No point in obsessing over the XTR BB if the frame in question has a less than super stiff BB .

Instead of telling someone to get an O2 bottle or strength training without knowing anything about him, how about some real help with his drivetrain? If it has you stumped than stop posting.:rolleyes:

I would NOT recommend bar-end shifters. Especially for a bigger guy. You will constantly hit them with your knees or top of your thighs.

I'm no expert on drivetrain but you might want to check out some cyclocross setups. They commonly use MTB triple cranks with road components.

Also, if you want to use downtube shifters check out the KELLY Take-offs. They mount the shifters at the brake levers very well.

I think they are at Kellybike.com or something like that-Velecipedio???do you have the link??
look through the cyclocross forum- there might be some drivetrain help there

Ho,Ho,Ho! I'm never stumped ,and I was right. Kelly take offs suck. Not an answer to anything. You are off base about the barends.Ever hear of shortening the ends of the bars IF knees do get in the way. Cyclo crossers use em. You are certainly right about not your being a drivetrain expert, so why post?? Crossers typically use 34/48 double rings or bigger and road deraliers. He needs something smaller than a 30 front and a 34 rear. Try reading it again. He could do it with a 22 front x 34 rear,but probably walk faster,so why bother?

Take Offs don't suck and are alot better than bar ends. CXr's use TO's more than I see bar ends. Yeah, cutting your bars thats so much better...
Cyclocross RACERS typically use 38x46 or 38x48. You can't put a 34 on campy or shimano road cranks. I don't know anyone that has a 34x48. what CX racer uses bigger than 48T??However, many cyclocross bikes come with MTB triples or they put them on- even for racing.
Why did I post even though I am no drivetrain expert (as opposed to someone being an annoying thinks-he-knows-it-all)? Because I mentioned something directly applicable that could help- CX bikes.
Just from your post I can tell you know nothing about CX so why even post about it?
I am telling him to check out CX bike setups and that it could help him decide on something that works better than an "O2 tank".

Did I say anything about shimano or campy road cranks that use 130 or 135 BCD?? DOH!! Ever heard of 110 BCD?? DOH!! Try expanding your database and check the www.schwabcycles.com catalog.They deal alot of cross stuff and the new cat has TA and Sugino cross cranksets with 34/48 rings. He does not need to check cross stuff for triples,that's mtbikey stuff. As I already also may have said, there are non mtbikey triples with 110/74 BCD that gets him at least to a 24 tooth granny and a decent size big ring for road use without the expense of the XTR.Maybe I would be less annoying if some attempted to post less drivel?:rolleyes: :rolleyes:And, that's your opiion about Kelly take offs right?Ever used them? I have.Maybe mine is opinion too,but based on actual use, and maybe not idle speculation? DOH!

You base your opinion on what CX racers use from parts availability in a catalog. Great. A fountain of accurate info. Thanks.

I base my opinion on actual CX racing and what the UCI, USA and local racers use. NO ONE uses 34/48 and WHO USES BIGGER THAN 48 as you say?

Originally posted by pokey
Maybe I would be less annoying if some attempted to post less drivel?:rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Yes you would be less annoying if you posted less drivel. Maybe you should use :rolleyes: as your signature because you use it in every post you put up.

And yes, my opinion is based on actual use of Kelly TO's. I don't base my opinion on websurfing catalogs.

Maybe you are just watchin a bunch of wusses? If noone uses them why would anyone bother to manufacture,markket and catalogue them as such?Must just be stupidity rum amok?Maybe you should clue them in.Excelsports.com too.They need your imput on what cross stuff they ought to be carying.They must be such dummies.

Yeah youre right. Vervecken, Pontoni, DeClercq, Gully, Johnson, Allison Dunlap, D'Alusio and others are all wusses.
Do a google search so you can figure out who I'm talking about.

Hi guys!
I appreciate all the effort you have been making, and really, replacing the furniture, and windows, will be no problem at all. I don't understand all the techno stuff; but I can tell you that I think I need a triple. I am considering
something along the lines of an Ultegra triple which would give me a 30 tooth front, and 34 in the rear. That is a pretty low gear. But it's not as low as my hybrid, and I was hoping to go slightly lower. I'm not sure how useful lower would be, just seems like an awfully nice idea when I'm on a steep hill. That happens a lot in Maine. I had not thought of bar end shifters, I will talk to my LBS guy about that, and about takeOffs. He is very knowledgeable about touring and roadie stuff, not so much on the Mtb stuff. If I were to get XTR, it would be a first for him. Thanks, owe you one:beer:

You can get lower than a 30 even with a 130/74 BCD like on the ultegra triple. A 110/74 BCD gives just as low a granny and maybe more useful middle and big options.

:D