Road Bike Racing - New bike thread

To be honest, I'm just starting this to say that I'm starting the thread. One of the deals with the wife was that if I took top of the podium for any of my 3 "A" priority races this year, I could purchase a new bike. Well, with this past weekend's victory I've started my shopping.

I've been pretty happy with the Spec. Roubaix that has 30k km under its frame, but I'm not anxious to put it's carbon frame through the rigors of crit racing next year. Therefore... I'm looking aluminum. I've hunted the web for prices on everything under the sun, but I just can't see spending some of the $$$ on some of these framesets and throwing money away that way. I'd rather continue to spend money on good training/more coaching. So, looks like sometime December I'll be ordering myself a Mercier (http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/mercier/draco_wcs.htm). Full dura-ace @ that price can't be beat. I'm not worried about the maintenance as I do all of my own now. Weight won't be as much of an issue for me after leaving the mountains of Japan and for anything long/hilly I can always pull out the carbon Roubaix. Closest thing to that component set I can find is at least $1000 more, and I'll sell the wheels of the Mercier anyway to further offset the cost (who would want to ride wheels without a PT in the rear anyway?!).

Anyway.. there ya have it. Pcad gets his zipps, I get my Mercier. We're all one big bike-schwag buying family.

Looks like a good buy, for sure. It bugs the hell out of me that so many bikes aren't spec'd with the gruppo brakes. Cheap brakes suck.

I concur. I am going to be in the market for a new bike in the next 2-3 months, and am thinking about the $2000-$3000 range. I may do what Nomad is doing. Get a great frame, ok components, and see if I can get a powertap thrown in as part of the deal. Will an LBS do that? Maybe down-spec some of the components in order to throw on the PT for not much more. I think I could get a good Aluminum frame that way and stay within the price range.

I concur. I am going to be in the market for a new bike in the next 2-3 months, and am thinking about the $2000-$3000 range. I may do what Nomad is doing. Get a great frame, ok components, and see if I can get a powertap thrown in as part of the deal. Will an LBS do that? Maybe down-spec some of the components in order to throw on the PT for not much more. I think I could get a good Aluminum frame that way and stay within the price range.

An LBS will sell you whatever you want to buy. Don't expect any deep PT discounts though.

Not expecting discounts. Just figure I can stay within my price range by "trading" components for the PT.

Yeah, some shops are more cooperative than others with component mixing on a stock OEM bike. It depends on how likely they are to be able to sell your off-cast components. Shops that sell a lot of custom builds from framesets will be more likely, but they're also less likely to be selling many OEM bikes :)

Nomad replace the fork with something a bit nicer and I'd say your good to go.

I really like my Ritchey WCS carbon fork. I just got an Alpha Q gs10 that looks really nice although I've yet to ride it.

Nomad replace the fork with something a bit nicer and I'd say your good to go.

I really like my Ritchey WCS carbon fork. I just got an Alpha Q gs10 that looks really nice although I've yet to ride it.

I'm always offering up counterpoints to buying more gear -- I'm racing on a $75 Performance fork, and it rides and handles just fine, even if it is heavy :)

lol

Can we really quantify the increased enjoyment we receive from using higher end gear? I'm on my bike enough that I've learned to splurge where it matters. A fork is one of them in my opinion. I should state that I probably would not have agreed with that statement before riding a nice fork.

YMMV

Wife just gave me a $2000 cap on the new bike. That opens some doors.

Looks like a good buy, for sure. It bugs the hell out of me that so many bikes aren't spec'd with the gruppo brakes. Cheap brakes suck.

Just swap out the stock pads for good pads and you'll be fine.

Welp, with a deal from the LBS and a 2007 closeout, here's the bike in my future (Tuesday-ish)

http://www.cycleiwakuni.com/images/feltf55.jpg

F*ck. Nomad, who could easily grind me into dust, is getting a Felt, and I'm building up an R3-SL. Hardly seems right.

p.s. I don't have anything against Felt, it's just not nearly as expensive.

Yeah, basically a stock buildout:

from the site:

Felt 1.3 butted alloy handlebar, Shimano Dura-Ace dual control levers and derailleurs, Shimano 2/pc Ultegra crankset and BB, Shimano SLR dual pivot brakes, Felt 1.1 leather racing saddle, Felt 1.1 Monocoque carbon seatpost, Mavic Aksium wheelset w/Vittoria Rubino Pro Slick tires

FRAME
Felt Exclusive 7005 Superlite custom-butted aluminum frame with carbon fiber wishbone seatstays. Externally relieved integrated head tube, machined bottom bracket, forged dropouts with replaceable hanger and internal brake cable routing

FORK
Felt Custom-Designed High Modulus Carbon Fiber 1.3 Fork with Carbon Steerer

DRIVETRAIN
Shimano Dura-Ace 20-speed shifters and derailleurs, Shimano Ultegra Crankset with 53/39T Chainrings, Shimano cassette and Chain

WHEELSET
Mavic Aksium wheelset, Vittoria Rubino Pro Slick Tires

COMPONENTS
Felt 1.3 6061 Double Butted Alloy Bar, Felt 1.2 3D-Forged Stem, Felt 1.1 Saddle with Carbon Injected Base, Felt 1.2 Carbon Seatpost, Shimano SLR Brakeset

I'm selling the Aksium wheels. I've got no need for them. Ordered it tonight, will be built by next Thursday probably. And.. actually the brakes will be 105.

Wife just gave me a $2000 cap on the new bike.

My Mom is a divorce attorney, but you'll have to move to NJ to avail yourself of her services.

Only kidding Nomad. Good luck wth the new bike. I'll trade you all the bike schwag in my garage and one slightly used Siamese Cat for your cycling talent. PM me if interested.

Nothing from Nomad yet. Damn.

Dude, I'm just happy to be entering the "two road bikes in the stable" family. The new bike will drop me about 3cm up front from the start, with the same reach. Wheel base shorter by about 2cm. top tube shorter by 2 cm, but with the drop in handlebars it pretty much evens out. I can't wait to be jamming on this bike. And even though my roubaix is all carbon, I'll still have a drop in overall bike weight with the alum/carbon.

'cept with Campy Record carbon
and Fizik Arione
and using my Pinny Charisma carbon wheels - but I'll be purchasing an extra set of wheels for training as well.
http://www.tbea.org.tw/chinese/2007cn/firsttrialfolder/image/3-3.jpg
http://www.pinarello.com.br/imags/roda_charisma.jpg

Should have it by the end of the year.

Dude, I'm just happy to be entering the "two road bikes in the stable" family. The new bike will drop me about 3cm up front from the start, with the same reach. Wheel base shorter by about 2cm. top tube shorter by 2 cm, but with the drop in handlebars it pretty much evens out. I can't wait to be jamming on this bike. And even though my roubaix is all carbon, I'll still have a drop in overall bike weight with the alum/carbon.

I can't imagine riding the kind of miles you and I ride with ONE road bicycle. Man, that would be very tough. It helps that you do your own maintenance, but there must be times it gets challenging to stay on the road. You'll find it a zillion times easier with an extra bike. I have two main road bikes, a TT bike and an MTB with knobbies I ride when the road gets sloppy with snow/slush. Even wtih two primary road bikes they sort of get ridden into the ground.

Yah, my roubaix is pretty beat up. She's got 37,181 km on her since I started riding road in July '05.

Week and a half ago one of the water bottle bosses came loose. Need to fish a bolt down through the seat tube and reverse thread one so I can put another water bottle cage on. Paint chipping in the bottom bracket area isn't very comforting either.

I've got the go-ahead from the commanding officer to purchase a beater/commuter after the move back to the states. It'll probably be one of the SS/FG bikes from BD.com or something I find on craigslist.Add that to the full-suspension MTB in the porch and I'll be one TT bike short of the full stable!

Maintenance is definitely an issue. My "off days" every week are almost always some sort of bike maintenance day as well. Tire changes, chain changes, regrease, clean, swap wheels, something. I need to order another PT mount tonight while I'm thinking about it for the new bike.

VW

i have a newbie question...

nomad says he doesn't want to put his roubaix with a carbon frame through the rigors of crit racing...so he wants an aluminum frame. are carbon frams ill suited for crits? are roubaix's ill suited for crits? and...why?

thanks!!!

Pcad's bike maintenance routine primarily consists of schlepping the bike to the LBS, then coming here to post a thread about it.

nomad says he doesn't want to put his roubaix with a carbon frame through the rigors of crit racing...so he wants an aluminum frame. are carbon frams ill suited for crits? are roubaix's ill suited for crits? and...why?

I've been in three crits and all three had wrecks. Would you rather buy a new $1,000+ frame, or one that costs half that? It's all about math.

I've been in three crits and all three had wrecks. Would you rather buy a new $1,000+ frame, or one that costs half that? It's all about math.

interesting...so lots of people wreck in crits, eh? so it's a good idea to have a "cheaper" bike?

You guys need to start upgrading, or moving.

No crashes in the last 3 crits I've been to/raced in. The one before that was Downers Grove, in the rain, and I think we all can guess how that ended up.

Add that to the full-suspension MTB in the porch and I'll be one TT bike short of the full stable!

Hey, don't forget about a single-speed MTB! It's like a cross between BMX and XC-MTB riding for grown-ups :)


Maintenance is definitely an issue. My "off days" every week are almost always some sort of bike maintenance day as well. Tire changes, chain changes, regrease, clean, swap wheels, something. I need to order another PT mount tonight while I'm thinking about it for the new bike.

Yeah, I do all my own maint too, and have one primary road bike (and a single-speed hill repeat bike). With careful parts selection, I'm only working on my bike once or twice/month, and it's been on the road for nearly 7 years. I wouldn't be able to stand it if I ever had to take it in for service.

You guys need to start upgrading, or moving.

No crashes in the last 3 crits I've been to/raced in. The one before that was Downers Grove, in the rain, and I think we all can guess how that ended up.

so then i ask you...the OP wants an aluminum bike because he doesn't think his carbon roubaix can handle crits. is it because it's a roubaix or is it because it's carbon?

so then i ask you...the OP wants an aluminum bike because he doesn't think his carbon roubaix can handle crits. is it because it's a roubaix or is it because it's carbon?

My impression is that it's the geometry, which is less aggressive on the Roubaix.

so then i ask you...the OP wants an aluminum bike because he doesn't think his carbon roubaix can handle crits. is it because it's a roubaix or is it because it's carbon?

He wants a cheaper frame. Carbon and aluminum can both be had for a lot or a little money. It has nothing to do with material; each can break pretty easily if you crash the wrong way. He doesn't want to break his more expensive Specialized.

@waterrockets: Yeah, I think you're right. He wants a more aggressive position on the bike.

Position is definitely key. I'm -16 on the stem and flush against the headset on the Roubaix. I could get myself about 1cm if I took a chance and changed headset (though specialized says no warranty if you do, because by their advertisement, nothing else fits). Riding my Roubaix is like riding my old Chevy Caprice Brougham. Smooth as silk. But it's a hog.

In the black/red corner, weighing in at 8.3 kg:

Felt F55, 58 cm
Velocity Aerohead wheels, 28R/24F, PT SL
Dura-ace Shifters, FD/RD
Ultegra Cranks, PD6620 pedals
Shimano Cheapo Brakes (first to go)
FSA Bars/Stem (will change stem tonight from 110 to 120)
FSA Saddle (will change to Selle Italia SLK)
OGK bottle cages @ 15g a piece


http://www.cycleiwakuni.com/blog/files/tom_thumb_PICT0010.jpg (http://www.cycleiwakuni.com/blog/files/tom_PICT0010.jpg)

http://www.cycleiwakuni.com/blog/files/tom_thumb_PICT0006.jpg (http://www.cycleiwakuni.com/blog/files/tom_PICT0006.jpg)

Nice ride man.

Much nicer and capable than the Mercier you were considering.

Finally got the Felt set up. Saddle is in same measurements as the Roubaix.

Nose of saddle to center of bars on the Roubaix was 60.5 cm. Center of bars to center of skewer on the Roubaix was 62 cm.

Now on the Felt I have 60 CM from nose of saddle to center of bars. But from center of bars to center of skewer I'm 3 cm lower. The drop on the bars is a bit more so in the drops I end up being around 4-5 cm lower for the same reach. 2 1/2 hour ride tomorrow and easy group/fun ride century on Sunday to play with the fit a little more.

What's your saddle to bar drop on both bikes?

What's your saddle to bar drop on both bikes?

Roubaix 3 3/8" (no spacers, flush against the headset)
Felt 4 5/8" with some room left if necessary later.