Road Cycling - So here's what $500 of bike will get you these days

Just got it a month ago (in time for the snow of course).

http://www.vaccinex.com/images/tomm.jpg

Tommaso AS1 (where the new Tommaso slogan is "our bikes are as Italian as dim sum.")
--> Kinesis aluminum frame (50cm compact)
--> Kinesis carbon fork (aluminum steerer tube)
--> Tiagra STI, FD
--> 105 RD
--> Truvativ Elita cranks
--> Alex DB22 wheels with no name hubs (Formula?) and generic Kenda tires :(
--> Tektro brakes (dual pivot)
--> came with a Sella Italia saddle (currently up for sale on Ebay ... click here (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3646770589&ssPageName=ADME:B:LC:US:1 )) replaced with my trusty Serfas gel saddle which I love and won't sacrifice.
--> 3T THE stem and THE bars (swapped before shipping with a 44cm)
--> came with Welgo pedals (soon to be up for sale on Ebay) which I replaced with my standard Look pedals

This is my first experience with STI (came from a late 80's, 600 group Bianchi) and I'm quite happy with the feel.
I could have spent $1000 on a bike, but I felt that would negate one of the more important reasons why I love biking ... once you made the investment, it's cheap as hell to participate.

Need to do;
--> buy a decent set of wheels (yuck!)
--> get a proper fitting (the frame size is right and I'm not that far off, I just want to dial it in). For example, I moved the seat position forward for comfort, but prefer to be sitting back in the saddle a bit, so I will likely swap out the 120mm stem for a 90mm.
--> train, train, train for this;

http://www.highlandercycletour.com/2003%20Highlander%20profile.gif

Who want to ride this with me? ... Western NY in September '04 (only a few hours from NYC, Cleveland, Toronto), beautiful finger lakes region, billed as one of the toughest centuries in the country. Your own private hell awaits between miles 20 and 30.

-mark

put a little marinara sauce on the dim sum and it's pretty ok. :)

Who did you buy it from? I just ordered a Tomasso ACF-1 from Getaway. Suppose to be here before Xmas which probabaly means Jan 12th!

Who did you buy it from? I just ordered a Tomasso ACF-1 from Getaway. Suppose to be here before Xmas which probabaly means Jan 12th!

The very same. They were auctioning it on Ebay and didn't have any takers (the starting price was high). After the auction ended, I contacted them by email and made and offer. They countered, I countered and the rest is history.

If you delivery time is anything like mine, expect it to arrive in about a week. Request a tracking number, they'll give you one and you can follow it right to your door.

In my research I discovered that Kinesis makes frames for companies such as Specialized and K2. They also make MB frames that are well regarded. I'm sure you won't be disappointed with your new bike. Get fitted properly at your LBS.

-mark

Wow! Nice. One day I'll have a new road bike...:)

that's a lot of hills for a century!! sheesh looks like a saw blade turned upside down.. :eek:

that's a lot of hills for a century!! sheesh looks like a saw blade turned upside down.. :eek:

If it's not obvious, it was purposefully designed to be hard.

Of all the climbs, the one short one at mile 25 that rises to 1380 ft (labeled "top of bopple") is the worst. That little stretch there has portions which approach 22% ... sick ... in a good way of course. I haven't ridden it, but have driven it and I was afraid at one point that my car wouldn't get up it :eek:

-mark

Gotta LOVE Topo USA, huh? :) Of course, the vertical and horizontal scales are WILDLY divergent, but it sure does put the fear of God into the ole legs, eh? :D

but it sure does put the fear of God into the ole legs, eh? :D

maybe not if you are a lightweight climber type.... that should be the "climber's delight century" :p