Inpd

I normally ride a 54 or 56.

I chose the Large which is 54cm ST and 57 TT.

It fits great with the standard 120mm stem. If it didnt i would use a shorter stem. I tried a 2cm shorter stem and the handling was very responsive but not twitchy.

pdedes

i like top tubes 54-55cm which is how i chose my 51cm venturi

chaadster

My ol' trusty...with 11cm of saddle/bar drop:

pdedes

caliente

Inpd

As I've said before, you win the prize for the best Venturi build.

But I still think the black seat post just doesn't look right. If its a CF post and they only come in black that's understandable. But my Ritchie logic silver post looks great.

chaadster

Thanks, guys!

As for the black post, I do think it is the best look for the build, justified by the carbon crank and brake levers. Silver, in the quantity shown at that post extension, and echoed in my brakes, pedals, and derailleurs, would visually dominat and be incongrous in scale, I think. As it is, the small silver bits now show as jewelry; bright higlights on the body of the bike, like rings, a watch, or earrings.

My initial build spec was with a white alu post, but it looked over the top and never made it to the road, even! I fitted a Karbona "white carbon" (silver weave), whichwas interesting, but being all alone and not echoed elsewhere on the bike, was ultimately a disruptive element. I even considered a ti post, as those have been my go-to post material for decades, but one not only destroyed the modern "matching" aesthetic, once I rode the bike and realized how it steers at the hips so adroitly, I wanted a solid line of communication down through the seat to the frame. Black alu would have worked, but CF's vibration damping qualities clearly tipped the decision in its favor.

So that's my account for my taste, but there's still no excuse for it! Hehe!

RobbieTunes

This being the Road Forum, where a significant % think they are.....

WestboroGoose

Thanks to Inpd and chaadster for the inspiration. I just finished my Venturi build tonight. The crank set and shifters are 105 5800, the rest of the group is Ultegra 6800; Mavic Aksium Elite wheel set, Oval seat and stem, Deda bars and Crank Brothers pedals. All up weight is 18.5 lbs. by my scale (XL frame). Keep in mind the Aksium Elites are training wheels and a little shy of 1800 grams for the set. A decent set of racing wheels could knock this steed below 18 lbs - not too shabby for a steel frame racer!!! Final price tag was about $1200 given a little bargain shopping.

VenturiSmall1.jpg

Inpd

Nice! Looks great and 18.5 pounds for an XL frame is pretty good given you have training wheels (like I do).

Where did you get the white hoods from? It's a great bike. I can't get the smile of my face when I ride it and it actually makes climbing (almost) fun and the 5800 groupset is wonderfully efficient and reliable.

WestboroGoose

6800 and 5800 shifters have the same upper body shape so you can use 6800 hoods; you can get them on Amazon for 10 bucks. I agree, the thing is a joy to ride. Being a bigger guy (260 lbs), carbon frames are generally out for me. This has most of the dampening effect, better reliability, and not much of a weight penalty at all. I'm definitely sold on it.

WestboroGoose

The hoods are actually for 6800 shifters, but since the upper bodies of 5800s and 6800s are almost identical, they fit fine. You can find them on Amazon for $10. I'm hoping I have as much fun as you on the bike. I still need to dial in the shifting a bit before I take it out for a long ride.

chaadster

Welcome to the small family of Venturi owners! Many happy miles to you!

wheelreason

Shut up and pass the cranberry sauce...

WestboroGoose

Oooh, very nice!!! I think I should have gone with the black stem and bar tape as well; I've already got the white stuff looking dirty after two rides.

pdedes

while i love chaadster's, i'm partial to mine

pdedes

https://www.bikeforums.net/18472535-post48.html

rpenmanparker 

Fizik tape stays clean.

chaadster

I'll be the judge of that! Haha!

No, seriously...yours is sharp! Got any new glamour pics of it to share, btw?

bleui

sick! it looks fast standing still

pdedes

i'll take some this weekend in the fall colours

Inpd

Most of us put in white cockpits. I like yours!

chaadster

@WestboroGoose @wheelreason Any ride impressions, guys?

WestboroGoose

After 2 25-mile rides, I can say it's a very quick and nimble bike; good acceleration and hill climbing, no perceived frame flex and I'm 250 lbs with a tendency to "stand-and-hammer" on the hills; very stable in descents even at breakneck speeds.

Coming from a touring rig, I'm still getting used to the racy geometry and will probably be reducing the height of the spacer stack gradually; after about 90 minutes in the saddle, my back does get a little sore - due to my own lack of flexibility, not a flaw in the bike's design. It's definitely a keeper.

wheelreason

I still have to dial in the fit, cut the steerer, and get it all tweeked out, but I like it. I am comparing it to some really good steel bikes though:

Razesa SLX
Basso Paris Roubaix
Merckx SL
Masi Nouvo Strada
Landshark Custom
Lemond TSX
Derosa SLX
Masi Prestige

sdstp

Here is my Breezer build. I am pretty happy overall with it. It replaced a Jamis Eclipse.