Maelochs

Well ... you Almost have a bike ... you have something like a bike ...

Just based on appearance ... i'd go with someone's deep aero rims with that frame.

gsindela

When I said "Ultegras," I was referring to the wheels. Just want to clarify. The Ultegra groupset is unimpeachable as well.

wachuko

What do you mean by deep aero? The rims I posted are 50mm. Wider/deeper than that? 60? 88?

Maelochs

yes but you also posted pics of the Ultegra rims which aren't what I would call "aero" in profile.

wachuko

Ahh! Got it.

nycphotography

For the pacific beat-a-bike....

* crank the shock preload all the way up to max (as close to a hard tail as you can get)
* lose the bar ends
* and put some decent 32mm slicks on it at fairly high pressure

You won't believe how much faster it is.

gsindela

[/QUOTE]

I wish I could un-see that bike.

gsindela

As an alternative, you may consider buying the lowest rung Specialized Allez. I believe it retails for $750. That would get you on the road right away and leave you with a frame that would be worthy of any upgrades you might make later. Just a thought. (Or Caad, but not sure what those are going for.)

I realize you said you only want to do this once; just trying to cover all bases for you.

flaprao

Hello,a very good saddle is,in my opinion, SMP Glider.a perfect saddle for cyclists too short for their weight...it costs,less or more,150$...
Computer Sigma Rox 6 or 10
Tires Continental 4000 II S...the best about 90$ for the pair. Shimano Ultegra wheels are better than carbon fiber Wheels.The carbon fiber wheels are more difficult to manage.

wachuko

Sorry guys... I know that I seem to be all over... but there is a reason to the madness...

That Specialized Allez E5 would be an amazing starting point...

A new 2016 Pinarello GAN 105 from the folks at Backcountry.com is US$1849.00...

And building what I posted above will be around what the GAN 105 would cost... and that GAN is what made me fall in love with the brand and its looks...

Internet photo



The one I looked at the local dealer



I need to sleep on all this...

dksix

Advise from someone that has been riding a little over 2 years. Understand reach and stack before choosing a frame, head tube angle changes things up a lot too. What motorcycles have you ridden? Roads bikes can look about the same but ride and handle as differently as a GSX-R750 and a Ninja 500.

wachuko

I have found that a great deal of enjoying the motorcycle and riding for hours and hours is posture... a good seat also helps a lot, but nothing like having the right posture to be able to ride without issues. Here is my motorcycle history:

2000 Yamaha VStar 650
2002 Yamaha Roadstar Midnight Star 1600
2008 Honda CBR 600RR / 2002 Yamaha Roadstar Midnight Star 1600
2011 Harley Road Glide Custom
2012 Harley Road Glide Custom CVO / 2013 Harley Sportster 48
2014 Harley Road King CVO / 2013 Harley Sportster 48
2016 Harley Softail Slim S
2016 Triumph Thruxton R / 2016 Harley Softail Slim S <- These are my current rides... the one I am enjoying the most is the Thruxton R



I am going to stop by the local Pinarello shop (right next to were I work)... and see about trying one for fitment... first time that I went there they did not have one in my size (50 or 51.5 should work). I will be sure to ask about reach and stack to understand better what you mean (also searching on those two topics right after this post).

dksix

I don't know what the numbers are for a frame in your size (I'm 6'3"). My first bike was a race(ier) geometry which was a 60 CM with a long top tube and low stack which positions the torso horizontally. This puts a lot of your body weight on your hands unless you have a very strong core which can support some of that weight. Shorter reach and higher stack brings the bars closer and higher in relationship to the seat. This allows you to position your body in a more vertical position and removes the weight from your hands/wrist/arms and allows you to ride with less bend in the neck which causes much less discomfort.

You can pretty much go to any full line manufactures site and compare the race bike to the endurance bikes, like a CAAD12 105 Disc to Synapse 105 both in your price range and equally equiped. Check out the geometry charts and just the pictures, look at the drop between the seat and bars.
CAAD12 Disc 105 Cannondale Bicycles
Synapse Carbon 105 Cannondale Bicycles

Maelochs

Check this out: https://www.competitivecyclist.com/S...ulatorBike.jsp

Nothing is perfect, but I used this plus checking a bunch of different bikes---measured every distance and angle---before I bought and built my Workswell ... and it came out fitting exactly like it was supposed to. No surprises, totally comfortable fit, just like the drawings said.

Good posture is good posture ... but there are several "good" postures for riding either kind of bike. I wanted a bicycle could ride for quite a while without discomfort while still getting under the wind pretty well---while still maintaining a "good" posture.

If you know what you want and need the fit calculator might not help. If it does, it does.

wachuko

Excellent!! Had not seen it!

pavbike

If you do decide to build your bike. I would stay away from the off brand carbon fiber wheels. Get the alloy wheels and enjoy it. A year or two down the road get some carbon wheels if you feel you need them. I just feel for your first bike you don't want headaches.

105 group set is a great groupset. Shifts just as good as the ultegra but does weigh a little bit more. Once the 105 wears out upgrade to ultegra.

If I was you look into Di2 ultegra if building.

wachuko

If I build the bike, I will go with the Shimano Ultegra wheels As you mentioned, later I can try the CF wheels.

And I will make sure not to try a Di2 Ultegra system. That way I will not know what I am missing That system is double the price...

I will follow Maelochs suggestion and take all measurements to validate fitment. That link provides a comprehensive list of measurements to take and the steps to take them correctly. I can then use that to select a frame that would work well for me.

Panza

I know how difficult planning a bike build is and how tempting it is to purchase a complete bike. If your dream bike is a Pinarello, will a well built Chinarello really make you happy?

I'd personally support the original company instead of purchasing the counterfeit frame. Then you can say you have a true Pinny and display it proudly. Pinarello frames are created in Taiwan, then brought to Italy for sanding, painting, & finish. Your quality and piece of mind are guaranteed.

The 105 is not much different in performance from the Ultegra or even Dura-Ace. In my opinion, it's the best bang for buck groupset out there.

Maelochs

The difference is small ... just a factor of ten. $500 for a frame versus $5000.

I doubt the Pinarello is really ten times better than the unbranded frame.

Also ... "Chinarello" is the name usually applied to "fake" Pinarellos--off-brand frames with "Pinarello" decals.

The "open-mold" or "reverse-engineered" Chinese frame versu "knock-off" debate has been beaten to horse corpse jelly.

wachuko

I can afford a Pinarello GAN 105... I can't afford a Pinarello F8 or F10. I can afford the Chinese build with better components (would come out to about the same price as the Pinarello GAN 105). As I mentioned, if I go with the Chinese build, no paint and not stickers, my intent is not to pass it as the real thing... it is just that I like the looks and lines of that frame.

If you can detach from the genuine frame vs copy frame argument for a moment, is a Chinese build, with better parts, a better option than going with the GAN 105 as is?? This is really where I am at right now....

gsindela

I hear you, problem is you really can't detach the genuine frame vs copy frame. It goes to the fundamental identity of the bike. Instead, I would go with whatever your gut is telling you. You probably won't be happy any other way.

Plus, you're talking about a complete bike vs. a build from scratch, which as I mentioned hereinabove takes a lot of time and skill. Ultimately, I wouldn't rush this decision as it is quite large. Sleep on it for a night or thirty.

By the way, that Pinarello is very hot! Lastly, I bought my bike from competitivecyclist.com (sister company to backcountry.com); very happy with them.

Maelochs

As a member of the United Chinabomb Liferiskers, I can say that the Gan is a sweet-looking bike ... but if I could get the same bike at the same or lighter weight with much better parts for less money I wouldn't do it, I'd dive on it. Already did once.

I am Definitely not convinced that I, as a casual rider, am getting ten times as much value form a name-brand frame. The big-name frames are what 50-100 grams lighter, and probably they are minutely stiffer and flexier in the appropriate places in ways which Might be measurable or perceptible to someone who rides 20,000 miles per year on a variety of bikes.

I promise myself, and promise you all ... right after I win the Tour de France and Vuelta in the same year, I will stop looking at Chinese frames.

So long as "cycling" is an hour or three at a mostly comfortable pace on my local roads ... i think my Chinabomb will get it done.

And with the money I saved ... i can almost build another one.

wachuko

I was on chat with what I thought was competitivecyclist and asked them to send me an email... the message I got had a backcountry email address. That is why I went back to my post and updated the company name... makes sense now... it was the same company....

gsindela

Yes, same company. Also check out the Focus deals at adrenalinebikes.com; excellent NOS deals there.

Panza

The frame is supposed to last the life of the bike. The componentry is designed to be replaced as it wears. One thing that's important to me is the cleanliness of the frame, the quality of the cable routing ports/holes, and the bottom bracket. Pinarello uses Italian thread brackets whereas cheaper frames use Press Fits. Pressfits are attributed to creaking noises which can be annoying.

Frame $450
Shimano Ultegra Groupset $550
Shimano Ultegra Wheelset $300
Saddle: $150
Stem $50
Handlebars $50
Headset $20
Bartape $20
Seatpost $50
Gatorskins:$85
Innertubes:$20
= $1300 (components) + 450 (frame) = 1750

Shimano 105 Groupset $380
Shimano WH-R501 Wheelset $140
Most Panther Saddle: $60
Most Stem $50
Most Handlebars $50
Pinarello Headset $20
Pina Bar Tape: $20
Most Seatpost: $20
Vittoria Rigid Tyres: $30
Innertubes: $20
= $790 (components) + 1060 (Frame) = 1850

Frame also gets a 2 year warranty.

I would ride the OEM set up for a year, then use the R501's as training wheels and upgrade to a higher end aluminum wheelset (1500g).
Shimano Dura-Ace C24's ($550) or Fulcrum C17's ($650) are good bang for buck. I'd throw Continential GP4000II, Michelin Pro4's, or Specialized Turbo's on them.

One thing about buying bikes as a whole is that wheels and tires are often the most skimped on parts. After you've been biking longer and invest in your first set of quality wheels, you'll end up using those quality wheels on every new bike you own and a wheel change is second nature. You'll have spare tires, and rainy day/training tires in excess ; )