eippo1

Sweetness, I just picked up a titanium ride. It's a 2009 model which makes me happy because it doesn't have the silly integrated seatpost he uses now. I'll post pics when I get it. Now to start tearing down the Tarmac to find it a new home...


Seller's photo:

Drag

Very nice.

eippo1

Yup, looking forward to it and will post proper pic when i get it. The graphics are bead blasted into the frame and don't show up too well in that pic. It will be nice to have another road bike that will give variety to my stable. As of now, the Tarmac and the E5 ride almost identically. That was my intention when I built up the E5, but I just find myself riding the E5 all the time and only taking the Tarmac out for special occasions. That's just not fair to the Tarmac.

Drag

Looks like a mix of Dura Ace 7800/7900. The 7800 cranks look a lot nicer than the 7900. I'm building up a new Lynskey, and I'm torn between DA7800 and Red. I've nearly dismissed 7900 - it's butt ugly.

PhotoJoe 

How much, if I may be so bold?

eippo1

@Drag - I'm actually just getting the frame/ fork and headset and transferring all the parts over from my Tarmac. I love my Red parts and so will be using them for this build.

@PhotoJoe - I got a great deal on it from a guy that was looking to move it quickly on another forum. I won't quote it directly but I got it less than half of what a new one would have cost for just the frame.

WHOOOSSHHH...

You know what would happen, if I did.....

rat fink

Fantastic looking bike. Congrats.

eippo1

The funny this is when I first built up the Tarmac, I had it with Force and an Ultegra SL crank because I just loved the look of that crank. I can't stand the looks of 7900. I also don't like the feel of the levers in my hand either. I have very skinny fingers and they just don't feel right. The component group that is being transferred is actually a mixed Sram group with Red shifters and a Red crank, Rival brakes and front derailleur with a Force rear derailleur. Ends up being a great bang for the buck with all the important bits having the bells and whistles.

I really liked the Tarmac, but there's something about finely crafted metal that gets me all slap happy.

ravenmore

saweet.

eippo1

I'm only partially done with the build because I'm waiting on an expansion plug for the steerer, but here are a few teaser shots of the frame with some parts hung on.



bead blasted logo


sweet headbadge


breezer style dropouts


really nice welds

Muffin Man

Me gusta

ColinL

The welds do look nice. The unmatched seatpost and stem is aggravating my OCD a bit.

eippo1

Hah, I was actually going to get the Ritchey 350mm, but due to the compact frame, didn't know if I'd have enough seatpost. So I went the safe route and got the Thompson 400mm. Ends up I could have gone with the Ritchey, but too late now that this one has been installed.

Sir Real

The tooth???

eippo1

Hah, yup. Apparently El Diente is prominent mountain in Boulder that the bike is named after. I'm fine with it not saying that anywhere on the bike, though.

eippo1

Quick pic taken after a shacke-down ride. Have since swapped the stem and will soon get some more pics as soon as I swapped out that length of white housing out for black.
It rides really, really well. Very glad I got it.

What's everyone's opinion on the cages? I'm not sure if I like the look of 'em on here or not (had them on my carbon bike).

Nachoman

Those look good. But I prefer the look of the titanium cages on a ti bike.

eippo1

I'm kind of leaning that way myself, but like the Bontrager ones because they don't launch bottles.

MrTuner1970

Ditto. Or steel cages. For my Dean, I got some cheap Planet Bike steel cages from Amazon.com. They look about like the more expensive King steel cages on my Lynskey. Half the cost.

MajorMantra

I think the cages actually look fine because most of the other parts are black too but if you want metal cages the Arundel SS ones are nice:



I have them on my Van Nic Ti but it has a silver groupset.

ColinL

Nashbar makes a brushed titanium cage that is very light, but it does have a small nashbar logo on it-- if such a thing would displease you.

eippo1

Doubt a Nashbar logo would bother me any more than a Bontrager logo. What actually bothers me is the huge white RXL logo. Just looks way out of place on such an understated frame. I do like the black, but might opt for Zipp carbon holders instead since their logo isn't so obtrusive. I also have a King SS cage on one of my other bikes that I might throw on there to see how I like it.

fa63

I have the Nashbar titanium cages; they seem to work well (haven't lost a bottle yet). If I remember correctly, they weighed 30g each including the bolts.

ColinL

^^ looking good there.

I have the nashbar titanium cages too. I bought them because they are tons cheaper than a full carbon holder and if they start to loosen up after a lot of use, you can bend them back into shape and viola! -- they're snug again.