Breezer Venturi
03-17-14, 05:50 PM
#51
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Caadster: I'm totally with you on the bike feeling unified from front-to-rear. We've got lots of little rolling hills out here where you'll have to stand and mash for 10 or 15 seconds, then settle back into the saddle and the bike responds uniformly at the pressure points (handlebars/fork, pedals, wheels). In a couple of words the I find the bike solid and predictable and it only took a couple of miles of riding it before I stopped thinking about it and got to focus on the terrain and scenery.
One point to make (for my build, anyway) is that I made no attempt to make this bike lightweight and it is not--it's a full 4lbs heaver than my summer ride and while I haven't seen much of a difference in speed on my rides I feel it in the form of a little extra lactic acid on the efforts.
All of this steel makes for a really predictable ride, though, and I really like how it's handled in the wind. We've had some wicked gusts during this moody early spring and the bike tracks steady and true.
I had my other bike professionally fit and I got the stock Breezer parts as close as I could using the measurement sheet I was provided but I still felt like I was reaching a little more for the bars. I lined the two up and while the pedals and seat matched up perfectly, lo and behold the bars are 2.75cm lower on the Breezer, so I'm off to find another stem to make up for that.
It's kind of interesting to see the two bikes side-by-side to compare the "compact" geometry of the Merlin against the Breezer. There are very noticeable differences in the top tubes and head tubes.
There has been some discussion on this thread about the Venturi being a "racing" bike and with some lightweight wheels and part upgrades this could very much be the case but now that I have some miles in I find the choice of a compact crankset an odd one. Unless you live in a really hilly area I find I'm always in the smallest cogs when in the small chainring and over geared when transitioning from the small chainring to the large. If the bike hadn't come with these parts I would do a 39-52 in the front with an 11-27 or 11-28 in the rear.
One point to make (for my build, anyway) is that I made no attempt to make this bike lightweight and it is not--it's a full 4lbs heaver than my summer ride and while I haven't seen much of a difference in speed on my rides I feel it in the form of a little extra lactic acid on the efforts.
All of this steel makes for a really predictable ride, though, and I really like how it's handled in the wind. We've had some wicked gusts during this moody early spring and the bike tracks steady and true.
I had my other bike professionally fit and I got the stock Breezer parts as close as I could using the measurement sheet I was provided but I still felt like I was reaching a little more for the bars. I lined the two up and while the pedals and seat matched up perfectly, lo and behold the bars are 2.75cm lower on the Breezer, so I'm off to find another stem to make up for that.
It's kind of interesting to see the two bikes side-by-side to compare the "compact" geometry of the Merlin against the Breezer. There are very noticeable differences in the top tubes and head tubes.
There has been some discussion on this thread about the Venturi being a "racing" bike and with some lightweight wheels and part upgrades this could very much be the case but now that I have some miles in I find the choice of a compact crankset an odd one. Unless you live in a really hilly area I find I'm always in the smallest cogs when in the small chainring and over geared when transitioning from the small chainring to the large. If the bike hadn't come with these parts I would do a 39-52 in the front with an 11-27 or 11-28 in the rear.
Anyway, I'm running a standard drivetrain-- 53/39 and 11-25-- which works for my strength level and rolling terrain. Whether that's enough to make it race-worthy I'll find out next month when our local spring crit series opens!
03-19-14, 10:35 AM
#52
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Thanks strayduck
There is a used medium frame on ebay now, which equates to a 55.5 ett.
I usually ride a 54.5 top tube with 73 seat angle, so not a huge difference. I am just wondering, since the breezer has a tapered head tube, if the venturi ETT is measured from the back of the head tube or from the fork's steerer tube. IE, would you measure to the wider bottom of the cone spacer above the top tube or to the narrower top of that spacer.
I looked at breezer's website and their geo diagram was no help, it has the ETT measured from seat tube under the top tube to the fork. weird.
Anyone took a tape measure to theirs?
There is a used medium frame on ebay now, which equates to a 55.5 ett.
I usually ride a 54.5 top tube with 73 seat angle, so not a huge difference. I am just wondering, since the breezer has a tapered head tube, if the venturi ETT is measured from the back of the head tube or from the fork's steerer tube. IE, would you measure to the wider bottom of the cone spacer above the top tube or to the narrower top of that spacer.
I looked at breezer's website and their geo diagram was no help, it has the ETT measured from seat tube under the top tube to the fork. weird.
Anyone took a tape measure to theirs?
03-21-14, 06:26 AM
#53
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Hey @bikebreak: When I measure from the center of the top of the head tube to the center of the seat collar (keeping the measuring tape level with the ground) I get 58.5cm which perfectly matches Breezer's spec for my 2012 XL frame.
03-21-14, 07:44 AM
#54
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The Breezer diagram is pretty useless, though, as it seems to show ETT from center of what might be the virtual fork crown (!) to back of seat tube! In fairness, their diagram is not indicated that's the ETT, so maybe the diagram is just some in-house diagram that's used as decoration, and not meant for reference. Strange and confusing, in any case. EDIT: I suppose that, on the M size frame with parallel HT and ST, that distance would be the same measured anywhere between the centerlines horizontally.
Strayduck hit the same numbers as officially listed measuring c-to-c at the top of the HT, but I suspect because the top of the HT is maybe a mere 2mm above the TT, that the actual difference from that point to 10mm (or whatever it is) below that to the center of the HT/TT junction, is within the error range of the measuring method.
Last edited by chaadster; 03-21-14 at 07:55 AM.
03-21-14, 08:08 AM
#55
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One frame, two bikes!
Move the saddle forward, tri bike. Move the saddle back, road bike.
-Ed
01-17-16, 09:10 AM
#56
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So I've been fiddling with the parts and spending some more time with the Breezer and I think I've got it dialed. It has evolved into my training/foul weather bike. Any time by bare minimum temps are reached I don't even hesitate to take her out.
Some of the mods:
- The DA compact cranks allow me to move my stages power meter back and forth between bikes for racing and Zwift/off-season training as well as to switch either bike between compact and standard gearing. I'm also more comfortable doing sprint efforts on the indoor trainer using steel.
- CRUD fenders keep me and my front derailer and brakes clean and operating smoothly in the wet stuff
- I "downgraded" from the Ultegra that came with the bike to an older Dura Ace 7800. Why?! The shifter routing of the Ultegra is too tight inside the handlebar and made shifting a drag, especially after getting deeper into winter. The older shifters send the shift cables straight out the sides, more in line with the direction the levers roll. Far less drag. Nice light and consistent shifting. Broke even on what I consider an upgrade
- Jagwire cables are a little smoother and better sealed than standard. Don't cost much more, either. Also the pearl white looks great with the bike.
- Continental 4 Season tires (goes without saying)
- White saddle and brake hoods
I love how the Breezer paint almost glows in overcast conditions.
Some of the mods:
- The DA compact cranks allow me to move my stages power meter back and forth between bikes for racing and Zwift/off-season training as well as to switch either bike between compact and standard gearing. I'm also more comfortable doing sprint efforts on the indoor trainer using steel.
- CRUD fenders keep me and my front derailer and brakes clean and operating smoothly in the wet stuff
- I "downgraded" from the Ultegra that came with the bike to an older Dura Ace 7800. Why?! The shifter routing of the Ultegra is too tight inside the handlebar and made shifting a drag, especially after getting deeper into winter. The older shifters send the shift cables straight out the sides, more in line with the direction the levers roll. Far less drag. Nice light and consistent shifting. Broke even on what I consider an upgrade
- Jagwire cables are a little smoother and better sealed than standard. Don't cost much more, either. Also the pearl white looks great with the bike.
- Continental 4 Season tires (goes without saying)
- White saddle and brake hoods
I love how the Breezer paint almost glows in overcast conditions.
01-17-16, 10:01 AM
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Nice. Where did you get the white hoods from?
I ordered my 5800 groupset in silver. Tossing up about the handlebars and seat. I'm leaning towards white.
I ordered my 5800 groupset in silver. Tossing up about the handlebars and seat. I'm leaning towards white.
01-17-16, 10:05 AM
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Strayduck,
I'm totally biased, of course, but the MY12 paint is the best of all the Venturis, including the first generation frames. As you note, the richness of the blue has its own energy, and really seems to glow in low light.
I see you're rocking the Crud longtail; I ripped mine off on the way out the door for my first ride with them, wheeling the bike upright. I only use the short tail now, which I guess still does a great job, because I'm considered the best wheel in the club on rain rides!
Nice looking bike.
I'm totally biased, of course, but the MY12 paint is the best of all the Venturis, including the first generation frames. As you note, the richness of the blue has its own energy, and really seems to glow in low light.
I see you're rocking the Crud longtail; I ripped mine off on the way out the door for my first ride with them, wheeling the bike upright. I only use the short tail now, which I guess still does a great job, because I'm considered the best wheel in the club on rain rides!
Nice looking bike.
01-17-16, 11:49 AM
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https://fairwheelbikes.com/far-and-n...ds-p-1174.html
I used some lysol dual action wipes to get them nice and clean after installation. Not so much for the disinfecting but for the scrubbing side of the pad. They've stayed pretty clean looking in everyday use.
Lysol® Dual Action Disinfecting Wipes | Lysol
I like the white as it makes the somewhat heavy steel bike look light.
I'm looking to swap out the fork for a custom-painted (all white) Enve next year for the three purposes of:
- being able to run a 25mm tire (earlier posts are right; the clearance is TIGHT!)
- nudging up the handlebars just a bit more w/o going with a more extreme stem angle
- this bike wants an all-white front end--the old ingas spears work best on the top and downtubes IMHO but not so much on the fork
Bonus: lighter!
01-17-16, 11:55 AM
#60
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Strayduck,
I see you're rocking the Crud longtail; I ripped mine off on the way out the door for my first ride with them, wheeling the bike upright. I only use the short tail now, which I guess still does a great job, because I'm considered the best wheel in the club on rain rides!
I see you're rocking the Crud longtail; I ripped mine off on the way out the door for my first ride with them, wheeling the bike upright. I only use the short tail now, which I guess still does a great job, because I'm considered the best wheel in the club on rain rides!
They are fiddly, though. I had to use a soldering iron to melt a hole in the front fin so that it would rest flat against the frame (it lined up with my deraileur clamp which caused it to rub and rotate).
