dalava

My experience is the opposite... the Lizard Skins white tape turns yellow-ish within the first month and you can't clean it back to white.

dalava

Nice, dig the wheels. BUT... is the frame too small for you?

chaadster

Not in a meaningful way. Balance, reach, position over the pedals are all perfect, and the bike handles amazingly, and with alacrity. It's all-day comfy, and the razor sharp responsiveness is perfectly suited to my aggressive riding style. That bike is a Bad Betty!

Anyway, I couldn't find a single other steel frame option that delivered as much tech and modernity with such aggressive geometry.

If I were going custom and with a material that would assure me appropriate levels of stiffness, I *might* lengthen ST and HT a millimeter or two, but that'd be strictly for aesthetics (more or less level TT, but reduce HS spacers). I'd really be wary of trading off front end stiffness, though, and I don't want to have any more weight than I need, either. The oversized, hydroformed steel tubes, and post-weld heat treating really give this a uniform rigidity unlike any other steel bike I've ridden, and it works for me really well.

floridamtb

Replaced the white Bontrager tape with Fizik tape and it stays really clean compared to the Bontrager. I put black tape on once with black stem and spacers, didn't like the look. Look around on group rides, everyone seems to have black. Standout, be different.

cellery

It doesn't matter. Make it look how you want it to look. No one on the big weekend group ride will notice or care except for you.

Birthday

You know how often Steve McQueen would seek fashion advice on the internet if he were contemporary?

****ing never.

chaadster

Man, I almost forgot that I've had that happen, too, and it was frustrating enough that I emailed Lizardskins about it. They said to use rubbing alcohol to clean, which I do now.

I dunno...I'm on my third pack of white 3.2 (or whatever the thickest is), and have only had the yellowing experience once, which makes me wonder if it might be a production batch issue.

I love the feel, performance, and durability of the stuff enough to both continue using it (on two bikes) and to recommend it, though perhaps with the caveat to buy it from a local shop who might warranty if it goes yellow fast. Lizardskins didn't do sh*t about my complaint, so I just bought another pack out of desperation; the feel is unique and addictive, and I didn't want to give it up. As soon as there is competition, though, I'll give them a whirl. Lizardskins blew my brand loyalty, so they've got me only so long as I think their product is the absolute best fit for my needs.

kbarch

Lol! Isn't it obvious that all the folks who have to be told "no one will notice/nobody cares" are precisely the folks who do notice and do care - and they're legion, aren't they? But maybe the point is just "no one will hold it against you any more than you do."

cderalow

slammed back saddle on a setback seatpost is why he's asking.

Looks... off, like the TT is too short, or you should lengthen the stem or something

chaadster

Oh, I understand why he asked, and I also understand that most people have a very facile understanding of fit.

Oh, and the seat is not slammed back; the SMP seat design can play tricks on the untrained eye.

floridamtb

Simple solution.... Fizik white tape. It stays white and is easy to clean

cellery

I for one don't mind when my white tape gets dirty. I see other guys riding around with dirty white bar tape too and it's always the ones who you never think could put the hurt on, but leave you behind crying for mommy. So I let mine get dirty and then I think that other people think I ride more than I do.