umd

I've previously posted this bike, but here it is not in racing trim. This is at the Pine Mountain Summit on Highway 33 in Ventura County, at 5100 feet. About 16.5lbs as pictured (including bottle, bag & computer). New saddle & post (Fizik Arione CX carbon & Ritchey WCS Carbon) since the last time. Also posted this picture in the "your century bicycle" thread



Edit: I took this picture on the second day of our club's "around the county" back-to-back century rides, when I had a few minutes to kill because I got to the top of the climb several minutes ahead of everyone else. If you look at the road in the background just between my saddle and bars you can barely make out our SAG car & a rider in the distance...

ridethecliche

Here's mine! I want to race this bike till I get outta the 5's and then I'll bring my CAAD9 outta hiding (plus I still haven't dialed in the fit on that). I'll start racing the cannondale next season or this season once I'm allowed to ride again. Lets see what happens.

This is a 1984 trek 760 frameset built up with centaur shifters/compact cranks and veloce rd/fd. Shimano chain/cassette and neuvation wheels. It's my first foray into campy and I'm actually liking it a lot. If only the stuff was cheaper... I kinda like having my shifting separate from the brake itself and I love the dump feature on the thumb tab.

Anywho!

brians647

That's a load of crap. That bike is badass! Carbonia's an illusion. Sorta like a mirage. You get there, and find out that it ain't that great.

That ride is fast, fun, and full of character. Enjoy it!

ridethecliche

Stallion, what groupset is on there now?

Also, performance has a sweet 1inch full carbon fork which is really light. I'm thinking of putting one on my bike when I decide to get a new headset, stem and bars.

jamiewilson3

Did you have an Arione before the CX? If so, how does it compare?

umd

Yes, I have the regular Arione with k:ium rails on my TCR. It feels pretty much the same; just as comfortable but nearly half the weight.

carlfreddy

Sure.

Bontrager Select OS. (aka the bars that came stock on the bike. They are extremely wide at 46cm)

The bottom of the barrel Bontrager bars.

Here is the New Hawtness with new bars, saddle, and wheels.

Kris Flatlander

Carl,

is that one of the new Bontrager Inform saddles? If so how do you like it?

transplant

and i trust you upgraded to some carbon specific brake pads too... (=

carlfreddy

You know, I'm on the fence on that one.

I'm racing on these wheels at most 3 times a month for the rest of the season. I'll no longer be racing every weekend like I was during our early spring season. Currently I'm just using the regular DA brake pads, but I take some sandpaper to them before putting my Carbon Aeros on and inspect the pad for any metal shavings.

If I were racing multiple times per weekend, every weekend, then I'd probably switch to some cork pads.

carlfreddy

At this point I've got ~3000 miles on the saddle (yes, it is a Bontrager Inform RL) and I'm still very much in love with it. I think the lesson here is not which specific saddle you ride, but rather finding a saddle that is your size.

Once the Inform RXL is finally released I'll probably rock that too.

El Diablo Rojo

I just bough a set of holders so instead of changing pads out of the holders I swap out the whole unit. It takes 5 minutes and is better than wasting a set of carbon wheels. Also you don't want to get those wheels wet with standard pads, you'll lose all stopping power.

ninjaman

carlfreddy, do you really race effectively with that ultra laid back geometry? That headtube's almost as tall as barndoor's Waterford in the "what road bike do you have?" thread.

Kris Flatlander

Good to hear,

we have just gotten in an Inform display at the shop I work at and since we haven't sold many yet I like to hear opinions on them. I'm not sure if I'm going to leave my trusty Arione yet though!

carlfreddy

How tall are you?

ninjaman

5'10", why?

bdcheung

seppomadness

Excellent. You did good. The cycling gods approve. (edit: Will forgive you for the seatpost.)

seppomadness

No socks? Or worse...anklets? Oh dear.

transplant

what happened to the 404s bd?

bdcheung

just didn't put them on for that series of pics.

ninjaman

carlfreddy

I'm 6'3". I can't get around riding a bike that has a tall(ish) headtube. If I do like the Pro's and size down and run a 140mm stem I'll still need a stack of spacers. I prefer the aesthetic appeal of no spacers (I guess that makes me OCP?).

FYI, my LeMond has a 74* HTA, compared to a Madone 5.5 Pro with a 73.1* HTA

I've ridden a Madone 5.2 Pro (I'm assuming that bike would qualify as a bike with "aggressive" geometry) and the steering response is nowhere near as quick as on my Victoire.

ninjaman

Yeah, makes sense. For some reason, the angles looked a bit slacker to me, my bad. BTW, how do you like those Hudz? I've been eyeing them for awhile- are they more or less comfy than stock DA hoods?

carlfreddy

The seat-tube angle is a slack-ish 72.5*.

I'm thoroughly enjoying my Hudz. They do pick up dirt, regardless of whether you sport gloves or not, but fortunately they clean up with just a wet rag.

I don't know if you can see it in the picture, but the Hudz have a "trigger grip" on the underside, where your fingers wrap under the brifter. At first I was all "WTF," but now I quite like it! The only issue I have with them is that the "skirt" doesn't have as much coverage, so you have to be really precise when taping the bars otherwise you'll have bare spot.