My new-bike gush thread
04-17-05, 06:26 AM
#1
human
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: living in the moment
Posts: 3,562
Bikes: 2005 Litespeed Teramo, 2000 Marinoni Leggero, 2001 Kona Major Jake (with Campy Centaur), 1997 Specialized S-Works M2, 1992 Specialized Rockhopper
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so... the guys at the shop surprised me yesterday by building up my new ride for me. it had come in a couple of days ago, but we're in the busiest season right now and i really didn't expect to ride the beast until next week at the earliest.
it's a litespeed teramo with campagnolo chorus, real designs [litespeed's house brand] ultrafly wheels, real designs signature hp fork, 3ttt forgie xl stem and easton ec90 equipe bar. she joins a marinoni leggero [columbus zona steel] with chorus and a kona major jake cyclo-cross bike with centaur.
the retrogrouch in me loves the metal frame and campy parts; the technoweenie digs the compact geometry and carbon bits. a fine balance.
i didn't get a chance to weigh the new ride, but it's not much more than 16 lbs with cages and pedals. in fact, it doesn't weigh much more, if at all, than the 50cm trek madone ssl we have in the shop.
it's a beautiful day. i'm going for a ride. report and pix to come.
it's a litespeed teramo with campagnolo chorus, real designs [litespeed's house brand] ultrafly wheels, real designs signature hp fork, 3ttt forgie xl stem and easton ec90 equipe bar. she joins a marinoni leggero [columbus zona steel] with chorus and a kona major jake cyclo-cross bike with centaur.
the retrogrouch in me loves the metal frame and campy parts; the technoweenie digs the compact geometry and carbon bits. a fine balance.
i didn't get a chance to weigh the new ride, but it's not much more than 16 lbs with cages and pedals. in fact, it doesn't weigh much more, if at all, than the 50cm trek madone ssl we have in the shop.
it's a beautiful day. i'm going for a ride. report and pix to come.
__________________
when walking, just walk. when sitting, just sit. when riding, just ride. above all, don't wobble.
The Irregular Cycling Club of Montreal
Cycling irregularly since 2002
when walking, just walk. when sitting, just sit. when riding, just ride. above all, don't wobble.
The Irregular Cycling Club of Montreal
Cycling irregularly since 2002
04-17-05, 07:31 AM
#2
Former Hoarder
What a freakin' tease you are. Ummmm, could you toss in a picture sooner rather than later?
I love the way you describe how the classic meets the high tech. And the fact that riding appears to be more important than showing off the bike - unlike some other forum member around here with a new frame.
Please post more when you can...
55/Rad
I love the way you describe how the classic meets the high tech. And the fact that riding appears to be more important than showing off the bike - unlike some other forum member around here with a new frame.
Please post more when you can...
55/Rad
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04-17-05, 07:38 AM
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2005
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actually fitty-five you help us all out tremendously. Because you are a talented communicator and prolific bike builder, we can all have a peak into your soul and enjoy your passion without all the expense.
George
George
04-17-05, 07:04 PM
#4
human
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: living in the moment
Posts: 3,562
Bikes: 2005 Litespeed Teramo, 2000 Marinoni Leggero, 2001 Kona Major Jake (with Campy Centaur), 1997 Specialized S-Works M2, 1992 Specialized Rockhopper
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well... here's the ride report...
my buddy henry, who got a merlin extralight last year, is fond of saying that you really notice the ride quality of titanium on longer rides. and i've always found that the personality of a bike comes through best when you go easy. so i met up with another ride buddy, gustavo on his serotta colorado ti, and headed out on what would turn out to be a 104 km [65 miles in old money], easy [25 km/h] ride.
the comfort of titanium iks amazing. i've ridden ti bikes before, so i knew what i was getting into. sort of. it's an amazingly cofortable bike. a big part of that is the fit; i fit bikes all day, every day, so it wasn't too difficult to get it dialed-in, though i think i'll drop the nose of the saddle by about a degree. the easton bar probably helped, but the overall feel of the bike was better than i expected. it was smooth, but not in that smooth-as-glass carbon fibre way. it was compliant, while still laving me feeling connected with the road.
this is not a small thing. montreal roads are notoriously bad, but while i felt the contours and had a real sense of the road surface, i did not feel beat-up at all despite four hours in the saddle.
what i was not expecting was the responsiveness. to put it mildly, this bike goes -- elle s'en va! the pickup was phenomenal. it cornered better than any bike i've ever had. i have a steel marinoni that i really love, but compared to the litespeed, she corners like a truck. i actually feel a little guilty saying that. the frame has a lot of snap; acceleration feels lilke the relase of a coiled spring.
and it's hard not to love how the bike climbs.
the chorus components are great. a lot of that has to do with the amazing job the guys at the shop did setting it up. on the other hand, the shifting is a lot lighter than on the 2001 chorus components i have on the marinoni. the front shifting is much crisper than i'm used to with campagnolo. the redesigned front derailleur is brilliant.
i'm really impressed with the overall quality of the frame. the welds are clean and perfect down to minute details. i know that the same guys who weld the ghisallos and the vortexes make the teramo, but they muct be particularly obsessive-compulsive and anal-retentive workers.
my one complain is with the wheels, or more accurately, with the spokes. i've found that black anodized, high-tension spokes tend to get a bit noisy, and my rear spokes started chattering a bit after 80 km. not the end of the world. there are solutions, and the wheels themselves performed quite well. they're very comfortable -- reminiscent of my protons -- and quite stiff.
i only have one picture for now, and it's not great. more later.
my buddy henry, who got a merlin extralight last year, is fond of saying that you really notice the ride quality of titanium on longer rides. and i've always found that the personality of a bike comes through best when you go easy. so i met up with another ride buddy, gustavo on his serotta colorado ti, and headed out on what would turn out to be a 104 km [65 miles in old money], easy [25 km/h] ride.
the comfort of titanium iks amazing. i've ridden ti bikes before, so i knew what i was getting into. sort of. it's an amazingly cofortable bike. a big part of that is the fit; i fit bikes all day, every day, so it wasn't too difficult to get it dialed-in, though i think i'll drop the nose of the saddle by about a degree. the easton bar probably helped, but the overall feel of the bike was better than i expected. it was smooth, but not in that smooth-as-glass carbon fibre way. it was compliant, while still laving me feeling connected with the road.
this is not a small thing. montreal roads are notoriously bad, but while i felt the contours and had a real sense of the road surface, i did not feel beat-up at all despite four hours in the saddle.
what i was not expecting was the responsiveness. to put it mildly, this bike goes -- elle s'en va! the pickup was phenomenal. it cornered better than any bike i've ever had. i have a steel marinoni that i really love, but compared to the litespeed, she corners like a truck. i actually feel a little guilty saying that. the frame has a lot of snap; acceleration feels lilke the relase of a coiled spring.
and it's hard not to love how the bike climbs.
the chorus components are great. a lot of that has to do with the amazing job the guys at the shop did setting it up. on the other hand, the shifting is a lot lighter than on the 2001 chorus components i have on the marinoni. the front shifting is much crisper than i'm used to with campagnolo. the redesigned front derailleur is brilliant.
i'm really impressed with the overall quality of the frame. the welds are clean and perfect down to minute details. i know that the same guys who weld the ghisallos and the vortexes make the teramo, but they muct be particularly obsessive-compulsive and anal-retentive workers.
my one complain is with the wheels, or more accurately, with the spokes. i've found that black anodized, high-tension spokes tend to get a bit noisy, and my rear spokes started chattering a bit after 80 km. not the end of the world. there are solutions, and the wheels themselves performed quite well. they're very comfortable -- reminiscent of my protons -- and quite stiff.
i only have one picture for now, and it's not great. more later.
__________________
when walking, just walk. when sitting, just sit. when riding, just ride. above all, don't wobble.
The Irregular Cycling Club of Montreal
Cycling irregularly since 2002
when walking, just walk. when sitting, just sit. when riding, just ride. above all, don't wobble.
The Irregular Cycling Club of Montreal
Cycling irregularly since 2002
04-17-05, 10:03 PM
#5
the great shark hunt
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Manitoba Canada
Posts: 1,334
Bikes: 2005 Cervélo Soloist w/ Campag Chorus (06/07 parts mix), 2001 Cervélo Prodigy w/ Campag Centaur '06, Giant Bowery Fixed-Gear, old steel black '70s bike waiting for FG build, trusty red SS mountain bike waiting for snow-bike build
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very sweet ride my friend!!! thanks for the report.
04-17-05, 10:06 PM
#6
"Great One"
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Might as well be underwater because I make less drag than a torpedoE (no aero bars here though)
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I like the pure titanium frames also. CF stays kind of ruin it from a asethetics point of view (at least for me)
BTW, where did you get your avatar? (look what I'm using these days)
BTW, where did you get your avatar? (look what I'm using these days)
