LOL, he may get to use those matching bibs finally !

for sure, I'll probably use my grandpa's bowling hat and brown shoes too. :p

Carbon stays virtually serve no purpose at all. It's pure fashion as far as I'm concerned. In fact, the biggest benefit is for the framebuilder - pay a couple of hundred bucks and bolt/glue the thing on - hooray, no having to cope those pesky seatstays.

Originally when they became more readily available for custom bikes, I was going to boycott them, but then thought....why? Sure, I don't think it improves the ride in the slightest, but if people like the look or whatever, where's the harm? They don't make the frame any weaker necessarily, so as long as you follow the rules to epoxy bonding, everything's apples.

I actually think that the Ti chainstays/downtube - Carbon seatstays/seat tube/top tube design should in theory have a really lovely ride. You've got the natural spring of the Ti, and the low amplitude characteristics of the carbon where it can be put to good use.

Now, whether that's worth the extra AUD1500 bucks over the Tephra Ti is debatable. Probably not from my POV, because I'm the poor bugger that would be hand carving those Ti lugs!

To be brutally honest, I think just a straight Reynolds butted 6/4 Ti frame would be the ultimate road racing frame. Significantly stronger than 3/2.5, only about 150g heaver than the current crop superlight carbon frames, and would have a pretty amazing ride.

Pretty amazing price, too. The downtube alone is 300 bucks. :eek:

Well, results are in for the dirtworks. I came 73rd out of 193 in my category and 169th out of 452 overall. Even considering I limped the last half with cramps, I'm really happy with that. My goal was to get in the top half of the field in both and I did it. Bit better training and nutrition and I might do okay.

BTW, Mr and Mrs Flemming are one fast couple. :eek:

nice going Saccy !! :) That's a good result.

Onya Saccy.

Top 1/3 with no cramping you'd hafta reckon.

Yep, top effort that...

Nice work Saccy. Now you'll just have to chow down more bananas and you'll be good to top that.

Man, it's a day of highs and lows. Sold my pink demo 221 and some forks, got pipped at the till by a Cinelli Super Corsa with Centaur.

Someone actually chose a Cinelli Super Corsa over a Tephra. OMFG. A pound lighter, stiffer, better quality and custom, but nooooooooo.

Ah well, lost the battle but the war goes on....

That's the trouble with choice: ppl tend to make one

LOL, i brought them today for my lunchtime ride down the M2!

good going saccy, congrats :)

I was actually referring to the bikeforums.net Thunder. I never actually saw the Thor connection, but that works well too. Well cept the soft bit, i wouldnt tell him that.

Thanks fellas. Yeah, not bad for my first dedicated cycling race. Looking at my heart rate graphs, I lost 15 minutes with tightening my rear spokes and rubbing out a bad cramp. Combined that with how I buttoned off to stave off the cramps and I probably could have came in under 6 hours. That would be been top 30 for my category and top 90 overall. I might not be a complete bum after all. :)

Any of youse had any experience with Treks?
There's a pretty good deal on a couple - one's a new 2000 and the other's a 3 month old 5200
I thought they sounded pretty good - bloke from the club owns a shop (the 5200's his) - but the thing that really got me going was when I mentioned it to the missus, and she said "hmm, they sound like a good deal, when are you going back to have a ride" Fark me I nearly fell over :eek:
I've never had anything to do with 'em. I need to go fer a ride this arvo... might drop into his shop...

are those the plastic ones?

http://www.google.com/trends?q=bikes...ate=all&geo=AU

Some lunchtime fun - Comparing petrol prices to bike sales. Is it real or accurate? Probably not, but that little spike around TdF time seems to indicate there might be some modicum of realism.

Oh hang on, this is just trends in Google searches, not actual statistics. Ooopsies.

I figure now is a good time to out Climbo...He rides a Serotta!

Flash Bistad! :p

:crash: The time wasting opportunities are now endless.

2000 is alu with carbon seat stays and the 5200 is carbon

the 2000 is alloy + carbon stays - top of the line as far as treks alloy range goes. Ultegra 10 + the usual bontrager finishing kit + wheels.

the 5200 is OCLV carbon, bottom of the trek carbon range. same wheels + groupo as the 2000. i think the 5200 may have a carbon seatpost. IIRC the 5200 is based a madone from around circa 2002.

tell us the price son.

edit : found this on the trek aus websitve regarding the 5200: " A true original. The 5200 features the same the same frame that carried Lance Armstrong to his first Tour de France Victory.HAndmade in the USA."

wasnt he riding a litespeed that year??

Sorry,
The 2000 $3,299 down to around $2,400 and the 5200 is $4,599 down to $3,000.

i think that the 5200 would be the way to go at that price imho, that 1500 less than retail. the other thing to consider is that the new 2000 will come with a lifetime warranty ( that trek do seem to be quite willing to honor) the 5200 will carry none of that warranty unless the lbs owner your getting it of can doctor up a recipt for it. id risk it.

I'm pretty sure he mentioned warranty on the 5200. Thanks, I'll double check - didn't know about the lifetime warranty.
He changes bikes a couple of times a year as one of the perks, shop demo ;) ... I thinks he's going to a Cervelo 2.5 next

Treks are a bit common, but nowhere near as ubiquitous as Giants, :) and a bargain is a bargain.

Isn't your main beef the ridigity? Are you gunna test ride them?

They've never been a bike to make me drool, but like you said, a bargain's a bargain and they're both probably so superior to my bike... I reckon either would make a much better bike fer racing than what I've got. I do lurve traditional frames though, and yeah, rigidity issues with the Giant.
I raced against the very same 5200 last month when they threw me in with the A graders... he came second so the bike must be faster. Right?!? :D
I was planning on going down there fer a ride today but got stuck with rugrat duty. Maybe tomorrow.

yeah, it's always the bike. :D Maybe if you had 14 spokes instead of 16 you would've had less drag :p

*removes 2 spokes*

Well I convinced my brother in law to do the ATB 210km option with me, he did it last year. Route B he reckons is the way to go so I may see some of you Melbournites down there.

SPROING !! (sound of wheel self-destructing) :p

Mate of mine rides a 5200 (couple of years old now) & likes it enough to have replaced it with the same after his original one was stolen. He's done the Murray to Moyne ride on it & says it's a nice comfortable ride.