kott3r, i agree with you, just make it a good frame that will last a long time.

move back :rolleyes:

ooops!!! I was thinking of the older Shimano wheels; the 540s :o

MAN, you wanna stiff rear wheel? Just get any old 30mm deep, 32 hole rim, such as an old Mavic CXP30, or a Velocity Deep V. They'd be heavier than your Shimanos, but I also bet the Mavic disc that Theo Bos cranks up to over 70kmh is heavier than the Shimanos! Sprinting speed is about stiffness, then aero, not weight. A couple of years ago, Robbie McEwen was using some 28-spoke things that were tied and soldered!!

I also had some 32-hole CXP33s that I thought were stiff enough.

John Kennedy is a big fan of the Campag wheel-sets.

Yeah. Did I mention we just bought a house? Or that my freight alone was something like $7k? I can't afford to move again.

so excuse my ignorance, but from what your saying steel is not affected by hard use like Alu is?

I think the wheels are just a bit flexy... (oi! where'd yer post go?) be nice to try something like Mavics. I don't think I overload the front when I'm sprinting... I'm an ex BMX racer - when I sprint, I tend to lift the front wheel orf the deck a bit. Probably bad road technique but that's just how I do it.

it's not measured in years but in units of thrash which are crank revolutions x pedal force applied. typical Al frame can only take a small amount of thrashing compared to other 'noble' material which can handle huge thrashing loads. there are tales of some well crafted steel frames surviving a severe beating (10E0 thrash).

After 25000km (2 years) my Al training bike frame is getting floppy around the BB. Replacement cost? ~$400. That's cheap considering it costs me over $300 every 3 months to replace the chainset and another $120-150 in tyres and tubes.

I gonna do that on my track bike. Just can't figure out how to do it on the radially spoked front wheel :D

without getting in to cheap crap versus well built etc., on my anecdotal eveidence, steel frames last, alu seems to fall apart and break too easy. Steel can be repaired, alu cannot etc...

hmm looks like steel is the way to go then. how doesit go for weight? obviously its not going to be CF light, but i have never really trusted CF anyways.

most of your weight savings can be made elsewhere. you can make good weight savings on groupo, WHEELS, tyres n tubes, saddle, but be prepared to mortgage the house.

Looks like I will be in for the Dirtworks.
No riding for last 3 weeks and avg 3hrs sleep a night = I'm gonna be in a world of pain. Think I will put my lights onQ :o

have fun! apparantly the course is a lot hillier than last years.

Preparation? I've only got 3 more sleeps until the big one were I've got to perform (in the sack). :(

It's not freaking out about the race that keeps me up. It's freaking out about not being able to get to sleep. It's a self fulfulling prophecy. Stress out about stress stopping me from sleeping and I don't sleep which makes me stress more. Finally about 4am I'm stressed out enough that I pass out only to have to wake up at 4:30 and drive (I'm staying at windsor) the rest of the way up for the race. :(

Aussie thread might work though. ;)

Hrm. Maybe if I get myself up at 5am the morning before I'll be rooted enough to go to bed at a reasonable hour?

And those big brother sheila's are enough to keep anyone awake. Damn Big Bro up late. You been watching it this year? If there's not enough there to give you an itch then you should be watching David more. ;)

Good work. You'll be right. 3 weeks off'll freshen you right up (ignores the no sleep bit).

Did anyone do the dirtworks last year?

so your black-sack has evolved into a back-logged sack? :o

Yeah, and I'm not allowed to stay at the share house. :(

do you think they would let me stay there? ;) :eek:

I'm begining to think that everyone should put a second mortgage on the house and just get a Ti frame. That way, you'll be drama free until your grandkids go off to Uni.

Probably. Not that I know anything. They're wimin after all... :mad:

would that be the life of the frame or the repayment plan? :p

Both! :p

Seriously though, add up all the **** frames you'll have in the next 10 years and by that stage you'll still be on the same Ti frame and it will be as good as ever.

Or, in Nevs case, you're already there!

The second mortgage is the problem.

Tell me about it. I'm in the process of moving offices right now, and fingers crossed before year's out, SWMBO and myself will be moving into a dedicated Thylacine studio outlet thing. Remind me to sell more bikes. Might just help with the repayments.

deleted, coz I was talking about the Shimano 540 wheels :). I know a couple of guys who like the new Shimano wheels.

much better than the rear wheel skipping, which what I do badly! No much speed when the rear wheel lifts off the road! :p

Haven't you made enough friends down at Eastern to borrow some fancy wheels? :)

I'm still not sure; is your Giant carbon? I assume this is your bike? I thought yours was red.
And you have these wheels, right?

http://www.ausbike.com/pics/ocr104.jpg