Got my Dawes SST today!
03-20-09, 09:40 PM
#1
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Got my Dawes SST today!
Eh! Quite surprised at the quality of the bike, and it's astoundingly good. Sorry, got no pictures of the unboxing. 3 guys standing around, drooling, and waiting to assemble it, made the unboxing process very very very quick.
It came pretty much assembled, and I only needed the basic tools (Pedal wrench, screw driver, Allen Wrenches, Tri-Flow), and all the parts were pretty well-packaged. Nothing scratched up nor broken. Pedals and baskets are suprisingly good, and pretty easy to adjust and don't move around too much...
I didn't get the 28C tires, but what look like to be 700X25's, which is pretty cool since I didn't want such big tires. Throwing a fixed cog and lockring was pretty easy, had to go use a chainwhip and cog tool from the LBS, but it was pretty good. Overall, assembly took place in about 30 minutes.
VERY satisfied with the bike to use a campus/beater bike. It feels solid, rides solid, and for $300 I don't think you can go wrong.
So amazing fun, and god stopping via pedals/skidding is hard, but that's because I'm surprisingly bad at biking. Hope I learn fast.
Pictures will come once I get home and get a decent camera!
It came pretty much assembled, and I only needed the basic tools (Pedal wrench, screw driver, Allen Wrenches, Tri-Flow), and all the parts were pretty well-packaged. Nothing scratched up nor broken. Pedals and baskets are suprisingly good, and pretty easy to adjust and don't move around too much...
I didn't get the 28C tires, but what look like to be 700X25's, which is pretty cool since I didn't want such big tires. Throwing a fixed cog and lockring was pretty easy, had to go use a chainwhip and cog tool from the LBS, but it was pretty good. Overall, assembly took place in about 30 minutes.
VERY satisfied with the bike to use a campus/beater bike. It feels solid, rides solid, and for $300 I don't think you can go wrong.
So amazing fun, and god stopping via pedals/skidding is hard, but that's because I'm surprisingly bad at biking. Hope I learn fast.
Pictures will come once I get home and get a decent camera!
03-24-09, 09:35 AM
#9
Lost
cool man congratulations, i just got the clockwork last night, which i think is essentially the same bike. how did you find the stem to be, i am replacing mine immediately due to the low quality and high importance of this piece.
03-24-09, 07:20 PM
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Do you find your "low quality" piece (the same that I have) to not be able to clamp? If you do I highly suggest you figure out how to turn an allen wrench.
PLEASE do us a favor and give your reasons why your Clockwork stem is not high quality and how you feel it will fail. I can't wait to hear it!
This is like saying the seatpost clamp is low quality....it's a freakin' clamp, you loosen it, you tighten it, that's it!
Last edited by areacode312; 03-24-09 at 07:32 PM.
03-24-09, 10:27 PM
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i was debating between this and the kilo a while back, and decided on the kilo because of the supposedly lighter frame. does the dawes sst feel heavy or light to you?
OT: if anyone wants to get rid of their "low quality" stock shorty stem, PM me!
OT: if anyone wants to get rid of their "low quality" stock shorty stem, PM me!
03-24-09, 11:21 PM
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Any way I could lock my stem down? Got a lot of people around here getting them stolen when they lock up...
Dawes SST feels fine. It's not as heavy as my friend's Peugot. It's probably 5 pounds heavier than my Fuji Road Bike.
Dawes SST feels fine. It's not as heavy as my friend's Peugot. It's probably 5 pounds heavier than my Fuji Road Bike.
03-25-09, 06:03 AM
#15
Lost
The stem is fine, that's nuts you think it's not of good quality, it's an aluminum piece with two clamps. A stem is not rocket science, and any replacement will be aluminum and have two clamps- pretty simple huh?
Do you find your "low quality" piece (the same that I have) to not be able to clamp? If you do I highly suggest you figure out how to turn an allen wrench.
PLEASE do us a favor and give your reasons why your Clockwork stem is not high quality and how you feel it will fail. I can't wait to hear it!
This is like saying the seatpost clamp is low quality....it's a freakin' clamp, you loosen it, you tighten it, that's it!
Do you find your "low quality" piece (the same that I have) to not be able to clamp? If you do I highly suggest you figure out how to turn an allen wrench.
PLEASE do us a favor and give your reasons why your Clockwork stem is not high quality and how you feel it will fail. I can't wait to hear it!
This is like saying the seatpost clamp is low quality....it's a freakin' clamp, you loosen it, you tighten it, that's it!
if you're telling me you cant tell a difference between a good stem and the one supplied with the clockwork, you're crazy. and, if you think that a piece of cheaply cast aluminum that has to take high stress loading (think standing pedaling effort) "doesnt matter" you are also incorrect.
in a side career of mine, i was a high performance engine builder and mechanic, and let me tell you - build an strong engine with cheap fasteners (think head bolts and the like) because "a bolt is just a bolt" and you're failure mechanism is clear.
if you're confident putting your full weight on a cheap cast alu. stem which is designed poorly, that is entirely up to you, but i am choosing to upgrade to a piece i have confidence in.
i was expressing a concern of mine with the bike, dont insult me with uneducated banter.
03-25-09, 07:37 PM
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The stem IS low quality. it is designed poorly, with the lock washers on the bolts that secure the bars, there is far too little purchase into the stem itself, in fact, using very little torque i stripped out one of the threads in the step (it was evenly spaced top to bottom too). i removed the lock washers for a little more space for the threads to grab.
if you're telling me you cant tell a difference between a good stem and the one supplied with the clockwork, you're crazy. and, if you think that a piece of cheaply cast aluminum that has to take high stress loading (think standing pedaling effort) "doesnt matter" you are also incorrect.
in a side career of mine, i was a high performance engine builder and mechanic, and let me tell you - build an strong engine with cheap fasteners (think head bolts and the like) because "a bolt is just a bolt" and you're failure mechanism is clear.
if you're confident putting your full weight on a cheap cast alu. stem which is designed poorly, that is entirely up to you, but i am choosing to upgrade to a piece i have confidence in.
i was expressing a concern of mine with the bike, dont insult me with uneducated banter.
if you're telling me you cant tell a difference between a good stem and the one supplied with the clockwork, you're crazy. and, if you think that a piece of cheaply cast aluminum that has to take high stress loading (think standing pedaling effort) "doesnt matter" you are also incorrect.
in a side career of mine, i was a high performance engine builder and mechanic, and let me tell you - build an strong engine with cheap fasteners (think head bolts and the like) because "a bolt is just a bolt" and you're failure mechanism is clear.
if you're confident putting your full weight on a cheap cast alu. stem which is designed poorly, that is entirely up to you, but i am choosing to upgrade to a piece i have confidence in.
i was expressing a concern of mine with the bike, dont insult me with uneducated banter.
There is nothing wrong with the design of the stem that is used on various models and has shipped thousands all over the world.
You have nothing but a baseless argument, you can say and think whatever you want, which you do a fine job of....but sorry, you're not a expert. Idiot, comes to mind though.
Last edited by areacode312; 03-25-09 at 07:41 PM.
03-25-09, 09:23 PM
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No sorry, you only think its low quality because you're the first one to figure out how to actually STRIP A THREAD in your stem, congratulations. No wonder why you're replacing it and think it's low quality. You're also the first one to think the bolts aren't even long enough to hold securely. And the first one to think removing a thin lock washer gives you plenty of room to get some extra turns of the bolt, DISREGARDING the purpose of a lock washer, haha.
There is nothing wrong with the design of the stem that is used on various models and has shipped thousands all over the world.
You have nothing but a baseless argument, you can say and think whatever you want, which you do a fine job of....but sorry, you're not a expert. Idiot, comes to mind though.
There is nothing wrong with the design of the stem that is used on various models and has shipped thousands all over the world.
You have nothing but a baseless argument, you can say and think whatever you want, which you do a fine job of....but sorry, you're not a expert. Idiot, comes to mind though.
just kidding, bikesdirect seems to be a pretty decent company. my roommate got a clockwork and it's good for the money, but nobody can deny that the stem is a POS. i've had a cheap stem fail on a mountain bike, you're left with handlebars in your hands and nothing attaching it to the fork. good thing i wasn't going fast when I totally just flew face first into the ground.
it hasn't happened yet with the clockwork, it may never happen. it doesn't change the fact though that the clockwork's stem is lacking in quality. mess around with a nice stem and then mess with the stock stem. It's cheap, it's not good, it might as well be upgraded as stems are not too expensive for something decent.
oh and you're a jackass
03-25-09, 11:06 PM
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****in shill
just kidding, bikesdirect seems to be a pretty decent company. my roommate got a clockwork and it's good for the money, but nobody can deny that the stem is a POS. i've had a cheap stem fail on a mountain bike, you're left with handlebars in your hands and nothing attaching it to the fork. good thing i wasn't going fast when I totally just flew face first into the ground.
it hasn't happened yet with the clockwork, it may never happen. it doesn't change the fact though that the clockwork's stem is lacking in quality. mess around with a nice stem and then mess with the stock stem. It's cheap, it's not good, it might as well be upgraded as stems are not too expensive for something decent.
oh and you're a jackass
just kidding, bikesdirect seems to be a pretty decent company. my roommate got a clockwork and it's good for the money, but nobody can deny that the stem is a POS. i've had a cheap stem fail on a mountain bike, you're left with handlebars in your hands and nothing attaching it to the fork. good thing i wasn't going fast when I totally just flew face first into the ground.
it hasn't happened yet with the clockwork, it may never happen. it doesn't change the fact though that the clockwork's stem is lacking in quality. mess around with a nice stem and then mess with the stock stem. It's cheap, it's not good, it might as well be upgraded as stems are not too expensive for something decent.
oh and you're a jackass
Jackass?
Whatever makes you feel better about yourself tough guy.
Last edited by areacode312; 03-25-09 at 11:18 PM.
03-26-09, 12:59 AM
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No one can deny the stem is a POS, doesn't change the fact that the stem is lacking in quality.....but wait, what's that...you having absolutely NOTHING to prove or back up your statements? And everyone is riding around on the bikes? That's a very big sign that you're full of it, lol.
Jackass?
Whatever makes you feel better about yourself tough guy.
Jackass?
Whatever makes you feel better about yourself tough guy.
I guess that makes me the jackass
03-26-09, 02:28 AM
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areacode CHILL THE **** DOWN SON!
its bikeforums.net
where even Kanye is a hipster.
(and yes, Kanye just bought a fixed gear)
its bikeforums.net
where even Kanye is a hipster.
(and yes, Kanye just bought a fixed gear)
03-26-09, 06:00 AM
#21
Lost
No sorry, you only think its low quality because you're the first one to figure out how to actually STRIP A THREAD in your stem, congratulations. No wonder why you're replacing it and think it's low quality. You're also the first one to think the bolts aren't even long enough to hold securely. And the first one to think removing a thin lock washer gives you plenty of room to get some extra turns of the bolt, DISREGARDING the purpose of a lock washer, haha.
There is nothing wrong with the design of the stem that is used on various models and has shipped thousands all over the world.
You have nothing but a baseless argument, you can say and think whatever you want, which you do a fine job of....but sorry, you're not a expert. Idiot, comes to mind though.
There is nothing wrong with the design of the stem that is used on various models and has shipped thousands all over the world.
You have nothing but a baseless argument, you can say and think whatever you want, which you do a fine job of....but sorry, you're not a expert. Idiot, comes to mind though.
