New to cycling

[ratter]

On a cycling forum, they are talking about these bikes but having to wait for a couple of months for their shipment, that leads me to believe they are not aussie made, happy to be corrected but that was my take on the situation

[TZENU]

Pretty sure the wait is due to the popular demand of the ultegra Di2 groupset... Could be wrong though!!!???

[blueoval]

At that price range, I dont blame people for going th Azzuri

[ratter]

In this months "Bicycling Australia" there is a test of the Azzuri Forza Pro Di2, they mention the frame is built the parent company Lear Sports small run Taiwaneese facility, please do not take that as I'm rubbishing it, just trying to work out where they come from

[blueoval]

as far as I was aware, a lot of the larger know bike companies were getting frames and components built or assembled in that area. So it's not all that surprising. Bottom line to me, is how the CF is laid, what kind of reliability it has and is there a warranty that is hassle free.

This isn't a dig at online suppliers, but I prefer to know and buy from an LBS as at least then you have some form of recourse to go to should you need to claim. Online purchasers are harder to come to the party even though they swear by their own warranty policy. I'm still yet to find an LBS here in SA that stocks Azzurri bikes.

[HLC]

Cinelli frames are now made in Taiwan. Cannondale's are now made in Taiwan.

Location of manufacture says nothing about quality any more.

This is a contact of mine based in Canberra, now building/painting his own custom frames. My next frame will be a custom off this guy.

http://www.kumocycles.com/

[TZENU]

Well there you go... I was under the impression that they were hand built in Aus!!!...

I know that all the major brands frames are built in Taiwan or Shangzen in China...
Custom bikes are a different story (well for Ridley they were); the Mrs got a custom built Ridley (Built in Belgium) when she worked for Pac Brands whereas my Ridley Helium was built in China....

[ratter]

who cares where they are made in the end as long as the quality is good, it performs as intended and has local support

[TZENU]

Of course it doesn't matter where the frame is built.... Alot of hi-end stuff is coming from China and Taiwan now-days and bikes are no different... At the end of the day QC is what matters and this is conducted prior to the consumer getting their hands on it.

[GT 160]

Thought i'd get back into mtb after a long, long break. Wasn't after anything too hardcore just something i can mess around with go riding with the kids, wife etc without going overboard.

Picked this up today, got a cracking deal from my LBS.

2012 Merida Big Nine TFS XT-D (29er)

[F6_Ute]

Originally Posted by fitzwa

Thought i'd get back into mtb after a long, long break. Wasn't after anything too hardcore just something i can mess around with go riding with the kids, wife etc without going overboard.

Picked this up today, got a cracking deal from my LBS.

2012 Merida Big Nine TFS XT-D (29er)

image

nice! Merida's are great bikes, I own two myself & u'll love the 29er, they roll like a dream

[F6_Ute]

just stumbled across this thread, so thought I'd throw up my latest steed ... it's a 2012 Merida Cyclocross 4 bought just before Christmas



basically it's a heavy-duty roadie bought specifically for the 35kms work-home trek 3x a week ... fully decked out for the commute complete with plenty of lights & reflectors, pannier bag & rack, a pair of Gator Hardshell tyres w/- slime inner tubes ... it's a tough work-horse much more comfortable and also quite fast (about 4-6kph faster on average over the ride to/from work) than my hardtail mtb with slicks

...and it's fair to say I'll be hard to miss @ night

[blueoval]

Great rides guys. thanks for sharing.

I have been considering a merida scultura evo with ultegra cf bike myself. certainly has all the fruit on them at a reasonable price.

[F6_Ute]

Originally Posted by blueoval

Great rides guys. thanks for sharing.

I have been considering a merida scultura evo with ultegra cf bike myself. certainly has all the fruit on them at a reasonable price.

ahhh nice bit of kit! Was looking at the Ultegra market when buying the CX, but the price gap from the 105 was substantial enough to keep me from making the jump ... so I figured I'd go the 105, get what I can out of it & then upgrade to Ultegra/DuraAce as the drive-train needs replacing

that said, I've upgraded all my MTB's to XTR cabling and the difference is unbelievable .... highly recommend it as the best $50 upgrade on any bike .... I've got a set of DuraAce cables on-hand ready to go for the roadie, but I've only clocked up a bit over 1,000kms on them so far, will let them go another couple of months before I swap them out

[GT 160]

Originally Posted by F6_Ute

nice! Merida's are great bikes, I own two myself & u'll love the 29er, they roll like a dream

I only took it for a quick blast down the street but yeah it is seriously quick and climbs like a moutain goat.

[TZENU]

F6 very nice Merida.... Cyclocross has recently taken off over the last 5 or so years and its great to see it moving along nicely! ...
Would love to get in on some of the racing they do around the state!

[blueoval]

you would think the CX's would be harder to push around the rodes and some non sealed paths with those chunkier tires. Is this still the case and would you notice a considerable difference in performance of the CX compared to an outright road bike.

[blueoval]

Originally Posted by F6_Ute

ahhh nice bit of kit! Was looking at the Ultegra market when buying the CX, but the price gap from the 105 was substantial enough to keep me from making the jump ... so I figured I'd go the 105, get what I can out of it & then upgrade to Ultegra/DuraAce as the drive-train needs replacing

that said, I've upgraded all my MTB's to XTR cabling and the difference is unbelievable .... highly recommend it as the best $50 upgrade on any bike .... I've got a set of DuraAce cables on-hand ready to go for the roadie, but I've only clocked up a bit over 1,000kms on them so far, will let them go another couple of months before I swap them out

Nice work. For me, I'd rather spend the extra on getting the gear I want up front rather than upgrading bits over time. As the bike I get will be with me for a good 10years if all is well. Not saying what your doing is wrong, it's actually better for your wallet over time, but knowing myself, I don't think I will be content with the 105s for very long knowing for a few hundred extra the Ultegra's are within reach. I can then upgrade the rims and tires later on as well when I improve my riding ability.

My mates boss just purchased the Reacto 907 with Ultegra last week, and I must admit that is a sexy looking bike. At 7.2kg with the light weight racing rims and Michelin slicks already fitted, it will be a dam good bike to have. He paid 3k for it. Which in the scheme of things is still a good deal considering he got a full cycling kit, Ultegra pedals and Shimano shoes thrown in for free at the same time.

[Sprint]

Im into cycling ,i do about 200kms a week and sometimes a 110km ride, its all about cadence.

Basically learn to rev and keep the revs up(above 90 cadance atleast) but closer to 100 is better.

Dont deisel the gears for that will wear you out later on in the ride.Use those gears smartly.

Mountain bikes are terrable on the road and hard to push.

The differance between sitting on 30kmh and lifting it to 40kmh is amazing and you find yourself "rolling"over one hill and over the next.

I also sit on a spin bike for a hour at 100rpm and thats great for building up cardio.

Sadly ive been abused and spat on by driver though who think its fun or a laugh, but when you can keep up with cars people get a scare lol.

[F6_Ute]

Originally Posted by blueoval

you would think the CX's would be harder to push around the rodes and some non sealed paths with those chunkier tires. Is this still the case and would you notice a considerable difference in performance of the CX compared to an outright road bike.

this is true, which is why I swapped out the standard CX tyres & strapped on a pair of 700x23 Conti Hardshells, and other than a slightly smaller chainset (which I'll probably upgrade sometime in the next 6-9 months as I do find I'm frequently pushing top gear down the M4) it's every bit as good as a roadie, and it'll take a beating up & down a few gutters if/when required and so-forth without skipping a beat (which I could not imagine a genuine $3K+ roadie would be keen on doing too often)

as for the upgrades, I'm a bit of a tinkerer - don't mind having a play & installing new bits on the bike - so I'm quite happy to buy-in now & upgrade later as needed

as for weight I'm not that fussed with the weight of any of my bikes - I've always said it's easier to take a kilo off my own body than it is off the bike

[blueoval]

Originally Posted by F6_Ute

this is true, which is why I swapped out the standard CX tyres & strapped on a pair of 700x23 Conti Hardshells, and other than a slightly smaller chainset (which I'll probably upgrade sometime in the next 6-9 months as I do find I'm frequently pushing top gear down the M4) it's every bit as good as a roadie, and it'll take a beating up & down a few gutters if/when required and so-forth without skipping a beat (which I could not imagine a genuine $3K+ roadie would be keen on doing too often)

as for the upgrades, I'm a bit of a tinkerer - don't mind having a play & installing new bits on the bike - so I'm quite happy to buy-in now & upgrade later as needed

as for weight I'm not that fussed with the weight of any of my bikes - I've always said it's easier to take a kilo off my own body than it is off the bike

And a hell of a lot cheaper

Good to hear you are able to change your tire set and wheels over. That is handy. It's a bit of an all rounder then. Nice one.

For me, I don't mind doing the usual basic maintenance on bikes, but when it comes to adjusting derailleur settings etc. I leave that to my LBS. Everyone is different I guess.

[HLC]

Thought i'd give you guys an update on my Hillman Roadie Build.

This is how it stands currently:



I have all the parts at home ready to build, just waiting on another set of bars to turn up, and a shim for the front derailleur clamp, and then need Bartape and a seat pin.

Frame - 1985 Gordon Hill built Hillman in Reynolds 531c Steel
Paint - Original Hillman Team Colours
Group - Campagnolo Veloce 10 spd Black (not Pictured)
Wheelset - Campagnolo Khamsin 2011/12 de-stickered with Bontrager Tyres/Conti Tubes
Headset - Tange Levin Black
Stem - Thomson Elite 1 1/8 threadless (with quill adapter)
Bars - Either Cinelli Eubois 40cm Ergo, or Nuclear 42cm Ergo
Seatpost - Thomson
Saddle - Fizik Tundra
Pedals - Look Keo Max 2's

[blueoval]

That looks pretty cool Henri.

Campag's are the beez kneez as well mate. Great choice. You have chosen some really good specc'd gear there, including the Look Keo's!!! Noice

That should be a really nice ride once its finished.

[HLC]

Cheers Shav,

i got a bit keen and put most of the bits on tonight. I need to swap the bars, and am waiting for my front mech shim then cable it all up, but here's how it sits now!

[XYGTHO]

Just got myself a Fuji Nevada 1.0 (Hardtail XC) the other week. Alot more fun riding through parks, and dirt trails on the way to work than my flat bar roady but harder work and not so quick. The gearing difference between the two bikes is amazing.
This is it here:
http://www.fujibikes.com/bike/details/nevada-10-usa2

Mines last years model though and came with full SRAM components which seem better than the Shimano Altus, Alivio some bikes in the range come with. Think its equivalent or somesay better than the deodore stuff. Taking it down the local mt this weekend weather permiting, not sure of track length but its just over 600m high. Rd up is about 7km.
2011 Nevada 1.0
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SPECIFICATION DESCRIPTION
SIZES XS (15"), S (17"), M (19"), L (21"), XL (23")
COLOR(S) Matte Black
MAIN FRAME Fuji A1-SL Aluminum with PowerCurve down tube, Tri shaped top tube, Oversized seat tube and integrated head tube, double water bottle mounts
REAR TRIANGLE Fuji A1-SL aluminum with S-bend stay, Cold forged dropout and disc mount w/replaceable hanger
FORK SR Suntour XCM, 100mm Travel w/Mechanical LO
REAR SHOCK Nil
CRANKSET Shimano Alivio 22/32/44T
BOTTOM BRACKET Sealed Cartridge Bearing ST
PEDALS Wellgo ATB w/steel cage
FRONT DERAILLEUR Shimano Alivio, 34.9mm
REAR DERAILLEUR Shimano Alivio SGS Top Normal, 9sp
SHIFTERS Shimano Alivio Rapid Fire, 27-speed
CASSETTE Shimano Cassette, 11-34T 9sp
CHAIN Shimano HG-53
WHEELSET Fuji Custom Disc, IS 32H hubs, Fuji Double Wall Al Disc rims
TIRES Kenda K-837F/K-848R ATB, 26 x 2.1" Wire Bead
BRAKE SET Tektro Draco Hydraulic Disc, 180/160mm rotor
BRAKE LEVERS Tektro Draco Hydraulic Disc Brake Lever
HEADSET Fuji Custom 1 1/8" Press Fit Integrated, 30mm spacers
HANDLEBAR Fuji Riser 20 Alloy Riser Bar
STEM Fuji Forged Alloy w/removable faceplate
TAPE/GRIP Fuji Dual Density Kraton rubber
SADDLE Fuji Sport MTB w/ steel rail
SEAT POST Fuji Alloy micro-adjust, 350x31.6mm

[blueoval]

XYGTHO - Nice pick up mate. The Alivio gearset I have heard is equiv to Deore too. But not sure if this is the case.

I have the Deore quickshifters, f&r derailleur as well as they are very good in shift quality for what they are. Having the Hydro disc brakes is handy too.

Your bike looks built to handle the terrain a lot better than Hybrids, so it should serve your purpose well.

I like the Fuji brand too. They look decent. Been keeping my eye on a Fuji SST 2.0 road bike at the moment and the frames look killer. Again, good choice.

[XYGTHO]

Yer apparently known for their road bikes. But pretty happy. Didnt take long to get used to the SRAM shifters both below the grips. The rd bike has shimano shifters. Its certainly good fun.

[HLC]

Rode in the RAC freeway bike hike today here in Perth.

Basically they close the freeway and let us go nuts for 70km.

Did the ride in 1hr 48m, avg speed of 37.xxkph! That's Fixed Gear / Brakeless with a 10knot headwind!

Was awesome except for all the Fred's half-wheeling and doing a host of other stupid crap. The surging in groups was also pathetic and just dangerous. Had a few near misses myself, saw a couple of crashes and a mate of mine got wiped out as well.

Oh well, still had fun munching roadies like it was a game of pacman!

[trippytaka]

Blrug!

Not as relevant to current conversation, but i haven't ridden in 2 weeks. Put on a few kilos because of it too - and because i at and drank too much.

Bulging disc in my back is playing up and my chain slipping massively too. Getting the gears "tuned" today. Hopefully back on the bike to work again soon. It's been killing me :(

[trippytaka]

Originally Posted by F6_Ute

just stumbled across this thread, so thought I'd throw up my latest steed ... it's a 2012 Merida Cyclocross 4 bought just before Christmas

image

basically it's a heavy-duty roadie bought specifically for the 35kms work-home trek 3x a week ... fully decked out for the commute complete with plenty of lights & reflectors, pannier bag & rack, a pair of Gator Hardshell tyres w/- slime inner tubes ... it's a tough work-horse much more comfortable and also quite fast (about 4-6kph faster on average over the ride to/from work) than my hardtail mtb with slicks

...and it's fair to say I'll be hard to miss @ night

image

Geeeez! The astronauts would see you from space I think! Haha! Good idea though.