New to cycling

[mik]

Its funny when you are young you dont worry about breakneck speed or brakes , or pain .
But wow..... cool machine , just wondering , could you hot swap the battery , IE run it flat and throw another battery in ? or would that be a major hassle ?

[Mainlube]

Originally Posted by mik

Its funny when you are young you dont worry about breakneck speed or brakes , or pain .
But wow..... cool machine , just wondering , could you hot swap the battery , IE run it flat and throw another battery in ? or would that be a major hassle ?

I don't have a spare battery, battery life is many years, goes off number of chargers the battery has had, they reckon it's good for a 1000 chargers.

So 2 batteries would last twice as long I believe as you would use them half as much.

I'm up to around 180 chargers so far.

Around 10 minutes to swap batteries.

Cheers

Steve

[mik]

Good stuff steve, i was thinking if you had a big event planned you could take a spare battery to throw in , but thinking about it , if you managed to get through 50 or 80 k`s on the trail you probably would be feeling more like a well deserved putting your feet up and using the battery to keep the fridge cooling the coldies after that exertion .

[DBourne]

One from today..

Akuna Bay by Dave Bourne, on Flickr

[NTF6]

Can anyone recommend some time trials bikes for a female. My daughter does lots of triathlons and is looking to get a bike in the $4-5k mark.

[Captain Stubing]

Originally Posted by NTF6

Can anyone recommend some time trials bikes for a female. My daughter does lots of triathlons and is looking to get a bike in the $4-5k mark.

Wouldn't your daughter be socializing with other triathletes, NTF6? She'd have the inside gossip on who's likes what brand etc, though it'd all come down to her finding a bike and getting it set up for her dimensions.

There are a lot of brands that make TT bikes out there- Trek, Cervelo, Scott, Orbea, BMC, Cannondale, Merida, Specialized ... etc etc.

[Captain Stubing]

I've been looking around at road bike frames for a couple of months, looking at upgrading. There's nothing wrong with the frame on my Avanti Cadent, though it was the cheapest carbon framed bike I found for sale in stores at the time.

After a lot of searching, reading, and saving, I've got a start on building up a new road bike. The frame is a 2012 model, and is a well known brand, yet not that common on the roads.



I managed to get hold of an unused Campy shift set for a reasonable price, so I'm going Italiano!

I've ordered a few bits and pieces, but I still need the crankset, brake calipers and, of course, wheels!

Costs as much as a project car to shop for!

[DBourne]

Yeah that's pretty awesome man! Nice work..

It blew my mind how similar bikes are to cars, once you start to want to modify them.

i.e. it costs a shedload, and there are eleventy million ways of doing it.

[blueoval]

Other than the experience, is it worth building your own bike these days over buying one from an LBS? Do you think there is a lot to save from building one yourself, sourcing your own parts saving yourself some dough?

I am considering building next road bike. Buying the frame I want and building it up over time with the components and set up I want and learning how to setup and maintain the bike myself. My mate who works at a bike shop part time is going to help me and he has all the bike mechanical tools and stands so I will have the expertise on hand. Sure I wont have the warranty per sey other than the manufacturers warranty on each part. But surely there has to be some cost savings in amongst it? Pro's con's?

[Captain Stubing]

You can save a bit, Shav. A local bikeshop is selling a similar Merckx (EMX-3) with SRAM running gear for about 5k . I should eventually end up spending between 3.5k to 4k on this one, but with a Campagnolo Record groupset. This level is apparently superior to DuraAce.

Plus you have the benefit of building an individual bike... not just the factory setup, while learning how to setup and maintain your own machine.

[DBourne]

Like anything Shav, if you know what you're doing then sure you can save money.

And hey, it is satisfying building your own bike. I redid my old bike a few years back and it was great to actually do it myself, especially cos I'm mechanically retarded.

However, I was happy to buy my two current bikes from the bike shop cos I actually really like the blokes that work there and yes it would have cost me more money than doing it myself, no doubt, but it also keeps them in a job, I have people I can go to for questions and support, and I've now made new friends from it.

So there are elements that are non monetary to consider too..

It's horses for courses in the end, I think..

[blueoval]

Thanks lads. definitely food for thought.

I want to undergo this exercise mainly out of necessity to learn but like a project car, its about tackling things yourself and doing things bit by bit and having the satisfaction of know YOU built 'this' and appreciating the work thats gone into it.

Again, my mate knows his stuff so I have confidence in his ability and will throw some coin his way for the time spent. But I can't lie, saving a few bob will always bode well with the mrs too.

[Batmobile]

Originally Posted by blueoval

Other than the experience, is it worth building your own bike these days over buying one from an LBS? Do you think there is a lot to save from building one yourself, sourcing your own parts saving yourself some dough?

I am considering building next road bike. Buying the frame I want and building it up over time with the components and set up I want and learning how to setup and maintain the bike myself. My mate who works at a bike shop part time is going to help me and he has all the bike mechanical tools and stands so I will have the expertise on hand. Sure I wont have the warranty per sey other than the manufacturers warranty on each part. But surely there has to be some cost savings in amongst it? Pro's con's?

I guess prior to deciding whether to take on this route , you need to ask yourself whether you want the latest frame and equipment , and if so, can you source the frame making the bike build so much cheaper than purchasing the complete bike form your LBS
Over the years I done both , purchased the current model 12mths in at a very discounted price and have also very luckily to find the frame I was after overseas and was lucky to find a retailer prepared to send me the frame , VAT free .
If you can find the frame you're after at a super price new, then I agree , you can build your 'wish' bike at a better price than purchasing it from LBS . However , if you look at manufacturers like Giant , you will offend find a new 12mh bike at a super discounted price - however , if you are seeking to build a new Colnago C60 DI compatible frame , unless you can source he frame new from UK or US at a special price , I suggest then , wait for the bike to be sold at a discounted price from your LBS
If however , you 're seeking to build a bespoken one off now available to the he masses , then , Bravo !!! , go on line and smash out a one off which you and others will be proud to own and ride
Around 15yrs ago, I remember doing the Alpine Classic - now know as the 'The 3 Peaks' , and meet a young lady from the UK when we finished . She owned a yellow titanium Gios and her friend owned a baby blue De Rosa
I got home , found I could source the titanium Gios frame locally at $6500. I ended up having the young lady that I met on the ride , source the frame for me from the UK at $2500 landed in Oz
The complete bike owed me $7000
I wish I still owned it, but I learned after many years on the bike , that the frame size I choose was too big for me . Sad day when I sold it
Good luck with which ever you choose

[blueoval]

Originally Posted by Batmobile

I guess prior to deciding whether to take on this route , you need to ask yourself whether you want the latest frame and equipment , and if so, can you source the frame making the bike build so much cheaper than purchasing the complete bike form your LBS
Over the years I done both , purchased the current model 12mths in at a very discounted price and have also very luckily to find the frame I was after overseas and was lucky to find a retailer prepared to send me the frame , VAT free .
If you can find the frame you're after at a super price new, then I agree , you can build your 'wish' bike at a better price than purchasing it from LBS . However , if you look at manufacturers like Giant , you will offend find a new 12mh bike at a super discounted price - however , if you are seeking to build a new Colnago C60 DI compatible frame , unless you can source he frame new from UK or US at a special price , I suggest then , wait for the bike to be sold at a discounted price from your LBS
If however , you 're seeking to build a bespoken one off now available to the he masses , then , Bravo !!! , go on line and smash out a one off which you and others will be proud to own and ride
Around 15yrs ago, I remember doing the Alpine Classic - now know as the 'The 3 Peaks' , and meet a young lady from the UK when we finished . She owned a yellow titanium Gios and her friend owned a baby blue De Rosa
I got home , found I could source the titanium Gios frame locally at $6500. I ended up having the young lady that I met on the ride , source the frame for me from the UK at $2500 landed in Oz
The complete bike owed me $7000
I wish I still owned it, but I learned after many years on the bike , that the frame size I choose was too big for me . Sad day when I sold it
Good luck with which ever you choose

Some great points and solid advice. Thanks very much.

I know I will be looking out for bargains. So paying full retail is not in my method of going down this path. I have seen some frames online going for discounted prices, so I will be looking out for that frame which will not be the latest and greatest but may be a year or so old and possibly old stock going for a lot less. Same goes with componentry. I want mechanical Dura Ace. Not interested in DI2. Have seen perhaps the 1-2yo models of DA going for $1300-1500 complete online. I have a wheelset (PRO-LITE A42 Bracciano's alloy clinchers) I bought new a little while back which I plan to use so there is no need to buy new wheels. Everything else though will be bought on sale and over time to ensure I am getting the best deal.

Im not under any pressure to build this bike within a time frame. It will come down to funds and personal time to complete it. If it takes me 12months to complete then so be it. It's a project and I will treat it as such.

My max budget of the entire build sans wheels I'd like to keep below 5k. Frame wise I am looking to keep that budget around $2500 if I can. But it depends on the frame style and type I go for. Not looking at disc brakes. But I would like the drivetrain to be 11sd compatible. My wheels are so I'd like to match them. Im not a weight weenie either so it doesnt have to be weight dependent. So I will choose stuff like seat stem and handle bars based on the best that I can afford.

My goal is to set this bike up as more of an aero style bike. Not a TT bike. But one that looks fast, shifts super smooth and can still be ridden up the occasional hill if required. But designed to handle flat fast rides easily. The head stem will be setup more aero based, not super slammed as my back wont take it, but definitely more aero than the Focus I own which is setup for sportives and comfort.

Hope that narrows it down.

[DBourne]

Let me throw a spanner in the works and say, give Ultegra Di2 a shot..

I would say having Di2 has been the single biggest upgrade that I've had with my new bikes, and it is amazing..

I'd LOVE to get SRAM's e-tap a shot, because that takes it 1 step further, especially in your case, as it makes set up all the more easier, however it is insanely expensive at the moment.

[blueoval]

Originally Posted by DBourne

Let me throw a spanner in the works and say, give Ultegra Di2 a shot..

I would say having Di2 has been the single biggest upgrade that I've had with my new bikes, and it is amazing..

I'd LOVE to get SRAM's e-tap a shot, because that takes it 1 step further, especially in your case, as it makes set up all the more easier, however it is insanely expensive at the moment.

That's what I heard also. 4k price tag from some places just for the groupset. Not on my wallet Im afraid.

As for Di2. I know of the benefits you speak of, but I have heard just as many bad experiences also which kind of scare me. I have been happy with mechanical groupsets since riding and unless it's a massive leap that justifies the added cost I am not convinced I should make that decision.

I probably need to ride a bike with Di2 first before writing off completely though.

[Batmobile]

Originally Posted by blueoval

Some great points and solid advice. Thanks very much.

I know I will be looking out for bargains. So paying full retail is not in my method of going down this path. I have seen some frames online going for discounted prices, so I will be looking out for that frame which will not be the latest and greatest but may be a year or so old and possibly old stock going for a lot less. Same goes with componentry. I want mechanical Dura Ace. Not interested in DI2. Have seen perhaps the 1-2yo models of DA going for $1300-1500

complete online. I have a wheelset (PRO-LITE A42 Bracciano's alloy clinchers) I bought new a little while back which I plan to use so there is no need to buy new wheels. Everything else though will be bought on sale and over time to ensure I am getting the best deal.

Im not under any pressure to build this bike within a time frame. It will come down to funds and personal time to complete it. If it takes me 12months to complete then so be it. It's a project and I will treat it as such.
My max budget of the entire build sans wheels I'd like to keep below 5k. Frame wise I am looking to keep that budget around $2500 if I can. But it depends on the frame style and type I go for. Not looking at disc brakes. But I would like the drivetrain to be 11sd compatible. My wheels are so I'd like to match them. Im not a weight weenie either so it doesnt have to be weight dependent. So I will choose stuff like seat stem and handle bars based on the best
that I can afford

My goal is to set this bike up as more of an aero style bike. Not a TT bike. But one that looks fast, shifts super smooth and can still be ridden up the occasional hill if required. But designed to handle flat fast rides easily. The head stem will be setup more aero based, not super slammed as my back wont take it, but definitely more aero than the Focus I own which is setup for sportives and comfort.

Hope that narrows it down.

If you're happy to spend $2500 on the right frame then there is no reason with DA 11sp why the complete build shouldnt come under $5,000
Another option - which i do regularly suggest is at times you can pick up a very large or very small frame brand new with the build kit your after at a very good price .. You then either hold the frame or sell it off at a special price . You can come out in front if you are happy to do the work of having to break the bike down and then sell off the things you dont want or need which are then funds to credit back into your build budget

[blueoval]

Originally Posted by Batmobile

If you're happy to spend $2500 on the right frame then there is no reason with DA 11sp why the complete build shouldnt come under $5,000
Another option - which i do regularly suggest is at times you can pick up a very large or very small frame brand new with the build kit your after at a very good price .. You then either hold the frame or sell it off at a special price . You can come out in front if you are happy to do the work of having to break the bike down and then sell off the things you dont want or need which are then funds to credit back into your build budget

A framekit is definitely worth looking into based on the small amount of research I have done so far. I am a size small in frame size as it is so there should be the odd bargain to be had for shorter blokes like me. I could squeeze onto the XS frame and just allow for my size in terms of head stem length and seat aft to compensate a bit. As long as it doesn't mess with the pedal stroke too much I should be ok?

[DBourne]

I wouldn't mate.

Do it once, do it right. Don't compromise just for the sake of it.

[blueoval]

Originally Posted by DBourne

I wouldn't mate.

Do it once, do it right. Don't compromise just for the sake of it.

Fair call. I have the same outlook. Especially when you are spending this sort of coin. I wouldnt want to get it wrong.

[geckoGT]

Originally Posted by blueoval

A framekit is definitely worth looking into based on the small amount of research I have done so far. I am a size small in frame size as it is so there should be the odd bargain to be had for shorter blokes like me. I could squeeze onto the XS frame and just allow for my size in terms of head stem length and seat aft to compensate a bit. As long as it doesn't mess with the pedal stroke too much I should be ok?

Sorry but do not mess with saddle fore/aft adjustments to compensate for a short top tube as that is just asking for trouble. Stem length has a bit of wriggle room in it but the saddle does not as you will set yourself up for knee and hip problems if you have a poor setup compensating for incorrect frame sizing.

[geckoGT]

Originally Posted by swanny

I've been looking around at road bike frames for a couple of months, looking at upgrading. There's nothing wrong with the frame on my Avanti Cadent, though it was the cheapest carbon framed bike I found for sale in stores at the time.

After a lot of searching, reading, and saving, I've got a start on building up a new road bike. The frame is a 2012 model, and is a well known brand, yet not that common on the roads.

image

I managed to get hold of an unused Campy shift set for a reasonable price, so I'm going Italiano!

I've ordered a few bits and pieces, but I still need the crankset, brake calipers and, of course, wheels!

Costs as much as a project car to shop for!

What model Campy did you get?

[geckoGT]

By the way Swanny there is one modification I would suggest with that frame based on my experience with the my Merckx.

It looks like it does not have a front derailleur hanger and uses a clamp on. I am very nervous about using clamp derailleur mounts on thin wall carbon frames. Particularly with the newer long lever arms on front derailleurs now. That is a lot of force through the tube and so many people over torque the clamps and crush the tube.

I would suggest you get a front derailleur mount put on that frame so you can use a braze on front derailleur. I had mine done at Paint My Bike in Salisbury, they did a great job and these guys are the masters with carbon bike frames in Brisbane.

[Captain Stubing]

This should answer two questions in one:



I managed to get hold of a Record crankset last night, apparently with less than 1000k's on it for $300. Now I just need wheels, chain and cassette.

[geckoGT]

Originally Posted by swanny

This should answer two questions in one:

image

I managed to get hold of a Record crankset last night, apparently with less than 1000k's on it for $300. Now I just need wheels, chain and cassette.

Good it has a braze on mount.

Be careful what model cassette you get as the new 11 speed is not compatible with the previous 11 speed. You have the previous 11 speed. I am sure you will love the campy.
What crankset did you get, the four arm (new model) or 5 arm?

[Captain Stubing]

From the pics it looks like a four armed crank. I'm hoping to have it by the end of the week.

It looks like I'll have to research the cassette! Thanks for the heads up!

[geckoGT]

Originally Posted by swanny

From the pics it looks like a four armed crank. I'm hoping to have it by the end of the week.

It looks like I'll have to research the cassette! Thanks for the heads up!

The way to tell us any shifter, mech or cassette that has a "A"marked on it is from the 2015 Record 11 speed and not compatable with the previous version of 11 speed. They changed the cable pull ratio in the 2015 model and therefore you can't mix and match. Brakes are not a problem as they have not changed so you won't have issues with compatibility of brake calipers.

[Captain Stubing]

That makes it difficult shopping online, as they don't seem to have any differentiation between their 11 speed cassettes, apart from Veloce/Chorus/Record etc.
But I've seen a couple of articles saying that even Shimano cassettes can be compatible, albeit with a bit of chain noise on some changes.

The chain width seems the same for all Campy chains, and the Campy chain is .12mm narrower than Shimano's 11sp.

[geckoGT]

Originally Posted by swanny

That makes it difficult shopping online, as they don't seem to have any differentiation between their 11 speed cassettes, apart from Veloce/Chorus/Record etc.
But I've seen a couple of articles saying that even Shimano cassettes can be compatible, albeit with a bit of chain noise on some changes.

The chain width seems the same for all Campy chains, and the Campy chain is .12mm narrower than Shimano's 11sp.

They should specify if it is 2015 model campy though.

I accidentally stuffed the joining pin on my record chain and don't have another to try again. Until I can get some more I am currently running a 11 speed DA chain which is working well. Chain noise is ok but I'd do get a bit more chain rub on the big ring due to the wider chain. You would not have that issue as pre 2015 shifter still have trim on the big ring.

[geckoGT]

Bought myself a new toy yesterday, a Garmin Vector S power meter. I bought it mainly to keep me honest on the indoor trainer and actually get some value out of a boring exercise. I chose the Garmin largely because of the cost, buying a set of pedals is a lot cheaper than other power meter options such as Quark or Stages both which require a different crank arm or complete crankset. The setup on my Garmin Edge 500 was dead easy, virtually just bolt in the pedals and the rest was plug and play.
I used them for the first time this morning and they worked perfectly but I do need to spend some time setting up the display on my Garmin unit.