Time to go carbon, thoughts on frames

[Dirt]

I personally prefer campy because the hoods can be small for people with small hands, or big for people with big hands. It is also cool that they’re one of the few companies in the cycling business that makes parts that can be serviced and fixed rather than disposed of. They also continue to make parts for a lot of their old stuff even today.

I know… it is insanely expensive. For a geek like me it is worth it.

That said, I have shimano and SRAM equipped bikes that function quite nicely.

[DaveK]

@jabberwocky 25019 wrote:

And I’m the exact opposite, for the same reason. I have smaller hands, and the SRAM hoods work much better for me.

Ditto. I’m much more comfortable in the drops with SRAM. They also have independent reach adjustment on the shift and brake levers. I’ve grown to really prefer the shift action to Shimano as well – there’s something more secure to me about a brake lever that only moves the one way.

[GuyContinental]

@DaveK 25036 wrote:

Ditto. I’m much more comfortable in the drops with SRAM. They also have independent reach adjustment on the shift and brake levers. I’ve grown to really prefer the shift action to Shimano as well – there’s something more secure to me about a brake lever that only moves the one way.

Bit of irony here for me- on the CX off-road I totally agree with the “lever only moving one way” thing but the hoods are a bit small and I tend to bounce off in technical terrain (which often ends poorly). I need the bigger Shimano hoods and the SRAM doubletap/mono directional brake on the CX and the SRAM reach adjustment on the road bike. I also need to stop trying to break off my SRAM lever trying to shift Shimano-style

[Dirt]

I love the ultegra STi levers on my fixie. Gives me something to play with while pedaling away the miles.

[vvill]

I was flabbergasted when I first learned that you couldn’t adjust the reach on Shimano levers. That said I’m happy with mine, although I have next-to-no experience with SRAM. The one time I test rode a SRAM equipped bike I could not get used to the double-tap mechanism. I might make my next bike SRAM just for variety.

[vvill]

I always forget to reply to the actual thread topic by the time I read all the pages.

I haven’t jumped on board carbon yet because I don’t really want an expensive bike I have to baby too much. I don’t have a ton of space at home, I do occasionally knock my bikes over, I have a cheap bike rack on my car, and I do have to lock my bike up to a shoddy rack at work. I don’t think I could resist commuting on a carbon bike if I had one. Based almost wholly on looks/brand I’d pick the Cannondale of those 5 you posted, but I don’t have much experience riding different road bikes.

[KS1G]

Chiming in a wee late but whatever. Second what Mark B suggested in #5. I’ve had mine for over a year (March 2011). 50 cm, sizing/fit very similar to Trek’s, at least IMO. I bought the built-up bike, deciding it’s about time I deserve a complete bike properly assembled (at least when new) vs. my DIY ebay, et.al, project bikes. I didn’t think I could come close to the delivered price scrounging each part at a time. Bike frame is well made, *I* at least like the flat black finish, and the owners are very reachable by email and easy to deal with if you have questions, need something different (had to change the seatpost to get it low enough for me), etc. Downside was the wait from November to March, although they may have some inventory on-hand for a little more $. Also harder to find one your size to test ride – I was able to meet someone who rode a 50cm before a group ride and “test sit”; after that, it was extrapolate/compare from bikes I had ridden. Worked out for me. They also have a nice line of carbon wheels, no 1st-hand experience other than what came with the bike (basic aluminum rims).

Bike rides and handles crisply but remains stable, I can ride it no-hands (usually don’t). Bike is race-oriented – no rack mounts (and p-clips would just be wrong), and 25mm is as wide a tire as it will take (tried 28s for a pavement + gravel ride, the rear wouldn’t fit, which the boys at November told me would happen. They were right). It “feels” like it just wants to go, and is reasonably light for the price. Drivetrain on mine is SRAM, 50×34 compact cranks, and I like that I can easily swap in an Apex derailluer and 32t cassette for really hilly rides. It has been a great long ride and century bike. I do use it commuting with a backpack (~12 mi 1-way) and installed a tri-style dual water bottle holder for long summer rides and a Topeak adjustable bottle cage to transport my morning coffee thermos safe/secure/hot.

[SteveTheTech]

As always folks your incite is greatly appreciated and exactly what I was hoping for, thank you kindly.

I thought about this posting after I published it and realized I did not mention my intentions and price point.
My primary point of focus is acceleration and handling, I don’t mind if the ride is modestly harsh but I still want something I can do the Garret County Diabolical Double next year and an increasing number of similar events. While not technically racing (serious point of contention at home, and a topic for another day) I would like to be equipped for the time when the A group ride turns into a last man standing event, while having room to grow as my needs and skill level change.I keep working on my engine but I feel the frame is no longer doing its’ part. My 58 aluminum did well at almost everything, I subbed in an extra frame I had and everything went to hell. The handling and control I have over a 56 fit like a glove but I cannot climb with it. I never thought frame torsion would be so evident but when trying to catch some buddies going up a hill you usually hang with them on it is maddening. I was ready to take my tires and saddle and leave the rest of that in someones recycling bin, while it was a decent frame when just starting out, it will not work for the future.

While I consider myself technically inclined and wanted to build something myself bundling in this case really does seem to be the way to go.I have a few torque wrenches forfixing cars but my bike tool box will be getting a dedicated inch pounds guage. My budget hovering somewhere in the general vecinity of $2k (ideally) leaves me almost completely out of anything wearing a Dura-Ace or Campy badge on this setup. While I would love to have a mid to upper end groupset this kit will be more likely than not a Apex or Rival and to a lesser degree maybe a 105. Unless I find something perfect on Ebay.

I am not planning on flying with my bike yet… maybe in the future. At this point I have ruled out the Ridley Noah and its’ oh so pretty mast setup. I do travel several times a year for cycling related events and would love something I could clip some aero bars to and do a half iron someday.

Too address some of Petes’ questions.

I’m looking at a race geometry over a more comfortable setup. I am modelstly flexible. I would say I am about a chameleon on work days and more so on the snake side on a weekend (http://www.fizik.it/spineconcept/#). My bars are about 2.5″ below my saddle on a 58 and about 3″ on the 56. I strive to keep some flex in my elbows and have little problem staying in the drops. One primary concern I had with the 58 was my fingers would lock up while braking down hill, and there is a noticeable lack of stability decending in the drops. On a flat road the larger frame is less of an issues andaffords the extra space to stretch out slightly on longer rides over flatter surfaces. A couple or stem changes helped but the reach is wrong.

I plan to do everything with this bike except lock it up at the store. I fail at biking to be green.

I’m very intrigued by the November Bicycles, I buy most of my food local…more investigation will be required.

Getting fit to my current road bike isn’t really high on my priority list, I have it dialed in to a point where I can comfortably ride it all day and do it again the next day without raising any real discomfort. The next one will get a 2D fitting most likely.

I am planning to go kick some tires and stalk some deals over the next month or few, this isn’t something I need today so I plan on doing an obsessive amount of research (as with most of my hobbies). I managed to find a British site that has nasty reviews of everything and that managed to enlighten me to the downsides of the Tarmac…so now I am back to the Canondale this time eyeing the SuperSix, I’m on the fence equippment wise, I’d like the Rival but the Apex is more budget friendly. I feel like for what you get the Rival or 105 offer more than the Apex though, a standard crank and better wheel options to start with, since it will be some time before items start “wearing out”.

[Tim Kelley]

@KS1G 25053 wrote:

Chiming in a wee late but whatever. Second what Mark B suggested in #5. I’ve had mine for over a year (March 2011).

+1 for November. I have a set of their wheels on my TT bike and really had a good experience working with those guys.

[txgoonie]

@vvill 25046 wrote:

I was flabbergasted when I first learned that you couldn’t adjust the reach on Shimano levers.

After struggling with the reach on my 105s and getting to feel Jabber’s SRAM Reds, I suddenly was, too! I’ve swapped out half a dozen handlebars trying to get the setup to work, and it just doesn’t. I’ll be in the same boat as the OP in a few months, looking to upgrade. Almost entirely sure I won’t be buying carbon — I feel I still have a lot of room to grow. But whatever I do get will have SRAM.

[brendan]

@txgoonie 25082 wrote:

After struggling with the reach on my 105s and getting to feel Jabber’s SRAM Reds, I suddenly was, too! I’ve swapped out half a dozen handlebars trying to get the setup to work, and it just doesn’t. I’ll be in the same boat as the OP in a few months, looking to upgrade. Almost entirely sure I won’t be buying carbon — I feel I still have a lot of room to grow. But whatever I do get will have SRAM.

I’m fairly certain the index pull distance is different for shimano vs. sram rear shifting systems (though I think SRAM makes a small subset of shimano compatible parts). Also with some shimano components, the index to index distance changes over the range of index points…

Brendan

[jabberwocky]

Sram shifters require a Sram rear derailleur. I believe the fronts are compatible.

The Sram stuff definitely works better for smaller hands. I still have ultegra on my CX bike; the levers are almost unusable in the drops for me because I just can’t reach them. The Sram levers can be pulled in nice and close, which I prefer anyway.

[DaveK]

@txgoonie 25082 wrote:

After struggling with the reach on my 105s and getting to feel Jabber’s SRAM Reds, I suddenly was, too! I’ve swapped out half a dozen handlebars trying to get the setup to work, and it just doesn’t. I’ll be in the same boat as the OP in a few months, looking to upgrade. Almost entirely sure I won’t be buying carbon — I feel I still have a lot of room to grow. But whatever I do get will have SRAM.

You can put shims into some Shimano levers to adjust the reach. Check with your friendly neighborhood bike shop, they’ll usually just give them to you. They ship with new bikes if I recall correctly.

[SteveTheTech]

@Tim Kelley 25057 wrote:

+1 for November. I have a set of their wheels on my TT bike and really had a good experience working with those guys.

Thats an awesome rig there. I bet that thing is a rocket.
Excellent camera choice too.

I’ve done a little reading on the November line. (There really isn’t a whole lot out there) It sounds almost too good to be true. I like the concept of a local startup. I don’t like the Chinese frame of questionable quality. I do like the matte black no name brand…(exactly what I have now), if it is as light and fast as claimed than it would be a strong contender. I am not so keen on the warranty only being two years ( which seems to be on par with Chinese frames or questionable quality), one of the things you get with a name brand frame is typically a longer warranty. I’ve read that is a benefit especially with the Tarmac.

The $800 frame allows for a much nicer groupset than many other full bikes in my range…point November…I do not know if there is enough merit in that to overtake the SuperSix that is so far leading. There really is something to be said for a truly proven base.

I have the largest spacing shims in my Shimano shifters. I wear large/xl gloves I like the control it provides and a short firm brake pull. That really seems like a personal preference thing though.

[off2ride]

Shimano levers have shims for reach adjustment. LBS have a bunch of these shims because they’re included in the build kit. The 7900 Dura Ace has a screw for reach adjustment on the L & R lever. Personally, if I was to buy a frame and built it slowly, I would choose Shimano first but Campy comes in not far behind. The Record 11 is just as shweet as Dura Ace although Shimano will be coming out with their 11 version this year. Not so impressed with Sram Red though. Not a natural feeling shift if you ask me plus it sounds clunky and cheap. So component selection is a preference. That’s just my opinion on those gruppo’s.

@vvill 25046 wrote:

I was flabbergasted when I first learned that you couldn’t adjust the reach on Shimano levers. That said I’m happy with mine, although I have next-to-no experience with SRAM. The one time I test rode a SRAM equipped bike I could not get used to the double-tap mechanism. I might make my next bike SRAM just for variety.

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