Jason B
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Jason B
ParticipantOne of the people I work with purchased a bike from BikesDirect and asked another teacher and I to put it together for her. True, it did have 105’s, and on paper it did look great. Unfortunately, I was surprised how cheap every other part other than the 105 group was. The wheels were absolutley awful, and we had to send them back for they had two cracks in the rims, and were way out of tru. The crank was not 105, and it was pretty close to the cheapest crank i had ever seen. The bars, tubes and stem appeared to be made out of iron. The bike weighed a ton. In all honesty, this is the only bike I have ever come in contact with from BikeDirect and it may have been just a bad one. But i also have to think that a number of people who purchase their bikes may be swayed by the group and the frame material and may not realize all the other ways they are cutting corners to offer such cheap bikes. After finishing the bike, we both agreed it was the worst new bikes we worked on.
I am not saying they are all bad bikes, but really do your research with them and look at all the components. Also, have an experienced person look it over before you ride, for there was no way she would have noticed the cracked rims.
BTW, to their credit, they replaced the rims pretty quickly,,,,,,with another set of awful wheels.March 11, 2015 at 10:46 am in reply to: Wednesday Night Spins – Crystal City, every Wed. in March #1025403ParticipantRound two tonight.
These are a blast, an absolute-white-knuckle-‘Oh-$h1t-i’m-Gonna-Die’ blast, but a blast nonetheless. I did horrible the first race, for fear of dying, and total lack of skill for this many turns, but still had a great time. It was a cross between Tron, with people exploding into walls, and Apocalypse Now, which after 10 laps of red tape everywhere and those damn florescent light, i started to hallucinate big time waiting for The Flight of the Valkyries to start blaring over the intercom.
Become one of the Morlocks and check it out, for the Crosshairs guys have set up very organized event that is just as fun to watch,,,and did i mention there is beer.Participant@vvill 110734 wrote:
Did we ride near each other for a time in the first lap?
I overdressed too – I ended up stopping back in the parking lot to delayer in my second lap.
https://m.flickr.com/#/photos/83144224@N07/16571255169/in/set-72157650784730027/Yea, that was me. That race may become a regular event. Awful lot of fun, and was good to stretch the legs off the trainer.
You guys doing Mountains of Misery? Butler, rule#10, and I are signed up.ParticipantWow! Why wouldn’t you encourage her to ride????
Anytime someone thinks they are the BMOC cyclist, they should realize there are about 5 levels that are are riding way more intensely than themselves.
Anytime, anybody rides you should encourage it, regardless if they ride 2 miles or 200 miles.
ParticipantA good fun race and a beautiful day to boot. Couldn’t ask for better conditions, although I over dresses. Felt like a cheap stripper as I slowly peeled off clothes throughout the race. You and me Will, it was hillier than I expected. I would have had a lot less wine the night before if I knew I was climbing some. But overall a great time. Butler, ‘rule#10’ had a good race, wish he didn’t start so far back.
https://m.flickr.com/#/photos/83144224@N07/16569977830/in/set-72157650784730027/Participant^^^^^^
A power meter for the commuter, and a Quark for another bike,,,,,somebody ain’t fooling around this season!!!Participant@mstone 110322 wrote:
screw 11, I’m going straight to 12. it’ll be much better.
Screw 12, wait for the 18 speed, no more guessing with the 11-28!
I used Merlin, although I did a quick check and the 105 is up to $418 shipped. They do run specials now and then.
Participant@ShawnoftheDread 110239 wrote:
I’ll probably continue with sram.
So, is 11 speed really worth the extra expense?
It will make you way faster, just like those new Adidas Super Stars did when you were twelve. :rolleyes:
Honestly, I would put the money towards wheels if upgrading. A ton of weight can be saved on wheels, although a ton of weight can be saved by me putting down this sticky bun, damn you Best Buns!!! You feel the difference in a good wheel upgrade in a second.
I went with the 11 upgrade after a wheel upgrade. I needed the upgrade and the bike equipment coming from England has become so cheap (never thought I would ever write that). A 105 group can be had for under $400 with free shipping, and ultegra for under $600. Btw, from what I have extensively read, the 105 is where it is at. Finally the 105 is really at the ultegra level, minus a few minor carbon wiz bangs here and there, but the mechanics are the same, and the weight difference is less than 1/10 this seductive, sultry sticky bun.
I really like the extra gear for that decrease in jumps when shifting. I can’t remember exactly, but the ten would be like 21, 23, 28, which is miles apart when fighting off an impending heart attack on a climb. speaking of fighting off another heart attack, let me take another bite of the sticky bun. The 11 is something like 21, 23, 25, 28, a ridiculously manageable gearing. Granted I could easily swap cogs on the ten, but I still want that extra gear somewhere else. Also granted, I still ride a nine pretty regularly, and no doubt get crushed by guys riding 6’s, but I don’t care because the 11 is new and shiny and the guy I ride with just bought the 11, and well, I can’t have that, can I?
Also, it seems like when shimano does an upgrade, I’m sure it is the same with sram, everything moves up. The 105 becomes the old ultegra,the ultegra becomes the old dura ace. Spend a little extra on the new dura ace cables for 105 or ultegra for a cheap but significant upgrade. I have ridden the new 11 ultegra and it is budder. I had to have a smoke after using it.
Bottom-line: wheels first, and put down the sticky bun,,,,,,UGH, too late.March 5, 2015 at 4:54 pm in reply to: Bike bits – Brooks B17, Shimano XT FD, Five Ten shoes, etc. #1024830ParticipantIf possible, I would like the 4000. I pm a possible meet up.
ThanksParticipant+1 on the compact (you will never go back to a standard for the road)
I just went with a new 11 compact, 11/32 with a RDgs (long) for the upcoming fondos. So, if you are feeling like a “pansy” for getting the compact and a 28, realize there is a bigger “pansy” riding behind you singing, “just keep spinning, just keep spinning, just k…”ParticipantI find the compact way more useful. Rarely am I in the 11, but the 28 is used more than i like to admit. I have several of both, but the standards have been collecting dust ever since my first compact. Never have i wished i had a standard, but there have several hills that i would have paid a king’s ransom for another gear. If you’re planning fondo’s, or just big hill climbs a compact is essential. Even more local, a compact keeps you from switching out of the big ring.
ParticipantI just picked up a set of 11 speed ultegra shifters that came with the new dura ace cables (both unused). Do they require any special housing? The shimano sites says they do, but I cannot find a place you can buy it without the cables. Anybody using them. They feel like budder.
Participant@DismalScientist 109884 wrote:
OMG. I’m offended. Purple? Don’t people in NoVa have better taste than that?
Westmoreland and Chain Bridge puts you in North Arlington, so I assume it was more refined periwinkle or lavender, rather than plebeian purple.
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