Needs more monarch + and random tubes electrical-taped to frame for proper enduroing.

Ive worked on sooooo many guys bikes getting ready for this race. Le sigh.

 

I'm about 5'10" tall. I can stand over the Trek and the top tube is about 3-4" below my crotch.

 

Haha. It's funny- I ride with lots of people who don't bring tools or tubes. I joke with them that if they flat- I'll sell them a tube on the trail for $5. Oh you want to use my pump too? $20 haha


I have an monarch + but was just testing this one out (i'm a rear shock engineer so have lots of access to shocks ) and I'd be hard-pressed to tell this apart from the + in a blind sample. Besides this one is lighter.

 

OK, bike bros. I'm starting to get a little more serious about a cross frame upgrade. I love the Kona and I've got the mini-Vs dialed in fairly well, but I can't help but want discs and thru-axles anyway. Cross is coming, so if I want to buy/sell, now is the time. Been looking at Felt's F3x but I wouldn't mind something a bit less spendy. If I can get it with a hydro CX1 group, all the better. What have I not seen yet, what should I be looking at?

 

Not really on here any more...

Tandem bike I was talking about earlier is together and done.

M






Its fast.

 

Sorry, couldn't help myself

 

Anyone

know about vintage Raleigh bikes? Theres a 70s something raliegh road bike in almost rideable condition at the local goodwill. Its even got the old school bottle cups up on the handlebars in front and a leather saddle. They want $400 for it. It looks cool but not that cool. Looks almost like this one except for the color.

 

****. I'll sell you mine for less than 1/2 that.

 

I figured its way too high. They think its really worth $1200. I think its gonna be there awhile. The internet really killed good deals at goodwill.

 

I'm going to hop into this thread because I have nothing to give. That tandem is so badass! There was a decked out race-spec tandem at the Tri I did. Those guys flew past me like a damn freight train.

I've been browsing LBS on days off/lunch breaks and happened to find a great deal on a 2014 tarmac. LBS wanted it gone before the 2016 arrive so I got a great deal in it, pedals, shoes, bottle cages. Older 10 speed 105 stuff but works great for me.

I didn't realize it was blue until I got it outside to test ride it. The blue is a translucent clear that's deep and shows the carbon layers underneath. So pretty.

Saddle bag because I had no jerseys at the time and need a place to put stuff. It's a Bontrager bag so it's legit...haha. It's gone now.



I'm starting to gather info to build the wife something like this. It would be an excuse to put my 105 components on her bike and upgrade my stuff as I go. Stainless frame with carbon everything else. Ugh. Starley bike.

 

Nothing like a deal on a brand new 2 year old bike with dealer service and factory warranty. Nice find.

 

Thanks Emilio. 30% off the bike, 25% off the NIB speedplays and Spesh shoes. Sold! Only the Trek dealer said they can work on the price shown...every place else suggested the price on the tags (typically Manuf. MSRP) was the price they sell them for. So my budget was for an aluminum bike walking into this place.

Two of the LBS I visited had very trick fitting areas with a contraption that looked like a bike frame welding jig but with a saddle, bars, crank. These places advertise 60-90 minute fits on their website. The place I bought from did a ~10 minute adjustment of saddle height and fore/aft location while I pedaled the bike on a trainer...said come back after 100 miles and they will see what needs to be adjusted.

Am I missing out on something by not getting fitted on a fancy gizmo in it's own room? I LOVELOVELOVE the bike, should have done this 10 years ago. My *** prefers the .25" gel pad in my Tri shorts over the Amazon special 5/8thick foam I was foolish to buy, and the only thing that hurts maybe is my left wrist (using Spesh gel gloves which seem very nice) and neck gets a little tired from looking up.

EDIT: I'd be interested if you ever get 949racing jerseys made up. Assuming you'd be ok with newbs wearing them.

 

I bought a nice mountain bike a year ago, and adjusted it myself.

After a few months, I read up on how you're supposed to do it, and readjusted it till it was perfect.

Then recently I kinda realized this seat isn't that comfy, and decided to try moving it forward. Made sitting more comfortable but changed leg pedaling a bit, now it's better, yet obvious it could be better still.

So I'm starting to think I don't know what I'm doing, and should have a shop look at it.

 

I think you'll probably find two schools of thought regarding fitting - those who feel they need to be fitted with an advanced system and those who don't. Not saying one is better than the other. You just have to decide what works best for you. I've never had an advanced fitting in the years that I've been riding and have had good luck. I originally used a fit calculator spreadsheet that was created by a fitter to get an initial fit and have since made small adjustments based on feel as needed to be comfortable.

Nice find, BTW! Buying from a local dealer is always a good idea when possible. Nothing wrong with 105 - it's much better than it used to be. Nearly the same feel and Shimano durability and smoothness of Ultegra or even Dura-Ace, just with a slight weight penalty.

Also: In for a 949 kit - let's do it!

 

Fitting is only as good as the person doing it. Spec has a training program for their BG thing. Precision is a good thing. Experience and skill is even better and no fancy jig is needed for that. IOW, if the person getting you sorted on the bike knew what they were doing, you're good.

The caveat is that your optimum/preferred fit on the bike will change quite a bit when you first start out. Lack of flexibility, weakness of certain muscle groups will make a full race position miserable. So you start out in a very conservative position and make frequent small changes later if you start riding a lot. If you end up not riding much, position stays conservative.

Some who is already riding a lot will have settled in to a physiology that's relatively stable. Usually their new bike is setup exactly like their previous bike.

I use padded gloves too, same reason. Parts of my hand go to sleep otherwise.

Jerseys: I keep getting asked. The fly in the ointment is that I have always been pretty picky about my primary jersey and bibs. I have spent most miles over the years, in whatever the top of the line Castelli was/is. That stuff is not cheap but I have learned that it is money very well spent in you ride a lot. I'm not sure the friends and customers who would be OK with a $140 jersey and $240 bibs though. These are also race fit for slimmer riders. Those of less than slim proportions would not find a size that fits them well. If I did a more reasonably priced kit with "club" cut, I wouldn't wear it. That sort of puts the kibosh on the idea.

This is what I'm wearing these days:

AERO RACE 5.0 JERSEY | Jerseys | Tops | Men | Products | Castelli ? An Unfair Advantage

http://amzn.com/B00TZE8G1M

-

BODY PAINT 2.0 BIBSHORT | Short & Bibs | Bottoms | Men | Products | Castelli ? An Unfair Advantage
http://amzn.com/B00EOVPUM4

-
SANREMO 3.0 SPEED SUIT | SpeedSuits | Tops | Men | Products | Castelli ? An Unfair Advantage

http://amzn.com/B012EX6JSM

 

Emilio, not sure if you've tried Hincapie's Velocity line of custom jerseys and bibs, but I've been very impressed with them. I've had a couple of custom kits that were made through them and the fit, finish, and comfort have all been excellent. I really like their sleeve length for added sun protection and the mesh sides for extra cooling. The elastic cuff at the leg openings is super comfy, too. Price has usually been around $200 for a jersey and bibs.

 

I haven't. I'd have to see the stuff in person.

I met the guys from Eliel. New company based about an hour away. Very nice stuff. I'll take a look at options. Promise.

 

+1 for Castelli BP bibs. I tried their Endurance bibs and returned three pairs of them with QC issues before giving up. My team bibs are Castelli with the same pad as the Body Paints, but they haven't fallen apart in factory packaging like the Endurance bibs did. My Castelli team jerseys are my favorites as well. Be aware that they are not sized for standard fat American twice-a-month cyclists. Size up or expect the stuff to be skin-tight (for better or for worse).

Also, bibs bibs bibs. Shorts suck.

 

Shorts probably shouldn't even exist. There's no reason not to wear bibs.

 

I really like the quality of my Castelli jersey but was very disappointed with the bibs. I don't see it on the website likely because it's a 2014 but it started to come apart almost immediately, the mesh upper separating from the bottom and the red Castelli logo peeling off of the leg. Might be that I got a bad apple.

If I could go back in time I'd tell myself to save the cash and get the plain black Pearl Izumi bibs that I have now.


Much cheaper, durable, just as comfortable. Plus the plain black goes with more jerseys, if I wear the Castelli bibs I'm pretty much obligated to pair it with the matching jersey.