New Steed

[Reffc]

Some snaps of my new wheels:

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/n577/24pacman/Random%20Images/IMG_7087_zps0d474ad2.jpg

Lapierre Sensium 300


http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/n577/24pacman/Random%20Images/_MG_7089_zpsa3bb0107.jpg


Full Carbon Frame...reasonably lightweight...plenty light enough for me anyway at 7.5Kg with a few non standard bits and pieces...Didn't know that you were into seat building Marco :lol:


http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/n577/24pacman/Random%20Images/_MG_7091_zps7ade4d93.jpg

Full SRaM Apex compact groupset. Heavier than the higher SRAM sets but with an 11-32 rear cog and 34/50 chainrings, it's perfect for the hills around here. Penalty is the comparatively large jump between ratios but you either increase cadence or get used to pushing a slightly higher gear than you're used to on the flat.

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/n577/24pacman/Random%20Images/_MG_7092_zpsff30a1eb.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/n577/24pacman/Random%20Images/_MG_7094_zps8b26ab05.jpg (Top Tube)

I tried or looked at the equivalent bikes from Giant and Specialised but the Lapierre frame fitted best and was the best finished of the lot. Groupsets on most bikes these days are much of a muchness, and a step down from a few years back due to exchange rates etc. The Lapierre scored highly for me too because it's Di2 ready. I rode the Di2 version of the Sensium 500 and that gear change has to be experienced to be believed...utterly brilliant system but a bit beyond means as the groupset's £1200 on its own.

Also, Lapierre stand out from the crownd of usual suspects...just about everyone's buying the Specialised Rubaix these days and to my eyes it's not as well finished and it doesn't ride any better than the Lapierre which is considerably cheaper too. Took it for its first ride last night...just a 20 miler with a few Cotswold hills thrown in and it rides superbly. Rolls really well, climbs well and is superbly comfy. Recommended to anyone considering taking the plunge!

[Audio Al]

Very smart :)

[Mika K]

Gongrats for the new ride!

Some interesting details there, despite being bit too modern design for my liking.. :D

[Trumpton_Rioter]

looks like things have moved on since I had my "racer" as a kid

I worked on the Olympics and one of my venues was the Velodrome. There were some training bikes there which were sooooooooo light to lift it was unbelievable.

I also had a go around the track on one of them - I only got moving after someone gave me a push for a few metres 'cos I didnt have the power in my legs to start under my own steam :rfl:

[wiicrackpot]

Lovely bike, good kit on it too, love the cable routing inside the frame tubes,well done. :cool:

Going by what we have here we should organise a tour up Mika's way, name it AOS 1000 Lakes Tour,
i nominate Marco with his wagon as support vehicle, ;) what does others think. :D

[The Grand Wazoo]

Well, I don't think he should get to drive, seeing as Paul's new bike has a seat with Marco's name on it!


http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/n577/24pacman/Random%20Images/_MG_7089_zpsa3bb0107.jpg

[wiicrackpot]

....but it's spelt wrong way round though as in 'Marco San'. :D

[The Grand Wazoo]

I must say, it looks like Marco would have a rather more comfortable ride than Ritchey though. Ouch!

[Reffc]

Thanks guys

just fitted a Ritchley carbon seatpost....and wished I hadn't! Can't get the damned thing level (it's meant to be a one bolt jobby to make it easier to adjust nose angle but it wont budge:steam:)

[Mika K]

Guess why I have stcked to Thomson 2-bolt thingie for ages..



Going by what we have here we should organise a tour up Mika's way, name it AOS 1000 Lakes Tour,
i nominate Marco with his wagon as support vehicle, ;) what does others think. :D
Full support for this one! Some bike rides, few interesting hifi sets with good food and drinks :)

[synsei]

That's a sweet bike Paul, enjoy :)

[Reffc]

Thanks Dave. It certainly rides well and the sportive geometry is easier on my dodgy back. One thing just occurring to me is if the chain jumps off the front ring (as it's likely to at some point, especially as cables stretch and settle in meaning readjustments from new) it'll likely write off the frame. That would be a £1400 bill for the frame alone! I think fitting a chain catcher might be a wise investment...

Liking the SRAM system....no wobbly brake levers. A bit like the Campag system really but with just one lever. First 100 mile ride coming up in a few weeks which masochistically I'm looking forward to :)

[wiicrackpot]

Instead of latching on to Mika's thread, thought it more appropriate to post on here, hope you don't mind Paul. :)

Last nights effort, thought i could've got it up to road test stage before everything gets a final tighten up,
only to find chain i bought from the Bay was too short, :doh: ah well here's a couple of pics anyway.
https://photos-3.dropbox.com/t/0/AACFuQkqP1CGFFCrzscqqJhzsneJyr8atxVg75YmeUQ7QQ/12/138203965/jpeg/32x32/3/_/1/2/2013-08-18%2009.38.17.jpg/lFj77JdPrrAntQ-aEBBUvssOvt1fNIC-tUTXm74a2Pc?size=1600x1200
https://photos-6.dropbox.com/t/0/AAAlnaLutzzc6gCAq55n5Et3OYG-c5LjEa4RiZQStKTesQ/12/138203965/jpeg/32x32/3/_/1/2/2013-08-18%2009.41.37.jpg/0-JBlsgGquV4u23UKw6oSq6INExjwl-EKxEGBI2Cgl4?size=1600x1200
https://photos-2.dropbox.com/t/0/AACeEdf1oZYnV7a70hgw8-hG0pHNLeo2fPF4ov5po9veeQ/12/138203965/jpeg/32x32/3/_/1/2/2013-08-18%2009.47.16.jpg/nHOQKh2zW1zaXXta9LVgSbuI4EDD7vcdoLcv90lSg-A?size=1600x1200

[synsei]

Your piccy links aren't working Andy ;)

[wiicrackpot]

Your piccy links aren't working Andy ;)
Thanks Dave, tell me about it, took me near enough the time to post a pic to i took to build the bike, computers eh...who'd have them. :steam::rolleyes::D

[Gromit]

That looks very nice indeed Paul. :)

I have to admit though, when I first saw the thread title, that Hell had frozen over and you'd sold your beloved Mille! Thankfully not. :)

[synsei]

Create a free PhotoBucket account dude, it only takes a couple of minutes. I will post a vid in a few which will walk you through how to set it up and use it ;)

[wiicrackpot]

Thanks Dave, i'm in Dropbox, had to keep going back into Alex's step by step room, it's a right royal PITA.

[synsei]

Thanks Dave, i'm in Dropbox, had to keep going back into Wazzy's how to room, it's a right royal PITA.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xRXezQkV4w

This vid is a little out of date but the basics are correct, the sign up page may look a little different now though. If you have a FaceBook account you can sign up pain free using the Sign Up With FaceBook option ;)

[wiicrackpot]

Hey Dave, that looks really easy, not in Facebook but shouldn't be an issue, how about putting this up in the 'step by step' blog?. :)

[synsei]

I posted it ages ago and asked for it to be made a sticky but nothing was done about it. As I say the vid is two years out of date but I don't suppose the sign up procedure has changed all that much. I like PB as it is very easy to use and has a fun image editing utility too. Be warned though, you need to be organised when using it. As the guy mentions in the video, don't upload pics until you have created some folders to group photos with a similar theme. Your first wants to be called Hifi Pics or somet similar. Once you have posted a pic online, should you move the parent pic to another folder it will disappear from the website or forum it was posted to...

[Reffc]

That looks very nice indeed Paul. :)

I have to admit though, when I first saw the thread title, that Hell had frozen over and you'd sold your beloved Mille! Thankfully not. :)


Sell the Ape? Never! Mind you, I've put up almost as many miles on the push bikes as on the motorbikes this past year!

I've now put a fair few miles on the Lapierre over the past week since buying it and it rides very well indeed. The seatpost change may or may not have helped but i think it is slightly more comfy as carbon stems do take a little of the buzz out of the road surface, especially when tyres are at 125psi.

Seat has to go so I'll be buying a stack of used saddles from ebay of various descriptions and finding one that I like, then sell the rest. I like the look of the Prologo saddles, the Charge spoon, Fizik Ariane and Specialised Romin saddles. Only way to see what suits is to try them.

Also invested in a set of bib shorts as my rides are getting longer and I find that the waist band of the shorts I have starts to dig in (I need to shed a few pounds yet!) plus need something with better padding. technical clothing seems to have come on in leaps and bounds this past 10 years (it's been 10 years since I replaced any of my cycling clothing).

Took the MTB out yesterday and tackled the local hills and woods. Had a whale of a time made easier by the road miles I've been pounding in....the subject of another thread I think!

[wiicrackpot]

Sounds like you are having a jolly good time, well done, :) regarding seatpost, i was never convinced about Campagnolo single bolt method,
back in the day, i had Shimano Dura Ace, Mavic, Suntour Superbe, and others before i'd consider Campag Record, yet i am a big fan of their other stuff,
another i liked a lot when i built my last racer was U.S.E Alien, a great post.

Saddles are a minefield out there, you're doing the right thing in getting a handful and see if it gets on with your derrier of cut it to shreds,
don't discount the good old Brooks, some swears by them, good to see you are mixing a bit of MTB into your regime,
lots road work will give you stamina, better peddling technique via high cadence spinning etc...but a bit of off road will give you more strength,
but you know that already so keep up the good work. :cool:

[Thing Fish]

That's a beautiful bit of kit Paul. A real stunner..:eek:

Seeing it makes me feel really sad and sick as a pig...:(

A while back now (about 10 years) I was an avid Mountain biker. When I say avid I mean manic. I was a member of a club and would cycle 5 nights a week. Then one day I started to get pains in my knees. About a month later, Whammo...!!!

A trip to hospital and I was told I had in effect worn my right kneecap badly and the left one wasn't much better.

Since then no cycling at all. Except a couple of small competitions in Thailand a few years ago (the heat seems to help).

Seeing your bike makes my heart ache so much as I miss cycling so so much...:(

[Reffc]

Sounds like you are having a jolly good time, well done, :) regarding seatpost, i was never convinced about Campagnolo single bolt method,
back in the day, i had Shimano Dura Ace, Mavic, Suntour Superbe, and others before i'd consider Campag Record, yet i am a big fan of their other stuff,
another i liked a lot when i built my last racer was U.S.E Alien, a great post.

Saddles are a minefield out there, you're doing the right thing in getting a handful and see if it gets on with your derrier of cut it to shreds,
don't discount the good old Brooks, some swears by them, good to see you are mixing a bit of MTB into your regime,
lots road work will give you stamina, better peddling technique via high cadence spinning etc...but a bit of off road will give you more strength,
but you know that already so keep up the good work. :cool:

Hi Andy

yes, some single bolt jobbies are very hit and miss. Considering that the Ritchley stem alone cost in the ballpark of a good used bicycle, there's no excuse for the awkwardness of the adjustment. There's a bit of scienece to saddle choice which helps a great deal. You measure your sit-bones (sit on some foil placed over something like a rollmat and it'll leave depressions in the foil that can be measured), and consider the type of cycling and distances you do. In my case, I mostly ride between one and two hour stints which is classed as longish term (not all day but as far as your derrière is concerned it is!) so a round or semi-round profile saddle is needed. from the measurements and my riding style, I know that I need a saddle which is 141mm to 150mm wide, semi round to round, firm. That narrows things down a bit which helps.

Yup, I bike every other day, alternating between longish road rides (very little under 20 miles now) and cross country rides (very hilly terrain) and I swim on the in-between days, so trying to mix the training in anticipation of doing a few XC events and road sportives next year.

[Reffc]

That's a beautiful bit of kit Paul. A real stunner..:eek:

Seeing it makes me feel really sad and sick as a pig...:(

A while back now (about 10 years) I was an avid Mountain biker. When I say avid I mean manic. I was a member of a club and would cycle 5 nights a week. Then one day I started to get pains in my knees. About a month later, Whammo...!!!

A trip to hospital and I was told I had in effect worn my right kneecap badly and the left one wasn't much better.

Since then no cycling at all. Except a couple of small competitions in Thailand a few years ago (the heat seems to help).

Seeing your bike makes my heart ache so much as I miss cycling so so much...:(


I'm gutted for you Dave, that's awful! I know it's no consolation but I was told a year or two back that I'd never run or cycle again due to a serious back injury and due to a cam impingement of the hip. I've had surgery and although it's been a very painful and challenging time, I've managed to cycle again although my running days are over. I know of someone with a similar knee condition to you who's had knee replacements and is back on the bike again, so never say never! It's amazing what the human spirit can attain with determination, so stick with it.

[wiicrackpot]

@Paul- Thats very interesting to know about saddle fitting, i've never heard such a service till your post, i thoroughly endorse and takes a lot of the guessing away for a near perfect fit, well done on your training regime for next year's sportives. :)

@Dave- Bummer on you injuries,did you have knee problems from other sports before Cycling?, it sounds like you were pulling too big a gear and crunching your knees, surprised other experienced club members not highlighted that to you, we all used to do that trying to emulate Pro's but in the long run, not a good idea.

[Thing Fish]

I'm gutted for you Dave, that's awful! I know it's no consolation but I was told a year or two back that I'd never run or cycle again due to a serious back injury and due to a cam impingement of the hip. I've had surgery and although it's been a very painful and challenging time, I've managed to cycle again although my running days are over. I know of someone with a similar knee condition to you who's had knee replacements and is back on the bike again, so never say never! It's amazing what the human spirit can attain with determination, so stick with it.

Thanks Paul, I am sure you will really get some quality enjoyment out of that lovely bike...:):cool:

[wiicrackpot]

Wee update, spent all week off and on trying to get my Campy --> Shimano to shift but no joy, :doh:
so have to get some pricier and fugly Shi.. shifters now. :(

[MikeMusic]

Guess we could have a comparing session for bikes !

I played safe with a Giant last year and I'm still happy.
I have changed a lot about the way I ride as I relearn about bikes, trading up from my mid 80s Holdsworth and gradually learnig a much more racing style.
Only last week I tried riding on the drops for an extended time and enjoyed it.
I'd certainly like a go on that and I might get tempted away from my Giant although I was recommended to stay away from carbon just in case. Adding my own thoughts about accidents I agreed.

As with hifi I consider myself a knowledeagble novice or maybe special needs advanced
:)

If you ride it in the wet on some of the roads I have to go on some Crud guards are very nice too as I found out one wet day

[Reffc]

I have a MONOC TCR compact which I'll probably use as my training hack for wet/winter roads. After fitting a carbon "Ritchley Superlogic" seatpost, I have learnt that when carbon goes, it goe with a bang!

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/n577/24pacman/Random%20Images/9ac2d370-baea-4f68-ab51-4c076658e516_zps50d8d74b.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/n577/24pacman/Random%20Images/002_zps810725ff.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/n577/24pacman/Random%20Images/003_zpsc7158b42.jpg

...this happened whilst riding through a busy A-road roundabout at around 22mph yesterday and almost resulted in a carbon enema :stalks:

It transpires that this steapost which I bought last week is a Chinese rip-off of the real thing and I'd been had. I compared it to some on ebay and there's a few claiming to be Bontrager or Ritchley seatposts, both are identical (like this one) and both don't resemble the real McCoy if compared closely. The moral of the story is buy from a cyclist you know or a bona fide cycling shop. I wont be chancing Ebay again. The seller hasn't refunded my costs so a word with both Ebay and Trading Standards will be on the cards next. The seller has set himself up as a private seller but looking at his other items for sale, it's clear he's dealing in counterfit bike parts. I feel pretty silly for not having done my homework first so in some ways it serves me right.

Luckily the carbon frame was undamaged and my wife drove out with a spare seatpost so I managed to complete my ride.

[MikeMusic]

Ow
Thanks for the warning.
I'm looking for some Shimano drive train parts after finding out how much Ultegra bits cost new.
IE. Cheaper to buy a new bike for the components and throw the frame away !

[sq225917]

The trick with carbon is not to use it in your stem, bars or seatpost. If it snaps anywhere else it's recoverable, if one of those goes your likely eating carbon in one end or another.

I had a Trek 5300 Road bike separate on me at the down/head tube lug joint a few years ago while riding down this hill at 45mph. Spin it around to get an idea how steep it the top actually is.

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=tanners+bank&hl=en&ll=55.012805,-1.433609&spn=0.008797,0.022724&hq=tanners+bank&hnear=United+Kingdom&t=m&fll=55.011772,-1.436141&fspn=0.008797,0.022724&z=16&layer=c&cbll=55.012889,-1.433664&panoid=NPSE8xnbma8yYkHsrLZSRQ&cbp=12,166.61,,0,11.53

That line of relaid road you can see at the edge of the picture used to be a nice channel, I hit it hard and it literally tore the front end of my bike off- all held together by the internally routed rear brake cable. Not nice when you bike turns into two uni-cycles at high speed.

[Reffc]

The trick with carbon is not to use it in your stem, bars or seatpost. If it snaps anywhere else it's recoverable, if one of those goes your likely eating carbon in one end or another.

I had a Trek 5300 Road bike separate on me at the down/head tube lug joint a few years ago while riding down this hill at 45mph. Spin it around to get an idea how steep it the top actually is.

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=tanners+bank&hl=en&ll=55.012805,-1.433609&spn=0.008797,0.022724&hq=tanners+bank&hnear=United+Kingdom&t=m&fll=55.011772,-1.436141&fspn=0.008797,0.022724&z=16&layer=c&cbll=55.012889,-1.433664&panoid=NPSE8xnbma8yYkHsrLZSRQ&cbp=12,166.61,,0,11.53

That line of relaid road you can see at the edge of the picture used to be a nice channel, I hit it hard and it literally tore the front end of my bike off- all held together by the internally routed rear brake cable. Not nice when you bike turns into two uni-cycles at high speed.

I tend to agree with you Simon after that incident, so I'll be sticking with a good quality alloy seatpost from here on in. It's not just carbon...alloy can go as well. I know a chap who ended up in hospital last year after his alloy bars snapped on a downhill section. I think that irrespective of materials, ensuring that quality parts are used and inspecting them regularly is the key.

[Reffc]

Ow
Thanks for the warning.
I'm looking for some Shimano drive train parts after finding out how much Ultegra bits cost new.
IE. Cheaper to buy a new bike for the components and throw the frame away !

105 tends to be the defacto-choice for value and decent performance these days. If it's a groupset change in Shimano, I's stick with Tiagra mechs, cassette and chainset, 105 chain and ultegra shifters which are just that bit smoother than the lower offerings. That said, you're right in that sadly it's often cheaper to replace the bike when the groupset wears out these days such is the after-market cost of individual components. Mark-ups in bike land are huge on parts.

[MikeMusic]

The trick with carbon is not to use it in your stem, bars or seatpost. If it snaps anywhere else it's recoverable, if one of those goes your likely eating carbon in one end or another.

I'm very glad I don't have a carbon frame !

[MikeMusic]

105 tends to be the defacto-choice for value and decent performance these days. If it's a groupset change in Shimano, I's stick with Tiagra mechs, cassette and chainset, 105 chain and ultegra shifters which are just that bit smoother than the lower offerings. That said, you're right in that sadly it's often cheaper to replace the bike when the groupset wears out these days such is the after-market cost of individual components. Mark-ups in bike land are huge on parts.
Mostly Ultegra 6700, 5700 cassette.
I've noticed there are often bargains from the online guys.
I'll be paying attention from now on.
I was recommended to go for Ultegra so went for the TCR 0

[wiicrackpot]

Thats a shocker Paul, if the seller is at the madam, i would Ritchey U.K. would help matters as regarding a refund,
the threat of libel from a big company might get seller to toe the line.

[Reffc]

Mostly Ultegra 6700, 5700 cassette.
I've noticed there are often bargains from the online guys.
I'll be paying attention from now on.
I was recommended to go for Ultegra so went for the TCR 0

Nice ride Mike. I rode the TCR (1?) a few years back but couldn't get a frame that fitted well...they seemed to come up a little short for the sizing in the top tube but perhaps that's just me! Don't be put off carbon frames as they're a darned site stronger than the posts/bars. All you have to be careful about is pranging them but even then they'll stand up to a lot of abuse. Having ridden a carbon frame, there's no going back for me. More rigid, more responsive yet more forgiving than Aluminium. Not always a lot lighter. Mine weighs in at 7.9Kg so respectable but not uber-light. The frameset on it's own (including fork) is 1.4 Kg so as with most bikes, the all up weight is down to finishing kit. This is where Ultegra 6700 comes into its own as it's pretty featherweight.

[MikeMusic]

Nice ride Mike. I rode the TCR (1?) a few years back but couldn't get a frame that fitted well...they seemed to come up a little short for the sizing in the top tube but perhaps that's just me! Don't be put off carbon frames as they're a darned site stronger than the posts/bars. All you have to be careful about is pranging them but even then they'll stand up to a lot of abuse. Having ridden a carbon frame, there's no going back for me. More rigid, more responsive yet more forgiving than Aluminium. Not always a lot lighter. Mine weighs in at 7.9Kg so respectable but not uber-light. The frameset on it's own (including fork) is 1.4 Kg so as with most bikes, the all up weight is down to finishing kit. This is where Ultegra 6700 comes into its own as it's pretty featherweight.
I love it
Interesting the size.
Looking over the Giant sizing chart I should have a Large, being 6'1"
I was advised by a couple of people to go for e Medium/large, but I rode one and thought it too small.
Almost went for an XL as I tried one of them and it seemed a good fit
After some months on this Large my position has changed and I now think maybe I should have gone for Medium/Large.
I'm still adjusting style after 30 odd years on my Holdsworth so I could be ok with this size.

[Reffc]

A sort of result: I sent the photo's to the seller and informed him that he needs to choose his suppliers more carefully as the seatpost was counterfeit. I received an apology (admission of a fake post?) and a promise of a refund in due course. In case it doesn't transpire the transaction has now been reported as selling of counterfeit goods in case someone else falls for it and has a serious accident as a result.

[MikeMusic]

A sort of result: I sent the photo's to the seller and informed him that he needs to choose his suppliers more carefully as the seatpost was counterfeit. I received an apology (admission of a fake post?) and a promise of a refund in due course. In case it doesn't transpire the transaction has now been reported as selling of counterfeit goods in case someone else falls for it and has a serious accident as a result.
Trade (I'm assuming) or private seller ?
Guess bike parts will become more commonly counterfeited as bike usage increases....

[Reffc]

His account name sounds like a trade name, s*********bikes, but he has no contact details at the bottom of his selling pages which are mandatory for business sellers, so he's a private seller posing as a business seller and doesn't accept returns. I haven't heard a dickybird from him since his apology and I certainly haven't had a refund, all as expected. He's being a silly boy as Ebay will almost always find in the buyers favour in the case of defective or faked goods, and a paypal refund can be forced on him without his consent. I'll also make sure that the cycling forums are aware of his fakery.

[MikeMusic]

His account name sounds like a trade name, s*********bikes, but he has no contact details at the bottom of his selling pages which are mandatory for business sellers, so he's a private seller posing as a business seller and doesn't accept returns. I haven't heard a dickybird from him since his apology and I certainly haven't had a refund, all as expected. He's being a silly boy as Ebay will almost always find in the buyers favour in the case of defective or faked goods, and a paypal refund can be forced on him without his consent. I'll also make sure that the cycling forums are aware of his fakery.
Points to a not good seller for sure

[wiicrackpot]

Sounds like a 'fly by night' seller.

Just to let anyone interested know, i have since sought advice from 3 independent local bike shops and all said Campy-Shimano don't mix,
all very helpful, one even went on to explain cog spacings as regards to the whole drive chain and levers etc....
despite what some say, it will come a cropper eventually when things wear etc..shows the good and bad of reading things in the net. :doh:

[MikeMusic]

3 independent local bike shops and all said Campy-Shimano don't mix,


Good to know, thanks

[wiicrackpot]

Yeah Mike, found out the hard way to my annoyance, :steam: should be able to move my Veloce on without loss but am amazed at price of Shimano brifters. :eek:

[MikeMusic]

Yeah Mike, found out the hard way to my annoyance, :steam: should be able to move my Veloce on without loss but am amazed at price of Shimano brifters. :eek:

I'm pretty careful about this sort of stuff, but could have done the same

I think you could buy a new bike, take the Shimano components off, throw the frame away and still make a profit !
Look out for the online bike guys giving big discounts on various items
If you can wait you could save a fortune

[Reffc]

Well after getting used to SRAM now, I much prefer it over the Shimano wobbly brake lever changing (the reason I've always ridden Campag up until now). SRAM and Campag are similar in some ways (single lever behind the brake lever) but with SRAM you have the double-tap system (single tap for up a gear and double tap for down a gear). Intuitive very quickly and quite a precise change, although not quite as smooth as Campag (I only have the Apex gearing).

[wiicrackpot]

Interesting, one bike shop mechanic said Shimano shifting was lots more smoother and the levers are more crisper than Campag,
complete opposite to your findings,i've always been a Campag man but thought i'd get the best of both worlds mixing with Shimano, not to be.

I've never used Sram before, they're said to work well with Shimano stuff but i ain't gonna chance it.

[Reffc]

Interesting, one bike shop mechanic said Shimano shifting was lots more smoother and the levers are more crisper than Campag,
complete opposite to your findings,i've always been a Campag man but thought i'd get the best of both worlds mixing with Shimano, not to be.

I've never used Sram before, they're said to work well with Shimano stuff but i ain't gonna chance it.

I've had all three systems now and Campag was the smoothest of the lot. Shimano's great at Ultegra level (very smooth) but for mid level stuff (the majority of shifters out there), Campag to my mind is better. It's a personal thing too. I just never liked having a brake lever as a gear change lever, especially when going down big hills. I like a brake lever that doesn't move side to side! The SRAM system is great but ultimately not quite as smooth or precise as Campag. When you're in the drop position downhill, the gearchange lever pivots down so it can be easily used which is a nice touch. As for braking, they're all much of a muchness. I've found the SRAM APEX brakes to be better than Camapag's xenon offerings though.

[MikeMusic]

I've had all three systems now and Campag was the smoothest of the lot. Shimano's great at Ultegra level (very smooth) but for mid level stuff (the majority of shifters out there), Campag to my mind is better. It's a personal thing too. I just never liked having a brake lever as a gear change lever, especially when going down big hills. I like a brake lever that doesn't move side to side! The SRAM system is great but ultimately not quite as smooth or precise as Campag. When you're in the drop position downhill, the gearchange lever pivots down so it can be easily used which is a nice touch. As for braking, they're all much of a muchness. I've found the SRAM APEX brakes to be better than Camapag's xenon offerings though.
How do Campag and Shimano compare on price for their similar offerings ?
- and I wonder if my Giant would take Campag anyway without tweaking or compromise

[wiicrackpot]

I think you could buy a new bike, take the Shimano components off, throw the frame away and still make a profit !
Look out for the online bike guys giving big discounts on various items
If you can wait you could save a fortune
Re-reading this has given me another option, thats maybe the best way to go, thanks Mike.


I've had all three systems now and Campag was the smoothest of the lot. Shimano's great at Ultegra level (very smooth) but for mid level stuff (the majority of shifters out there), Campag to my mind is better. It's a personal thing too. I just never liked having a brake lever as a gear change lever, especially when going down big hills. I like a brake lever that doesn't move side to side! The SRAM system is great but ultimately not quite as smooth or precise as Campag. When you're in the drop position downhill, the gearchange lever pivots down so it can be easily used which is a nice touch. As for braking, they're all much of a muchness. I've found the SRAM APEX brakes to be better than Camapag's xenon offerings though.
Good info having never used anything else but Campag.


How do Campag and Shimano compare on price for their similar offerings ?
- and I wonder if my Giant would take Campag anyway without tweaking or compromise
From my observations on this build, Campag levers are definitely cheaper like for like and lighter too,
the rest is much of a sameness with Campag maybe slightly dearer.

[Reffc]

How do Campag and Shimano compare on price for their similar offerings ?
- and I wonder if my Giant would take Campag anyway without tweaking or compromise

Hierarchy-wise I'd guess that a Shimano 105 groupset was equivalent to Campag's Veloce groupset. Under Veloce comes Centaur then Xenon. All are a cut above quality-wise with Campag but the higher you go the smoother/lighter it gets. Top of the Campag tree is the Record groupset at £1300 and to my mind it's one of the best available today. Shimano still has the Dura-Ace Di2 electronic groupset ace up its sleeve though but at around £1800 it's not cheap!

A 105 groupset can be had for around £370 to £380. A Veloce groupset is around £370 so they're (surprise surprise) about the same. SRAM Apex is closer to £500 so significantly more pricey. Above the APEX lies Red groupset, the latter being mostly found on pro-bikes. Apex is the new Groupset from SRAM and much the same price as the Rival groupset except the Apex caters for compact 50/34/32 gearing ratios hence its growing popularity with long distance sportive riders. SRAM Apex or Rival is as good as any enthusiast rider would ever need but the gear ratios on Apex pretty much preclude it for club riding as closer ratios are preferable for racers.

To re-group the Giant with say Campag Veloce you'd be looking at £370 plus labour and it'd be a 2 hour job for a bike mechanic so under £500 should see it done. I wouldn't advise mixing groupsets as cassette spacings and shifting increments etc can be pretty different between them.

[MikeMusic]

Re-reading this has given me another option, thats maybe the best way to go, thanks Mike.


As soon as you buy anything off these guys they keep emailing telling you of the 48% off and similar

[MikeMusic]

Hierarchy-wise I'd guess that a Shimano 105 groupset was equivalent to Campag's Veloce groupset. Under Veloce comes Centaur then Xenon. All are a cut above quality-wise with Campag but the higher you go the smoother/lighter it gets. Top of the Campag tree is the Record groupset at £1300 and to my mind it's one of the best available today. Shimano still has the Dura-Ace Di2 electronic groupset ace up its sleeve though but at around £1800 it's not cheap!

A 105 groupset can be had for around £370 to £380. A Veloce groupset is around £370 so they're (surprise surprise) about the same. SRAM Apex is closer to £500 so significantly more pricey. Above the APEX lies Red groupset, the latter being mostly found on pro-bikes. Apex is the new Groupset from SRAM and much the same price as the Rival groupset except the Apex caters for compact 50/34/32 gearing ratios hence its growing popularity with long distance sportive riders. SRAM Apex or Rival is as good as any enthusiast rider would ever need but the gear ratios on Apex pretty much preclude it for club riding as closer ratios are preferable for racers.

To re-group the Giant with say Campag Veloce you'd be looking at £370 plus labour and it'd be a 2 hour job for a bike mechanic so under £500 should see it done. I wouldn't advise mixing groupsets as cassette spacings and shifting increments etc can be pretty different between them.
So no resale price maintenance there then !
Being Mr. Super safe and cautious sounds like I stick with Shimano.
I might even swap parts myself

[wiicrackpot]

As soon as you buy anything off these guys they keep emailing telling you of the 48% off and similar
No i wasn't gonna go to a shop, local classifieds,Gumtree,Ebay local collection only...etc..etc, basically shop smart.


So no resale price maintenance there then !
Being Mr. Super safe and cautious sounds like I stick with Shimano.
I might even swap parts myself
Give it a go Mike, i initally thought i'd never get the hang of indexd gearshifts, as long as your mech is in good working order and not bent and big enough capacity for the block it's used in, usual right chain length,cables are sound, noodle not too short etc...connect it all up as per before index days, you have a knurled adjuster to help fine tune the gearshift as per click, and just look,listen and feel for it, only thing that got spitting and swearing is Cantilever brakes, evil things. :steam:

[MikeMusic]

No i wasn't gonna go to a shop, local classifieds,Gumtree,Ebay local collection only...etc..etc, basically shop smart.

2nd hand is a different game though - plus you'll be buying from Scots !
:)



Give it a go Mike, i initally thought i'd never get the hang of indexd gearshifts, as long as your mech is in good working order and not bent and big enough capacity for the block it's used in, usual right chain length,cables are sound, noodle not too short etc...connect it all up as per before index days, you have a knurled adjuster to help fine tune the gearshift as per click, and just look,listen and feel for it, only thing that got spitting and swearing is Cantilever brakes, evil things. :steam:
I've become more confident after I realised a few years ago my tyre changing skills were ok. After many years of putting metric tyres on imperial rims ! - not easy
I've now changed tubes by the side of the road, more times than I can remember, swapped bits on my Crud guards and even changed a chain, cut to size, with a removable link

[wiicrackpot]

2nd hand is a different game though - plus you'll be buying from Scots !
:)


I've become more confident after I realised a few years ago my tyre changing skills were ok. After many years of putting metric tyres on imperial rims ! - not easy
I've now changed tubes by the side of the road, more times than I can remember, swapped bits on my Crud guards and even changed a chain, cut to size, with a removable link

Hey....whats Scots got to do with it?, but i'm no Scot though. :D

There you go, you can do it, just progress from there. :cool:

[MikeMusic]

Hey....whats Scots got to do with it?, but i'm no Scot though. :D

There you go, you can do it, just progress from there. :cool:

Just my bit of racism for the day !
:)

Winter is the PITA with reduced light, a less willing spirit and 1 day off. I work for a mad slave driver (me)