General Bike Thread (Desiderata, questions, porn) - Page 85

Originally Posted by zippyh 

I'd probably pay the extra $200 for the 1.5 to get Tiagra shifters/10 speed over the 1.2.
Trek US site has a CX bike (the Lane) listed for $1200. You're back to sora shifters though. Nice thing about a CX bike is you can just swap out tires if you want to ride on the road.

Originally Posted by Fang66 


My wife has a 1.2, she's tiny so the bike is small but I'm pretty sure there is clearance for 32mm tires maybe 35s. It also has rack braise ons. The bike is a 5ish years old so new model might be different. It has Sora with a road triple up front which sucks for a road bike but loaded up with shopping and going up hills she gets into the small ring. Better option would be compact but I doubt you can get that with Sora.

Originally Posted by musicguy 

Went to different bike stores today and stopped in a smallish store where they seemed to know their stuff.

They were Trek dealers and were selling the 1.5 at the same price as the big box stores. I prefer buying from a small store. Help out small businesses.

Anyway, they offered to make a bike for me, which seems interesting. They had a high quality all aluminum frame that they can get in my size. He was selling it for about 400 bucks. In the end, with quality components, I'd probably save 300 bucks or so.

What do you think? Will the carbon fiber fork in the 1.5 make a difference? I hear carbon absorbs impact better than aluminum. I think it would be kind of nice to actually have them build a bike for me.

As an aside, the owner mentioned that he can get a fully carbon fiber frame for 1200 bucks for me. Interesting prospect...

Originally Posted by zippyh 

I don't think there's anything about Sora that would preclude you putting just about any compact crank on that you want.
You should just be able to adjust the limit screws and it should work with your triple shifters.
Now whether it's worth it to spend the money and effort is a different question.
According to the specs on the Trek site, it looks like the 1.2 and 1.5 come with the same "carbon leg" fork.
You want a carbon fork. I know nothing about the fork that comes on that bike though.
At your price point, I'd stick with aluminum.

Originally Posted by culverwood 

I would take the small risk and go with the aluminium frame your small local bike store has suggested. Aluminium should be more robust and resistant to misuse that a cheap carbon frame. I would have thought he could source a carbon fork for you as well if you want one.
Having him make up a bike will mean you can spend more on the parts that are important for you now and you can upgrade the rest later if you want.

Originally Posted by Fang66 


Sure, but what I'm saying is I don't think you can get a compact crank stock with the bike. My wife is happy with the triple, good for shopping trips and she has another bike for longer rides.

As far as your point about carbon forks is concerned (not meaning to be rude or anything but) it's bollocks.

Originally Posted by zippyh 

My mistake. I meant get a carbon fork but stick with an aluminum frame.
The current 1.2 comes with Sora and a compact crank.

Originally Posted by musicguy 

Went to different bike stores today and stopped in a smallish store where they seemed to know their stuff.
They were Trek dealers and were selling the 1.5 at the same price as the big box stores. I prefer buying from a small store. Help out small businesses.
Anyway, they offered to make a bike for me, which seems interesting. They had a high quality all aluminum frame that they can get in my size. He was selling it for about 400 bucks. In the end, with quality components, I'd probably save 300 bucks or so.
What do you think? Will the carbon fiber fork in the 1.5 make a difference? I hear carbon absorbs impact better than aluminum. I think it would be kind of nice to actually have them build a bike for me.
As an aside, the owner mentioned that he can get a fully carbon fiber frame for 1200 bucks for me. Interesting prospect...

Originally Posted by otc 

I don't generally like aluminum bikes...but they can be ok.
Aluminum forks on the other hand, are absolutely terrible. You would be FAR better off with a cheap carbon fork with a steel steerer tube or a lightweight steel fork (cheap carbon forks often weigh the same as a light Tange fork). Aluminum forks do not dampen vibration and impact at ALL and give a very rough ride.
Luckily, aluminum forks are also incredibly rare since nobody wants them...it is entirely possible that they intend to build the bike with a steel/carbon fork.

Originally Posted by musicguy 

Awesome, thanks for the advice guys. I'll ask him about getting a carbon fork. Should I ask for all the same components as the 1.5? I think it's pretty much all Tiagra and Bontrager.

Originally Posted by otc 

Price out both SRAM Apex and Campy Veloce as well. Both are far better groups than Tiagra--I don't know how the pricing will work out down there though...exchange rates and international trade can be a funky beast. I've seen veloce builds around here for great deals and apex stuff is a bargain (although SRAM is based here so...there's lots of it around)

Originally Posted by musicguy 

Awesome, thanks for the advice guys. I'll ask him about getting a carbon fork. Should I ask for all the same components as the 1.5? I think it's pretty much all Tiagra and Bontrager.