General Bike Thread (Desiderata, Questions, Pics)

Originally Posted by shoreman1782

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Anyone have experience with velo-orange parts? Been slowly trading up components on my old Fuji road bike (used as commuter/round-town bike) and considering one of their house-label cranks

They have good stuff. I haven't seen the cranks, but they're bars, bells, seats, etc are top notch. I wouldn't expect anything less from their other parts. I've got their bells..i leave it outside and the brass is still pretty shiney. (It's on a beater mixte..so outside status is okay here)

Originally Posted by shoreman1782

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Anyone have experience with velo-orange parts? Been slowly trading up components on my old Fuji road bike (used as commuter/round-town bike) and considering one of their house-label cranks

Good if you're trying for a vintage look to your bike. Nothing lightweight for a road bike or anything. Some of the bikes there look very cool: shiny fenders, chainguards, racks. probably what an English dandy would ride in yesteryear.

Originally Posted by shoreman1782

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Anyone have experience with velo-orange parts? Been slowly trading up components on my old Fuji road bike (used as commuter/round-town bike) and considering one of their house-label cranks

As most have already replied, V-O is good for certain (mainly retro-looking) items, but nothing especially super.

They're good for silver posts/stems/bars, but Nitto is much better quality and Deda occasionally has silver in better quality and lighter.

For cranks specifically I would look at Sugino or Specialites TA from Peter White Cycles.

Anybody want to buy a Fizik Cyrano alloy seatpost? I accidentally bought it off ebay thinking it was the carbon version. It's brand new

2011 Fizik Cyrano seatpost 31.6, 400mm, 15mm SB

70$ + shipping takes it, retails for like 125$

I read a few bad reviews of the VO cranks.
I love my Stronglight crank (better looking than VO too), but they tend to be expensive in the US.

Thanks for the feedback--I went with another brand that makes a crank pretty close to the original Sugino my bike had (I don't even remember the name; will post when parts come in). Shop near my house recommended and ordered--pretty cheap.

Am getting some MKS road pedals through VO though. If everything ships on time by next week I'll be able to ride to work again

Found a slightly used Windsor Cliff 29er Pro for $500. Haven't ridden a mountain bike in years but looking to get back into it. Thoughts?

Fork: Rock Shox Tora 318 Air 29" w/Turn Key LockOut and 80mm Travel
Crankset: TruVativ 5D 3.0, 22/32/44T
Bottom Bracket: TruVativ Power Spline w/ Cartridge sealed bearing
Pedals: Xpedo MF-3 clipless
Shifters/Derailleusr: SRAM X.7 (27 speed)
Hubs: Gravity Sealed Bearing Disc, 32H
Rims : WTB SpeedDisc AM 29" DW w/ Single Eyelet 32H
Tires : Continental Mountain King 29 inch
Brakes/Levers: Avid Juicy 5 Hydraulic Disc w/160mm rotor

Originally Posted by acularw

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Found a slightly used Windsor Cliff 29er Pro for $500. Haven't ridden a mountain bike in years but looking to get back into it. Thoughts?

Fork: Rock Shox Tora 318 Air 29" w/Turn Key LockOut and 80mm Travel
Crankset: TruVativ 5D 3.0, 22/32/44T
Bottom Bracket: TruVativ Power Spline w/ Cartridge sealed bearing
Pedals: Xpedo MF-3 clipless
Shifters/Derailleusr: SRAM X.7 (27 speed)
Hubs: Gravity Sealed Bearing Disc, 32H
Rims : WTB SpeedDisc AM 29" DW w/ Single Eyelet 32H
Tires : Continental Mountain King 29 inch
Brakes/Levers: Avid Juicy 5 Hydraulic Disc w/160mm rotor

you can get a new windsor 29er for less than that. have you looked at their choices in their website?

Got 1st place this weekend at the ucsb road race collegiate d, also got a prime in the crit
Officially upgrading now

Hey, I was there too! Missed my start for the TTT due to a wrong turn while pre-riding the course with our teams, ended up doing the TTT then starting the road race 5 minutes later. Pro tip: Don't get embrocation you're allergic to on the back of your knees during a road race, makes it difficult to, uh, bend your leg (ie. pedal).

C's crit went well until a crash occurred on the last corner of the last lap, ruining our leadout train.

Rode for the first time in a while: such a better rush than getting trashed.

Can't wait until my endurance is built up and I'm able to ride out to gravel roads and such.

Originally Posted by il ciclista

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They have good stuff. I haven't seen the cranks, but they're bars, bells, seats, etc are top notch. I wouldn't expect anything less from their other parts. I've got their bells..i leave it outside and the brass is still pretty shiney. (It's on a beater mixte..so outside status is okay here)

Bicycle Quarterly reviewed their crank and said it was prone to corrosion, but overall they liked it.

Looking at an entry-level bike to start riding and narrowed it down to 3 bikes after 11 shops and 7-8 models: 2011 Giant TCR 1, 2010 Specialized Allez Elite, 2011 CAAD8. The Allez fits me the best; TCR's looks the best to me; CAAD8 is a bit heavier than the CAAD10, which is the **** apparently. My gut says Specialized. Opinions?

Originally Posted by mustard

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Looking at an entry-level bike to start riding and narrowed it down to 3 bikes after 11 shops and 7-8 models: 2011 Giant TCR 1, 2010 Specialized Allez Elite, 2011 CAAD8. The Allez fits me the best; TCR's looks the best to me; CAAD8 is a bit heavier than the CAAD10, which is the **** apparently. My gut says Specialized. Opinions?

These are all aluminum right? So you're spending around the $1,500 range?

The CAAD 10 can be upgraded relentlessly to super high end specs. Hence Cannondale offering it with Dura Ace this year. Years past people would upgrade the **** out of their CAAD 8/9 with great results.

That said, the CAAD is still an aluminum frame that had been refined, but is a lot more unforgiving compared to carbon/steel/titanium.

The same goes for the Specialized, but it does have a carbon seatstay. The giant is also aluminum but has the supercompact geometry which means you can use a carbon seatpost to dampen road buzz.

In the end though its all about what fits and is comfortable. - this can be misleading though because after a couple of months of riding a road bike you might adjust and get even get more aggressive with greater saddle to bar drop, longer stem, ect.

Do you have a friend with a carbon bike that fits? Also a steel bike? Try em all out. Because you'd be surprised on what you can find for near $2,000 used. For example there are tons of older Cervelos (think 2004-2009) that pop on on craigslist around this time of year. You might find a gem.

Originally Posted by LawrenceMD

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These are all aluminum right? So you're spending around the $1,500 range?

The CAAD 10 can be upgraded relentlessly to super high end specs. Hence Cannondale offering it with Dura Ace this year. Years past people would upgrade the **** out of their CAAD 8/9 with great results.

That said, the CAAD is still an aluminum frame that had been refined, but is a lot more unforgiving compared to carbon/steel/titanium.

The same goes for the Specialized, but it does have a carbon seatstay. The giant is also aluminum but has the supercompact geometry which means you can use a carbon seatpost to dampen road buzz.

In the end though its all about what fits and is comfortable. - this can be misleading though because after a couple of months of riding a road bike you might adjust and get even get more aggressive with greater saddle to bar drop, longer stem, ect.

Do you have a friend with a carbon bike that fits? Also a steel bike? Try em all out. Because you'd be surprised on what you can find for near $2,000 used. For example there are tons of older Cervelos (think 2004-2009) that pop on on craigslist around this time of year. You might find a gem.

Thanks for your input! My budget is in the 1900 range for bike and all necessary beginner accessories like shoes, pedals, helmet, etc. so it looks like the Allez or the TCR1 for me. I have a feeling I'm going to regret not forking out the extra 3-400 and getting the CAAD10 a few months down the road but people are telling me to just buy for the now. I think I'm content with aluminum for now but I will heed your advice about trying a carbon bike.

I plan to make the buy this weekend and I will ride the Allez and CAAD10 back to back for longer periods of time. My qualms about the Allez: less tidy 105 after starting my search on 2011 bikes with tucked 105 cables, ****** brakes, heavy weight (not a huge concern for a beginner though). I feel the CAAD is too much bike for a guy who can barely shift gears. The TCR1 is in the middle and the one I felt most uncomfortable on but all that can adjusted with the right size and a good fit, right?