briscoelab

On the checking account ;-)

Seriously.... I have a problem. I can't stop "upgrading" stuff. I'm constantly like... hmmm If I bought this ______ for $$$$$ I could save another 50 grams. A few days later... said component shows up mysteriously at the door via the UPS guy

Here's an example, I needed a new seat post for my Tarmac.... My stock one had a bit too much setback for me to get where I wanted to be. So, I decided to try a zero setback post to see how it felt. This of course seemed like a prime chace to drop some weight off the bike. My stock Pave II post weighted a horrifying 260 grams! Guys at the LBS suggested a Thompson Elite seat post.... it's a solid performer and comes in at about 200 grams I believe. Was that good enough for me.... oh no... of course not. (They were gonna give me a great deal on one they had in stock) I had to go an make them order a Masterpiece so I could save another 40 grams. I got the post in on Friday... and it is OH so sweet! It cam in a velvet bag for christ's sake!! No wonder it's so expensive.

Now, my sights are set on a new stem.... I need one with a little different angle than the stock Pro Set stem. So, why not drop some weight there as well!! Ritchey 4 Axis looks like it is gonna win out. But I might get a Syntace F119. Haven't settled on it yet.

I won't even get into my obsession with getting a new crank set..... Well... maybe I will

My current SLK Mega Exo compact setup is pure and utter trash. I know some people had had great luck with them. Not me.... I wish that I did! The are fairly attractive looking and I got them for a good (or so I thought) price. Now, in the last 4 months I've had two sets of replacement bearings put on..... the chainring bolts are CONSTANTLY coming loose despite proper torque and even some locktite. Also the bolt holding the left crank arm on is loose after just about every other ride. So... I'm done with them. My frustration is well documented

Ahhh.... so the issue becomes what to do! I need a new crankset for sure. But, what to get? I WANT the Zero Gravity cranks.... but, they are $800 and not even for sale yet. SO scratch that... I could get a current production Campy Record Carbon crankset. Decent Idea for sure.... with a Phil Wood BB that would be a much nicer crank that I have now and weight less. But, the new 2007 Campy stuff is on the horizon. So I can't really bring myself to spend the money right now. So... here are my choices. Stick it out with the POS SLk until the 07 Cmapy stuff is out..... (not probable) Get something to "hold me over" until it comes out. Something like a Record Standard double alloy crank..... crank and bb would cost about $200 total. That isn't a bad choice at all. I'm used to using my compact and smaller cassettes... but I could deal with it on a 12-25 without too much trouble. This of couse adds expense though... and extra $200 on top of what the 07 Record stuff will cost. Or, I could get something all together different. Like this:



Oh yea $650 and a claimed weight of 610 grams.... real world reports coming in the 618 gram range. Said to be very stiff (at least the previous ISIS versions) and it looks killer. Price is about the same as the Record stuff will be.... and if you factor in the extra $200 minimum I'd need to get a new crank to hold me over, it's actually cheaper. What do you guys think??? I think it would look killer on my Tarmac

Cranks and stem are about the last things possible for me to upgrade right now on my bike. I already ordered a Token/KCNC 11-23 cassette to use for races. I use Centaur cassettes for training. Maybe some sweet 9gram water bottle cages Then... I'll be completly broke!

Someone.... please help me......

531Aussie

so, do you want help to kick this habit, or to do want help with tips on what to buy?

do you know about Weight Weenies?

https://weightweenies.starbike.com/listings.php

briscoelab

Oh I know all about those guys ;-) They fuel my obsession for sure.

As for me wanting help to kick the habbit or tips on what to buy..... I'll leave that up to you to decide But really.... if you give me some good tips, then I can get all that I need.... and then I will have effectively kicked the habbit

chrisesposito

Sure. That's what they all say You suffer from the delusion that "all I need" is some well-defined and finite set of things to buy and you have them, the temptation will vanish. My experience is that I run out of money before I run out of temptation.

55/Rad

Umm....is this a "Stronglight Pulsions are cheaper than Campy Record carbon" question?

Don't make me go there.

55/Rad

briscoelab

Not so much of a question.... just my mindless ramblings. My fiance gets tired (she puts up with a LOT!) after a while of hearing about crank weight/stiffness.... looks for 3 hours at a time . So... I have to blab out my obsessive compulsions on here from time to time!

Still $650 for the new integrated axle Pulsions seems like a pretty decent deal. I bet the cheapest place to get the 07 Campy Record cranks will be in the price range of $500, considering the new cranks will have an integrated bb and axle. Add in the $200-$250 it would cost for me to get a "temp fix" crankset..... and it works out to be cheaper At least in my twisted mind.

Cut me some slack Rad.... pics of your bikes and stories about the Tete last summer when I first got into biking are what got me obsessive in the first place At a minimum, you are responsible for me *having* to purchase Zero Gravity brakes.

voltman

You realize we'll need more pictures?

55/Rad

Hee hee...it is a sickness isn't it?

One thing I've learned - since I am fully afflicted as well - there are a lot of good options and sometimes there isn't any rhyme or reason to the madness. Explaining our decisions to ourself is sometimes the hardest part.

The Pulsion sounds like the best plan and it certainly is a gorgeous crank. However, if you are thinking of the Record Alloy crank as a stopgap, why not go with a Chorus or a Centaur?

55/Rad

Grasschopper

Get the Pulsion...I was thinking of doing the same thing on the Roubaix...then I would have a reason to post my photos all over again.

briscoelab

You need to stay out of this You're as full of evil ideas as Rad!

Just because the Record cranks are like $130 on 11speed and the Chorus is like $95 or something. Centaur as a stop gap won't work... weighs too much

briscoelab

Ok.... I was bored so I posted some pics of the bike with the new seatpost on:

Post only:


Profile of bike with training wheels on:


I really like the look of the Thompson post. Much better than when I had the seat crammed forward on the old one.


Ok, these are a bit silly.... I know. But, I have to post them. Some friends of ours designed some truly horrid looking kits They are so terrible they are amazing! The hope is to raise enough money before cross season to the a real liscence and maybe our band of missfits can race legit. ;-) The team name is "Don't quit your day job" which is says in full on the back of the jerseys or "DQYDJ" as it says on the front. Gotta love the plaid!

Me after a ride:


Robin sporting her kit: (sadly we could only get men's sizes... but it's hideous non the less)


We just got them in, so the 15 or so of us that got the kits haven't been on a large group ride. But, you can rest assured that we will look like a bunch of jack@sses once we do! Pics will of course be posted.

Enjoy!

mimis

both bikes look awesome and of very good taste, but isn't the tarmac small for you; certainly looks that way...

Bob S.

You should be ashamed. That was cruel. You offered him an excuse... You planted the seed...You feed the addiction! Now Briscoe will want to upgrade the frame.

It is a disease. Funny to watch in someone else, but really frightening when you are afflicted. I am in temporarily remission until I finish off a few projects around the house. I will be able to resist only so long. Bob

astrodaimler

Don't believe any of the advertised weight claims. Get yourself either a triple beam scale (used ones can be had for cheap on ebay) or get a decent electronic one. Then, you can spend an entire weekend taking apart everything and weighing it. You can even weigh the bolts that hold the h20 bottle cages down.

briscoelab

I think that is just an illusion from the angle/height the photo was taken from. (Not that I wouldn't want an excuse to get a new frame as well) I am just a little over 6'1" and the frame has a 58.5cm effective top tube. I run a 120mm stem with it.

msheron

Just built a Pedal Force QS2 and hoped to get it right at or under 16 lbs.! Well, that did not happen. More like 17 lbs. but still beat my other pedal horse by 3.5 lbs. or so! Costly? Yes, to the tune of $2400 for my project!

briscoelab

I don't beleive ANY advertised weight claims.... only reports from weight weenies/people I trust or weights I've verified myself. I'm a graduate student working in a microbiology lab... I have access to scales that would make most of the guys at ww cry tears of joy and envy

Congrats on a nice build though! I won't tell you how much mine has racked up so far. Heck... I don't even want myself to know the bottom line. Around 17 lbs is a good solid build though. Mine was 17.2 lbs with my old seat post and my training wheels/heavy cassette on. My tubular Zipp 404s take a ton of weight off the bike though. I can't wait to get the lightweight cassette in to mount up. With the new seat post that should really bring the weight down. New stem and cranks.... I should end up with a fairly light machine.

The Tarmac isn't the lightest frame to start with... so I'm not going to be able to get really crazy low weights. But, the bike is solid and transmits power very well. It gets raced at least a couple times a month.... so overall performance and durability is more important than simple light weight. Plus, at 175 lbs now... my weight puts a fair amount of stress on things. However, I was at 185 when I got this bike in the spring and everything has been holding up great (except for the offending FSA crank). Even the cheap Performance CR150 Ti pedals haven't crapped out! I didn't know they had a weight limit on them when I purchased them. I still want some Speedplay Zeros though. Robin has just the cro-mo ones on her road bike and loves them.

msheron

You sound like me. I work for the state's clandestine lab team and routinely take my bike to the drug lab to weigh it in. Most people are taking marijuana; Cocaine; and meth but not me. I take a carbon fiber bike! LMAO!

astrodaimler

That is SWEEEEEEEEEET!!!!

astrodaimler

That don't sound small, sounds perfect to me. I'm 5'5" and I got a S Giant with 120 stem. Should have gone with the XS frame so I can have more than 3" between saddle and bar difference. Oh well.

voltman

If you went with the XS, you'd need a 10-foot pole as a stem.

pedex

there's a cure for the disease, but you wont like it..........

astrodaimler

Nahh, prolly a 13.5 stem. Right now, I only have a 3" diff between my saddle and my bars.

dannyg1 

Stronglight makes a perfectly servicable carbon crank called the vulcan, best part is that it only costs around $275 and with the American Classic ISIS BB, will be weight competitive with that outboard Pulsion. I use the ISIS Pulsion now and will probably put the Vulcan on my next build because it's only 20 grams heavier and lots less money. That oughta hold you over until the Campy comes out.

zacster

Here's an idea, as if you need one. Trade the long cage rear der for a short cage. It'll take a few grams off and should work OK with a compact.