milliron

Very cool Timo.

Here is my new toy:





2009 Ridley Damocles. Everything but the bars, wheels, seat, stem and post are Ultegra.

riff

+1! Beautiful, classy, understated. What made you go with the down tube Front shifter?

RB1-luvr

omg!! want!!

n8tron

Thats a really nice looking bike.

...any way we can get some more pictures?

hopsing08

CrimsonKarter21

That is my favorite pro bike ever.

milliron

Thanks all, I have a bunch more pictures of the Damocles but they are before I cut the steer tube down a little so I don't want to post them. I'll get more soon.

Loving the way the bike rides. The difference is night and day compared to my previous setup.

Sinn

The geometry on this bike is completely custom. It doesn't have compact geometry.

Here's my old Damocles:



Damocles's are nice. I rode this one all last season. But I sold it to upgrade to Cannondale Aluminum. Pics of the new Caad9 soon!

thegunner

wait a second, you sold a damocles to upgrade to a caad? hmm, i would gladly trade my caad for a damocles, streetfire, or onix... am i doing something wrong here? haha

RB1-luvr

I saw that Liquia Damocles for sale on Ebay I think. right?

damit people, stop with the Damocles postings. If I can't have one, no one should have one.

grahny

No, you're not.

thegunner

just throwing this out there... if anyone wants to trade a rival/105 ridley, bmc, orbea for an ultegra caad9 hit me up

Sinn

Let's see: the Caad9 is lighter than that damocles frameset and just as stiff and just as compliant (with the DA wheelset).

Seems like a good trade to me!

Sinn

Oh -- one more thing -- the new caad9s have BB30 all around. That paired with hollowgram cranks makes for a stiffness to weight ratio that is far better than what I could get with the Damocles.

Now, don't get me wrong. I love the Damocles frameset. Its comfy and stiff and has nice balanced geometry. But it is heavy. And the Caad9 geometry suits me better.

Ok, flame-suit on.

Sinn

The grass is always greener on the other side.

CrimsonKarter21

That's why I like it so much.

Timo

Thanks! Simply to save weight. I used an old alu Campagnolo Record down tube shifter but upgraded to a btp carbon one. I've also added a stripped Flite saddle to see if this is comfy enough for me. If it is I will upgrade to either an old full carbon Flite evolution 2 or an AX Lightness Endurance saddle. Next step will be Speedplay titanium pedals anyway. Still thinking about some full carbon clinchers to replace the tubular Lightweights I've sold, but not sure if I want to go for Lightweight clinchers, Campagnolo Hyperion clinchers or something else.

The current setup...

Frame: Merlin Extralight ; 58 cm ; gloss black

Fork: Ritchey Pro ; Ø 1” ; straight ; gloss black

Headset: Chris King Aheadset ; Ø 1” ; black

Headset cap: Carbon

Stem: Syntace Force 99 ; 105 mm ; Ø 26.0 mm w/titanium bolt kit

Handlebar: Schmolke SL ; 42 cm ; Ø 26.0 mm

Brake levers: Campagnolo Record TT (left) / Campagnolo Record Ergopower (right)

Down tube shifter: BTP carbon handle w/Campagnolo bolt

Handlebar tape: cotton black w/Schmolke carbon end caps

Shifting cables: Campagnolo : black

Brake cables: Campagnolo ; black

Brakes: Zero Gravity ; black

Bottom bracket: TA Specialité Axis Ti ; 108 mm

Bottom bracket bolts: Tiso ; black

Crank arms: Storck Powerarms ; 172.5 mm

Chain rings: Stronglight CT² ; 53/39

Chain ring bolts: Tiso ; black

Pedals: Time ATAC XS carbon/titanium

Chain: KCMC

Cassette: Campagnolo Chorus ; 12-25

Rear derailleur: Campagnolo Record ; short cage w/Fibre-Lyte carbon inner plate

Front derailleur: Campagnolo Record ; braze-on

Derailleur clamp: BTP carbon ; Ø 34.9 mm ; black

Seat post: Thomson Masterpiece ; Ø 27,2 mm

Saddle: Selle Italia Flite ; stripped

Bottle holders: Tune Wasserträger

Wheels: Campagnolo Neutron clincher

Inner tubes: Vittoria light

Tires: Michelin Pro3 grip (front) ; Michelin Pro3 (rear)

Quick releases: Tune AC14 ; black

Lamp-Shade

That merlin is totally James Bond's bike.

Tsuru

Hey, I think Competitive Cyclist still has new 08 streetfires with full rival for $1500 or something? do it, man.

milliron

The new matte black CAAD9s are SICK. I'd have no problem riding one. In fact, that's what I would have gone for if I was racing crits. I'm more into club rides and centuries though, when I'm not racing my mountain bike. The Damocles is super comfortable but still very light and stiff. I'm extremely happy with it.

n8tron

Timo, that Merlin looks amazing. I think the best looking bikes aren't ones that just look pretty but the ones that you look at and just really want to go out on a ride on, which yours does.

btw- is it just me or do Merlin Extralight slope down towards the head tube?

thegunner

i absolutely would if i could find someone who wants a 09 caad9 w/ultegra with under 500 miles on it and would pay me 1500 for it (now that i think about it, that's pretty fair considering the 105 goes for 1399 retail)

Tsuru

sounds pretty reasonable to me.... people seem to really be liking the CAAD9s! Go for it!

n8tron

I have a streetfire with 105 that I've been wanting to upgrade... though wasn't planning on it just yet, only thing is I'm not interested in the caad9.

thegunner

i happen to own one of the 09 bbq black ones, it does look pretty sick, yeah... like i said in another thread, give me an all white bike and red pedals and