texaspandj

There's something about the Miami Vice in particular that just makes you smile when riding. I think seypat said it best when he pointed out that there is no other bike like it out on the road. Ride On.

texaspandj

No pics yet, but I've changed my Miami Vice to black cables, different black saddle, aero post, and black inner tube wrap. Someone said they used old inner tubes for wrap, I gave it a try and like it a lot. They're spongy, grippy,and different.
I thought about putting the tri color 7 speed group including wheels from my 89 on there, but honestly the original 105 is just so good, I'm leaving it. And will hold on to the complete tri color for my 85 if I ever find one.
This weekend I was finally able to put some real Miles on my new MV. Here's my impressions.
First I absolutely love the bike. Somehow it's a bit quicker handling than my old MV, however I had road bars on my old one and aero bars on the new one so that may contribute to the difference. So I set out on a 25 miler and I was having a blast. I felt so strong and powerful like I could ride any speed and still be comfortable. I told my wife I haven't felt like that since the 80s. So I get home anxious to check my average speed..... 15.9? What I was strong, powerful, in my youthful 20s. WTH? I always ride a out and back course so it was honest. I don't know what happened, but I resigned myself to the fact that I felt good and in total control.
The next day I was scheduled for a 8 mile run but since rain is in the forecast for the rest of the week I opted for a ride on my Miami Vice instead. I ride the same out and back route. I felt good, smooth and lucky to be out on such a lovely day. Hit the turn around and started feeling a little hot, then more hot, then tired, then more tired, it eventually took a lot just to get back home. When I finally got back home it took a while for recovery. Ate watermelon, drank sweet tea, water, orange juice. Big time bonk. What happened?
In conclusion, I have the idea that that Miami Vice Ironman tricked me into thinking I was in good condition. It said you ain't old, you feel good, you're tough, you're fast, come on ride like the wind. So be warned, that Ironman hanging in your garage is in better condition than you and can take more punishment than you, and entices you to go harder than you should. Later Irongents.

Classtime 

I'm having an IM brake lever/hood problem. On this thread, I see many Ironmans looking sharp with white hoods and white tape. My quite new to me 87 is very low miles ( still sporting Technovas with the center mold line very apparent) and the brake 1051 levers are almost perfect.

However, the hoods are sticky and need replacing. Here is a 6043 hood on a 1051

and while I can deal with the gap in front, there is space under the hood on either side and if I stuff it with something, I might as well go with a pair of Cane Creeks. Has anyone tried the 1055 hoods on their 1051 equipped IM? I know I could get a pair of 400s but I'd rather keep these levers. ( I'd really like to rejuvenate my hoods )

AustinFitz

Would these be the correct replacements?

texaspandj

Did you try cleaning the white ones with simple green? It worked for me. Or are you just wanting to change to black hoods?

zs3889

Are those the original Wobler wheels?

zs3889

I may be interested if you're selling it!

texaspandj

Original wheels and original everything sans bars and tires. I've since swapped black hoods from my other Miami Vice and switched to black cables, saddle,and aero seatpost.
Yeah I think I'm interested in selling 54cm 1989 smoke on the water expert frame. PM me.

Classtime 

[QUOTE=AustinFitz;19773895]Would these be the correct replacements?

That's them. Very tempting.

Classtime 

I'll try the simple green again and scrub a little more. I might end up with black anyway to match the Black hoods on my wife's Miami Vice.

texaspandj

I failed to mention that jetboy said the only way he was able to clean his was with paint thinner

canklecat

I can relate. In the two months I've had mine it's tricked me many times.

Some days when I feel really fast, I'm actually only slightly faster. It's surprisingly difficult to beat my best times from my hybrid on chipseal and rough pavement.

My goal of beating my 16 mph average on a difficult hilly rural route took six weeks to accomplish, but then I did it on three consecutive rides.

Other days, like Sunday's recovery ride after some hard intervals, I was planning to average only 12 mph but finished the 26 miles at nearly 15 mph.

It's a very lively ride and the road feedback is tricky compared with my hybrid.

RobbieTunes

Magic eraser.

RobbieTunes

Until recently, my fastest tri leg was an Ironman ride, 22.9 on a 20-lb Black Dog w/9sp. It took a 16-lb carbon Cinelli and the right day for me to crack 24 on a 28m leg. I lost all that time on the run, though, legs were shot.

Some days you just feel good.

I've been going longer lately but not pushing it, still, 18.0 on an IM is "steady."

It's not the bike but the bike helps, and what you think of the bike. Getting "up on" an IM won't help much; just focus on being smooth and let the bike carry you. The speed you have will be there.

seypat

Sorry guys, I've been busy. I need to check back in more often.

A couple of years ago, I was rolling out on the pre race ride of a tri. A pack of about 10 young, hardcore riders come by on their high end machines. They are giving me a sneer until the last rider rolls by. He is about my age.(in his 50's) He appears to be a mentor/coach of sorts. He says something like "Sweet Ironman!" He tells the group to slow down and let me pass. He then starts an oral presentation on the history of Tri, Dave Scott, Scott Tinley, Mark Allen, Scott Molina, Mike Pigg, Ironmans, etc. They slowly roll by taking another gander at the bike and giving me different look than before. I'm sure there was some good conversation in that group that day.

canklecat

Great story!

I'm not a Luddite by any means. Tech improvements are fine with me. But it's been interesting to see the difference design makes in tri-bikes compared with the traditional drop bar design. Occasionally I pass, or am passed by, folks on tri-bikes on a popular roller coaster circuit training route. They usually pass me pretty easily on the flats and moderate downhills, then I'll catch up on the climbs -- and I'm not a good climber, very middle of the pack.

Makes me wonder whether they'd be better off spending more time off the aero bars for conditioning. Yeah, the body needs a different conditioning to adapt efficiently to aero bars for competition. But it doesn't seem to help in other ways.

I've also noticed some folks on tri-bikes who could easily top 30 mph on some downhills don't do so. They coast and sometimes ride their brakes. I don't get that -- well, okay, I understand the aversion to crashing at speed. But we don't have many opportunities for good downhill runs and I'm usually going flat out trying to top my last personal best, and even that is always much slower than the faster folks.

But I'm guessing that for many folks who participate in triathlons don't consider themselves cyclists primarily. They're mostly runners who add cycling and swimming in order to participate.

johnlink

What, if anything, distinguishes a triathlon bike from any other road bike?

Classtime 

I just got back from a shake down cruise on my 87 MV. It rides very smoothly (as you know), fun to pedal on the flats, climbs just fine, turns well, etc. One thing that I noticed maybe different from my go fast road bikes, is that the IM protested more than I'm accustomed when descending (30mph) and hitting a bump with only one hand on the bars. All I've done is replace the cable housing, swap stems/bars with my wife's Miami Vice, and exchange the Technovas for a these 25mm Schwalbes. Next step is a total rebuild.

texaspandj

I'm not a cyclist or a runner and definitely not a swimmer. But I am a triathlete, master of none. Of the three sports I just happen to enjoy cycling the most. I enjoy the challenge of triathlons but mostly enjoy the balance and the act of balancing three different sports at the same time. Think about it the swim I'm lying down, the bike I'm sitting, and the run I'm standing upright. For me it mimics my other pastimes of lying on the couch, sitting on my lazy boy, and finally walking to the fridge for snacks.
When I first started you had to really be in condition to complete a triathlon,requiring at least two hours of training a day. And lord help you if you were trying to be competitive. Even more training required. However now with sprint triathlons you don't need to make your wife a widow and kids orphans by your absence. And anyone can complete them and you can be in any shape literally.
Back in the 80s before aero bars first came out,most every one had road bikes some manufacturers offered "triathlon" models but were essentially the same as road bikes including our beloved Ironman. Shortly after aero bars came the geometry started to change to what we generally refer to as triathlon bikes. A steeper angle and quicker handling. There are some advantages to steeper angle tri bikes but I can achieve them on my Ironman. But steeper angled bikes Definitely not my cup of tea.

RobbieTunes

These days, almost everything, because it's not only about aero (there are better aero bikes with TT bikes) but position and being able to conserve parts of your body for the run.

Back in the IM day, not a lot of people had 2 bikes, and the growth of triathlons early on depended on the 5/6 of the field that were "novices," who trained and raced on the same bike. I remember the NC TT champ riding in the road race on the same bike.

Dave Scott was "everyman," training 10 hours a week and using an off-the rack bike initially (besides being a genetic freak). The appeal almost across the spectrum was the idea that "I can do this," including afford it.

Those days are not completely over, but probably 1/8 of the field are on road bikes; everyone else seems to have their bass boat, er, race bike and all the gear. Selling speed has become lucrative, and WC Fields had it right.

The market has changed, and I meet very few triathletes who enjoy riding casually. To them, it's just 1/3 of the game. Sprint tri's attempt to get more novices, but in my experience, the underlying attitude now is no longer, "hey, let's go have some fun." Seypat knows of which I speak. There's a triathlon attitude, no doubt, and the Ironman doesn't quite fit in there anymore, except for people like TP&J who like to pass those guys on his steel legend with wheels.

It's all good, but a lot of it's different.

johnlink

Can you be more specific about the differences? I'm not interested in a comparison of a Centurion Ironman with today's road bikes made of plastic (i.e., carbon fiber), but with a classic steel frame road bike.

texaspandj

Time trial and road bikes are used in triathlons. However a triathlon specific bike has a steeper angle in order to mimic running somewhat and thereby allow the transition from running to cycling be less traumatic.
A time trial bike is more about aerodynamics.
However the two sometimes meet and create a aerodynamic steep angled triathlon bike.
Hope that helps.

johnlink

To what angle do you refer?

noglider 

He's talking about the head angle of the frame which makes steering quicker and more sensitive but tends to add fatigue to the rider. He may also be talking about the seat angle of the frame which puts the rider farther forward, which also makes sense for this kind of riding.

texaspandj

Head tube and seat tube. My tablet is charging or I'd post some pics.