Originally Posted by
RobbieTunes
I take it you like the bike.
You did a good job, and your enthusiasm shows through.
I agree with your choice of components, as Dura Ace 7700 - 9000 is just flick and click on those shifters, and the 7700 and 7800 RD's have little competition in the performance for price category. The 7900/9000 calipers will definitely stop you quick. I almost endo'd the first time I pulled hard on mine.
Just gave away 3 of those cranksets. They do scuff up rather quickly, and require the Octalink BB's, but removing the anodizing leaves a beautiful mirror finish, would you be so inclined. 3speedslow has them. I think I gave him a BB to go with them.
I had no idea the Trek Emonda was aluminum. Holy cow. (Just a side note to speak of the dark side).
Strictly for power transfer, imagine that with an external BB and crankset. Not that you can get much lighter than the DA 7700, but you can in the BB. A fine used FSA carbon crankset, on an external BB, and swap the rings over, maybe? The black would be fine with that paint scheme.
All in all, the first and only Prologue I've seen in that scheme. I've admired the ones of rccardr and wrk101, and others in red/white, and of course, now I want one.
Outstanding build, balanced out so nice, nothing but bike there; excellent write-up, and that is one of those bikes I would see on a group ride, pull up next to, and give you a kudo, for sure. Then I'd bug you for the next 2-3 miles and as we kind of bide our time behind other riders, the opening would come, and we'd be out on the left, closing the gap on the next bunch.
You've solved the riddle.
Thank you, sir!
I would not mind a fully polished 7700 crankset. I'll need to research how to do that and see if it is relatively apartment unit safe.
The 7900 shifters need a 7900 FD, and only one. I can make it work with a 7800 half the time. The other half of the time it chucks the chain. Annoying!
Trek made their Emonda first in carbon fiber, in various grades (S, SL, SLR), and a year later the ALR was introduced. ALR 6 was decently high up the list--an Ultegra level bike. All, IIRC, use their "Alpha 300" aluminum, which is their best. Lower rank ALRs had CF/alu steerer forks. My fork is all carbon.
Man, your crankset and lightening musings have me thinking (again) about weight:
The Tange Prestige tube set has plenty of .7 .4 .7 wall thicknesses, which is properly thin for standard diameter tubing. Frame, fork, and headset weight 3,000g on the nose. It is easily my lightest traditionally lugged steel frame, beating my '85 Peloton at 3,060g or so. As the assembled bike sits, with single-sided SPD-mtn pedals (not the ones pictured), which save some weight, it as pictured is 20 lb 11oz. Tantalizingly close to breaking the 20 lb barrier! How could I do it? 312g to get there. Well.......
You brought up cranksets, and you are correct. Things don't get lighter crankset-wise as one goes newer (stiffer, yes), but BB-wise they lighten up significantly. I have a 7800 crankset on my very-complete Emonda. I have an FSA Carbon Pro Team Issue triple crankset that I have for sale, in good shape, that I can take the small ring off of. I'm running an Ultegra BB-6500 bottom bracket in the Prologue right now, but have a BB-7700 available (and yes I do like them!). Bike Works has a perfect 9000-era crankset in my length etc, for a proper price, too. Can I lighten things for free? To the weight specifications chart we go!
Crank - Wt. BB - Wt. Total Wt.
Current: 7700 - 613g BB-6500 - 230g 843g
7800-era 7800 - 656g HllwTch2 - 99g 755g
7900-era 7900 - 659g HllwTch2 - 99g 758g
9000-era 9000 - 636g HllwTch2 - 99g 735g
FSA FSA - 560g BB-7700 - 175g
735g
Looks like we can drop 100g or so straight away, and for no cost! As long as it matches the look of the bike, to me, I should be golden here. Another 200-ish grams are needed. The Kenda tires are apparently 329g or so. I can change them to Vittoria Open Corsa Evo CX's, which I have, and they are about 225g. So another 200g.
But what about making sure I definitely get across that 20.0 lb line? Stem conversion, not kidding. Quill converter, 1 1/8" stem, and compact 31.8mm clamp bars are consistently lighter than traditional quill and drop bars.
You've resurrected dark-sided thoughts!
