Getting the urge again for N+1
#1
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Getting the urge again for N+1
I currently ride a Kuota Kredo with Chorus 10, and while it still rides fine, and I've kept it up, maybe it is time for something new. I'm considering what would have been a step down from that in a 105 equipped Cdale Super Six Evo, or Canyon Endurace. Trek, Spec and Giant would be considered too. Would I be happy with these after riding a custom build for all these years? When I bought the Kuota I posted it here and everybody drooled over it!
#2
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I currently ride a Kuota Kredo with Chorus 10, and while it still rides fine, and I've kept it up, maybe it is time for something new. I'm considering what would have been a step down from that in a 105 equipped Cdale Super Six Evo, or Canyon Endurace. Trek, Spec and Giant would be considered too. Would I be happy with these after riding a custom build for all these years? When I bought the Kuota I posted it here and everybody drooled over it!
#3
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I have 5 road bikes. They are a CAAD 12, Guru Sidero (steel), Guru Photon, Masi Gran Criterium S, and my latest Canyon Aeroad CF SL. My wife recently bought a Canyon Ultimate CF SLX. All of mine have mechanical shifting. (Hers has DI 2.) Everything from 105-Ultegra-Dura Ace and SRAM Red. I love each one of these bikes but the one I reach for is the Canyon Aeroad and my wife loves her Canyon Ultimate. I can't say enough good things about those bikes. If I wanted an endurance type bike I'd go with an Endurace.
#4
Senior Member
I used Campy drivetrains for 25 years, including 12 speed. I switched to SRAM Force AXS four years ago to get a little lower gearing and would never go back to mechanical shifting. AXS wireless is incredibly easy to install. Disc brakes of course, with 25mm internal width hookless rims that require no rim tape. With 28mm tires front and 30mm rear, only 53psi air pressure is required, which gives a great ride.
I still prefer to buy a frame and build it up, but my latest N+1 is a Cervelo Rouvida with Rival that's obviously something you have to buy pre-built. I needed a larger setback seatpost, longer stem and different tires and wheels to get it setup for me. The higher level models are a rip off. Same bike with over priced parts upgrade.
I still prefer to buy a frame and build it up, but my latest N+1 is a Cervelo Rouvida with Rival that's obviously something you have to buy pre-built. I needed a larger setback seatpost, longer stem and different tires and wheels to get it setup for me. The higher level models are a rip off. Same bike with over priced parts upgrade.
#5
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Only you know the nature of your desire to obtain/possess another bike. What is missing in your riding or what idea of the possible pleasure would result from adding one of these bikes? I have made mistakes and dumped bikes that did not deliver and don't regret the experience at all.
#6
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Part of the allure (for me) to getting a newer bike is to avail myself of wider road tire capabilities with tubeless. Better brakes with disc, newer frame technologies to tweak the ride to lower weight, etc..
With all this said, I am a throwback "vintage" type rider who is running rim brakes, being limited to no wider than 25mm tires and enjoying my tubeless 25 mm tires and tuning my "vintage" stuff . I'm always amazed how "tunable" bikes can be and somewhat surprised that more riders thrash and run super great parts into the ground while making many of the same mistakes that led to their perception that the old ride is less desirable.
With all this said, I am a throwback "vintage" type rider who is running rim brakes, being limited to no wider than 25mm tires and enjoying my tubeless 25 mm tires and tuning my "vintage" stuff . I'm always amazed how "tunable" bikes can be and somewhat surprised that more riders thrash and run super great parts into the ground while making many of the same mistakes that led to their perception that the old ride is less desirable.
Last edited by masi61; 06-17-24 at 04:42 PM.
#7
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Thread Starter
Let me bump this to answer some questions/comments.
My riding is one or two 40-50 mile rides per week, with laps of Prospect Park to fill in at 15 to 20 miles. I'll also do an occasional century once I feel fit. I tend to push it within the limits of my 69 year old heart, and that's been pretty hard these days. For example yesterday I did 52 miles along the beachfront, so it was flat. But flat lets me really go hard, especially if there are no intersections. Today I'm going to do 3 or 4 laps of the park just to loosen up a bit. Earlier this week I did 40+ miles starting with a 3 mile climb where the grade went over 10% in places. The rest of the ride felt like a slog. My winter riding is on the trainer and I'd keep my current bike for that. No sense in putting extra stress and wear on a brand new bike if I still have it.
I ride with 28 in the front and 25 in the rear because those are the max that fit. I'm OK with that. I rented a Roubaix a few years ago in San Francisco and I really appreciated the very wide gearing and the disc brakes, for up and down those hills. I believe it was 105 11sp with 11-34 in the back and 50-34 in the front. That 34/34 combo got me up those streets.
My current desire is to go AXS wireless, and the reviews I've read seem to say that all of the SRAM AXS are good and all you save is a little weight with the higher end. Campy just got too expensive and I wouldn't consider it again. I remember back when I put the bike together I had test rode an Ultegra 10sp equipped bike and I hated the shifting, and that's why I went Campy. The one at a time shifts felt limiting.
For my next task today though I'm going to replace chain, cassette and pulley wheels on my current ride. It may be some time before I really buy and in the meantime I'm going to ride.
My riding is one or two 40-50 mile rides per week, with laps of Prospect Park to fill in at 15 to 20 miles. I'll also do an occasional century once I feel fit. I tend to push it within the limits of my 69 year old heart, and that's been pretty hard these days. For example yesterday I did 52 miles along the beachfront, so it was flat. But flat lets me really go hard, especially if there are no intersections. Today I'm going to do 3 or 4 laps of the park just to loosen up a bit. Earlier this week I did 40+ miles starting with a 3 mile climb where the grade went over 10% in places. The rest of the ride felt like a slog. My winter riding is on the trainer and I'd keep my current bike for that. No sense in putting extra stress and wear on a brand new bike if I still have it.
I ride with 28 in the front and 25 in the rear because those are the max that fit. I'm OK with that. I rented a Roubaix a few years ago in San Francisco and I really appreciated the very wide gearing and the disc brakes, for up and down those hills. I believe it was 105 11sp with 11-34 in the back and 50-34 in the front. That 34/34 combo got me up those streets.
My current desire is to go AXS wireless, and the reviews I've read seem to say that all of the SRAM AXS are good and all you save is a little weight with the higher end. Campy just got too expensive and I wouldn't consider it again. I remember back when I put the bike together I had test rode an Ultegra 10sp equipped bike and I hated the shifting, and that's why I went Campy. The one at a time shifts felt limiting.
For my next task today though I'm going to replace chain, cassette and pulley wheels on my current ride. It may be some time before I really buy and in the meantime I'm going to ride.
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#8
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Let me bump this to answer some questions/comments.
My riding is one or two 40-50 mile rides per week, with laps of Prospect Park to fill in at 15 to 20 miles. I'll also do an occasional century once I feel fit. I tend to push it within the limits of my 69 year old heart, and that's been pretty hard these days. For example yesterday I did 52 miles along the beachfront, so it was flat. But flat lets me really go hard, especially if there are no intersections. Today I'm going to do 3 or 4 laps of the park just to loosen up a bit. Earlier this week I did 40+ miles starting with a 3 mile climb where the grade went over 10% in places. The rest of the ride felt like a slog. My winter riding is on the trainer and I'd keep my current bike for that. No sense in putting extra stress and wear on a brand new bike if I still have it.
I ride with 28 in the front and 25 in the rear because those are the max that fit. I'm OK with that. I rented a Roubaix a few years ago in San Francisco and I really appreciated the very wide gearing and the disc brakes, for up and down those hills. I believe it was 105 11sp with 11-34 in the back and 50-34 in the front. That 34/34 combo got me up those streets.
My current desire is to go AXS wireless, and the reviews I've read seem to say that all of the SRAM AXS are good and all you save is a little weight with the higher end. Campy just got too expensive and I wouldn't consider it again. I remember back when I put the bike together I had test rode an Ultegra 10sp equipped bike and I hated the shifting, and that's why I went Campy. The one at a time shifts felt limiting.
For my next task today though I'm going to replace chain, cassette and pulley wheels on my current ride. It may be some time before I really buy and in the meantime I'm going to ride.
My riding is one or two 40-50 mile rides per week, with laps of Prospect Park to fill in at 15 to 20 miles. I'll also do an occasional century once I feel fit. I tend to push it within the limits of my 69 year old heart, and that's been pretty hard these days. For example yesterday I did 52 miles along the beachfront, so it was flat. But flat lets me really go hard, especially if there are no intersections. Today I'm going to do 3 or 4 laps of the park just to loosen up a bit. Earlier this week I did 40+ miles starting with a 3 mile climb where the grade went over 10% in places. The rest of the ride felt like a slog. My winter riding is on the trainer and I'd keep my current bike for that. No sense in putting extra stress and wear on a brand new bike if I still have it.
I ride with 28 in the front and 25 in the rear because those are the max that fit. I'm OK with that. I rented a Roubaix a few years ago in San Francisco and I really appreciated the very wide gearing and the disc brakes, for up and down those hills. I believe it was 105 11sp with 11-34 in the back and 50-34 in the front. That 34/34 combo got me up those streets.
My current desire is to go AXS wireless, and the reviews I've read seem to say that all of the SRAM AXS are good and all you save is a little weight with the higher end. Campy just got too expensive and I wouldn't consider it again. I remember back when I put the bike together I had test rode an Ultegra 10sp equipped bike and I hated the shifting, and that's why I went Campy. The one at a time shifts felt limiting.
For my next task today though I'm going to replace chain, cassette and pulley wheels on my current ride. It may be some time before I really buy and in the meantime I'm going to ride.
Last edited by Sierra_rider; 06-02-24 at 11:09 PM.
#9
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Sounds like you just want a new bike...and there is nothing wrong with that. I was in a similar boat a couple months ago...in my case, my "old" bike is a Canyon Endurace with Ultegra mechanical 11 speed. It's hydro disc and has generous tire clearance, so I didn't really have a good reason for upgrading. I had been looking at new bikes, but initially couldn't justify a new road bike. Finally, one of the shifters busted in the middle of a ride, and I ordered a new Canyon Ultimate SLX with Di2 Ultegra 12 speed as soon as I got home. The shifter ended up being an easy fix for me, but the new bike scratched an itch that I'd been having...no regrets and I've been riding the wheels of the Ultimate. The Endurace is still an awesome backup and/or trainer bike for me.
I put the new cassette and chain on it and it does shift a lot better now. Campy 10 always did shift well and allowed multiple shifts up and down. And as far as mechanical vs. electronic shifting there is something to be said for the feel of mechanical. I've never been on an electronic shifting bike so maybe I won't like that. I'd imagine there would be a slight lag.
If your old bike is a Canyon Endurace you are way ahead of me and already replacing it.
#10
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Talked to a lot of riders who say they would never go back ... have seen a few posts from Luddites who claim to hate it but you know how some folks can be .... hating is their love .... Plus electronic systems (at least a lot of them) are programmable so you can tailor shift patterns, from direct one-to-one shifting to the chip automatically suggesting the next ratio, even if it a double shift, and all kinds of other things ... plus you (with some systems) you can mount mini-shift buttons so you have perfect reach to the shifters in different hand positions.
#11
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Thread Starter
Never tried electronic shifting myself (purely for budget reasons) but from what I hear it is quicker and smoother and far less demanding than mechanical.
Talked to a lot of riders who say they would never go back ... have seen a few posts from Luddites who claim to hate it but you know how some folks can be .... hating is their love .... Plus electronic systems (at least a lot of them) are programmable so you can tailor shift patterns, from direct one-to-one shifting to the chip automatically suggesting the next ratio, even if it a double shift, and all kinds of other things ... plus you (with some systems) you can mount mini-shift buttons so you have perfect reach to the shifters in different hand positions.
Talked to a lot of riders who say they would never go back ... have seen a few posts from Luddites who claim to hate it but you know how some folks can be .... hating is their love .... Plus electronic systems (at least a lot of them) are programmable so you can tailor shift patterns, from direct one-to-one shifting to the chip automatically suggesting the next ratio, even if it a double shift, and all kinds of other things ... plus you (with some systems) you can mount mini-shift buttons so you have perfect reach to the shifters in different hand positions.
Last edited by zacster; 06-02-24 at 07:54 PM.
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#12
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It's a little more than just wanting a new bike, although there is a lot of that too. The gearing and the braking are better now, not that I couldn't stop when I descended after my 10% grade climb, but disc brakes take a lot less hand pressure to engage. When I ride any newer CF bike I feel like the damping is even better.
I put the new cassette and chain on it and it does shift a lot better now. Campy 10 always did shift well and allowed multiple shifts up and down. And as far as mechanical vs. electronic shifting there is something to be said for the feel of mechanical. I've never been on an electronic shifting bike so maybe I won't like that. I'd imagine there would be a slight lag.
If your old bike is a Canyon Endurace you are way ahead of me and already replacing it.
I put the new cassette and chain on it and it does shift a lot better now. Campy 10 always did shift well and allowed multiple shifts up and down. And as far as mechanical vs. electronic shifting there is something to be said for the feel of mechanical. I've never been on an electronic shifting bike so maybe I won't like that. I'd imagine there would be a slight lag.
If your old bike is a Canyon Endurace you are way ahead of me and already replacing it.
No lag with electronic, virtually instantaneous and definitely quicker than mechanical. I wouldn't go as far as to say that I can't ever go back to mechanical, because I do switch back and forth...but if I could, I'd prefer that all my bikes were electronic.
My Endurace is a 2020 model...not really "old," but it definitely has some hours/miles on it. There wasn't really a good justification for the purchase of my Ultimate, other than "I wanted it." I do appreciate the weight of the Ultimate, and it climbs and sprints like a dream, although any performance gains are marginal at best.
#13
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Thread Starter
I took a longer ride on my current bike with the new drivetrain and I'm feeling less of an urge to buy something new now. I'm going to replace the brake pads next so maybe that'll be all I really need.
#14
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Thread Starter
So today I took my daughter's Cannondale Super Six Evo for a ride again. When I first built it up for her I did a 30 mile or so ride and it felt really good to ride, but today I wasn't so sure. It is a very light frame, the lightest production frame at the time and maybe still is, but the components were pulled off her prior bike that she outgrew and these were nothing special. This one is a 48, which is the recommended size for me based on current measurements, but is also a WSD so a little shorter. Anyway, between my bike and this one I'd stick with mine. Don't get me wrong though, the Super Six is an incredible bike. Maybe I need to try it with lighter wheels. The ones on it were stock wheels from a lower end Specialized Dolce Vita. They must come in at 2000g+ but they are the only 9sp wheels I have to go with the 105 9sp.
Also as another consideration my own bike has a Redshift Shockstop stem and this one has a standard stem. After a few miles I noticed the difference going over a bumpy road. A lot of the higher end bikes these days have proprietary stem/bar combos which would prevent using one, or at least mean changing the entire front end.
Also as another consideration my own bike has a Redshift Shockstop stem and this one has a standard stem. After a few miles I noticed the difference going over a bumpy road. A lot of the higher end bikes these days have proprietary stem/bar combos which would prevent using one, or at least mean changing the entire front end.
#15
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Funny, you are looking to add, and I am trying to unload a couple. I have really enjoyed the my CheckPoint and just picked up a new set of wheels just for road tires when I want to just ride the road, the one bike to rule them all as it were.
#16
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And I use a Shockstop stem on my Checkpoint. Such a versatile bike.
#17
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Get a recumbent.
#19
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I don't understand the thread title....my understanding is that the state of desiring an N+1 is a constant state of mind, not something that can happen again and again!
Life is short, if you want another bike and can afford one, buy it! I need extremely tenuous self-justification to get a +1!!
Life is short, if you want another bike and can afford one, buy it! I need extremely tenuous self-justification to get a +1!!
#20
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#21
Senior Member
Thread Starter
I don't understand the thread title....my understanding is that the state of desiring an N+1 is a constant state of mind, not something that can happen again and again!
Life is short, if you want another bike and can afford one, buy it! I need extremely tenuous self-justification to get a +1!!
Life is short, if you want another bike and can afford one, buy it! I need extremely tenuous self-justification to get a +1!!
#22
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#23
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Yes by about 0.1W. but more importantly they make you look faster. And have to resort to getting the LBS to change your cables as you just can’t face it. Ours add a surcharge for my Madone cabling because it’s such a pita.
#24
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#25
Senior Member
I have a 2004 Bianchi that’s in active rotation - in fact, it’s with me now while I spend the week dog sitting at my sister’s. It just happens to be easier to load a rim brake bike into the car than the disc brake bike, so here it is.
I also have a 2019 Lynskey. Strictly speaking, she shifts more easily, is more aero, has easier gears, and is both stiffer laterally while being comparably compliant vertically.
On one stretch of road, I put down a faster time on the Lynskey while putting out five fewer watts. In other places, the Bianchi firmly holds the PR crown.
Yes there have been advancements, but as long as you realize a new bike will most likely satisfy a ‘want’ more than a ‘need,’ and might not be that much faster, then all will be good. I definitely enjoy switching between my bikes to just have a different feel.
I also have a 2019 Lynskey. Strictly speaking, she shifts more easily, is more aero, has easier gears, and is both stiffer laterally while being comparably compliant vertically.
On one stretch of road, I put down a faster time on the Lynskey while putting out five fewer watts. In other places, the Bianchi firmly holds the PR crown.
Yes there have been advancements, but as long as you realize a new bike will most likely satisfy a ‘want’ more than a ‘need,’ and might not be that much faster, then all will be good. I definitely enjoy switching between my bikes to just have a different feel.