Bah Humbug

You can just strip the decals. The twist makes sure everyone knows what it is anyway.

jaxgtr

That is a sexy green and the tan side walls look fantastic with it.

SoSmellyAir

Very nice! Not black bike is key.

Sy Reene

For typical scuffs and light scratches with a Ti bike, get a Scotch Brite 7448 pad or two to buff out if it should occur:

SSRI

Great choice on the matching Ti STEM and Seatpost

Ynotnow

Got a slight break in the weather, so I was able to take it on a quick 20 mile ride.

It is everything I had hoped for and more.
I actually beat my best time on this route the very first attempt on the new bike, and that's factoring in the cold temps and not being in peak riding shape.

I have been contemplating buying a nice set of carbon wheels, but I can't see how it would possibly make the bike any better.
It is incredibly fast, gets up to speed in an instant, and climbs exceptionally well, so I just can't see it making much difference.

Any carbon wheelset folks want to chime in with their experience?

SoSmellyAir

Congratulations on your new bike. You should be able to beat your prior best time on this route if it was achieved on a mountain bike.

Boyd Rouleur weigh 800 g front, 960 g rear; not sure if these figures include the weight of tubeless tape or valve stems.

Rouleur Alloy Disc Wheelset – Boyd Cycling

Roval Alpinist CL II (currently on sale) weigh 606 g front, 769 g rear, including tubeless tape and valve stems.

Roval Alpinist CL II | Specialized.com

You should be able to tell a 200 g/wheel difference.

Lombard

Personally, I like the neoprene chainstay protectors like this one:

https://planetcyclery.com/lizard-ski...8aAjOhEALw_wcB

Ynotnow

Not doubting you at all, particularly since I've never road cycled, I just find it hard to wrap my head around 200 grams being noticeable.
That would be like taking a bowel movement before a ride, or losing 7 ounces of body weight would make a difference.

Had to be something else to it besides the weight that I don't understand.

Lombard

Rotational inertia. To be clear, 200g difference in a wheelset will not make you significantly faster, but you will feel faster because you will accelerate up to speed faster. Once up to speed though, weight is weight and 200g is negligible. IOW, if you are expecting to improve your average speed with a 200g lighter wheelset, you will be disappointed.

SoSmellyAir

As Lombard said below, it is rotational inertia, which I hope you do not experience with your poo while riding or otherwise.

First, it is 200 g per wheel, which is definitely noticeable. Second, the rotational inertia does not only affect acceleration, but also the handling of the bike.

Lombard

This may be true. Though it is questionable as to whether this would make you significantly faster than losing 400g of static weight on your bike.

SoSmellyAir

1. I never said it would make Ynotnow any faster.
2. It was not clear whether Ynotnow was asking about making his new bike (a) "any better", or (b) faster only. See below.
3. In addition to rotational inertia, there is also the issue of sprung vs. unsprung mass for handling. Consider a super light weight bike with a solid disc rear wheel vs. a heavier normal bike with lighter wheels, both bikes weighing the same overall; which one would be easier to turn?

Lombard

I don't know about easier. They would feel different, but I don't know that one would be easier than the other.

SoSmellyAir

Sorry, easy to turn is inapt. Maybe "more flickable"?

Lombard

You mean twitchy? That makes sense.

SoSmellyAir

No, I thought twitchy or quick steering was largely down to wheelbase, head tube angle, and front offset (caster)?

I don't know how best to articulate it in road bike terms, but it is a consensus among performance drivers that reducing unsprung weight is advantageous to both acceleration and handling, and the latter is noticeable via a lighter steering feel.

Ynotnow

Thanks for the continued input fellas!!!!
Good advice is always appreciated!

The rotational mass thing makes sense now that I think about it, but I'm left wondering if that, in itself, is worth the price of admission.

What do you folks think about a carbon wheelset making climbing easier?
Does the rotational mass thing apply there as well or is it a matter of ounces making a true difference on steep, extended, climbs?

Mojo31

If you can get up a hill on carbon wheels, you'll get up on aluminum wheels with no problems.

It's all about fractional gains in speed and time. Won't really make anything easier or harder in a noticeable way.

Lombard

^^^This.^^^ Furthermore, there are plenty of very light alloy wheels that won't break the bank. And you don't even have to go to ridiculously low spoke counts either:

https://bicyclewheelwarehouse.com/Ro...Wheel-Set.html

https://bicyclewheelwarehouse.com/Ro...Wheel-Set.html

Since these rims are ultra light, I would recommend going with a 24F/28R spoke count for stiffness.

SoSmellyAir

I just noticed we have the same bike work stand.

No. But it looks cool!

Yes, slightly. Marginal gains.

On truly slow, extended, steep climbs, the wheels are rotating much more slowly, so (of course) there is less rotational inertia. Also, when one is slogging up a steep climb, handling is much less of a concern than when speeding down a descent.