Advice... returning back to cycling.
- Thread starter Dave G
- Start date
Yeah, press fit is the devil's work. I think Campag current range has different standards in current range.
Why the aggression? I only started cycling in my late 30s, do about 13k oms per year, done a bit of time trialling & currently struggling as a result of a serious hip injury. I have a private Strava account & wouldn't let someone with your wonderful personality follow me. Enjoy the rest of your day.
Crikey.... Campag vs Shimano. I'd better not bring SRAM vs Rotor into the thread. Dare I ask about the pros and cons of 1x or disk vs rim brakes? In all seriousness, I'm going Shimano as it appears good value and I know I can get it Asia at about a third cheaper than even discounted in the UK.
I've also decided I am going to build the bike to my own spec. so I'm looking at frame/forks. I'm also going either Mavic or DTSwiss for my wheels and I will ride Vitoria tyres and Look pedals as I know these brands well and have served me well in the past. The only other decision made is I will ride one of my trusted San Marco Rolls saddles
I'm pretty much sure I'm going full on carbon and the ones currently in the running are the Look 795, Ridley Noah, Argon 18 Gallium... and more obscure Chapter2 Huru and the wildcard the OPEN Upper gravel bike that by all accounts with the right wheels and gear ratios could be raced (not that I will).
I've also decided I am going to build the bike to my own spec. so I'm looking at frame/forks. I'm also going either Mavic or DTSwiss for my wheels and I will ride Vitoria tyres and Look pedals as I know these brands well and have served me well in the past. The only other decision made is I will ride one of my trusted San Marco Rolls saddles
I'm pretty much sure I'm going full on carbon and the ones currently in the running are the Look 795, Ridley Noah, Argon 18 Gallium... and more obscure Chapter2 Huru and the wildcard the OPEN Upper gravel bike that by all accounts with the right wheels and gear ratios could be raced (not that I will).
NeilR
pfm Member
Ooh, let me know if you go for this one, these guys are local to me (Basel) and I am considering purchasing a gravel bike. I have also been recommended an Open upper by friends.
Pub bike warning!
No mention yet as far as I can see - please get yourself a helmet (not specific to OP, just a general "health warning" )
I have never used a helmet before but recently had a scare. Fell off my bike as I was leaving pub and felt my forehead graze the kerb, chipped bone in wrist in the fall but luckily no other damage.
I now drink less and wear a helmet when cycling.
No mention yet as far as I can see - please get yourself a helmet (not specific to OP, just a general "health warning"
)I have never used a helmet before but recently had a scare. Fell off my bike as I was leaving pub and felt my forehead graze the kerb, chipped bone in wrist in the fall but luckily no other damage.
I now drink less and wear a helmet when cycling.
Sue Pertwee-Tyr
Accuphase all the way down
Maybe think about wearing the helmet when drinking, too.
This is very, very good advice. Heard some right horror stories on this front, winter chain gangs often have a capacity for heavy drinking before riding home, I never drink & ride.
k90tour
pfm Member
Don't worry about getting on a carbon bike. I'm no great cyclist but I wish I'd gone carbon before. I now have a carbon road bike which is quite a racy set up and I have a new carbon gravel bike, which is not so racy but still good handling. The carbon feels lighter and more comfortable. I use the gravel bike more. It's not too slow, light enough more me to tackle climbs and allows me to take the odd detour whenever I fancy and more casual sight seeing rides. Buy whatever feels good because you want it to encourage you to go out. I hope you really enjoy the cycling ahead.
sq225917
Bit of this, bit of that
It's my experience of sponsoring teams that they'll ride what you give them. Pros don't really care, and the team just want stock continuity for service. Campags front much trim is poor, the levers aren't suited for sprint downshift, but generally they wear better than the other. Shimano's chains are a weak spot and you can't brake and shift at the same time, and sram bottom bracket bearings are made of cheese. The electric stuff from all brands has its own issues, sram has a clear lead here with its wireless stuff.
But mostly its much of a muchness.
But mostly its much of a muchness.
andrew d
pfm Member
I've ridden carbon since 2008. Watched the Olympics, promised myself a new bike if I rode the old one on the turbo for a couple of months to get fit. Had the current bike since 2011, no problems.
Reading through the lines of this thread, it's great to get the online views of those who know but the best decision I ever took was to join a club. It gives you a much better idea of who you are as a cyclist. The real stars in my club move on to trade teams and the ex pros who ride with us are relaxed and offer help and assistance to those who need it. We cater for all types of rides and riders. There are no egos, none gets dropped on a club ride, everyone waits if you puncture or have a mechanical. The ride starts on a relatively long hill and if it becomes apparent that you're on or off the pace you can either crack on and catch the group ahead or fall back to a slower group. Of course if you're racing its competitive and all bets are off but you're only as good as your last result.
Reading through the lines of this thread, it's great to get the online views of those who know but the best decision I ever took was to join a club. It gives you a much better idea of who you are as a cyclist. The real stars in my club move on to trade teams and the ex pros who ride with us are relaxed and offer help and assistance to those who need it. We cater for all types of rides and riders. There are no egos, none gets dropped on a club ride, everyone waits if you puncture or have a mechanical. The ride starts on a relatively long hill and if it becomes apparent that you're on or off the pace you can either crack on and catch the group ahead or fall back to a slower group. Of course if you're racing its competitive and all bets are off but you're only as good as your last result.
Tony L
Administrator
Its all detailed on another thread, but quick recap:
Here’s my nice titanium bike after an utter idiot in a large Renault Master van drove over it. My left foot was trapped between the left crank and the downtube as the van drove over the bike.
Here’s the other side of the Shimano Ultegra chainset showing the damage it sustained. Basically the chainset and titanium frame saved my foot and very likely my life. Had I been riding a carbon bike it would almost certainly have shattered into glass-sharp shards the way the forks have. The break on the forks is sharp like a Stanley knife, it would cut through arteries with ease.
I fully understand why people like carbon for competitive riding, it is an advanced and light material and very strong in certain contexts. No way on earth would I ride a carbon frame or seat-post in traffic on the roads though, I learned my lesson above well! FWIW I still have carbon forks and bars on my new bike (very similar to the above), though I do have some reservations about carbon bars as I’d not want to be anywhere near them if they shattered on impact.
PS The accident hugely changed me. Even now though almost completely physically recovered I don’t fully have my confidence back and I suspect I never will. It made me very aware that road cycling has very real risks that are entirely outside your control and really one needs to take that into account at every decision stage from selecting appropriate bike design for the busy road environment, your visibility, how defensively you ride etc. I actually do far more canal cycling now as there are no vans there!
Cannondale are replacing the Caad12 later this year so there will be deals on now. I have the previous Caad10 & they are great bikes apart from the bb30 bottom bracket. I have put a praxis conversion kit on mine so it will run a standard shimano 105 crank. A good place to start, good geometry, pretty light.
Sounds horrendous, I don't think the frame saved you though as the crank would have taken all the impact anyway. I went over on some black ice last year & broke my hip, it does change your mindset.Its all detailed on another thread, but quick recap:
Here’s my nice titanium bike after an utter idiot in a large Renault Master van drove over it. My left foot was trapped between the left crank and the downtube as the van drove over the bike.
Here’s the other side of the Shimano Ultegra chainset showing the damage it sustained. Basically the chainset and titanium frame saved my foot and very likely my life. Had I been riding a carbon bike it would almost certainly have shattered into glass-sharp shards the way the forks have. The break on the forks is sharp like a Stanley knife, it would cut through arteries with ease.
I fully understand why people like carbon for competitive riding, it is an advanced and light material and very strong in certain contexts. No way on earth would I ride a carbon frame or seat-post in traffic on the roads though, I learned my lesson above well! FWIW I still have carbon forks and bars on my new bike (very similar to the above), though I do have some reservations about carbon bars as I’d not want to be anywhere near them if they shattered on impact.
PS The accident hugely changed me. Even now though almost completely physically recovered I don’t fully have my confidence back and I suspect I never will. It made me very aware that road cycling has very real risks that are entirely outside your control and really one needs to take that into account at every decision stage from selecting appropriate bike design for the busy road environment, your visibility, how defensively you ride etc. I actually do far more canal cycling now as there are no vans there!
Paul R
pfm Member
Tony's experience obviously has nothing to do with the frame of his bicycle.
In general expecting something you put between your legs and aren't attached to to offer impact protection seems more than a little naïve, and way OT for this thread.
Paul R
pfm Member
Shimano press-fit in carbon just works. IME. And I think there may be a long term reliability advantage in not having threaded inserts bonded into the bottom bracket area, it's a failure option.
Paul R
pfm Member
It's possible that Vittoria tyres won't be ideal in your area, for all their undoubted virtues. But they will be great while they're inflated. Interested to find out how you get on...
I managed to wreck a Bb30 BB on Caad10 in 6-weeks with FSA gossamer. I ended up putting a praxis on it. My canyon has a press fit Shimano & I have had no problems with it. Specialized now fit a praxis on their frames so they can fit shimano. I've never had an issue with a standard screw fit BB. It is all rather confusing as manufacturers adopt different solutions.
Never got on with Vittoria, they don't seem to last. Continental GP4000S are a very good all rounder