Conference noted::bicycle

    
    
      Well let me see...
    
      I got a riding t-shirt that says "Le tour"
    
      Gee,  Thats it.  I mean its not like I'm a tough guy to buy for.
    
      I only have one real hobby.  And everbody knows it.
    
      I'm gonna have to have a talk with these people.
    
      John C.
    

Ohhhhh I really hit the jackpot. My wife got me a bike cover.
Geeze its wonderful! I wanted to have an awful rainstorm and
a bike ride along way away so I could put the bike on the roof
and cover it! My son put me design on a water bottle as a present.

Fred Mudgett

    (yet more) Lights.

     Two things: 1) I got a $20.00 gift certificate at local b/s and
                 2) I just got jealous of Eric! Thanks a lot!
    
     I was going to wait until the early season for my ERO's, but now
    I see I'm being coerced into the purchase... :-)
    
     800 miles! 800 MILES... Sheeesh, someone get me a glass of water.
    
      Chip

    I got some Campy Omega rims, Chorus hubs, Wheelsmith oval spokes, and
    a Park trueing (sp?) stand.  Therefore I now have a real nice set of
    training wheels (32 spoke radial front, cross-3 back).
    
    I rode them yesterday for the first time.
    
    Phil

	Well, this time I was on the giving end, not the receiving: I 
	got Mark a CIC Pro Trainer HR Monitor.  He loves it: runs around
	the apartment doing jumping jacks and seeing how high he can get
	it.

	Oh yeah, I gave him the Creative Health Products catalog so he
	can order me one for my birthday. ;^)

	Sue

    
    
    Well, I hit the JACKPOT this year:
    
    a Pair wheels: Campy Chorus Cassette, Mavic rims
    a Performance Supplex Wind Jacket with Polartek insert
    a wool winter jersey
    a summer jersey
    
    
    and a Campy coffee cup!!
    
    8^)

    re .6
    The latest Nashbar is dumping some CIC heart monitors. The prices look
    pretty good.
    
    John

    
    I got two front teeth AND:
    
    - Graphics for my future frames and jerseys.
    - A custom made coolmax jersey with my graphics handpainted on. 
    - Custom made suspender shorts.  9.5 oz. bottoms and coolmax
      suspenders.
    - Custom made 9.5 oz. tights.
    - A Cannondale polartec longsleeve jersey
    
    
    							Norm
    
    

     Eric, please, please, please provide us with performance report
    on the Ergos... Thanks in advance.
    
       Chip who_is_still_green_but_a_lighter_shade_at_least

    Santa brought me:
                     -Alpinestar mtb shoes
                     -a new Bell Image hardshell helmet
                       Keep Pedallin'
                          Bob

...so I didn't tell the whole story...  The Ergos are on back order so, 
technically, I got squat for Christmas.  Chip, you'll be the first to know 
about it's performance...so stay tuned.

Eric_field_tester_for_chip

Yes I too have an order in to Colorado Cyclist on back order.

It has the components I need for the BASSO Loto SLX frame.

Wheelset 
Shimano Ultegra 8-speed HG Cassette with Campy Ypsilon Oxide Aero rim

Cassette hub 12,13,14,15,16,17,19,21 Count 'em 8

Chorus Seat post.

Stelle Italia Flite saddle

ultegra front and rear derailleurs

STI brake/shifters BACK ORDER

It appears they are selling the STI stuff before they are even produced.

TD

     Thanks for the update, Eric. I'm definitely fading to a dull
    lime hue... :-).
    
     Who do you have the order placed with? Are they that hot already
    or just not at full scale production...
    
     Maybe I should order now and take receipt in a couple of months.
    Recommendations? 
    
     Tom, your gonna love that Flite saddle! Too bad about the Shimano
    stuff. I don't mean the backorder situation. I mean your decision! :-)
     Ha, ha, ha,.............
    

    
    	Unfortunately I've got 2 hobbies (we won't go into the 3rd), and
    basically alcohol is both cheaper and easier to buy than cycling
    gear... :*(
    
    Graham.

>    basically alcohol is both cheaper and easier to buy than cycling
>    gear... :*(
    
Second that, esp. if it's your father-in-law buying it. The man has abominable 
taste in whiskies :-)
                                 ken

o  Shim 105 headset, to replace notched same
o  Shim brake cableset, to replace worn same
o  Conti Supersport Ultra 20mm, 2 off
o  Modolo stem 2cm longer than the current one - I want to try a more
   stretched-out position
o  Synthetic undershirt for cold weather exercise. I've been finding cotton   
   gets too wet, and I get cold.

So, maintenance and tweaking really. 


Rod

    
    
    Shimano LX SPD clipless MTB pedals and Performance's Durango 
    MTB shoes.
    
    doug
     

    
    Like Rod, I didn't receive any bikey things for Christmas.
    For one thing, I think we made a conscious effort to give
    non-bikey gifts. (Except, as a stocking stuffer, I gave a
    pair of Nashbar Neoprene finger-warmers.)
    
    What I've *bought* for the new season includes:
    
      - Ultegra Bar-End shifters (to replace down-tube shifters -
        an attempt toward more efficient shifting - watch for me
        to spring for STI or Ergo sometime before the millenium :-));
    
      - wheel-parts: Saavedra 28� aero clincher rims, Wheelsmith
        oval/bladed spokes, Campy Old-Record (new equipment, but old
        Record) hubs - for building light clincher wheels,
    
      - 2 new Conti Ultra clinchers (20mm front, 23mm rear) to replace
        ragged ones that have accumulated over 10,000 since June.
    
    Oh, maybe I did receive a bikey gift - a Pro-Stretch device, kind of
    a semicylinder that you can rest your foot on to do stretches.
    
    -john

I don't trade Christmas presents with my family, and I don't currently have an
SO or any close friends in this area yet, so I didn't get anything for
Christmas.  However, like John, I'm buying myself a few bike toys:

           1.  Nightsun Team Issue (got it).
           2.  Ultegra STI levers (ordered it).  I actually saw these
               over the weekend at a shop in downtown Seattle who hadn't
               priced them yet, but thought that they'd come in at $450.
               Right--Colorado Cyclist is offering them for $285.  I think
               the saving are worth the wait.
           3.  Shimano Deore XT SPD pedals and Specialized Ground Control
               shoes for my *road* bike.  This option is significantly less
               expensive than Time's TWT stuff, and I figure that if I don't
               like it better than the cheap Look stuff I've got, I can al-
               ways transfer it to my mountain bike.  If I do like it, I can
               buy a second pair of pedals for the mountain bike.
           4.  Altimeter kit for my Ciclomaster IIa.
           5.  (Maybe) New wheels built around Mavic Open 4CD Ceramic rims.
               I'm trying to get back to commuting on my road bike, and the
               extra wet stopping power is appealing in this part of the 
               country.

                                                   -- Mike

    re -.1
    
    WHAT!  Nothing from Santa?
    

RE: .21

Nope.  Santa skipped my apartment (he knew what a bad boy I'd been 8^).  So I'm
splurging my stock plan money on myself as a consolation.  Bicycle equipment is
becoming a compulsion with me.  I'm going to have to seek consoling.  At least
I've almost got everything currently on the market that I want.  Wonder how long
that'll last.

I really don't think I'll be buying those wheels though--I'm getting USA Sports
polycarb shields with prescription inserts instead.  That's how I'll justify it:
most of the major purchases are *safety* related--eye protection, good lighting
for night riding, brake-lever shifters so I can keep my hands firmly on the
bars.  I deserve a tax break! 8^)

                                                         -- Mike

    I only got two gifts from Santa this year:
    
    1) Basso Ascot frame (note 2154) with:
       - Ultegra 8 speed STI Groupo
       - Mavic rim
       - Selle Italia Turbo saddle
       - TTT anatomic bar/TTT Stem
       - Look Carbon Pedals
       - Avocet 50
       - as well as the little accessories (cages, bottles, etc.)
    
       I've gotten all of the components except the hubs.  I should have
       hubs this week so I can finish the bike befor the weekend.
    
    2) Giant Boulder ATX Mountain Bike
       - Straight production with the exception of switching the Bio-Pace for
         round chain rings.
       - Avocet 40
       - All the accessories, including a baby seat...
    
       

    Re; .23 WOW! You  must've awfully good in '91...
    
        Chip

    Santa was delayed this year but he finally delivered my Trek 5500,
    welllll, as soon as he can find the right stem, he'll deliver it.
    
    If I'm gonna be a poseur, I might as well do it in style.
    
    ed

    Santa dropped off an I.O.U. (what does IOU really mean???)
    I get to select a pair of Aero bars...  I currently ride a Diamond back
    Centurian.  Any suggestions on the Aero bars????
    
    Thanks 
    
    Linda

     I LOVE MY SCOTT CLIP-ONS...
    
    
        Chip

re: .26

You might want to wait for a couple of months until Profile starts 
distributing their new version of their Aero Bar.  I saw a picture
of it in Bicycling magazine last year.  The pads and bar are mounted
on the handlebar real close to the stem in a "V"-like position.  
This makes your handlebar usable for climbing when you want to position 
your hands on the top of the handlebar and not have the aero bar in
the way.

Kind of pricey, though.  The magazine said the cost would be $90
retail.  (Forget Santa, when's my birthday coming up??)

AAA

    THE EASTER BUNNY!

    I got my 5500.
    
    Now, I know Steel is Reel
    and Titanium is for the Cranium
    and Alloy is Toy
    
    But I needed more fiber...
    
    Now to work on those Poseur lines...
    
    Where was Graham's note?
    
    :-)
    
    ed

    
    Ed,
    
    Let us know how your first miles go!
    
    -john

    waitin' fer the salt and sand to go away, till then it's steel...
    
    ed

    
    
    ...I'm hoping to have my little project complete...so Ed and I can
    'pose' together on our bright shiney machines.  We may not go fast...
    but we'll "look good"!
    
    8^)

Wahoo!!

Installed those babies on Saturday and took it out for a quick spin....

Although I never tried D/A STIs, the Ergos's shifting was flawless and 
responsive.  Shifting has always been my sore spot but NOT ANY MORE.  I really 
liked how I could shift up/down one or a multiple of gears.  I was a little
worried about responsiveness but that wasn't the case - the response was 
immediate and precise - adjustments took less than 2 minutes.

The only -tive was that the Ergos weighed about 1/2 lb more than the standard
Campy Record levers and shifters but they are lighter that D/A.  Now if only 
they can make it out of Ti...

Eric_in_high_heaven_but_knowing_that_cycling_comes_second_in_physical_exercise..

     I finally got my combined birthday (40 isn't so bad) and Christmas
    present it's a Rodriguez tandem. Frame is Ti and weighs 6.8 pounds!!
    
 Actually it's steel and I don't know what the frame weighs, the bike
    weighs just shy of 40 pounds. I just wanted to get Chip's blood 
    going :-). Since the weather was in the 70's here over the weekend I
    was able to put some miles on it. Rides and handles great!!!
    
    

     Re; .36 -- It worked...
    
        Chip

Owning a Merlin and a racing tandem AND trying to convinve the folks at Merlin 
to build me a Ti road tandem, you certainly had me stumped for about 5 seconds.  
I know that Rodriguez makes a wicked nice Al frame but I was a little confused
when I read your note.

Eric