Conference noted::bicycle

    I'll add one.  Is anyone going to re-mortgage their house and buy a new 
    ZIPP 2001?

    
     How about the new low end Campy group designed to rival Shimano 105.
    Its pronouced "Velochay", dont know how its spelled. Supposed to come
    with STI/Ergopower style levers.
    
    

    
    
    Veloce...
    
    Graham.

    Any input on front suspension?? I'm thinking of getting some Specialize
    Future Shocks, anyone had any experience with them of Rock Shox??
    
    		tim

I checked into the Rock Shox and the Specialized top of the line units. From 
what I've been told they both have very good points. They offer a wide range of 
adjustability and are built to last. The only drawback is the fact that they 
require a bit of maintenance to keep them from failing while out on the trail.
It is a small price to pay for a great working suspension.

Manufactures are pumping out all kinds of "entry level" front suspensions. 
The only problem is that you ride them just as hard as you would a top of the 
line shock. Most people that buy a shock are not entry level riders that ride on 
fire roads. So remember when you go to buy a shock you need to ask yourself a 
few questions.

Am I a gonzo rider, do my friends call me `Endo Man', are you bending your
180 gram bars without even falling on them?

Then don't skimp. Buy the best shock out there and you won't be sorry.

As far as what brand has is the best...???

"Mountain Biking" and other MTB rags are testing them all the time. One MTB rag 
does a really good job of not falling into the trap of always praising the product. 
They have no problem with calling something junk. I forget which one it is, but 
their product testers are know as the "Wrecking Crew".

Lets hear more...

T

    I've got about 1500 very agressive miles on a Specialized Future
    Shock; no maintenance (other than adding air once in a while); no
    problems.  The rubber "booties" keep out the crap.  It seems as
    reliable and sturdy as a regular fork.  Kb
    

Re. the "Wrecking Crew"

They're the Mountain Bike Action crew.  They do seem to call them as they see
them rather than just find nothing but good things to say so as to keep the
ad dollars flowing in.  Just a few issues back thay had a comparison of
several front suspensions.  If anyone's interested, send me mail on FROSTY::
DWYER, include your mailstop, and I'll make copies of the article and send
it to you.

Re. the choices

From what I've seen in the mag's, lots of racers run Manitou's suspension
fork.  Don't know if that means they have a good fork or just a generous
racer sponsorship program.  A friend of my son's that we ride with bought
Scott's Unishock (sp?) fork.  He weighs in at around 160 lbs. and rides
moderately hard (we don't call him "Endo-man" yet, but he's working on it).
So far (he's had it for the past summer season) the Scott's held up with
just basic maintenance, i.e. cleaning and checking fasteners.  Since adding the
shock, he dusts me on the downhills, but that's not saying much as I'm old &
cautious in my riding!  My son rides w/out suspension and stays pretty much
with him, though he has to work much harder to do so and routinely comes *much*
closer to earning the "Endo-man" title because of it!

Personally, after trying the bike with the Scott Unishock, both my son and I
want suspension.  We're studying now with hopes of purchase for next season.

Greg 

    Thanks folks, I have talked with Rock Shox owners at my local shop
    and they seem to lean more twords the Specialized Future Shock and
    since it just came in I guess I'll have to buy it. I've also heard 
    that "once you ride with suspension, you'll wonder how you ever rode 
    without it"!! So it looks like I will be able to fly on the down hills
    and not worry about lower back fatigue!!
    
    		Tim

Has anyone seen the price of Shimano 105 STI "upgrade"?  Is it 8 speed?
Thanks!
Ray

>>>Has anyone seen the price of Shimano 105 STI "upgrade"?  Is it 8 speed?

For anyone interested, I'll answer my own question.  The 105STI shifters & brakes are
available from Excel (800) 624-6664 for $229.xx.  It's 8 speed but can be used on a
7 speed bike by locking out the eighth click.
Ray

Or you can go with the Ultegra for only $25 more.  Colorado Cyclist had it for
$249.  Nashbar's price was $289.  

Sue

    How does one lock out a click?

  You lock out a click with the limit screws on the rear deraileur.

  Adjust it stop before it gets to the last cog and the lever won't
  be able to make the last click.

  John C.

    
    
    
      I seen the '93 Serotta Colorado Ti frame yesterday. Very nice in many
    ways and not so nice in others.
    
      Being a bit of a negatory (had strict Dutch parents) I quickly
    noticed that the welds and finish just were not that well done. The
    workmanship could have been better. I would like to beleive that this
    being a very early frame would not indicative of future frames.
    
      The bike is very similar to the steel Colorados with the wishbone
    chain stays and multishaped and tapered tubes. It is available with a
    Kestral carbon fiber fork or a Prism aluminum fork. The one I seen had
    a bright red Prism aluminum fork. The frame takes a convential style
    bottom bracket. The rear drop outs are very nicely machined. They are
    quite thin with a raised circular boss where the skewer end cap touches
    the frame. A 54cm frame and fork weights in at an incredibily light 2.79
    pounds! This is without a BB. The frame will be available naked or
    painted.
    
     I forgot to ask the price.
    
    
                                                            Wayne V
    

     Copied from BICYCLING, June 1993, without permission



     Bully Pulleys



     If you can't stand the thought of imprecise, bushing-equipped

     derailleur pulleys on your $2,500 workhorse, these ball-bearing

     titanium models may be for you.  Inventor George Carmichael says

     they're 3 times stronger than aluminum, which means they don't deform

     as quickly and will maintain precise shifting longer.  We have no data

     on longevity or bearing resistance yet, but we suspect high marks in

     both categories.  However, the pulleys weigh the same (28.9 grams,

     including washers) as standard Suntour resin models, and we gave them

     a middling rating based on practicality.  In the days of rebuildable

     rear derailleurs, such long-lasting parts would have been great.  But

     today, pulleys last about as long as the rest of the mechanism, unless

     you frequently ride off road in mud.  Sure they can be transplanted to

     a new changer, but we're uncertain we'd part with $50 for pulleys -

     even sturdy ones.  Carmichael's next project is a rear derailleur.  If

     it's as precise and long lasting as his pulleys, he'll really be onto

     something.  Contact:  Carmichael Components, 603/899-2831 (NH).

    However, Carmichael is now also selling a 23 gm alloy pulley for less
    money than his Ti pulleys.  They look like bullseye pulleys with
    holes drilled in 'em.
    
    ed