Conference noted::bicycle

Bars/stem:  If you choose Cinelli or Modolo, you'll most likely have to take
them both from the same supplier since bar/stem compatibility is a minefield.
Making this choice in 1990 I went for Modolo ergonomic bars (Q-even) and
haven't regretted it at all.

Rims: My previous pair of wheels used Mavic o4cd and they're very good. I only
retired them because I managed to put a dent into the front rim by hitting a
stone with the tires under-inflated. My only criticism is that the eyelets are
certainly not stainless: they've gone quite rusty. These days you could try
the ceramic rims (instead of getting those Campag dual-pivots?). This year
I'm trying Wolber tx profil rims, which have a deeper aero profile and no
eyelets. After over 1000km, there's no wobble showing. 

Chain: Isn't the Rolhoff chain part of the Ergo group? I've got Veloce Ergo
and I'm using the Sedis 8-speed chain; no complaints. Not that it's any
cheaper, mind...


Rod

     I have the Campy C Record set-up and run Sedis as well. Works fine.
    
     Scott bars will work with either Cinelli or Modolo so don't feel
    stuck with a set. Cinelli is making Ti stems now, but I don't have
    a clue as to the $$$'s.
    
     Seat post - very important item :-) - I have an A/C. It's ugly, but
    it's light and adjustment/setting is a lot easier than most.
    
     Rims - I run Mavic open 4 CD's. I use them for training and racing.
    They're great for both.
    
     Saddle - You choose. Frankly, if you want to spend the $$$'s go with
    a Sella Italia Flite.
    
     Brakeset - Campy's new set-up is nice. I know a couple of guys who
    have them and love them. They're beefy and work well. If I were to
    bail out my Delta's I'd probably go Mavic, however. I'll probably
    shock someone here, but I think Campy's price on those brakes is way
    outa' line.
    
     Bottom Bracket - I think a Ti BB is worth the money. NASHBAR just had
    Sampson BB's on sale for something in the vacinity of $45.00 - Reg. was
    around $80.00 (this is the cup/race/bearing BB).
    
     I'm looking for a new Ti BB myself. I'd like to go wirth Sampson's new
    fluted sealed bearing jobbie, but I'm checking into compatibility with
    my Merlin right now.
    
     This is fun for me! Buliding a new machine is always a rush. Even if
    it's vicariously...
    
     Chip
    
     
    
     

wheels? get tubulars.

everything else? you could save your money and go on a bike vacation.

  What are you going to use this bike for?

  I have a pet peeve about people who go out and spend mucho dollars on a
bike with titanium this and super light that.  It dos'nt really help much.

  When you're fitting out a new bike comfort should be a much higher priority
than wieght.  Reliability should also be a higher priority than wieght.

  There is a guy on my team who has a super-duper incredibly light merlin monster
bike.  His bike must be at least 3 pounds lighter than my steel frame.  I still
drop him on the hills.  If you are competing at the highest level then it can be
worth going for the gadgets to shave some wieght.  If your just going out for a
ride with the local crowd its seems kind of silly to have a super incredibike.
Especially if that bike is'nt comfortable when the ride gets long.

Here are the questions I believe you should be asking...

Bars/Stem - Does anybody know of a bar/stem combination that does not squeak?
            How wide should the bars be?
	    Whats better,  A deep drop or a shallow drop?
	    How should I figure my stem length?
            Whats the longevity of the stem?

B/B - Do the Ti ones really last longer than steel?
      Has anyone tried the new cartridge style B/Bs?
      How much easier is one B/B to maintain than another?

Satpost - Is it long enough to support my saddle hieght?
          Does it have a good range of ajustment?

Brakes - Do they stop the bike well?
         Do the levers fit my hand? (Are they to big or to small)

Rims - Reliability is of paramount importance here.

Saddle - Is it comfortable for me?
         (nothing else matters here)

Chain - Does it shift well with my components?
        Does it wear well?

 
  Of course if you just like to show off your new toys you can ignore everything
I just said.

  I'm the kind of guy who really has to scrape to come up with bike money.
I also spend a lot of very hard miles training and racing on my bike.
Because of this I'm a comfort and reliability fan.  If stuff works good when I
buy it and continues to work that way. Its good stuff.  Gadgets don't do much for
me.  Except providing a chuckle when I look at the price.

  O.K. I'm off my soapbox now.

John C.

        I think that .0 should buy clincher wheels.  As pointed out the
    Mavic 04CD is good in clincher design ( but the eyelets will rust if
    you ignore cleaning them ).  I am suggesting clinchers because I think
    that Tubulars are grossly overrated these days.  Most of the key 
    European PRO racers appear to be gravitating to clincher rims combined
    with the new high performance clincher tires ( Michelin Supercomp,
    Continental Grandprix, ect ).
         You seem to have settled on Campy components for most of your
    bike, it's your money but if I was doing it I would go with Shimano.
    
     AS
     

     Oh sure John, get practical :-) Actually, John is almost all correct.
    
     Me, I operate of of the pleasure principle... If it's what you want
    and you can afford it, then buy!
    
     Remember, even if you're going on a "bike vacation" you always want to
    look good. 
    
     P.S. Nothing on my bike squeaks...
    
    
     Chip

    	re: Note 2601.6
    
    	     P.S. Nothing on my bike squeaks...
    
    	With one exception -----> you!
    
    	(Just a joke) Really, I was just kidding...

    RE .4 (John),
    
    I gotta agree with you, my pet peeve is people with bike which are
    better than they are but
    
    , If you've just got your share check the spirit may be willing but the 
    flesh will be very weak (given a choice of a new bike or paying off 
    another chunck of the mortgage which would *you* do?).  There is a real 
    pleasure in owning a really nice piece of engineering, this has nothing
    to do with showing it off.  If (when) I buy my ultimate bike I shall be
    too embarassed to ride it in groups because people of $100 rat-bikes will
    be outclassing me - and these people deserve the good bikes, not I.
    
    However I hope that I shall get a huge pleasure in riding it, cleaning
    it, working on it and planning and performing thousand mile holdays on
    it.
    
    /rod

     Hey John.....
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
      Squeak, squeak, squeak, squeak...

  RE: would you pay a chunk of the mortgage or buy a new bike?

     I'd pay a chunk of the mortgage.

     Discusting and depressing is'nt it?


  RE: squeak squeak

     Chip, you did'nt look very squeaky to me!
     (and by the way it was face making fun of you)


  The more I ride the more I realize that equipment really has a minimal impact
on performance.  It really is in the legs.

  One more thing chip.

  Thanks a ton for the use of your aero wheels in the Fitchburg TT!

  I was not very fast but I certainly did look cool!!

  John C.

     No problem... Anytime I can help a fellow Deccie look cool! :-)
    
     Like I've always said... It's not how well you do, it's how good 
     you look! :-).............
    
     P.S. I'd go with the bike (that's more depressing and don't tell my
          wife)
    
     Chip

    Thanks for all the replies to this note.  It's exactly what I need to
    hear, especially John's comments.  There's a lot of hype in the sport
    and I'm the type that gets easily sucked in.  It's hard to know if this
    "new" stuff actually is more comfortable and will last a long time.
    
    I'm coming from a bike with 6 speed friction shifting I've been riding
    for an eternity.  I'm riding 4 days and 135 miles a week with the local
    crowd now and want this new bike to last as long as my last one.  There
    are two other Allez Epic Carbon frames in my weekly group ride.  One
    guy drops me and I drop the other guy on the big climbs so I'm
    painfully aware that it's the engine that counts.  I've been seduced by
    the 8-speed Ergo functionality.  It looks like it would make riding and
    shifting a notch more fun and efficient.  I think I'll take the plunge
    there and keep everything else pretty standard.
    
    I'm going straight to a local guy whose been building and fitting bikes
    for 30 years to make sure I get the perfect fit and installation on the
    tricky things.  I think I'm pretty safe in the "poser" area.  There are
    guys with Merlins and carbon Colnago's in the group I ride with so
    another Allez certainly won't turn any heads in the middle of the pack
    where I ride.
    
    Don

  Sound like a good decision to me!

  Enjoy the bike Don.

  John C.

    RE:
>      <<< Note 2601.10 by FXODEV::CRANE "I'd rather be on my bicycle!" >>>
>                          -< better late than never >-

>  RE: would you pay a chunk of the mortgage or buy a new bike?
>
>     I'd pay a chunk of the mortgage.
    
    Well the deed is done.  In 513 with all the old components but a new
    brakeset.  Doesn't handle wonderfully but I can bear that and is
    probable a poubnd heavier than before (but I'm 10 pounds heavier than
    before).  And tomorrow I'm off to the Building Society (Savings and
    Loan in the US, I believe).  Like the man says

>     Discusting and depressing is'nt it?
    
    /r

  Don't feel to bad Rod.

  Just remember to appreciate what little new equipment you do get to buy.

  Next time you beat out somebody with a shiny new bike it feels that much
more satisfying!

  John C.

    


    	I currently own a Cannondale RS400 which is two years old. When I 
    bought the bike, I was not sure how much riding I would be doing, so I 
    opted to buy the bike for the frame, replacing components at a later time 
    if required.  Last two summers I have been riding my bike [almost] daily 
    to commute to work (~70KM round trip)during the summer and started riding 
    distances on the weekend.  I replaced the ball bearings and grease twice 
    yearly in the hubs, BB and headset. 
    	The bike came with the  Shimano Rx100 set of components. It is
    becoming obvious that the bearings are wearing, so I would like to
    replace these components with higher quality.
    	What I find intimidating is the vast choices of components with,
    what seems to a novice, no standards. 

    	For example, I would first like to replace my BB with a sealed one.
    I went to a bike shop to buy replacement bearings. I asked him about
    a sealed BB replacement. He said I needed the size 3H. Then he said I
    needed  a 115 x 68 which they didn't carry. Question: Is 3H some kind
    of standard? Question: If I replace my BB with  the same size, will I
    be able to replace my cranks with a different brand at a later time?
    How about alignment? If I chose another brand, say Mavic for example,
    would I have to buy a BB with a length to match the type of crank I
    replace it with? Is there anything which is compatible out there with
    7speed? It seems that all the components are for 8speed.

    	I'm on a budget, so buying something used might be an option. I
    would like to budget this over an entire summer. Bearings first
    though, starting with the bottom bracket.
    	I know I have allot of questions, but these kind of questions are
    not found in books.[or are they?]

    Thanks,
    mike 


    	PS. If anyone has any quality components which they want to sell,
    pls contact me.
        

   If the RS400 is a road bike, then you have to consider the
   threads (Italian or British) and the length of the axle.  Different
   crank arms unfortunately require different lengths, or your chain
   line will be wrong.  One of the worst offenders is the new
   Dura Ace, which requires a really short axle extension compared
   to the older style Dura Ace or the current Campy Record.  You'd have
   to ask what extension the Mavic, etc. requires.

   It appears that now everything is shifting to 130 mm rear axles,
   you can't seem to find the older 126 mm spacing anywhere.

   This nonsense irritates me no end.

   PS - be sure to take out and regrease your handlebar stem and seatpost
   when you do the other maintenance.  I learned this the hard way by
   skipping that last year, and had to have Gamaches extract them
   last week - thank heavens no apparent damage was done to my frame
   in the process.

   - Jim

    
    

    	Yes the RS400 is a road bike. So from what you are saying, the
    actual width of the bearings are the same [as they are governed
    by the width of the BB of the bike, but the length of the arms must be
    sized to the component selection that you intend to use. Ie, If I want
    to put a Sachs crank on, I might need a particular BB width which might
    be different than the width if using a Shimano crank. Is this correct?

    	Is there a table somewhere, or would the manufacturer of the cranks 
    supply the sizing required for alignment?

    	So I'm thinking of using Sachs. It seems to still be 7 speed
    compatible, not too expensive and its got a good beat. :-) I guess I
    should be looking at a minimum purchase of BB,Hubset,[I'll build the
    wheels myself], front and rear derailleur, levers, freewheel and crank. 
    I'll wait to replace my headset [though it is a bearing] and brakes for a 
    little later.  
    	
    	On the right track?