Thinking about a new bike

[Veronica]

So, I've been thinking I'd like to get a second road bike. I love the ride on Fluffy, but as he's decked out right now, he's a bit heavy. It's not just the bags and such. It's pedals, wheels, tires etc...

So, I could get a cheap bike for commuting. Or I could get a brand new zippy bike with all the latest, greatest components.

So, if money didn't matter (I love playing this game) describe your ideal chariot for HRH Princess Zippy, the former Bag Lady.

V.

[SadieKate]

Ooooh, oooh, oooh! Can I play?

Please tell Fluffy that I didn't mean to offend by calling him a her. Now, I'm going to have to put some thought into a companion worthy of his company.

[Veronica]

Fluffy is only a him bcause the dog he's named after is.

So I've been to the Trek website - a Pilot seems to suit my style. Might as well go for the 5.9. :p

Litespeed - I didn't really have time to read all the specs. Ditto Colnago.

V.

[CorsairMac]

As a Trek lover I would Always pipe up about trying a Trek. I'd say since you've got Fluffy all decked out in the pretty commuter gadgets, you need a nice zippy FAST road bike with the latest and greatest! Of course if money truly Were no object - I'd say build yourself a Trek Project One! (I just saw one at my LBS this sat......they even let me hang on to it.....*sigh* thought I'd died and gone to perfect bike heaven!!)

[Deanna]

My husband had the Madone5.9 for two days before he retrieved his bike and loved it--he could hardly stand to return it. Colnago's sure are pretty, but our LBS calls them garage art and tell the story of the tiny rider (5'4, 115lbs) who had to deal with 4 broken Colnago frames in a year.

Personally, I think a princess deserves nothing less beautiful than a Columbine. Though it might not be in the right direction if you're looking for something light and zippy.

[Veronica]

See, I'd love to deck Fluffy out in the light and zippy components. It just feels good to ride him. But I'd feel a little silly just getting another Rambouillet to set up as commuter/touring bike.

Good to know that about Colnago. As I will never be a light rider. :p

V - Zippity do da

[snapdragen]

So, I've been thinking I'd like to get a second road bike. I love the ride on Fluffy, but as he's decked out right now, he's a bit heavy. It's not just the bags and such. It's pedals, wheels, tires etc...


A bit heavy? Good God woman! :D

Since you love the way Fluffy rides, maybe a custom Riv? After all, you and jobob are the Riv Girls...... I believe her Dusty is bunches lighter than Fluffy - and she's jo's zippy fast bike.

Ladies - you do realize if V gets a lighter bike we'll never see her again, she'll be whippin' up Diablo as fast as Lance....

[Veronica]

I already thought about a custom Riv. Current wait time is TWO years. That's just too long for me. Please don't anyone take this the wrong way - but if I waited that long, I'd be forty before I got it. The whole reason I want a new bike is so I can keep up with the forty somethings who are kicking my butt now! :D

Vippy (?!?)

[SadieKate]

Ladies - you do realize if V gets a lighter bike we'll never see her again, she'll be whippin' up Diablo as fast as Lance....Yes, us old ladies have already expressed our concerns. I have to truthfully say we're rather terrified. :D

[jobob]

I believe her Dusty is bunches lighter than Fluffy - and she's jo's zippy fast bike. LOL, relatively speaking, that is !!! But yeah, the Waterford-era Riv Road bikes (circa 1996) do seem to be lighter than the current crop of Romulii and Rambouillets, altho I haven't actually weighed them to compare. The tubing certainly looks thinner on the Riv Road. But then I stuck a Nitto steel rack and big ol' canvas bag on her back.

But speaking of lightweight (!!), Lee and I packed up our panniers and did a 30 mile ride yesterday over some rolling terrain (my Paseo Padre Blvd. Mission Blvd. loop for you locals) to see how the bikes handle loaded up. All told, front and rear panniers, handlebar bag and water bottles come in at around 40 pounds. That's in addition to 28 pounds of Pokey with front and rear racks. Not to mention 140 pounds of me ;)

[jobob]

Waterfords and Herons are really nice too, and nowhere near the wait, or so I am told. There's a bike shop in Sausalito that carries Waterfords (if you still like steel, that is).

Steve Rex's bikes are gorgeous, and very popular in our neck of the woods.

http://rexcycles.com/

yum. :cool:

[Adventure Girl]

I love the ride on Fluffy, but as he's decked out right now, he's a bit heavy.Anybody remember Veronica screaming, "It's not heavy... It is NOT heavy" when were were in the parking lot before the Top Hat!!?? We almost couldn't pick him up!! I wish I could TIVO real life and play it back! :p

[SadieKate]

Oooh, red lugged carbon. I've always wondered how Titus' road bikes ride. I love my Racer X. One reason I started looking at Titus is because they've built for women for a long time and the wife of the president is heavily involved.

http://www.titusti.com/modena.html

Though I will say Steve Rex's wife rides a pretty cute mixte!

[spazzdog]

Just wondering... V., have you considered a SEVEN? Each frame is custom built for the owner. Then you choose each component that goes on it with your LBS. Check them out at http://www.sevencycles.com

An old friend in NYC recently got an Axiom SG... she's lovin' it. I think average order to delivery time is 21 days. I know Trek420's bike guy Chris (that I love dearly) deals with SEVEN.

spazz

[petals]

I have been riding the Pilot 5.2 for two months and love it!! No more bumpy rides :D :D

[SadieKate]

Funny you should mention that, Spazz. I solved the annual and eternal birthday/Xmas gift issue for Bubba this year. I opened a savings account with an automatic transfer every payday. Bubba can pick out his own gift or supplement however he sees fit. Last I heard he's saving up for a Seven Axiom. He also has the hots for a Merlin Cyrene with the engraved head tube.

[spazzdog]

SK... let bubba know that the guy that owns SEVEN was an engineer/designer for Merlin... took his innovative ideas and started SEVEN.

[SadieKate]

Thanks, he knows that and that the Seven would be custom, but he just LOVES that engraving. I think I have him talked into the Seven because if you're going to spend that kind of money, go for the gold, urr, titanium. :D

[snapdragen]

Another custom option - Vanilla. Don't know what the wait time is, but the bikes I've seen are drool worthy.

[Veronica]

Anybody remember Veronica screaming, "It's not heavy... It is NOT heavy" when were were in the parking lot before the Top Hat!!?? We almost couldn't pick him up!! I wish I could TIVO real life and play it back! :p


Well, I never thought he was heavy until I started picking up your bikes. I mean when you're usually carrying around a bunch of books, papers to grade, lunch, keys and assorted other junk in a big honking bag and you take all that off, he seems light. Besides I'm an Amazon. Thom calls me his burly wife. Who do you think did most of the heavy lifting this weekend? Well, really only half. :p But still...

So now I'm toying with idea of just changing out wheels and pedals. I've been riding 27s. I've got 23s set to go on now. Once I'm not commuting I don't need my doublesided pedals. Trouble is - when you buy stuff piecemeal like that, it's more expensive. A good set of wheels is nearly $1,000! That's like 1/4 of a new uber light bike! That just doesn't sit well my Yankee frugality which occasionaly rears its ugly head. And of course I'm not going to change my saddle. Anything I can sit on for 10 hours is too important to my personal well being to nit pick over a few ounces.

And then of course there's the pounds I could lose...

V.

[SadieKate]

V, you can get some pretty nice lightweight custom wheels (like Mavic/Dura Ace) for well under $500 bucks and still have $500 leftover for a really nice town bike. Yeah, these wheels won't look like the factory-built 2 spoke jobbers but those would look funny on Fluffy anyway.

Bubba had the wheels for his Kelly built by the guy (Gorgeous George or something like that) who builds for www.speedgoat.com for an excellent price and he got DT Swiss Hugi hubs. They were less than $400 and built really well.

Since I can ride late Tuesday afternoons, you can always take Amtrak up here, ride with me, stay overnight and then ride home to Antioch in the morning. That would take care of you! You can add to your Diablo-at-a-distance photo collection.

[tatormc]

Also take a look at Giant's. Last weekend I got a Giant TCR Composite 2 and really love it. I had a beginner Giant before that and getting on the TCR is just great. It's light and handles really well. I did change the wheels to Ksyrium Elite as my hubby says these are better.

[massbikebabe]

I love my Trek, but if I had endless pockets I'd get me a Seven...been my dream bike for years. On the other hand, my husband has been a loyal Colnago rider for 20+ years. He won't even look at anything else...but then again he rides only steel and not carbon so we can't vouch for the quality of the carbon frames. Look at Seven and if you decide to buy come back east, stay with us, and I'll take you to the shop in Watertown...and then buy you an italian grinder

karen

[Veronica]

Ahh.... Italians! I plan on eating lots when I'm in Maine this summer. :D

V.

[slinkedog]

I really love my Specialized Roubaix Elite, but I would still love to get the all-carbon model with the triple chainring and Dura-Ace components... oh and the Mavic wheelset. I'd be sitting pretty then... but I'd be very poor. :)

[massbikebabe]

Sadie...

Bubba is my twin...I love both Seven and Merlin but would go with Seven because they are local fella's with an absolute passion for bikes. Also, Spazz is right...Seven was started by a former Merlin. :D

karen

[aka_kim]

So Zippy Vee, let's return to buying a bike. What frame material were you thinking about? Do you want to go custom? You mention the Trek Pilot as being your "style" -- why is that? Are you looking for a more upright position?

I think you need to start test riding. And you know everyone in the TE NoCal contingent will be happy to accompany you in your search :).

And, that gorgeous lugged carbon Titus is MINE! Pick something else.;)

[SadieKate]

I think you need to start test riding. And you know everyone in the TE NoCal contingent will be happy to accompany you in your search :).

And, that gorgeous lugged carbon Titus is MINE! Pick something else.;)
I think we should each get to test ride whatever she is thinking about.

The Titus - but Kim, it isn't blue! It is cool though with its combo of retro lugs and modern carbon. I'd love to see one.

[aka_kim]

I think we should each get to test ride whatever she is thinking about.Exactly. It takes a community to find a bike, and we're here to help.



The Titus - but Kim, it isn't blue! It is cool though with its combo of retro lugs and modern carbon. I'd love to see one.I think red is the new blue, or something like that. A shop in Danville carries Titus, maybe they've got the Modena. I think the Modena may be even prettier than the Merlin Cielo (http://www.merlinbike.com/bikes/2005/cielo_dtls.aspx), which I've always considered quite lustworthy.

[Pedal Wench]

I'll pipe in for the Italian contingency - how about a Bianchi? I'm thrilled with my XL Carbon. I never thought it would make a big difference. However, there's a hill in my neighborhood that I thought was too steep for me to climb, even with my triple - and on a Cannondale R1000, not exactly a big beefy bike to begin with! The first day out on my Bianchi, I tried it, and it was no problem - on a double. The second time, I accidently went up it again - on the big ring! It handles like a dream too - I'm much more secure and confident cornering and turning tighter circles.

[SadieKate]

Exactly. It takes a community to find a bike, and we're here to help.
I think red is the new blue, or something like that. Well said, Kim. I'm sure that V will concur with me that it is about time that you realized the value of red. :D :D

So, V, when do we get to go shopping? Some community volunteer time would make me feel very altruistic. I think we need to see if that Danville shop has a Modena. Is that the one across from the RR Museum?

[aka_kim]

I think we need to see if that Danville shop has a Modena. Is that the one across from the RR Museum?Darn :(. I just called, and the Modena has to be special-ordered.

There are several bike shops in Danville near the museum. We might need to do some bike shopping, in the name of community service, the next time we do Diablo from the South.

[Veronica]

Thom thinks I should just test ride all of YOUR bikes. I mean come on, how much speed can a lighter bike really add?

V.

[aka_kim]

It's not about speed. It's about comfort and making something hard a little easier. Plus, everyone should have as many bikes as they can afford (which is why I have only two).

[Veronica]

Ahh... comfort I've got!

And as long as there's no BBQ pork in my life, climbing isn't that hard. :p

New bike - I'd like steel I think, though I've never ridden anything else and would try other materials.

I like my friction shifters. And I have ridden with STI on rentals and the tandem.

The geometry should allow me to have my saddle roughly level with my handlebars.

That doesn't really narrow the field much does it. Oh and I don't want to wait very long to get it. We're in the process (18 months) of getting a custom tandem. That's SO long.

Impatient Zippy

V.

[yellow]

V, when you sit on and ride a bike, you will know if it's the one.

But if you ride all of the NorCal contingent's bikes, your bound to narrow it down at least (or identify the ones you DON'T like). We should have our own bike demo day!

[Veronica]

A bike demo day would be fun. We could put couples on tandems that haven't tried them before. Anyone have a unicycle?

V.

[spazzdog]

Go over to Robinson Wheelworks... Chris has a few SEVENs for testing. He may have one that fits you.

spazz

I didn't know red was the new blue. I did hear that pink was the new black... go figure.

[betagirl]

Oooo, the new bike itch! :D

I bought an '05 Lemond Zurich this year and I think I'm officially in love with it. I have a Trek 1200 also, and there's simply no comparison. Don't get me wrong, the Trek is a good bike. But the Lemond is like butta'.