Anyone into road biking here?

[FredK]

I current ride an older Pinarello Montello SL. I have had it for years suits me perfectly and has older Suntour Superbe Pro on it.

Nice! In this day and age of composites and relatively disposable aluminum, it's great to hear of an old school lugged steel frame still kicking! That is the top of the line Pinarello with SLX tubing, right?

[uofom3]

i still love my pilot

[kylebes1]

If you buy used, don't buy anything more than two years old.

That bianchi is too old, the head set and handle bars are old tech and are not interchangable with parts sold today.

at yoru height and weight alumiunum is your friend. Carbon would be ok, I just don't like the idea of the bike exploding into a million peices of really sharp shit that sends you flying off the road if you hit a curb. I ride Titanium, it would merely bend.

Thomson Elite is the way to go for a seat post and head set for the same reason. if it fails it bends, not breaks.

Leader makes a great frame. and Shimano 105 is great as an entry level that will take care of you on into pro level. Durace is sex, but it is a waste of money IMO. I hit the middle, Ultegra.

I could help you pick out your components and what not. I think my friend biult his Leader with 103 for like $1000.

Kyle

[kylebes1]

Addition

www.Nashbar.com sells a GREAT frame for $150.00

http://www.performancebike.com/ has the cheapest prices by far

and www.MTBr.com has reviews on everything made in the cycling world.

[FredK]

Regardless of the high end bikes moving to 31.8mm bars and stems and 1.125" threadless headsets, you'll always be able to maintain or upgrade an older bike. You can still get Campy 7/8 speed parts. You can still buy regular size stems and bars and 1" headsets.

The only thing that might make a difference is rear spacing on the seat/chainstays, but if you're looking at a vintage frame you can likely cold set the frame a few mm if absolutely necessary.

It is not the equipment. Even if he had bought the Bianchi, the limiting factor would not be the bike for a very, very long time.

[kylebes1]

It is not the equipment. Even if he had bought the Bianchi, the limiting factor would not be the bike for a very, very long time.

I agree, to an extent. Your riding ability is in your head, timing your hill attack and learning how hard to ride overall.

Its loads of fun

[mudflaps]

i work for a trekstore, and the pilot outsells the madone about 3 to 1. truly an awesome bike. you will notice that the geometry on the new madone is very pilot"esque". also very remenescent of the Lemond geometry. Very tall headtube, wide bottom bracket.

[thejimlab]

Fred's giving some good advice here. The one single, most important thing is that it fits. If it's off, you'll hate it and never ride it. Test ride it for a while. Go to a shop and get fitted, then measure seat tube, top tube and stem length. This all varies depending on frame angles, but at least you'll be in the ball park and you'll know what your looking for. As far as frame material/components go, you'll need to spend a little. Steel has been around forever and is comfy. Aluminum is rigid, but transfers power well. Ti and Carbon give you the best of all worlds. Shimano components go with 105 or better. Look around, you'll find somethig. I love vintage stuff. Seeing someone here is on an old pinarello, especially on superbe is awsome. Are you running tubulars? I just picked up an old Bridgestone XO frame that's going to become my new commuter bike. I used to be a bike nut, but as I got older, and had a kid, etc I started riding less and less. I've sold/given away just about everything. I'm down to one singlespeed MTB bike and now the new Bridgestone. Oh yeah, if you become a big time roadie expect to shave you legs and look down on everything non-roadie. Good luck, you elitist bastard.

[mudflaps]

yeah, i hate dealing with roadies. fucking roadies.