The R3V Bicycle Thread

[leegf]

1986 pista. about to be overhauled with period correct parts:



2003 pista (sold):



1978 peugeot conversion:

[tyouphoto]

^^^ that's nice. what saddle and bar tape is that?

The saddle is the Charge Spoon Cromo saddle in brown. Tape is from Deda, also brown

Nice look. Nice photo.

:-) :up:

[BlackbirdM3]

I've got a new addition. 2001 Litespeed Vortex. This was the last of the Lynskey built litespeeds, and the top of the line frame. 6/4 Titanium, in multi-shaped tubing. Built with Campy Record 10 spd (because I don't need it to go to 11.)


The Tsunami is my own design, and its way faster down a hill than the Vortex.


That said, the ride of the Litespeed is amazing. Titanium has the most amazing ride quality I've ever experienced. It smooths the road noise every bit as well as a carbon frame, but doesn't ride like a block of wood, and will last longer. It weighs 15.6lbs with no light weight parts, infact the front wheel weighs as much as the rear. I could lose easily a pound with a change of the wheels.

Will

[15Michaeljoseph]

Anybody have a BMW bike? saw one in a dealership once while picking up a part but I had to leave quickly before a tec followed me to my car to tell me i need new bushings... ;)


--Mike

[FredK]

I've got a new addition. 2001 Litespeed Vortex. This was the last of the Lynskey built litespeeds, and the top of the line frame. 6/4 Titanium, in multi-shaped tubing. Built with Campy Record 10 spd (because I don't need it to go to 11.)
Will

Man. I thought the Vortex was SO awesome way back when. I mean, it still is; I don't think there are any Ti builders using 6/4 these days, and you can't argue with the light-as-a-feather frame weights for a non-compact frame. Sweet pickup, especially with the Record 10.

[BlackbirdM3]

Man. I thought the Vortex was SO awesome way back when. I mean, it still is; I don't think there are any Ti builders using 6/4 these days, and you can't argue with the light-as-a-feather frame weights for a non-compact frame. Sweet pickup, especially with the Record 10.

I'd like to copy my other roadbike in Ti. Since the Vortex is a production frame its got some things I don't like about it, but I love the way Ti rides. Hands down better than any carbon frame out there.

Its interesting that the 2002 Vortex frames have a reputation for being both flexy and not only cracking but tearing in the headtube area. 2002 was also the first year of the ABG ownership and they pushed for stupid lightweight. As it is, my frame is 3.06lbs for a 57cm. They also went to the internal headsets who's bearings were crap, and to accomodate, they might have drawn the tubing too thin causing it to tear.

The 2001 Vortex's are kinda hard to find since they are the last of the Lynskey era frames, with an external headset in 1 1/8 (I think the 2000s were still one inch). I've spent a lot of years looking for either a Vortex or Ultimate from 2001. They still bring a premium price as well. I picked this frame, fork, headset, (too short) Ritchey WCS stem, and Campy Record seat post for $900 shipped

I also have a 2001 Litespeed Classic 3/2.5 Ti frameset that I'm going to sell shortly. I just bought it as well and spent some time finding parts to build it up. Upon building it up I discovered it was just a little too tall for me. I rode it twice. I found the Vortex not an hour after I got home from that first ride on the Classic. After that first ride I was so blown away by the ride of ti that I had to go for the shorter Vortex, because it was a Vortex, and it fit better.

Anyone interested in a 59x57 Litespeed Classic frameset?

Will

[FredK]

I'm sort of stuck in the late 90s myself. I'd love to pick up a Litespeed or Moots from that era. I'm in between sizes with Merlins, so they're off my list. I'd be stuck with a ridiculously short TT or a really long ST.

Still though, it's just a want. I already have what many people would consider a retro frame, a steel bike with a 1" headset, and it rides really nicely.

[M-technik-3]

[j0oftheworld]

New bike day!! I'll post pics when she arrives..
2014 SW Roubaix Red22/Disc!

Web shot:



Traded this + $$$
'13 OPGS SW Venge:



The trusty stead..
'12 Roubaix Expert:



Racer/backup..
'12 CAAD10 105:



GF's ride..
2014 Damane 4.7wsd:



Son's ride..
'13 Podium 4:

[BlackbirdM3]

I seriously do not understand the need for disk brakes on a road bike. They already lack stopping power because the contact patch is so small. Heck I can lock my wheels up with single pivot brakes all day long, at speed. In the rain they make even less sense since you go from not a lot of grip in the dry to no grip at all in the rain causing a skid even more easily. Besides, they are bloody ugly, heavy, drag, and cause huge amounts of drag through wind resistance, not to mention they require not one but two dished wheels, and the rear wheel being even more weak because the hub flange spacing is so narrow resulting in near vertical spoke angles (not conducive to a laterally strong wheel)

Will

[FredK]

You've probably already heard the reasons why, haha.

I've never overheated a rim such that I flat a clincher. I don't run tubulars, but a similar reason exists for people who run them. But, it's a possible advantage for people who live in mountainous regions. I don't live in a hilly area so I never heat my brakes up much at all.

You can keep the mass of the wheel closer to the axis of rotation, if you take some mass out of the braking track of the rim.

Though they are heavy, you could probably easily build a UCI minimum weight bike with disc brakes.

Just a philosophical musing here, but this is the very nature of the bicycle industry. There is always something new that's faster, lighter, stiffer, cooler, or whatever. And, by extension, whatever you're currently riding is outdated, heavy, flexy, and uncool. Without fail. Look at the Guru Photon. It's a 670g 54cm frame.

Me, I'll just be running a 20 lb steel road bike with 9 speeds until I wear out the drivetrain in another 5000 miles.

[BlackbirdM3]

You've probably already heard the reasons why, haha.

I've never overheated a rim such that I flat a clincher. I don't run tubulars, but a similar reason exists for people who run them. But, it's a possible advantage for people who live in mountainous regions. I don't live in a hilly area so I never heat my brakes up much at all.

You can keep the mass of the wheel closer to the axis of rotation, if you take some mass out of the braking track of the rim.

Though they are heavy, you could probably easily build a UCI minimum weight bike with disc brakes.

Just a philosophical musing here, but this is the very nature of the bicycle industry. There is always something new that's faster, lighter, stiffer, cooler, or whatever. And, by extension, whatever you're currently riding is outdated, heavy, flexy, and uncool. Without fail. Look at the Guru Photon. It's a 670g 54cm frame.

Me, I'll just be running a 20 lb steel road bike with 9 speeds until I wear out the drivetrain in another 5000 miles.

I have heated one rim to the point that it popped the tube. I only had the issue with the one rim, never on any other wheel including mtb wheels. If you have to drag your brakes that much that you melt the epoxy from a carbon clincher, well, you need to learn how to A) ride a bike and B) carbon clinchers are a bad idea to begin with.

I've been riding and racing since before the days of suspension of any sort on a mtb, and I've never had an issue with popping tubes under heavy braking aside from that one wheel, and I'm 99.9% sure it was a property of aluminum the rim was made of. Everyone who has ridden any real miles or serious competition knows that a carbon clincher wheel is a bad idea. Its fine with a tubular tire, but carbon isn't designed for that sort of use. Its asking for a problem by design.

Road disk brakes are asking for more crashes in the wet, more weight, more drag, weaker wheels, and they are fixing a non problem. The bike industry needs to pull their heads out of their asses.

Its sad that a sport that has been such a large part of my life for so long now has so little to offer me. I seriously hope the people in the UCI keep disk brakes illegal for road bikes. Hopefully the fad will go away.

Will

[jrockbk]

The R3V Bicycle Thread




My messenger rig, Bianchi pista


My road/race rig '13 CAAD 10

[j0oftheworld]

Hey man.. I'm just a Rec-Rider!
According to Strava I don't do many rides over 20miles or much above 17mph average speed. She should hold together for me, I hope!

[BlackbirdM3]

You might want to fix your rear QR before your next ride. That is a good way to hate life when it gets snagged on something. Always close ORs up between the seat and chainstays, or at the very least close to flush with the chain stay (assuming its got a curved handle)

CAAD10s look like nice frames. I had a CAAD8 a couple years ago built up with my old Campy Chorus 9 spd group. I sold it and bought my DSLR.

Will