calling all bike experts (nerds) (1 Viewer)

[broken arm]

can you let me know if the spec on this bike is any use?

there a few in the shop around the corner for £499

FRAME - Reynolds 520 Cr Mo
FORK - Cr Mo
HEADSET - Sealed Intellaset w/alloy spacer
SHIFTERS - Shimano Sora Dual Control STI
REAR DERAILLEUR - Shimano Deore
FRONT DERAILLEUR - Shimano Sora
CHAINSET - Shimano Alivio 48/38/28
BOTTOM BRACKET - Shimano Cartridge
CHAIN - Shimano Sora
CHAINSET - Shimano Alivio 48/38/28
BOTTOM BRACKET - Shimano Cartridge
CHAIN - HG50
FREEWHEEL - Shimano Cassette 11-30 8sp
HUBS - Shimano RM60
RIMS - Alex ACE-19 36h w/CNC sidewall
SPOKES - Stainless Steel
TYRES - Continental Contact 700 x 37c
BRAKES - Tektro cantilever
BRAKE LEVERS - Shimano Sora STI
HANDLEBAR - 6061 Aluminium Ergo Tour
STEM - 6061 Aluminium Ahead
GRIPS - Cork Tape black
SADDLE - Ozone Ergo 2
SEAT POST - Alloy Micro 27.2mm
PEDALS - Road w/clips & straps

 

[rettucs]

ah its grand. Not out of this world. Solid enough parts, but mostly towards the lower/slower end of things.

It is a tourer though, so would be slower than a racer.

I guess it depends on what you want it for. The price sounds ok though. Not sure how those bikes are priced but 500 lids doesn't sound excessive.

 

[tommytrousers]

what he said. I personally wouldn't be crazy about those gear ratios for commuting.

 

[broken arm]

i have a commuter bike.

I want to get this for touring and 1-2 day cycles. nothing mental, all on road touring.

I'd prefer the panorama but really can't afford it.

 

[7 - No tomorrow]

It looks heavy.

 

[sarah]

i have a commuter bike.

I want to get this for touring and 1-2 day cycles. nothing mental, all on road touring.

I'd prefer the panorama but really can't afford it.

Is that bike from Evans? just been looking on their site meself....

• Frame: DAMA BIANCA SHE - sloping geometry
• Forks: Bianchi FL5 Carbon/Al
• Gears: Campagnolo RACETM Triple front and Campagnolo RACETM rear derailleurs
• Shifters: Campagnolo MIRAGETM QSTM / ESCAPETM 10s Ergopower
• Chainset: Campagnolo RACETM Triple 52/42/30
• Brakes: Bianchi RC-461 E
• Wheels: - wheelset
• Tyres: Continental ULTRA SPORT 23x622 rigid
• Handlebars: ITM ELLE Alu
• Stem: DA-32 3D forged alloy
• Saddle: Selle Royal Dardo Lady

Advice on the above also much appreciated, down to 599 sterling from 699.

 

[broken arm]

Is that bike from Evans? just been looking on their site meself....

the same bikes are on Evans but there is a shop around the corner from me with the bike.

 

[classic seanc]

BA: What scutter said. Are you going on a touring holiday? There may be room for haggling/getting free stuff if it's in a shop.

Sarah: It's very pretty. Looks like a decent deal to me but I ain't no expert. I know nowt about Campagnolo stuff.

 

[sarah]

BA: What scutter said. Are you going on a touring holiday? There may be room for haggling/getting free stuff if it's in a shop.

Sarah: It's very pretty. Looks like a decent deal to me but I ain't no expert. I know nowt about Campagnolo stuff.

I always associate capagnolo with good stuff cause all the vintage type fixed wheel bike lovers have that, but for all I know it could be lower end stuff, must look it up.

P.s. broken arm... I have shimano sora group set on my current bike and it was grand the lad has it on his bianchi and is happy with it as well.

P.s. anyone know how you know whether a bike is going to be slow or not.. have an average bh racer at the mo and its a goer... the lad has a mid-range bianchi similar in price range the the above, when he stops peddaling I nearly crash into him cause he slows so quickly... is this just to do with our differences in body weight or are some bikes just a lot slower?

 

[classic seanc]

double post

 

[classic seanc]

P.s. broken arm... I have shimano sora group set on my current bike and it was grand the lad has it on his bianchi and is happy with it as well.

I have Sora front derailleur. It’s a little clunky I think. Grand for my needs though.

P.s. anyone know how you know whether a bike is going to be slow or not.. have an average bh racer at the mo and its a goer... the lad has a mid-range bianchi similar in price range the the above, when he stops peddaling I nearly crash into him cause he slows so quickly... is this just to do with our differences in body weight or are some bikes just a lot slower?

Oooh, that’s a good question. I’m gonna say it’s the wheels.

 

[broken arm]

BA: What scutter said. Are you going on a touring holiday? There may be room for haggling/getting free stuff if it's in a shop.

we were supposed to this year but we'll be on train and foot instead - I want to get this bike for shorter breaks around the UK in august.

 

[flashback]

yeah, if you're going to throw a load of crap onto panniers, and tour about the place that would be grand.
I personally would get skinnier tyres thrown onto it, and just keep the pressure high on them.
See if you can get a set of 25C tyres put on it, and those ones taken off for the same price.

They might not be that bad, it depends on the pressure they will go up to.
If they can't handle ~100psi I'm not interested in a bike tyre.

That and lose the saddle and you'd be ok probably.


regarding the price, I cant advise. I've been out of the loop for too long to know prices.

 

[sarah]

yeah, if you're going to throw a load of crap onto panniers, and tour about the place that would be grand.
I personally would get skinnier tyres thrown onto it, and just keep the pressure high on them.
See if you can get a set of 25C tyres put on it, and those ones taken off for the same price.

They might not be that bad, it depends on the pressure they will go up to.
If they can't handle ~100psi I'm not interested in a bike tyre.

That and lose the saddle and you'd be ok probably.


regarding the price, I cant advise. I've been out of the loop for too long to know prices.

why the whole 100 psi thing... what's does it not make one more puncture prone?

 

[flashback]

why the whole 100 psi thing... what's does it not make one more puncture prone?

it makes it less puncture prone.
There are two types of puncture, snakebites and when something actually comes off the road and punctures the tyre.

A high psi will make ~no difference to the last type, and will lessen the first type.

Most punctures I got during races and stuff would be snake bites from not seeing potholes and smacking into them.

The tyres that are on that bike are huge looking, usually meaning they can hold less pressure, usually meaning they are more prone to snake bites. (Generally speaking.)

 

[brianoak]

That bike looks fine for what you want to do.
An extra kilo or two when you are already carrying panniers etc makes no odds.

Reliability and robustness is a quality you should look for in a tourer not weight.

Alivio is the third/fourth groupset in shimano mtb's range and is chunky and reliable.
After alivio/deore function doesnt actually improve vastly more a case of finish and weight.
Plus if you are in the back arse of nowhere chances are the village bike shop will have basic spares so with that bike you would be sorted in the event of a mechanical as opposed to walking in with leaking hydraullics or something.

 

[rettucs]

why the whole 100 psi thing... what's does it not make one more puncture prone?

bike shops will often tell you to pump to 8 bar (120 PSI). The tire spec often says 7.5 bar (110 PSI). I reckon when you pump to 120 you lose about 10 when you pop off the pump, so they're probably getting you to overcompensate.

Keeping the tires pumped, and replacing when worn, are the key to severly limiting the number of punctures you get (unless you're really unlucky)

 

[flashback]

also run your hands about the inside of the tyre when you are fixing the puncture, just to make sure something sharp isn't embedded or rolling about in the tyre.
Its easy to forget this when the lads are cruising off up the road with out you.

 

[broken arm]

gear ratios for commuting.

what does that actually mean?

 

[tommytrousers]

bikes differ greatly if how they 'feel' to be cycled according to the ratio of gears -literally the amount of teeth on the cogs and on the chain wheel.

For everyone it is different. There are two types of cyclists:
A:
Pple who use small (ie easier to push) gears who power the bike through aerobic effort, ie more wheel spins
B: pple like me who use bigger (ie harder to push) gears who use their leg muscles to do more of the work than
their cardio vasclar system.

Different types of bikes can feel very different depending on yr riding style.
I would be fucked on that bike as I would be out of breath in about 10 mins cycling that on urban streets..

That's my understanding of the whole gear rtio things anyway