The "Show off your bike" thread! (Vol 2)

[keith2.2]

Two new bikes this weekend...

My sister has wanted to try road riding for a while so I bought her a bike for Christmas. To my mind, a first bike is important so I wanted her to choose without her knowing what was going on. I was back in the UK this weekend for early family Christmas so I took my sister out on the premise of 'needing an opinion on something' - a ruse I was astonished worked. Anyway we got to the shop and I said I wanted her opionion on size and colour for her bike.

We were joined by PH Maths.

Initially I was thinking 4-600. Then when the guy asked what I was looking for '5-700 ish'.

700 got an alu frame with Sora / Claris components. I just wasn't feeling it.

Then I spotted that 1100 got a 700-off Liv Langma - carbon and ultegra and a nice colour scheme. It's so much more bike for the extra cash. Lucky sister




I also finally took delivery of my 2020 Aerium SLT - not quite finished building but here it is so far;





I can't upload a picture but the carbon effect is stunning - I think it's an 18k weave and from some angles the whole bike looks like a matte grey colour, from other angles it's a chequered pattern.

Absolute PITA to get everything installed. Had I known before-hand, I'd probably have picked up a SRAM etap setup rather than transger the di2 from my Felt. Other concren at the moment is that the aero extensions can't be stacked any higher because there isn't enough cable to the shifters. The bars are LONG.

I also think i snapped a small pin-bolt on the front faring so now it doesn't quite fit flush on one side. I'll replace it in due course if it really bothers me.

BB is being fitted today (I had to get the Di2 gear installed first as once the BB is in, there's no touching the battery or junction box). In due course I'll have a disc on the back and either a tri-spoke or a better quality deep section on the front (probably swissside, given that they developed the frame).

Hopefully it'll ride as fast as it looks..

Edited by keith2.2 on Friday 27th December 05:39

[millen]

Nice work, Keith!
A question: it sounds as though regularly you fly long distances with 'sensitive' bikes. What's your preferred bike box solution and have you had any mishaps in the past?

[MikeGoodwin]

Cleaned the old bh up. Swapped some fluid I must have a leak somewhere as the rear wasnt grabbing.

20191223_143545 by Michael Goodwin, on Flickr

I thought I'd look into a Norco Sight.. 2015 i nearly bought one in red. £1500 or so

I check prices for the 2020 sight .... thinking maybe fun for some trail work

What the actual fk happened to bike prices. May as well buy a santacruz or something

[keith2.2]

millen said:

Nice work, Keith!
A question: it sounds as though regularly you fly long distances with 'sensitive' bikes. What's your preferred bike box solution and have you had any mishaps in the past?

I’ve tried bags from Decathlon, Evoc and Scicon.

The decathlon bag was really only for transporting in the car etc. I risked an mtb on a plane once and it arrived quite damaged.

Evoc and Scicon are very similar in their approach. The Scicon was the easier one to pack and move around in general, but I felt like the Evoc was more protective.

I currently use a PBK bike box. It’s definitely the safest option but two major drawbacks:
1) storage (The bags fold down almost flat - the box obviously can't)
2) it weighs 13kg empty

I do wonder, though, if a hard case invites less careful handling or stacking.

I always always look over the box and bike before I leave the airport - That way I can immediately raise it with the airline.

I also try to only fly direct when I’m with the bike.

As I travel quite a lot my Marco Polo membership (Cathay and star alliance) level means my baggage gets treated as Business Class Priority whatever class I’m traveling in - which I figure can’t be a bad thing.

Edited by keith2.2 on Friday 27th December 05:41

[millen]

keith2.2 said:

millen said:

Nice work, Keith!
A question: it sounds as though regularly you fly long distances with 'sensitive' bikes. What's your preferred bike box solution and have you had any mishaps in the past?

I’ve tried bags from Decathlon, Evoc and Scicon.

The decathlon bag was really only for transporting in the car etc. I risked an mtb on a plane once and it arrived quite damaged.

Evoc and Scicon are very similar in their approach. The Scicon was the easier one to pack and move around in general, but I felt like the Evoc was more protective.

I currently use a PBK bike box. It’s definitely the safest option but two major drawbacks:
1) storage
2) it weighs 13kg empty

I do wonder, though, if a hard case invited less careful handling or stacking.

I always always look over the box and bike before I leave the airport - That way I can immediately raise it with the airline.

I also try to only fly direct when I’m with the bike.

As I travel quite a lot my Marco Polo membership (Cathay and star alliance) level means my baggage gets treated as Business Class Priority whatever class I’m traveling in - which I figure can’t be a bad thing.

That's helpful - thanks. I see the PBK hard box is currently on sale at £200 so am tempted. Part of me though is put off by a box that weighs more than the bike.

So far I've got away with a non-wheeled soft bag that is light enough to sling over my shoulder, packed carefully with heaps of pipewrap and bubble wrap, both wheels placed either side of the main triangle, rear mech hanger unbolted etc. Advantage is it's maneuverable and scrapes within the BA 'standard hold baggage' weight and size limit. But it may be just a question of when, not if, the worst happens.......

For two A to B trips I've used a standard throwaway cardboard box from a LBS. Again packed carefully, assembled the bike at the airport and disposed of the cardboard and packing. Plenty of 'Fragile' tape around the box. Both myself and a fellow rider checked in separately at Gatwick. In each case the check-in staff said they assumed we were carrying huge flat-screen TVs!

Edited by millen on Thursday 26th December 15:43

[keith2.2]

millen said:

That's helpful - thanks. I see the PBK hard box is currently on sale at £200 so am tempted. Part of me though is put off by a box that weighs more than the bike.

So far I've got away with a non-wheeled soft bag that is light enough to sling over my shoulder, packed carefully with heaps of pipewrap and bubble wrap, both wheels placed either side of the main triangle, rear mech hanger unbolted etc. Advantage is it's maneuverable and scrapes within the BA 'standard hold baggage' weight and size limit. But it may be just a question of when, not if, the worst happens.......

For two A to B trips I've used a standard throwaway cardboard box from a LBS. Again packed carefully, assembled the bike at the airport and disposed of the cardboard and packing. Plenty of 'Fragile' tape around the box. Both myself and a fellow rider checked in separately at Gatwick. In each case the check-in staff said they assumed we were carrying huge flat-screen TVs!

Edited by millen on Thursday 26th December 15:43

Cathay and Virgin both allow bike boxes to be classed as items of hold luggage. I've never flown a smaller or local airline so I've no idea how that might work. I tend to pack out the box with as much as I can and then have a separate holdall for my gear, then helmet / computer / batteries / lights etc all go in carry-on.

Tools are the kicker - I hadn't realised until I was checking in at HKIA last week that my tool-roll weighs 7kg. Given the cube weighs 2.5kg more than the Bianchi or Felt, I'm going to have to start packing more smartly this year. Gone are the days I could take the bike stand with me

[Fat hippo]

[Mr Ted]

Frankenbike rebuild time!

Looks like a shed so hopefully less likely to get nicked but is actually a Scandium alloy frame, Renthall carbon bars, Sram Red carbon crankset, Fulcrum Red Metal Zero wheels (I took all the graphics off them to make them anonymous) and Sram Guide hydraulics, it is so light and agile being a 26er, time to hit the trails!

[keith2.2]

Finished the initial build and ridden for the first time - astonished. I had no idea how different it would feel to the Felt AR it's replacing. Aero roadbike with TT bars is one thing, but this isn't even the same book nevermind the same page. Incredibly stiff and responsive but still manages to be comfortable.

Dry weight is 10kg and currently has 2.25L hydration so not exactly a hill climber but for where I use it that isn't an issue. I'm sure not to everyones taste but I also LOVE the looks. The logos are just a thin layer of gloss rather than decals which is a nice touch.

Here on what are very much now the training wheels - I've yet to select race wheels. Probably won't see competition until August at the ealiest but there will be a lot of training miles in the meantime.

Just wish I'd photographed it before it got dirty!

Edited by keith2.2 on Thursday 9th January 07:41

[GravelBen]

It looks like a bike designed by a cubist painter!

[z4RRSchris]

millen said:

That's helpful - thanks. I see the PBK hard box is currently on sale at £200 so am tempted. Part of me though is put off by a box that weighs more than the bike.

So far I've got away with a non-wheeled soft bag that is light enough to sling over my shoulder, packed carefully with heaps of pipewrap and bubble wrap, both wheels placed either side of the main triangle, rear mech hanger unbolted etc. Advantage is it's maneuverable and scrapes within the BA 'standard hold baggage' weight and size limit. But it may be just a question of when, not if, the worst happens.......

For two A to B trips I've used a standard throwaway cardboard box from a LBS. Again packed carefully, assembled the bike at the airport and disposed of the cardboard and packing. Plenty of 'Fragile' tape around the box. Both myself and a fellow rider checked in separately at Gatwick. In each case the check-in staff said they assumed we were carrying huge flat-screen TVs!

Edited by millen on Thursday 26th December 15:43

i have the PBK bike but you need a fair bit of dismanteling to get things in.

im now looking at the bike box alan tri case, which you just need to take the wheels off thats it.

[jesusbuiltmycar]

millen said:

Canyon ex-team bike. Sold as "showing serious signs of use" but to my eyes it's near immaculate. Wasn't sure I'd be able to cope with the aggressively low stem (no option to raise it) but no back pain today after 2 hrs hard riding yesterday so I think it's a keeper. Nice and light at 6.48 kg and the Zipp 303's feel great. Will save it for special days, so it won't see much usage till spring.

Grateful thanks to jesusbuiltmycar on another thread who pointed out these offers.

Looks lovely! My Ultimate is currently spending the winter in hibernation!

[MikeGoodwin]

20200110_092407 by Michael Goodwin, on Flickr

20200110_092947 by Michael Goodwin, on Flickr

Bizzaire colour. Just got it

[Steamer]

Wow! That is a stunner.

I see so many black Specialized bikes at trail centers - that makes a welcome change. Really shows off the shape of the frame too.

[Dannbodge]

Realised I've not put any up since I got my new wheels.

2017 Tarmac SL4 on Ultegra 6800 with S-works bits and Roval CL50 wheels

[Japcreation]

DS240 said:

(Deleted from “New bike bits” thread)

New Venge.. early 40th present. Can’t believe I went ahead with big bike purchase. So much trouble picking the right bike. Just kept coming back to the Venge with everything considered.

Impressed so far. Need to up the training now to justify the bike.

Now that you've owned it for a bit, how do you find it?

I've got a 2015 S-Works frame running on Reynolds 46s or 62s that I bought in addition to my Tarmac and Allez (can you tell I like Specialized?) as I felt that I needed one. I love it and felt the difference on the first ride, but it is not the best at everything in my very amateur opinion!

I have upped my training over the winter so that I hope to do mine a little more justice come summer.

[E71]

Built this yesterday.
The frame hung on my wall for a year while I decided what to do with it, but went for a 1x town bike/nice weather commuter, partly because the front derailleur hanger was broken off...
Alan Carbonio frame built with stuff from my parts box, ebay and Planet X,
Campag Veloce 10s shifters, Shimano Deore 9s rear mech with 10s 11-36 cassette. Chainring is narrow-wide 46t giving 34-110 gear inches. Roughly equivalent to a 50x12 at the top and 34x27 at the bottom. Campy skeleton brakes <3

It's pretty to my eyes, but not sure about the bar tape, it's just what I had in the cupboard. Open to suggestions for other colours

[Teebs]

Orbea Orca OMX
Ultegra Di2
Mavic pro carbon UST

Waiting on a new Power2Max NGeco unit with Rotor crank arms. Changing the Selle Italia SLR seat for their Boost version and have a final fit & tweak booked next week.

Not ridden it yet, but the paint quality and overall build is exceptional, good job since it took nearly 5 months to arrive!

(Yes, that wall and floor is a mess, we're having the house extended soon and this will all go!)

[slopes]

keith2.2 said:

slopes said:

Recently stolen in the Bournemouth - Poole area along with a blue Pivot Phoenix, belonging to Ben Deakin who is offering a reward for information leading to their recovery

WHAT a thing! Hope it's reunited with the owner!

Yes he did get both of them back, a little bit worse for wear but at least he got them back.

This thread is dangerous , i'm a recent returnee to bikes and have a Voodoo mountian bike in the garage that i've changed the grips on so far but looking at this thread keeps giving me ideas about changing bits.

[hilly10]

My Trek Emonda 5