The "Show off your bike" thread! (Vol 2)
Discussion
Thursday was 'New Bike Day'. Friday morning was burned up checking it over and fitting pre-bought accessories. New accessories amounted to some SKS Speedrocker guards. Almost everything else was ported over from other bikes, mainly because I'm feeling broke. It won't look this clean again.
It's an Argon18 Dark Matter. A 2023 season bike equipped with Hunt gravel wheels (aluminium, not carbon fibre like the demo bike I rode) and SRAM Rival 2x12 AXS. Getting it was a bit of a saga, as it took longer to be delivered to the shop than expected. That meant I got to ride a demo bike at the brutal 2024 tenth anniversary edition of Battle On The Beach.
Friday afternoon was the first ride for my own bike, which was a 100 km gravel ride to, and along, the Castleman Trailway from Upton to Ringwood. So far so good. Very quick, compared to my old Cannondale, and the shakedown revealed no unwanted rattles, creaks,or squeaks. The only negative thing was my lack of fitness on a longer ride. It took so much out of me that I had to swerve parkrun this morning, and forego a second ride planned for this afternoon. Fitness should come, though, as I increase my mileage "because new bike".
Finally dry enough for the maiden ride of the new bike.
Canyon ultimate CFR, Dura Ace, Zipp 353 NSWs. Below 6.5kg. Size small, the geometry is very similar to my old road bike, 56cm, with a fraction less reach, the bars are a lot narrower but rolled my wrists in on my old bike, I'm gripping these bars a lot squarer on the hoods and in the drops. I can drop the bars 1.5cm and change the width easily with the bar system.
Initial impressions are that it's equally as comfortable as my gravel bike but with the the snappy acceleration of my road bike , wide tyres on a full race bike are such a game changer. These rims are so wide 28mm tyres have no bulge, they look like motorbike tyres.
Di2 is great. I didn't go near any hills but it's got a 1 to 1 lowest gear so should be good for some of the 25%+ gradients nearby.
It is the bike that won the gravel world championship two years ago and I think my gravel wheels will fit....
Canyon ultimate CFR, Dura Ace, Zipp 353 NSWs. Below 6.5kg. Size small, the geometry is very similar to my old road bike, 56cm, with a fraction less reach, the bars are a lot narrower but rolled my wrists in on my old bike, I'm gripping these bars a lot squarer on the hoods and in the drops. I can drop the bars 1.5cm and change the width easily with the bar system.
Initial impressions are that it's equally as comfortable as my gravel bike but with the the snappy acceleration of my road bike , wide tyres on a full race bike are such a game changer. These rims are so wide 28mm tyres have no bulge, they look like motorbike tyres.
Di2 is great. I didn't go near any hills but it's got a 1 to 1 lowest gear so should be good for some of the 25%+ gradients nearby.
It is the bike that won the gravel world championship two years ago and I think my gravel wheels will fit....
frisbee said:
Finally dry enough for the maiden ride of the new bike.
Canyon ultimate CFR, Dura Ace, Zipp 353 NSWs. Below 6.5kg. Size small, the geometry is very similar to my old road bike, 56cm, with a fraction less reach, the bars are a lot narrower but rolled my wrists in on my old bike, I'm gripping these bars a lot squarer on the hoods and in the drops. I can drop the bars 1.5cm and change the width easily with the bar system.
Initial impressions are that it's equally as comfortable as my gravel bike but with the the snappy acceleration of my road bike , wide tyres on a full race bike are such a game changer. These rims are so wide 28mm tyres have no bulge, they look like motorbike tyres.
Di2 is great. I didn't go near any hills but it's got a 1 to 1 lowest gear so should be good for some of the 25%+ gradients nearby.
It is the bike that won the gravel world championship two years ago and I think my gravel wheels will fit....
That looks great. I love the colour. Canyon ultimate CFR, Dura Ace, Zipp 353 NSWs. Below 6.5kg. Size small, the geometry is very similar to my old road bike, 56cm, with a fraction less reach, the bars are a lot narrower but rolled my wrists in on my old bike, I'm gripping these bars a lot squarer on the hoods and in the drops. I can drop the bars 1.5cm and change the width easily with the bar system.
Initial impressions are that it's equally as comfortable as my gravel bike but with the the snappy acceleration of my road bike , wide tyres on a full race bike are such a game changer. These rims are so wide 28mm tyres have no bulge, they look like motorbike tyres.
Di2 is great. I didn't go near any hills but it's got a 1 to 1 lowest gear so should be good for some of the 25%+ gradients nearby.
It is the bike that won the gravel world championship two years ago and I think my gravel wheels will fit....
I’ve got an Aeroad but I’ve recently been wondering if I shouldn’t add an Ultimate on lower profile and wider wheels too….
lauda said:
That looks great. I love the colour.
I’ve got an Aeroad but I’ve recently been wondering if I shouldn’t add an Ultimate on lower profile and wider wheels too….
The colour is a 3 way metallic flip, purple side on, blue or red from various other angles. It comes across more in pictures of the Aeroroad.I’ve got an Aeroad but I’ve recently been wondering if I shouldn’t add an Ultimate on lower profile and wider wheels too….
frisbee said:
lauda said:
That looks great. I love the colour.
I’ve got an Aeroad but I’ve recently been wondering if I shouldn’t add an Ultimate on lower profile and wider wheels too….
The colour is a 3 way metallic flip, purple side on, blue or red from various other angles. It comes across more in pictures of the Aeroroad.I’ve got an Aeroad but I’ve recently been wondering if I shouldn’t add an Ultimate on lower profile and wider wheels too….
Mr Scruff said:
Following on from some comments on the “What bike bits have you bought” thread, this is my Yeti Arc.
Rare picture of it actually clean…
Like that, such a clean looking frame.Rare picture of it actually clean…
nickfrog said:
Nice! Upgrade to full MTB next?
Thanks. I've got an MTB as well, I've managed to consolidate 5 bikes into 2 which I'm much happier with, but no doubt my head will be turned at some point.
bobbo89 said:
Absolute parts bin special means it's a bit 'out there' in how it's spec'd but it should still be an interesting thing to ride...
I like that, what size are those tyres? 50? It's kinda what I'm looking for but love that you've put it together yourself, I find being more involved in the building of something makes using it feel so much better (even if technically it isn't Edited by bobbo89 on Friday 12th April 10:46
)Will have to look into those handlebars
New bike day 
Fairlight Strael with Hunt Carbon 30s and 105 12-speed mechanical. I may swap the group for the SRAM Force 1 on my old bike (the 3T in the second pic). Weight seems to be about the same as the 3T, a touch over 9 kg which seems fair.
Bike was ordered in January shipped last Friday, arrived this morning. Not bad for Haringey to Auckland. Mind you, the shipping cost was pretty eye-watering.
k
Fairlight Strael with Hunt Carbon 30s and 105 12-speed mechanical. I may swap the group for the SRAM Force 1 on my old bike (the 3T in the second pic). Weight seems to be about the same as the 3T, a touch over 9 kg which seems fair.
Bike was ordered in January shipped last Friday, arrived this morning. Not bad for Haringey to Auckland. Mind you, the shipping cost was pretty eye-watering.
k
Edited by klootzak on Thursday 18th April 02:14
V6Nelo said:
I like that, what size are those tyres? 50? It's kinda what I'm looking for but love that you've put it together yourself, I find being more involved in the building of something makes using it feel so much better (even if technically it isn't )
Will have to look into those handlebars
Thanks, it's a bit quirky but I like that, especially on ground up builds. )Will have to look into those handlebars
Tyres are 29x2.4's as the ethos behind it from Cotic was that it was based around MTB standards so you've got boost 15mm and 12mm axles and a 31.6mm seat tube so you can run a dropper. Only thing that isnt MTB are the brake mounts that are direct mount rather than post/IS.
Mine is running an Enduro wheelset as it's just what I had which adds to the tyre profile being 30mm wide internally.
First ride / shake down of a bike I built this winter, mostly out of the CRC closing down thing.
Nothing has fallen off so always a bonus.
The Ragley Big Al is one comfy bike that is going to prove super versatile I think.
Those 36s turn in very well indeed.
XT/SLX 12 is quite superb.
200mm dropper really nice and slammed.
TRP 4-pot surprisingly good for the money.
Wicked Will 2.6F and Nobby Nic 2.4 rear a weird combo that is actually proving really good so far.
Nothing has fallen off so always a bonus.
The Ragley Big Al is one comfy bike that is going to prove super versatile I think.
Those 36s turn in very well indeed.
XT/SLX 12 is quite superb.
200mm dropper really nice and slammed.
TRP 4-pot surprisingly good for the money.
Wicked Will 2.6F and Nobby Nic 2.4 rear a weird combo that is actually proving really good so far.
Those brakes are the TRP Slate T4s (non EVO). I just got them on price as they were £70 front and back at Merlin !
They have Allen key type plungers like SRAM to easily cut the hoses which is a godsend.
They are super powerful yet progressive and have great modulation with hardly any dead travel.
They feel exactly in between Shimano and SRAM in terms of progressivity which is a good thing!
They have Allen key type plungers like SRAM to easily cut the hoses which is a godsend.
They are super powerful yet progressive and have great modulation with hardly any dead travel.
They feel exactly in between Shimano and SRAM in terms of progressivity which is a good thing!
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