Seven Axiom SLX, 4-season and all-road

The Serotta is dead, but I loved it and had the best rides of my life on that bike.

I need a replacement, and the closest to the Serotta is a Seven, something like this: http://www.sevencycles.com/images/bikes/622-slx-pop.jpg

I'm thinking:

• Seven 622 SLX in custom geo
  
• Enve forks
  
• Campagnolo Super Record groupset
  
• Zipp 404s or Zipp 454s
  
  

I'm also thinking that I've had bikes in blue, yellow, red, green... and that it may be time for pink. I know pink is impossible to accessorise, so this will be a solid pink frame and I'll leave all components naked or in black and will never try to match anything to the frame and fork.

[edit]

Finished 2017-08-30 https://www.lfgss.com/comments/13827207/incontext/

Ended up choosing:

• Seven Axiom SLX
  
• Enve gravel forks
  
• Shimano DA Di2 hydro groupset
  
• Enve SES 4.5 AR + Chris King wheelset
  
  

Album of photos (high quality, zoomable):
https://photos.app.goo.gl/NpyK3w6kJ2aYC2jE6

Geometry and numbers:

• Seat tube length: 55.4 cm
  
• Top tube length: 57.8 cm
  
• Head tube length: 21.1 cm
  
• Head tube extension: 1 cm
  
• Head tube diameter: 44 mm
  
• Head tube angle: 72.5 deg
  
• Seat post diameter: 27.2 mm
  
• Seat tube angle: 72.5 deg
  
• Bottom bracket drop: 8 cm
  
• Bottom bracket height: 26.8 cm (with optimal tire width)
  
• Bottom bracket: 68mm English
  
• Estimated standover: 85 cm
  
• Chain stay length: 43.6 cm
  
• Wheel size: 700
  
• Top tube slope (estimated): 8 deg
  
• Rear axle spacing: 142 mm
  
• Toe overlap: yes :)
  
• Optimal tire width: 35 mm
  
• Max tire width: 38mm
  
• Estimatated front center: 60.4 cm
  
  

And the fit:

• Saddle height: 81 cm
  
• Saddle nose to bottom bracket center: 7.7 cm
  
• Saddle top to stem center height: 6.8 cm
  
• Reach: 83 cm
  
  

And Seven's scale:

• Handling: 5 out of 10, where 1 = stable and 10 = agile
  
• Drive Train Rigidity: 6 out of 10, where 1 = lightweight and 10 = stiff
  
• Vertical compliance: 2 out of 10, where 1 = comfortable and 10 = stiff
  
• Weight to performance: 7 out of 10, where 1 = lightweight and 10 = performance
  
  

Options:

• Solid colour Pantone 2037
  
• Fender mounts
  
• Rack mounts
  
• Thraxle
  
• Internal Di2
  
• 2 water bottle mounts, 1 on ST, 1 on DT
  
  

u no like carbon?

e.g: this is a lot of bike for the money IMO

I like custom geo more. Parlee go there with full carbon, but almost everyone else is monocoque and you size approximately as their rigs are setup for fixed geos only.

I credit custom geometry with keeping me cycling even though I've had sciatica and lower back pain. The Seven allows full custom, and their philosophy is closest to what Serotta was... the bike you get it yours and yours alone, it's tailored for you in every way, tuned for you as a rider and the way you ride.

if its a fit thing then yeah, parlee or argonaut if you can afford. I don't know what you need fit wise but H2 fit in trek is not race-y but not as upright as roubaix.

and go etap!

e.g: this is a lot of bike for the money IMO

You should get that :)

I'll get the Seven :)

I wish </3 :_( 4vapoor

also Moots

and go etap!

I have a theory on this, because Cyclefit asked too.

My theory goes like this:

When a new technology comes along, it is not yet mature and offers a glimpse of the future. You can buy it now, you can taste the future, but it's not "future-proof" as it will evolve most in the first decade or two as innovation discovers and fixes all of the issues.

The batteries will change (have already changed several times in the past 5 years), the controllers will change, the wired/wireless will change, everything will change.

At the same time, a new technology is generally replacing an existing old technology, and the old technology has basically stopped innovating. The old tech is the most mature, performant, efficient, and affordable that it ever has been. The old tech is at it's peak, the finest example of that tech ever.

You can see this in other things... just when bad LCD monitors became available, TVs were cheap and offering 100Hz flawless screens with incredible colour range at stunning prices. Yet the new tech was sexy and so people purchased sub-standard new, even though it was replaced so quickly as the new tech evolved.

So it is with groupsets right now. The new is incredible, and you can buy a taste of the future now. But it will change and evolve, and I am building a bike for a long time with no anticipation that I'll be changing the groupset ever.

The top end mechanical groupsets today, are probably the last version of that. They are the most mature those things will ever be. The lightest, the most efficient, the best ergonomics, everything.

I'm going to buy the very best, and today that is the old tech.

fair, in which case

You've mistakenly posted a Shimano groupset, the Campagnolo one looks like this:

its gotten uglier now with 4 arms

Sorry for losing the Serotta :-( Sounds like you're set on Seven. But(!) Firefly, Moots and Festka also worth looking at if you're going for a custom carbon/ti bike. Will be following!

Moots were the only other manufacturer I was considering.

I love @le_car's Moots as one of the finest examples of them.

But... this is my bike, and I'm replacing a bike that was the best bike I ever owned, and I want a natural evolution of that. Which is about finding a replacement fit and experience, for the handling to be close (but better?) to the Serotta. My belief is that I'll find this in the Seven.

Plus, up close it's really attractive, and it will look even nicer in baby pink.

I know someone with a custom Seven in pink. It is awesome.

That Dura Ace would suit a black bike ridden by Darth Vader.

Deffo the 5 arm campy chainset over the 4 arm :)

I know someone with a custom Seven in pink. It is awesome.

It's been done!?

Are their photos?

If going mechanical, congrats, Campagnolo is the way to go.
And I've recently started to accept the 4 arm cranks (still hatin' on the DA9100 tho).

But why Zipps and not Enves?

Plus: also match pink (hopefully fluo) forks and stem pls

Ugh, the Campy 4 arm is a bit ugly.

Maybe the SRAM Red?

Hmm... that's pretty ugly almost everywhere except the crankset.

Definitely prefer the Campy brakes, derailleurs, levers, ergonomics.

I could probably live with the 4-arm crankset, just to get the rest of the groupset.

But why Zipps and not Enves?

There is a budget, the difference between Zipp 404s or 454s and Enve SES 4.5s is quite substantial.

I love Enve... but it's pretty pricey.

I thought 454s where around £3,400 for a set?
You can get Enves on CK R45 for £2,500-2,900

You're no help :)

Pretty soon I'll be selecting alu rims.

Which is to say... I haven't considered the wheelset at all yet. I'm only just beginning to think of the bike in any way, it's all a bit sudden.

Would second the Firefly: http://fireflybicycles.com/bicycles/ti-carbon

Firefly for me too! Enve's are very nice, but they are very expensive for what they are, I had some as I got them as a promo, couldn't fault them, but at RRP I wouldn't buy. Zipp 454 are very spendy, but 404's are great and can be had for half the price of a set of Enve's.

Campy Super record is way out of my price range.
But on the basis of fantasy shopping with someone elses money i would still go Campy 5 arm, partly for traditonal look of 5 arm and partly wider choice of 5 arm chainrings after market, and partly......maybe cheaper if 4 arm is next generation sooooo maybe 5 arm could be had discounted.

Never had much joy with SRAM mtb chainsets or brakes. Rear mechs and shifters ok.

Then again i ride a Dolan with a 25 year old Suntour chainset and old PX wheelset :)

Easy. Get the new group > ditch the 4 arm > get the 5 arm or something else you like > 🚵