Talbot disc brake equipped road bike

Sounds like the shimmy is down to a loose headset...

Think if you don’t feel fully settled, then you’re much more likely to tense up which amplifies it.

Good point !

You’re a loose headset with a shimmy

Thanks @pascalo, and thanks for giving me the chance to sort it out. For numerous reasons this has been a bit of a anus horribilus for me, but despite me essentially shutting down and hiding from everyon, the forum has yet again shown me the best side of humanity, which considering we are on the internet is pretty impressive.

I love it when you talk like this.

anus horribilus

That Blue Door toilet finally explained

Pathetic & arousing in equal measure isn't it?

If I knew what I was talking about I might say bathetic, but it's as confusing as irony and coincidence.
I'm going to lie down though, because the thought of a sloppy headset oozing grease over the bearings is just a bit much for a Friday morning wfh.

This is a wonderful happy ever after and I'm going to have to quit the Internet now because it'll all be downhill from here

Ok, now that I have done a few rides on it I kind of know where we're at.
It's a good descender, comfy over hard pack gravel, good for longer miles on the flat, but definitely not a climbing bike.
The current build weighs 9.2kg with pedals.
The build list goes as follows:

• Talbot stainless frame
  
• Enve road disc fork
  
• Chris King headset
  
• Praxis T47 BB
  
• Praxis Zayante cranks and compact chainrings with power2max ng eco replacing the spider
  
• Hunt aero light disc wheels
  
• Ultegra rotors, 160 front, 140 back
  
• Thomson X2 110mm stem
  
• Canyon alloy handlebars 42cm wide
  
• Ultegra r8020 Hydraulic mechanical levers
  
• Ultegra r8070 hydraulic calipers
  
• Ultegra RX800 rear derailleur
  
• Ultegra R8000 front derailleur braze on
  
• Ultegra 11 speed chain
  
• Shimano Di2 band on adapter
  
• Ultegra R8000 11-30 cassette
  
• Continental Gp4000S2 28mm tyres (still with butyl inner tubes)
  
• Specialized Power Arc Expert saddle
  
• Condor carbon seat post
  
• Thomson seat clamp
  
• Minoura bottle cages
  
• Wahoo out front mount
  
• Exposure light mount
  
• Shimano 105 pedals
  
• Cinelli caleido black bar tape
  
• BBB ScrewOn bar end plugs
  

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Why is it not a climbing bike?

Weight and stiffness.

It looks great. Is it just the build that's making it heavy? I guess a large steel frame is never going to be the lightest whatever you stick on it.
The question is, was it worth the wait?

It looks great

It sure does. The paint and finish on it is top notch. The welds are tidy. The exposed steel bits sparkle. So far it has drawn quite a few comments.

Is it just the build that's making it heavy? I guess a large steel frame is never going to be the lightest whatever you stick on it.

Exactly. A big steel frame with disc brakes just doesn't make a weight weenie climbing bike. That wasn't the expectation anyways. I am sure you could shell out for carbon cranks, lighter seat post, bars, saddle, pedals etc, but in my mind that would be wasted effort, it's not that kind of a bike and that's okay. If anything I'd do that to my Felt Fr1, which goes like a rocket whenever the road points skywards.

was it worth the wait?

That is a difficult question to answer. In hindsight, while it being exactly the bike I specced, with my riding having evolved quite a bit from when I did, this is not really the bike I need anymore.
Time will tell how much I'll use it.

Just out of curiousity, how would you have specced it differently, if you were to order it today?
And do you see any ways to adress that through component choice?

Not trying to stir up shit, I just wonder if you could make it more enjoyable now that you have had such a long wait.

For reference a mid tier carbon bike with ultegra di2 disc and 45mm deep section carbon wherls weighs just under 7kg (my canyon endurace cf)

Carbon and steel are obv two very diff things and like the rest of the forum i dont buy into ‘steel is real’ thing. For a road bike carbon should be the only material of choice. Unless you want something weird (fit, other requirements, mid life crisis).

This is my canyon: https://www.pedalroom.com/bike/canyon-endurace-cf-sl-38356

The only other road bike i had that was better ride than this (because lighter and stuffer) was my Emonda but I wanted disc brakes. Emonda was 6.3kg with DA9070 and HED ardennes.

Canyon build is quite basic the only ‘heavy’ part it has thats non standard is Hope BB.

Carbon is exceptional.

Tl;dr

Dont expect a steel bike to be light.
Ride it for its ‘ride quality’ (whatever that bollocks means)

I wouldn't have specced it in the first place. Knowing what I know now I would have sold my other bikes and taken myself into a major brand outlet and get one of the latest breed of disc brake climbing bikes. I don't think a custom steel or ti frame can even get close to some super light number with BB386Evo and large profile tubing in terms of how well it climbs. Also the OEM pricing on components is pretty much unbeatable.

Like I said, my riding has evolved quite a bit, and I am doing a shit ton more of vert. I also am hell bent on doing better at Peaks Challenge Falls Creek in March, and I'd take any advantage for that ride I could get. Luckily I now have the Felt at hands for climbing duties, but on longer descends disc brakes would add a lot of utility and reduce hand fatigue.

Or maybe, scratch that. The other aspect is that I am broke as hell. I had a major mental health melt down in April and haven't been working or making any money since. So I for sure wouldn't splash out on some fancy bike.

@amey

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Exactly!

I mean thats a top tier pro grade carbon bike, of course its a weapon!

@Dick had one for few mins

Huh? It's got ultegra...

I meant the frame phil! 🙄

It's second tier. The FRD is top tier, but that wasn't on sale on Wiggle for 65% off ;)

All the parts apart from the rear brake and BB are recycled from my Enigma. Okay, I have since swapped the handlebars for Vision Trimax carbon ones because 75% off at Wiggle ...

It's weighed down a notch by the Powertap 32h on Mavic Open Pro box rims I insist on using, but otherwise it's pretty sweet.

To give this some context, my reasoning for swapping the Enigma steel frame out for this was to create two very different bikes with minimal expenses should the Talbot eventually turn up, instead of two steel endurance bikes with different brake systems.