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Looking grand! If it were mine I'd go all silver, other than maybe the stem and calipers... but it's yours (woop!), and these things can evolve over time. The main thing is that makes you grin!
I like that you're using the parts from a previous bike to begin with - I imagine that doing so highlights the difference between the two frames in terms of ride quality and handling etc. Pretty much every component on mine is new to me so it's harder to tell.
Will you be getting bags as well? Or is it more for one-day-at-a-time usage? (Sorry if I've missed that part of the chats earlier on).
Also... stop smoking, it's bad for you!
.gaz.-
Yes dad!
For work I use a small rucksack, sub 3hr rides my jersey pockets, 3-5hr rides I have a handlebar bag, all day with a possible overnight handlebar bag and Carradice audax, I don't really tour as I like being at home (or a friend's home, not an option at the moment).
Apart from tyres, brakes and the 90mm stem, it's everything off my All City, haven't ridden it enough to compare honestly, but so far, it feels fookin fantastic!
jontea
@crow the SKS guards I've ordered to do a test fitting are black.
@Psmith black hammered guards don't seem to be available above 45mm, I'll probably need at least 48mm with these tyres, they're 42mm, but that would be my ideal choice, will keep searching once I'm sure that these tyres and guards fit without too much head scratching and mudguard butchery.
As for the initial ride, it was very brief, but most joyful. It was brief due to a lot of the lanes round here being closed due to flooding (I wish I had a phone with a camera sometimes, one flooded lane had a car stuck/abandoned due to the water being level with the bonnet).
To the bike, it feels superb, got that new bike grin, and was looking down at it more than I was looking where I was going. Don't have a lot to compare it to, as I've mostly ridden Surlys and Genesi, and of course my Mr Pink, which I loved riding, fit wise it feels similar, ride wise it feels fantastic. I did a quick test fit last night (put my cycling shoes on, threw a leg over, I felt a bit stretched, so measured my Mr Pink again, and the Varonha is marginally longer) and changed the stem from a 100mm/6° to a 90mm/10° one, it's spot on, could probably go 5mm lower on the steerer, but I'll stick as is for a while, do a longer ride next Saturday and see what's what.
@amey the Koolstop salmon thinline pads are great combined with the Jagwire pro cables, plenty of stopping power (but will investigate the Swissstop pads when I need replacement ones).
Tyres, Ultradynamico Cavas are great, plenty grippy on slippy greasy Cheshire lanes, they roll pretty quick for a biggish tyre, got em at 30/35 psi front/rear, if I go tubeless with them I could probably go a touch lower without sacrificing feel.
Not much else to report, feels fantastic, made me grin, can't wait to get mudguards on and go on a long ride (one that needs a tea, cake and a smoke stop).
Anyway, here's another shit picture taken in my back yard upon my return.
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