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v11boy
Update. I sort of hit my 2021 bike goals in that i wanted 3 nice useable bikes that all did something different. I've also sold a lot of stuff paying for all the new bike bits i purchased over the year and am down to (almost) one box of spares. The plan was for 2022 to be largely bike project free but things are not exactly going to plan yet. Here's where i got to in 2021...
Road bike. Shifters were upgraded to R8000 to match the mech's (last of the cheap new buys it seems), brakes were swapped to the DA9000 units leftover from the Bowman split (essentially free after all the faff of splitting) and the fork was sanded and repainted gloss black as the lacquer was peeling and the graphics didn't work with the wheels. I found some new SL80's on Amazon for £30 (next day back up to £100) and the rest of the finishing kit is bog standard low end CAAD stuff which does the job. Finally i swapped KMC SL chains with my girlfriend so she has gold on her green Datum and i have silver which looks better IMO and i spent a long time stripping the paint off my Power saddle and polishing the rails.
Dit it go outside in 2021? No. Does it get used on the trainer? Yes but not enough. Would i like to start using it outside again in 2022? Depends who wins the Highway code war but yeah, hopefully.
Track bike
This actually got ridden outside in 2021 and until life stuff took over late summer was at HHV most weeks. I'd really gone off deep profile track wheels at the time so i got Martin at Arkane to lace some wide low profile carbon rims onto Zenith hubs with bladed spokes. Tyres are very nice Veloflex EVO's in black as i wanted something less flashy and i have super light tubes in them. Again some used SL80's were found cheap and the rest of the kit is stock CAAD. I upped the gearing to a 51t courtesy of a £10 Campag road ring and used my favourite Lizard skinz tape although i wish i'd gone for 1.8mm over chubby looking 2.5.
Are the wheels amazing to ride? Yes. Does it bother me they look like destickered Ellipses? Yes. Have i changed my mind about not using deep rims again? Yes.
Commuter.
The Dart has been built up in a variety of ways recently including tracklocross over the summer. But as commuting to work has reduced considerably and the need to lock up increased i've rebuilt it with as many beater parts as possible to reduce my chronic lock up anxiety. Wheels are still a bit flashy but it's at least a bit more passable without Omniums/Zen/XT's/Carbon bars/Hope BB and Campag post. Unsurprisingly it rides exactly the same.
Proof it's been outside
As mentioned, i think i hit my goals but someone mentioned overlap a while back and it cut me deep. The CAAD10, Capo and Dart are pretty close and i'd still like something a bit more off road friendly. I've also got a heavy silly looking Mash Works fork staring me in the face everyday. So as 4130 has gotten trendy and expensive i've been talking to someone about something based on a Steamroller that'll use the Mash fork and be bit more refined/spec'd to how i want it. I wouldn't say it's a done deal yet but i did buy a seat clamp for it which is the foundation of any proper build.
Additionally i found this picture recently which reminded me just how much i love the Dart and probably why i'm not so in love with the CAAD. If the new build becomes a commuter/off roady thing then it frees the Dart up to do something a bit more fancy with it.
Why o why did i sell this wheelset