Goodbye sweetheart - farewell to a dead bike

Interesting question actually. In fact I was going to sneer knowingly, that the Capo was disimilar to the original Cannondale Major Taylor......but a check of this, proved me very wrong.

The bikes are similar, though the Major Taylor, and the Cannondale Track, were possibly more track oriented than the Capo range. Certainly the Major Taylor weighed approximately 15lbs, whereas a similar Capo is at least 3lbs heavier.

Cannondale Major Taylor
http://www.cannondale.com/bikes/04/cusa/images/large/4PRTWHT.jpg

Cannondale Track
http://www3.cannondale.com/bikes/03/images/large/pr3000.jpg
Capo 5 2008
http://video.cannondale.com/images/08/bikes/CUSA/large/8PR1_red.jpg

Capo 2010
http://video.cannondale.com/images/10/CUSA/large/0PR1_bbs.jpg

I'm hoping Edscoble comes along to put us right about the seat and headset angles.

I can see BMMF facepalming, while looking at the seatposts in the photos. I'm proving him more right by the minute. Damn.

Though, the correlation of height difference that I wish to achieve, between saddle height and stem height, is aptly illustrated in the Capo 2010 image.

Still, that seatpost is rather further down than I would ever normally consider using.

Things to ponder...............

Though, the correlation of height difference that I wish to achieve, between saddle height and stem height, is aptly illustrated in the Capo 2010 image.

This sounds like a good thought process.

This is exactly why on forums like weight weenies, people bang on about headtube length so much.
You can adjust your saddle easily enough, but will the frame geometry (headtube) then allow you to have the bars at right height relative to it?

other thoughts:

• Pushing your saddle all the way back, to compenste for tt length, is not really recomended.
  
• a proper test ride is needed to decide if the bike is too long.
  
• tube failure at the point of butting, sounds like poor tubing/quality control.
  
• Bike CAD is useful for playing with geometries (has shown me what not to buy). Punch in the geometries of the two sizes your thinking about, and see where different stem lengths/ seat post lengths etc. put you.
  http://www.bikeforest.com/CAD/bcad.php
  

I can see BMMF facepalming, while looking at the seatposts in the photos. I'm proving him more right by the minute. Damn.

I thought I saw a glint of light from your binoculars when I looked over the road to your office.

people bang on about headtube length so much.[URL="http://www.bikeforest.com/CAD/bcad.php"][/URL]

Yep, I've become more discerning about HT length in recent years. But there's still a lot of room for manoeuvre with different stem/bars combos.

elipses as standard on 2010 capo?? but with brakes :(

nice, but slightly overkill for such a bike...

I still reckon it's a set up issue. What is your saddle height (centre of BB to top of saddle)?

Yep, I've become more discerning about HT length in recent years. But there's still a lot of room for manoeuvre with different stem/bars combos.

True.
But definitly more of a risk for myself, and other hobits, especially flexible ones. The general idea is that short folk have less/or no saddle-bar drop, and need a long HT, and subsequently a relativly long ETT. I've near given up on the idea of a 'sportive' frame, as these exagerate the problem.

Are you saying being overly stretched out (which doesn't have to happen just because you have a larger frame) puts more weight on your hands?

I'm going to assume not, as it's not true. Being pitched too far forward over the bottom bracket with a too short/low stem causes that. Furthermore, smaller frame sizes have steeper seat-tubes, which increases the likelihood of this happening.

No, I meant that if his seat to bar drop is too high at the moment, he might notice it because he will have a lot of weight on his hands. I hadn't thought about him being too far forward though.

My thinking was that his current frame might be the right headtube length for him, and he should play with stems and stuff to dial in the fit rather than go for a larger frame which might have too long a headtube.

Though I now wonder if he felt stretched out on the larger frame because he was used to riding one which was too small.

And now I am racked with doubt. I am usually so sure about my internet bike fitting skillz.

No, I meant that if his seat to bar drop is too high at the moment, he might notice it because he will have a lot of weight on his hands. I hadn't thought about him being too far forward though.
.

like saddle it varies from person to person, some people are perfectly comfortable with a huge saddle to bar drop, some aren't.

Though I now wonder if he felt stretched out on the larger frame because he was used to riding one which was too small.

This the reason I suggested a longer try on it. Most mornings, I swear my bike's grown overnight, then my sleep deprived body gets used to it. I cant imagine being able to tell if a bike fits by swinging a leg over one in a shop*.

(*I'm a fussing tw*t though)

£100 for a Warranty claim?

Thats a pile of steaming shit.

My thinking was that his current frame might be the right headtube length for him, and he should play with stems and stuff to dial in the fit rather than go for a larger frame which might have too long a headtube.

The geometry specs I posted on the last page don't list HT length, which is very fucking helpful.

However, he's got 2 or 3 spacers and a flipped stem, so I doubt the next size up would cause problems - it's likely to be 20mm taller at the most.

And, seeing as he's a clydesdale, it would be wise to run as little fork steerer as possible.

like saddle it varies from person to person, some people are perfectly comfortable with a huge saddle to bar drop, some aren't.

But plenty are either putting up with unnecessary discomfort, or trying to make up for lack of reach by increasing drop, which is a poor compromise.

GA2G's bike isn't for pedalling a mahoosive gear on the track or in crits - where you're not carrying luggage, and unweight your contact points due to force exerted on the pedals. He's using the bike to nip around town. And he's very very old. The less craning of the neck the better in the long run.

I was mostly referring to people whose body are not entirely porportional, like Flickwg, who appear to either ride poorly fitted bicycle or correctly fitted bicycle for his body porportion.

'poorly fitted bicycle' - check:

There is a classic pic of a cervelo somewhere in the anti-porn thread. Miles too small for the rider.

I'm sure the seatpost, steerer column, and stem have amazing lateral stiffness and vertical compliance ;)

Did someone say very old Clydesdale? I'd like to clear up some confusion. My dad is 63, and his wife is 48. I'm not the Time Lord, so how could I be older than they? A scandalous inference. :D

You're the one doing the inferring. I think you meant 'implication' :p

Did someone say very old Clydesdale? I'd like to clear up some confusion. My dad is 63, and his wife is 48. I'm not the Time Lord, so how could I be older than they? A scandalous inference. :D

If my sums are correct this means that techinically you must be around 86?

If my sums are correct this means that techinically you must be around 86 stone?

Now you're being too harsh.

My dad is 63, and his wife is 48.

15 years eh..not bad for the old fella

You're the one doing the inferring. I think you meant 'implication' :p

I think we need the Mighty Platini to referee on this obscure point. I trust him.

And that of course infers........... ;)

Do you mean 'The Mighty Platini' or 'the mighty Platini'? It's all so confusing.