New Gruppo on older bikes

well I broke the carbon seat post and the carbon forks on my cross bike, not by crashing just hard riding. It could have been very nasty, and I absolutely dont trust the stuff.

My steel frame catastrophically failed last febuary, but thats because I hit the back of a taxi at 20mph.

staring nervously at my bike across the room. One of the spokes just snapped right there without me even moving the bike. Wierd. This ever happened to anyone else?

So have you given up on aluminium parts too?

Point being - it shouldn't make any difference to how you climb.

Yes it should.

Both hands on the bars, where they should be.

but ed has a magic gear appropriate for any incline, he has no reason to change gears

Sorry, my mistake.

as you were.

So have you given up on aluminium parts too?

my cross/touring bike is alu, with a steel front fork (to replace the carbon one I broke). It's ugly and rattly and the threads in the rack mounts strip easily and the bottle cage mounts are only riveted on and coming loose. Next bike will defnitely be steel.

steel wheels?

fuuuuuuuu

?

steel spokes. less brittle than alu.

I just climb half way. Then I walk.

I honestly can't see downtube shifter make it any worse on the climb, I usually selected the right gearing before I encounter the incline, rather than changing on the incline.

I have not been on this forum so long, but i would hope that someone who has been here as long as you would realise that you are talking complete and utter shit. You obviously have no idea about anything involving bikes. Especially going up hills.

Apparently, there are hills/mountains on this planet that change in gradient.... crazy shit, huh?

Do you work in Evans by any chance?

Old bikes are shit, old parts are shit. Retrobike >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

man speaks sense.
they stopped making bikes out of steel for a reason....

man speaks sense.
they stopped making bikes out of steel for a reason....

Its because steel is very heavy which therefore means the bicycle goes much slower.

I honestly can't see downtube shifter make it any worse on the climb, I usually selected the right gearing before I encounter the incline, rather than changing on the incline.

i love this idea - but no

I thought Lance ran a downtube shifter on the left for the front mech, and an STI lever on the right for the rear mech

this- he only did it to save weight.

In any case I wasn't saying you won't enjoy cycling with DT shifters or retro parts -just that I don't see why you would given the choice between that and a modern group? New stuff works so much better - and its not all ugly

Its because steel is very heavy which therefore means the bicycle goes much slower.

that is very true.
the fact that most steel bike enthusiasts are also fat probably adds to the problem.

Old bikes are also ugly. Only a blind man would think that an old steel bike looks good.

I have not been on this forum so long, but i would hope that someone who has been here as long as you would realise that you are talking complete and utter shit. You obviously have no idea about anything involving bikes. Especially going up hills.

Apparently, there are hills/mountains on this planet that change in gradient.... crazy shit, huh?

Do you work in Evans by any chance?

troll

that is very true.
the fact that most steel bike enthusiasts are also fat probably adds to the problem.

Old bikes are also ugly. Only a blind man would think that an old steel bike looks good.

Yes, every steel bike is ridden very slowly by a fat blind man.

My way of climbing hill by simply selecting the idea ratios and grinding it isn't the best of tactic as I'm perfectly aware of (especially on hard-fucking-knott pass on a double).

my front deraillieur broke last week so when I get to the bottom of gipsy hill I stop and put the chain on the small ring by hand. Mostly I'm ok in the big ring in london though.

I built up a 1963 Louisson Bobet frameset recently. I did not hunt down early 60s track stuff, but I did use components that seemed to fit well with it's faded magenta paint and Nervex lugs, including a Gippemme crank, Philippe stem & Lycette L'avenir leather saddle.

And many of the new cranksets I find to be on the other side of hideous. (That should be Louison with one "s" : http://youtu.be/FGwGRmc3EUw

And "its" with no apostrophe. And Gipiemme, not Gippemme. I should have never fired my secruterry.

(90s) 8 speed Chorus cassette with Chorus hubs and Amboriso rims - 1800g.

(2010) 10 speed Centaur cassette with Amboriso hubs and Mavic Open Pro rims - 1400g.

Utter horseshit unless you are lacing these mythical wheels with spider's webs instead of actual spokes.

You're right, my apologise, I forget to add the tyres (Deda RS Corsa) and inner tube;

i love this idea - but no

this- he only did it to save weight.

In any case I wasn't saying you won't enjoy cycling with DT shifters or retro parts -just that I don't see why you would given the choice between that and a modern group? New stuff works so much better - and its not all ugly

I read he used them because you can microadjust better with DT shifters to avoid rub, I doubt it was to save weight because there was no weight limit in the tour when he was doing it...and the saving would be negligble.

I've noticed these days a lot of people shift too much, too early, etc. Sometimes I'll pass people on relatively flat terrain and then after they are behind me I'll hear them shifting up and down and back again while I stay in the same gear. I also notice people shifting way too soon going into a slight rise and losing momentum. Really the joy of london is that its not got many massive hills in it, that's why its perfect single speed / fixie territory...with dt shifters you grind a bit harder for a bit longer. Whilst i'm sure that might be an issue if you were in a race, in the real world its not a big issue.

I do own an sti bike as well as old steel, so i can accept the advantages of it...even if i do find myself reaching for air whilst trying to find the DT levers when its been a while since riding it.

Modern stuff can look beautiful but i think it looks beautiful when kept in context, out of context it looks a bit naff...There are some exceptions where they have the right look though, mainly campy stuff like athena even the alloy centaur isn't too bad.

Anyway to each their own.

I am going to buy an mx leader and put a brand new Dura ace group and wheeset on it and its going to be brilliant

I have not been on this forum so long(...)