Road bike recommendations

I guess the Colnago is the best frame, but it is specced below the other two bikes I'm considering. My guess is based mainly on the reverence a former pro rider friend of mine has for them.

to be honest anything you buy in that price bracket will be a really good bike.

This.

I don't know if bikes are the same but I've recently come to the conclusion that pretty much all new cars are good. Some look better, some are cheaper, etc. but above a certain price nothing is "bad".

The one thing I would say is for that money you need to take them for a test ride. Then just buy the one you enjoy the most. It's a "want" item right? So just buy the one you want the most.

...that's what I think anyway.

I guess the Colnago is the best frame, but it is specced below the other two bikes I'm considering. My guess is based mainly on the reverence a former pro rider friend of mine has for them.

Most Colnagos ride beautifully. I had a C40 and it descended like it was on rails, no matter how hard you threw it into corners.

I've currently got a cheap Primavera, their entry level aluminium frame, and it's a good bike to ride but weighs a ton.

If I was flush then I'd have no hesitation in buying another carbon Colnago.

Worth considering that you will almost certianly fall prey to bling wheel cravings at some point. Also, over time you'll probably find contact points you'd prefer. Then the drivechain will need bits replacing at some point. So is always upgradable.

So a bike that comes with ideal training wheels (ie. khamsin), and basic finishing kit (cuz I'm probably gonna replace it), would be my choice.

Working out measurements for a new frame has been an interesting process.. particularly measuring stack & reach on my current bikes and comparing with the ratio on other known models where the manufacturer provides them for similar size eg

Specialized Tarmac 0.73 R/S ratio, Roubaix 0.69
Cannondale SuperSix 0.72, CAAD8 0.69, Synapse 0.66

My bikes (measuring tape & pythagoras)

2010 Focus Cayo: 0.76
Ribble "[nearly] horizontal top tube" 7005: 0.82 (!)

Going for 532 S 382 R = 0.72 on the new frame. Which happens to be almost exactly the same as a 52cm SuperSix. Relatively slack compared to what I've been riding til now!

Looking at new road rides at the moment it seems that Dolan is hard to beat. You can pick up the Ares (the frame that the An Post team use) with SRAM Force and 3T kit for £1600 and it's only another £200 for Red. The site isn't very well done but I haven't seen anything that compares value wise for a while.

SRAM force is really nice. I would probably go for the RED for an extra 200 though.

I'm having that debate now (Red vs Force) which is super retarded as current Red is now obsolete.

Red shifters are 8g lighter than Force, the Red front mech is often replaced with a Force one due to the Ti cage being too flexy, but the rear mech is a straight up better unit than the Force one- if only because of the ceramic bearings and significant weight advantage.

I still want Red shifters.

Bah.

If they are full groupsets I'd go with Red.

My new carbon frame is arriving this afternoon and I'm already getting nervous about breaking it. I'll need a seatpost binder and clamp on front mech for it, can I just use the existing ones off my alu frame, or do they need to be somehow specific for carbon? Apart from using a torque wrench, are there any other tips to avoid cracking it before I even hit the road?

Just use a torque wrench and you'll be fine, make sure you following the recommended torque though.

Oh and Van Nicholas is built up :)

So happy with it, riding TI is a new experience, feels rather strange.

I just need to play around with the hoods still as they seem a bit lower than I'd ideally like, it feels as though the bars start to drop before the sti's start, does that make sense?

Can I reuse the bar tape? It's the sticky stuff.

My new carbon frame is arriving this afternoon and I'm already getting nervous about breaking it. I'll need a seatpost binder and clamp on front mech for it, can I just use the existing ones off my alu frame, or do they need to be somehow specific for carbon? Apart from using a torque wrench, are there any other tips to avoid cracking it before I even hit the road?

Torque wrench and assembly paste and you'll be fine.

Check for burrs. Apply assembly paste. Use torque wrench.

Oh and Van Nicholas is built up :)

Photo time!

I'm leaning towards the Condor Baracchi...

Me too, for silly reason such as the fact it's from a local shop rather than a big company, and I loved Condor.

My new carbon frame is arriving this afternoon and I'm already getting nervous about breaking it. I'll need a seatpost binder and clamp on front mech for it, can I just use the existing ones off my alu frame, or do they need to be somehow specific for carbon? Apart from using a torque wrench, are there any other tips to avoid cracking it before I even hit the road?

Both my carbon frames have seatpost clamps similar to this one which needs the insert rotated to suit the post material.

As others have said, assembley paste and a torque wrench. Ribble had a good deal on a torque wrench set recently.

I've got this one, which goes down to very small values- useful when it comes to crabon:

[ame="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Norbar-TruTorque-certificate-calibration-England/dp/B002ASZHAS/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1327435100&sr=8-2"]Norbar TruTorque™ TT20 ¼" with certificate of calibration. Proudly made in England.: Amazon.co.uk: DIY & Tools[/ame]

Ed, what size are you? Can we share the cost? One weekend day each...

Photo time!

I'll post photos soon. Just need to fit a new chain (old one is too short) and fit new pedals.

Also may play around with the hood position yet, inside of thumbs are little sore sometimes.

Apart from that the bike is lovely, could be because It's the first TI bike I've owned but you can feel the power transfer much more, climbing is easier. This bike really is a keeper I'm so impressed with it.

It's just a shame I'm moving house this weekend as I'd love to get out and get some miles in.

Both my carbon frames have seatpost clamps similar to this one which needs the insert rotated to suit the post material.

Cool, so essentially any asymetric seatpost clamp will be fine I guess? I've already got a torque wrench, so will grab some assembly paste and give it a go.

It was either ask her, start a thread or dig one up from 2008 so I've gone for here.

Definately suffering from foot numbness on the longer rides I have been going on. My feet really don't seem to like the pedals, which are MKS Campy copies I've had on my fixed for a while. Now I'm sure I should go clipless but I don't wanna, so I've been fishing around ebay for some decent vintage Campy pedals, Record, Chorus or the like (with the more streamline pedal shape), or I was considering the MKS GR9s. Anyone else got any bright ideas? I'm going to buy some decent shoes like Quoc Phams when I can afford them, but wondering what the best pedals are for clips, but for road riding.

Do they still do wooden soled shoes? Serious question as a lot of people used to ride with them.

There aren't a lot of shoes made specifically for clips, and if there are they are a bastard to source. I think BLB may still do the Vittoria ones, and I'll probably end up buying one of these:

http://www.quocpham.com/products/index.html

Or there are ones like the Exustar Track shoes with a carbon sole, but its no straight forward. Do need something super stiff for my feet, frustrating having to wait to buy them but the bike cleaned me out for now