Current Projects chat and miscellany

I think I have successfully attached a picture of my bike.
A Bianchi with Mavic something or other wheels, brooks saddle, bullhorn bars etc, I was eventually going to buy a new frame from Brike lane bikes before someone kindly took it off my hands in South London a few weeks ago. If you see someone cycling along on this please put a stick in the spokes...

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I had a pair of those last year. Not obscure and in fact a good idea. Saves a lot of weight compared to a lot of other steel armed cranks and there is a lot of weight to be saved!

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Whats the reasoning behind using these over alu?

When paired with a ti spindle a very strong, proven design at a reasonable weight?

Whats the reasoning behind using these over alu?

Stronger, especially at the pedal eyes which is what tends to break when you jump on aluminium cranks.

Yeah I've heard that the SRAM RED cassette is also extremely noisy and wears quickly. SRAM sponsored Protour teams apparently use Force cassettes for training and RED cassettes only for racing.

That's interesting- one to steer clear of then if true (not doubting you Rusty).

I have SRAM Red & Force and Shimano DA and 105 cassettes.

I mostly use the 105 with my Red groupset

Judging by the geo on this it looks like it takes a 650 front end! Maybe even a 24'

yep. i emailed langdale to ask them if they still got anything about this frame. all the bb says is L D 1
just got it and the only new bits are the saddle and bars that i had lying about.

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Judging by the geo on this it looks like it takes a 650 front end! Maybe even a 24'

I think those three would take off around 250g, without compromising performance?

You're going to compromise your wallet and performance with that saddle unless it's a perfect fit .. or are you looking for maximum bling ?! Change the tires to Veloflex .. And change the brakes. If you don't want weight weenie brakes get some Red brakes they'll save about 70 grams and perform better then your ultegra. But if you want too spend money I'd change stem, post and bars to 3T Ltd and then add up the weight saving.

Change the tires to Veloflex ..

I'd be wary of Veloflex for the use he has in mind - nice race tyre, but a bit too fragile for anything else. Also not as light as they claim.

Neil, I have the PX forged brakes on my turbo bike not doing alot. £30?

Potentially very interested- which ones are they precisely? I was going to order some of the CNC ones but they had none in stock the other day.

Also, critically- do they haul you up as well as Ultegra/Force?

If you're allowing any paint process, Mavic Deemax rims and any Truvativ crank with the piano black finish, e.g. Omnium.

we is talkin' powdercoated non-mtb parts as per the OP, you're already disqualified.

the initial point has been lost, which is, your cranks and rims aren't powdercoated, as very few are, so don't use paint stripper, jus tryna halp a brutha out.

You're going to compromise your wallet and performance with that saddle unless it's a perfect fit .. or are you looking for maximum bling ?! Change the tires to Veloflex .. And change the brakes. If you don't want weight weenie brakes get some Red brakes they'll save about 70 grams and perform better then your ultegra. But if you want too spend money I'd change stem, post and bars to 3T Ltd and then add up the weight saving.

I want to keep the Control Tech stem- its' a huge brick of carbon to be sure, but it's the only stem that looks "right" with the front end of a System Six.

Normal stems look out of proportion when sitting on top of such a huge headtube.

Bars and seatpost I could not care less about so they are on the list.

That saddle does look a bit silly, but it's an Arione and critically it is an Arione that weighs 100g less than my current one.

The black ones with red highlights per website pic

http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/i/q/BCPXFOR/ultra-light-forged-brake-callipers

I just used them with the stock pads and they were easily as good as the generic no-names on the Allez Elite they replaced which I put Swiss stops on. And I need a bit of stopping ;)

Those brakes would be 110 grams saved for £30. That's rather better value for money than most other weight saving bits just as long as they stop as hard as the brakes they are replacing.

I'll take them off anyway and you can try before you buy if you want. Might even cost you nil if you wanted to swap for your bloated,porky Ultegras.

They weigh them without pads and pad holders.

I have the ultralight PX ones and wouldn't fancy descending big mountains on them.

Ah, that might put a different complexion on things.

Stopping is more critical than weight saving.

I agree with Dov, they are not brakes I'd trust on long Alpine descents.

I told you this before btw.

I want to keep the Control Tech stem- its' a huge brick of carbon to be sure, but it's the only stem that looks "right" with the front end of a System Six.

I respect that but you may have to replace it. Assuming your position is correct at the moment and you change the bars if the reach is different you'll need a new stem to correct your position .. just saying something to consider

I'd be wary of Veloflex for the use he has in mind - nice race tyre, but a bit too fragile for anything else. Also not as light as they claim.

I run veloflex pave (now called corsa 22) and have punctured once in 2 years of all weather, all road ( countryside and london) riding.

Veloflex are plenty durable.

Also not as light as they claim.

Agreed, which is why I posted 185 to 205 g which is what ive weighed Corsa at on a previousl reply not 170 as claimed by which still gives about 40 g at each wheel over the open corsa the OP currently rides

I agree with Dov, they are not brakes I'd trust on long Alpine descents.

I told you this before btw.

We were discussing Zero Gravity brakes then- are all lightweight brakes suitable only for flat countries?

So we were. I bought a pair of the Planet-X ones and ditched them at the first opportunity, the lack of power when braking in a hurry was frightening.

Depends on what you call lightweight - I've a pair of the current Campag SR skeleton brakes and have happily used them on long Alpine descents.