Dolan or leader??

Pedals/straps, hoodie, and tuck your shirt in.

{ you did ask }

:)

• HUGE front wheel clearance

• stickers still on wheels

• high spoke count with radial lacing

• brown saddle with black bike

• wtf? Have you got bullet valve caps? Are you 8 years old?

• bad shoes

Bad shoes? Right that has nothing to do with the bike!
Whats wrong with keeping the stickers on the wheels?
32 spoke count, standard I think for most wheels these days
Brown saddle breaks away from all the black

Whats wrong with keeping the stickers on the wheels?

Because it looks GASH?

This has been an interesting thread, quite helpful, i've been debating the same question as Thelythgoe. I have a friend who has the Leader [the massive front wheel is for barspin clearance btw] and i know someone with a Pre Cursa. I'm planning on doing London to Paris with some friends in the summer, so looking for a new steed. By the sounds of it the Pre Cursa with the road forks is the way to go, for money reasons and i may run a brake for that ride. If only i had more money, the Track Champion frame looks so nice...
[URL="http://www.lfgss.com/member21183.html"][/URL]

Bad shoes? Right that has nothing to do with the bike!
Whats wrong with keeping the stickers on the wheels?
32 spoke count, standard I think for most wheels these days
Brown saddle breaks away from all the black

Nobody asked for your opinion.

Because it looks GASH?

Yeah thats what you think

I'm biased cause I got a Precursa, quick 50 miles ride yesterday and turn out better than expected after getting used to how it handle;

PhilD - London to Paris, fixed on an alu frame? No thanks.

Daylightbombings -the shoe comment was a joke, but they sort of explain the brown saddle - don'tchaknow brown and black look simply ghastly together?!

The stickers look gash because they're the only non stealth part of the build, everyone will know you bought Australian rims and they look cheap.....If they were mavic stickers then yeah keep em on.. but that pony Velocity logo? Yuk.

Spoke count is fine - but 32 spoke radial looks stupid.

PhilD - London to Paris, fixed on an alu frame? No thanks.

How come? I currently ride with people who nearly all ride aluminium track bikes, and they seem to be ok when we do our 50mile rides. Is it to do with the condition of the roads once we get into France?

I currently have a steel frame, but showing some possible slight accident damage after a recent crash [very slight distortion in the down tube, could just be paranoia] so i want a new bike for longer riding. With steel frames being quite popular at the moment and therefore expensive, i'm leaning towards the alu frames to suit my budget.

It's quite a lot further than 50miles to Paris.. plus I find that I can ride most bikes 50-60 miles - it's only once you get to 100+ that you start wishing for a more forgiving ride.

I did it last year on plush carbon and was still sore. On alu I would have been in agony.

I also wouldn't do it fixed - just because the wind in Northern France is savage. Personal preference though etc etc.

^^^ London to Paris isn't a 50mile ride.

Nowt wrong with riding an Alu frame over a long distance, however riding fixed over a long distance quickly becomes irritating

London-Paris would be a bitch on an overly stiff frame. There's not much chance to get out of the saddle.

The Track Champion would be the last bike in my mind for the London to Paris ride.

I can see myself riding the Precursa on a Century ride without discomfort, but never going to be as comfortable as my steel BMW Gangsta.

It's quite a lot further than 50miles to Paris.. plus I find that I can ride most bikes 50-60 miles - it's only once you get to 100+ that you start wishing for a more forgiving ride.

I did it last year on plush carbon and was still sore. On alu I would have been in agony.

I also wouldn't do it fixed - just because the wind in Northern France is savage. Personal preference though etc etc.

Very fair response, yeah i understand the problems to the alu frame but my budget dictates and i'm fairly sure i won't be doing too many rides this long fixed. I've done a fair few 70+miles rides on my alu road bike [with carbon fork, bit more forgiving] and been ok. We're doing it fixed as a bit of challenge and most of my friends only have fixed-gear bikes, we'll be going at a slow pace and on sensible gears [hopefully i'll have double fixed by this point for options]. I'm hoping if i go alu frame with carbon forks, that will take some of the brunt. As for the winds in Northern France, i hope it's a mild day aha!

If you're worried about comfort, get bigger tyres and run a lower pressure, your performance won't get affected.

Also two brakes on fixed is hugely underrated, fantastic for long centuries ride and actually provided a bit of comfort on your legs.

London-Paris would be a bitch on an overly stiff frame. There's not much chance to get out of the saddle.

Very true, we'll probably stop semi-regularly and each day's riding will be max 70miles, so hopefully ok.

The Track Champion would be the last bike in my mind for the London to Paris ride.

I can see myself riding the Precursa on a Century ride without discomfort, but never going to be as comfortable as my BMW Gangsta.

Yeah agreed on the Track Champion, i don't think i would go for that anyway as the geo is much more track focussed, and i don't think i will be hitting the track too much in the meantime. Yeah i've heard the Pre Cursa isn't too bad for racking up the miles.

Double wrapped bartape, good gloves, proper bibshorts, assos cream, no bag, and a large packet of ibuprofen. You'll be fine :)

If you're worried about comfort, get bigger tyres and run a lower pressure, your performance won't get affected.

Also two brakes on fixed is hugely underrated, fantastic for long centuries ride and actually provided a bit of comfort on your legs.

Noted. I'm no hipster aha, and i know what tired legs feel like, so skid-stopping won't seem appealing at all. As to the larger tyres, that's something i hadn't thought about, you reckon 28c's would provide a good balance? I'm currently running 23c front and 25c back on my steel frame.

I know it's already late but here's the geo for the 721/725/735:

and here's the geo for the Kagero:

Lightweight 28c is a good balance, the notion that skinner tyres = less rolling resistance is a myth, having the extra cushioning mean you won't feel the buzz at speed but won't sapped you.

I can't see myself going back to 23c unless it's on very smooth road or a velodrome.

It's quite a lot further than 50miles to Paris.. plus I find that I can ride most bikes 50-60 miles - it's only once you get to 100+ that you start wishing for a more forgiving ride.

I did it last year on plush carbon and was still sore. On alu I would have been in agony.

I also wouldn't do it fixed - just because the wind in Northern France is savage. Personal preference though etc etc.

Did 140 miles on a pre cursa last summer with absolutely no problems.

So headtube is smaller and steeper, as well as the seat tube, and a longer top tube than the Precursa.

Comfortable eh?

If it fits, then yes.

Did 140 miles on a pre cursa last summer with absolutely no problems.

Coolstory.jpg

I did the dunwich dynamo fixed on a Pre Cursa. I would be more worried about having good bib shorts and a saddle that doesn't cause any discomfort at all than it being a jaring ride.