Pearson Carbon Audax Pro: A comfy, modern & fast (ish) long-distance bike

quitter

£100 says Neil weighs his toothbrush before going to bed..

@Dan - it has been helpful actually, I'm not really up to speed with lots of things so I have found the input very useful.

I'm probably going to go with Force, 170mm cranks and all. I think it will suit the bike actually, although I might get some fancier brakes.

Well they were cheap but I want 165mm really anyway. I'd get Force 165mm but they don't exist, which is a bit annoying.

170 for me, hurrah.

Cupcakes - sorry, bit of an overreaction, it's your cash to spend! Just my experience that quality braking is priceless (shifting doesn't radically improve past 2nd tier groupsets ime, but braking does) I am so much faster when I trust my brakes to control my speed, not just stop.

No offence taken at all, so no worries.

I'm happy to be proven wrong but I'm personally not sold on the value proposition of 'high-end' brakesets. I've read a lot of reviews of some of the more weight-weenie type brakes and they all suggest a loss of power and modulation is the price to pay for light weight.

Granted, the 'normal' high-end brakes are supposed to be good, and I don't doubt that ultegra or dura ace, or force or red brakes are good at stopping power and also good to modulate.

I am, however, a sub-70kg rider who prefers to climb than descend and who hasn't yet experienced the limitations of his supposedly low-end brakes. Meantime, I've managed to justify the price of some quality shifting kit which will markedly improve the ride of my road bike and allow me to finish building up my spare geared bike, which is making me very happy.

Hell, if I change my mind in the future, a quick look on CRC shows Force calipers at £60/pair. Granted they RRP way higher but I can probably afford to upgrade my brakeset as and when I actually expect to see a tangible benefit.

Fair enough. Think you would notice a difference between Tektro and Force, but it's one of those things things where you won't realise how much, until you have it :)

Definitely wouldn't bother with WW breaks

A lot of the light weight brakes are either very fiddly, or not that powerful.

The M5's are both light and powerful, but lack modulation.

TRP get good reviews- SmallFurry has them I think.

And finally (and obviously) the EE Cycleworks ones get my vote.

Probably other priorities in this build though- I'd slap Force on and be done with it.

2011 Force and Red calipers are the same, the differences are the finish and material differences by the use of titanium fixings on the Red.

What are you basing 'more solid' on? Would be interested to know. I do prefer the Force graphics slightly. There's no stupid frog either. What is that frog about anyway?!

Most of the Force groupset is identical to Red but with slightly cheaper (read heavier) materials here and there. Much like any second tier groupset (Chorus, Ultegra). But the bits that save a lot of weight are those you'd want to swap out to Force anyway (front mech, chainrings). Given the rear mech is as good and near the same weight, as are the shifters. Why buy Red and part replace with Force. Just buy Force.

This dosent refer to the new stuff though.

If this was my project. I'd buy a 3 piece Sram Force groupset.
http://www.fudgescyclestore.com/index.php?p=105835

Some nice aftermarket brake calipers. Not super ww, maybe Negative GSLs, or TRP R960 (what I bought to stop my heavy arse in the Norwegian mountains. Works). Both lighter, yet reputed to be as good as DA.

Nice stiff alu crankset like a rotor or a KCNC.
http://superlight-bikeparts.de/Kurbel-Rotor-Rotor-Bike-D-Kurbel-Thor-Hushovd-Crank-Crankset-Crank-Set
http://superlight-bikeparts.de/KCNC-Kurbel-Crank-Crank-Set-crankset-Kompaktkurbel-Standardkurbel-Kettenblatt-KCNC-RD2-KCNC-RD2-Kompakt

Some nice cabling to finish it off (nokon etc.)

That mainly personal taste. But starting from the 3 piece you get to build up your groupset exactly how you want.

This is exactly what I did with my Cannondale, and what I repeated with my CX bike.

Don't be a groupset sheep!

TRP get good reviews- SmallFurry has them I think.

The 960s I have are only a touch lighter than DA/Red etc. But are stiffer, and modulate at least as well (cant say myself TBH).

They lose true WW status from having so many adjustment bolts. All of which I use.

As I'm heavy, I love the power.
As I have a poor carbon braking surface, I love the stiffness (less shudder from 'grabbing')
As I have nice flash levers, I like the solid return spring (ww calipers can suffer here, leaving you with floppy levvers).

They are 'special' looking though.

Swiss Stop brake blocks are the best brake upgrade you can ever make, regardless of the calipers you are using.

^this.. they manage to turn those PX brakes from deathtraps into not-very-good-brakes.

Groupset brakes ftw

Even Sora are mildly acceptable with decent pads.

mildly.

My issue with lower tier brakes is how 'dead' the feel is. My flatmate has brand new Sora and I was shocked how little feedback you get from the braking - just on or off, and even then the feel is pretty muddy as to when you are on and when you are off.

My girlfriend has Rival levers, but her bike came with Tektro callipers, she weighs hardly anything and still complained that the brakes wouldn't stop her at downhill traffic lights - I was again shocked how dead they felt - with so snapback or bite (even from the drops), and even after changing pads and cables. I gave her the Ultegra SL callipers that I took off my Merckx and it's completely changed her view of the bike, she actually enjoys descending now and doesn't worry about peds when commuting.

#csb

Right, back on track a bit having discussed brakes ad nauseam ;)

Scheritt advised me to stick to 165mm cranks and as that's what I'm used to / feel comfortable with, I think they're better for the knees and having read up, shorter cranks are better for spinny and acceleration and don't have any real disadvantages, I've decided I do want 165mm.

So, 165mm Red Black chainset 50/34, Red shifters (because they're no more than Force), Force front mech, Force rear mech, Force cassette and TRP R960 brakes seem to be what I've decided on.

So, exactly what I've got, bar the £200 brakeset?

Red shifters were a bit more than force when I looked, maybe 60-70 pounds?

It was my idea in the first place, you just copied me ;)

Seriously though that's the pricing mechanics, if I want Red mechs I'd have to spend £90 more on the rear and over twice as much on the front, then it doesn't even come as clamp on, so I'd have to buy a SRAM clamp to go with it (more money) which would make the front mech heavier, defeating the point.
Also £110+ for a cassette I'm just going to wear out does not compute.

I have found Red shifters for £265, which is £1 more than I can find Force for.

Swiss Stop brake blocks are the best brake upgrade you can ever make, regardless of the calipers you are using.

This is true; or ceramic rims. Today I am riding Shimano 105 on open pro alloy for the first time in months as the other bike is in service. So different.

It was my idea in the first place, you just copied me ;)

Seriously though that's the pricing mechanics, if I want Red mechs I'd have to spend £90 more on the rear and over twice as much on the front, then it doesn't even come as clamp on, so I'd have to buy a SRAM clamp to go with it (more money) which would make the front mech heavier, defeating the point.
Also £110+ for a cassette I'm just going to wear out does not compute.

I have found Red shifters for £265, which is £1 more than I can find Force for.

£ 250.00

http://www.bike-discount.de/shop/k420/a7697/red-doubletap-brems-schalthebel-set.html

£265, that's where I'm talking about! £260.35 + postage.

I'm going to have to buy them now you've put that link up.

Sigh.

Postage is free.

£265, that's where I'm talking about! £260.35 + postage.

I'm going to have to buy them now you've put that link up.

Sigh.

Verfügbarkeit:

So it is! Bonus.

Have ordered them anyway as they've got to come from Germany.

It was my idea in the first place, you just copied me ;)

Seriously though that's the pricing mechanics, if I want Red mechs I'd have to spend £90 more on the rear and over twice as much on the front, then it doesn't even come as clamp on, so I'd have to buy a SRAM clamp to go with it (more money) which would make the front mech heavier, defeating the point.
Also £110+ for a cassette I'm just going to wear out does not compute.

I have found Red shifters for £265, which is £1 more than I can find Force for.

Unless you buy the Fudge cycles 3 piece Force groupset. Then you dont have to buy the flexi Red chainrings ;)

Check EBay for TRPs.