Thread to tell everyone what bike gear you've just bought !

redddraggon

Ian.B wrote:

Plain, but not boring - I rather like the look. So why is it that Ti frames don't get paint jobs? Is there technical reason, or just aesthetics?

Is that frame by Planet-X, btw?

By Lynskey for Planet X.

Paint just adds weight to a frame, Ti makes it's own protective coating by passivation so doesn't need paint for that, and Welded Ti don't have any finish issues, like most CFRP frames do, so doesn't need paint to cover up any fillers or imperfections.

ride_whenever

for those of you who haven't seen, check out the lynskey helix frame on their webby in the mirror finish.

That is why Ti is cool.

redddraggon

ride_whenever wrote:

for those of you who haven't seen, check out the lynskey helix frame on their webby in the mirror finish.

That is why Ti is cool.

If I was going to own a more Expensive Ti frame it'd be a Lynskey (over a Merlin or Litespeed) - and that's probably the reason why I've gone for a P-X over a Sabbath or VN.

PS what are you doing your DPhil in?

robminimal

Pretty much an entire second tool kit for my singlespeed that im building of which i also just bought a tensioner, chainring, chain, sproket, spacers, bolt skewers and a couple of other bits and bobs.
Suffice to say I'm putting Charlie the Bikemongers kids through school

El Diego

Mavic Alpine SPD shoes. Very comfortable.

jedster

on the planet-x ti deal,

I have an uncle john which I can use for winter/credit card touring so a new bike would be for fair weather day rides and perhaps the occasional triathlon. Is there any reason to go for a sportive over the road frame? The geometry doesn't look that different and it seems to me that I could get a higher bar position with spacers/stem choice if I needed it?

All opinions welcome

J

dodgy

The sportive frame gives you mudguard eyes with appropriate clearance, also the top tube length is slightly shorter.

redddraggon

I think the main differences (IMO) between the road and sportive, is that the Sportive has a longer headtube and mudguard eyes.

I ordered a small road, a 10cm headtube might sound small, but once you factor in the 3cm stack of a Chris King headset it's not too bad - many racier frames in that size range have headtubes+stack of 10 to 12cm. I didn't want mudguard eye, if I did I'd feel obliged to put guards on, which I don't want on my good bike.

cjcp

RD - certainly not boring. Beautifully understated IMO. Looks great. I think I'm going down the Ti route in a couple of years if I can get away with it domestically.

redddraggon

cjcp wrote:

RD - certainly not boring. Beautifully understated IMO. Looks great. I think I'm going down the Ti route in a couple of years if I can get away with it domestically.

Well mine is on the way, I'll be trouble when my parents find out I've just spent £1000 on frame and forks (I'm 23, and still don't have any freedom) - I'll probably get away with it though, I'll understate the value a little (metal is cheaper than CFRP right?). I generally work on the principle that once I've got something they can't do anything about it, but FFS I don't live at home and I have my own income.

I just need to get my EC90SLX ordered.

redddraggon

Just ordered....

symo

OK, just bought a packet of Rideshots.

Oh and a Small Ultegra Ti Road Pro from Planet X. Muchos bing!!!

Ordered it unbuilt; how much spannering will it take?

gabriel959

Definitely understated – my Sabbath looks better than a lot of carbon frame bikes, I was a bit unsure when I ordered but when it turned up I was blown away.

Quality wise, I don't think Linksey is better than Sabbath or Enigma to name two. Linksey has had some know reliability problems in the past.

ride_whenever

redddraggon wrote:

ride_whenever wrote:

for those of you who haven't seen, check out the lynskey helix frame on their webby in the mirror finish.

That is why Ti is cool.

If I was going to own a more Expensive Ti frame it'd be a Lynskey (over a Merlin or Litespeed) - and that's probably the reason why I've gone for a P-X over a Sabbath or VN.

PS what are you doing your DPhil in?

Catalysts for industrial applications and hydrogen production. All big buzz stuff really, not my cup of tea.

cjcp

I *really* don't need to know about another Ti purchase.

redddraggon

ride_whenever wrote:

redddraggon wrote:

ride_whenever wrote:

for those of you who haven't seen, check out the lynskey helix frame on their webby in the mirror finish.

That is why Ti is cool.

If I was going to own a more Expensive Ti frame it'd be a Lynskey (over a Merlin or Litespeed) - and that's probably the reason why I've gone for a P-X over a Sabbath or VN.

PS what are you doing your DPhil in?

Catalysts for industrial applications and hydrogen production. All big buzz stuff really, not my cup of tea.

I applied to do a PhD in Hydrogen Fuel Cells, luckily I had the flu on the day of the interview, not my sort of thing. I'm doing a PhD in Thermoelectric Ceramics now, probably end up being a policeman or something though.

TommyEss

ride_whenever wrote:

redddraggon wrote:

ride_whenever wrote:

for those of you who haven't seen, check out the lynskey helix frame on their webby in the mirror finish.

That is why Ti is cool.

If I was going to own a more Expensive Ti frame it'd be a Lynskey (over a Merlin or Litespeed) - and that's probably the reason why I've gone for a P-X over a Sabbath or VN.

PS what are you doing your DPhil in?

Catalysts for industrial applications and hydrogen production. All big buzz stuff really, not my cup of tea.

Not at Imperial are you?

ride_whenever

Nope, oxford, but want to become either a cycle mechanic or ideally a professional rowing coach.

TommyEss

Ah fair dos - seem to be plenty of jobs coming up in catalysis, but if it's not where your heart is then there's no point, is there?!

I wish I could earn a crust in something cycling related...!

jonginge

symo wrote:

OK, just bought a packet of Rideshots.

Oh and a Small Ultegra Ti Road Pro from Planet X. Muchos bing!!!

Ordered it unbuilt; how much spannering will it take?

A bit. It's completely unbuilt with the components boxed. You'll need to fit BB, headset and cut forks to size as well as all the other components. If you don't fancy that then your LBS should be able to do the BB and forks for a few quid. Prologue cut my carbon fork steerer for a nominal fiver.

ride_whenever

Yeah, really not a fan of industrially sponsored research, much prefer the blue sky stuff but still not as much as rowing and cycling.

cjcp

JonGinge wrote:

symo wrote:

OK, just bought a packet of Rideshots.

Oh and a Small Ultegra Ti Road Pro from Planet X. Muchos bing!!!

Ordered it unbuilt; how much spannering will it take?

A bit. It's completely unbuilt with the components boxed. You'll need to take it to a bike shop and say "build this, please", while you go and have a coffee and pastry and leave the hard work to someone else.

Fixed that for you.

cjcp

These, in black, silver and grey (for cross racing, but I suspect they'll end up being a commuter shoe too):

TommyEss

That reminds me - I think I'm going to need the studs in for Sunday what with all the rain we're going to have this week.

jonginge

Chris:

For the bike-build comment not the shoes, you understand

cjcp

Always time for coffee and pastries.

always_tyred

ride_whenever wrote:

Yeah, really not a fan of industrially sponsored research, much prefer the blue sky stuff

In which case you are missing the point. My supervisor once said, if you are going to develop a new technique and you have the option of testing it on table salt, or something interesting, why not test it on something interesting and learn some chemistry as well?

He was right.

True "industrially sposored research" is research born in a university or pure research environment that becomes interesting enough to industry for them to sponsor it. An R&D problem which a company attempts to crowbar into a univeristy is not the same thing. Rightly this has a bad name.

Unfortunately there are academics who steadfastly refuse to appreciate the distinction and prefer to feed at the ample, but shrinking, government trough because it is still easier, simpler and requires less imagination.

Such academics will eventually find themselves on the Golgaphrinchian B-Arc and eventually use the leaf as currency.

Sorry for going off topic. Just something I'm quite passionate about.

snellgrove

Right, this little lot turned up today:

Assos thermic socks



Really impressed after just trying them on (so much so, I just had to take a photo it seems) really tight fit, feel more like a compression garment to be honest but that's not a bad thing. Lined with Roubaix, should keep my toesies warm

They're £25 though... per pair! :shock: will report back if anyone wants, with the verdict. I don't currently use overshoes, or shoe-sock things.

NiteRider Trinewt





approx 500 lumens on full :twisted: Not sure about low - probably 200-300 or so, which is ok for commuting. 500 for early morning, weekend blasts. I'll post pictures of it's beam pattern etc once it's more charged, and dark. I also have a Hope 1 LED jobbie, borrowed from work at the moment so I can compare it to that, if that helps anyone.

PBK authorised my RMA for the Castelli tops... replacing with SKINS. Can't believe it, running shop asked me to pay in advance, before they even ordered them! :roll: won't be posting pics of me modelling those, I suspect they are going to be skin tight :P

symo

JonGinge wrote:

A bit. It's completely unbuilt with the components boxed. You'll need to fit BB, headset and cut forks to size as well as all the other components. If you don't fancy that then your LBS should be able to do the BB and forks for a few quid. Prologue cut my carbon fork steerer for a nominal fiver.

Oh pants, for a mechanical engineer I am kind of loathed to do it. Will have to be a trip to paignton to get the steerer tube cut. I cannot see the BB being an issue as it merely screw on cups.

UndercoverElephant

symo wrote:

I cannot see the BB being an issue as it merely screw on cups.

Shall I tell him they come un-tapped and need cutting to the correct length?