Lunch time bike spending
DonDaddyD
Posts: 12,689
My bottom bracket was creaking, again. This coupled with non-existant brake pads made riding my bike this morning - for the first time ever - not enjoyable. T'was really pissing me off. So, tired of creaking, grinding, rubbish bottom bracket I went to Edwards (LBS in Camberwell) during my lunch break to 'explore' the possibilities of replacing it. One explanation (that I didn't fully understand) and some buzz words (Italia, threaded, caps, etc) later and I found myself holding an Ultegra triple - 52/39/30 - crankset... and thinking sh*t this is bloody light....
I just bought an Ultegra triple crankset and bottom bracket for £105. £125 with new brake pads and fitting.
Though I fully except that I took leave of my senses and this may very well be expensive - I got offered in another bike shop £80 to change to a Sora double, so that was my basis - the trip back (slight incline to work) was effortless despite the additional weight of the old crankset on my back and being in a higher gear than the slightly down hill journey to Edwards. I was sans helmet but put a fair bit of my power down and had none of that spongy feeling at the back or twitchy front end. Maybe its subconcious, but it rode and felt how a good stiff bike should.
What's your thoughts on this bout of crazy, have you done things like this?
I just bought an Ultegra triple crankset and bottom bracket for £105. £125 with new brake pads and fitting.
Though I fully except that I took leave of my senses and this may very well be expensive - I got offered in another bike shop £80 to change to a Sora double, so that was my basis - the trip back (slight incline to work) was effortless despite the additional weight of the old crankset on my back and being in a higher gear than the slightly down hill journey to Edwards. I was sans helmet but put a fair bit of my power down and had none of that spongy feeling at the back or twitchy front end. Maybe its subconcious, but it rode and felt how a good stiff bike should.
What's your thoughts on this bout of crazy, have you done things like this?
Food Chain number = 4
A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game
A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game
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biondino wrote:Why did you get a triple?
I don't know. They only had a triple... I guess... I really don't know. Don't take my high away from me... :oops:Food Chain number = 4
A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game0 -
I do exactly the same, the last time it cost me a new set of wheels, and a bontrager carbon crankset (half price) :shock:
At least with a triple you have the option of loosing the inner ring. That's what I did as I was getting lazy and dropping down for every hill, it's done wonders for my hill climbing. It's amazing the difference a decent stiff crankset makes with none of the power being lostpain is temporary, the glory of beating your mates to the top of the hill lasts forever.....................
Revised FCN - 20 -
:shock: ULTEGRA
I'm saying nothing about the triple as I also brandish one but the deceptively clean ickle ring confirms I could get away with a compact (I think).......but for the love of god ULTEGRA!!!!
You do realize you need to upgrade the rest of your drivetrain now ;-)
FWIW, for that money I got my bike serviced, new BB, brake pads, rear cassette and 2 new gear/brake cables for that price at DeVers :-) Still at least it seems to have sorted your problems so thats the important bit!
My bike has started making some odd noises........nothing to alarming but I suspect I'll get a better listen once we hit the quieter country roads on Sunday and you stop freewheeling!0 -
I just had a thought I absolutely can't tell my girlfriend I just did this...Bassjunkieuk wrote::shock: ULTEGRA
I'm saying nothing about the triple as I also brandish one but the deceptively clean ickle ring confirms I could get away with a compact (I think).......but for the love of god ULTEGRA!!!!
I did think about this, and am still thinking about this... and still...
The Ultegra crank is effing light, nice and stiff though!
Unless I can pick them anything better for cheap I'm going to stick with 105 (this automatically means that my bike I'm saving for now needs to be Ultegra/Centaur carbon or above) front/rear mech and shifters.
The next upgrade will be the brake calipers. Then the big one, cassette, rear mech, front mech and shifters all in one go. (Unless I can do it seperately advice on moving from a 8 speed sora drivetrain - 105? please).FWIW, for that money I got my bike serviced, new BB, brake pads, rear cassette and 2 new gear/brake cables for that price at DeVers :-) Still at least it seems to have sorted your problems so thats the important bit!
I did think this to be honest.My bike has started making some odd noises........nothing to alarming but I suspect I'll get a better listen once we hit the quieter country roads on Sunday and you stop freewheeling!
I cannot wait to listen to the beautiful sound of my freewheel amoungst the quite comfort of country roads!. That was the problem with the old crank it was nearly as noisey as the freewheel and that ain't good.
I'm gonna lay down a demon of power on the way home tonight. So much power when I get home it'll be yesterday! :twisted:Food Chain number = 4
A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game0 -
biondino wrote:Why did you get a triple?
Why wouldn't you? Assuming the shifters etc. are compatible it should just work.
There's no significant weight penalty (at least, not for a commuting bike) and the extra ratios won't hurt...0 -
@DDD good man, so the great "upgrading saga has started"
@Bass shame on you :oops: you have tthe LBS change brake n gear cables :roll:
@Buns +1
DDD for what it's worth a triple will be money well spent on the Marlborough Loop
I wouldn't worry about the rest of the upgrades, cassette etc are all very quick and easy to swap out should you need to and 105 vs Ultegra seem pretty evenly matched to my untrained eye although as you've already noticed are a big step up from Sora, the shifters will be a welcome upgrade that's for sure.Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.0 -
@Bass
The Ultegra is a 52/39/30
The old crank was 50/39/30 but looked incredibly small against the Ultegra.
The gears need to be re-indexed (I think) the extremes of the cog and cassette won't shift smoothly and the rear shifter isn't as smooth as it was previously but none of these really matter after today's brief drag....Food Chain number = 4
A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game0 -
DDD: I'm sure we'll get a bit of fettling time once I've dragged you away kicking and screaming from the Prince at the weekend :-D I think I need to give mine a tweak to as it's a bit iffy going onto ickle rear cog when going for it!
The extra teeth up front on the big ring should help with speeds a bit, especially once we hit that 17%er!0 -
DonDaddyD wrote:@Bass
The Ultegra is a 52/39/30
The old crank was 50/39/30 but looked incredibly small against the Ultegra.
The gears need to be re-indexed (I think) the extremes of the cog and cassette won't shift smoothly and the rear shifter isn't as smooth as it was previously but none of these really matter after today's brief drag....
Here's a question for the panel - given DDD now slightly larger big RING do you think he needs an extra link in his chain?Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.0 -
I'm worried I won't be able to make it up the 17%er.... :oops:itboffin wrote:DonDaddyD wrote:@Bass
The Ultegra is a 52/39/30
The old crank was 50/39/30 but looked incredibly small against the Ultegra.
The gears need to be re-indexed (I think) the extremes of the cog and cassette won't shift smoothly and the rear shifter isn't as smooth as it was previously but none of these really matter after today's brief drag....
Here's a question for the panel - given DDD now slightly larger big RING do you think he needs an extra link in his chain?
That's what the bike shop couldn't figure out; they couldn't decide whether I needed an extra link or to take one off. They couldn't figure it out so much so that when on the smallest ring if I go to the smallest cassette the chain will start to rub, so the bike shop installed a hidden upshift (1/2 a shift) that will take away the rubbing.
The big ring isn't as much a problem, if any.Food Chain number = 4
A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game0 -
There comes a time when you are going to be hanging components off that frame that are just too good for it. I think that's starting to happen with your first foray into Ultegra. Be careful or you'll end up with the cycling equivalent of this:
:shock:
Try and save your pennies for that frame upgrade!- 2023 Vielo V+1
- 2022 Canyon Aeroad CFR
- 2020 Canyon Ultimate CF SLX
- Strava
- On the Strand
- Crown Stables
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@Jash, I was thinking the same thing and I'm kinda stuck now.
With my foray into Ultegra (and it does make the bike SO MUCH better) I have now set a bench mark for any 'best/beat Jash in a race' bike I should purchase next.
I think I just need to buy the better bike ASAP and use that as a barrier (of components) for the commuting bike, this will hopefully prevent me from having a commuter bike with Ultegra and a carbon frame with 105 (it wouldn't make any sense).Food Chain number = 4
A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game0 -
None for me for a while as there were a load of redundancies at my place... I avoided them for now...
Rather glad I didn't buy that £200 rapha coat on Saturday now
Purveyor of sonic doom
Very Hairy Roadie - FCN 4
Fixed Pista- FCN 5
Beared Bromptonite - FCN 140 -
My only compaint.
It's very stiff...
and doesn't work that great with a 12-26/7 8 gear rear cassette. I need more options.... I need a 9/10 speed rear cassette and shifters and mech.... I'm going to wiggle to calculate the sums...
(my sora shifters and tiagra rear mech, won't work with a 10 speed cassette will it, you can't add a additional 2 shifts can you?)Food Chain number = 4
A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game0 -
jashburnham wrote:There comes a time when you are going to be hanging components off that frame that are just too good for it. I think that's starting to happen with your first foray into Ultegra. Be careful or you'll end up with the cycling equivalent of this:
:shock:
Try and save your pennies for that frame upgrade!
Oooooh <sucks teeth>
Wouldn't fancy that over speed humps.0 -
I presume the suspension pumps up the ride height once you turn on otherwise I wouldn't fancy that over a manhole cover.
Actually I wouldn't fancy that anyway!Short hairy legged roadie FCN 4 or 5 in my baggies.
Felt F55 - 2007
Specialized Singlecross - 2008
Marin Rift Zone - 1998
Peugeot Tourmalet - 1983 - taken more hits than Mohammed Ali0 -
DonDaddyD wrote:My only compaint.
It's very stiff... and doesn't work that great with a 12-26/7 8 gear rear cassette. I need more options.... I need a 9/10 speed rear cassette and shifters and mech.... I'm going to wiggle to calculate the sums...
(my sora shifters and tiagra rear mech, won't work with a 10 speed cassette will it, you can't add a additional 2 shifts can you?)
the lbs should give you a deal on the 9 speed upgrades - or refund you and put the sora crank back on.0 -
£105 for Ultegra Chainset is bloody cheep, seeing as the exchange rate has gone ass up.....
Well done....... it won't stop now......0 -
cjcp wrote:Feltup wrote:Actually I wouldn't fancy that anyway!
More to the point, what is "that"? The drop kick who owns that, that, that "thing" has installed a square steering "wheel".
Probably was brought up by his father who owned a quadratic Allegro I've added a signature to prove it is still possible.0 -
OK today was the best ride I've had (possibly ever). The old crank and bottom bracket was useless, I have no example to express the gulf in quality my new crank and bottom bracket and the old one
What does this mean?
On the strength of one crank whatever 'best-beat Jash in a race' bike I get next it now has to come with an Ultegra (or Centaur - I think that's the campag equivilent - affordability reasons) groupset.Food Chain number = 4
A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game0 -
DonDaddyD wrote:OK today was the best ride I've had (possibly ever). The old crank and bottom bracket was useless, I have no example to express the gulf in quality my new crank and bottom bracket and the old one
What does this mean?
On the strength of one crank whatever 'best-beat Jash in a race' bike I get next it now has to come with an Ultegra (or Centaur - I think that's the campag equivilent - affordability reasons) groupset.
It is largely YOU who will beat Jash in a race, aided for sure by the machine you are on but you are the biggest variable by far Emerging from under a big black cloud. All help welcome0 -
Linsen, you truly are my motivational speaker, moral compass, builder of my self-esteem and personal trainer to my strength and depth of character! Food Chain number = 4
A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game0 -
redvee wrote:
You what? I have recollections of quadratic equations but quadratic cars?
Classic cars the old Allegros, right up there with Maestros!Short hairy legged roadie FCN 4 or 5 in my baggies.
Felt F55 - 2007
Specialized Singlecross - 2008
Marin Rift Zone - 1998
Peugeot Tourmalet - 1983 - taken more hits than Mohammed Ali0 -
linsen wrote:
It is largely YOU who will beat Jash in a race, aided for sure by the machine you are on but you are the biggest variable by far
No Linsen, it is ME who will beat DDD in a race. Aided by my Napoleon Dynamite like "skills"
Napoleon Dynamite: "You know, like nunchuku skills, bow hunting skills, computer hacking skills... Girls only want boyfriends who have great skills." - 2023 Vielo V+1
- 2022 Canyon Aeroad CFR
- 2020 Canyon Ultimate CF SLX
- Strava
- On the Strand
- Crown Stables
0 -
jashburnham wrote:linsen wrote:
It is largely YOU who will beat Jash in a race, aided for sure by the machine you are on but you are the biggest variable by far
No Linsen, it is ME who will beat DDD in a race. Aided by my Napoleon Dynamite like "skills"
Napoleon Dynamite: "You know, like nunchuku skills, bow hunting skills, computer hacking skills... Girls only want boyfriends who have great skills."
My technique is impetuous, my cadence impregnable and I’m just ferocious.
My speed is discombobualtingly devasting, I can feel the asphalt rip apart under my force. It’s ludicrous this mortal even attempt to enter my realm!Food Chain number = 4
A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game0 -
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DonDaddyD wrote:Linsen, you truly are my motivational speaker, moral compass, builder of my self-esteem and personal trainer to my strength and depth of character!
I am deeply flattered.
I think
Oh so easy to dish out wise words of wisdom :roll:Emerging from under a big black cloud. All help welcome0
