Taken the Volagi Plunge

EKE_38BPM

A very nice bike. Looks like a forever bike to me.

Glad to hear your son is on the mend too.

cjcp

Looks cracking. What was it like setting up the Di2?

meanredspider

cjcp wrote:

Looks cracking. What it was like setting up the Di2?

Setting it up is an absolute doddle. You adjust the rear mech electronically and then just set the hi and lo stops. Front you just set hi and lo. Installing it was slightly fiddly. The junction box sits under the BB and the routing of the battery and front mech cables is a bit of a trial and error process of seeing what works best. I hope to be able to come up with an internal route at some point but will need to talk to Volagi about that.

cjcp

Cheers.

Wrath Rob

daviesee wrote:

meanredspider wrote:

Great thanks. I was looking at him yesterday and thought he looked odd - then I realised he was standing there without either of his crutches and I got him to walk around like that. I can't tell you how that feels - I wanted to cry with happiness.

The best thing that I have read on here. Ever.

A friend of mine is going through the same thing at the moment. I'm very strongly hoping that in a year or 2 he'll be able to say exactly that.

Nice bike, the rear deraileur looks a little odd, is it much different in size to a normal one?

veronese68

looking good. Be interesting to hear how it all performs. Whilst I love the idea of discs on a road bike, I'm a bit of a luddite about the electrickery. Maybe I've been working with bad electrics on old cars for too long.

cjcp

Veronese68 wrote:

looking good. Be interesting to hear how it all performs. Whilst I love the idea of discs on a road bike, I'm a bit of a luddite about the electrickery. Maybe I've been working with bad electrics on old cars for too long.

Those pesky Alfas, eh?

meanredspider

Aaaaahhh - woken up to roads basically covered in sheet ice from one side to the other. The temperature hasn't dropped below freezing all night but it's been so cold all week I'm guessing the ground is going to take some warming up. Worst comes to the worst, I'll drive part-way into Inverness - it's always a few degrees warmer there than here - it has its own microclimate.

Wrath Rob wrote:

daviesee wrote:

The best thing that I have read on here. Ever.

A friend of mine is going through the same thing at the moment. I'm very strongly hoping that in a year or 2 he'll be able to say exactly that.

Nice bike, the rear deraileur looks a little odd, is it much different in size to a normal one?

Thanks davisee.

@Wrath Rob - hope it works out well for your friend. We know how lucky we've been and are.

Yup - the rear mech won't win any awards for elegance it's true. The picture seems to exaggerate it a bit. The shifting is fab though.

veronese68

cjcp wrote:

Veronese68 wrote:

looking good. Be interesting to hear how it all performs. Whilst I love the idea of discs on a road bike, I'm a bit of a luddite about the electrickery. Maybe I've been working with bad electrics on old cars for too long.

Those pesky Alfas, eh?

Worse than Alfa's is dealing with incompetent fools trying to bodge up 50 year old Lucas electrics when they aren't prepared to listen to the advice they have just asked for. An issue exacerbated by the poor quality of some of the pattern parts we sell.
One bloke bought 3 wiring looms off us, kept insisting they were wrong. Eventually he got one he was happy with and fitted it. The car caught fire, he tried to claim off us. Turned out he'd cut off all of the earth wires because that's what the one on his car before was like.

meanredspider

Well I went for a quick spin - too much ice (with rain on top) to risk going far. Need to get some carbon paste as my seatpost is slipping too. Feels great though - quick but comfortable. Di2 is great too - bizarrely takes a bit of getting used to which button does what - despite them being in the same place as the manual versions I ride with every day! Frustrated by the weather which is closing in a bit too.

Fat-Boy-Roubaix

Still cannot press the trigger, a lot of dosh without a test ride. Look really nice though, still not sure about the Di trickery from a cosmetic POV.

really glad you are enjoying it.

meanredspider

Just been for 20 miles or so and it's really really comfortable and quick. Still have trouble getting the seatpost to stay put even with carbon paste.

Agreed that Di2 isn't the prettiest but you don't see it when you're riding and it's MAGIC. Seriously, swapping cogs is amazing, especially the big rings, and so nice how quick and effortless it is. Far from essential but lovely to use.

meanredspider

Just uploaded my ride to Strava. Blitzed my best time up the first hill (forms part of my commute) which I set in July on my Focus Cayo - 17.4km/h then - 18.1km/h on the V today. That IS impressive.

davis

meanredspider wrote:

Just uploaded my ride to Strava. Blitzed my best time up the first hill (forms part of my commute) which I set in July on my Focus Cayo - 17.4km/h then - 18.1km/h on the V today. That IS impressive.

Ummm... 18 km/h up which hill? Not the big bugger in your sig, shirley?

meanredspider

davis wrote:

meanredspider wrote:

Just uploaded my ride to Strava. Blitzed my best time up the first hill (forms part of my commute) which I set in July on my Focus Cayo - 17.4km/h then - 18.1km/h on the V today. That IS impressive.

Ummm... 18 km/h up which hill? Not the big bugger in your sig, shirley?

Yes - but the short side of it

Fat-Boy-Roubaix

lol, plecebo effect. Can someone temp ban MRS to protect my wallet!!

Still really glad you are enjoying it, how tall and what size Volagi? Inside leg? no no don't answer!!

meanredspider

If anybody except FBR is interested, it's a size 57, I'm 6' with a 33" inside leg

velohutts

meanredspider wrote:

Veronese68 wrote:

How is the boy these days?

Great thanks. I was looking at him yesterday and thought he looked odd - then I realised he was standing there without either of his crutches and I got him to walk around like that. I can't tell you how that feels - I wanted to cry with happiness.

UndercoverElephant wrote:

dhope wrote:

UndercoverElephant wrote:

Mrs Elephant said I was only allowed a mountain bike if she got some new shoes. Deal!

So you've bought her a pair of Sidi Dominators in your size, right?

Well I couldn't very well be seen on a new bike without matching shoes now, could I?

I know. Damn that Royles voucher thing - it's calling to me :roll:

great to see that on here , sure that made your year more than a new toy ever will , but new toys do help with the day to day !! cracking steed !!

Stevo_666

Not sure how I missed this thread given my previous drooling over Volagi. MRS, as I said in an earlier thread - bl00dy lovely bike: also great spec, I am jealous, Let us know how you get on once you've ridden it for longer/done a sportive or two.

This could be a cracking next commuter bike for me :-)

meanredspider

The weather's a cruel mistress. Woke up to temps around 2.5C and no ice on the cars. Rushed around preparing the bike for its inaugural commute - headed out, only to find the roads themselves covered in ice. Still, all these miles on the Ice Spikers are getting my pre-Xmas fitness back.

Fat-Boy-Roubaix

Thanks ofr the sizing @ 5.10" and 31" Inside leg I would have gone for the 55cm so that would be about right. I say would have as I checked on the duty, Bikes outside of Europe are 14% then add 20% for VAT!

I know it is pot luck but cannot see a bike escaping HMRC or the courier

meanredspider

I'm still struggling a bit with the seatpost. Been on line and come across the following solutions

Tacx paste (ordered some in the hope that it's better than the FSA stuff)
Hairspray & fine sand or salt
A beer tin shim
Loctite threadlock
Roughening the smooth carbon finish
Sandpaper glued to the post
Cable tie "wedge"
Broomhandle down the tube!
Dirt from the side of the road...
Even some grubscrews :shock:

Anybody any other ideas or recommendations from the above?

meanredspider

Well a combo of Tacx paste and the salt & hairspray trick has sorted the seatpost. Volagi are sending me a different sort of clamp (2 screw) too.

First commute in this morning - what bliss! It's soooo comfortable - I think the carbon bars help too - and Di2 shifting is going to spoil me. 10/10

veronese68

Glad you like it. Would have been really dull to find there was something not quite right about it. Enjoy.

Bordersroadie

meanredspider, I'm very jealous, that is one beautiful machine you have there. I lust after one!