Spend an extra £22.49, just to be a tart?

Kowalski675 · June 2013

Don't you just hate it when you buy something that you thought was what you wanted, then see something else the next day that's nicer?

I bought a Madison Flux saddle for my new bike yesterday in black for £24.99, and very nice looking it is too (apparently they're the same as a Charge Spoon, made in teh same factory, but with a different logo and slightly softer padding density):

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/ ... e-11-44561

I was happy as Larry, until I accidentally found this online a few minutes ago:

Limited edition Charge Spoon in a rather rakish looking black & green that would match the green graphics on my new Boardman perfectly. So - do I spend another £22.49, just to be a tart? I could always put the Madison on my Kraken, I guess (although I'm perfectly happy with the OE saddle on that).

felix.london · June 2013

Go for the limited edition obviously...you know you want to :twisted:

The Rookie · June 2013

I find saddle colour a little 'unobvious' when I'm sitting on the bike!

benpinnick · June 2013

Get the spoon, its not actually exactly the same as the Madison, and much nicer looking!

Gentracer · June 2013

Be a tart.....

Long_Time_Lurker · June 2013

I use basic economic theory. Opportunity cost - the 'next best alternative forgone'.

What would you otherwise spend that £22.49?
In the time I would take to fit and test it, I would probably waste £40 on a beer and a takeaway.
So I would be fitter and will have spent less money if I bought the saddle.

At least that how I justify bike purchases to the missus.

mcnultycop · June 2013

I've just bought that Spoon Ltd, 6% cashback at Leisure Lakes with Quidco too. It'll go nicely on the Canyon.

Sell the Madison (or send it back if you've not fitted it), the Spoon will cost you next to nothing more.

JBA · June 2013

Buy the Spoon!
They are very good, comfy saddles.

You could flog the Flux to andrewgrundill if he ever reappears.

benpinnick · June 2013

Spoons are in all colours 18.99 at triton. Nice

Kowalski675 · June 2013

felix.london wrote:

Go for the limited edition obviously...you know you want to :twisted:

I do want to, just wish that I'd seen it first, lol.

Kowalski675 · June 2013

benpinnick wrote:

Get the spoon, its not actually exactly the same as the Madison, and much nicer looking!

The only differences are the padding density and cover - the base, rails and shape are the same. The pic makes the nose look different, 'cos the Spoon has the plastic underneath in contrasting green, where on the Flux it's black. The black/green combo does look great though.

Kowalski675 · June 2013

The Beginner wrote:

I find saddle colour a little 'unobvious' when I'm sitting on the bike!

There's plenty of parts on my Triumph that I can't see when I'm sat on it, but that hasn't stopped me throwing around nine grand at it, lol. You look at it when you get off it (as do many admiring passers by).

Kowalski675 · June 2013

mcnultycop wrote:

I've just bought that Spoon Ltd, 6% cashback at Leisure Lakes with Quidco too. It'll go nicely on the Canyon.

Sell the Madison (or send it back if you've not fitted it), the Spoon will cost you next to nothing more.

I've just discovered Quidco. I registered just before buying the Boardman, so should be getting £25 cashback from that. Hmmm, can you see where my logic's going there, lol?... I can't send the Madison back, unfortunately, I bought it at a local shop, rather than online (I know, quaint concept in this day and age, lol).
Any other cycle suppliers on Quidco I should know of?

Kowalski675 · June 2013

Long Time Lurker wrote:

At least that how I justify bike purchases to the missus.

I don't have a missus, lol.

Kowalski675 · June 2013

JBA wrote:

You could flog the Flux to andrewgrundill if he ever reappears.

The thought of his butt on something I owned makes me feel a bit queasy, lol. :?

Kowalski675 · June 2013

benpinnick wrote:

Spoons are in all colours 18.99 at triton. Nice

They don't have the black & green though (don't think anyone else does).

Motley13 · June 2013

Be a tart, i have the limited edition green and black on my hack and i love the saddle, soo be a tart and treat yourself

cooldad · June 2013

Do it. I've got a couple of gum ones from Wiggle, a red one from On One, and a turquoisy Surface one from, I think, Evans. Obviously all black on top. I think I might even have a standard one somewhere.

rapid_donkey · June 2013

I would spend the money on some sintered brake pads (the avids on the team fs are crap) and some bits and bobs like park patches and lube. You cant see a saddle when your riding!

Kowalski675 · June 2013

rapid_donkey wrote:

I would spend the money on some sintered brake pads (the avids on the team fs are crap) and some bits and bobs like park patches and lube. You cant see a saddle when your riding!

The Avids aren't as good as the SLX/XT brakes I've used on recent demo bikes, but they're a whole lot better than the Tektro Io cable disc brakes on my Kraken, lol. How long do MTB discs typically last running sintered pads (I'd never run organic pads on a motorbike, but those discs are a lot thicker, and the metallurgy's formulated to run with OE sintered pads anyway) ?

I have a couple of puncture repair kits (and carry a spare tube in my camelback), and I've got all the lubes, cleaning products etc that I need already (just bought some new Squirt chain lube to try on the new bike, on Ed Oxley's recommendation) at Stif Cycles on my way home from buying the bike (along with a Renthal chainstay protector and Mucky Nutz Benda Fenda to keep the bulk of the crap off my fork seals).

cooldad · June 2013

Squirt is the best - just read the instructions properly. I use it all year round, just a bit more often in winter (or 364 and a half days in other words)

rapid_donkey · June 2013

I have Elixir 3's on my Trance. After much experimentation, the only way Ive got them working well is after a good bleed, and with Hope floating rotors and Superstar sintered brake pads.
They still struggle to stop my 80kg of heft on the Peaks descents though, SLX or XT brakes will be the next upgrade.
Sintered pads are meant to last the longest, I get them as just a fit and forget pads.
3 Superstar Compounds:
Organic - High power soft pad for great feel and power, excellent bite from cold
Sintered – Hard pads for long life in abrasive condition, extra long life
Kevlar – Soft race pad for ultimate power but Kevlar fibres give much longer life than Organic

cooldad · June 2013

The rotors will make absolutely, totally, basically, no difference whatsoever.
And the kevlar pads will give more stopping power.
New brakes shouldn't need bleeding. In fact brakes rarely need bleeding. Even if it seems to be the forum panacea for every brake issue, which issues are normally a result of unecessary brake bleeding.

rapid_donkey · June 2013

The rotors were the first thing I changed as they came on a wheelset I bought. They completely stopped all of the brake squeal I was getting, and did feel a bit more powerful.
Brake bleeding also helped too. I have a Mityvac handheld vacuum pump (from my motorbike fettling days) which I adapted to pull fresh fluid through the system, made a noticeable difference.
The pads I just changed as I wore through the oem ones and Superstars were cheaper and got good reviews. They are better, but now you mention it I might give the kevlar ones a go next time.

cooldad · June 2013

Probably the bling factor on the rotors.
Sounds like you bled them ok - most seem to make them worse then try and work out how to do it properly.
The kevlar pads have red backing so are obviously faster. I've prefer the SS organic though unless the weather is diabolical.
OK down here in the gentle south, but a couple of hours of damp Welsh grit and they're dead.

Kowalski675 · June 2013

cooldad wrote:

Squirt is the best - just read the instructions properly. I use it all year round, just a bit more often in winter (or 364 and a half days in other words)

The bearded fella highly recommends it on his site, so I thought I'd give it a try, I've been using Muc Off dry lube up to now.

Kowalski675 · June 2013

cooldad wrote:

OK down here in the gentle south, but a couple of hours of damp Welsh grit and they're dead.

Seriously? Brake pad life expectancy measured in a couple of hours? That would get expensive. I wouldn't dream of fitting organic pads to a motorcycle - HH rated sintered (most organics are GG rated) have longer life and better stopping power in all conditions, and OE pads are all sintered (on anything bigger than a 125 commuter). Not sure I understand Superstar's distinction between Organic and Kevlar compounds (unless it's just different compositions) - kevlar pads are organic (but not all organics are kevlar).

The brakes on my new bike do feel like they could benefit from a bleed. There's definitely more lever travel than on my mate's Team FS (with the same Elixir 3s) that I rode earlier this week. As far as I can see the Elixir 3 has no pad advance facility to bring the pads closer to the disc, so the sharper feel on his levers can only be a result of better bleeding.

cooldad · June 2013

I probably brake more than most because I get scared. It was stupidly wet though. Worst was I didn't have a spare set and all Tredz had were Ashima at stupid prices so £30 two new sets. Worse for my mate - his XT's cost him about £50.
Normally go through 3 or 4 sets a year, which at SS prices isn't too bad.

angry_bird · June 2013

Kowalski675 wrote:

The brakes on my new bike do feel like they could benefit from a bleed. There's definitely more lever travel than on my mate's Team FS (with the same Elixir 3s) that I rode earlier this week. As far as I can see the Elixir 3 has no pad advance facility to bring the pads closer to the disc, so the sharper feel on his levers can only be a result of better bleeding.

Just advance the pads following the instructions here. Personally I find it works fine, very rarely have to do it mind.

http://www.sram.com/_media/pdf/avid/AVI ... SetUp1.pdf

In 2 years I've yet to have to even consider bleeding either set of my Elixirs, I'm even refusing to shorten the hose on my El Guapo because the bleed at the moment is great and don't want to go messing around with it.

felix.london · June 2013

"Tri-Align Caliper Positioning System"

Kowalski675 · June 2013

Angry Bird wrote:

Kowalski675 wrote:

The brakes on my new bike do feel like they could benefit from a bleed. There's definitely more lever travel than on my mate's Team FS (with the same Elixir 3s) that I rode earlier this week. As far as I can see the Elixir 3 has no pad advance facility to bring the pads closer to the disc, so the sharper feel on his levers can only be a result of better bleeding.

Just advance the pads following the instructions here. Personally I find it works fine, very rarely have to do it mind.

http://www.sram.com/_media/pdf/avid/AVI ... SetUp1.pdf

In 2 years I've yet to have to even consider bleeding either set of my Elixirs, I'm even refusing to shorten the hose on my El Guapo because the bleed at the moment is great and don't want to go messing around with it.

I've just had a read of that (I'd looked on SRAM's site already, but only found a less comprehensive setup guide than that one). I don't have the contact point adjuster on my Elixir 3s. I read the section on advancing the pads, but I don't have the red plastic spacer it mentions?

Spend an extra £22.49, just to be a tart?

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