Building up a Condor Italia

Churchill123
Churchill123 Posts: 341
edited July 2014 in Road buying advice
Hi guys,

I need a bike specifically for commuting and to save my good bike for weekends!

So need to take mudguards and be comfortable etc

I've got my heart set on a Condor Italia, i've always wanted a Condor.. my question is, has anyone got one?

Also, where can i get a definitive list of every single component i need to buy to build it myself - i don't want to get to putting it together and realising i've not ordered something so i can't complete it!

Thanks guys!

Comments

  • Use Condor's bike builder to list the parts you need, that will give you an idea of what's needed.
  • menthel
    menthel Posts: 2,484
    I have one- it would be the ideal commuter bike. It's comfortable and without racks etc is very responsive. It will have points to guards and a back rack.

    I can't help you with the parts as condor put mine together!
    RIP commute...
    Sometimes seen bimbling around on a purple Fratello Disc or black and red Aprire Vincenza.
  • arlowood
    arlowood Posts: 2,561
    Assuming that you buy the Frameset which comes with the forks and headset already installed then a basic component list would be as follows:-

    Groupset - this is the simplest way of buying all the drivetrain parts you need but sometimnes you can source the individual parts cheaper when special sale deals are around. If you go down that route you will need:-

    Chainset - (Compact, Standard Double or Triple to match your needs)
    Bottom Bracket - to match chainset. On the Condor I'm guessing it will be threaded but you need to check if it's British or Italian standard. British has a left hand thread on the drive side where Italian is right hand thread on both sides. If it's a pressfir BB (eg BB30) you need to get the right one and have it installed or do it yourself if you feel confident enough
    Shifters - Again these are specific to the chainset so you need to specify either a double or triple left-hand shifter. You will also have to decide on 10-speed or 11-speed (no pint in looking at the older lower speeds. The shifters if ordered new will come will all cabling and ferrules needed.
    Front derailleur - If your frame comes with a pre-fitted fixing bracket then you need a braze-on derailleur. If not you need a band-on which has its own fixing bracket attached. You need also to specify a triple if your crankset is a triple.
    Rear Derailleur This has to match the shifters ie 10 or 11 speed. Also you need to consider whether to get a short cage or medium cage. Double and Compact chainsets will usually need a short cage to cope with most cassettes up to a 30 tooth sprocket. A triple chainset will need a medium cage.
    Brake Calipers- Usuall bought to match the shifters to make sure the pull ratio for the cables is correct
    Cassette Again choose a 10 or 11 speed to match the rest of your drivetrain and choose the range of gears that suits your cycling. 11-28 is a good catch -all set-up.
    Stem to connect your bars to the fork steerer. Come in many lengths and different angles to allow you to set up the bike for your needs. 100mm is a good starting point
    Handlebars Will need to match the stem or vice versa in terms of the diameter at the fixing point. They also come in different widths and profiles so difficult to specify whxi will suit you best.
    Seat post - Must specify the correct diameter to fit the seat tube on your frame. Usually 27.2mm or 31.8mm. Also come in different lengths, can be in-line or set-back and can be alloy or carbon so take your pick.
    Saddle- take you pick of the hundreds out there. If you're not sure what suits you try a Charge Spoon - they are cheap and work pretty well for many people.
    Wheelset - Many to choose from but again the freehub must match the cassette/groupset in terms of the speed. Most of the new 11-speed wheesets will take a 10-speed cassette with the addition of the required spacers.
    Bar Tape- choose the colour and type you fancy. Plenty of videos on how to apply it neatly.

    Other accessories not crucial to the build would be bottle cages.

    Have probably omitted something but the above is a good starting point.

    Don't forget bou will need the tools also - Allen keys, screwdrivers, a good set of cable cutters etc

    Other bi