Detail your Setup

Bike: roadie
Frame: 2005 focus cayo, full carbon
Forks: focus carbon forks
Gruppo: ultegra rear mech, chainset and shifters, 105 brake callipers and front mech
Wheels: mavic aksium
Tyres: schwalbe stelvio
Handlebars: FSA headset
Stem: FSA OS190
Computer: some cheapo sigma

Bike: 2009 Bianchi 928
Forks: Bianchi Carbon - 1-1/8"
Gruppo: Dura-Ace 7801/Ultegra 6700 mix
Wheels: Easton Circuit
Tires: Conty GP4000S
Handlebars: FSA Omega Compact
Stem: FSA OS-190LX
Computer: Garmin Edge 305

aw fuck it, here's my ENTIRE rig:
Type Brand Model Added On Dist(mi)
Cassette Shimano Ultegra CS-6700 12/25 Since Beginning 4,081
Chain Shimano Ultegra CN-6700 03/25/2010 911
Chainrings Shimano Ultegra SL 53/39 Since Beginning 4,081
Fork Bianchi FF38 FORK FULL CARBON B4P - 1-1/8" Since Beginning 4,081
Crankset Shimano Ultegra SL FC-6750 Compact Since Beginning 4,081
Front Brake Shimano Ultegra BR-6700 Since Beginning 4,081
Front Derailleur Shimano Ultegra SL FD-6700 03/25/2010 911
Front Wheel Easton Circuit Since Beginning 4,081
Handlebar FSA Omega Compact Since Beginning 4,081
Headset FSA Orbit CE Plus Since Beginning 4,081
Pedals Shimano Ultegra 6620 SPD-SL Since Beginning 4,081
Rear Brake Shimano Ultegra SL BR-6700 Since Beginning 4,081
Rear Derailleur Shimano Ultegra RD-6700-SS Since Beginning 4,081
Rear Tire Continental GP4000S 03/29/2010 726
Rear Wheel Easton Circuit Since Beginning 4,081
Saddle Specialized Toupe 143mm Since Beginning 4,081
Seatpost FSA SLK - Carbon - 31.6mm Since Beginning 4,081
Stem FSA OS-190LX Since Beginning 4,081
Bottom Bracket Shimano Hollowtech II Since Beginning 4,081
Rear Shifter Cable Shimano Ultegra 02/14/2010 2,049
Front Brake Cable Shimano Ultegra Since Beginning 4,081
Shift Levers Shimano Dura Ace ST-7801 Since Beginning 4,081
Rear Brake Cable Shimano Ultegra Since Beginning 4,081
Front Brake Pads Shimano Ultegra R55C3 Since Beginning 4,081
Front Shifter Cable Shimano Ultegra Since Beginning 4,081
Rear Brake Pads Shimano Ultegra R55C3 Since Beginning 4,081
Front Tire Continental GP 4000S 04/08/2010 477

Bike: everything bike
Frame: cross-check
Forks: ditto
Cranks: garbage and mismatched
Shifters: Shimano DA bar-end shifters
F-Der: Tiagra
R-Der: Tiagra
Cassette: 9-spd, no idea what the range is
Pedals: ATAC
Wheels: stock (alex rims to...deore lx?)
Tires: Panaracer T-Serv 28c (i think?)
Handlebars: Salsa Bell Lap
Stem: Ritchey (stock)
Seatpost: lol whut
Saddle: Selle Anatomica
Bartape: fancy Fizik stuff
Brakes: Tektro v-brakes
Levers: Cane Creek linear pull levers (real nice)
Computer: nope

Shasta please tell me that's c-and-p'd from a spreadsheet on your computer

close, from my training analysis software.

Bike: Focus Cayo Expert 2008
Frame: 58cm full carbon
Forks: Focus carbon
Gruppo: FSA brakes, FSA Gossamer chainset, Shimano Ultegra Front mech, Dura-ace rear mech, Dura=ace shifters
Wheels: Fulcrum Racing 3
Tyres: Schwalbe Ultremo
Handlebars: FSA Omega compact
Stem: Ritchey alu 90mm
Computer: Cateye Strada

Bike: Bob Jackson
Frame: Vigorelli Reynolds 653
Forks: Reynolds 653
Gruppo: Sugino 75 chainset, Phil Wood fixed cog
Wheels: Mavic Open Pros on Phil Wood high flange hubs
Tyres: Schwalbe Ultremos
Handlebars: Nitto noodle
Computer: n/a

I left pedals out of this, oh well

BMC has Look Keo Classic, Surly has Steel eggbeaters

What training software do you use, steve?

Bike: Only
Frame: c. 1985(?) Eddy Merckx Corsa 56 cm (Team Faema colors) Columbus SL tubing if the internet is to be believed
Forks: Merckx steel fork w/ aero crown
Gruppo: Campagnolo Victory. Seatpost replaced w/ a Selcof, and brakes are Shimano 600 6207 Series.
Wheels: Mavic Open 4 CD rims and Record hubs, 36 spoke
Tyres: Vittoria Zaffiro Slick, 700x23
Handlebars: 3ttt Competizione
Stem: 3ttt quill stem w/ Eddy Merckx pantograph
Computer: n/a

Currently unable to ride, as the rear derailleur just broke (stripped threads on lower pivot bolt/pulley cage)

thread wd be ace w/pics above the details

Bike is a 2007-version Kona Zing Deluxe (bought at a huge discount in Dec 2008).
Frame: Dedacciai Nero Corsa (Carbon)
Brakes/Gears: Shimano 105 (10-speed cassette 12-25)
Cranks/Rings/Headset/Seatpost/Bars: FSA (rings 53/39, bars oversized and flattened to an oval)
Pedals: Egg Beater SL
Wheels: Mavic Aksium
Tyres: Vredestein Fortezza Tri-Comp 23mm

The tyres are the only things I've changed so far (and I've changed both of them twice already).

Oh, plus Cateye Strada Wireless computer.

Bike: yep. Ridgeback Comet 2004 (maybe 2003? Bought it new July '04 anyway)
Frame: Aluminium, I guess.
Forks: Yep.
Gruppo: SS conversion with a Surly Singleator. The bike's original 48T chainring, and an 18T on the back.
Wheels: Shimano R500. They were on offer and I thought they'd look cool, and be a bit faster, also spokes kept breaking on the originals.
Tyres: Schwalbe Marathon Plus, 700x25. These are great.
Pedals: Shimano PD-M520
Handlebars: Yep. Flat ones, at that.
Stem: Yep. The old-style kind.
Computer: Nup.
Also SKS mudguards and a Topeak luggage rack.

Recent-ish upgrades:

Rear Cassette = 11/23 (racing)
Front Wheel = Reynolds Attack 32mm Clincher (craigslist score)
Rear Wheel = Bontrager (well it's really a HED 50mm rim with DT Swiss hubs and bladed spokes) Aeolus 5.0 Clincher (craigslist score)
Front Brake = Dura-Ace 7900 (for extra fat mantis stopping power, another craigslist score)

Also changed my bar tape from the stock to Cinelli cork... holy shit. Why didn't I do this right away? Crazily amazing difference in comfort.

We're talking about an entry-level bike here, so be kind.

Bike: road
Frame: KHS, 7005 alloy, 58cm
Fork: CRMO
Gruppo: Shimano Sora, triple, 24-speed (of which I use five at the extreme most)
Wheels: formula alloy hubs, rims some indeterminate alloy that's way heavy
Tires: Michelin Krylion carbon
Handlebars: some standard-issue alloy, wrapped in Specialized S-wrap Roubaix, which seems to retain squishiness even after a lot of sweat and is fairly easy to clean off, would buy again
Stem: Kalloy
Computer: n/a

Very important upgrade recently: saddle changed from a Selle Italia butt-numb-a-thon to a Specialized Phenom SL. Night and day.

I'm wondering if sinking a couple hundred bucks into lighter wheels would be worth doing, given my frame and group.

Actually fuck that -- I'm fine with the frame and group. I'm not racing this thing. I'm wondering if new wheels are worth the effort in general. Does taking a couple pounds off of the wheels make a significant difference in the ease and quality of the ride?

Bike: one and only
Frame: Retrovelo Paul Modern, steel, 59 cm
Fork: Retrovelo steel, really bitchin' (see http://retrovelo.de/forkcrown.html)
Gruppo: Shimano Alfine 8-speed (hub, Avid BB7 disc brakes
Wheels: Retrovelo, alu -- Shimano hub generator
Tyres: Schwalbe Table Top, I keep them at 60 PSI (4 bar) on the road.
Handlebars: alu, old-fashioned mountain bike (somewhere between modern flat bar and cruiser bar)
Pedals: MKS
Stem: says Matrix on it, is in fact Chinese and CrMo. Kind of long to get me less upright.
Saddle: Brooks B17 Special
lights: Busch & Müller front and rear
computer: not yet, looking for a good iPhone app.

Does taking a couple pounds off of the wheels make a significant difference in the ease and quality of the ride?

Yes - lighter wheels make a significant difference due to some science-y stuff I don't really understand about the further the weight is from the bike's centre of gravity, the more of an effect it has. How much do they weigh, though? Dropping a couple of pounds is likely to be tricky unless you have $$$.

3WU:

How do you like the Alfine internal hub?

So far so good -- it took some learning, as it is slow to change if you are working it hard, so I downshift earlier for steep hills, and I can't really zoom away instantly when upshifting after said hill -- but the ability to shift while standing still or skip a couple gears is really very useful, and the thing is pretty quiet. The gear range is useful. No problems with it yet, and my LBS guy says he has had good experiences with the things (and his hate for Shimano stuff borders on obsession), but it's still pretty new. I wouldn't recommend the cheaper Shimano hubs.

Makes more sense for the city than the mountain, I think. Have friends who swear by the Rohloff for both.

Dropping a couple of pounds is likely to be tricky unless you have $$$.

A couple pounds might be an ounce or two more ambitious than I need to be, but you'd be surprised how heavy these wheels are. I don't know exactly what they weigh, but they're clearly one of the things the manufacturer cheaped-out on in order to make it a more affordable bike. Looks like I can get a wheelset that's about 1700g-1900g for in the neighborhood of $200 online, and I have no doubt at all that they will be significantly lighter.

Kenan, a trade up to Mavic Aksium, Fulcrum Racing 7, Easton EA50could definitely make the bike feel better. The weight might not be that much less but the bearings may well be a good deal better. couple of hundred well spent imo.

Worth checking eBay etc. for last years models.

Do you know what model of selle italia it is, I might be interested in it.

Do you mean my old seat? I'm not sure what the model is, but you really don't want it. It's completely solid front to back. Not even so much as a groove in the thing. Designed especially to make your toes go numb.

But maybe it's fine for something less leany-over-y. It's this:

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i191/fluxion23/selle_seat.jpg

That doesn't look that great. I like Selle italias in general but mainly the ones with the slot.

Yeah, it creates constant pressure on just about everything you don't want pressure on.

lighter wheels make a significant difference due to some science-y stuff I don't really understand about the further the weight is from the bike's centre of gravity, the more of an effect it has

What I learned from googling a bit was that it's about the center of gravity of the wheel itself, not the bike overall, so you want not only a light wheel, but a light rim compared to the hub, to minimize *rotational* mass. Although you still want a light wheel. It's all torque and acceleration, and acceleration counts for a whole lot on a bike, because you'll likely have to apply that force a great deal.

At bottom, F=ma.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/math/0/0/3/0038e89803b9aeefad5b1fc299b0d086.png

If I were going to buy wheels one at a time, though, would it be more important for my rear or front wheel to be lighter?

Or is there any difference, even though the rear wheel is the one the force is directly applied to? Is that force applied equally to both wheels just by virtue of their both touching the ground?

for some reason i wanna say "rear wheel" but i can't actually muster a decent rationale.

front would be cheaper, obv

What I learned from googling a bit was that it's about the center of gravity of the wheel itself, not the bike overall, so you want not only a light wheel, but a light rim compared to the hub, to minimize *rotational* mass. Although you still want a light wheel. It's all torque and acceleration, and acceleration counts for a whole lot on a bike, because you'll likely have to apply that force a great deal.

At bottom, F=ma.

― kenan, Monday, July 19, 2010 7:52 AM (Yesterday)

Lots of myths and old wives tales being thrown around ITT.

IME and IMU, wheel weight/rotational mass is most significant in:
1) pure climbing. riding solely uphill (ie, HC TTs with minimal flat/and zero descents)
2) intial accleration (which actually matters little for 95% of bike riding)

also: re "torque", lightweight wheelsets are notoriously not stiff, so you run the risk of much of the torque that you want driving the bike up the hill dissipating laterally instead.

intial accleration (which actually matters little for 95% of bike riding)

I do most of my riding in the city, though. So it does matter for, like, 60% of my bike riding.

Anyway, I don't need the world's most fantastic wheels, but some better ones would be nice.

was talking to this bro a few months back, who liked to go and do the shopping on an argon 18 with zipp 404s

i think maybe that's a bit of overkill, don't do that

ok i won't

~promise~

"are you not worried about them getting ripped off while you're in there?" i said

i think he had a 'lightbulb' moment

gbx u got some handbults, what did they cost? if kenan is riding in the city, a more trad wheel is probably a good idea to protect against potholes and the like.

i spent ~$400

kenan could def do cheaper. apparently marcus @ yojimbo's builds the best wheels in Chi but a) he takes forever (lol w33d!) and b) i'm not sure kenan would really enjoy the yojimbo's "experience"

lemme guess -- unchecked bike snobbery? It's not like I'm going to pull up in my SUV or anything.

I submit that quality of bearings is most important for in town riding. Bottom bracket and hub. Removing winter from both made my commute significantly better.

New bearings on hubs feel awesome.

if you're doing city riding you definitely do not want lightweight wheels as they probably would not last very long. The probably the most popular upgrade are (for good reason) mavic open pros rims laced to ultegra hubs with decent spokes (dt swiss?). In cycling, like most things, the 2/3 rule is in effect: cheap, light, strong (pick 2).

And no offense but initial acceleration is not a big deal compared to potholes, steel grates, rail tracks, shitty roads, etc. So yes, you may lose that precious 0.5 second on your commute to work but hey, at least your wheels will stay true year round!

I AM OFFENDED!

Yeah, I don't hit too many honest-to-betsy potholes, but there are always roads that have been patched way too many times.

Also, accelerating is less about losing time on the way to work than it's about getting the hell out of the way. You ride in city traffic much?

Only about 2500 miles in the last year.

Yeah, I anticipated that answer. It's tough riding. I will never understand people riding down Broadway with earphones on.

If lighter wheels will be worse in the long run, then I've learned something new. I was just thinking that getting through intersections and up what few hills we have in the road a bit faster could only do me good.

Bike: yep. Ridgeback Comet 2004 (maybe 2003? Bought it new July '04 anyway)
Frame: Aluminium, I guess.
Forks: Yep.
Gruppo: SS conversion with a Surly Singleator. The bike's original 48T chainring, and an 18T on the back.
Wheels: Shimano R500. They were on offer and I thought they'd look cool, and be a bit faster, also spokes kept breaking on the originals.
Tyres: Schwalbe Marathon Plus, 700x25. These are great.
Pedals: Shimano PD-M520
Handlebars: Yep. Flat ones, at that.
Stem: Yep. The old-style kind.
Computer: Nup.
Also SKS mudguards and a Topeak luggage rack.

Can now add the following mod:
Frame: Massive crack all around the base of the seat tube. RIP bicycle.

On the plus side, it's time to go shopping for a new frame! There are always awesome deals on frames, and they're a LOT cheaper than full bikes.

6 years out of an aluminum frame seems pretty good. Sorry to hear about your crack though.

A tasty 80% off?

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=50178

Hmm. Really hadn't thought of building a bike like that. Was too blinkered by prospect of cycle2work goodness. Which bits would be worth keeping from the old bike? The wheels are half-decent, not sure if I'm going to stick with single-speed or not atm. I'd need new forks, stem and bars I guess. Also apparently Ridgeback have a lifetime guarantee on frames, so I might not even need one. Right now I'm still a bit distraught and can't even think properly about where to go next. Will hit ILTRMB for advice.

keep all components and transfer to the £35 frame mark posted above then use C2W goodness to bag a nice wee road bike : )

I think almost everything's worth keeping from the old bike, certainly the wheels, tyres, guards, drivetrain (if sticking with SS), pedals. Do you have the space to have two bikes? Rebuild this one for cheap as a hack/pub bike, and then C2W something shiny and lightweight for longer rides.

full carbon + sram red for just over £1k oooft
http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/i/q/CBPXSLPR/sl-pro-carbon-sram-red

ah it's £1k for rival, £1.4k for red

Ridgeback are replacing the frame. Am pleasantly surprised, as I thought my singlespeed conversion would lead to some sort of small-print warranty-voiding, but they've said they'll give me a frame with horizontal dropouts instead. Presumably a Ridgeback Solo. So, not so bad, hopefully (I reserve the right to be too overjoyed until I have a working bicycle with all the bits I had before).

Meh. Replacement brand new Ridgeback Comet, they kept my pedals and lock, lost my rack (am picking up a free replacement later), tensioner and wheels.

Am going to flog this as soon as I've located a nice steel ss that will take rack and guards.

like the look of this ss as a commuter
http://www.evanscycles.com/product_image/image/2dc/d13/944/33633/large/ridgeback-solo-2009-road-bike.jpg

Yeah, that's the Solo isn't it? Evans have them on sale at £400, but I think they're out of my size, and I'm pretty loath to use them again (I swore I'd never use them again after I bought my bike there back in 2004).

There's really nothing else that comes close to my wants without being a Condor Tempo, and I don't actually have £900.

Gah, if they hadn't teased me with the promise of a nice replacement bike I could've just bought one of those already.

I'm almost back on the road. Some bits still to arrive, have raided E's bike temporarily, will slowly substitute back

Condor Bivio frame
ITM vista forks
Chorus 9 speed levers (from merckx)
Tektro CR720 cross levers (lucky dip at Kraynicks)
Tektro CR720 brakes
Kraynick's mystery cable housing and cables
TTT alloy bars (from merckx)
Gossamer Triple chainset (from E's bike) (also I get to pick two out of three rings, this needs to go, quickly)
Miche campy compatible 9 spee 13-28 cassette
Chorus 10 speed front mech (from E's bike)
Champ triple rear mech (from E's bike)
90s campy chorus wheelset (from merckx via E's bike)
big fat schwalbe marathon plus (from E's bike)

this puts me in a bit of a bind. I either put all the campy back on E's bike and have to get a whole gruppo when I replace, or put shimano/SRAM on E's bike and keep the campy on mine (not a problem as she is on bar end shifters anyway). The difficulty is new wheels and mainly because E would not be happy if I didn't give her back the yellow merckx v's. So either I spring for campy compatible hubs (expensive over here) or get her yellow velocities.

None of this is too much of a problem, just annoyed by the cost of campy and general incompatibility.

Right now? 8 speed mongoose rigid bike shaped object. Heavy and slow as he'll, but not bad for pottering around center parcs. Didn't bring the felt in the end as we found that our borrowed bike rack didn't play nicely with our car.....about 10 minutes before we set off..... So bang went le tour de Lower Trent valley.

i am getting the bartape re-done tomorrow. chrome tape looking rather un-chrome in various spots, time for a spring clean! (also need the brifters aligned a bit better, they're all over the shop atm.)

I just ordered glow in the dark bar tape, I hope it is actually cool rather than somewhat disappointing.