Road Cycling Essentials

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[Damien];23872297 said:
Hey Bigsy,

Which frame is that and which site did you get it from? I'm pondering on doing a build based on one and like the look of the Cervelo R3/R5 but without as many zeros on the price tag!
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Its a flyxii frame and you can order direclty from their site although I got via ebay as paypal will always sort anything out, not that I have ever had to resort to that.

I bought this frame (I asked for matte at no extra cost): http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/321069030210?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

They also reduce the price on the shipping label so I didn't pay any import duty/tax.

So just over £300 for an extremely light frame and fork plus head set.

The frame you see behind it is a FR-315 its more aero and only fractionally heavier (about 100grams) but its under £300 and you get a seat post and clamp with it too.

I will also add that many moons ago I bought a carbon MTB frame from flyxii and it came with the same headset which has had a ton of abuse and its held up well... so has the frame!
 
Bigsy said:
Its a flyxii frame and you can order direclty from their site although I got via ebay as paypal will always sort anything out, not that I have ever had to resort to that.

I bought this frame (I asked for matte at no extra cost): http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/321069030210?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

They also reduce the price on the shipping label so I didn't pay any import duty/tax.

So just over £300 for an extremely light frame and fork plus head set.

The frame you see behind it is a FR-315 its more aero and only fractionally heavier (about 100grams) but its under £300 and you get a seat post and clamp with it too.

I will also add that many moons ago I bought a carbon MTB frame from flyxii and it came with the same headset which has had a ton of abuse and its held up well... so has the frame!
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Could you post a link to the wheels on the FR-315? Those would look stunning on my ribble stealth :cool:
 
DIABLO said:
How is the braking surface holding up on the carbon wheels Bigsy?
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Absolutely fine but then I just don't find myself braking too much on that bike, I just take it out round the countryside in the dry so no real heavy braking like my commute.

Again that said their fine, no detectable wear but they don't have a basalt coating or anything its just raw carbon and tbh with the pads that came with them braking power was dangerously lacking I tried a few pads until I found these: http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=29093

There basically rebagded reynolds blue and they transformed braking performance, stopping power is every bit as good as my alloys with salmons, least in the dry. The pads are very soft which should mean them wearing over the rims.
 
Lakeland said:
Could you post a link to the wheels on the FR-315? Those would look stunning on my ribble stealth :cool:
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Sure, their a tad more now (I bought them about 5-6 month's ago) but looks like they come with a basalt braking surface: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hot-sale-...s-/280936710285?ssPageName=ADME:X:AAQ:US:1123

You can deffo go cheaper from china on these but 1500g is pretty damn good on 38mm clinchers... I will say mind that there great wheels but the freehub is VERY clicky I know this annoys some people, I don't mind it.. lets people know your coming on cycle paths etc.

Also the rim tape, pads and QR's that come with them are pants.

And also, I know they look good but you can get quality hand built alloy clinchers (kinlin rims) from china for a lot less cash they're also quite a bit lighter (down to 1280grams if your not a big lad). I've got some 27mm alloys which have already taken a right beating on my commute and are only 1390g.. I would personally recommend them over the carbons.
 
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We could really do with a cycling subforum in here, theres always about 3 or 4 convos on the go at any one time and people questions drop off the page in no time.
 
What does the basalt braking surface give you, more brake pad grip and/or longer lasting rim?

Any particular link to the alloy clinchers?
 
I'm not sure it makes a whole lot of difference but yeah better braking and its also meant to help with heat dissipation as you can have problems with blowouts on carbon clinchers on big hills.

That's why you shouldn't use latex tubes with them and always pulse/alternate your braking. Another advantage alloys have I guess.

I bought these (1390g on my scales): http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/700C-27mm...Cycling_Parts_Accessories&hash=item4ac1e03ee7 These are basically Yishun YS-AL27C, plenty of favourable reviews about on the web, one here: http://felixwong.com/2011/05/yishun-27mm-alloy-clincher-road-wheels-review/

I went for 27mm rims as I'm 12st and I commute on horrible roads. But if your not big lad kinlin rims get pretty light for the money: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/22mm-clin...Cycling_Parts_Accessories&hash=item4abe414ef5

Your talking well over a grand for a wheel set at that kind of weight and it wouldn't be any stronger, they both use decent rims (kinlin) and quality hubs.
 
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Kinlins, in my experience, aren't very round. Mine are laterally true, but they've always been slightly ovoid, even when pros have tried truing them.

They are a good rim for the cash, strong and reasonably light but there are much better rims out there.

Disclaimer; this 100% from a sample of two.
 
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[Damien];23871422 said:
That's not a bad idea. I'll try both of those later when I get home. I've only just reassembled my BB/cranks and stuck new bearings in (and loctited the buggers in to be sure) and the problem has persisted so it's definitely not my BB. They needed doing anyway due to an unrelated creak in my cranks but I thought my popping would magically go away too after that.

My only other thoughts are headset/stem, FR spokes, FR skewer and possibly bottle cage bolts. I also thought it could be internal cabling striking the frame but pulling them taut from the outside or pushing extra slack through the frame doesn't make a difference.

If I'm checking over my seatpost, etc I might as well just take out every bolt and grease up every interface on the bike. If it's still there after that I'll take a hammer to the bloody thing.
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Finally sussed out what the creaking was. Whoever installed the star nut in the steerer tube had made a mess of it. Two of the arms were bent downwards and the creaking was the nut moving in the tube.

Anyways, I popped to the LBS near my work and got them to stick a new one in and it's all quiet now. The daft thing is, I'd had the stem, etc off several times while trying to find this creak and only noticed the star nut when I realised that the top cap wasn't tightening up, it was just pulling the nut further up the tube.
 
Bigsy said:
Sure, their a tad more now (I bought them about 5-6 month's ago) but looks like they come with a basalt braking surface: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hot-sale-...s-/280936710285?ssPageName=ADME:X:AAQ:US:1123

You can deffo go cheaper from china on these but 1500g is pretty damn good on 38mm clinchers... I will say mind that there great wheels but the freehub is VERY clicky I know this annoys some people, I don't mind it.. lets people know your coming on cycle paths etc.

Also the rim tape, pads and QR's that come with them are pants.

And also, I know they look good but you can get quality hand built alloy clinchers (kinlin rims) from china for a lot less cash they're also quite a bit lighter (down to 1280grams if your not a big lad). I've got some 27mm alloys which have already taken a right beating on my commute and are only 1390g.. I would personally recommend them over the carbons.
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Thanks for the info....these look a little lighter, looks like they have lighter hubs:-
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Novatec-h...1068615161?pt=UK_Bikes_GL&hash=item4170feb5f9

Will have to do some more research, seems a lot buy direct from Farsport, Yoeleobike etc.
They have some lighter rims but you are paying £400-450 rather than jsut over £300 like those above.
 
I'm building up a set myself, just bought rims from a Chinese based E-Bay seller.

The rims cost me £173 for 50mm tubular rims and I'm building them up around decent quality Hope Pro3 hubs and with decent quality DT Swiss spokes.

They'll work out slightly more expensive, slightly heavier but will be built with a higher spoke count (24/28) so they will be stronger and more reliable than directly buying ready built from E-Bay.
 
Bloody Bigsy with that chinese carbon frame pic! You've got me obsessively researching cheap carbon frames now...

I'm thinking of building up something based on the FM066 (Cervelo R5/Cannondale Supersix clone). For less than £350 for the frame/fork you can't really argue. I'm undecided whether I'd leave it in stealth carbon or paint it up. I wouldn't fake decal it up like the original though. That's just sad.
 
George Hincapie said:
I've got some. Well, the Winter version any way. The pad is amazing. Good purchase! ;)
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Unfortunately this is absolutely, 100%, categorically and undeniably the truth. My wife cursed the name Castelli before, now she'll learn to hate the name Assos. I'll no longer be able to spend under £150 for shorts :p.
 
[Damien];23878692 said:
Bloody Bigsy with that chinese carbon frame pic! You've got me obsessively researching cheap carbon frames now...

I'm thinking of building up something based on the FM066 (Cervelo R5/Cannondale Supersix clone). For less than £350 for the frame/fork you can't really argue. I'm undecided whether I'd leave it in stealth carbon or paint it up. I wouldn't fake decal it up like the original though. That's just sad.
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Good choice its a lovely frame and I nearly went for it but as it was going to be my commuter the rear triangle is just a tad spindly for luggin back packs, potholes and that.

That and I wanted clearance for 25C's and cruds.
 
platypus said:
Unfortunately this is absolutely, 100%, categorically and undeniably the truth. My wife cursed the name Castelli before, now she'll learn to hate the name Assos. I'll no longer be able to spend under £150 for shorts :p.
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I can afford to spend money on things like Assos, Rapha etc but choose not too in favour of the "best bang for buck" purchases - what makes those Assos and Castelli shorts worth two to three times more than pairs of these? http://road.cc/content/review/38516-dhb-aeron-pro-bib-short

Maybe it's something I'll never understand with my penny pinching ways :p
 
Well, finally pulled the trigger and ordered the new bike

Ribble R872 with Ultegra Di2, Ritchey WCS stem/bars, fizik cyrano seatpost and keeping my campag neutron wheels (came with cheap ones ill keep for training). Ill be ordering a saddle seperately, probably going with a specialized Romin. Came to £2300 so not bad in the end :)
 
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