Spec My Bike

[ChrisO]

Somehow I've got Mrs ChrisO to agree that I can have my dream bike as a reward for coming to the end of my current project in Abu Dhabi. (I say "agree", I mean she didn't disagree, which is the same thing.) And I'm going to take a few months partially off to ride it.

So, you've got a fairly generous budget for a racing/sportive bike. I'm pretty much determined on a Colnago frame, either an EPS or C50.

Now we get into the infinitely variable territory of components. Not much point buying a frame like that and sticking Mavic Open Pros and Tiagra on it, and I'm assuming that it would just be wrong to use my SPDs. (I will use a Brooks though - a honey Ti Swift perhaps if I go for the frame colour I think I like).

But never having entered such high-end territory before I'm not sure what to go for.

Everything must be specced... wheels, groupset, bars, seatpost etc. Not unlimited but it won't be a budget build. Looking for quality and performance more than bling. (My son wants me to get Campagnolo Shamal wheels with gold spokes. That ain't happening.)

So, if you were given the chance to run riot in a bike shop what would you buy  ?

[Charlotte]

Record, of course.

Lots of really good quality carbon as well.  Does your budget run to Lightweight wheels?

[Tewdric]

Well you can't put Shimano or Sram on a Colnago, even though most of them are from Taiwan these days, so it has to be Super Record.  I'd either get some DT Swiss, Zipp  or Lew rims built onto Super Record or Tune hubs, or Bora Ultra or Lightweight wheels depending on what it's being used for.  Do you want performance or reliability?  Clincher or tubs?

Finishing kit?  Schmolke bars, tune stem,  probably.

Personally, I'd go for a new type Giant TCR Advanced, Dura Ace, DT Swiss rims on Tune hub handbuilts, Pro one piece bar/stem.

You need to look at:

poshbikes.com

[Rhys W]

A Brooks on a Colnago???  That's like wearing Hush Puppies with an Armani suit.

 Open Pros on Record hubs will smoke any machine-built wheels up to about Shamal quality anyway. Deep carbon rims are for racing only - on anything else they're just vulgar.

[ChrisO]

Record, of course.

Lots of really good quality carbon as well.  Does your budget run to Lightweight wheels?

Wow, I didn't even know you could pay that much for a pair of wheels. But no, that would pretty much blow the components budget. I'm thinking around 1500 ?

Prefer clinchers just cause I'm used to it I guess. I know you don't have to paint the glue on now but tubs still seem rather painful.

So yes Record or Super Record.

I'm always pretty hard on rims and spokes - nothing against Open Pros, I've got them on my Roberts and my fixie for their reliability.

I'll have a look at the other stuff.

[Ian H]

Beware that different kinds of Brookses are different shapes. I don't get on with the Swift/Swallow shape. For a racing saddle I use Specialized. My Brooks Pros are good for touring/distance riding.

[Greenbank]

Any Shimano on a Colnago is just wrong (I even put SPD compatible Wellgo's on the Colnago rather than genuine Shimano SPDs). A Brooks on a race bike is just wrong too.

Start off with an average (but blingy looking) pair of wheels (i.e. Fulcrum Racing 5 or 3) and save up for the really blingy wheelset separately. You'll want the non-blingy wheels for putting in the miles. Fit the blingy wheels for the race/sportive.

Personally, I'd go for a PowerTap SLC+ (inc wheel, about £1200) before I even considered some blingy wheels. It's going to be my next purchase for the Wilier.

[Thor]

A Brooks on a Colnago???  That's like wearing Hush Puppies with an Armani suit.

More Ken Clarke than Danilo Di Luca, then.

Any Shimano on a Colnago is just wrong

Some of the cheaper Colnagos, such as those sold by Evans feature Shimano groupsets.  But it's still wrong!

I'd go with Record too, high-end Campag or Fulcrum wheelset - maybe Fulcrum Racing Zero (they do a 2-way version which is compatible with tubs or clinchers), Selle Italia saddle (Thoork, maybe "A saddle with an unmistakable personality: let yourself be lured by it"  ), bling carbon stem and bars.

[vorsprung]

If I had an unlimited budget and wanted to get a kind of sportive bike then it would have

* Orbea Orca frameset
* Campag Neutron wheels.  I like the sound of these, light climbing wheels suitable for long distance too
* SPDs because I like them/ I know they work with my feet.  There is a Ti shimano SPD pedal.  Also some carbon soled shoes.
* Carbon seatpost, a really expensive one that is unlikely to break
* Three saddles to try out.  An Arione, a SLR full carbon and a Brooks Imperial
* carbon bars of some sort
* chris king headset ( if the Orbea frameset doesn't include a headset )
* hope bar end plugs
* a simple wired computer than also does altitude
* bar tape with gel inserts underneath.  I like the fizik gel tape
* two carbon bottle cages
* a tortech rack with a carradice top bag on it ( only kidding )

The cost of this would be approx um £4,000

[bikenerd]

I like my Selle Italia SLR saddle.  Weighs 135g, looks sporty and is almost as comfortable as a Brooks.  Especially for the reasonably short (< 4 hours) fast rides I do on the fast bike it is on.

I have Fulcrum Racing 5 wheels.  They're very nice and reasonably light for a low to mid range wheel.  Going up the range should give you a decent wheel.

Then, Campag Record as others have said, carbon post stem and bars.  Done!

[DuncanM]

If I had an unlimited budget and wanted to get a kind of sportive bike then it would have

* Orbea Orca frameset
* Campag Neutron wheels.  I like the sound of these, light climbing wheels suitable for long distance too
* SPDs because I like them/ I know they work with my feet.  There is a Ti shimano SPD pedal.  Also some carbon soled shoes.
* Carbon seatpost, a really expensive one that is unlikely to break
* Three saddles to try out.  An Arione, a SLR full carbon and a Brooks Imperial
* carbon bars of some sort
* chris king headset ( if the Orbea frameset doesn't include a headset )
* hope bar end plugs
* a simple wired computer than also does altitude
* bar tape with gel inserts underneath.  I like the fizik gel tape
* two carbon bottle cages
* a tortech rack with a carradice top bag on it ( only kidding )

The cost of this would be approx um £4,000

Erm, groupset?

[vorsprung]

If I had an unlimited budget and wanted to get a kind of sportive bike then it would have

* Orbea Orca frameset
* Campag Neutron wheels.  I like the sound of these, light climbing wheels suitable for long distance too
* SPDs because I like them/ I know they work with my feet.  There is a Ti shimano SPD pedal.  Also some carbon soled shoes.
* Carbon seatpost, a really expensive one that is unlikely to break
* Three saddles to try out.  An Arione, a SLR full carbon and a Brooks Imperial
* carbon bars of some sort
* chris king headset ( if the Orbea frameset doesn't include a headset )
* hope bar end plugs
* a simple wired computer than also does altitude
* bar tape with gel inserts underneath.  I like the fizik gel tape
* two carbon bottle cages
* a tortech rack with a carradice top bag on it ( only kidding )

The cost of this would be approx um £4,000

Erm, groupset?

Record or Dura Ace.  Probably Record

[Paul D]

I'm afraid I have close to my dream bike already - here's the spec to give you some ideas. It's all a bit non-carbon though it is very light for a 60cm bike!

The last of the lugged steel Serotta Atlanta frames (I'd have a Serotta Ti if I was building again from scratch)
Reynolds Ouzo Pro full carbon fork
SRAM STIs/brake calipers/front & rear mechs/
Tune compact cranks/Ti bottom bracket/stem/seatpost
Dura Ace hubs on Open Pro rims
Chris King headset

The Tune stuff is lovely, and something special with going carbon. I love quoting the 'pub stats' weights of Tune parts to my full-carbon-weight-weenie clubmates.

If I had a grand I've always wanted some Zipp 404 clinchers (although I might need the clydesdale ones, which are a bit heavier than my DA wheels!).

What ever you go for, think carefully about what you're going to use it for - don't get the Lightweight wheels if you're going to put armadillo tyres on to cope with gravelly lanes!

[mattc]

Any Shimano on a Colnago is just wrong

Well, true ... but it is possible to make "Shimano" sound just as Italian as "Colnago".(they nearly rhyme)

But it will never sound as right as "CAMpanYo-lo" !

[valkyrie]

I've got Campag Neutron Ultra wheels on my bling bike and I think they're great. If you wanted deeper rims then the Eurus don't cost much more.

If you're getting a Record Gruppo then why not get a Record Seatpost to match - it's a loverly stick of carbon.

You will of course want Italian bars/stems. The Deda Newton 31 bar/stem combo is about the nicest you'll get in alloy, Deda carbon also looks really good, it was just outside my budget.

Re the saddle choice - I ride on a B17 on my audax bike and my fixed, but once I'd built the look up nice and light I couldn't bear to put such a heavy saddle on it. It's got a Selle Italia Max Flite which is a wee bit bigger than the average racing perch and plenty comfy enough for shorter rides - I use this bike mostly for 200s.

[Rhys W]

If you're getting a Record Gruppo then why not get a Record Seatpost to match - it's a loverly stick of carbon.

 Unless he goes for the C50, which takes a 28mm seatpost. Who makes a 28mm seatpost? Nobody but Colnago, as I found. It's a quality item though.

[SpaceBadger]

You will of course want Italian bars/stems. The Deda Newton 31 bar/stem combo is about the nicest you'll get in alloy, Deda carbon also looks really good, it was just outside my budget.

Agree with Deda alloy. There is very little weight difference between top alloy and carbon anyway, and would you really want to be worrying about whether to change bars after every little accident. Will they, won't they.... break the next time I get out of the saddle?

New Dura Ace looks nice, but not many pros seem to be using it.

As for wheels, unless you're planning on tubular tyres, I wouldn't worry about carbon rims. I looked into some Zipp 202s, but the clincher versions with their alloy sections don't save you much weight, if anything. I've not ridden them, so I can't say anything about the aerodynamic differences, though. Mavic Kysrium ES do me very nicely.

How about these for the pedals. Only £499 a pair. http://www.speedplay.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.zero_nanogram  

If you have any thoughts away from (the very nice) Colnagos, give Cervelo a look. The R3 is gorgeous.

[Manotea]

Calling Mr Eurostar, calling Mr Eurostar...

[ChrisO]

Thanks for all the suggestions.

What's the difference between Record and Super Record - is it "just" weight ? And 10 or 11 speed ? Decisions, decisions...

I like the look of the one-piece carbon bar and stem. Deda do one too and I have always got on with their bars. Plus it's Italian.

[clarion]

Interesting (and moderately OT) to note that, according to CW last week, Alf Engers' one piece bar/stem combo was ruled illegal for setting the TT record.