Keiths:New Bike

From SinclairWIKI

Keith is going to buy a new Bike. While this seems pretty straight forward, its actually a lot more complicated then you think. The complicating factor is that there are TOO many choices, at any price point, there are so many choices!

This page are my ramblings about buying a new bike, what I am looking for, what options there are, what extras I will be considering, and whatever else comes up along the way.

Contents 1 Background 1.1 History 1.2 Recently 1.3 Future 2 Requirements 2.1 General 2.2 Type 2.3 Geometry 2.4 Frame Material 2.5 Components 2.6 Desire 3 Accessories 4 Bike Short List 4.1 Oppy Le Mauco and Lyon 4.2 Masi 3VC Volumetrica Ultegra 4.3 Scott CR1 Pro (Ultegra) 4.4 Trek Madone 4.5 TCT 4.5 Cannondale Six13 1 4.6 Bikes 4.7 Specifications 4.7.1 Specifications - Frame and Accessories 4.7.2 Specifications - Drivetrain 4.8 Geometry

Background

History

More then a few years ago (late 80's early 90's), I worked in bike shops, in and around Brisbane in Queensland, Australia. During that time, I was a bike mechanic, salesperson, and general fanatic. I raced both road and mountain, as well as some duo-atholons. I helped start the Ipswich Mountain Bike club, and was active in local bike community. My lifestyle revolved around bikes which I loved.

At some point, I decided that I should start full time Uni, which made it difficult to work in shops, and I changed industries to computers specifically programming and networking. Over the last 14 years I have managed to keep riding, never enough, but have maintained an interest in cycling and bikes.

Over the years I have riden mainly for fun, but also commuting, and recently I bought my wife a bike and we bought a trailer so we can take our two children with us on rides on some of the excellent bike tracks Brisbane has to offer.

Recently

More recently, I have started riding again, mainly for fitness and health, I want to improve my quality of life now and well into my retirement (30 plus years away). So I signed up for the The Wilson HTM Brisbane to the Gold Coast Cycle Challenge which is a 100km ride from Brisbane to the Gold Coast, its not competative. I managed to complete this in about 4 hours and 50 minutes ride time, which wasn't bad for little to no training and riding a Fisher Mountain Bike with slicks. This has refreshed my passion for cycling, and I had a plan to buy a new bike in the next 12 months, so I could use cycling as my major

Then I heard about the Amy Gillet Foundation organised Amy's Ride Queensland, which was a 100km ride again from Brisbane to the Gold Coast, BUT this had to be done under 4 hours, meaning an average speed of 25km/hr, the mountain bike would not do. I dusted off my well riden steel road bike, with Suntour Sprint 14 speed indexed gears.

I started training, training was going well, then the trusty old bike started to have some mechanical problems. Spokes breaking, bolts breaking, the gearing was a little too high. So I started to think about accelerating my plans for a new bike. I mentioned this to my neighbor, who suggested his collegue was looking to sell his old bike after buying a new Cervello.

This resulted in the second hand acquisition of a 2004 Felt S60 which is a alluminium frame with carbon fibre seat stays and forks. I can't believe the difference in riding this bike to my trusty old steel bike (which has alluminium forks), Shimano STI, smooth ride, acceleration up hills, stiff, responsive.

I did more training, and completed Amy's Ride in an average speed of 23.9km/hr, which given the head wind for the last 50 to 70 km, I will call 25km/hr.

Future

I have the bug, I want to keep riding, I have a plan to keep my bikes now, and in the next couple of years to buy a new bike, I am going to document the process I go through to buy a new bike, and hopefully other people with a little less experience in the complications of cycling will get some benefit from my ramblings.

Requirements

For a living, I design stuff, IT type stuff, mainly networks and software, the way we do that is to understand the requirements and then design and engineer a system to meet these requirements. So to figure out what bike I am going to buy, I am going to write down my requirements and try and match these requirements to a bike.

The trick to designing IT systems is the magic triangle which has three factors: resource, quality and scope. To build the ultimate IT system all of these would be variable, but they are invariably NOT. I believe that Tom Ritchey said something like "weight, strength, cost, pick two". So for a bike, our magic triangle would be something like: price, quality, weight. This accounts for manufacturing price, design, group set, frame materials, other components, various options, etc.

Part of determining the requirements is defining what requirements are mandatory and what requirements are optional or variable. For example you may have your heart set on a custom built bike, so you may end up spending more money on the frame from your overall budget, and use a lower spec'd group set. You may want a titanium bike, so be happy to settle for Shimano 105 for a $5000 bike.

General

Type

Geometry

I have fairly typical measurements for a 58cm frame, seat and top tube being 58cm, and about a 100mm stem, depending on seat angle.

I currently like a more laid back seat angle, with an agressive but not killer head tube angle.

Frame Material

Components

Off the shelf bikes will come with a component set, often spec'd in a way to make you go ooh aah, like Shimano 105 levers and front deraileur with an Ultegra rear deraileur, this is not a bad thing, your rear shifter does lots of work. Its all about the manufacturer meeting their requirements for marketing a bike at a specific price.

When buying a bike you can usually negotiate to upgrade some of the components at purchase time, upgrading the wheels would be a good example.

Desire

I would just LOVE a titanium bike, I have wanted one since I was about 16, thats a lifetime of lust!

I feel in love with Masi's while working in Brisbane Bicycle Sales and Hire, we used to sell them and the oversize steel bikes Masi made in the early 90's were devine.

Accessories

Most accessories are not essential, but some are fairly hard to do without.

Bike Short List

2008 has seen a new range of bikes and price reductions in Australia, the following bikes represent the best value for money as well as some of the best reviews I have read.

Oppy Le Mauco and Lyon

The Legend is Back Yes, this is a Malvern Star, but the value for money is UNBELIEVABLE, checkout the spec's and the price points! The Geometry is spot on. Its getting good reviews.

Masi 3VC Volumetrica Ultegra

Masi 3VC Online

Scott CR1 Pro (Ultegra)

Scott CR1 Online

Trek Madone 4.5 TCT

Trek Madone 4.5 Online

Cannondale Six13 1

Cannondale Six13 1 Online

Bikes

For other bikes I am keen on but aren't for road riding, check out Keiths:Bikes

Specifications

Specifications - Frame and Accessories

Specifications - Frame and

Bike	Price AUD	Weight	Frame	Fork	Saddle	Seat Post	Handlebars	Stem	Headset
Oppy Le Mauco	$3,999	Weight	Carbon Monocoqoue	Fork	Saddle	FSA Carbon Pro	FSA Carbon Pro Bar	FSA OS-150 with Carbon Face Plate	Integrated
Masi 3VC Ultegra	$3,595	Weight	Masi High Modulus Full Carbon Lugged Frame	Masi FC/Pro Monocoque Carbon	fi’zi:k Aliante Delta w/ Manganese Rails	Masi Filament Wound Carbon 31.6 x 350mm	Ritchey Pro Logic 31.8mm	Ritchey Pro Logic 31.8mm	Ritchey Pro Zero Drop-in w/Carbon Spacers
Scott CR1 Pro	$3,599	7.8kg	Scott CR 1 HMF, CR1 Carbon technology, Road geometry, Integrated Headtube	Scott Carbone CR1 Pro, 1 1/8 "" Carbone steerer Integrated	Saddle	CR1 Pro	Scott Road Drop OS, Anatomic 31.8 mm	Scott Road Team OS, 1-1/8"" / four Bolt 31.8 mm	Integrated Cartridge
Trek Madone 4.5	$2,999	Weight	TCT Carbon	Bontrager Race	Bontrager Carbon	Bontrager Select VR 31.8mm	Bontrager Select 7 degree 31.8mm	Aheadset	Allow dual pivot
Cannondale Six13 1	$4,100 ($3,500)	Weight	Alloy/Carbon	Slice Premium Carbon	San Marco Ponza Lux	Cannondale C2 Carbon-wrapped	Control Tech Compact	Cannondale C-3	FSA Carbon integrated, 25mm top cover
Bike	Price	Weight	Frame	Fork	Saddle	Seat Post	Handlebars	Stem	Headset

Specifications - Drivetrain

Specifications - Drive Train

Bike	Price AUD	Wheels	Tires	Shifters	Front Derailleur	Rear Derailleur	Crank	Cassette	Brakes
Oppy Le Mauco	$3,999	Mavic Ksyrium SL Premium	Hutchison Fusion 2 Kevlar Tyres	Dura-Ace	Dura-Ace	Dura-Ace	Dura-Ace	Dura-Ace	Dura-Ace
Masi 3VC Ultegra	$3,595	Shimano R580	Vittoria Rubino Pro 23c Folding Bead	Shimano Ultegra STI 10 Speed	Shimano Ultegra	Shimano Dura Ace	Shimano Ultegra w/ Integrated BB; 50/34	Shimano Ultegra 10 Speed 11-23	Shimano Ultegra Dual Pivot
Scott CR1 Pro	$3,599	Mavic Ksyrium Elite Black	Hutchinson Equinox FOLD 700 x 23	Shimano Ultegra ST-6600	Shimano Ultegra FD-6600	Shimano Ultegra RD-6600	Shimano Ultegra FC-6600, Hollowtech II 39/53 T	Shimano Ultegra CS-6600 12-25 T	Brakes
Trek Madone 4.5	$2,999	Bontrager Race	Bontrager Race Lite, 700x23c	Shimano 105, 10 speed	Shimano 105	Shimano 105	Shimano 105 50/34	Shimano 105 11-25, 10 speed	Alloy dual pivot
Cannondale Six13 1	$4,100 ($3,500)	Mavic Ksyrium Equipe	Maxxis Xenith Hors Categorie Foldable, 700 x23c	Shimano Dura Ace	Shimano Dura Ace	Shimano Dura Ace	FSA SL-K LIGHT Carbon, 39/53, FSA MEGAEXO BB	Shimano Ultegra, 12 - 25	Shimano BR-R560
Bike	Price	Wheels	Tires	Shifters	Front Derailleur	Rear Derailleur	Crank	Cassette	Brakes

Geometry

Below is the geometery for the bikes I like. As a baseline, I have included my current ride, a 2004 Felt F60, this is a sweet ride, very responsive and very racey. Handling is excellent and the bike is well balanced. I am 182cm tall, (5' 11.75"), and quite long legs and arms, so usually a 58cm is the go.

Bike Short List Geometry

Bike	Size	Head Angle	Seat Angle	Head Tube Length mm	Effective Top Tube mm	Seat Tube c2c mm	Seat Tube c2t mm	Chainstay Length mm	BB Offset/Drop mm	Fork Rake mm	Wheelbase
Baseline 2004 Felt F60	58cm	74	73.5	170	580	542	580	410	70	43	1003
Oppy Le Mauco/Lyon	L	73	73	165	570	Seat Tube c2c	520	408	BB Offset/Drop	Fork Rake	998
Masi 3VC Ultegra	58	73	73	180	580	N/A	540	405	70	43	N/A
Scott CR1 Pro	XL/58	73.0	73.3	190	575	520	580	405	67	N/A	N/A
Trek Madone 4.5	M 58 cm	73.8	73.1	190	572	N/A	553	411	268 (height)	40	992
Cannondale Six13 1	56	73.5	73	169	560	540	N/A	405	69	45	992
Cannondale Six13 1	58	73	73.5	189	575	560	N/A	405	67	45	996
Bike	Size	Head Angle	Seat Angle	Head Tube Length	Effective Top Tube	Seat Tube c2c	Seat Tube c2t	Chainstay Length	BB Offset/Drop	Fork Rake	Wheelbase