No! That's the much more underground version of Rapha. Kinda like how all those knock-off Rolling Stones bands from the 60's are actually cooler and often more interesting.

Mike, where's my Pinarello Dogma 2/Campagnolo EPS Super Record 11 Bike? Only $16,500.

Firstly, you're all welcome for thanking me for starting this thread.

Jeff, I'm missing you too. I've been traveling through South America and working on my book so I haven't been around. Ok, that's a joke. I just haven't been riding. Luckily, my immaculate set of genes have kept me at racing weight throughout the winter despite a lack of physical activity so I might be returning sooner than later.

Also, I thought the quality of my GAP sweater is quite nice. I think the pockets are relatively easy to sew in although I can't really voice an intelligent opinion on the weave of the fabric. Incidentally, I do have a merino wool turtleneck that I've worn under my jersey on some of those early morning/spring races which has worked better than some of those thin under layers. That sweater was not very expensive.

Maybe I should get into contacts with my crew in china and start a global corporation pushing out quality yet inexpensive merino cycling apparel. Or alpaca - why did Cannondale end that line of clothing?

Lastly, did we all see that advertisement for IceBreaker with the giant black 'Satyr?' I find it hilarious.
http://demandware.edgesuite.net/aafx_prd/on/demandware.static/Sites-IB-US-Site/Sites-IB-US-Library/en/v1328291788319/images/fw11/home/home1.jpg

The Icebreaker ads have gotten a lot of flack for being racist and misogynistic.

I like my Gap tshirts just fine. Let's go on a Gap ride, Daniel. One day soon.

Anyone got any first hand experience converting BB30 to English? I want to put Shimano in my frame which is BB30 and thought that this would be the solution: http://www.enduroforkseals.com/id286.html

@adam. I have a set of those. Free to try $20 to buy in red..I bought em and installed em, but they are not for gxp.

Posted By: Jeff Owens
Mike, where's my Pinarello Dogma 2/Campagnolo EPS Super Record 11 Bike? Only $16,500.

Kind of a tangent here...

I feel like it wasn't so long ago that you could get a dura-ace equiped bike for around $3,500, now, you're lucky if you can find something with complete ultegra for that money.

My last new bike purchase was a Ultegra Equiped Trek (the last year of the non sloping top-tube models), with Race Lite wheels, carbon seat-post, their top of the line fork for around $2600 through a team deal.

By comparison, this year, I could have bought a used Specialized carbon frame bike with the lowest level of SRAM components, no wheels, but Zipp service course aluminum cockpit/seat post for $2600 from the SRAM neutral support guy. And after many phone calls pestering both Myles and JP, in trying to decide whether to jump at this offer, the both basically said the same thing. "it was an okay deal. Not great. Not terrible."

Anyway, I feel like I'm getting priced out of this sport.

Got my caad 9 dura ace for 2k new in box. Deals are out there, you just need to hunt and be willing to ride al and not C.

That being said, I think the rival stuff on my cross bike is nearly as good as the dura ace stuff. Rival might weigh more, but it shifts and works just as well.

So I don't think you are priced out at all.

Bubble.
http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2012/technology/1202/gallery.facebook-ipo/?iid=Lead

Wool is expensive because harvesting fur from ROBOT ZOMBIE SHEEP is dangerous, man. Yeesh, doesn't anybody *think* before they post this stuff?

=:p

All,
Economy of scale is a concept you have to know. It affects just about everything, from the cheapest goods to the most expensive. It comes into play just about at every stage of production, from sourcing to ending up in your hands.

Marc,

It's a common concern, but I think you're not looking at hte bigger picture.

You're looking at the highest end stuff, which, when dealing with premium manufacturers is going to go ever upward as they use their race teams to test and market high-end goodies in an arms war with their competitors. A good portion of that tech is trickling down to lower price bikes. While the Madone SSL will get more initials and keep moving up in price, there will be not only the Madone 6.2 taking advantage of the fabrication technology at a better pricepoint, but the smaller manufacturers are making better and better cheap carbon fiber bikes thanks to both the overseas builders and the in-house designers learning the tricks that puts C'dale, Specialized, Trek, Giant, a bit ahead of them.

Here are a few examples found quickly. Fuji's SL1 Pro with Ultegra is $2200 at Performance. You can get the Fuji Altamira DA Di2 for under $5k.

Also, let's revisit your old bike. Let's assume the $2600 you paid is cost in 2005. That's $3500 retail. Adjusted for inflation, you're looking at about $3900 today.

The 2012 Trek Madone 6.2 is Trek's 6-series Madone frame (same geometry and design cues as their top top frame) with Ultegra componentry and Race Lite wheels. $4300.

For the extra $400, you get a much-improved frame that is lighter, stiffer, integrated headset, semi-integrated seatpost, semi-integrated bottom bracket, internal cable routing,the next series of Ultegra, a few iterations on of Race Lite Wheels (better hubs, probably stronger spoking), better tires. Not sure if the bars/stem/saddle are any better. Chances are the saddle is a bit lighter.

Or, you can take it from Greg LeMond, who said just about every bike on the market today is better than the ones he won his Tours on.

I need to go on more group rides...
I'm getting my "JP and Marc disagreeing with each other like they are an old married couple" fix via the forum...

@jeffO --Arc'terx once made all their stuff in Vancouver, CA... but they moved most of their production to China (and perhaps some other Asian countries) a few years ago. I learned this from the guys at Mission Workshop in SF who their apparel items made in the old Arc'terx factory in Vancouver.

US Made alu frames: Yacks turned me on to these folks last fall, seems like a nice option --a bit heavier, and cornball name/typeface, but cheaper and -apparently- reasonably professional customer service.

http://www.tsunamibikes.com/www.tsunamibikes.com/Frames.html

Frenchy-made alu: Cyfac--I think Dan R. noted that his NY Velocity Cyfac was delivered very late, but that was a team-decal custom order. They may or may not be good to deal with on standard frame orders and/or individual custom orders. Also, a little heavier than Spooky.

http://www.Cyfac.fr


As for Spooky...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPjhEsZr8Nw

Uh, hello?

"...harvesting fur from ROBOT ZOMBIE SHEEP is dangerous..."

Is this thing on?

(bonk, bonk)

my beautiful, long-serving Pearl Izumi full finger gloves are finally worn out

one of the things i loved about them was that the thin leather palm/fingers worked on my iPhone touchscreen

there are a bunch of offerings out there designed specifcally for this (glove liners, as well as Specialized BG wiretap gloves) but thin leather still works

i jsut tried on a pair of Giro Monaco full finger gloves at Sid's - they work well on the touchscreen and are damn handsome as well

info session . . . complete!

**sorry for the miscategorized post... this is going over to the Bicycle Photo / Video area ***

Inspiration for setting your goals and pursuing them through it all [not a cycling video]:

http://www.ted.com/talks/diana_nyad_extreme_swimming_with_the_world_s_most_dangerous_jellyfish.html

@spielberg, regarding your question about powermeters... I got mine directly from Chad @ Endurance Werx (http://www.endurancewerx.com). They're an official dealer of Quarq. I bought a Quarq cinQo Saturn system (http://www.quarq.com/cinqo) w/o any crank and had Chad install it on my Rotor 3D Q-rings & crank for a minimal fee. I like the cinQo system out of all the possible powermeter options because it's easy to maintain, allows me to use any wheelset (as opposed to a PowerTap), and accurate. My Quarq has been going strong for over a year now.

@Nosson -

The club has had an annual sponsorship from Saris where we they offer us Powertaps and other products at 45% off.
Note for all : the percentage off is not public knowledge, and Saris asks that is not to be shared outside of the club (especially in a bike shop, don't be like "well, I could buy this PT from you, but via Kissena I can get one for 45% off" .

Prior to 2011, the sponsorship purchase period went for a short period at the beginning of the year (I believe 3 months, Feb 15th to May 15th) .
In 2011 they extended our purchase period to be the vast majority of the year ( from whenever they opened it up all the way until Dec 31st).

Its not a guarantee that we get sponsored each year - but when\if we do instructions for 2012 will be posted for everyone.

We're in the process of renewing. I'll update as soon as we can info.

Garmin 500 problem - my workflow is as follows: I download my data to Garmin Training Center then export a TCX file.
I then import the TCX file to WKO+

All the laps I'm creating seem to be out of synch - starting 30 seconds (approximately) after I hit the button and finishing 30 seconds after I hit the button.

Very annoying - anybody hear of this happening before? I don't see any obvious firmware updates out there to the device or to the WKO+ software.

Garmin Web Updater: special software to upgrade the firmware on the device: http://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=3699
Upgraded from v2.6 to v2.8
Lets hope that helps.

Jules,
I just export directly from the 500 into WKO+.

When I do Strava or Garmin Training Center, I do them separately.

Anyone have any experience with the Tacx Bushido trainer? --seems like an interesting alternative to Computrainer, but --according to some online comments I've seen, the software is a bit buggy and there's not much info on the accuracy vis-a-vis power data.

I'm in some desperate need of some help from the team: My bike is unrideable now due to my brakes not working. (Thanks to the mechanic who received my bike in rideable condition and returned it inoperable. Awesome job, dude.)

ANYWAY, I have 2010 Sram Force brakes and brand new Yokozuna cables. However, my front brake does not return to the fully open position. "Why don't you tighten the spring adjuster, then, you dumb-dumb?" I can hear you saying. Problem is, there is no spring tension adjuster. On the rear brake either. Just holes. According to the Sram service manual, Force is supposed to have a hex screw for spring adjustment.

I am perplexed. Does anyone on the team have newish Sram Force brake calipers? Can you locate the adjustment screw depicted in that service manual I linked above? Does anyone have any ideas, because I can't ride, and I don't want to have to buy new brakes!

I don't know about fixing the brakes, but I could try. I also could source a pair of brakes for you to use in a pinch. I think I have some ultegra lying around...

Jeff,
I have Red brakes. On these, there is a spring tension adjustment screw on the side of the micro-adjsut lever, almost hidden by it, and above the brake caliper. It is seen in image 5.

I think the screws (depicted in image 5) are just missing. The only reason I didn't default to that hypothesis is that on the back there's some grime in the hole, obscuring the threads that would mate with the screw. I had better light on that side of the bike so it threw me off. Upon close inspection of the front caliper, aided by a bright flashlight, I can see that the hole is indeed threaded. I ordered a rebuild kit that includes the adjustment screw off eBay for an outrageous $20. Hopefully it works. Looks like trainer until it arrives.

Thanks to everyone who responded.

do those things ever rattle out?

Jeff,
Borrow the brakes from Ragot. I'd loan you a pair, but the trek to his place is easier than to mine.

which shop?

I was wondering general opinion on ceramic bearings. Does anyone have any? What are your thoughts?

The reason I ask is that I just recently completed a new bike build. Brand new bottom bracket bearings (steel, not ceramic) and brand new crank. I gave the thing a spin and it span very nicely. As good as I've ever seen a bottom bracket work. However, I instantly started thinking and making a comparison to my lovely Dura Ace hubs on my wheels which spin much more impressively. Basically, the bottom bracket bearings were not as good. Obviously, a wheel will spin better anyway as the crankset weight is not as evenly distributed about 360 degrees but still.

As the cranks are turned tens of thousands of times in races, I just started thinking about if this is something that should be given more consideration. I found this text which discusses the issue briefly:

http://www.competitivecyclist.com/review-bottom-brackets/ceramic-bottom-brackets_124.html

They state the same observation about good but not impressive rotation in the bottom bracket, so it wasn't just me.

Any thoughts on better bearings?