Which New Bike?

Couldn't agree more. Hideous on a racing bike and the upkeep will be a pain for a novice too.

Apart from the more frequent changing of the narrow chains, I don't find this at all. In no particular order....

The cartridge bearings in the wheels and BB last for ages (years)  between changing compared to the frequent disassembly, cleaning and repacking that my old bikes required. My modern threadless headsets now last over 5 years whereas old style ones would notch after a couple of seasons when I was running old-style steel Campy headsets. Adjusting the modern ones is trivial and simple. No special spanners required, just an allen key.

Cleaning, inspecting and lubricating cables and housings is the same as ever. Replacement frequency seems about the same.

Modern, machine-built factory wheels serve me better and more reliably than old hand-built wheels ever did. It would drive me crazy that every spoke failure I ever had was identical; non-drive side rear, failing at the bend adjacent to the hub. Given that this was by far the single biggest issue, why it took so many years to make wheels reliable by moving to straight-pull spokes is beyond me. Adjustment of my modern wheel bearings is trivial. I don't even have to take them off the bike. A simple plastic tool (supplied with the wheels) for my Mavics, an allen key for Campy. No cone spanners and "trial and error".

I've never worn out or broken a derailluer or brake caliper, old or modern. I've never had to service, lubricate, repair or replace a modern shifter mechanism in the brake levers. Hell, my old down-tube levers actually needed periodic servicing (disassemble, clean, reassemble) to keep the friction washers working smoothly. Modern integrated shift brake levers have never needed any servicing or repairs on any bike I've owned. Ever.

I don't service my own free-hubs, but I also didn't service the old screw-on free-wheels either. Too many little parts in them for my taste.

I've never personally worn out a chain-ring, new or old - but I have seen it done. I no longer need a crank-puller like the old days but my Campy crankset needs a special hex-key to disassemble. It's just a piece steel that fits the hex socket in the BB. Trivial.

New chains are perhaps a little trickier to work on than they used to be. Shimano uses one-time joining pins, but they are pretty easy to deal with. 11 speed Campy uses one-off pins and a (expensive) special tool to peen them over. I've sidestepped that by using nifty third party joining links ($2.50 each) that let you join a chain with no tools at all. I use a conventional Park Tools chain tool to break and shorten chains.

 What is all this extra specialised work of which you speak? Apart from the rare need to press out and replace the cartridge bearings, I can still do everything myself, and with fewer specialist tools.

Not necessarily. There are mudgard options available that split the guard and use a steel strap to run through the tight gap at the brakes/bridge/fork crown. They allow fenders on very tight frames. A lot of guys in Vancouver use them to convert older race bikes to winter bikes. Sometimes you also need to cut a bit of plastic away at the seat-tube if clearance there is tight.

Gooble-de-dook.

Visit Cyclechat[dot]net for some sensible advice.

This is the loony corner of a hifi Forum. For wine advice. I'd look elsewhere as well!!

ATB from George

So enlighten me, George. What is all this extra work that your modern bike needs that the Carlton doesn't?

Ha,ha!

The C-word has been dropped. It was just a question of time.

Good ol' times are back.

Tony

Dear Tony,

i AM back. Gallons of cold water -  nothing else ...

ATB from George

Dear Tony,

My Carlton is a low rent classic. Carlton and Campagnolo ...

Three years since I made bearing adjustment. No sign of looseness!

Hubs, bottom bracket, or headset/ It's called decent engineering ...

But a good cycle Forum would be the place to really seek advice on cycles ...

However, the DAC V1 and NAP 100 really are the beez=neez!

ATB from George

Turned into a great thread! Thanks for all the contributions. Er, I think.

Perhaps I better spend a few weeks learning some specific cycling vocabulary in French and make friends in the cycle shop...

I certainly think the language issue means that I will need to buy something 'off-the-peg', and I suspect trying to buy a secondhand 'classic' is fraught with difficulty and pitfalls for the inexperienced, in a second language, so aesthetics apart, I won't be going there. 

Quite surprised that bike companies seem to release a different version of the same bike every year - if developments can happen that quickly, then surely there is advantage in a new bike. Especially if I might be able to get a deal on the 2013 model when the 2014 is released (imminent apparently), which seems to be the case.

I cycled in today, and decided that I will need a pannier rack. Apart from the essential stuff - innertube, hi-vis vest and so on, I have to have a change of clothes. I lack the discipline to pack and hold changes of clothing at work, and the office hasn't got a convenient place either.

So I will add into the mix a lightweight rack - the pannier bags I already have are easily de-mounted. 

I appreciate the advice, and am learning stuff. Cheers.

Of course there is a classic bike in my history. I was just rather young (and a bit fat) to appreciate it at the time:

Hi fatcat

Not really a TV person, don't have time to watch TV, too busy cycling or listening to music on the naim, or whatever, we do still have a CRT and of course some flat screens, as thats what is now available in the shops and what interfaces with other technology.

.

and I don't have fast legs, my cadence is relatively slow, however with a good spread of gearing I can, if I wish, go fast and far...just preparing for a 'tour du lac' (180kms) which I have done several times now, so far without any mechanical issues...even on the older 5yr old 'new' bike...fingers crossed....

Don't get me wrong, I love the older classical things, cars, bikes, watches, architecture, etc, that I grew up with..however things change, not always for the better I agree, but I try and keep up to date as poss....I still have and use my late 70's early 80's HiFi systems....the Naim stuff sounds better though.

Keep enjoying the cycling

Anthony

Winky is right of course, if you are riding in the rain then you will get wet, mudguards or not! However, and it may not be so in sunny Nice, of which I am duly envious, riding on wet roads will get you very wet. On my commute/touring bike I have mudguards. Worth having the eyelets on the frame and long drop brakes for you to change your mind later. Similarly when you are riding with people in the rain being sprayed by the wheel in front as well as getting soaked is no fun. Mudguards are just considerate in those moments.

Re Marky's link, I have two friends who have recently bought a bike from Enigma and they can't praise highly enough both the service and the bike.

As a general rule steel and titanium frames will be a little more forgiving than carbon. Carbon frames are really very different bikes. Do get one if you see and really like one but be ready for a much harder ride. Just to be clear I have both and enjoy both.

On wheels I am a fan of handbuilt ones. Most factory wheels have to be replaced if damaged. On wheels with less spokes, I have found that often the spokes are not easily obtained. They can be replaced but most shops won't have them in stock. It is current to get wheels that run tubeless now. Certainly all the higher end Shimano wheels are able to run tubeless. This means that you can run them with tubes but they are a bugger to change a puncture in a hurry! Becuase the tyre sits in the rim in a much tighetr way, obviously you may say, they are very difficult to get on and off the rim when you need to changethe tube! Worth asking about as you will be seriously cheesed off in the rain trying to get the last inches  back onto the rim. So Open Pro rims on the hub of your choice for me!

I am sure Nice must have a decent bike shop? As others have said, get one that fits and has good basics on it and you will enjoy it more. Wheels etc can all be upgraded ( in the sales!) if you feel the need.

james

I agree that muguards are essential for (courteous) group riding in the rain. Of course, you do need to extend the rear one down by about 300mm to ensure that it really does protect the follwing rider from your spray.

I don't disagree that wheels with few spokes are often pretty much trash if a spoke breaks. But it is my experience that spokes on these wheel last far longer. For me, the first spoke failure happens about that time that the rim is worn out anyway. My experience with conventional wheels is that spokes break earlier and more often due to the incredibly dumb, stress raising design at the hub. Once the first spoke breaks, you can repair and re-true the wheel but spoke failure from that point on will become depressingly more frequent until you thow the wheel away in frustration.

I've only ever broken 1 spoke on my various factory built wheels over 1000s of miles every year. It does help if you aren't too lardy and avoid potholes!

wrt mudguards/fenders it isn't so much the water, it's the grit, detritus etc that washes onto the road and then coats the bike. It then forms a grinding paste in bearings, the chain etc

Apart from aesthetics there is little reason not to use them - and if you need panniers the eyelets are a necessity anyway

Reasonable points, but my commuter with fenders seems to get just as dirty as my other bikes. Perhaps because it is the bike I ride in the rain a lot! If you do fit fenders, use care to get things tight. Use loctite or nyloc nuts to stop them rattling loose.

There don't seem to be many (any?) truly high-quality fenders available. Most are cheap and cheerful. I'd pay extra for longer, stiffer, lighter fenders that don't need home-made extenders for group riding and that don't flap in the wind on fast descents, and with quality hardware that doesn't rust or rattle loose, but I've not seen them availalble.

Yep, absolutley. Wider ratios give the novice a lower gear to keep them spinning, even if they aren't super strong riders.

Any cyclist on any bike can go too fast for the circumstances at times. A lighter, better, more responsive bike doesn't change this. Modern bikes with modern brakes at least stop much better than vintage bikes.

Rod,

Late to the party on this topic - now is the time to buy a 2013 bike as the new 2014 colours are coming out.

i just bought a 2013 Giant Defy Composite at over £200 less than list, with a groupset upgrade.  My other road bike is an aluminium frame with Carbon forks / seat post (2007 Trek SL1000).  The Defy is a huge step up; the rigidity of the frame is awesome, you really feel the bike is working for not against you and hence its speed is something else. Conversely, the Defy is also so much more forgiving in the comfort stakes.  I get off it feeling I can do another ride. Thank the 'relaxed geometry' for that. I'm not a Giant salesman, I'm sure similar Cannondale, Trek, Specialized etc models are also impressive.

The only downside to carbon I can see is the greater TLC needed for the frame.  If that worries you too much, get a cheaper Aluminium frame (Defy, Spec Allez et al) and a better set of hoops...

Remember though...it's all about the bike....

Just got back from the Whistler Fondo. Quite chuffed with 17th from 900 in my age group (50-59 men) and 154th overall from about 4000 starters. Then rode back home for a 230km day.

My ugly modern Colnago was flawless.

Well I bought one!

Obviously from all the above it won't please everyone, certainly not aesthetically, but I like it, and that's what's most important to me!

It occurred to me, after posting this thread, that I had an ex-colleague down here who is a mad cyclist (rides a £6k BMC bike himself). Well I tracked him down, and he was happy to help. So we went looking, trying and fitting last week. Tried Specialized, Trek, Look (ironically the looks of which I couldn't like) and Cannondale in the shops selling new. Then ended up in a place called amusingly enough Spoc, which is a sort of bicycle exchange staffed entirely by people whose lives appear to be devoted to, and only to, cycling. Glad I was walking in with my friend. There we found a new, but ex-dem (still guaranteed), bike at a great price, exactly my size, and which comes very highly regarded and reviewed. It was the only ike we saw all day which was exactly the right combination, in exactly the right size

I did want a compact crankset as this is all I really need (both from what Winky said above, and my own experience), but this has a triple. To change just that would have been possible but the whole handlebar and lever arrangement would have been expensive, and the chap lacked all the parts in stock. So, I will just have to ride up more hills. I have those here.

Here it is. I am VERY happy with it.

Focus Izalco 3.0 Pro (2013) Ultegra throughout. DT Swiss wheels.

The seatpost is aluminium, which means I can attach a baggage rack to it, or I can simply swap my existing saddle, complete with baggage rack, for the commute, and then revert to the fizik saddle for weekends. A two minute job. In fact for the time being I will attempt to ride with just a backpack to work - sod dressing smartly.

My friend would not entertain the idea that I should buy such a bike with anything other than cleat pedals, so I spent some time (with him, on his wife's birthday!) yesterday getting the hang of those. I don't mind the humiliation of falling off, I mind the possibility of damaging the bike.

I can keep a spare pair of shoes in the office no worries.

Supremely irritatingly it is raining very heavily right now (Sunday morning). Otherwise I'd be out riding, and not typing this.

Cheers, thanks again for all the advice. I read it all. 

mmmm....nice wheels.

now all you need is a set of Zipp 808's to finish it off and really fly!!!! ; )

Nice bike you will get used to it don't go changing things keep safe ,

Many,Many years ago the in bike to have in London was a brand called FRED DEAN.

Do any of you experts know what happened to them. This is just to satisfy my own interest.

Mista h

Nice one. Excellent choice. Focus is a well-regarded brand. (When you go to the Dolomites for a cycling vacation you will be VERY glad of the triple.)