9/24/14 7:22 PM

It's going to be a Lynskey R450. The bike has the tapered headset and PF 30 BB, external cables and no pump peg (adding one is a $200 upcharge!).

So now it's a matter of finding all the parts.

It looks like TotalCycling.com has the best price on a Chorus group, and I'll have to go with Record hubs as noted - no more Chorus. I can ride my current wheels while I sort that out, and the bike won't probably be on the road until the spring anyway.

I currently don't need gears lower than 39/26 but I'm wondering whether to go compact in view of advancing age - it keeps the option open for lower gears but with a closely spaced cassette. I run a 13-26 10s cassette now but would go 12-25 with a compact to keep the 18t cog for the flats. I would have gone with a 13-29 11s but it appears Campy doesn't make such an item. Faster chain, cassette, and chain ring wear with the compact but I may be boxed in on that.

Decisions needed on bars, stem, and seat post. I have a consistent corrosion problem with aluminum bars - salt gets under the bar tape and they only last 4 years before they start pitting badly. I'm thinking CF bars because of that though the failure mode of CF bars scares me a bit. Possibly a CF post though Thompson Elite has a sterling reputation. Easton stem?

9/24/14 7:34 PM

For threadless I like Thompson stems. I can't say they're more rigid than anything else I've used, and I can't say they're less. But they look good and feel good, and my 26.0 threadless came in exactly the right size for me.

9/24/14 7:40 PM

Maybe compact with a cassette 23,5 or 6?

And you can pop on a 29 for hills or age if/when. ;)

You may want an 11-2# cassette with the big ring being a 50 on the compact crankset. Unless you don't do a lot of 30+ MPH perhaps.

I like that the 11 speed Shimano has some 36/52 cranksets now, right in the middle. Does Campy do that?

Just to illustrate:

9/24/14 7:51 PM

Compact. I use a 50/12 with success and the gearing does not slow me down. A 50/11 if you have long downhills or legs like Spartacus.

I would race a compact in skinny minute, if I was really skinny again. Don't hesitate at all.

A 34 or 36 is plenty low enough with todays wide ranging cassettes.

9/24/14 8:26 PM

Lynskey R450, hope you are able to get one of the 50% off frames. ;)

9/25/14 1:47 AM

Not sure if Campy does one, but have you thought about a mid-compact setup?
52/36 up front sort of gives the best of both worlds, but otherwise a compact for sure.
Been riding them for the last couple of years and like it, Combined with an 11spd 11-28 in the rear (Shimano) not much you can't do, unless it's super steep and you want a 34/28 or higher combo.

** ah, just noticed Sparky mentioned them as well **

9/25/14 2:32 AM

I see no reason not to choose a compact crankset. I've been racing on one for the last dozen years, since my late 40s, with success at both state and national level in my age group. I generally use 48/34 with 11-23 cassette.

Looks to me (at least on the $AU price they're showing me) that Wiggle has the Chorus groupset cheaper than Totalcycling...

9/25/14 3:12 AM

I have Chorus 11 speed, 50/34, 12-27. I like it a lot but I'm not you. I need all the gears, but I'm heavy and ride a lot of hills. It doesn't have an 18, but I don't think about stuff like that and had to look up the cluster to be sure. Others are much more sensitive to close ratios and specific gears than I, I'm happy with the 12-32 on my cross bike.

FWIW, I have Modolo carbon bars and Easton carbon post on my Ottrott, rode it for 9 years and they're still like new as far as I can tell. I don't keep up with the current stuff though, my Sachs is back to alloy.

Have fun, you've already spent more time on the headset than I spent specing my entire last bike...:)

Last edited by dan emery on 9/25/14 6:14 AM; edited 1 time in total

9/25/14 5:45 AM

...if for no other reason than that there's no reason not to. ;-)

Seriously, if you're running a 13-26 now (I do too, with a compact) and you have no choice but to go with a 12 tooth top cog with the new 11 speed group, it makes sense to run the smaller rings. Campy cassettes only go to 27 teeth on the low end now, which kind of sucks, especially considering all of the options available from the "S" brands.

I like Thomson seatposts and run them on most of my bikes. I've got the Elite on some and the Masterpiece on the SuperSix. You can't beat them for quality, durability and reasonable weight. FWIW, you can find them on Ebay at nice prices.

I tend to prefer Al bars, as I like a bit of flex and most carbon bars are too rigid. If you want carbon, LeftLane Sports has the 3T Ergosum Team on sale for $130.86, but the extra 30% off ends today. BTW, they also have the Al version for ~$42.

I have Ritchey stems on multiple bikes, mostly the WCS 4-Axis. It's light, plenty stiff and you can find them at bargain prices since the newer 260 stem came out. I think LLS has them on sale, too.

9/25/14 7:23 AM

I would check Pro Bike Kit - www.probikekit.com for your Groupo. Generally they have better pries they Total Cycling.

9/25/14 9:59 AM

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you've already spent more time on the headset than I spent specing my entire last bike...:)

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9/25/14 10:06 AM

It is like an infection, this is one of the most extreme of the bouts of new bike-itis I have seen here.

I have been putting together quite a few since I have been here. Used high end bikes, revamping the Strong as a SS etc. The Blade was a new in the box frameset, but no complete bike. But there is a certain satisfaction to getting 'new'. The Roubaix being the first actual new complete machine since the 1998 Mantra.. IIRC, which I may not. I of course got it home a started tearing the groupo off it...


Maybe the Sachs in the midst made it worse [better] than previous bouts. ;)

9/25/14 7:00 PM

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hope you are able to get one of the 50% off frames

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9/26/14 12:46 AM

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Campy cassettes only go to 27 teeth on the low end now

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9/26/14 5:21 AM

I was just looking at their site last week and I could swear that they only listed 27 tooth lows on the cassettes. So much for my short-term memory!

9/26/14 5:52 PM

I bought an Ultegra group set from Merlin cycles a while back and it was over $150 less than the best deal I could find from a US retailer. I wanted to buy from the US, but that difference was just a little too much.

Merlin Cycles had good reviews from various sources and I placed the order on a Monday and found the box sitting on my doorstep on Thursday afternoon. Was very pleased with their service.

9/26/14 5:55 PM

I've had similar fast delivery service and price advantages from Wiggle and Ribble in the UK.

9/26/14 7:35 PM

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Campagnolo make a 12-29 11-speed cassette for Record and Chorus and Athena, and 10-speed 13-29 for Veloce.

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9/26/14 7:51 PM

"so I only get one hilly ride per week."


Clearly you need more than one bike. ;) For that day with a Deluxe climbing crankset ala Sandi/Nate with 28/42 chain rings.

9/27/14 1:49 PM

Campy's new 4-arm crank will be compatible with all chainring sizes offered, down to 34 or 36t iir.

9/27/14 4:38 PM

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Our new house is in a hillier part of the state so I'll be reporting back next year on how the new gearing works out in rolling Michigan hills.

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9/27/14 7:26 PM

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Where are you moving to?

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9/29/14 7:29 PM

I ordered the Chorus group from Merlin Cycleworks online at about 8:00 AM EDT on 9-25-14. The box was sitting on my porch when I went outside to do some yard work at 4:00 PM today, 9-29-14. I ordered some stuff from Performance that evening about 9:00 PM and hasn't arrived yet :)

9/29/14 8:47 PM

What is the ETA on the frame, and what fork will you be using?

9/30/14 6:02 AM

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I ordered the Chorus group from Merlin Cycleworks online at about 8:00 AM EDT on 9-25-14. The box was sitting on my porch when I went outside to do some yard work at 4:00 PM today.....

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