The Cycling Thread

[maviczap]

Yep that's right mate.

[maviczap]

Originally Posted by Dipper

I'm sure we all agree the frame is the most important thing to spend the money on...

Next is wheels, good wheels make a lot of difference

I'm inclined to think wheels are more important then frame to spend the money on. Frame fit is more important then both of these put together.

I've had more joy out of new wheels then new frames. like my £300 commuter. The wheels were over half the cost and IMO make the bike my favorite to ride, that and I built the wheels myself with an unusual lacing pattern so I might be biased there.

[Scoobs]

Is this a reasonable spec? What would you change? Is Centaur a good level groupset?

Ribble R872 Carbon Road Frame 52.5cm C to top
Ribble R872 Carbon Road Forks 1 1/8"-1 1/2 ITS 45x45
Ribble R872 Headset 1 1/8" - 1 1/2" Hidden 45x45
Campagnolo 2013 Centaur Black 10 Spd Double Groupset
Campagnolo Power Torque Outboard Cups (EPS Compatible) Eng
Campagnolo Centaur Black Brakes Road
Campagnolo 10Spd Centaur UD Cassette 12-25
Campagnolo 10Spd Centaur Chain
Campagnolo Centaur Blk PT 10Spd C/Set Compact 172.5 34/50
Campagnolo Centaur Black 10Spd Double Front Gear Braze-on
Campagnolo Centaur Black 10Spd Rear Gear Short
Campagnolo P/Shift Ergos Dble Centaur Alloy Blk 10 w/cbls Blk
Mavic Pr WTS Aksium S Red Clincher ED11 Camp 700x23
ITM Triango Wing Carbon (31.8 ) Bars Black 42cm
ITM Triango Carbon (31.8 ) Stem Black 100mm
ITM Headset Spacer Carbon 1 1/8" 10mm
Selle Italia X1 Saddle (BIKE) Black
ITM Triango Wing Carbon Seatpillar Black 31.6 350mm
ITM Cork Embossed Handlebar Tape Black

I've got Centaur on both my road bikes. Lovely kit. Only thing I would say against it is the bottom bracket bearings on my summer bike (Ultra Torque not Power Torque admittedly) hate the wet. damp on the road is ok, a light shower very occasionally, but I have destroyed a set of bearings in two rides in the wet. They are not sealed, so any kind of dousing and they rust and seize.

On my winter bike I have an older square taper Centaur chainset and sealed cartridge bottom bracket which gets taken out in the most horriffic of weather and still runs sweet as you like, but not as smooth or stiff in the cranks as the Summer bike.

[Scoobs]

Originally Posted by ClunkintheUK

Only thing I would say against it is the bottom bracket bearings on my summer bike (Ultra Torque not Power Torque admittedly) hate the wet. damp on the road is ok, a light shower very occasionally, but I have destroyed a set of bearings in two rides in the wet. They are not sealed, so any kind of dousing and they rust and seize.

That's a bit rubbish..! I need something for all weather. I am looking for something that is fit and forget. I am a stickler for a clean bike so the chain, sprockets etc will be spotless and lubed all the time, but I can't be doing with having to strip and regrease BB bearings. Other than that the Centaur kit "looks" really lovely.

Someone my shed some light on how good Power torque BB Bearings are with water, they may have decided that they want to sell outside of Italy/Spain and have fitted sealed all weather bearings to them. They are cartridge bearings, so its replace, not strip, or have been for me. Just to say that the advantage of non-sealed bearings is they are smoother then James Bond in new suit in a casino in Monte Carlo with an evil billionairess in a silk dress. when I first fitted them I taped the cranks lightly and they just kept spinning and spinning for several minutes till I got bored.

[Dipper]

Originally Posted by Scoobs

Is this a reasonable spec? What would you change? Is Centaur a good level groupset?

I've got a Veloce/Miche mix on the Winter bike, bottom spec Campy but silky smooth, compared the Dura Ace on the Summer bike feels agricultural. I've heard people complain that Campy needs constant fettling but I've not had any problems.

[Dipper]

Originally Posted by ClunkintheUK

I've got Centaur on both my road bikes. Lovely kit. Only thing I would say against it is the bottom bracket bearings on my summer bike (Ultra Torque not Power Torque admittedly) hate the wet. damp on the road is ok, a light shower very occasionally, but I have destroyed a set of bearings in two rides in the wet. They are not sealed, so any kind of dousing and they rust and seize.

On my winter bike I have an older square taper Centaur chainset and sealed cartridge bottom bracket which gets taken out in the most horriffic of weather and still runs sweet as you like, but not as smooth or stiff in the cranks as the Summer bike.

Strange, perhaps you had a bad set of bearings, the Veloce Ultra Torque on my Winter bike has gone through 3 Winters, 4500 miles and a full dunking without issue, the bike has full mudguards and mudflap though, the bearings were cleaned and re-greased after the dunking.

[maviczap]

I'm in the process of fitting Hope Bottom brackets in place of Shimano ones.

Bearing are replaceable & much better quality than OEM. Plus easy to change the bearings too.

Campag can feel a bit agricultural compare to Shimano, but I think it improves with age.

I'm not too keen on the carbon Campag, I've seen some STi's where the laquer has come off, but the alloy stuff is like old campag used to be