Disc Brake Road Bike, What's Feasible?

[threebikesmcginty]

Oh, I jokingly meant the Vaya - didn't think you hung on to bikes that long...

 

[MacB]

Oh, I jokingly meant the Vaya - didn't think you hung on to bikes that long...

See, I was in full mental fettling mode, didn't even spot the obvious joke, knowing the source of the post that's shameful on my part.

Just another reason to hate you even more than I already do

but I'll pencil you in for the Vaya, just in case like

 

[P.H]

So why the change? I like Salsa's, clever design features like the stainless forward facing dropout on the fork. But are you really expecting much difference to the On One?

I'm interested to hear how that BB works out, I'm tempted long term if the Alfine 11 lives up to expectations...

 

[MacB]

So why the change? I like Salsa's, clever design features like the stainless forward facing dropout on the fork. But are you really expecting much difference to the On One?

I'm interested to hear how that BB works out, I'm tempted long term if the Alfine 11 lives up to expectations...

Oh no complaints with how the Pomp rides, that's fine but, in case it wasn't apparent I get a bit OCD about some things. I know the droput/chain tension thing is a bit trivial but it's in my head now. The Pomp was only ever a workhorse to replace the Surly Crosscheck, if I could have put disc brakes on the Xcheck there'd have been no changes. The Vaya is pretty close to the Xcheck and has better head tube lengths than Pomp or Xcheck, so less spacers.

But it's not that big a change, I'm still going vertical dropouts, chainstay disc mounting and it's only the tension option I'm trying differently, I still reserve the right to go back to a chain tensioner. I think what really swung it for me was the fact that Phil Wood had brought out the Philcentric, even though that's not the one I've bought. With the Excentricker you kind of got 'those weird mechanical Germans', Forward Components is a one man band in Canada but the Phil Wood brand brings a legitamacy to the whole concept, for me at least. The Excentricker was tempting as it's the lightest and only one screw per side for adjustment but I saw comments from people that owned it saying they prefer the FC version. On MTBR.com the FC version gets a lot of good press, plus it's only £120 compared to £150 for the Excentricker and they include the installation tool whereas you pay an extra £15 for that with the other.

The more I read about them the more I realised that most of the negatives were from people that had never tried them and were just guessing at problems. There are a few negatives from users for both versions but my reading led me to think installation errors and/or very hard SS/fixed useage, neither of which will apply to me. I'll get the BB faced and the cups installed by the shop, the eccentric insert itself I can handle. I have noted that the installation tool for the Philcentric isn't available to the user, that's a shop job only. As all 3 work in basically the same way that tells me that correctly aligned installation is critical. The final decision was based on ease of replacement, and sourcing, for replacement bearings, the FC had a better reputation on that front and just seemed a bit more solid all round. Plus the flexibility of it being a hub gear means I can choose ring/cog to give me the maximum eccentric adjustment.

Like you I have longer term designs around the Alfine 11, I'll report in detail on how the FC works.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Might go dibs on the pompey if you are serious about selling....

...and I'm sure you are!

 

[MacB]

Might go dibs on the pompey if you are serious about selling....

...and I'm sure you are!

I am and was thinking about it last night, currently I'm looking at frame, forks, seatpost clamp, headset and will throw in the mudguards adjusted to fit. The steerer tube is uncut but I did drill through the forks to mount the light bracket, there was a threaded hole at rear only originally....I am a teensy bit skewy with my drilling so slightly off centre But I'll leave the long bolt with the double nut setup, so that you can adjust/remove mudguards without disturbing the rest of the bolt.

I was thinking all that for £170, so £5 more than the frame on its own, it's knocking about 35% off new price....I can drop off, or you can collect as well which makes life easier. Have a think, I'm not in a rush and am happy to leave as dibs for a while.....Al

 

[Fab Foodie]

What about the 2011 Genesis Day one?

Source: http://road.cc/conte...1-bikes-icebike

That's given me a hard-on....

Very nice, me wanty v. bad.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I was thinking all that for £170, so £5 more than the frame on its own, it's knocking about 35% off new price....I can drop off, or you can collect as well which makes life easier. Have a think, I'm not in a rush and am happy to leave as dibs for a while.....Al

Sold! Will have to pay you next year though ;-)

I'll dm you when I'm back in blighty from La Belle France, leaving in a little while, and we will sort payment and pickup, etc.. That's my long term 2011 project sorted out then - a flat bar disc alfine(or sturmey) build

 

[MacB]

Sold! Will have to pay you next year though ;-)

I'll dm you when I'm back in blighty from La Belle France, leaving in a little while, and we will sort payment and pickup, etc.. That's my long term 2011 project sorted out then - a flat bar disc alfine(or sturmey) build

Excellent, look forward to it, always nice to know something's going to a good home.

 

[MacB]

Well bugger it, best laid plans and all that, the Salsa Vaya frameset isn't happening, the 2010 have all sold out and the 2011 models aren't around until March, can't even see piccies of them. So I'm thinking again and saw this:-

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/jamis/aurora-elite-2011-touring-bike-ec025753#sizing

Comes with rack and guards, BB7's etc and clearance for about 35mm tyres, plus it's got the chainstay mounting for the disc brakes, I'm going to have a pootle over to Evans in Woking. The spec on the Evans site is a bit skewy it has the image and some of the detail for the 2011 model but retains some of the spec from the 2010 model. For example it shows the bike as having both SRAM Apex double tap and Shimano Tiagra shifters. But it seems a good price for the bike especially as the Salsa Vaya 2011 frameset is meant to go up to about £550, that's getting a bit close to custom frame prices for my tastes.

Thining out loud I could pick this bike up and strip the parts for use on the Burls frame then bung the hub gear/dynamo running gear on this with the new mini EBB. It's not quite the running gear I envisaged for the Burls but it's not too far off and would save me a fortune.

I'm trying to see the downside on the Jamis, writeups seem good, frame is Reynolds 631, Avid BB7s and SRAM double tap shifters(I know they're the cheaper ones but that's ok). It just seems like a lot of bike for £1k compared to other stuff around....if anyone knows more about these bikes please holler.

Oh yeah, I quite like the gold colour as well, bit of bling!!!!

 

[MacB]

Panic over found the Vaya frameset in the US and also took the liberty of ordering a Winwood Muddy Carbon Cross Disc fork at the same time, decided I preferred the look of that to the Kinesis DC19 for the Ti bike.

Cost works out pretty well until I get hit with import duty...fingers crossed

 

[HJ]

Panic over found the Vaya frameset in the US and also took the liberty of ordering a Winwood Muddy Carbon Cross Disc fork at the same time, decided I preferred the look of that to the Kinesis DC19 for the Ti bike.

Cost works out pretty well until I get hit with import duty...fingers crossed

I will be interested to hear how you get on with the Winwood Muddy Carbon Cross Disc fork, it looks interesting. I am think of changing the Norco to discs (just don't tells SWMBO)

 

[MacB]

I will be interested to hear how you get on with the Winwood Muddy Carbon Cross Disc fork, it looks interesting. I am think of changing the Norco to discs (just don't tells SWMBO)

I had originally looked at the Winwood but couldn't find it in the UK and the cost to ship from the US was prohibitive, $315+$70ish. It was just that the site I found the Vaya on had the Winwood at $250(£250 is the best UK price I can find at Billys) and throwing it in with the frameset made almost no difference to the shipping price. The two together were about £550 shipped and the new Vaya, due in March, is apparently going to be near the £550 mark on its own.

You know me, I had to read about 50 reviews before I could commit, but it is one of the few rated for tandem useage so I figured it passed muster in the robust stakes. Plus it gives clearance up to 44mm tyres which means that I can run knobbly/studded tyres when needed. Once it's all here I'll dust of the camera Teef gave me and get some detailed pics up for perusal.