# Rant about budget bikers.



## Milzy (19 Aug 2013)

I'm no bike snob but when somebody tries to tell me that it makes sense to put a high end group set on a cheap frame as it's almost the same bike for a fraction of the price makes me want to tear my hair out. Especially when they say an entry level carbon fork is no better than an alloy fork. I know which I'd rather have.

I myself enjoy the design, materials & craftsmanship that has gone into a decent frame even if it's on the heavier side. 

Wouldn't surprise me if some odd balls have fitted Dura Ace group sets on Triban 3's. Like putting wooden wheels on a Buggati Veyron. 

Rant Over!


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## ianrauk (19 Aug 2013)

You are a bike snob.


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## numbnuts (19 Aug 2013)

I've got Pace forks that cost £400 on a Y framed MTB that the frame cost me £300 it also has XT wheels, chainset with carbon bars and seat post, it maybe over the top, but I like it.


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## ColinJ (19 Aug 2013)

A high-end groupset probably costs a lot more than the frame on even most relatively expensive bikes, so I can't see there being much of a saving, especially when bike manufacturers can buy the groupsets in bulk, at much lower prices than us, one at a time! 

I have never heard anybody suggest putting an expensive groupset on a cheap frame. It is usually the other way round - buy a good frame and wheels, and the groupset is more of an afterthought. 

The best value is to buy a complete bike with the right spec. in the first place, preferably clearance stock of last year's model when the new range comes in. 

But ... if anybody actually does suggest putting great bits on a crap frame, then I agree with you!


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## Boris Bajic (19 Aug 2013)

It doesn't have to make sense.

My best bicycle is only Centaur/Veloce, but I'm so slow I'd be just as good on an old Simplex 5-speed set-up.

Our family car is a diesel that will comfortable do 125mph, but I've never driven it over 100.

Most people we know have cars capable of significantly higher speeds.

There is little sense in most of the purchases most of us make.

As my dear friend Lear said when asking for some knights he had no use for, "Oh, reason not the need".

OP, you are a bike snob. It does no harm to anyone, but you are one.


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## Teuchter (19 Aug 2013)

I spent an eye watering £150 adding components to a frame that cost me nothing from the local skip. Completely out of proportion to the cost of the frame, I know (150 / 0 = infinity).


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## roadrash (19 Aug 2013)

Each to their own i say, i dont understand anybody being annoyed or as the o.p says "tearing his hair out"
by something which doesnt affect anyone else .....


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## uphillstruggler (19 Aug 2013)

so what you're saying is that I shouldn't have put a set of sti levers, shimano RS30s, dura ace front mech and 105 chainset and rear mech on the bike in my avatar, because the bike itself only cost me 50 quid?

the frame is a 531 Steel Dawes that is great to ride.

rant over as they say


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## Milzy (19 Aug 2013)

Everybody is right there is no wrong but the annoying thing happens to be that the guy is only justifying things more to himself than he is to me! If he won 2 grand on a scratch card he'd be the first to go buy a decent push rod. 
When circumstances change with some people so do their views. As long as you're having plenty of smiles whilst doing the miles that's the main thing.


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## Hill Wimp (19 Aug 2013)

roadrash said:


> Each to their own i say, i dont understand anybody being annoyed or as the o.p says "tearing his hair out"
> by something which doesnt affect anyone else .....



Arh the voice of reason at last.


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## Davidc (19 Aug 2013)

Do I care what bits other people put on their bikes?

No.


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## Hip Priest (19 Aug 2013)

I did find it odd when I once saw a lad riding a Halford's Trax dual suspension MTB with SPD-SL pedals and shoes. I wasn't annoyed or angered, I just found it a curious mix, as his pedals and shoes will have cost more than the entire bike.


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## TonyEnjoyD (19 Aug 2013)

Same here, unless its better than mie and I get jealous 

Hey @Milzy, something that may get you to rip out the remainder of your hair... 

My Giant SCR3 came with a Sora triple... AND I UPGRADED IT TO A 105!!! (The sudden sound of screeching discordant violins accompanying Milzy's fresh tonsorial devastation!)


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## Deleted member 23692 (19 Aug 2013)

It's an outrage!


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## biggs682 (19 Aug 2013)

Davidc said:


> Do I care what bits other people put on their bikes?
> 
> No.


 
well said


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## Milzy (19 Aug 2013)

TonyEnjoyD said:


> Same here, unless its better than mie and I get jealous
> 
> Hey @Milzy, something that may get you to rip out the remainder of your hair...
> 
> My Giant SCR3 came with a Sora triple... AND I UPGRADED IT TO A 105!!! (The sudden sound of screeching discordant violins accompanying Milzy's fresh tonsorial devastation!)


 
I can't stand triples they infuriate me. 105 !!! You should have at least gone with Shimano Dura ace 7900!


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## DCLane (19 Aug 2013)

Hip Priest said:


> I did find it odd when I once saw a lad riding a Halford's Trax dual suspension MTB with SPD-SL pedals and shoes. I wasn't annoyed or angered, I just found it a curious mix, as his pedals and shoes will have cost more than the entire bike.


 
But he _may_ have other bike(s) as well - I used SPD-SL pedals on my 'lethal impact' bike last year, which was cheap/tacky/handpainted/awful. That's because I had them on the other bikes too and it made sense.

To make things worse, they were Dura-Ace pedals as this was what I had to hand. On a Tony Doyle Ammaco bike which cost £0 to buy and £20 to rebuild.


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## Nigel-YZ1 (19 Aug 2013)

I've had the same bike for 12 years. When something wears out I take it to the LBS and talk about it. Every time I've left with higher spec parts at a bargain price.


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## Moda (19 Aug 2013)

I bought a Moda Calore and upgraded the groupo to Ultegra from SRAM Apex.


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## Raging Squirrel (19 Aug 2013)

to be honest, if someone loves their bike, be it a Triban 3 or not, and they like how it rides, but hate the groupset on it, then surely if they want to put the best bits on it then that's their decision.
The cost of something is only what people are prepared to pay for it, it doesn't mean that it's rubbish.


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## Shut Up Legs (19 Aug 2013)

I'm one of a small proportion of road bike riders who use SPD pedals. I couldn't care less about the convention, I just find SPD pedals easier and more convenient to use than SPD-SL. As Milzy said: plenty of smiles while doing the miles, nothing else really matters  .


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## Cuchilo (19 Aug 2013)

I worked bloody hard to afford the cost of a new bike and waited quite a while before I could afford it . I think I did my homework and spent what was within my budget at the time . Had I waited longer the money wouldn't have been there to buy the bike . Everyone seems to grab my money as soon as it hits my bank account 
If I had a spare few grand the last thing I would spend it on is a fancy pants bike ( Don't quote me on that ) But when I get a spare few quid and want to treat myself I add bits to my new toy and it makes me feel good as I worked hard to do so .
It may be a false economy but its just they way things are .


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## Pikey (19 Aug 2013)

OP, at the end of the day, that triban 3 you describe, might be every bit as beautiful and well crafted in the eyes of the owner as your top if the range machine may be to you.

Why shouldn't they put what they want on what they perceive to be their decent bike and feel good about it? It's a damn sight more positive and constructive than sneering at other people's rides to make you feel good about it.

Be thankful that you can afford what you perceive to be your dream machine, ride it and enjoy it.


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## Misusawa (20 Aug 2013)

It depends on what you can afford as well, I stretched my budget to spend £250 on a half decent hybrid which i will expect to last me a while, anything more expensive or addign expensive parts is out of the question on my budget.


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## Mile195 (20 Aug 2013)

victor said:


> I'm one of a small proportion of road bike riders who use SPD pedals. I couldn't care less about the convention, I just find SPD pedals easier and more convenient to use than SPD-SL. As Milzy said: plenty of smiles while doing the miles, nothing else really matters  .


Agreed, on both points! I use SPD's too. I spend so long getting in and out of pedals for traffic lights round london, SL's would be a pain in the... Plus, I can walk in my SPDs which you can't do with the more road specific shoes. This means I can go to the pub after work on a Friday, pull some jeans on over my lycra, and not look like a complete plum dropping three pints on the way back from the bar because I can't stand up straight, like I would if had road shoes with SL cleats on...


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## Hill Wimp (20 Aug 2013)

Tot


Mile195 said:


> Agreed, on both points! I use SPD's too. I spend so long getting in and out of pedals for traffic lights round london, SL's would be a pain in the... Plus, I can walk in my SPDs which you can't do with the more road specific shoes. This means I can go to the pub after work on a Friday, pull some jeans on over my lycra, and not look like a complete plum dropping three pints on the way back from the bar because I can't stand up straight, like I would if had road shoes with SL cleats on...[/quote
> 
> Totally agree but I am definatly seeing a shift towards them when commuting in London. I think people want the freedom they give you to do other things whilst combining them with their cycling I know I do.


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## Born2die (20 Aug 2013)

I'm in the spd on my road bike troop too makes sense as my mtb has pd pedals too and I can still be comfortable on longer rides plus as other people say I can pop into town/shops etc and walk ok.


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## ColinJ (20 Aug 2013)

victor said:


> I'm one of a small proportion of road bike riders who use SPD pedals. I couldn't care less about the convention, I just find SPD pedals easier and more convenient to use than SPD-SL. As Milzy said: plenty of smiles while doing the miles, nothing else really matters  .


There are an awful lot of road cyclists using SPDs in this area. I currently have them on both of my road bikes, though I would like to go back to using my Sidi shoes and Look pedals on my best bike, when I am fit enough to be sure of getting up our steep local climbs on it despite its higher gearing. 

My £50 Look pedals & £100+ Sidi shoes look better and are slightly more comfortable than the cheap SPDs & Aldi shoes that I am using, but for general riding (especially when I know that I will be wandering around at cafes), SPDs are brilliant.


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## Sittingduck (20 Aug 2013)

Reckon I see more SPD'd roadies on my commute than proper road cleated ones...


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## Kies (20 Aug 2013)

On the process of swapping my M324 pedals over from hybrid to roadie. Why? This Fridays fnrttc where lots of standing and walking is involved. 
I love the connected feeling of my look keo pedals and Mavic road shoes, but they are only good for long rides with a short cafe break


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## thegravestoneman (20 Aug 2013)

Surely to understand about bikes and biking you have to buy, upgrade, change, swap, modify and generally develop each bike you have, moving parts up and down the food chain as time, money and use permits, there will be mistakes and revelations. I had an original moulton years back and upgraded it all to as top spec as I could to get the feel of it, didn't overly like it and changed it back. Every bike I have owned has been developed with a mismatch of parts. My butchers bike uses Sturmey 3 and a saddle that costs 4 times as much as the one on my carbon bike. Good luck to anyone that 'mods' a bike.


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## Milzy (20 Aug 2013)

victor said:


> I'm one of a small proportion of road bike riders who use SPD pedals. I couldn't care less about the convention, I just find SPD pedals easier and more convenient to use than SPD-SL. As Milzy said: plenty of smiles while doing the miles, nothing else really matters  .


 
I also use SPD's & most people at work do. I have not tried spd-L & don't see the point. If it's not broke don't fix it.


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## jowwy (21 Aug 2013)

Milzy said:


> I can't stand triples they infuriate me. 105 !!! You should have at least gone with Shimano Dura ace 7900!


What's wrong with triples???????


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## Boris Bajic (21 Aug 2013)

jowwy said:


> What's wrong with triples???????


 
What's wrong with triples?

One might as well ask what's wrong with hanging your washing downwind of a smoky bonfire or trying parachuting without bringing a parachute.

What's wrong with triples? WHAT'S WRONG WITH TRIPLES?

I'll tell you: Although in likelihood God did not invent the road-racing bicycle we can be pretty certain that had He done so, it would have been with Campagnolo componentry and two chainrings with 39 and 53 teeth or something in that order of magnitude. The larger (as dictated by both logic and convention) would be placed on the oudside.

I can prove this with links to other sites, but I prefer not to. I also suspect that you would lack the wit to follow the link.

It might be argued that God (in His infinite wisdom and Peace be Upon Him although that might be the other chap) would have conceded that on MTBs and some commuter/shopping hybrid bicycles there was a case for more than two chainrings. But on a proper bicycle for doing proper bicycling, it simply does not make sense to have three and it might even be treason or similar to do so. I might mean sacrilege, but treason is not a million miles from that. It might be both.

I hope I have explained the arrant stupidity of triple chainrings on a road-racing bicycle in a way that even the intellectually challenged will understand. Please do not ask for further clarity, as I do not gladly suffer fools.

For the record, God has no strong opinion on carbon-fibre. I abhor it, but God is neutral.


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## jowwy (21 Aug 2013)

Boris Bajic said:


> What's wrong with triples?
> 
> One might as well ask what's wrong with hanging your washing downwind of a smoky bonfire or trying parachuting without bringing a parachute.
> 
> ...


Talking nonsense as usual Boris

nothing wrong with triples if it gets someone out on the road and the fulfillment the cycling brings - not everyone is a pro racer, racing snake, or speed whippet.

But each to there own i say - off to take the triple out for a spin, just need to decide which one - titanium road, alloy road or MTB 29er

decisions, decisions


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## Herzog (21 Aug 2013)

jowwy said:


> What's wrong with triples???????


 
Absolutely nothing!!


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## Profpointy (21 Aug 2013)

Boris Bajic said:


> What's wrong with triples?
> 
> One might as well ask what's wrong with hanging your washing downwind of a smoky bonfire or trying parachuting without bringing a parachute.
> 
> ...



Completely wrong and utter bollocks, but had to "like" the post as it was such a joyfull and entertaining rant - made my day in fact :-)


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## Davidc (21 Aug 2013)

Boris Bajic said:


> ....... on .... some commuter/shopping hybrid bicycles there was a case for more than two chainrings. But on a proper bicycle for doing proper bicycling, it simply does not make sense to have three .......


 
Can I point out a fundamental error here Boris B?

The commuter/ shopping/ hybrid bicycles, and I would add touring bicycles, are proper bicycles. As are folders, Dutch style and Boris bicycles. So are fixed wheel and single speed bicycles. Even Audax bicycles come in the proper bicycles category.

Although some others may share your view of bicycling hardware you are nonetheless in a minority!

The ones which aren't proper bicycles, they're specialised, modified, and improper bicycles, are road racing and track bicycles.

Now both of these latter categories have their own place, and very valuable they are for enabling cycle sport and in some instances being a proving ground for innovations which may later be useful on proper bicycles. That still leaves them as oddities, set apart from the world of proper bicycles used by normal people, real cyclists, some of whom even wear lycra.

It may well be the case that two chainrings are appropriate on the road racing variety of improper minority bicycle, one is appropriate to a track bike as of course is one sprocket and no freewheel. I would go as far as to say that a track bike is much closer to being a proper bicycle than is any road racing bicycle, though you might not choose to commute on THIS beauty.


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## Boris Bajic (21 Aug 2013)

Davidc said:


> Can I point out a fundamental error here Boris B?
> 
> The commuter/ shopping/ hybrid bicycles, and I would add touring bicycles, are proper bicycles. As are folders, Dutch style and Boris bicycles. So are fixed wheel and single speed bicycles. Even Audax bicycles come in the proper bicycles category.
> 
> ...


 
This is the sort of reasoned thinking I would expect from a chap who cuts mistletoe from fruit trees in the winter with a golden sickle.

And isn't the sickle on of the symbols of the Communist Party?

And don't the Communists in China ride bicycles? If they don't now, they did - which proves my point.

I'll grant you the bit about tourers. Boris Bikes are silly and I'm currently looking at litigation for theft of title.

As to real cyclists, they don't exist.

I hate triples because people with triple-equipped, super-fandango, carbon-whizz, triple-ringed, titanium-bolted rockets who use them to beat me up the Malvern Hills are cheats and liars and cads and worse. 

Also, God probably hates them too. And Mohammed. And God when he's being the Jewish one rather than the Christian one but still essentially the same chap. And Buddha, although he doesn't ride as much as he used to. And the one with all the arms who isn't one of ours but still counts as a god. And the elephant one. They all hate triples.

Which should tell you something.


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## albion (21 Aug 2013)

The difference is that you might get to be fitter than the rest with that cheap frame.


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## lejogger (21 Aug 2013)

Boris Bajic said:


> ...Also, God probably hates them too. And Mohammed. And God when he's being the Jewish one rather than the Christian one but still essentially the same chap. And Buddha, although he doesn't ride as much as he used to. And the one with all the arms who isn't one of ours but still counts as a god. And the elephant one. They all hate triples.
> 
> Which should tell you something.



I'm pretty sure that Boris has this proof in writing as well. Perhaps carved into a stone tablet delivered to him at the top of a mountain, which he scaled without the use of a triple. 

I have upgraded the components on my very middle of the road boardman team carbon (when they've worn, or finances have allowed) to the point that I now have a virtually full SRAM Red setup rather than the (also excellent) middle of the road SRAM Rival. I don't have the brakes yet, but soon will.

Have I committed a crime? Does my crankset feel embarrassed to be sat astride a monocoque churned out of a Taiwanese factory rather than something welded and manipulated between the thighs of a Milanese virgin?

I don't believe they are. I think they are joyous to be themselves part of my pride and joy for I ride them honestly, clean them sympathetically and as yet have not struck them on kerbstone. Regardless, a good knock every now and then is character building. 

Maybe one day I shall buy a new frameset and my 'gruppo' shall find itself attached to something far more deserving, while the Boardman will be relegated to its rightful place as a winter hack. What I won't ever do though is convert it to a triple. Oh no.


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## mattobrien (21 Aug 2013)

Help! I have just realised that I too am a budget biker!

Having totted it up I have spent twice as much on upgrades as I did on the original bike, this has included;
Wheels
Groupset
Saddle
Seatpost
Stem
Pedals
Handlebars
Bar tape
Tyres

Come to think of it, the only thing that is original to the bike is the frame. I wonder what the next upgrade will be...

That leads to the slightly existential question, if I change the frame, will it still be the same bike?

For the record, it's not a triple. It's a compact (said quietly), the groupset was changed before I manned up and got a bike with a double.


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## DooDah (21 Aug 2013)

> That leads to the slightly existential question, if I change the frame, will it still be the same bike?


 
Trigger would say yes


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## Boris Bajic (21 Aug 2013)

mattobrien said:


> That leads to the slightly existential question, if I change the frame, will it still be the same bike?
> 
> For the record, it's not a triple. It's a compact (said quietly), the groupset was changed before I manned up and got a bike with a double.


 
Bless you, my son. God admires and respects a compact chainset. So do his pals who are the gods of other faiths.

Slightly kooky, but not evil and not a sacrilege_ per se_.

You may continue as you are, budget or no budget.

Do you see how the triple-riding infidels on these pages rage impotently against my wisdom? 

Forgive them, for they know not what they do.


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## 4F (21 Aug 2013)

mattobrien said:


> For the record, it's not a triple. It's a compact (said quietly), the groupset was changed before I manned up and got a bike with a double.


 

Real men ride fixed however you "nearly" redeemed yourself with the double x


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## hopless500 (21 Aug 2013)

Mile195 said:


> Agreed, on both points! I use SPD's too. I spend so long getting in and out of pedals for traffic lights round london, SL's would be a pain in the... Plus, I can walk in my SPDs which you can't do with the more road specific shoes. This means I can go to the pub after work on a Friday, pull some jeans on over my lycra, and not look like a complete plum dropping three pints on the way back from the bar because I can't stand up straight, like I would if had road shoes with SL cleats on...


 
Same here. SPDs for road bike. I want shoes I am able to walk in, not tiptoe around like a tiptoey thing


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## Julia9054 (21 Aug 2013)

I like my triple. It gets me up hills!


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## Davidc (21 Aug 2013)

As I said earlier, I don't give a damn what anyone else has attached to their bikes. I do find it amusing that some others do.

I think however that my tongue -in-cheek, and possibly slightly provocative, post may have finally got to the bottom of Boris B's problem.....



Boris Bajic said:


> .......
> 
> I hate triples because people with triple-equipped, super-fandango, carbon-whizz, triple-ringed, titanium-bolted rockets who use them to beat me up the Malvern Hills are cheats and liars and cads and worse.......


 
It's really that Boris B just isn't fit enough, and to justify his lack of stamina and muscle power resorts to blaming the equipment on other people's bikes for their being able to overtake him on hills!

Got news for you Boris - even you would overtake me on any uphill, I'm just plain slow. I just accept it though. You need to work on dealing with your issues and sense of inferiority!

There are of course alternatives. Carrying a bag of hawthorn cuttings - good spikey ones - and dropping them on the road behind you when your hated rocketeers approach might work. Provided they don't have puncture proof tyres of course. I could go on, but you should be getting the idea!

If you're young enough and in good shape some heavy training might do the trick, if not you may just have to learn to live with it. Just like the rest of us more mature cyclists.


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## Cyclopathic (21 Aug 2013)

Boris Bajic said:


> Bless you, my son. God admires and respects a compact chainset. So do his pals who are the gods of other faiths.
> 
> Slightly kooky, but not evil and not a sacrilege_ per se_.
> 
> ...


 
Is it ok to have a triple if the each have the same amount of teeth?


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## Boris Bajic (21 Aug 2013)

Cyclopathic said:


> Is it ok to have a triple if the each have the same amount of teeth?


 
No, but it might be OK if you drill them out to save weight.

You'd be making a sort of Holy Trinity.

God is chuckling in an omniscient and omnipresent sort of way even as I type that....

He's much cooler these days and less likely to judge or to punish people for doing stuff like turning round to see their city being destroyed.

I fear you triple-lovers have pulled this thread terribly off-topic. I was making a rational and logical point, but you had to bring God into it.


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## Pat "5mph" (21 Aug 2013)

Julia9054 said:


> I like my triple. It gets me up hills!


It makes all the difference when you're out riding with the lycra cladded ones 
I am a goody 2 shoes single speed rider most of the time. When the peleton calls, I change to be a triple riding infidel


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## Gravity Aided (22 Aug 2013)

There are no triple riding infidels. Just people making the most of mechanical advantage, which I don't recall hearing any Holy Writ about in confirmation class. Might be a little more exacting to shift, but I have a strong preference for the triple, although, living where I do, I seldom actually have a real need of one. But when I need it, it sure comes in handy. In the hills, also.


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## Pedrosanchezo (22 Aug 2013)

I stripped down a Triban 3, converted it to Fixie and put a chainring on the front that wouldn't have me spinning to highly on the steep hills. You can see my bike here.

I am also sponsored by Assos and Castelli, it's just sometimes i prefer to wear Aldi clothing.


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## srw (22 Aug 2013)

Davidc said:


> There are of course alternatives. Carrying a bag of hawthorn cuttings - good spikey ones - and dropping them on the road behind you when your hated rocketeers approach might work. Provided they don't have puncture proof tyres of course. I could go on, but you should be getting the idea!


 
Won't work. People sensible enough to have wide-ranging gears (which means a triple) are also sensible enough to use Marathon plus or Durano plus.


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## jdtate101 (22 Aug 2013)

May not be totally related but I did see this the other day:







Expensive 9070 Di2 groupset, VERY expensive lightweight wheelset............Cheap Chinarello imitation carbon frame...and look what happened. Now this begs the question why spend all that money on the parts yet go cheap on the bit that's most important, especially given the outcome.


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## Davidc (22 Aug 2013)

srw said:


> Won't work. People sensible enough to have wide-ranging gears (which means a triple) are also sensible enough to use Marathon plus or Durano plus.


This may be, at least in part, true.


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## deanE (22 Aug 2013)

Boris Bajic said:


> What's wrong with triples?
> 
> ..........Although in likelihood God did not invent the road-racing bicycle we can be pretty certain that had He done so, it would have been with Campagnolo componentry and two chainrings with 39 and 53 teeth or something in that order of magnitude. .........I hope I have explained the arrant stupidity of triple chainrings on a road-racing bicycle in a way that even the intellectually challenged will understand. Please do not ask for further clarity, as I do not gladly suffer fools.


What’s all this about road-racing? Its against the law to race on the highway, unless it has been closed for that purpose.


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## Dan B (22 Aug 2013)

deanE said:


> Its against the law to race on the highway, unless it has been closed for that purpose.


I'm sure you can cite the relevant legislation?


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## Teuchter (22 Aug 2013)

jdtate101 said:


>


Is this a new design of folding road bike? Looks handy for a mixed mode commute.


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## Cycleops (22 Aug 2013)

jdtate101 said:


> May not be totally related but I did see this the other day:
> 
> 
> Expensive 9070 Di2 groupset, VERY expensive lightweight wheelset............Cheap Chinarello imitation carbon frame...and look what happened. Now this begs the question why spend all that money on the parts yet go cheap on the bit that's most important, especially given the outcome.



Why do people do this? I see a lot of cheap chinese products in this part of the world. Stainless steel that goes rusty, pumps that fall apart etc, you get the picture. The result is always predictable.


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## MarkF (22 Aug 2013)

I live in West Yorkshire = I need a triple. 

I upgraded my Triban 3, new tyres, er, that's it.


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## Kies (22 Aug 2013)

Budget biking is good for everyone. The bicycle in it's simplest form does not need fancy gears or changing systems. I have a 20 year old hybrid at my inlaws, the chain has never been cleaned or lubed, the gears slip and it's a triple. The saddle has blue electrical tape over the tears in cover, but i so love riding it when i go up there!!!
Long live budget biking :-)


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## jdtate101 (22 Aug 2013)

Surely the best bike is the one you enjoy riding and use frequently......here endeth the lesson!


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## Chris Norton (23 Aug 2013)

That geezer bears a remarkable resemblance to Laurant Fignon.


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## Sittingduck (23 Aug 2013)

Terrible wheel sucker that Tom Sellick


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## Joey Shabadoo (23 Aug 2013)

jdtate101 said:


> May not be totally related but I did see this the other day:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Couple of bits of duct tape and that'll be as right as rain


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## T.M.H.N.E.T (24 Aug 2013)

swl said:


> Couple of bits of duct tape and that'll be as right as rain


Looks like it's been used in the rain


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## sackville d (24 Aug 2013)

I am considering buying one of those bags of s*** from Sports Direct and welding some Campag EPS kit onto it just for the purposes of annoyance

If you happen to have a bike from these people and love your bike well that is a beautiful thing because actually all bikes are awsome as we all know!


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## sackville d (24 Aug 2013)

T.M.H.N.E.T said:


> Looks like it's been used in the rain


Or very strong sunlight perchance? Whichever it is ,that is a very sad sight.


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## cyberknight (24 Aug 2013)

sackville d said:


> Or very strong sunlight perchance? Whichever it is ,that is a very sad sight.


Has Wiggo been slinging it at walls again or has team sky secretly been saving money by buying chinarello`s?


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## deanE (24 Aug 2013)

Dan B said:


> I'm sure you can cite the relevant legislation?


I should, perhaps, have put “ “ around the word “race” or written _race _but my tongue was giving me discomfort being so far pressed back in my cheek when I typed my contribution to the thread. But it is, of course, or so I am informed, an offence under Section 31 of the 1988 Highways Act to take part in an unauthorised race on the public highway, as it is to ride without due care and attention or without reasonable consideration to other road users. Must go and clean my budget bikes now, especially the one with the triple.


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## Chris-H (24 Aug 2013)

This may well raise some eyebrows but when I lost my job I was virtually skint, I brought a brand new Viking road bike for £200 and it was crap, however I liked how it looked and it was mine and it was brand new, I ended up putting a full 10 speed 105 groupset along with some pro-lite rims on too and the result was astounding, ok so it cost a total of £600 but I didn't have that initial outlay and built it bit by bit as funds allowed. I then got back in to work and found myself in the position to buy a new Bianchi, my dream bike which cost me £990 but the ironic thing was although there was 2kg difference in the bikes they both rode equally as well as each other.
I cant understand the problem with spending out on quality parts on a budget bike... worked for me.


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## Chris Norton (24 Aug 2013)

Why not consider the budget bike as simply the frame. As the crappy bits wear out, buy good. Seems ok to me.


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