I need help choosing a bike (caution bike porn!)

[TheDoctor]

I've got 36 spoke wheels. Open Pro on Tiagra.
I've been off road touring on them, so they might be a little overkill for racing...

 

[Zoiders]

Really. Wander in to any bike shop and ask them for a race bike with 36 spoke wheels and see how far you get.

Strangely the three nearest to me seem to be able to build them for you at quite short notice.

This is being passed to the Mods now Mickle as you really do seem to have a problem.

 

[Zoiders]

What are you on about?

Read the OP. He wants a fricking racing bike!

36 holes????? Did I miss the bit where he was asking for advice on a tandem? My mountain bike had just 60 spokes in 1993 FFS.

Again Mickle the agreesive tone of your posts needs looking at.

The OP thinks he wants a racing bike - he needs something slightly different.

I suggest you calm down.

 

[TheDoctor]

Zoiders, you maybe want to calm it a little.
The OP said he wanted a racing bike.
What makes you right, and the OP wrong?

 

[Zoiders]

Zoiders, you maybe want to calm it a little.
The OP said he wanted a racing bike.
What makes you right, and the OP wrong?

I am perfectly calm.

I am not the one engaging in aggressive pedantry which quite frankly is weird and obsessive, it was your little friend Mickle having a tantrum.

The OP listed what he needed the bike to do and in the immediate future I don't think that list points to a race stick with low spoke count wheels - I put that message across plainly with out having to resort to trying to slag off or belittle another poster - Mickle doesn't seem to able to do the same himself time after time in post after post so to the mods this goes.

 

[TheDoctor]

Well, best of luck with that.
How about trusting the OP to know what they want?
Club runs, triathlons and racing do seem to point to a racing bike to me. The clue is in the word 'racing'.

I have a problem, I have fallen in lust with 2 bikes. Like another poster I have the Carrera TDF but I want something better for club runs, Triathlons and once I'm no longer a fat git, racing.

Racing. It's right there.

 

[mickle]

I am perfectly calm.

I am not the one engaging in aggressive pedantry which quite frankly is weird and obsessive, it was your little friend Mickle having a tantrum.

The OP listed what he needed the bike to do and in the immediate future I don't think that list points to a race stick with low spoke count wheels - I put that message across plainly with out having to resort to trying to slag off or belittle another poster - Mickle doesn't seem to able to do the same himself time after time in post after post so to the mods this goes.

Read the OP. Read it again. Now try telling me that the OP doesn't want road race bike.

Next, wander into any bike shop in the land and ask which of their race-worthy road race bikes comes with 36 spoke wheels. You won't find one. They'll look at you as if you are someone who does not know very much about bicycles. Road bikes with 36 spokes as standard? They don't exist. Not a one.

Any luck getting your knee down recently?

 

[Zoiders]

Read the OP. Read it again. Now try telling me that the OP doesn't want road race bike.

Next, wander into any bike shop in the land and ask which of their race-worthy road race bikes comes with 36 spoke wheels. You won't find one. They'll look at you as if you are someone who does not know very much about bicycles. Road bikes with 36 spokes as standard? They don't exist. Not a one.

Any luck getting your knee down recently?

I didn't recommend a race bike, that's the point.

See the mods if you have a problem or wind your neck in.

 

[mickle]

I didn't recommend a race bike, that's the point.

See the mods if you have a problem or wind your neck in.

I am a mod.

 

[goo_mason]

I've got 36 spoke wheels. Open Pro on Tiagra.
I've been off road touring on them, so they might be a little overkill for racing...

*checks spare wheelset*

I've got 32-spoke wheels - Open Sport on Tiagra. Hand-built by my own fair hands, after taking advice on what'd be best for commuting daily on a road bike.

Mind you, the bike's been shod with Shimano RS20s for the last three years, and they're nice racing wheels with very few spokes. And I definitely never saw any racing wheelsets with anything close to 36 spokes when I was looking online before buying the Shimanos.

One day I'll put my handiwork on the bike & see how they handle the potholed hell of Edinburgh's streets. But for now I'll stay with the sleek racing ones!

 

[Zoiders]

I am a mod.

That explains how you get away with spamming the forum then.

 

[monnet]

Wow! This thread is incredible!

Erm, I'd go for the Colnago...

Spokes - most bomb proof wheels I've ridden are Aksiums (20 spokes front; 20 spokes rear). I reckon the Racing 5s will be absolutely fine.

Enjoy your clubruns and triathlons. I would heed the advice of the person who pointed out that racing can lead to carbon across tarmac (very distinctive sound and smell) but it sounds like that's a longer term aim. Buy the best bike you can afford, that you like the most and feel most comfortable on (for the last reason alone I'd caution against Ribble as you won't be able to test ride it).

 

[HLaB]

I have an older version of the C2C, a 928 in carbon, its a beautiful, fast and comfortable bike but mine is black with celeste toptube, the bianchi linked to is a little white for me, for that stupid reason I prefer the Colnago, it just looks better . Just looking at the links however, the Bianchi comes in a wide range of sizes where as the Colnago is only a small frame! As to the number of spokes touch wood I've never had a problem with any of my lower spoked wheels, maybe if I was touring I'd want more but on a fast light road bike, that you want to race/tri, I wouldn't be concerned.

 

[2old2care]

I have a problem, I have fallen in lust with 2 bikes. Like another poster I have the Carrera TDF but I want something better for club runs, Triathlons and once I'm no longer a fat git, racing



The Bianchi Centrostrade
http://www.evanscycl...d-bike-ec031954


and the Colnago CLX2.0

http://www.evanscycl...d-bike-ec025628


The wallet is saying Bianchi, but the heart is saying Colnago... HELP!!!

I would go for the Bianchi, far better looking bike with internal cable routing, which means a possible upgrade to electronic shifting in the future, plus it has a Campag groupset, which from my experience is better quality than the Ultegra even though it's Veloce. I have both on different bikes!!!

 

[Keith Oates]

For me there would be no question on which bike, there is only one there and that's the Colnago with Ultegra!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ps. I have to admit I'm a little biased!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!