Post by administrator on Dec 11, 2006 15:30:07 GMT -8
In case anyone in interested, I am still road riding to work 2-4 times a week depending on road conditions.
I am also road riding on my days off, so if anyone else wants to dirty their precious road bike, I will gladly go along.
Fridays some time in the early afternoon and Sundays anytime, really.
Wanna go? email me.
I have also put in some good miles on the new SRAM Force group, and thought I would pass along my impressions.
Its a really nice grouppo, light and nice-looking. Carbon brake levers, Carbon cranks, and Carbon derailleur cage. Lots of Ti and aluminum, too.
Shifters, this is the biggest part of the grouppo, and I must say, I have grown fond of the shape. Each of the levers is sculpted to the right or left hand, and when my hands are in the hoods, it a very comfortable, natural feel. The brake levers themselves actually flare a bit to outside, and this allows the fingers to reach them more naturally when in the hoods. The shifting itself is nice, and did not take long to get accustomed to. The shift lever is large and easy to hit whether in the drops or in the hoods. The shift feel is very solid, and the indents are hard to miss. It took me a little bit to get the position on the bars dialed, but once set, its great!
The brakes are nice, they have a light feel to them and are pretty solid feeling at the lever. The run on bearings, and so its a smooth, effortless pull at the lever. The brake pads, though, suck. The pick up all the crap on the rim and just are not quite the right feel. So, I switched to Kool Stop Dura-type pads and life at the brake is much better.
Cranks. These are carbon with an aluminum core. Outboard bearings and TNT coated chainrings. Riding them is great, they are stiff, I'd compare them to Dura-Ace stiff. The chainrings apear to hold up well and shift nicely. The bottom bracket rolls smooth with no play.
The derailleurs are great, both the front and rear pull off crisp, effortless shifts without too much fuss. The rear derailleur features a carbon outer plate, aluminum parts, and cartridge bearing pulleys. I didn't find it any more finicky to set up than the Dura-Ace, and once set has been flawless.
The cassette is good, it does its job well in the shifting department, and is relatively light, too. The cool thing, though, is the gearing. Its a 10 speed 11-26, a first for road bike gearing. I like it good range for Spokane riding.
So, overall, Id say anyone looking to upgrade to SRAM will not be disappointed. If you are a current Campy fan, then you find the transition easier than from Shimano, because I think the hood shape is close to Campy. Its a light, clean, shifting group with carbon chi-chi's and unique looks.
I am also road riding on my days off, so if anyone else wants to dirty their precious road bike, I will gladly go along.
Fridays some time in the early afternoon and Sundays anytime, really.
Wanna go? email me.
I have also put in some good miles on the new SRAM Force group, and thought I would pass along my impressions.
Its a really nice grouppo, light and nice-looking. Carbon brake levers, Carbon cranks, and Carbon derailleur cage. Lots of Ti and aluminum, too.
Shifters, this is the biggest part of the grouppo, and I must say, I have grown fond of the shape. Each of the levers is sculpted to the right or left hand, and when my hands are in the hoods, it a very comfortable, natural feel. The brake levers themselves actually flare a bit to outside, and this allows the fingers to reach them more naturally when in the hoods. The shifting itself is nice, and did not take long to get accustomed to. The shift lever is large and easy to hit whether in the drops or in the hoods. The shift feel is very solid, and the indents are hard to miss. It took me a little bit to get the position on the bars dialed, but once set, its great!
The brakes are nice, they have a light feel to them and are pretty solid feeling at the lever. The run on bearings, and so its a smooth, effortless pull at the lever. The brake pads, though, suck. The pick up all the crap on the rim and just are not quite the right feel. So, I switched to Kool Stop Dura-type pads and life at the brake is much better.
Cranks. These are carbon with an aluminum core. Outboard bearings and TNT coated chainrings. Riding them is great, they are stiff, I'd compare them to Dura-Ace stiff. The chainrings apear to hold up well and shift nicely. The bottom bracket rolls smooth with no play.
The derailleurs are great, both the front and rear pull off crisp, effortless shifts without too much fuss. The rear derailleur features a carbon outer plate, aluminum parts, and cartridge bearing pulleys. I didn't find it any more finicky to set up than the Dura-Ace, and once set has been flawless.
The cassette is good, it does its job well in the shifting department, and is relatively light, too. The cool thing, though, is the gearing. Its a 10 speed 11-26, a first for road bike gearing. I like it good range for Spokane riding.
So, overall, Id say anyone looking to upgrade to SRAM will not be disappointed. If you are a current Campy fan, then you find the transition easier than from Shimano, because I think the hood shape is close to Campy. Its a light, clean, shifting group with carbon chi-chi's and unique looks.
Sorry to abandon you. I had an encounter with a downed tree on the way to downtown. I had to turn around and come home. Got a few scrapes on myself and the bike, but otherwise everything seems fine once I straitened the bars and fenders.