Road bike update
I talked to my bike mechanic Chuck, and have an update on my bike. He's got the parts in and is claiming the bike will be finished on Friday. We'll see.
He's recommending the all-new 2004 group of components, which means 10 gears on the cassette. Since I've waited so long, he'll toss that upgrade in. The only catch is, due to crank shape differences, I'd either need to use older model cranks, or switch bottom brackets to change the power cranks in and out. He said he'd be happy to set me up with the tools and even show me how to change my bottom bracket.
So, this is very tempting. Upgraded components, plus learning to do more bike work on my own. Of course, swapping bottom brackets will take a lot longer than just popping the cranks off, and I'd really like to be able to switch the cranks around quickly. My friend TW, who helped me build my Cervelo, showed me a few things, but in reality I could always use more pointers on doing mechanical work on the bike.
I think what I'll do is have him do the work, and show me how to swap the bottom bracket. Honestly, part of my motivation is to simply get my bike back, and then possibly take it to another store and get another opinion on the situation I really want: one bottom bracket that works with regular cranks and power cranks. Surely that can be done with minimal fuss?! I don't think Chuck is misrepresenting anything, but on the other hand it seems odd that it isn't easier. But, I do know bottom brackets have changed in recent years: splined, tapered square, octalink, minor differences between the various levels (sora through dura ace), and of course differences between the big two families of Shimano and Campagnolo. The problem might indeed be the power cranks need just a slightly different spacing or width, and thus the bottom bracket juggling is required.
The other thing I could do is just get another bike, and make it exclusively for use on trainers. In this configuration, I'd get my Trek back with the regular cranks on it, and leave them. I'd get another cheap bike and put the power cranks on it. Then, I'd use the Trek for outdoor rides and for trainers, and the new cheap bike for power crank training. This feels a bit wasteful because I already have two bikes - a race bike and a road bike. But, the race bike can't really fit fenders, and for general cruddy winter weather and trainer usage, I would prefer to use the road bike.
I guess it boils down to how often I think I'll swap cranks. Ideally, I'd like the flexibility of riding either regular cranks or power cranks every day, depending on weather and time. With one bike, this could mean changing configurations every night, which could become a major pain. If I change the cranks that often I'll soon be able to do it with my eyes shut. ;)
My friend TW supposedly has 7 bikes, and I know T2 has at least 4. Maybe the extra bike is the way to go - I need to catch up, hehe.
Fundamentally I know bike strength isn't about the bike - it is about the engine (me). I just want to get to an equipment configuration where I can ride inside/outside with regular/power cranks, spend a minimum of time getting from one setup to another, and just train.
He's recommending the all-new 2004 group of components, which means 10 gears on the cassette. Since I've waited so long, he'll toss that upgrade in. The only catch is, due to crank shape differences, I'd either need to use older model cranks, or switch bottom brackets to change the power cranks in and out. He said he'd be happy to set me up with the tools and even show me how to change my bottom bracket.
So, this is very tempting. Upgraded components, plus learning to do more bike work on my own. Of course, swapping bottom brackets will take a lot longer than just popping the cranks off, and I'd really like to be able to switch the cranks around quickly. My friend TW, who helped me build my Cervelo, showed me a few things, but in reality I could always use more pointers on doing mechanical work on the bike.
I think what I'll do is have him do the work, and show me how to swap the bottom bracket. Honestly, part of my motivation is to simply get my bike back, and then possibly take it to another store and get another opinion on the situation I really want: one bottom bracket that works with regular cranks and power cranks. Surely that can be done with minimal fuss?! I don't think Chuck is misrepresenting anything, but on the other hand it seems odd that it isn't easier. But, I do know bottom brackets have changed in recent years: splined, tapered square, octalink, minor differences between the various levels (sora through dura ace), and of course differences between the big two families of Shimano and Campagnolo. The problem might indeed be the power cranks need just a slightly different spacing or width, and thus the bottom bracket juggling is required.
The other thing I could do is just get another bike, and make it exclusively for use on trainers. In this configuration, I'd get my Trek back with the regular cranks on it, and leave them. I'd get another cheap bike and put the power cranks on it. Then, I'd use the Trek for outdoor rides and for trainers, and the new cheap bike for power crank training. This feels a bit wasteful because I already have two bikes - a race bike and a road bike. But, the race bike can't really fit fenders, and for general cruddy winter weather and trainer usage, I would prefer to use the road bike.
I guess it boils down to how often I think I'll swap cranks. Ideally, I'd like the flexibility of riding either regular cranks or power cranks every day, depending on weather and time. With one bike, this could mean changing configurations every night, which could become a major pain. If I change the cranks that often I'll soon be able to do it with my eyes shut. ;)
My friend TW supposedly has 7 bikes, and I know T2 has at least 4. Maybe the extra bike is the way to go - I need to catch up, hehe.
Fundamentally I know bike strength isn't about the bike - it is about the engine (me). I just want to get to an equipment configuration where I can ride inside/outside with regular/power cranks, spend a minimum of time getting from one setup to another, and just train.
posted by klbarrus at
7:00 PM
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