Do I have any low-hanging bike fruit left?

Apr 19, 14 7:48

Post #1 of 40 (8187 views)

I'm getting ready for my first real race after a good year off, and I've been trying to prepare my bike. I'm pretty much done with what I can see, but I just want to know if I'm missing anything I can do, big or little, for that extra bit of speed.

It's a short bike course (just a 9 mile sprint), so I want every second I can possibly find. Keep in mind I do have a decently aero front wheel and disc cover for race day, I'm running GP4000S tires with latex tubes, and I'll have a Bontrager Aero bottle on the seat tube race day (or should I skip the bottle?).

My front end seems a bit rough, but it looks hidden from the front, is that something I should worry about? I have time to clean up the cables and the dsw box if I need to. I also plan on doing some silly things like putting tape over the chainrings. This is a pretty budget bike (I think I have about 1,200 into everything), so I'm not planning on picking up a new set of wheels or upgrading to a better frame, I'm just looking for the little things.

______________________________________________

Re: Do I have any low-hanging bike fruit left? [rpeterson] [ In reply to ]

Apr 19, 14 7:59

Post #2 of 40 (8160 views)

your a low mofo!
skip the bottle and cage

picky details- cut the stem at the top (but you prob want to keep it for resale just incase?)
Seems like you have hood covers on the base bar? Just curious i have never seen them before?
How new are your tires?

Seems you can get pretty low man, i like it for the price you have put into it!

Re: Do I have any low-hanging bike fruit left? [rpeterson] [ In reply to ]

Apr 19, 14 8:01

Post #3 of 40 (8157 views)

It's a sprint. Strip that dude down. Leave the cages, the box on the back, and the dark speed works thing at home.

Re: Do I have any low-hanging bike fruit left? [coates_hbk] [ In reply to ]

Apr 19, 14 8:01

Post #4 of 40 (8155 views)

I've never cut the steer tube just because it feels like it's between my arms and in front of my chest, will it really pick up air? I'm not really worried about resale.

The basebar has the felt brake grips, they're probably not the most aero, but they make braking and climbing and all that way more comfortable, so I'm willing to compromise there.

The tires will have about 50 miles on them raceday, so just broken in.

______________________________________________

Re: Do I have any low-hanging bike fruit left? [rpeterson] [ In reply to ]

Apr 19, 14 10:01

Post #5 of 40 (8010 views)

My thoughts are to get rid of the water bottle mounts also and to get a XLAB Torpedo Mount. As far as not getting new wheels, you can always get a wheel cover from Wheelbuilder cheep and effective.

Re: Do I have any low-hanging bike fruit left? [rpeterson] [ In reply to ]

Apr 19, 14 10:08

Post #6 of 40 (8001 views)

just toss the bottle cages and the bento box and you are A+

Kat Hunter reports on the San Dimas Stage Race from inside the GC winning team
Aeroweenie.com -Compendium of Aero Data and Knowledge
Freelance sports & outdoors writer Kathryn Hunter

Re: Do I have any low-hanging bike fruit left? [PaulMoody] [ In reply to ]

Apr 19, 14 10:41

Post #7 of 40 (7943 views)

My elbows and arms are too narrow for a comfortable between the arms mount, and I do have a disc cover and aero front, just not in the picture.

I'll ditch the cages and box for race day and not worry about the rest.

______________________________________________

Re: Do I have any low-hanging bike fruit left? [rpeterson] [ In reply to ]

Apr 19, 14 10:46

Post #8 of 40 (7930 views)

rpeterson wrote:

I've never cut the steer tube just because it feels like it's between my arms and in front of my chest, will it really pick up air? I'm not really worried about resale.

The basebar has the felt brake grips, they're probably not the most aero, but they make braking and climbing and all that way more comfortable, so I'm willing to compromise there.

The tires will have about 50 miles on them raceday, so just broken in.

The reason you should consider cutting the excess steerer(if that is a carbon steerer) is that your stem is clamping an area of the steerer with no expansion plug sitting inside it. Since the plug is sitting up high there is nothing in side the steerer where your stem clamping forces are applied. Hard to tell from a pic and you might have some of that expansion plug reaching down into the steerer far enough to reach the ~ 40mm of stem stack. If it's an alloy steerer I don't think it's an issue I never cut exess with alloys, but I'd highly recommend considering it if that is a carbon steerer. You'd still have to be pretty heavy handed to crimp the steerer, but I have seen a couple of forks damaged that way over the years.

Last edited by: tigerpaws: Apr 19, 14 10:51

Re: Do I have any low-hanging bike fruit left? [tigerpaws] [ In reply to ]

Apr 19, 14 10:50

Post #9 of 40 (7922 views)

It's an aluminum steer tube with a star nut, so no worries there.

______________________________________________

Re: Do I have any low-hanging bike fruit left? [rpeterson] [ In reply to ]

Apr 19, 14 10:52

Post #10 of 40 (7917 views)

rpeterson wrote:

It's an aluminum steer tube with a star nut, so no worries there.

You rocking straight then. Great looking rig, hay is in the barn now ya just gotta see what kind of crop ya got come race day. Ride safely!

Re: Do I have any low-hanging bike fruit left? [jackmott] [ In reply to ]

Apr 19, 14 11:20

Post #11 of 40 (7882 views)

Would the DSW pack not help mitigate the effects of the tall steerer? I feel like that was the consensus on another thread a while back -- to leave it on even if you didn't need it, rather than having the cylindrical steerer tube only.

Re: Do I have any low-hanging bike fruit left? [rpeterson] [ In reply to ]

Apr 19, 14 13:22

Post #12 of 40 (7745 views)

Great looking rig! The 2.5 is probably the fastest aluminum bike ever made.

Keep the draft box, supposedly it makes you faster. Lose everything else. No reason to have a bottle for only 9 miles. In the future you might consider a TriRig Sigma stem to clean up the front but you'd probably have to go to Vuka Alumina clip-ons to get your stack and reach right.

Re: Do I have any low-hanging bike fruit left? [GreenPlease] [ In reply to ]

Apr 19, 14 14:53

Post #13 of 40 (7611 views)

I have Alumina clip ons (for sale in the classifieds right now), the Felt Bayonet is lower and lets me get narrower more comfortably. The Sigma stem isn't long enough and doesn't have enough drop (I'm on a -30 130mm).

The draft box is staying simply because I can't figure out a better way to keep my flat kit on me, and with a flat kit I'm out 1-2 minutes because of a flat, without the kit my day is over.

I wish he would make the sigma in more sizes :(

______________________________________________

Re: Do I have any low-hanging bike fruit left? [rpeterson] [ In reply to ]

Apr 19, 14 15:54

Post #14 of 40 (7538 views)

The frame isn't carbon....

"4 wheels move the body, 2 wheels move the soul"

Re: Do I have any low-hanging bike fruit left? [warwicke36] [ In reply to ]

Apr 19, 14 17:55

Post #15 of 40 (7430 views)

That just means I can toss it around in T2 and not have to care ;)

______________________________________________

Re: Do I have any low-hanging bike fruit left? [PaulMoody] [ In reply to ]

Apr 19, 14 18:03

Post #16 of 40 (7409 views)

PaulMoody wrote:

My thoughts are to get rid of the water bottle mounts also and to get a XLAB Torpedo Mount. As far as not getting new wheels, you can always get a wheel cover from Wheelbuilder cheep and effective.

$90 for free speed

Re: Do I have any low-hanging bike fruit left? [rpeterson] [ In reply to ]

Apr 19, 14 18:30

Post #17 of 40 (7365 views)

If you don't care about resale, cut it and ditch the extra spacers on top. People spend hundreds of $'s to save that much weight.

Re: Do I have any low-hanging bike fruit left? [Donehue55189] [ In reply to ]

Apr 20, 14 1:28

Post #18 of 40 (7170 views)

maybe tape the area around the brake levers shut? I don' see how the great big hole there would be very aero. but that would be rather excessive :P

Re: Do I have any low-hanging bike fruit left? [rpeterson] [ In reply to ]

Apr 20, 14 3:41

Post #19 of 40 (7114 views)

Remove the "Made in Taiwan" sticker on the headtube.
You're rocking a Trek; Murica!!

Alex Arman

Strava

Re: Do I have any low-hanging bike fruit left? [rpeterson] [ In reply to ]

Apr 20, 14 5:37

Post #20 of 40 (7021 views)

Lose the clunky white plastic grips on the brake pods. Replace with thin tennis racket grip tape wound from back to front so the seams face to the rear. Much cleaner and excellent grip.

Re: Do I have any low-hanging bike fruit left? [bobby11] [ In reply to ]

Apr 20, 14 5:39

Post #21 of 40 (7019 views)

bobby11 wrote:

Lose the clunky white plastic grips on the brake pods. Replace with thin tennis racket grip tape wound from back to front so the seams face to the rear. Much cleaner and excellent grip.

Another option, not as nice on the hands, is skateboard deck tape. Super grippy and no seams.
Last time I bought some off ebay I think it was $1.99 to my door? NOt that Tourna Grip is expensive, but just another option for the aero obsessed!

Last edited by: tigerpaws: Apr 20, 14 5:40

Re: Do I have any low-hanging bike fruit left? [bobby11] [ In reply to ]

Apr 20, 14 6:54

Post #22 of 40 (6925 views)

I had some coaches tape on before I went to the grips, having that little hood is just really really nice. My position is very front heavy and I live in a pretty hilly area, so having that nub to lean into makes it way more comfortable and makes me feel safer when descending and braking.

______________________________________________

Re: Do I have any low-hanging bike fruit left? [rpeterson] [ In reply to ]

Apr 20, 14 12:05

Post #23 of 40 (6776 views)

My elbows and arms are too narrow for a comfortable between the arms mount

There is room to nestle a cage and bottle in there. On mine (same bars, pads 2cm apart) the bottom of the bottle is ~ flush with the bottom of the stem clamp, and my forearms are on the top and sides of the bottle.

BTW, nice low budget bike. Other than water you look good.

What are your race wheels, tires, and tubes?

Re: Do I have any low-hanging bike fruit left? [rruff] [ In reply to ]

Apr 20, 14 14:58

Post #24 of 40 (6604 views)

Hmm, I'll have to give it a try then, see how it works out.

I've got XC-279 rims, wheel cover for the back, and a 24mm U shaped generic carbon wheel for the front. 23mm GP4000s tires with latex tubes. I used 20mm Supersonics the last few seasons, but the roads around here I race on are pretty lousy, so I went to 23mm GP4000s for this year.

______________________________________________

Re: Do I have any low-hanging bike fruit left? [GreenPlease] [ In reply to ]

Apr 21, 14 5:04

Post #25 of 40 (6351 views)

This is a cool looking bike (tho a few too many accessories for me personally)but in terms of the merits of the frame....would it not be aced by a P3SL, the black alloy one?

GreenPlease wrote:

Great looking rig! The 2.5 is probably the fastest aluminum bike ever made.

Keep the draft box, supposedly it makes you faster. Lose everything else. No reason to have a bottle for only 9 miles. In the future you might consider a TriRig Sigma stem to clean up the front but you'd probably have to go to Vuka Alumina clip-ons to get your stack and reach right.

Our Partners

transition-DOT-area-AT-slowtwitch-DOT-com

Advertise with us

©1999-2024 Slowtwitch, Inc., and Slowtwitch.com
Reproduction of material from any Slowtwitch.com page
without written permission is strictly prohibited.