OK I’ve got Campy Veloce on my Olmo, and I’ve got a bit of cash coming my way (bonus from work). I’m debating buying a lower-end steel or Al frame, putting my current gruppo on that one, and using it for my winter training rides (i.e.: perma-fender bike) then getting a new gruppo for the Olmo. Looking at the Campy 10 sp Centaur, Chorus or Record.
Anyone done swap-outs like this? Any benefits? Should I just look to buy a lower-end training bike and not upgrade the drivetrain on my Olmo? Any cost savings? Or not?
i upgraded from ultegra to da on my P3 back when i was flush with cash. i have no regrets (resolution #4) but would not do it again.
I am not familiar with Olmo, nor did you mention what gruppo it currently has. I suppose if you have the cash and the Olmo is a rolls-royce of frames and you simply love and appreciate beautiful bike bling and it makes you happy, then go ahead and get the record. But lets not pussyfoot around - it seems like this is between you and your bike lust.
With cash in the pocket sometimes you just can’t reason with bike lust, but my .02 would always be to ride what you have into the ground. It’ll go a long way and if it is in working order (shifts well, no creaking…)odds are you won’t notice much of a practical difference. If something brakes, then replace it. There are a bunch of German ETU pros here in town training for the summer on borrowed bikes - I think one even has DT shifters! And yet somehow they manage to move pretty dang fast.
As far as your fender-bike idea goes - probably not much more expensive to get fully built bike (new or used) than just a frame.
Or you could just sell the Olmo and get a new bike…
Thanks, can’t sell the Olmo, it’s a pretty kick-ass (higher-end) frame, and I love the way it fits and rides. Have Veloce on it now. I just hate seeing my pretty bike all munged up from riding in the non-dry season. I worry constantly about the carbon seatstays, from the abuse they take riding in these conditions. But maybe I’ll quiz the LBS guys and see what they say (they’re pretty good about NOT trying to just suck your cash out of you)
Hit your LBS and see what they can do for you - either in just a frame, or a fully built bike (inexpensive frame with nice group, then you can do the swap or have them do it for you). There’s usually a little more leeway in the pricing if you buy a complete bike from them, and they’re going to have to build it anyway - so it shouldn’t be much more for them to strip your Olmo and rebuild it with the nice new gear, and then to build up the new frame with your older components.
We’re just rounding the corner into “busy season” but if you act quickly, there are still probably deals to be had, and the mechanics won’t be terribly busy for a few weeks yet.
You’re in Vancouver, right? That means you probably bought your Olmo from La Bicicletta or Campione. Either shop will do you well, but I’m partial to Campione myself. Guiseppe is a great guy, and Theo (pronounced Tay - oh) is an excellent wrench.
Yeah Theo rocks, he’s my go-to guy for track stuff (he loves the fact that I’m a chick who rides the boards - man that sounds dirty eh? hee hee!). I go to LaB because I get a 15% discount for parts from my tri club, gotta support our sponsors, right…
You’ll save a bit of weight, and it might look cooler if carbon is your thing. I recently replaced my record with veloce. It shifts much better, inmo. I’ve rebuilt the record levers before, the bearing that everything turns on cannot be supporting much, if any weight. Bushings get a bad rap, and i would be pretty surprised if you could wear out a bushing in a shifter.
If your gonna upgrade, go all out with record.
Also note that some veloce parts are actually lighter than chorus parts. Go to glorycycles.com to compare various campy weights (killer deals as well)
For winter bike, think about a cross bike, like Surly. Lots of fender clearance, can run knobby tires, not very expensive. Or for an alternative, get a single speed, I think Surly makes one of those. Less stuff to clean up on a single speed. Or put an internal gear hub for multiple speeds, or disc brakes for less to clean up.
For upgrading, main thing to consider is derailleurs/shifters. Brakes, cranks, bottom brackets won’t be that much different. Biggest performance improvement/wear item is derailleurs, shifters, chain, cogs.
i gotta second the surly. the surly crosscheck is one badass commuter if done up right. fenders, fat tires, can run it fixed or SS. you can buy the frameset for $350-400 i think. very very high quality, well-thought out bike.
Not looking for a commuter bike for bike #2, but a road bike that I won’t have to feel so worried about riding into the ground on those long rides during the crappy weather months…
