Tarmac Bling...

[amnesia182]

Bought a few goodies for my Specialized Tarmac

S-Works compact bars


S-Works Pave II seatpost & Romin Evo Pro saddle


Mavic Ksyrium Elite wheelset & Krylion Carbon rubber


S-Works CLP stem


Wrapping the bars was a bit of a 'mare, but I think I did OK for my first time...


Carbon cockpit



All together...

[pacman1]

That looks rather nice, what's the total weight?

[Rocksteadyeddie]

Nice valve alignment

[amnesia182]

pacman1 said:

That looks rather nice, what's the total weight?

Just over 17lbs, but the heavy groupset lets it down.
A nice SRAM RED groupo should get it closer to the UCI weight limit

[The Stiglet]

Rocksteadyeddie said:

Nice valve alignment

Nice bike OP! I've got the Expert with Ultegra and Fulcrum 4's and the only thing I reckon I would change is the saddle and wheels. Can I ask why you changed the bars and stem? It can't be that much lighter...?

[MadDad]

Nice, eleganza bar tape is the best!!

[okgo]

Nice.

Wish they would make them look a little more flash than the allez range though.

[andrewturner]

I like that very much.

[Not Ideal]

Lovely bike.

How you finding the new wheels..?? I'm thinking of upgrading mine this summer and had those on the shortlist.

[amnesia182]

Not Ideal said:

Lovely bike.

How you finding the new wheels..?? I'm thinking of upgrading mine this summer and had those on the shortlist.

I've only done a few miles on them so far, but I can already tell that they're head and shoulders over the Fulcrum Racing 6's that came with the bike. When summer finally arrives I will bung some Pro Race 3s on for a little extra weight loss.

The only excuse I have now for being crap up hills is me

[pacman1]

Out of interest, what are the tooth numbers of the highest gear of the cassette and chain set you have?

[Rocksteadyeddie]

pacman1 said:

Out of interest, what are the tooth numbers of the highest gear of the cassette and chain set you have?

The constarining factor is usually the rear mech. At a guess it will be 27 or 28 teeth. You can get a longer cage mech to handle bigger rear sprockets but not, I believe, in Campag.

[amnesia182]

pacman1 said:

Out of interest, what are the tooth numbers of the highest gear of the cassette and chain set you have?

39/53 and 11-28t

[pacman1]

In my younger days, I had 48/54t and a 5 speed cassette, smallest was 9t. I used to go lorry and bus chasing. Getting that lot cranked up to full tilt in someone's slpistream was great fun!

A few years back I enquired about a custom chainset after thinking about replicating those ratios. Can't remember who I spoke to, but the guy had a small outfit in South Wales.

What's the biggest chainring you make I asked? "All the way up to 104t!", he replied.

[TonyHetherington]

pacman1 said:

What's the biggest chainring you make I asked? "All the way up to 104t!", he replied.

I randomly ended up on a YouTube video yesterday of a guy braking the land speed record for a bicycle. He did it 1" from a range rover witht he boot open so he was effectively in no air, but got 120km/hr. I dont' think he even used 104t !