Gorgeous beast of a bike. This and Happycampyer's are still some of my favourites on this site. One day...
If you haven't already, I recommend trying the new Ergowave version of the SQlab saddle. I really like the previous 611 and 612, but the new 612 Ergowave was good enough to make me bin (well, sell) all my fancy carbon saddles.
Eastern Vermont, White River Junction-Hanover, NH area
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Re: Hampsten / Tournesol
Originally Posted by thomas
My SB ti S&S (page 102) is going to the Alps in a few weeks to help me with my bucket list. Riding the cols the Tour just passed over - Galibier, Izoard, among others. Nice to be training on it lately. What a great bike.
Easton R90SL rims laced with CX-Rays to 28h DA hubs with Vittoria Corsa Graphenes are pretty nice, too. Think they're gonna be the travel wheels this time, instead of the Zondas that went last time to Italy.
So let me write a bit about the Maglia-Rosa. My request to Steve was to replicate the geometry of my recently lost Look 585 and combine that geo with the contact points of the Strada Bianca he designed for me a few years ago. Today was my first chance to see how the bike climbed and descended. Today's ride involved a climb up Tucson's Mt Lemmon. We did the first 14 miles of the climb, just under 4,000 feet of climbing. My Strava feed shows multiple PRs, going up and down.
The M-R is smooth, really smooth over crappy pavement. At first I was taken aback by this, thinking that it's ability to smooth crappy pavement meant that it lacked some of the snappiness I remembered from my 585. Now after a few rides, I've come to realize that the M-R accelerates every bit as well as the Look, it just doesn't bounce around at all when I accelerate on rough pavement.
Climbing is what I expected, every bit of effort I can muster translates into forward motion. Descending was magnificent. Today's descent starts with 2 miles of twisties and significant elevation loss. Today I found myself entering turns at 40 mph and never feeling even remotely close to the edge of control. Steve and Peter Graham have made an excellent bike that will take me on many great rides. Get one for yourself.
Some new bar tape for the missus. Very comfortable and easy to wrap when applying good tension. I'm meh on the red finishing tape, but she likes it so .......
Here is the single speed again, this time with Campagnolo Delta brakes, for summer usage. They're like white shoes - for use between Memorial Day and Labor Day. This bike is definitely getting more hipster appropriate by the day with older, serviceable and somewhat obscure Campagnolo parts.
Love the stability and handling of this bike. There's a mile-long gravel segment around this lake and it handles it with aplomb and elegance.
I am thinking about replacing my ENVE fork (clearance issues with 28's). My options seem to be Wound Up that still might have clearance issues, a Whiskey fork that would require a mid reach brake, a Faltz fork or having you make a steel fork for me. I like the looks of the straight blade and think it would look proper on my Pig.
I am thinking about replacing my ENVE fork (clearance issues with 28's). My options seem to be Wound Up that still might have clearance issues, a Whiskey fork that would require a mid reach brake, a Faltz fork or having you make a steel fork for me. I like the looks of the straight blade and think it would look proper on my Pig.
Maybe I should talk to you off line.
Mike
Let's talk off-line, but the Falz and Wound Up won't give you any more room that you already have, the Whiskey is pretty much incompatible with your frame, and the steel fork will solve your issues.
Steve Hampsten www.hampsten.blogspot.com
“Maybe chairs shouldn’t be comfortable. At some point, you want your guests to leave.”
Let's talk off-line, but the Falz and Wound Up won't give you any more room that you already have, the Whiskey is pretty much incompatible with your frame, and the steel fork will solve your issues.
Thanks Steve, you just knocked 3 of my 4 options off the board.
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