I have a Santana Sovereign tandem that is aroung 10 years old. I am looking to upgrade some of the components, but I don't want to spend a lot of money without getting some significant performance improvement. There are two upgrades I am considering. The first is changing out the heavily built chromoly fork with a Reynolds Ouzo Pro tandem fork, cost is about $500 plus a new headset because the old one is shot. I figure it will save about a pound and possibly improve the ride quality. Its a lot of money to spend to save a pround. The other upgrade is to change out the Shimano 600 cranks and BB's for some FSA Carbon cranks, I don't think it will save much weight or add much stiffness, I think this one is somewhat cosmetic and again its a lot of money. The existing parts work ok so maybe I should just stop lusting after carbon pieces.
The existing parts work ok so maybe I should just stop lusting after carbon pieces.
Then there's your answer. Unless you're losing races by a bike length or two, swapping out perfectly good forks or cranks won't make any real difference.
Give the bike a good overhaul- new tires, cables, chains, and drivetrain. Replace any other worn-out parts. Then go out and ride.
On the other hand, carbon parts do *look* neat, and give you something new ot talk about at rest stops. If that's what you're after, then have at it.
There are two upgrades I am considering. The first is changing out the heavily built chromoly fork with a Reynolds Ouzo Pro tandem fork, cost is about $500 plus a new headset because the old one is shot.
There are two upgrades I am considering. The first is changing out the heavily built chromoly fork with a Reynolds Ouzo Pro tandem fork, cost is about $500 plus a new headset because the old one is shot.
How, pray tell, is your fork "shot?"
Wasn't "plus a new headset because the old one is shot" fairly clear?
In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...
Quoted message said:
philcycles said:
Joel said:
There are two upgrades I am considering. The first is changing out the heavily built chromoly fork with a Reynolds Ouzo Pro tandem fork, cost is about $500 plus a new headset because the old one is shot.
How, pray tell, is your fork "shot?"
Wasn't "plus a new headset because the old one is shot" fairly clear?
In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...
Quoted message said:
philcycles said:
Joel wrote:
> There are two upgrades I am considering. The first is changing out > the heavily built chromoly fork with a Reynolds Ouzo Pro tandem > fork, cost is about $500 plus a new headset because the old one is > shot.
How, pray tell, is your fork "shot?"
Wasn't "plus a new headset because the old one is shot" fairly clear?
Who shot it?
Slow morning?
(Obligatory 🙂 goes here or I'll be called a meanie 🙂 )
2) I have carbon cranks on one of my bikes and faux carbon cranks on the other. I don't notice any difference. Well, except the carbon ("plastic" as Sheldon says, harsh) ones make a hollow "tok" sound when you hit them with soemthing. Maybe you could try that?
3) Chuck's has headsets and tandem cranksets too.
4) I'm not affiliated with Chucks's except that the frame, fork, stem, headset, seatpost, and bar tape on my good bike came from there.
Charles
Joel said:
I have a Santana Sovereign tandem that is aroung 10 years old. I am looking to upgrade some of the components, but I don't want to spend a lot of money without getting some significant performance improvement. There are two upgrades I am considering. The first is changing out the heavily built chromoly fork with a Reynolds Ouzo Pro tandem fork, cost is about $500 plus a new headset because the old one is shot. I figure it will save about a pound and possibly improve the ride quality. Its a lot of money to spend to save a pround. The other upgrade is to change out the Shimano 600 cranks and BB's for some FSA Carbon cranks, I don't think it will save much weight or add much stiffness, I think this one is somewhat cosmetic and again its a lot of money. The existing parts work ok so maybe I should just stop lusting after carbon pieces.
In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...
Quoted message said:
philcycles said:
Joel wrote:
>There are two upgrades I am considering. The first is changing out >the heavily built chromoly fork with a Reynolds Ouzo Pro tandem >fork, cost is about $500 plus a new headset because the old one is >shot.
How, pray tell, is your fork "shot?"
Wasn't "plus a new headset because the old one is shot" fairly clear?
Who shot it?
Y'know, a few years back we retired an ancient (computer) file server at the office. I impressed on the tech guys that the disk needed to be erased *really* thoroughly because even though we had deleted the files, they were confidential and a bit sensitive - and we didn't know on whose desk the machine might land as a hand-me-down.
A week later they brought me the disk platters full of bullet holes - "Is that erased well enough for you?"
(Obligatory bike reference: There's a mountain bike website somewhere that tested an allegedly "bulletproof" suspension fork by shooting it full of holes. IIRC, it didn't live up to its billing)
Y'know, a few years back we retired an ancient (computer) file server at the office. I impressed on the tech guys that the disk needed to be erased *really* thoroughly because even though we had deleted the files, they were confidential and a bit sensitive - and we didn't know on whose desk the machine might land as a hand-me-down.
A week later they brought me the disk platters full of bullet holes - "Is that erased well enough for you?"
There's places in the US government that disks only get out of after their platters have been thrown into a melting furnace.
I have a Santana Sovereign tandem that is aroung 10 years old. I am looking to upgrade some of the components, but I don't want to spend a lot of money without getting some significant performance improvement. There are two upgrades I am considering. The first is changing out the heavily built chromoly fork with a Reynolds Ouzo Pro tandem fork, cost is about $500 plus a new headset because the old one is shot. I figure it will save about a pound and possibly improve the ride quality.
Hard to beat the ride of a well made steel fork and 1 pound on a tandem is a pretty small amount(Small on a /12 bike).
Its a
Quoted message said:
lot of money to spend to save a pround. The other upgrade is to change out the Shimano 600 cranks and BB's for some FSA Carbon cranks, I don't think it will save much weight or add much stiffness, I think this one is somewhat cosmetic and again its a lot of money. The existing parts work ok so maybe I should just stop lusting after carbon pieces.
Joel
Answer questions, solve problems with new bike stuff. Upgrade the riders or the places you ride or clothes...if the other stuff works well, not worth the $ IMO-
The existing parts work ok so maybe I should just stop lusting after carbon pieces.
Then there's your answer. Unless you're losing races by a bike length or two, swapping out perfectly good forks or cranks won't make any real difference.
I agree 100% on the below...but if yer losing a race by a bike length, no amount of equipment will make it so you will then win.
Quoted message said:
Give the bike a good overhaul- new tires, cables, chains, and drivetrain. Replace any other worn-out parts. Then go out and ride.
On the other hand, carbon parts do *look* neat, and give you something new ot talk about at rest stops. If that's what you're after, then have at it.
Then there's your answer. Unless you're losing races by a bike length or two, swapping out perfectly good forks or cranks won't make any real difference.
I agree 100% on the below...but if yer losing a race by a bike length, no amount of equipment will make it so you will then win.
Why not? There's no question that over the course of a race, very minor differences can add up to a few bike lengths. Even if the problem is simply psychological, the new equipment can help there as well.
Then there's your answer. Unless you're losing races by a bike length or two, swapping out perfectly good forks or cranks won't make any real difference.
I agree 100% on the below...but if yer losing a race by a bike length, no amount of equipment will make it so you will then win.
Why not? There's no question that over the course of a race, very minor differences can add up to a few bike lengths. Even if the problem is simply psychological, the new equipment can help there as well.
Jasper
Guess the word to note is 'can'...may, may not. Way to many riders, racers and sales people make promisses with equipment that cannot be kept. No single or group of component changes, like the one mentioned, a carbon fork, is going to 'make the difference' between winning and losing.
> Then there's your answer. Unless you're losing races by a bike length > or two, swapping out perfectly good forks or cranks won't make any real > difference.
I agree 100% on the below...but if yer losing a race by a bike length, no amount of equipment will make it so you will then win.
Why not? There's no question that over the course of a race, very minor differences can add up to a few bike lengths. Even if the problem is simply psychological, the new equipment can help there as well.
Guess the word to note is 'can'...may, may not. Way to many riders, racers and sales people make promisses with equipment that cannot be kept. No single or group of component changes, like the one mentioned, a carbon fork, is going to 'make the difference' between winning and losing.
Well, *if* the ride is significantly more up than down, a pound of weight might for a given total power output make a few bike lengths difference. If the weight loss is significant enough to make it easier to stick with the other riders in order to draft (heavier riders with the same power output go slower up hills and coast down faster), I suppose it could work as well.
But sure, it's not going to win the race for you automatically. But it might help. Anyone that is *not* racing, or at the very least riding competitively in a large peloton on semi-recreational rides, should just ignore all the marketing hype.
On 20 Sep 2005 06:56:35 -0700, "Qui si parla Campagnolo" <[email hidden]> wrote: >JeffWills wrote:
>> Then there's your answer. Unless you're losing races by a bike length >> or two, swapping out perfectly good forks or cranks won't make any real >> difference. > >I agree 100% on the below...but if yer losing a race by a bike length, >no amount of equipment will make it so you will then win.
Why not? There's no question that over the course of a race, very minor differences can add up to a few bike lengths. Even if the problem is simply psychological, the new equipment can help there as well.
Guess the word to note is 'can'...may, may not. Way to many riders, racers and sales people make promisses with equipment that cannot be kept. No single or group of component changes, like the one mentioned, a carbon fork, is going to 'make the difference' between winning and losing.
Well, *if* the ride is significantly more up than down, a pound of weight might for a given total power output make a few bike lengths difference. If the weight loss is significant enough to make it easier to stick with the other riders in order to draft (heavier riders with the same power output go slower up hills and coast down faster), I suppose it could work as well.
But sure, it's not going to win the race for you automatically. But it might help. Anyone that is *not* racing, or at the very least riding competitively in a large peloton on semi-recreational rides, should just ignore all the marketing hype.
On 20 Sep 2005 06:56:35 -0700, "Qui si parla Campagnolo" <[email hidden]> wrote: >JeffWills wrote:
>> Then there's your answer. Unless you're losing races by a bike length >> or two, swapping out perfectly good forks or cranks won't make any real >> difference. > >I agree 100% on the below...but if yer losing a race by a bike length, >no amount of equipment will make it so you will then win.
Why not? There's no question that over the course of a race, very minor differences can add up to a few bike lengths. Even if the problem is simply psychological, the new equipment can help there as well.
Guess the word to note is 'can'...may, may not. Way to many riders, racers and sales people make promisses with equipment that cannot be kept. No single or group of component changes, like the one mentioned, a carbon fork, is going to 'make the difference' between winning and losing.
Winning bikes races all depends first on the rider -- what's your CAT? If you're below CAT 5, then don't hope for any equipment upgrades to help you move from that to CAT 3 or 1. Incidentally, most of the people who think about upgrades are recreational riders with a power output of a mere 150 watts or below and those are the ones who will benefit from anything from a $1000 wheels to a lighter bike simply because, the longer the rider spent on the road, the benefits of the upgrades will provide. Americans are content in buying speed rather than to train hard to get it. But don't, under any impression, believe any upgrades will suddenly allow you to generate 200 to 350watts these CAT racers can muster. If you have a 4 banger engine, don't expect to out race a V8 or V12 anytime soon.
As riders improve their power output, these upgrades will be meaningless to them -- they will only improve a few seconds off your TT or hill climb. Definitely not worth the cash you need to shell out, unless ofcourse, you need to qualify for a national spot and you've got serious competition to beat in order to get in.
