Seven Cycle Elium
- Thread starter bigpippin
- Start date
I just built this baby up with full Campy Record...simply butter. I asked Seven to build me a compact frame with a 10 degree sloping top tube making it handle like a dream but comfy and fits me perfectly. Almost as light as Seven's lightest, Alta, but with all the Carbon. Beware, you buy this frame and you will get plenty of attention and haters...
"Attention and haters" is the reason I don't care to ride a prestige-brand frame. At a certain level, IMO, it all comes down to what image you want to project while riding.
When shopping for my retirement "dream-bike" last winter, I started out looking at the expensive frames. Finally decided I wouldn't be comfortable showing up at our club rides on a $5000+ bike.
As a guy fortunate enough to be able to take early retirement (in order to have more time to ride of course), I've already got enough hostility to deal with from my fellow club members.
Hey, I poked fun, but I'm all about posing, myself. A spectacular bike is a spectacular bike, and those frames from ultra-end labels (like Seven) are works of art, period.
I can't financially justify a Seven -- but given the funds and the permission (from my better half) -- I'd buy one in a second, regardless of how out of shape my legs are. They're simply cool.
I can't financially justify a Seven -- but given the funds and the permission (from my better half) -- I'd buy one in a second, regardless of how out of shape my legs are. They're simply cool.
You know, the problem with this great sport of ours is that many roadies out there are such snobs. We have a sport like no other where every rider on the road wave and acknowledge eachother as we ride by or offer help to anyone stopped on the road. But when it comes to what type of bike you ride, people who have expensive bikes automatically get trashed. There is almost never a positive responce and it really boils down to jealousy in my opinion. Most young good riders dont have the means to by a Colnago or Seven or any other expensive brand, which is fine, cause I dont think a bike makes someone a good rider or not..but why look down on those who can afford it? Reality is...a Seven is a custom bike frame and unless youve been on one..you have no idea how nice of a fit the frame is. Its like buying a suit off the rack..sure itll fit you but have you ever put on a suit custom made for you? Proper fit is everything in cycling, and Seven along with other custom high end frame builder does it right. Its all relevant..I hear alot of people saying..well I would never spend that kind of money on a bike...well someone may think your Cannondale @ $2,000 is WAY too much for a bike...and plus if you can afford it..whats wrong spending some money on something you love? How many weekend golfers have brand name clubs as opposed to K-Mart knock offs in their bags? I think its ridiculous how even if one can afford a nice bike, they choose not to..simply because they would feel uncomforatable riding one...ie on a club ride. And I agree..I have a Cannondale for my club rides as well...its just sad...and I think we really need to make an effort to change this attitude...
Repeat these wise words enough, and you'll sound more like Nelson Mandela than Phil Liggett. Ultimately, they're undeniable: we'd all be better off if we paid more attention to what we share (a love of bikes, and a passion for riding) than what differeniates us (thousands of dollars worth of metal, plastic, and carbon).
Repeat after me, people. I love bikes, and I love riding.
I love bikes, and I love riding.
I love bikes, and I love riding.
Repeat after me, people. I love bikes, and I love riding.
I love bikes, and I love riding.
I love bikes, and I love riding.
My Serotta SCI is a stock 57x57,and the fit is perfect,as is my $10 garage sale Medici. The idea that everyone has to have a custom to get good fit is just hooey, and 90% can ride stock frames. Even if you are good enough to ride in the Tour, only the top few riders on a team may get custom geomerty and special made bikes. FWIW Lance won 5 times were on stock Trek OCLVs.
You have proven my point again..why take things so personally? I never said that stock frames were not good for most people...but the fact is..is that some people's physical geometry makes it hard to fit properly on a stock frame. Me, I have unusally long legs and a shorter torso..I just cant fit properly...yea sure I can still ride a stock frame and Im sure if I was a racer and sponsered and given a bike for free..I could ride it and win if I was good enough...but most people just settle on a fit by adding lots of spacers or putting on a stem with a higher rise..again which is fine...but custom frames fit you perfectly...thats the only point Im making. My glad your Serotta fits you well but get a Serotta custom frame and you'll notice the diference on longer rides (100 miles). FYI, Lance couldve won 5 times on anything...plus these pros ride what they are given...not what they truly want..
I love bikes, and I love riding. And I, as a lot of people do, take the first clause almost as seriously as the second. I love bikes.
The technology that goes into building a truly awesome bike excites me. I spend an inordinate -- and according to my girlfriend, creepy -- amount of time admiring my very modest collection of cheap, used, and new parts that is my road bike. I spin the drivetrain, watch the derailers click through the cogs. I check the brakes. I pluck the spokes. I clean, adjudst, tinker, and sometimes just stare.
Given my obsession, I'd have a hard time faulting someone else who loves bikes for purchasing an awesome and expensive bike. Now the guy or gal who walks into a bike shop to buy a bike for the first time in 30 years and plops down $5000+ with no appreciation for what s/he's getting? Well, I have a hard time trusting the bored and rich. I'll leave it at that.
I won't be buying a Seven anytime soon. But I'll still drool.
Well said my man...my wife thinks Im crazy as well...I tinker and look at my bike every night...only a fellow roadie can truly undersatnd...
Ditto here. Polish, pluck, lube, degrease, re-lube, squeeze the brakes, stand back, gaze, stare, look, flip through Nashbar catalogue, flip through Performance catalogue, flip through QBP, flip through VeloNews, flip through newstand copy of CyclingPlus, back to bike, turn cranks, test shifting, inspect for scratches...
Repeat. Ad nauseum. Ahhhhh....
Repeat. Ad nauseum. Ahhhhh....
Originally posted by boudreaux
Yeah, if ya don't ride as good as the 'ride',there is always that poseur label too. That's why I have some old junkue around too,so I can do an easy recovery ride,but also make the poseurs look bad if the need arises. Just kills em too.
lol, ah hes human, kinda!
Originally posted by lokstah
Ditto here. Polish, pluck, lube, degrease, re-lube, squeeze the brakes, stand back, gaze, stare, look, flip through Nashbar catalogue, flip through Performance catalogue, flip through QBP, flip through VeloNews, flip through newstand copy of CyclingPlus, back to bike, turn cranks, test shifting, inspect for scratches...
Repeat. Ad nauseum. Ahhhhh....
i hope you give your better half half as much attention!
:-O
Read my original post and youll see that I do not make any type of judgements as you seem to be doing...stock is fine..but custom is simply that..custom...so yea..of course its more personal and fits you better...how can you deny that? I am not backpedaling at all...and I dont know why you are taking this so personally...and have to insult me in a back handed way...its guys like you who pass so much judgement....read all of my posts here..I simply talk about how a custom bike fits better...never said that a stock frame is good..just not as good..its impossible for a stock frame made for the masses to fit your body...ok your individual body with all of its own characteristics perfectly...the funny thing is ... youve prob never had a custom frame so you have no frame of reference to make a judgement in either case...just go ride relax...
Heh....I ride a semi-stock Fuji Finest-AL.....a bike that retails for like 600 and I rather enjoy dusting all those cheesedicks out there on their Lightspeeds and Merlins....just gives me that warm fuzzy feeling, kinda like a Playmate holding a powerbar in one hand and a Zima in the other.
I would personally love to have a mega high end bike but I'm 21.....I can barely afford to buy new tubes.
I have, however, been looking at the Fuji Team Super Lite....or something like that. Stock bike weighs like 15 pounds, one of the lightest production models there is. Sells for around 2200 US from the manufacturer. Helluva lot cheaper than almot every other high end bike out there.
I would personally love to have a mega high end bike but I'm 21.....I can barely afford to buy new tubes.
I have, however, been looking at the Fuji Team Super Lite....or something like that. Stock bike weighs like 15 pounds, one of the lightest production models there is. Sells for around 2200 US from the manufacturer. Helluva lot cheaper than almot every other high end bike out there.
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