The Thread about Nothing....

[classic1]

Don't get me wrong. You almost have to look for a **** bike these days. Its just that
-I generally don't like the look of compact bikes. plus it doesn't really do anything. Weight and stiffness my ****, you can barely measure any difference if at all. Proper design, material selection, how its applied etc make more of a difference. I'd rather have a 1.9kg steel frame that fit me and handled properly than some 1kg thing with a big headtube and a stupid front end measurement that handled like a dog.
-The amount of marketing BS doing the rounds annoys the life out of me. 'Fuselage' lol.
- Some of the geometries you see on modern frames (and I'm not talking the sloping top tubes - thats incidental) are stupid, especially on the smaller and larger sizes.
-Having said all that, there are some good value stuff out there. Giant is a favourite punching bag (especially in the limited to three sizes days -they are better now - and their introduction of unisex bikes ), but on the whole they are a good product. A mate sells shitloads of them and rarely does he have any problems. I go in there regularly and can't recall ever seeing one that broke, other than those involved in big stacks. A family friend used to import Vitus frames. That was another story.

 

[531Aussie]

I also much prefer horizontal top tubes, and swore I'd never buy a slope, but situations have conspired against in such ways to have lead to me owning 4 sloping frames in the last 2 years!!!

I don't mind a bit of a slope, but 'real' compacts are the worst thing since ******

Some of the smaller ones are as bad as they get

 

[531Aussie]

I'm really not sure why people would want a Giant, ony to have the same bike as 1/3 of everyone else in town.

Do they actually shop around a lot and find that the price can't be beaten, or have Giant successfully brainwashed everyone with their brand awareness?

 

[matagi]

Hah! As the owner of a small sized compact frame, let me just say - they suck!
I only have room for one normal sized bidon and my frame pump is taped to the underside of the top-tube. It's pretty marginal for correct fit, too.

I too, prefer the look of horizontal top-tubes and I much prefer skinny tubes to those ugly thick tube profiles which are around at the moment.

The biggest marketing con I reckon is WSD. As for Giant, yep, I reckon they've done the marketing thing really well and, as you say, brainwashed everyone with their brand awareness.

 

[Dancier]

I also much prefer horizontal top tubes, and swore I'd never buy a slope, but situations have conspired against in such ways to have lead to me owning 4 sloping frames in the last 2 years!!!

I don't mind a bit of a slope, but 'real' compacts are the worst thing since ******

I’ve got a Giant compact and they suck for sure but the conventional framed bike is lovely to ride in comparison.

 

[classic1]

Hah! As the owner of a small sized compact frame, let me just say - they suck!
I only have room for one normal sized bidon and my frame pump is taped to the underside of the top-tube. It's pretty marginal for correct fit, too.

I was gonna say that.

In other news (rumors), the World Road Race Champs look like coming to Victoria in 2010. Word is it will be Geelong hosting the titles. They even have a fair idea on the circuit.

 

[pshaw]

I'm really not sure why people would want a Giant, ony to have the same bike as 1/3 of everyone else in town.

Do they actually shop around a lot and find that the price can't be beaten, or have Giant successfully brainwashed everyone with their brand awareness?

Seems to me like they offer "bang for buck" when compared to other mainstream brands and dont appear to break all that often...lets face it, how many people who buy a bikeactually know what/why they are buying and get the right tool for the job? If they did I reckon most would jump on a hybrid/townie and be happier.

As for those who are club racers/newbies etc....the lure of top of the line gear like 595's with carbon wheels etc makes em buy low end carbon bikes with no brand carbon wheels....

Why do people buy cheap "sports" cars instead of a porsche/ferrari? cause they cant afford them but it doesnt make the desire for all that cutting edge technology go away...same with bikes. If te market exists someone will tap into it...

 

[existence]

Seems to me...rar rar.

+1. That post appears to be to ridiculously accurate.

 

[Thylacine]

Trust me, when you're my height, sloping top tubes from an aesthetic standpoint are mandatory.

 

[531Aussie]

Trust me, when you're my height, sloping top tubes from an aesthetic standpoint are mandatory.
]

aren't you about the same height as Ballan?
Why can't you have a setup like him?

Actually, that stem looks a bit shorter than he's used before

 

[Thylacine]

I think Backstedt is the only guy in the pro peleton who's my height - 193cm.

I'll never have my bars that low. As it is they're already 104mm below the saddle, and in my current state of inflexibility that's as low as they get.

 

[531Aussie]

I think Backstedt is the only guy in the pro peleton who's my height - 193cm.
.

here's one of "Backy's" bikes

 

[pshaw]

here's one of "Backy's" bikes

GEARING!!!

 

[531Aussie]

GEARING!!!

says it was a 60/12, for his failed motor-paced hour record attempt in 2005

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=photos/2005/news/oct05/magnushour/MagnusDerny177

 

[classic1]

Trust me, when you're my height, sloping top tubes from an aesthetic standpoint are mandatory.

Nonsense.

Build them 'a la Freuler'.

 

[pshaw]

says it was a 60/12, for his failed motor-paced hour record attempt in 2005

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=photos/2005/news/oct05/magnushour/MagnusDerny177

Just got back from first lunchtime training sesion at Dunc Gray...set baseline time for flying 200 which was terrible ...didnt even attempt setting a kilo time!

Rolling round first lap cruised up past the black line only to lose the front wheel and have my mate go OTB on top of me....bark off arm/elboh/back/hip and burst skinsuit What a ****!

Good job there was no-one there to see it!

Memo to self: You need a good month of base!
Note to sefl: Heavy squats and no bike does not a tracky make

 

[62vette]

The whole traditional vs compact frame thing for me is just about aesthetics. I prefer traditional for looks, but when you're sitting in the saddle it really makes bugger all difference.

As for Giants, two of my riding mates who pwn the rest of us do it on Giants, and one of them returned a Pinarello after riding it for a week and swapped it for his Giant.

 

[pshaw]

The whole traditional vs compact frame thing for me is just about aesthetics. I prefer traditional for looks, but when you're sitting in the saddle it really makes bugger all difference.

As for Giants, two of my riding mates who pwn the rest of us do it on Giants, and one of them returned a Pinarello after riding it for a week and swapped it for his Giant.

The opera I had a loan off was ok, but it didnt feel like $15k worth.....

Then again....i'm not sure what it shoulkd have felt like....just a whole lot better than my bike of bits n bobs...

 

[existence]

Note to sefl: Heavy squats and no bike does not a tracky make

I recently had a small amount of time off the bike and carefully put together what I thought was a good equivalent training plan. It involved heavy weights (with a focus on SLP) a lot of high paced spin sessions and a bit of endurance swimming.

Turned out it was useless lol. I sucked bad when I returned to the bike. Real bad.

 

[Jono L]

says it was a 60/12, for his failed motor-paced hour record attempt in 2005

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=photos/2005/news/oct05/magnushour/MagnusDerny177

Geez I could've done with a 60x12 trying to hold on last night!

Hills tomorrow should be good fun.