Spectrum - first climb

[Gothard]

We took advantage of today being a holiday, and of the fact that the passes opened... yesterday.
Shape isn't olympic yet, but I got up all right. Bicycle is brilliant.

http://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/g371/georgeskromp/IMG_4476.jpg

http://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/g371/georgeskromp/IMG_4489.jpg

http://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/g371/georgeskromp/IMG_4466.jpg

http://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/g371/georgeskromp/IMG_4494.jpg

http://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/g371/georgeskromp/IMG_4510.jpg

http://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/g371/georgeskromp/IMG_4511.jpg

http://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/g371/georgeskromp/IMG_4514.jpg

http://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/g371/georgeskromp/IMG_4516.jpg

On that last pictures, there are 2 skiers (randonneurs). There is that much snow left that it is still worthwile to skin one's way up, to get a nice descent. Maybe next weekend.

[laupsi]

I got nothin to say, speechless! :)

[firerescuefin]

Awesome....all the way around. Any perceptable difference with the ISP. I've always thought that Ti would be harder to design/engineer than carbon for this application...I love the look.

[binxnyrwarrsoul]

I live on the wrong effing continent.

[ultraman6970]

That bike was built for racing in mind. Handles great and climbs great for sure. Great pictures :D

[crownjewelwl]

look just right!

[zap]

Thanks for posting great pics. Bike looks good too.

[firerescuefin]

I live on the wrong effing continent.

Best thing I ever did was live in Europe for 3 years. Changed my world view/paradigm for the good and made me appreciate things about the US (big and small) than I would have never considered otherwise. Would love to do it again, given the right opportunity.

[wooly]

The ride looks great. The bike looks great. And you've reaffirmed my love for mango/orange king headsets and hubs. I've got them on my 29er but they look even better on your bike. Congrats!

[Gothard]

With the ISP, the connection between the saddle and the cranks seems much much more direct (my other rides have Ti record seatposts maxed out and Brooks saddles, so clearly not the stiffest setup). That conbined with the 1 inch constant diameter chainstays makes for a ridiculously efficient power transfer. There is a stiffening fiberglass insert in the ISP, across the top tube/seatstay junction as well.

[MattTuck]

Some bikes are sexy... yours is slutty. It says ride me hard. No offense, that is one beautiful bike!

Kudos for the ride, pics and ummm, certainly gives a new perspective on 'snow banks'....

[Liv2RideHard]

That was full of complete awesomeness. Nice and nice.

[maxn]

that looks awesome. Sweet bike, too

[FlashUNC]

Stunning sir. Simply stunning.

[jr59]

The bike and ride look great!

I'm just having a little trouble with the fact that it looks cold there.
95 and humid here! :eek:

[54ny77]

Unreal photos.

So awesome.

Oh and nice bike too!

[KidWok]

This makes my day...awesome pics and beautiful bike.

Tai

[Fixed]

Thanks for showing what beauty is
Cheers IMHO :)

[bikerboy337]

that i have to ride the roads in boring, flat, rural MA today... so jealous of rides like this... beautiful photos... thanks for sharing.

[Keith A]

Stunning sir. Simply stunning.+1
So I think we need to make a forum trip to ultraman6970's home :)

[tv_vt]

A trip to the Alps is overflowing my bucket list these days. This certainly stirs the bucket even more.

I gotta get me a plane ticket and a way to get my bike over there.

[thinpin]

Not a million miles from Manx and Velotel. Yet so very different. Lovely, I've always want to ride a pass with the snow banked up like that.

[bobswire]

Excellent, beautiful machine, great terrain. Thanks for sharing.

[jghall]

Great pictures. That is a lot of snow.

[false_Aest]

That ride looks like the tits yo!

ride = bike
ride = ride

[benitosan1972]

Awesome bike, breathtaking terrain, and how were the aerial pictures taken, did the bike come with a personal photographer? ;)

[spamjoshua]

1. That bike.

2. Your spring snow.

3. The paint job.

[Dekonick]

Tom does nice work.

Gothard (George)- how is it descending compared to the Hors?

[Z3c]

Beautiful/stunning bike; really hitting home for me as I am suffering from ti lust..

Pictures floored me; it is HOT here and seeing snow seems unreal.

Enjoy and ride safe!

[TMB]

8 inches of fresh snow on the hills here today!

[krhea]

That post covered the full "Spectrum" of everything good about our sport: Great scenery, smooth roads, smiling participant and an incredible piece of workmanship.

Nicely done.

KRhea

[Louis]

George, that looks sooooo nice, but I can't help wondering how it would look with a white stem.

[Karin Kirk]

Hi George!

Sorry to be late chiming in but I have to say that looks like a magnificent ride! I am eternally grateful to have ridden those same roads with you, what an experience.

The snowbanks at the top are impressive and that last photo is SO cool! What a nice time of year when you can either ride a pass or do a ski tour.

Congratulations on the Spectrum, she's a beauty!

PS - I did not do a Southern Germany/Swiss tour as usual this spring but instead I am posting from the Baltic Sea this evening. No bike on this trip, but some interesting new places to visit! With any luck I'll do another cycling trip next spring.

Looking forward to all the other passes you climb and photos you post! :)

[basilic]

Nice ride (in every sense)!
Amazing how the amount of snow changes year to year. I rode the Nufenen last yr in early June, and there was barely a sprinkle of snow at the top

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-s5BNY07gkok/Teo-n8KsLrI/AAAAAAAAAtM/SGvZUpk-rzM/s720/P1010597.JPG

[northbend]

Perfect setting and bicycle. You are a fortunate man. Enjoy!

[yakstone]

Inspiring to say the least.
Thank you.

[binxnyrwarrsoul]

George, that looks sooooo nice, but I can't help wondering how it would look with a white stem.

+1. The lack of a matching dark metal polish Deda post kinda makes the stem look, lonely? Stem does look great with the grey accents, though. Sweet bike.

[Climb01742]

george, glorious in all respects. the bike looks perfect. many many happy kilometers, both horizontal and vertical!

[Gothard]

Thank you all.
Stem-wise, who makes a pearl white?

[TMB]

Thank you all.
Stem-wise, who makes a pearl white?

Eric Estlund does!

[Tom Kellogg]

Thank you all.
Stem-wise, who makes a pearl white?

George; the only way you are going to really match it perfectly is if I paint one up for you since the base and pearl coats tend to vary between manufacturers. Just a thought. Drop me a line if you are interested.

And to the general discussions; I'd like to say thanks to everyone who has been so complimentary ... however, George made this one pretty easy. He came to us with a pretty good idea of what would make sense for him in a new bike. He has lots of experience and already has a few REALLY great bikes to use as guides. Granted this is his first modern Ti bike, and that in itself is kind of like cheating for us since Ti has come so far over the last ten years or so. The aesthetic decisions were ALL George's. He told me what he wanted and I just did it. Easy. So credit where credit is due. And credit to Dave Kirk and Ben Serotta for building him great bikes for me to crib off of. Like I said, everyone made this one easy. Thanks again.

The Barn

[Fixed]

Masters make things seem easy
Cheers

[TMB]

You know, I have, these past few years been trying really hard to be a good boy around the homestead here.

This thread, and the others showing this bike, are sorely tempting my resolve to be good.

Thanks... :no:









So Tom,

What would you recommend. A steel fork or CF fork with a Ti frame for a fatso (185 ish) ??

[jr59]

George; the only way you are going to really match it perfectly is if I paint one up for you since the base and pearl coats tend to vary between manufacturers. Just a thought. Drop me a line if you are interested.

The Barn

This is a good idea!

Masters make things seem easy
Cheers

+ a bunch.
Yes they indeed do.

[Tom Kellogg]

... snipped ... So Tom,

What would you recommend. A steel fork or CF fork with a Ti frame for a fatso (185 ish) ??

Something like an ENVE or Serotta F3 will work just fine ... as will a 1.125" steel fork. CF just saves some weight. K?

[TMB]

Something like an ENVE or Serotta F3 will work just fine ... as will a 1.125" steel fork. CF just saves some weight. K?

When I'm 4% body fat I'll start worrying about weight.