You only live once right?

[T.J.]

Might as well enjoy it:banana:

[54ny77]

sha-zam!

[Fishbike]

Oh my. . . . .

If that's what social media, savvy marketing and pretty anodizing produces, consider me impressed -- virtually and actually.

The painted fork in particular is really nice.

Now go enjoy it!

[wooly]

Yeah baby!!!

[akelman]

Perfect bike.

[akelman]

That said, you'll no doubt get tired of it soon. And then you'll sell it to me, right?

[T.J.]

That said, you'll no doubt get tired of it soon. And then you'll sell it to me, right?

First in line!

[maunahaole]

A better justification to invoke yolo than a tattoo.

[jmoore]

hotness!!

[aoe]

nails done, hair done, everything did....

[gasman]

Bam !

[InspectorGadget]

A life well lived.

[19wisconsin64]

!!!!!
this defines the term
"fast while standing still"

enjoy!!!

[rnhood]

A most excellent decision, bike and wheels. I like your no compromise style....the only way to live.

[earlfoss]

I saw the title for this post and had to click because I knew someone got something pretty awesome and I was right!

[Aaron O]

Dude - whoaaa. Love how clean it looks with the ti post, stem and painted fork. It looks - surgical.

[eddief]

Every one knows they don't really make bikes. They are all hype and all those photos are just done at the hands of someone who is a Photoshop expert. Good job trying to fool us. All that said, that is a very nice photo of a bike.

[shovelhd]

7970 dee eye too. Ya gonna race it?

[T.J.]

7970 dee eye too. Ya gonna race it?

Already have

[spamjoshua]

sexy time

[Climb01742]

Hard to beat that.;)

[beeatnik]

TJ, the bike looks awesome.

Question about perception and group think.

So out here, Cali, I've never seen a Pro/Cat 1/2 race a steel or even Ti bike. I know a lot of that has to do with sponsor/team obligations. Anyway, I'm wondering, how do you keep from giving in to that little nagging doubt that a CF frame would make the difference between a podium and 20th in a pack sprint? We're talking crits here, not road racing.

Btw, to anyone who wants to chime in. I'm not asking about bike handling, intelligence, experience or all the other factors that make a bike racer successful in crits.

CF vs stainless steel, (to the line) all things being equal.

[EDS]

Nice. Can those hubs be converted to work with shimano/sram 11 speed?

[206campyrick]

Nice clean ride!

[shovelhd]

Already have

:beer:

[T.J.]

pretty simple actually....I have a friend named Sacha and he built be a steel bike that I raced and learned that the material a bike is built with is kinda irrelevant, its who built it. I know that sounds corny but I will forever be grateful for the guys at the Vanilla Workshop for teaching me that. I have had way more than my share of bikes ( hello , i'm TJ and I am a bikewhore) and I was always chasing that magic bullet ...looking to buy speed....if I just get this frame ....you know the drill. Lance was right, its not about the bike. I went from a cat 5 to a cat 2 in short order on an aluminum bike with 32 spoke clinchers once I quit f'in around and started training, hard.
Back to point, I just sold my team bike from last year, a Madone and I miss it none, zip , zilch. I just raced a crit Saturday on the Firefly. A hour at 28mph and the FF gave up nothing. I went in a move with 3 to go. got gobbled back up and ended up 14th in the sprint. Bikes fault? Nope. My fault for mis-reading the race. Had I read the race a little better I had the legs, and bike to win. So my long winded answer is the right steel bike gives up NADA




TJ, the bike looks awesome.

Question about perception and group think.

So out here, Cali, I've never seen a Pro/Cat 1/2 race a steel or even Ti bike. I know a lot of that has to do with sponsor/team obligations. Anyway, I'm wondering, how do you keep from giving in to that little nagging doubt that a CF frame would make the difference between a podium and 20th in a pack sprint? We're talking crits here, not road racing.

Btw, to anyone who wants to chime in. I'm not asking about bike handling, intelligence, experience or all the other factors that make a bike racer successful in crits.

CF vs stainless steel, (to the line) all things being equal.

[shovelhd]

So out here, Cali, I've never seen a Pro/Cat 1/2 race a steel or even Ti bike. I know a lot of that has to do with sponsor/team obligations. Anyway, I'm wondering, how do you keep from giving in to that little nagging doubt that a CF frame would make the difference between a podium and 20th in a pack sprint? We're talking crits here, not road racing.

What makes you think it would? Sprints are about positioning, speed, and power. The bike is very much secondary.

I've got several Cat1's and Cat2's on steel and titanium in my fields. One of them rides a Waterford, the other a Firefly.

[T.J.]

What makes you think it would? Sprints are about positioning, speed, and power. The bike is very much secondary.

I've got several Cat1's and Cat2's on steel and titanium in my fields. One of them rides a Waterford, the other a Firefly.

Ha! I believe you might be my brother from a nutter mother.

[enr1co]

YOLO baby- Congrats on the stellar ride!

[mtb_frk]

Where is the like button!!

[T.J.]

did the Wednesday Night Worlds tonight. The wheels are freakin nice, I will admit. Still not sure I am brave enough to roll them all the time. I was planning on Carbone SLR's until these popped up....first world problems

[54ny77]

funny, but in so cal, many/most remember steel frames as something that ended circa 1990. then came merlin extralights. then those went out like duran duran ( maybe that's who rigoberto uran uran was named after?) and ever since, it's been el frames de carbon.

(this, speaking from someone who grew up there and still spends a lotta time in la la land.)

when i go on a big group rides in orange county (como st. for example), rarely, very rarely, will i ever see a steel or ti rig. in fact the only time i do is if i ride with fellow paceline members.

TJ, the bike looks awesome.

Question about perception and group think.

So out here, Cali, I've never seen a Pro/Cat 1/2 race a steel or even Ti bike. I know a lot of that has to do with sponsor/team obligations. Anyway, I'm wondering, how do you keep from giving in to that little nagging doubt that a CF frame would make the difference between a podium and 20th in a pack sprint? We're talking crits here, not road racing.

Btw, to anyone who wants to chime in. I'm not asking about bike handling, intelligence, experience or all the other factors that make a bike racer successful in crits.

CF vs stainless steel, (to the line) all things being equal.

[beeatnik]

What makes you think it would? Sprints are about positioning, speed, and power. The bike is very much secondary.

I've got several Cat1's and Cat2's on steel and titanium in my fields. One of them rides a Waterford, the other a Firefly.

As I said, all things being equal.

Anyway, I'm not convinced by the material agnostic argument. Yes, it's obvious fit and fitness are a huge part of the equation, but isn't a Gaulzetti a great race bike because it's Al and not steel. At least that's how I read the Jerk's marketing. He made the best possible race bike he could make, yes? A bike that means the difference between a win or 4th by half a wheel. I know how I feel and I know what I see but that's irrelevant. I was more interested in an outlier like TJ. There aren't many guys like him out there. He's the proverbial Sagan who can win a road race on his sister's mountain bike. For everyone else, and especially at the pro/cat 1/2 level, you need every advantage available.

Shovel, come out here to Cali (home to national champs in every category), find one top racer riding steel and I'll buy you a Peg. :p

[T.J.]

As I said, all things being equal.

Come out here to Cali and find one top racer riding steel and I'll buy you a Peg. :p

quoted in case he deletes cause there is a Peg on the line ;)

[beeatnik]

quoted in case he deletes cause there is a Peg on the line ;)

I should make it 2 Pegs. Haha.

[T.J.]

I should make it 2 Pegs. Haha.

off topic: what ever became of your broken bikes? insurance settle?

[beeatnik]

off topic: what ever became of your broken bikes? insurance settle?

Two bikes. One with a cracked chain stay the other with a cracked fork. Fork and frame, CF. I've been riding my Cielo, a lot. Hahah.

Um, still waiting to find out if the lady who t-boned me has insurance valid in the United States. I've got a good attorney, tho. He's a state champ on the track, 65-70 age category.

[yakstone]

Perfectly done rig. I have always been a big fan of Ti and also Steel and absolutely love to see them done this well.
Congratulations!

I guess the neck is working itself out?

[T.J.]

Perfectly done rig. I have always been a big fan of Ti and also Steel and absolutely love to see them done this well.
Congratulations!

I guess the neck is working itself out?

the neck (with the new fit) has me back racing and pain free :banana:

[avalonracing]

pretty simple actually....I have a friend named Sacha and he built be a steel bike that I raced and learned that the material a bike is built with is kinda irrelevant, its who built it. I know that sounds corny but I will forever be grateful for the guys at the Vanilla Workshop for teaching me that. I have had way more than my share of bikes ( hello , i'm TJ and I am a bikewhore) and I was always chasing that magic bullet ...looking to buy speed....if I just get this frame ....you know the drill. Lance was right, its not about the bike. I went from a cat 5 to a cat 2 in short order on an aluminum bike with 32 spoke clinchers once I quit f'in around and started training, hard.
Back to point, I just sold my team bike from last year, a Madone and I miss it none, zip , zilch. I just raced a crit Saturday on the Firefly. A hour at 28mph and the FF gave up nothing. I went in a move with 3 to go. got gobbled back up and ended up 14th in the sprint. Bikes fault? Nope. My fault for mis-reading the race. Had I read the race a little better I had the legs, and bike to win. So my long winded answer is the right steel bike gives up NADA

I was going to chime in with my thoughts to his question and you couldn't have put it better... or more firsthand.

[SpokeValley]

$4)(7asiqecpne=02
';jsadoihiudiadnjnakslm;lv'ldkvdjnvf

Ooops, sorry, I just drooled on my keyboard


Magnificent machine!

[tuxbailey]

damn, that is purty....

[distanc3]

YOLO? you just rebirth!

congrats on the beautiful bike!

[Louis]

Very neat.

except that the TT / rear brake cable anti-rattle grommets aren't centered properly ;)

good luck with the racing, and may you beat the cr@p out of all those guys on the disposable CF frames

[Lionel]

LW make any bike look good, yours was already looking good !

So a more detailed tide report is in order.

[T.J.]

So a more detailed tide report is in order.

Cliff notes version: hauls more ass the oprah's undies

[shovelhd]

Shovel, come out here to Cali (home to national champs in every category), find one top racer riding steel and I'll buy you a Peg. :p

You don't think I ride with national champions out here? You California guys are so full of yourselves :) One guy I get to battle with in the Masters fields is a 28 time national champion. Right up until a month ago he rode a Cannondale R3000 with bar ends. Yeah, not steel, not Ti, but not exactly state of the art.

Make it a Jerkcycle and you've got a deal.

[T.J.]

same here, national champs galore. Texas Roadhouse alone has a ton of them

[shovelhd]

Then I've got the Belgian ex-pro, the Canadian Junior national champion, a few Olympians. I could go on and on.

[thegunner]

let's not get into a pissing match over where the best talent is (although I do think CA takes it...)

that bike is the tits.

[T.J.]

let's not get into a pissing match over where the best talent is (although I do think CA takes it...)

that bike is the tits.

Hey, we are type A personality racers! Everything is a dick measuring contest :p

[thegunner]

Hey, we are type A personality racers! Everything is a dick measuring contest :p

you're only saying that because you're on a firefly with LWs.

you wouldn't feel that way if you had a trek 1.1 with open pros...

[FlashUNC]

Y'all are more than welcome to ride with my fat butt whenever.

[slidey]

Nice ride, but yeah I'd be pretty apprehensive with racing such a sweet bike. However, if I understand it right the geometry forces you to go custom correct? Glad at least you're riding. Cheers!

[T.J.]

Yeah it is a very nice bike to race but that's what they are made for

[shinomaster]

Wow, I haven't wanted a titanium bike in a long time..:banana:

[cash05458]

gorgeous...and yeah life is too short to ride crappy bikes or play ****ty guitars...lovely!

[merlinmurph]

Yup, as a guy nearing 60, I've been saying "you only live once" a lot lately, and coincidentally, Firefly comes into the mix. The Firefly crew is close by and I like to buy local.

"Yeah, if I order in the next few months, I'll have it by March (big 6-oh)"

Enjoy the new ride,
Murph

[dd74]

Great looking bike, T.J.

BTW, bike racing and riding in SoCal would be much more interesting if there were more steel and Ti frames on the road. The same old Specialized, Trek, etc. frames are boring, and shows that some riders simply rely on a LBS and whatever it has in stock to buy a road bike. Quite unimaginative, IMO.

I've had my Serotta CDA three years, and have seen only two other Serottas on the road during that time.

[T.J.]

Great looking bike, T.J.

BTW, bike racing and riding in SoCal would be much more interesting if there were more steel and Ti frames on the road. The same old Specialized, Trek, etc. frames are boring, and shows that some riders simply rely on a LBS and whatever it has in stock to buy a road bike. Quite unimaginative, IMO.

I've had my Serotta CDA three years, and have seen only two other Serottas on the road during that time.

im tryin to remember but I believe I haven't seen another steel bike at the races around here

[dd74]

im tryin to remember but I believe I haven't seen another steel bike at the races around here
There was a thread posted two or three months ago that showed a cycling team in Europe who's opted for steel frames. It's a smaller team, and I think they're on Spirit tubing.

But no, no steel in races that I know of. A shame really.

I once weighed a stainless steel Cinelli against a C-59 Colnago. Both were the same size with identical Campy SR groups, Campy Bora Ultra 2s, identical stems, handlebars, seat, seat post and pedals.

The Cinelli was a .3 pounds lighter, IIRC.

[T.J.]

I got a lot of " whats that?" last year racing my vagen. when I said it was steel it was always " wow, bet that's heavy. funny as the bike was 15 and change

[dd74]

I got a lot of " whats that?" last year racing my vagen. when I said it was steel it was always " wow, bet that's heavy. funny as the bike was 15 and change
Yeah, same here with my Serotta. Ignorance is carbon. ;)

[christian]

I once weighed a stainless steel Cinelli against a C-59 Colnago. Both were the same size with identical Campy SR groups, Campy Bora Ultra 2s, identical stems, handlebars, seat, seat post and pedals.

The Cinelli was a .3 pounds lighter, IIRC.Really? That'd be impressive. A C-59 in 54s pretty reliably weighs between 1120 and 1140g (btw it's amazing they're that consistent). Cinelli claims 1420g for a XCR Cristal in 53cm which seems believable (i.e. not a Deda estimate). There might be 40g difference in the fork to Cinelli's credit - Colnago at 375g or so, but I can't see where the rest of the difference is coming from.

I've seen some Rob English frames around 1250g, but I can't think of a sub 1200g steel frame EVER. Not suggesting it makes one whit of difference, but I struggle to see how that can be if all the parts spec was absolutely identical.

I am as far from a weight weenie as there is.

[dd74]

Really? That'd be impressive. A C-59 in 54s pretty reliably weighs between 1120 and 1140g (btw it's amazing they're that consistent). Cinelli claims 1420g for a XCR Cristal in 53cm which seems believable (i.e. not a Deda estimate). There might be 40g difference in the fork to Cinelli's credit - Colnago at 375g or so, but I can't see where the rest of the difference is coming from.

I've seen some Rob English frames around 1250g, but I can't think of a sub 1200g steel frame EVER. Not suggesting it makes one whit of difference, but I struggle to see how that can be if all the parts spec was absolutely identical.

I am as far from a weight weenie as there is.
Well, it was the Wrench Science site, IIRC. But I do know according to them, the Cinelli was lighter than the Colnago. But even if it were the other way around and the Cinelli was .3 heavier, well...you know the rest...;)

[christian]

Suffice to say, my afternoon lemon iced cake weighed more than the difference both ways times 2. :)

[dd74]

Suffice to say, my afternoon lemon iced cake weighed more than the difference both ways times 2. :)
LOL, so will my ribeye and beers. Now we're talking Columbus SL territory comparatively.

[T.J.]

since we are talking weight the FF came in at 16.2 with LW's

[dd74]

T.J. - is the frame steel or Ti? What size is it?

[T.J.]

it is XCR and a 57cm

[dd74]

How's the stiffness in acceleration with the FF XCR compared to the Vagen, which was Spirit, right?

[T.J.]

Flex? a little background to put it in perspective. I am 6ft1 and at the moment 155 pounds. max wattage from the crit Saturday was 1348w. I felt nuttin. might be diff under a bigger more powerful guy

[dd74]

That's good to hear. :banana:

[beeatnik]

Great looking bike, T.J.

BTW, bike racing and riding in SoCal would be much more interesting if there were more steel and Ti frames on the road. The same old Specialized, Trek, etc. frames are boring, and shows that some riders simply rely on a LBS and whatever it has in stock to buy a road bike. Quite unimaginative, IMO.

I've had my Serotta CDA three years, and have seen only two other Serottas on the road during that time.

The stable of a Cali State Champ who now races in Michigan (2012 state champ there as well). I would imagine most guys at his level have a similar lineup. These guys wouldn't ride a beach cruiser without 808s.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8556/8747373851_359e044450.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/462618_10201188420533043_1894038995_o.jpg

[dd74]

Cali State Champ, eh? Yeah, but where's the steel?

[T.J.]

damn that's a lot of carbon

[shovelhd]

SRM's and Di2 for everybody.

[T.J.]

Another awesome day in the saddle

[dd74]

Cool. T.J., did you ever see my PM to you?

[gearguywb]

Sweet!

[distanc3]

great pic TJ!

[regularguy412]

Really? That'd be impressive. A C-59 in 54s pretty reliably weighs between 1120 and 1140g (btw it's amazing they're that consistent). Cinelli claims 1420g for a XCR Cristal in 53cm which seems believable (i.e. not a Deda estimate). There might be 40g difference in the fork to Cinelli's credit - Colnago at 375g or so, but I can't see where the rest of the difference is coming from.

I've seen some Rob English frames around 1250g, but I can't think of a sub 1200g steel frame EVER. Not suggesting it makes one whit of difference, but I struggle to see how that can be if all the parts spec was absolutely identical.

I am as far from a weight weenie as there is.


After the last repaint, my 56 x 56 CSI (frame only) weighed in at 1.4 kg. I'd suspect that a 54 or a 52 might get close to the sub-1200 gram marker.

Built with DA 7800 and Easton EC90 SLs, AL bars and seat post, it still comes in under 18 lbs. When I get dropped on a climb, it's not the bike's fault.

Mike in AR:beer:

[OldCrank]

The 'framing' around T's shot makes it look like one of those 'inspirational posters' overused in offices, and now memes.

Anyway it's wallpaper-worthy, thanks for sharing!

What's that computer??

[echelon_john]

garmin 500