thoughts on older carbonframes (calfee) tetra pro?

[mtechnica]

Just got a too good to pass up deal on a clean one that's my size. Have a few questions though, some of which could be difficult to answer:

1.) How do these older ones with the threaded headset (mine has a CK at least) and EMS fork compare to the newer 1 1/8 ones as far as ride and handling?

2.) How does an older tetra pro compare to a modern CF racing frame as far as performance? What about frames from the same era like a c40? I have ridden it around a little bit and it seems to ride smoothly and feels nimble and efficient up hills. I don't have a lot of experience with CF bikes though.

3.) Apparently, drive side chainring clearance is an issue with these older ones that have an Italian BB. I'd like to put on a shimano hollowtech II crankset but I've heard mixed (mostly negative though) reports wrt outboard bearing bottom brackets working because of lack of chainline adjustment. They do make 2.5mm spacers for hollowtech 2 cranks though. Thoughts on the matter would be appreciated. The cranks it has are OK but I don't think I want them long term, I'm worried about breaking them.

I've been wanting a carbon frame for some time, but I'm not entirely convinced that this could be a long term solution since I want a full on racing frame. On the other hand, it has a good reputation and seemed to ride nicely. Even with the older parts it feels like it only weighs around 17lbs. I'm considering building it with the parts that are on my steel bike and riding it for a while. The frame is in nice condition and based on the components I'd guess that it hasn't been ridden very much.

[dave thompson]

I've had a couple of CarbonFrames back in the day. If you go to the Calfee website and look at the geometry for the Tetra Pro that's the geo you have (it's pretty 'racey') unless yours is custom. Calfees were relevant then and they still are. Well made, excellent handling, they lack nothing in today's world. I would pit it against most anything on a showroom floor.

[gasman]

I have an 11 year old Tetra Pro. It rides great and I did a lot of crits and a number of road races on the bike. I never felt I gave up anything with the frame, different wheels and tires make a bigger difference in ride quality.
I've ridden other carbon frames admittedly only for short rides but don't feel the Calfee held me back. My race results, or lack thereof, were because of my abilities not the bike.
If it fits and is a good deal you won't be disappointed.

[donevwil]

The old steel steerer Kestrel EMS fork is a good one, just not as much tire clearance as most modern CF forks (25mm max, even small 28s like Conti 4-seasons rub). The 1" steel steerer and bulbous crown will be far stiffer than any common 1-1/8" CF out there. I have a 1" steel threadless EMS on my Landshark and the front end is appropriately stiff for my 240# girth.

I recall some issues on these frames with riveted front der hangers or such, hopefully some more knowing individuals will chime in.

[EPOJoe]

My brother and I both have older Calfee Tetra Pros, with mine being a bit older than his, with the Italian BB and a 1" carbon steerer (threadless). Both bikes have always performed impeccably, and have as much get-up-and-go as any of the modern race bikes I've tried. I'm a big fan of the thicker-walled, smaller diameter carbon tubes. Smooth ride and more durable than some of the frames with super thin-walled tubes. Here are our Calfees, hanging out on the 18th fairway at Pebble Beach, after a trip to Calfee headquarters in La Selva Beach to say "hi" and a ride down the coast.

[mtechnica]

Thanks for the replies, it all sounds very encouraging. I think I'll build it up and put some miles on it. It definitely seems like a super nice frame and it seems like it will compliment my caad10 nicely, the tetra pro will probably be more comfortable for rides over 60 miles. I'm interested to see how it will feel on longer climbs.

[bart998]

I had a Tetra Pro years ago... sold to get something newer... sorry I did. Great riding frame.

[LegendRider]

I had a Tetra Pro back when the company was still known as CarbonFrames. It's been a long time since I rode it, but I can't help but think the front end would be less stiff than modern carbon frames.

I recall the small ring clearance issue. I used an XTR spindle and a World Class (if I recall correctly) bottom bracket - solved the problem.

I'd buy an old Tetra if it was painted in the Team Z colors.

[Wakatel_Luum]

My Tetra Pro was the same geometry as my Merlin Extralight if I remember correctly, not too twitchy or slow in feeling...somewhere in between...

I still struggle to understand why there are clearance issues with the inner chainring when on another bike I have swapped from a square taper to an outboard bearing Campagnolo chainset with no noticeable difference in clearance between the two?

[merckx]

I purchased a Tetra in 2002 and rode it hard for a couple of years. It had a super smooth ride. My only regret was that I got a 1" steerer rather than a 1 1/8" steerer that was available at the time. I would have appreciated a bit more stiffness at the front end.

[oldpotatoe]

Just got a too good to pass up deal on a clean one that's my size. Have a few questions though, some of which could be difficult to answer:

1.) How do these older ones with the threaded headset (mine has a CK at least) and EMS fork compare to the newer 1 1/8 ones as far as ride and handling?

2.) How does an older tetra pro compare to a modern CF racing frame as far as performance? What about frames from the same era like a c40? I have ridden it around a little bit and it seems to ride smoothly and feels nimble and efficient up hills. I don't have a lot of experience with CF bikes though.

3.) Apparently, drive side chainring clearance is an issue with these older ones that have an Italian BB. I'd like to put on a shimano hollowtech II crankset but I've heard mixed (mostly negative though) reports wrt outboard bearing bottom brackets working because of lack of chainline adjustment. They do make 2.5mm spacers for hollowtech 2 cranks though. Thoughts on the matter would be appreciated. The cranks it has are OK but I don't think I want them long term, I'm worried about breaking them.

I've been wanting a carbon frame for some time, but I'm not entirely convinced that this could be a long term solution since I want a full on racing frame. On the other hand, it has a good reputation and seemed to ride nicely. Even with the older parts it feels like it only weighs around 17lbs. I'm considering building it with the parts that are on my steel bike and riding it for a while. The frame is in nice condition and based on the components I'd guess that it hasn't been ridden very much.

Sold a lot of these. Craig's issue was he refused to ovalize the chainstays, resulting in small ring clearance issues on the ones with Italian BB shells. SO, when I sold one, I always had to spec it with a BB with a longer than 102mm BB spindle for Campag, a longer than called for BB for shimano(square taper days). If Octalink, it could be a real issue..either spacers under RH cup or triple BB, which made for a really crappy chainline.

He 'evolved' to a English threaded BB but offset it to the right, to again, get the clearance of his round stays. The people that had these said they rided great. I had him make me a Luna fixed bike, liked it, didn't like fixie, sold it.

[mtechnica]

Sold a lot of these. Craig's issue was he refused to ovalize the chainstays, resulting in small ring clearance issues on the ones with Italian BB shells. SO, when I sold one, I always had to spec it with a BB with a longer than 102mm BB spindle for Campag, a longer than called for BB for shimano(square taper days). If Octalink, it could be a real issue..either spacers under RH cup or triple BB, which made for a really crappy chainline.

He 'evolved' to a English threaded BB but offset it to the right, to again, get the clearance of his round stays. The people that had these said they rided great. I had him make me a Luna fixed bike, liked it, didn't like fixie, sold it.

thanks for the info. I wonder if a hollowtech 2 crankset with spacers between the cup and frame would fit, apparently you have to space them out for some mountain bike frames but I'm worried the nds crank arm would be pushed back too far from the main crank spindle. Anyhow it has topline cranks right now.

[oldpotatoe]

thanks for the info. I wonder if a hollowtech 2 crankset with spacers between the cup and frame would fit, apparently you have to space them out for some mountain bike frames but I'm worried the nds crank arm would be pushed back too far from the main crank spindle. Anyhow it has topline cranks right now.

For the road cranks, it wouldn't because it's based on a certain BB shell width, and adding spacers under a cup will not allow the LH crank arm to engage all of the spindle. Mountain bike frames for mountain cranks..68/73/E-clamp front der type stuff. Square taper cranks the easiest to deal with.

[pdmtong]

I would caution against implying anything about modern carbon frames based on your soon to be experience with an older tetra. those frames had their day, but those days are long past. you have a frame which some love, others less so. I am in the latter camp and a previous owner. again it was good at the time. 15 years ago in carbon is generations ago.

if it turns out you love it, then score! but, if you are riding and thinking this isn't anything more special than my other bikes, then find a more modern fram and repeat the experiment

[mtechnica]

Following up...

Well I took it on a short (30 mi) ride to see how it is. It fits really well so it has that going for it.
Besides that, the front end (with a threadless adapter) definitely isn't as stiff as a bike with a 1 1/8 full carbon fork IMO. It would be interesting to go to a 1" threadless to save weight and see if it feels better if I keep it for the long run. The front end stiffness wasn't worryingly bad or even as bad as a vintage steel bike though.
It felt efficient while climbing. It didn't feel as sluggish as any steel bikes I've had. When really cranking hard while standing the lack of stiffness was noticeable compared to my caad10 but it's hard to say exactly what the cause of that was (cranks, wheels?).
Overall it was very comfortable, the bike disappeared beneath me as they say, and I didn't really think about it much while riding. Handling was stable and maybe on the conservative side of racey. Ride quality is very smooth, among the best I've experienced.
I think there's still a modern carbon race bike in the future, but in the meanwhile this seems like it will be a nice secondary road bike for longer rides, I wasn't really enjoying my steel bike so much lately.

http://i.imgur.com/sQgep2V.gif

(it looks a bit black in the picture but it's actually green, especially in the sun)

[mhespenheide]

I really like the looks of that. The green/red/silver/black works well, in a way that I wouldn't have expected (particularly for the green/red details).

Are those Cook Brothers Cranks? Whether they are, or are something else, they look like some of the 90's CNC cranks. Lightweight, but that's likely some of the flex that you're feeling.

[CPP]

That bike looks the cat's pijamas!
Maybe some different wheels? What's the crank?

[mtechnica]

The cranks are toplines. They are definitely a bit spindly. :help:

[onomic]

Those top line crank sure are pretty, I always wanted a pair until I saw a friend snap one of his in a criterium during a full on sprint:(. I'm sure that's where you're feeling some flex.
I have a lemond made by Calfee and I rode and raced it until I drove it into the garage several years ago. Sent it in to Craig and it was repairable but decided to upgrade to a parlee z5. honestly I still miss riding the calfee, it had a much smoother feel over rough roads and my times on courses and hill climbs that I track have not been any faster on the parlee, up or down. I don't think a little lack of front end stiffness will slow you down any. I actually feel the opposite, the stiffness of the parlee seems to throw me off my lines when hitting bumps in the road while going fast, the calfee seemed to eat it up and stay right on the line, I've never descended any bike faster than my old calfee and it had the kestrel fork as well. Have fun with it, it will last you forever if you don't drive it into the garage, mine ripped the rack right off the car. I had to search with a loop to find the damage and all I found was a little hairline crack near the seat tube top tube junction, they are built well. Almost forgot, I ran a 108mm Phil wood bb with a dura ace 7410 crankset it was perfect, but the standard 103mm didn't clear the chain stay.
The bike looks beautiful, you found a gem, enjoy!