The 'Sora' Challenge

[Jason E]

We were talking the other day at my local shop about this Morgan Sperloch (sp?) fellow and his "30 Days" show.

Being a bike shop's back room, the conversation wandered and drifted and we came to following thought/question.

Could a serious and experienced rider, the type of person the rides D/A or Ult, or of course, Record or Chorus stand to hang up there bike and ride 30 days on a Sora equipped entry level bike? No deviation from their normal routine or milage.

Setting up parameters, we decided that the fit could be altered from stock. You could change the Stem and the Bar width, but not the quality of the components. As well, you could use the saddle of your choice and your own pedals.

We were thinking this would be a good way to know this end of the product line since most shop employees NEVER ride Sora. Also we thought it would be fun to beat the crap out of it while honestly trying to maintain it for either 30 days or some arbitrary milage amount (1500 miles, 2000 miles).

I know I'd not want to spend 2000 miles on a TREK 1000, but at the same time, the idea of this is/was interestesting to us as a group.

Thoughts on this, or how to make it more interesting? Not sure if anyone at the shop will do it, but if I buy them a 6 pack, it just may tip them over the edge.

We also discussed maybe allowing one day per week on their regular bike for the sake of sanity.

Thoughts?

[weiwentg]

it would take a lot more than a 6-pack for me to take you up. what are you offering? :)

[spiderlake]

I rode a Trek 1000 for years and survived. Everything stock except for the pedals. It can be done and with ease. I gave the bike to my brother when I got my Fierte and he is logging 100+ miles a week on it. There's nothing wrong with "entry" level. Perhaps a better experiment would be to ride a Walmart special for 30 days?!?

[shinomaster]

I'd do it...if it were winter and raining every day here in Oregon, and we were riding to a strip club. :beer:

[znfdl]

Currently I have 3 bikes.

Spectrum Ti with mostly Campy Record
Spectrum Fixie with Mostly Dura Ace
Lemond Propad with Shimano 105

I have no problem riding the Propad 3-4 days week on my commute to work, as the cranks go round and round and so do the wheels. :D My commute is 20 miles in each direction.

[JohnS]

Very few here ride up to the theoretical performance of our bikes, me included. It shouldn't be a problem.

[Jason E]

HA! Great answers. No, most of us do not live up to the theoretical potential of our equipment, but I think it was more so that we get used to a certain lifestyle/quality. :rolleyes:

Going on Sora for a few years and then going up is common. I think the harder part is going back to it after growing accustomed to the high end stuff. That's more what we were discussing.

Perhaps the Walmart Road bike is the better test!

[yeehawfactor]

in my experience the wheels are usually the first things to start having problems with the trek 1000 and other such bikes. any strong rider would put these wheels through hell, i can't imagine intervals and fast group rides and 5 hour days would do good things for their life expectancy.

[Rapid Tourist]

I recently mounted a centaur right shifter on my otherwise Campy record equipped road bike, and I can honestly say that I notice no difference in performance whatsoever. Could be a little more heavy, but who cares....

[Jason E]

I think this would be well below the 'Mirage' line, let alone Centaur.

Centaur is nice stuff.

[dirtdigger88]

30 days - no problem-

30 months- the Sora is dead- the "good" stuff isnt-

Jason

[Grant McLean]

30 months- the Sora is dead-

Jason

at that point, you take the cassette, chain, rings, derailleurs
and shifter off, convert it to a single speed,
and it beomes a winter bike...

g

[Jason E]

at that point, you take the cassette, chain, rings, derailleurs
and shifter off, convert it to a single speed,
and it beomes a winter bike...

g

Or build it up with D/A and some Zipps! :rolleyes:

[Birddog]

In my first cycling season. I rode a Huffy and put 2800 miles on that POS pile of gas pipe. Hell it wasn't even gas pipe quality. The frame broke about 2,000 miles into the year and I had it replaced under warranty. I think it was the drive side chainstay that broke, but I don't remember for sure. The point is, I rode the crap out of that bike and when I switched over to my new Giant with Shimano 100 group, I didn't notice that huge a difference other than the indexing. Of course I DID notice that I shaved about 10 lbs off the bike's weight and I felt a lot better about myself riding a "real" bike. I still have the bike, but now the drive train is mostly Ultegra, and I put about 75 miles a week on it.

Birddog