Finally pulled the trigger for a Fierte IT

[fhernandez1960]

Well, I pulled the trigger.

Since 2002, I have been riding a Look Carbon KG281 full DA which I loved. The problem she did not love me. Not knowing much when I purchased the frame off ebay, I ended up with t 55.6 top tube frame. The problem is that I am 5.6 (under protest) with a 29 inseam. So needless to say I have not been comfortable in that bike when riding long miles.

Today, I put a deposit to start building a Fierte IT. I was torned about a stock bike but the store in the suburbs of Boston which is very well known in the Northeast assured me that they would be able to play with the available frame sizes + stem size and angle to get me close to a fit comparable that of a Custom frame.

Since Money is always an issue, I had to compromise on some areas which I hope to upgrade when time / mula permits. So here are the specs

Fierte IT 52cm
Ritchey wcs stem/bar/seatpost
Fulcrum Racing 5
Full Campi Chorus
The only thing I am keeping out of my old bike is my Aliante seat.

Thanks to this forum, I was able to read a lot of different points of view.

f.

[justinf]

You are gonna love that bike. Congratulations.

[davids]

...you will be very, very happy. Congrats!

[stevep]

great bike. nice fit will make a world of difference.
enjoy it.

[Smiley]

One of the BEST if not the BEST overlooked Gem in the Serotta line up. Congrats you've chose well.

[barry1021]

but you didn't do a hell of a lot of compromisin'!!!:beer:

have a feelin' you are getting your Serotta where I got mine :banana:

b21

[Javaman]

and don't forget to post pics as soon as you get it. Don't have one so I am truly envious :beer: :banana:

[fhernandez1960]

Thanks everyone. I cannot wait to get the bike in a week or so and go for the final fitting. When I meant compromise is that I am about $1k over my original budget but felt that some things are easier/cheaper to upgrade now than later such as the component group.

I did not want to come accross as boasting when I said that I was compromising on certain components. Trust me. I am "wickah" excited about this bike.

I am at a point where every additional $100 hurts. The "kit" the shop has put together includes the Fulcrum Racing 5 and the Ritchey WCS (bar/post/stem) and Cane Creek headset.

I do not know much about those components so for now I will ride them and If I am not satisfied then over the next year's overhaul I can do some upgrading.

Thanks again.

[stevep]

have a good first ride.
remember. for $8,000-$15,000 a year for required upgrades ( like microsoft stuff )
you can keep the thing going...
all the stuff you have is good stuff... many years of riding.

[FierteTi52]

Sounds like a nice build! Just my size too!
Jeff :beer:

[djg]

Hard to see the shortcuts here if the frame suits you--chorus is great, the wcs bars and stem are nice IMO, and you've got a good basic set of campy/fulcrum wheels. I haven't ridden any of the fulcrum wheelsets, but campagnolo's budget wheels over recent years have been good dependable wheels IME. At some point down the road, you might want a set of race wheels too, but for daily riding you could easily have spec'd the bike just the same way you've done even if you weren't particularly worried about cost. Have fun with it.