mdeeds71
08-02-2007, 11:13 PM
It has been since the 11th of July that I have been riding my Meivici. Over the period of this time I come to see the everyday riding ability of this bike. First off, I cannot say that it is the best bike on the market...but I can say it is the best riding bike I currently own and have ridden. I cannot say that it is the best bargain on the market...but I did get a bike that measures up to the price and the expectations that I had. If I could would I like to change a few things...probably a shorter wheelbase but that may compromise enjoying longer times on the rides...a shorter head tube, but that may affect how I feal the current level of comfort. So I guess you can say, nor I will say that this IS a great bike for me and how I ride. Now for the report.
We will first say that the bike much like my first report on it, is solid and well constructed. I like the fact that I actually have a LUGGED frame, but of carbon. I really believe the inherent stiffeness and solid feeling of this frame as built is related to those lugs. After nearly 650 miles and various riding routes and conditions, yes to include rain and the storm I got caught in, the bike still feels just as solid even with, well, a break in of sorts.
I have tweeked my seat position up a bit from my hors and CDA fittings and seems that it is working for me currently. The first few rides were short from 1 to 1.2 hours and about 15-25 miles ranging from flats to rolling hills to 18% climbs. The bike rides very smooth and comfortable with a nice verticle compliance when doing a very easy low HR based ride. Once up to a good cadence the frame seems to reflect the actions of my legs into a steady state motion of forward progress that appears more gentle on me than that of my other two. When pressed into a tempo ride on the same flats it accelerates easy and once up to speed wants to stay there. Changing tempo takes very little energy out of my legs to get the cranks and subsequently the bike into a new rythme. I attribute that to the stiffness of both the cranks and the chainstays but this means nothing if the rear triangle is not suited to the rider and this one seems to be right on for me (178 on weight).
I spend quite a bit of time on hills from the usual rollers to nice quad burning 40 rpm cadence grinders (read 18-21%). This is where I see some of the best qualities over my other two bikes. Now the rear is farther back than the other two making me skepticle of the climbing of this over my CDA that has shorter stays...but again the rear triangle takes more efficient use of my energy than that of my steel CDA and I firmly believe and feel that the Meivici delivers more efiiciently to the rear wheel for climbing, even with the extra length in the stays. I find that I can stay seated more often and realize a more efficient stroke than that to unseated climbing (it can sprint uphill out of the saddle more capable than anything I have ridden as well). I am also using smaller cogs on these climbs. I am able again to change the tempo of my cadence in a climb easily without jeopardizing the line I am traveling thus equating to better overall climbing. This bike makes what was difficult on the CDA, near impossible on the Hors, into an acceptable training route for my hill workouts.
Now for the express elevator down. This bike does not decend like a hors...nor does anything else I have ridden. But this bike does nail a fast line and give you razor crisp handling at speed. Where the hors would smooth the road, the Meivici rolls over it with a sure footedness that rivals the best sportscar handling (i.e. Porsche, Ferrari, BMW) that I have driven or owned. I have picked lines at 40 plus and changed up in mid turn to tighten or loosen and the bike just reponds brilliantly if not hypnoticaly. This is suprising since the wheelbase on mine is at 101 cm. It acts as if it is 98 or so in its handling but the verticle compliance tells you it is longer. So am I comfident that I can make the old Nor Cal high speed decents like I use to on my Hors with confidence? Emphatically yes!..I would even say I would push it harder since it responds more readily. I guess it is like the Mercedes/cadillac dipped in rubber dampening (Hors) to a rally/sports car (Meivici). One is for comfort and the other is for pure out exhilleration.
Now for all day comfort...The Meivici as I said earlier does have a nice verticle compliance. To best sum it up I went out with th intentions of a two and half hour ride...got lost (Rangers really dont get lost just mis-oriented)...and ended up four hours in saddle unexpectedly. When I dismounted I felt not wore out rather satisfied with a good solid, enjoyable ride, that had energy to ride again in the evening. This bike does not punish you over time like a rigid stiff frame might be expected to do. It actually rewards you with more energy to keep going. Could it hold for a century or double...yes! Is it as comfortable as a classic steel...well that would depend more on how you set your seat up and tires. But for the forum members out there now problem on those types of rides.
So what have I done with it...well lots of miles, short and long rides, hills, and flats...did I mention 18%-20% hills on a regular basisi!...tempo and relaxed rides and a few training crits. It perform above my expectations in all areas and definetly can replace a 3 bike stable down to one. Yes, I did say it does replace the Hors but mind you what goes down hill great needs to get up to the top of that hill without wasting you. This is where the Meivici shines. It goes up and comes down great with handling that will give you reassurance at all times. As for brake response...With carbon wheels and the Chorus brakes it deccelerates great. I used to get a chattering on both the CDA and Hors (pulsing sometimes on the Hors) with the same set up. Now I am believing that the brake feeling on these has to do with frame build and stiffness as well. I can get the Meivici stopped more easily than the same set up on the Hors...no kidding here...as I have an intersection to stay well away from and it is marked with a sign that I start to apply braking at...I stop well short on this frame in comparison.
Fast, efficient, comfortable, and inspiring are the key words to describe this bike. Would I buy another one...Yes...but I would like to try the Attack first or even a HSG Carbon in similar size first and maybe get the better bargain out of those.
This is a great bike...its a keeper!
V/R
Mark
We will first say that the bike much like my first report on it, is solid and well constructed. I like the fact that I actually have a LUGGED frame, but of carbon. I really believe the inherent stiffeness and solid feeling of this frame as built is related to those lugs. After nearly 650 miles and various riding routes and conditions, yes to include rain and the storm I got caught in, the bike still feels just as solid even with, well, a break in of sorts.
I have tweeked my seat position up a bit from my hors and CDA fittings and seems that it is working for me currently. The first few rides were short from 1 to 1.2 hours and about 15-25 miles ranging from flats to rolling hills to 18% climbs. The bike rides very smooth and comfortable with a nice verticle compliance when doing a very easy low HR based ride. Once up to a good cadence the frame seems to reflect the actions of my legs into a steady state motion of forward progress that appears more gentle on me than that of my other two. When pressed into a tempo ride on the same flats it accelerates easy and once up to speed wants to stay there. Changing tempo takes very little energy out of my legs to get the cranks and subsequently the bike into a new rythme. I attribute that to the stiffness of both the cranks and the chainstays but this means nothing if the rear triangle is not suited to the rider and this one seems to be right on for me (178 on weight).
I spend quite a bit of time on hills from the usual rollers to nice quad burning 40 rpm cadence grinders (read 18-21%). This is where I see some of the best qualities over my other two bikes. Now the rear is farther back than the other two making me skepticle of the climbing of this over my CDA that has shorter stays...but again the rear triangle takes more efficient use of my energy than that of my steel CDA and I firmly believe and feel that the Meivici delivers more efiiciently to the rear wheel for climbing, even with the extra length in the stays. I find that I can stay seated more often and realize a more efficient stroke than that to unseated climbing (it can sprint uphill out of the saddle more capable than anything I have ridden as well). I am also using smaller cogs on these climbs. I am able again to change the tempo of my cadence in a climb easily without jeopardizing the line I am traveling thus equating to better overall climbing. This bike makes what was difficult on the CDA, near impossible on the Hors, into an acceptable training route for my hill workouts.
Now for the express elevator down. This bike does not decend like a hors...nor does anything else I have ridden. But this bike does nail a fast line and give you razor crisp handling at speed. Where the hors would smooth the road, the Meivici rolls over it with a sure footedness that rivals the best sportscar handling (i.e. Porsche, Ferrari, BMW) that I have driven or owned. I have picked lines at 40 plus and changed up in mid turn to tighten or loosen and the bike just reponds brilliantly if not hypnoticaly. This is suprising since the wheelbase on mine is at 101 cm. It acts as if it is 98 or so in its handling but the verticle compliance tells you it is longer. So am I comfident that I can make the old Nor Cal high speed decents like I use to on my Hors with confidence? Emphatically yes!..I would even say I would push it harder since it responds more readily. I guess it is like the Mercedes/cadillac dipped in rubber dampening (Hors) to a rally/sports car (Meivici). One is for comfort and the other is for pure out exhilleration.
Now for all day comfort...The Meivici as I said earlier does have a nice verticle compliance. To best sum it up I went out with th intentions of a two and half hour ride...got lost (Rangers really dont get lost just mis-oriented)...and ended up four hours in saddle unexpectedly. When I dismounted I felt not wore out rather satisfied with a good solid, enjoyable ride, that had energy to ride again in the evening. This bike does not punish you over time like a rigid stiff frame might be expected to do. It actually rewards you with more energy to keep going. Could it hold for a century or double...yes! Is it as comfortable as a classic steel...well that would depend more on how you set your seat up and tires. But for the forum members out there now problem on those types of rides.
So what have I done with it...well lots of miles, short and long rides, hills, and flats...did I mention 18%-20% hills on a regular basisi!...tempo and relaxed rides and a few training crits. It perform above my expectations in all areas and definetly can replace a 3 bike stable down to one. Yes, I did say it does replace the Hors but mind you what goes down hill great needs to get up to the top of that hill without wasting you. This is where the Meivici shines. It goes up and comes down great with handling that will give you reassurance at all times. As for brake response...With carbon wheels and the Chorus brakes it deccelerates great. I used to get a chattering on both the CDA and Hors (pulsing sometimes on the Hors) with the same set up. Now I am believing that the brake feeling on these has to do with frame build and stiffness as well. I can get the Meivici stopped more easily than the same set up on the Hors...no kidding here...as I have an intersection to stay well away from and it is marked with a sign that I start to apply braking at...I stop well short on this frame in comparison.
Fast, efficient, comfortable, and inspiring are the key words to describe this bike. Would I buy another one...Yes...but I would like to try the Attack first or even a HSG Carbon in similar size first and maybe get the better bargain out of those.
This is a great bike...its a keeper!
V/R
Mark