cleavel
10-20-2007, 03:19 AM
Hi All,
First I want to thank James @ Serotta for getting my new F3 fork to me so quickly. I had a very unexpected phone call from Kings Bike Store saying that my replacement fork had arrived. You may remember that the original F3 fork that came with my Attack had VERY little clearance between the flange on my Zipp 303 hub and the top of the Ti dropout. James was fairly certain that there wouldn't be a problem but he sensed my concern and promised me a new fork when they redesigned the dropout. Well, Serotta did and James did exactly what he promised and without further prodding from me, the fork, with plenty of clearance, arrived today. :)
What's even better, it arrived in time for me to use it at the season ending 80 mile point-to-point road race next week (Baker, CA to Death Valley). :D
I've ridden the bike 3 ( :eek: ) times now for a total of 135 miles. I would have ridden it more if I'd gotten it during the height of the racing season but I have a long standing, self-imposed rule of not training on my race bike more than I race it. Otherwise, why would it be my race bike? :D
So far I've been able to ride it on a fast group ride on the flats and I got to do a bit of climbing (4,600 ft) on it last Sunday. As I noted after its maiden voyage, its ride is what strikes me most. It is smooth almost to a fault. Yet it still communicates what the road is doing.
Climbing is very impressive. In the saddle on steeper sects, the front wheel stays down and the bottom bracket is solid. Out of the saddle the bike's stability and bottom bracket stiffness continue.
Descending was also very good. Handling characteristics are on the slow side of neutral. Very confidence inspiring but not in the instant response category. Put the bike into a corner and it sticks. I will say that cornering on clinchers (haven't ridden it with tubulars yet) is much more "consistent" than any other bike that I've ridden. I don't feel the transition in the sidewall shape and grip that I normally feel (and dislike).
I am still very interested in trying it out in a criterium and I may have to do a simulated crit before I ride it in anger next spring. I can hardly wait to ride it in it's first road race next weekend. :)
First I want to thank James @ Serotta for getting my new F3 fork to me so quickly. I had a very unexpected phone call from Kings Bike Store saying that my replacement fork had arrived. You may remember that the original F3 fork that came with my Attack had VERY little clearance between the flange on my Zipp 303 hub and the top of the Ti dropout. James was fairly certain that there wouldn't be a problem but he sensed my concern and promised me a new fork when they redesigned the dropout. Well, Serotta did and James did exactly what he promised and without further prodding from me, the fork, with plenty of clearance, arrived today. :)
What's even better, it arrived in time for me to use it at the season ending 80 mile point-to-point road race next week (Baker, CA to Death Valley). :D
I've ridden the bike 3 ( :eek: ) times now for a total of 135 miles. I would have ridden it more if I'd gotten it during the height of the racing season but I have a long standing, self-imposed rule of not training on my race bike more than I race it. Otherwise, why would it be my race bike? :D
So far I've been able to ride it on a fast group ride on the flats and I got to do a bit of climbing (4,600 ft) on it last Sunday. As I noted after its maiden voyage, its ride is what strikes me most. It is smooth almost to a fault. Yet it still communicates what the road is doing.
Climbing is very impressive. In the saddle on steeper sects, the front wheel stays down and the bottom bracket is solid. Out of the saddle the bike's stability and bottom bracket stiffness continue.
Descending was also very good. Handling characteristics are on the slow side of neutral. Very confidence inspiring but not in the instant response category. Put the bike into a corner and it sticks. I will say that cornering on clinchers (haven't ridden it with tubulars yet) is much more "consistent" than any other bike that I've ridden. I don't feel the transition in the sidewall shape and grip that I normally feel (and dislike).
I am still very interested in trying it out in a criterium and I may have to do a simulated crit before I ride it in anger next spring. I can hardly wait to ride it in it's first road race next weekend. :)