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#16
07-31-2021, 08:11 PM
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Present: Cervelo Aspero (GRX Di2)
Past: Mosaic GT-2 (Force 1) Interesting story how I got here. Rode my Moots Compact for a while (still have it), but with the stay at home situation last year, it turned into a full time trainer bike. As the orders were lifted, the Moots stayed on the trainer while I used the Mosaic outdoors on both mixed gravel/road rides and pure road rides. On the road rides, the Mosaic's geometry was too lax. I'd also always wanted to try out a carbon road bike (my only carbon bike up to that point is my MTB). I decided to find a bike that has a road-like/aggressive geometry yet have sufficient tire clearance for larger gravel tires. After doing some research, I had narrowed it down to the Cervelo Aspero, Factor LS, or Open UP. The geometry was close enough on all of them, but ultimately decided on the Aspero. What also won me over was the teal/green color of the early models. This bike is fantastic. Noticeably stiffer when I put the hammer down, yet relatively smooth on the road (probably from the tire volume). Off road, it's noticeably more jarring though. No creaks (touch wood) from the BB yet, but it's a thread together style so occurrences should be low. It did build up heavier than expected however; pretty much the same weight as the GT-2. This is also my first bike with an electronic group. Routing the E-wires was easier than expected. I was on the fence with GRX vs. Ultegra/DA Di2 levers, but I'm glad I went with the GRX. They are extremely comfortable. Hand position is a bit more limited (bit more awkward to grasp the hoods for an aero position). All-in-all I'm a huge fan. At some point I'll either get a second wheelset with ~30mm tires mounted or just switch to something like 38mm smooth GKs.  
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#17
07-31-2021, 08:18 PM
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2021 Emonda SLR
Frame up build but very similar to a stock SLR7. 8070 Group Pro Vibe carbon bars Bontrager Pro Stem Hed Ardennes SL+ wheels with Pirelli Race TLR tires (set up tubeless) Romin Evo Saddle Group was sourced here and has about 400mi on it. Full build has less than a mile on it (one round the block test ride). It's been built for months but I've been too busy to ride  Still needs a bunch of fit fine tuning as well.
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#18
07-31-2021, 09:23 PM
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#19
07-31-2021, 10:30 PM
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2021 Specialized Roubaix Expert. First carbon bike ever for me. I've mostly been a one-bike guy: have owned a Serotta Concours since 2002. Had a few steel frames come in and out of my life (Rivendell Ramboullet, for instance), but Serotta was really it. Then I got hit by a pickup, and insurance offered a chance to go disc brakes/wider tires/11 speed/electronic shifting, etc.
I've had it now for about a month and I'm psyched. I thought ti was smooth, but this is like a magic carpet. Goes uphill faster also, even though it is heavier than my Serotta. I suppose I may not appreciate the nuances between this and really high-end bikes, but I'm loving my new carbon.
__________________
Just some guy on the internet
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#20
07-31-2021, 10:38 PM
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__________________
Livin’ the dream ( just like Mike )
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#21
07-31-2021, 11:36 PM
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Those are hard to find - and spendy! The Canyon/Ergonomic post on there actually has decent flex too. Glad you’re loving the Endurace. I’m probably getting another.. but it’s not gonna be as pretty as the red tinted. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Io non posso vivere senza la mia strada e la mia bici -- DP
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#22
08-01-2021, 07:06 AM
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#23
08-01-2021, 07:25 AM
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 That's one sweet looking ride.
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#24
08-01-2021, 10:14 AM
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In the meantime, I've been riding my (almost) 20-year-old C40 over the past week after a year-long hiatus. It still rides exceptionally nice... Texbike
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#25
08-01-2021, 11:49 AM
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And yes, I am totally digging the Endurace. The build quality is amazing as well as the fit and finish. I’m also loving it as it’s totally motivated me to get back on an acoustic bike after my pacemaker implant and riding my electric bike.
__________________
Livin’ the dream ( just like Mike )
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#26
08-01-2021, 06:44 PM
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It's really too bad Covid sucked the fun out of literally everything, and I dont know what the current landscape looks like, but I have to say that when travelling, renting modern bikes is always an eye opener. Specialized in particular - always sure to impress. For me, their stock road geometry just works for me and renting a top end modern bike from them is always a treat.
Rapha used to work with Canyon and offer loaner bikes out of their clubhouses. top end shops usually have demo fleets of the good stuff to entice buyers into taking the plunge that can usually be borrowed for a fee. i encourage anyone on the fence about buying something cutting edge to go find one to rent for a weekend either home or abroad, and test 'em out. it's a good way to see what's up.
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http://less-than-epic.blogspot.com/
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#27
08-02-2021, 12:23 AM
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I will play - Got back into mtb a few years back, so jumped from a 26 inch hardtail to an s-works epic 29er. Its like a completely different sport, the performance of new mtb tech is amazing! The delta between old and new mtbs blows away similar comparisons on the road.
Anyway, hooray for modern wonder bikes!
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#28
08-02-2021, 09:31 AM
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That works.. The latest s-works seems to be a huge leap forward in tech. I’d love to try one someday. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Io non posso vivere senza la mia strada e la mia bici -- DP
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#30
08-02-2021, 10:41 AM
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to my eye, the modern-day, production carbon fiber road bicycle is just about the most idiotic looking thing imaginable. i think design teams really had to work overtime. lack of external cabling (at the very least, running from the handle bars to the ports in the top/down tubes), dropped seat stays and seatpost/binder mechanisms, head tube/stem junction area that accommodates the internal routing, and the lack of any creativity in paint schemes are big culprits
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). And the first time I've paid close to retail for a top-o-the-line setup. It handles great. The wheels are more impervious to cross-winds than any others I've ridden. The brakes are great. Shifting is flawless and crisp. And it's just fun to flog. In fact, I like it so much imma cut the steerer!
Linear Mode
