old man yelling at clouds content

[bicycletricycle]

I think the 1k bill for wanting bars a bit higher/narrower/farther out is a bit much must be a shock to some.

Originally Posted by Philster

As has been said on here a couple times, people obviously like the look of hidden cables and I do, too. I don’t think these “normal” cyclists (or whatever you call people who spend that much) are poorly served, either. They have one bike and when it breaks, they take it to be fixed at a shop. Within the context of high end product, bike repair is cheap.

Personally, I draw the line at the one piece bar/stem. But even there, most riders that aren’t tinkerers probably don’t change their fit for years.

Maybe these new trends will save the bike shop. I would find it intimidating to buy one of these one piece cockpits online. The stakes for getting it wrong are high.

[flying]

Originally Posted by Geemalar

I have two rim brake frames with integrated cables through the frame but not through the stem. Looks clean, complete pia to replace cables on. So much that I fitted them both with electronic shifting. That at least eliminated some of the hassle of routing cables.

I never minded the internal frame cables for mechanical shift derailleurs. I always just use a length of that Campy inner cable sheath & tape it to the end of the old cable I'm replacing then pull it thru with the frame when I pull the cable out. Then I have that nice tube to slide the new cable thru

[bikeboy1]

I like the looks of the integrated bars and frames but I have no desire to route cables and hoses through a headtube. Two of my bikes have hoses or cables running through the frame and hoses or cables running through the bars with both running etap or AXS.
I just replaced a set of bars on a friends disc bike and the hoses that came out of the handlebars were pretty bent out of shape but I managed to save them by taking a heat gun to straighten them out with no damage. Thankfully they didnt go through the headtube or they would have been trashed I think.
I always liked the cables/hoses under the tape or through the bars if its not to cramped. I do like how Aurum run their hoses/cables out front of the headtube like a channel thats integrated as part of the headtube. It still looks clean and the headtube still has that aero look to it. The industry really needs to find a work around the headtube instead of through it. I hope to never have to work on an integrated headtube and so far not many in our club have such a frameset. Most are on rimbrakes.

[tootall]

I say yell away. To each their own, or not. For me, some of the integrated setups are too much. The unsightly stem/bar interfaces are definitely offputting. I think some of the intermediate level integrated systems, or semi integrated, are a happy medium and can maintain a pretty conventional aesthetic while completely or almost completely hiding the cables from sight.

[robt57]

Originally Posted by TimD

Apologies if I wasn't clear, the endurance geometry Domane works great for me.

Consider yourself fortunate that your body can tolerate handlebar drop. That might change over time.

If you're lucky you'll grow old too.

Tim

I 'll be 67 in May. So I don't know where the base line is for the conversation.

It wasn't unclear the Endurance works for you.


I too like the ultra clean look, can't lie. One reason I got into Di2 long while back.

[EB]

For a good demonstration on of how much of a pain in the a$$ these systems are, start watching this Gee Milner build video of the new Colnago gravel frame from about the 15 minute mark:

https://youtu.be/Ix2uwtZJzC8?si=Ml4gusnQlR6pUHLp

Now imagine undoing and redoing a lot of that work if you need to say, change your stem or raise your bars.

[dmitrik4]

Originally Posted by ridethecliche

I miss my track day miata.

Nothing beats being able to take a car almost completely apart and being able to put it back together in a tiny garage on a grad students budget.

Okay so my motor builds were a splurge and done by a machine shop...but still!

I did so much work on my autoX NA in the parking lot of my city apartment it wasn’t funny. I did a seat foamectomy while parked at the curb.

[charliedid]

Originally Posted by EB

For a good demonstration on of how much of a pain in the a$$ these systems are, start watching this Gee Milner build video of the new Colnago gravel frame from about the 15 minute mark:

https://youtu.be/Ix2uwtZJzC8?si=Ml4gusnQlR6pUHLp

Now imagine undoing and redoing a lot of that work if you need to say, change your stem or raise your bars.

In most cases the idea is that you already know and or will have determined where the bars need to go. No change needed.

[bikeboy1]

Originally Posted by EB

For a good demonstration on of how much of a pain in the a$$ these systems are, start watching this Gee Milner build video of the new Colnago gravel frame from about the 15 minute mark:

https://youtu.be/Ix2uwtZJzC8?si=Ml4gusnQlR6pUHLp

Now imagine undoing and redoing a lot of that work if you need to say, change your stem or raise your bars.

Seems like the front end of these bikes are the most time intensive work of the whole build anymore and Gee makes it look relatively easy. Thats a nice shop he is working out of. Just swapping out a set of bars is like starting all over again. Nice bike that is though.

[dgauthier]

"There is no reason to buy an integrated cockpit?"

[El Chaba]

I have to hand it to the industry. Just when you think that they may have run out of stupid ideas, they come up with something like the fully integrated cockpit with with hidden wires, hydraulic lines, transcontinental optical fiber lines and whatever. ( to get back to the cloud shouting…but I mean it)

[5oakterrace]

I think the bike world mirrors society. For some appearance matters - so we have a whole thread on matchy, matchy. That's fine. For others matchy, matchy is not so important. Full disclosure - I had cable housing of different colors and never noticed it. My bad.

For others the latest trend is important .... Or it is ease of maintenance.... For some cost is not an issue - or better put they are willing to pay for whatever it is they want.
The industry seeks to make a buck and that is the path it follows. It markets any way it can to get folks to buy. Some conclude the changes are worth it, others conclude differently. All is well.

At some level each of us finds our niche. Hopefully, we rest content where we land. And hopefully, we try not to use our landing spot as the lens through which we critique or judge others. If I am content where I am - good for me. If someone else is content with rim brakes, disc brakes, integrated stems, cable housing that matches or does not - fine. Find peace where you are at, with what works for you, what is in accord with your situation. Accept where others are. All will be well.

[weisan]

Originally Posted by 5oakterrace

I think the bike world mirrors society. For some appearance matters - so we have a whole thread on matchy, matchy. That's fine. For others matchy, matchy is not so important. Full disclosure - I had cable housing of different colors and never noticed it. My bad.

For others the latest trend is important .... Or it is ease of maintenance.... For some cost is not an issue - or better put they are willing to pay for whatever it is they want.
The industry seeks to make a buck and that is the path it follows. It markets any way it can to get folks to buy. Some conclude the changes are worth it, others conclude differently. All is well.

At some level each of us finds our niche. Hopefully, we rest content where we land. And hopefully, we try not to use our landing spot as the lens through which we critique or judge others. If I am content where I am - good for me. If someone else is content with rim brakes, disc brakes, integrated stems, cable housing that matches or does not - fine. Find peace where you are at, with what works for you, what is in accord with your situation. Accept where others are. All will be well.

oak pal, well said.

[NHAero]

Originally Posted by 5oakterrace

I think the bike world mirrors society. For some appearance matters - so we have a whole thread on matchy, matchy. That's fine. For others matchy, matchy is not so important. Full disclosure - I had cable housing of different colors and never noticed it. My bad.

For others the latest trend is important .... Or it is ease of maintenance.... For some cost is not an issue - or better put they are willing to pay for whatever it is they want.
The industry seeks to make a buck and that is the path it follows. It markets any way it can to get folks to buy. Some conclude the changes are worth it, others conclude differently. All is well.

At some level each of us finds our niche. Hopefully, we rest content where we land. And hopefully, we try not to use our landing spot as the lens through which we critique or judge others. If I am content where I am - good for me. If someone else is content with rim brakes, disc brakes, integrated stems, cable housing that matches or does not - fine. Find peace where you are at, with what works for you, what is in accord with your situation. Accept where others are. All will be well.

Nicely put. Gotta say I am baffled by the ad hominem acrimony that appears on this forum when at the end of the day we’re all here ‘cuz we love bikes. And we do influence each other, it’s not only the industry foisting change on us. You mention mis-matched housing- before I joined this forum I was definitely less attentive to dressing up my bikes. Never had any color but black bar tape and saddles, white plastic water bottles, black housing, etc. I revere the masters (Hai Ho I salute you) but find my own level of aesthetic endeavor to suit. This has cost money as well and is totally an indulgence

[krooj]

This vvv is the only acceptable integrated cockpit I've seen:



But this is a $12k frameset that's totally bespoke, so you can alter the HT on each frame to minimize use of spacers. In reality, most people end up with this travesty:



Then you combine the increased cost of maintenance with integration and it's just not worth it for 99% of people out there on road bikes. None of this really impacts me in any way, but it's fun to watch what marketing will toss out there next.