Introducing Victoria....... (new wheels on Page 31)

[ash]

i'm so behind, but damn! thats a sweet looking bike pritch. Cant wait to see the updates.

ash

[pritchet74]

Thanks Ash - I am looking forward to it as well. If all goes to plan then I will have it all back together (mostly) by the end of September.

[j_imaizumi]

If you're going Di2, I'd stick with the Duraace brakes and for whats its worth, I think that you'll love the drivetrain as much as Madcow and I do. Keep us posted on any developments!

[pritchet74]

Di2 is installed & ready to go. The maiden voyage is scheduled for this evening with my son.

The new wheels will be here on Wednesday & the new bar & stem (Ritchey WCS Classic bar & a black 4-Axis stem) will be here Friday - SO, I whould have picks up Friday evening.

[dunlinii]

See now why would you say such a think on monday, its just mean

[pritchet74]

[slisk]

...and how is the "pocket change" fund for the brakes comin'

[pritchet74]

it's coming along. Madcow says he won't have some in till the end of October & by then it'll all be sorted out. It'll work out perfectly!

[pritchet74]

So after taking 3 weeks off the bike at the end of the season I got my 1st off-season ride in today. Also the 1st ride on Di2. Wow - I am in love. It's just so crisp, quiet, & works perfectly. The best part is the front derailleur - it's just so smooth & operates with no delay. For those of you old guys who used to use down-tube shifters you might understand what I am about to say. You see - I have used down tube shifters as both friction shifting & also indexed shifting - with friction shifting the shifts are just so quiet & smooth - it's like a proper strip tease that way. Indexed shifting is loud & just not as elegant. Going from SRAM Red to Di2 reminds me of going from indexed shifting to friction shifting in terms of elegance. Just so smooth & quiet. Highly recommended.

I have almost everything ready that I need to introduce Version 2.0 of Victoria - I just need to get some tires for the new Stinger 6's & also the new brakes. Right now I am using some "temporary" brakes so the bike it's photo ready.

I put on a new set of handlebars (Ritchey WCS Classic) last night & I have to say that I hate these bars. As soon as I finish typing this I am going to switch back to my old bars.

Oh ya - I have been using Bontrager bar tape the last few years - it's a cork style of tape & worked great. I had a set of Specialized bar tape though laying around & I put that on last night - WOW - really nice bar tape. Very stretchy, but it doesn't seem like it'll rip & it's very, very cushioned. For someone like me who doesn't ride without gloves this is a big plus.

[dunlinii]

SO, I whould have picks up Friday evening.

See now, I've just got home, its a Saturday evening/Sunday Morning, and I don't see pics. Your a bully.

[bouncintigger]

Awesome looking bike... you're making me consider the white hoods / black tape option for my red / black / white R3

[pritchet74]

Thanks! I really liked the white hoods as well.

Build update: I just got my new rear wheel - a clincher Hed 3 spoke. I know this is not going to be a decision by the masses, but I can live with that. I have always like the Hed 3 as a rear wheel - in the mid-90's I raced with a Specialized Tri-Spoke as a rear wheel for every race I did. I love it for many reasons & will use it as my daily rear wheel. Training, racing - everything. Fashion police my damned on this one. And before someone asks, the answer is "yes", I can race with it here in the US of A.

The Hookers arrive on Wednesday. Then just waiting for my front tire to arrive from FWB - then I can show the new build.

[Fibre-Lyte]

And before someone asks, the answer is "yes", I can race with it here in the US of A.

Ok, I'm going to ask, what's the story behind that statement? I've heard of the 'deep' Hed 3 being banned from certain races but only as a front. I thought the standard '3' was ok for all racing, especially on the rear?

[pritchet74]

The Hed 3-spoke isn't legal for mass start racing according to UCI rules. But the racing that I do isn't governed by UCI rules. Most Euro places & I believe Australia can't use that wheel for mass start racing.

[Juanmoretime]

Thanks! I really liked the white hoods as well.

Build update: I just got my new rear wheel - a clincher Hed 3 spoke. I know this is not going to be a decision by the masses, but I can live with that. I have always like the Hed 3 as a rear wheel - in the mid-90's I raced with a Specialized Tri-Spoke as a rear wheel for every race I did. I love it for many reasons & will use it as my daily rear wheel. Training, racing - everything. Fashion police my damned on this one. And before someone asks, the answer is "yes", I can race with it here in the US of A.

The Hookers arrive on Wednesday. Then just waiting for my front tire to arrive from FWB - then I can show the new build.

Glad you got the Hooker thing and now HED thing straightened out. Sounds like Victoria is turning into a tt bike.