On Sun, Mar 15, 2009 at 11:52 AM, Tim McNamara <tim...@bitstream.net> wrote:
> > On Mar 14, 2009, at 10:43 PM, David Estes wrote: > > > On Sat, Mar 14, 2009 at 8:31 PM, Tim McNamara > > <tim...@bitstream.net> wrote: > > -snip- > > > > > > I might very well ride the 23 pound country bike, reckoning its > > greater robustness gives me a better chance to finish the race > > without mechanical problems or punctures, which'll get you dropped > > faster than anything and put you right out of contention. Of course, > > my "country bike" weighs 21-22 lbs and my race bike weighs about 19 > > 1/2 lbs, so there is really not much difference between them. Less > > than a couple of water bottles, and nobody grouses about their water > > bottles slowing them down. > > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ > > > > > > Tim, what is the difference in those two bikes? > > The main difference is the weight of the frame and forks, probably > some other places. The weights I gave were "back in the day." Most > of the components are now the same (literally, because the Campy > Chorus 9 sp that used to be on the race bike is now on the 'cross > bike; brakes, seatpost, saddle, bars and stem are different). I > haven't weighted the 'cross bike in its new configuration. > > The race bike is a custom-built-for-someone-else-about-my-size > Ritchey (fillet brazed throughout) that I bought in 1998 or 1999 and > built up with Campy Ergo. It is, without a doubt, the best handling > bike I have ever ridden. I dunno what it is that Tom Ritchey did > when he came up with his frame design, but's it is the perfect > balance of nimbleness and stability. It is built up now for the kind > of riding I do most of these days- fun rides! I haven't weighed in > in the new configuration, either. (Don't really care any more- I > don't measure my fun with a bike computer like I used to). > > The 'cross bike is a Gunnar Crosshairs (TIG'd) with a fork upgrade to > the W-ford 'cross fork (lugged) (BTW it's one of three Waterford- > built bikes in our house- my All-Rounder, my wife's Heron Road being > the other two; none of them are actually Waterford branded). Back > when I raced 'cross it was built up with Sun Tour Superbe Pro with an > Ultegra 6500 read wheel. I used Avocet 700 x 32 Duros on the road > and Ritchey 700 x 28 'cross tires for 'cross races; they were almost > exactly the same size. The Gunnar is very stable and rides well on > the pavement- maybe just a bit stodgy, actually, but it really comes > alive off-road. I also used it for a tour in the Alps in 2002 and a > brevet series and PBP attempt in 2003. > > http://www2.bitstream.net/~timmcn/alps2002-1.html<http://www2.bitstream.net/%7Etimmcn/alps2002-1.html> > > http://www2.bitstream.net/~timmcn/brevets-2003.html<http://www2.bitstream.net/%7Etimmcn/brevets-2003.html> > > I've never weighed the frames and forks of either bike, so I don't > know what the weight difference might be between them. The Ritchey > is built with what I recall is Tange Prestige quad butted tubing; the > Gunnar is built with Reynolds 853- I suspect this is pretty > conservatively spec'd given that it's intended for off-road racing. > The bare Ritchey frame and fork are very light in hand, the Gunnar > not particularly so. I can't imagine more than a pound's difference > between them, though- if even that, maybe more like 6-8 ounces. The > rest must have been in the components on the Gunnar- the heavier > Ultegra rear wheel, longer seat post, Dia-Compe cantis, etc. > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ > > I think it's pretty cool how they have similar builds, so when you jump on one it's has that "known" feeling to it. Not that huge a deal with riding, but pretty cool when it happens. I like the W-Ford builds, that's kinda' cool! Thanks for the info. -- Cheers, David Redlands, CA --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
