New frame - advice required on components

[Amy]

Yep, that's right, I've given in to the pressure and have a new frame waiting at Pearsons. It's an Enigma Echo titanium frame.

I have some idea of what I want on it (CAMPAG!), handlebars, saddle and the like. Huw's going to look into wheels once I know how much I can spend but I don't know what forks to have on front - apart from carbon. Anybody know any good makes, reasonably priced?

I shall now await the deluge of responses as everything is debated, discussed and argued over as you guys indugle yourselves in all the techy side of cycling

thank you in advance

[Andrew G]

Lovely bikes, have drooled over the enigma's when I've been to Pearson's.

My first proper bike (the Ambrosio) came with Ambrosio forks - I think they are the A8 ones which have an alu steerer, or the better bet would be the A7 (I think) which PVT has on his Pearson bike which has a carbon steerer.

They are really nice forks, handle very nicely and really stable. I'm not sure what the current ones they do are but they'd be worth a look as I don't think they would be that expensive. The forks on my GB are a very similar profile and also handle well so it would seem to be a good design.

I saw a fork review thingy in Cycling Plus a while ago but can't find it online, the best I can find is [url=http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/components/forks-rigid]this[/url]. Reynolds, Easton, and Look always seem to do well in tests but they may be a bit pricey.

Do you need a fork with mudguard eyes on it (just for Huw)?

[Jon H]

The bars are the bit you'll be in contact with, so it's worth looking around at different types (shape, width, drop and reach) to make sure you're comfortable on them and can reach the levers OK from all the usual hand positions. It's also nice to have forks, bars, stem & seatpost all from the same manufacturer and range so all the logos match and your bike looks suitably pimped. Apart from that decide on a budget and see what you can get for the money.

[Amy]

Hopefully Deda for girls bars are still available, I've been riding on them for ages with no problems, though there is more choice nowadays. As for the rest I am rather tied in to what I can have - I need the shortest handlebar stem going - not many make ones small enough for me - especially as I like to sit back on the bike.

I think the most important thing I need to decide on before I remove the bike from Pearson's is the forks.

thanks for the comments so far. Oh anybody know what the lowest geared Campag compact is?

[Andrew G]

Compact chainrings are normally 34/50 although you can also get 36/50 and 34/48 for Campag.
Cassettes go to a 13-29 (anything over a 26 biggest sprocket needs a medium/long cage but you should have that with the compact anyway).
So 34/29 is the lowest without going to custom cassettes I think - but that's a real granny gear.

I have a little used 13-29 Veloce cassette you can have if you want (and I can find it). I bought it for Italy last year when I went to the hills with standard chainrings and wanted to reduce the gearing a bit. It's only done a month or twos commuting either side before it came off. The jumps between gears is probably too wide for normal everyday use, with a compact particularly, but if you had a 12-25 for normal stuff you could stick granny on for the Alps etc.

[Dombo]

Easton forks are very good, I have had their carbon bars on my mtb for the last 5 years, and their wheels on my road bike. As to gears, the big jumps between the larger sprockets as you go more grannyish shouldn't be a problem - you want the smooth, one tooth jumps while spinning along fast, once you're toiling up an Alp or some other steep horror it's nice to have the bigger jumps as you change down. But then I am a relative newbie to road riding and have a triple.

[Jon H]

[quote="Andrew G"]... you could stick granny on for the Alps etc.

[Mike I]

When selecting any component, I think you should ask yourself these questions:

Can I afford it?

Will it cause me injury (including strains etc because it doesn't fit)?

Is it ugly (and let's face it, there's a whole load of gear out there that fails this test)?

Does its quality match or exceed my own abilities? Note: It doesn't matter if you buy stuff that's way better than you are, it just makes you look aspirational.

Was it hand crafted on a Tuscan hillside?

And remember, white bar-tape says 'I have a mechanic who cleans this beauty for me after every single ride'.

[Ian A4size]

I have a Reynolds forks on my ti bike, very nice looking (important), and they seem to be reliable- done the alps - the dolomites- 2 trips to majorca and 000's of k's round the surrey/kent area with them.

[Amy]

Thanks for all the info!

Guys, please note that as a girl I need granniest granny gear going. I get up hills by pedalling not sheer brute strength generally - I mean look at the difference between the riders in the Tour de France. Someone like Big Mig would use his strength to power up the hill while actual climbers would look like they were spinning.

What's the name of that women specific shop/online site? I want to look at the whole range of women specific bars (heck of a lot more than when I first had my blue Roberts). I think there's even women specific saddles that don't look like sofas but I've got a saddle similar to my current one so that's OK.

[Jon H]

[quote="Amy"]What's the name of that women specific shop/online site?

[Jon H]

Or possibly http://www.terrybicycles.com/

[Mike I]

I recall seeing a forum (possibly CTC, but I may be wrong, and I can't find it now) where a poster was being taken to task for using the term 'granny gear'. Apparently it's sexist and ageist .

Obviously, it's not as bad as having the Weight Weenies on your case, but don't say I didn't warn you...

[Andrew G]

Sorry Amy. According to the late great Sheldon, for you pedalling pleasure a 34/29 bottom gear would be the same as a 30/26 from a triple (on your Roberts?) on 700/23 tyres.
Not sure what the range of cassettes available is but I think Campag also used to do a 14/29 which would close the gaps a bit more if you don't think you'd need the 50/13 gear.

[Grahame]

[quote="Mike I"]When selecting any component, I think you should ask yourself these questions:

Was it hand crafted on a Tuscan hillside?