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Yesterday at the USPRO Championships in Philly, I noticed that the Treks on top of the USPS team car were fitted with the old octalink Dura Ace cranks, not the new ones (which are really sweet- I got a good look at them at the Shimano tent). Wonder why- I mean they were using the 2004 stuff at last years tour already.
It's because the new 7800 cranks are ugly...I wouldn't put that shit on my bike.
Yeah, I thought they were ugly at first too, but now that I've been able to get a good look at them, I kind of like them. Still not as pretty as the Record cranks, though.
There's a review in the current Velonews in which a couple of cracker jack mechanics discuss the pros and cons of the latest Record and Dura Ace gruppos. There was a sidebar on what these guys raced/trained on. I think there was some comment on the new Dura Ace crankset, but I forgot what it was.
I recently got a FSA carbon crank and love it.
I can't answer the crank question, but having Viva's avatar on the same page twice is really disturbing.
Press the Stop button on your browser (or hit the Escape key) and everything will be alright.Quote:
Originally posted by InspectorGadget
I can't answer the crank question, but having Viva's avatar on the same page twice is really disturbing.
My hero.Quote:
Originally posted by phUnk
Press the Stop button on your browser (or hit the Escape key) and everything will be alright.
What a computer JONG I must be. :rolleyes:
My avatar has suggested that possible reasons for the Posties eschewing the new 7800 cranks are: the thin big ring may be prone to failure under heavy (i.e., steep climbs or hard sprinting) loads and the new compression loaded bottom bracket design results in drag.
Hmm, Viva-cious, why wouldn't they have noticed that in the TdF last year?
I am sneakingly suspicious that this is Shimmy-ano's last-ditch effort to convince the laughing masses: No! Octalink is NOT an orphan standard - Look (uh) even Sugino is going to support it! ]
Maybe they did and that's why they're going back to what works better- I don't know. Isn't the Tour where the new gruppo was first unveiled last year?Quote:
Originally posted by cantunamunch
Hmm, Viva-cious, why wouldn't they have noticed that in the TdF last year? [/i]]
Indeedy, underneath the best, possibly strongest climber they could get.
I am not (yet) persuaded that it's a technical problem. I could be persuaded to think the reasoning is any of:
A) It might just make the lives of mechanics that much easier, especially if they're swopping out SRMs and compact doubles twice a week. (IS there a 7800 compact double?)
B) It might be good PR on Shimano's part, try to get Ritchey or whomever else onboard cruiseship OCTALINK before they inflict outboard bearing races and pseudo-cotters on 105.
C) 7800 as it stands might just be a marketing game holding action, until shift-by-electronics to match Campy's one.
Sorry to hijack, but that warrants a full-on trip report thread...Quote:
Originally posted by Plakespear
Yesterday at the USPRO Championships in Philly, I noticed...
Would love to hear the lowdown from a spectator's viewpoint -- the press reports are always too clinical in tone and don't really convey the full experience, I think.
Post pics, too, if'n you got any!
TR will be posted as soon as I get the film back from the lab tomorrow. Shot 2 rolls of film- should be at few good shots in there.Quote:
Originally posted by Innominatus
Sorry to hijack, but that warrants a full-on trip report thread...
Would love to hear the lowdown from a spectator's viewpoint -- the press reports are always too clinical in tone and don't really convey the full experience, I think.
Post pics, too, if'n you got any!