Alloy vs carbon bits

muad_dib77

I have the option of changing seat post from a

one23 alloy to a 225g speedmax carbonfibre version

One23 SL 222 31.6X350mm Alloy With Micro Adjust
also
handlebars from a one23 alloy variant to a 220g carbon version.

One23 SL 6061 DB 31.8mm Matte Black

is there any point, is the one23 stuff good gear or is it a bit balls?

Another thing Im considering is getting a full carbon saddle, but are they not a bit hard on the jacksie?

Hail 2 Da Thief

Good luck trying to cycle it home after a crash! :P

muad_dib77

Hail 2 Da Thief wrote: »

Good luck trying to cycle it home after a crash! :P

I'll try not to crash.
but that IS actually a valid point.

Anybody else?

gman2k

The bars and seatpost are a handy way of saving a good few grammes with CF. (More so with the seatpost.
I'd steer clear of a full carbon saddle however, grammes saved here at the expense of comfort will be soon regretted. (Unless you are building an out and out weight weenie for show purposes)
The Selle Italia SLR is only 135g (advertised weight) and that has ti rails, and a CF shell with padding, and it's quite comfortable. The XP version is about 50g heavier AFAIK. - a bit more padding involved.
Getting back to handlebars - most manufacturers now say their bars should be replaced after a crash anyway even with no obvious damage.

muad_dib77

gman2k wrote: »

The bars and seatpost are a handy way of saving a good few grammes with CF. (More so with the seatpost.
I'd steer clear of a full carbon saddle however, grammes saved here at the expense of comfort will be soon regretted. (Unless you are building an out and out weight weenie for show purposes)
The Selle Italia SLR is only 135g (advertised weight) and that has ti rails, and a CF shell with padding, and it's quite comfortable. The XP version is about 50g heavier AFAIK. - a bit more padding involved.
Getting back to handlebars - most manufacturers now say their bars should be replaced after a crash anyway even with no obvious damage.

Super, thanks for that.
I did think the saddle might be a step too far - I'd probably end up having to use more padding, creams and lotion on my backside.

Will do my very best to avoid crashing by the way - as far as I remember it's not at all pleasant.

Lemag

I've got a barely used Selle Italia SLR C64 which I'd be interested in selling. I could take pics and send them to you if you'd be interested.

kumate_champ07

I have Oval alu bars that weigh just over 220g, carbon bars are still controversial

225g is also easily achievable with alu seatposts

Lemag

kumate_champ07 wrote: »

225g is also easily achievable with alu seatposts

OP's seatpost is oversized. I'd imagine it'd be fairly hard/impossible to find a suitable alu seatpost around the 225g mark unless the OP intended to use very little of it and cut the rest off.

If weight weenieism is what you're after OP another way to shave off upwards of 100g would be to swap out your skewers for some titanium ones.

muad_dib77

I was trying to make up for adding a clip on tribar..

I've ordered carbon drophandles and the tribars.

Lemag - I'll check my saddle tomorrow and let you know if I'm looking to replace it. I dont have great expectations of it tbh looks like something you'd find on a childs bike bought in Argos (imo).

Diet starts tomorrow - tonight I feast on Doritos while watching the American!

muad_dib77

Lemag wrote: »

If weight weenieism is what you're after OP another way to shave off upwards of 100g would be to swap out your skewers for some titanium ones.

The pins that sit through the hubs? Really? Must look into those, do you have a link handy?

Lemag

muad_dib77 wrote: »

The pins that sit through the hubs? Really? Must look into those, do you have a link handy?

Here and you should be able to find them available in plenty of online bike shops as well as ebay. I can't remember exactly how much lighter they were than the skewers which came with my Ksyrium SLs but I think that it was more than 100g.

Here's my C64 saddle -



It's as new pretty much. If you want more photos of it just PM me.

muad_dib77

Oh my.. that IS very pretty - seems a shame to sit on it!
Having just blown my wad getting the bike itself and ordering a couple of other bits I need to pace myself for a little while.
Also having used the bike a little now the standard saddle seems hard enough on my hoohoo even with padded bibs.
But if you still have it sitting about in a couple of months time I may get back to you.

Thank you v. much for all the sound advice.

blorg

muad_dib77 wrote: »

I was trying to make up for adding a clip on tribar..

I've ordered carbon drophandles and the tribars.

You need to make sure that the carbon bars you ordered are compatible with tribars- many (most) are not designed to have something clamped onto them. It needs to EXPLICITLY state that they are tribar compatible. Also make sure you invest in a torque wrench and use carbon assembly compound.

The lightest tribars you will get probably come in at 450-500g or so while carbon bars will save you 10-20g... also the sort of event you will use tribars in you probably won't see much benefit from the 10-20g saving on the bars. Carbon bars are mainly for aesthetics, stiffness and vibration damping IMO. Carbon bars do tend to be stiffer than lightweight alloy; I also think they do damp vibration in the drops although that could be all in my head.)

For weight savings, a waste of money. Minimal weight saving at maximal cost. Far more in the way of weight savings to be made elsewhere. Tyres and tubes among the cheapest, unless yours are very light already. Ultremo R1 are 180g and a good tyre... you can get 55g tubes but they are a hassle, the 75g ones however work well and are a good saving if yours are currently 100g or so.

Of course the rider is a bigger factor than any of this

pprendeville

What about carbon wrapped aluminium bars? Are these a waste of time also. Was considering getting carbon bars but this thread has put me off them.

gman2k

pprendeville wrote: »

What about carbon wrapped aluminium bars? Are these a waste of time also. Was considering getting carbon bars but this thread has put me off them.

They are purely for aesthetics. Same as carbon wrapped stems, seatposts, carbon effect handlebar tape, etc etc.
Get the real thing, spend the cash, keep the economy going!

muad_dib77

blorg wrote: »

You need to make sure that the carbon bars you ordered are compatible with tribars- many (most) are not designed to have something clamped onto them. It needs to EXPLICITLY state that they are tribar compatible. Also make sure you invest in a torque wrench and use carbon assembly compound.

I made sure to verify this before I placed the order, but thanks for pointing it out all the same.

Just out of interest - the carbon assembly compound, is that like a bonding agent?

blorg wrote: »

The lightest tribars you will get probably come in at 450-500g or so while carbon bars will save you 10-20g... also the sort of event you will use tribars in you probably won't see much benefit from the 10-20g saving on the bars. Carbon bars are mainly for aesthetics, stiffness and vibration damping IMO. Carbon bars do tend to be stiffer than lightweight alloy; I also think they do damp vibration in the drops although that could be all in my head.)

For weight savings, a waste of money. Minimal weight saving at maximal cost. Far more in the way of weight savings to be made elsewhere. Tyres and tubes among the cheapest, unless yours are very light already. Ultremo R1 are 180g and a good tyre... you can get 55g tubes but they are a hassle, the 75g ones however work well and are a good saving if yours are currently 100g or so.

This far I'm only using the bike for non-events. Focus is on me getting used to it and making sure I stand a chance of not making a complete boob of myself the 1st time I meet up with other riders.
Tribars are fairly short, they're advertised at just under 400g - I'll weigh them when they land.
Good point about the tubes & tires - dont know what tubes are in there atm - I guess I might find out when I have my 1st puncture.

blorg wrote: »

Of course the rider is a bigger factor than any of this

Too true - working hard on weight loss and upping the fitness level with different activity during the week.

Cheers.

blorg

Carbon assembly compound is a gritty sort of paste that increases friction and lets you use less torque hence less risk of damage from clamping.

I have a pair of light/short tribars myself, they are too short to be of use on most courses. Try not to let weight be your only consideration in these things as it is really not that important and will cost you comfort and slow you down.

muad_dib77

blorg wrote: »

Carbon assembly compound is a gritty sort of paste that increases friction and lets you use less torque hence less risk of damage from clamping.

I have a pair of light/short tribars myself, they are too short to be of use on most courses. Try not to let weight be your only consideration in these things as it is really not that important and will cost you comfort and slow you down.

Makes sense.
The tribars I'm awaiting are the "control tech" ones. They look fairly short.
As for the seat post I read a few nasty things about carbon ones cracking and that the Thomson Masterpiece is the way to go.. so I did..

Now if the postie would just bust a move I'd be a happy camper.