New Bike

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BigFoz
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Joined: 2 Jun 2011, 12:33pm

Re: New Bike

Post by BigFoz »

Do like that colour scheme. I've been playing ion the Mercian Bike Builder to configure my next bike (saving in progress), but hadn't tried that combination. Was looking at plum with cream highlights, but that looks at least as nice!
tatanab
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Re: New Bike

Post by tatanab »

Back in the late 1960s a clubmate of mine had those colours. I thought it looked elegant and understated. These days I suppose people would say retro. Still looks good to me.
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Spinners
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Re: New Bike

Post by Spinners »

Tonyf33 wrote:I very much approve of the colour scheme, big thumbs up from me, understated, simple and classy and the colour combination works great 8)


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Brucey
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Re: New Bike

Post by Brucey »

ah, but that is just the start! What colour are all the other bits going to be....? :shock: :shock:

cheers
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Heltor Chasca
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Re: New Bike

Post by Heltor Chasca »

Brucey wrote:ah, but that is just the start! What colour are all the other bits going to be....? :shock: :shock:

cheers


Urban camo of course [emoji41]
blinkered
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Re: New Bike

Post by blinkered »

Brucey wrote:ah, but that is just the start! What colour are all the other bits going to be....? :shock: :shock:

cheers


OMG i'd barely considered that!

Thanks :roll:

I don't really know where to start. Wheels and groupset are the biggies I guess. Which I suppose I will match as closely as possible to the grey with silver / alu components. Match the bar tape to the blue detailing.

This needs more thought.
blinkered
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Re: New Bike

Post by blinkered »

BigFoz wrote:Do like that colour scheme. I've been playing ion the Mercian Bike Builder to configure my next bike (saving in progress), but hadn't tried that combination. Was looking at plum with cream highlights, but that looks at least as nice!


Take a look at grey and gold I think that has the potential to look really good.

Also in case it helps with your planning Mercian have a 10 month wait for frames at the moment.
Brucey
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Re: New Bike

Post by Brucey »

661-Pete wrote: This discussion on sizing inspired me to do a quick check, seeing as it's some years since I bought myself a new bike and I'd forgotten what 'my' size was.

Well, I'm 1.73m tall (about 5'8") and my steel road bike, with drop bars and horizontal top tube, measures 57cm - at least, that's the measurement from centre of B/B spindle to top of seat tube (point where seat post emerges). Is that the correct way to state a frame size, these days? And what does one do with a frame with sloping top tube (as most road frames are these days)?

But my preferred frame size seems unduly large for my height, here, as compared with the choices of others on this thread. Am I doing something wrong?


My understanding is that (unless otherwise stated) a (say) 23" frame is implicitly a Centre to Top (CT) measurement whereas a (say) 57cm frame would be a Centre to Centre (CC) measurement. Which probably means your frame is 55.7cm or 22.5", or 57cm CT (or even 22" CC, but you don't often see that one).

The sloping top tube (STT) complicates things; hence the frame geometry may contain such items as 'VTT' (virtual top tube) and virtual/equivalent seat tube measurements, which are meant to guide you to a comparison with a frame with a horizontal top tube.

Frame sizes in the 22" to 23" range often vary more in top tube length between manufacturers than they do between these two sizes in any one brochure, and furthermore the amount of exposed seat pin (as well as the sloping top tube angle) is subject to the vagaries of fashion, just like ladies' hemlines. So I wouldn't get over-exercised about the exact frame size. I ride bikes with horizontal top tubes (HTT) that vary between about 21-1/2" and 23" and they all fit me just fine, despite the fact that I'm a bit fussy about position. However if you want to fit a particular model of rack, a frame fit pump, more bottles, or get certain handlebar height, the frame size might be important in ways that are not obvious.

So interestingly, in that kind of size frame you can choose a HTT frame with a rather short head tube or a STT with a head tube maybe up to about twice as long. The long head tube either lets you build the frame in lighter tubing or it stiffens the front end of the frame (for the same tube gauges) but not the fork depending on how you look at it. A ballpark figure for a bike with a nice fork and rim brakes is that about 1/3rd of the spring in the front end might come from the frame (flex in the top tube and the down tube) and the rest from the fork. When you make the head tube longer the frame gets stiffer (in the vertical plane vs fork loadings, but not otherwise) however the steerer flexes a fair bit more, because it is longer. It isn't perfectly clear what the net effect might be but the frame will feel different, usually flexier over the bumps, whenever the head tube gets longer. I think that many bikes with 1-1/8" steerer tubes, and oversize top tubes etc need all the help they can get in terms of unladen flex/comfort, even if they do handle loads with more aplomb.

cheers
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Brucey
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Re: New Bike

Post by Brucey »

blinkered wrote: ....This needs more thought.


it could keep you going for ages.... :wink:

cheers
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reohn2
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Re: New Bike

Post by reohn2 »

Brucey wrote:
blinkered wrote: ....This needs more thought.


it could keep you going for ages.... :wink:

cheers



10months at least! :wink:

PS,I couldn't wait that long for a new bike
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Vorpal
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Re: New Bike

Post by Vorpal »

blinkered wrote:
Brucey wrote:ah, but that is just the start! What colour are all the other bits going to be....? :shock: :shock:

cheers


OMG i'd barely considered that!

Thanks :roll:

I don't really know where to start. Wheels and groupset are the biggies I guess. Which I suppose I will match as closely as possible to the grey with silver / alu components. Match the bar tape to the blue detailing.

This needs more thought.

When I saw the gun metal gray and light blue, I imagined it with matching blue handle bar tape and cable sheaths. But I think either black or silvery will nice for other components.
“In some ways, it is easier to be a dissident, for then one is without responsibility.”
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al_yrpal
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Re: New Bike

Post by al_yrpal »

The colour scheme you have chosen looks classy IMO. Nicer than my brothers gaudy steed that I inherited.

Al

Imagethe Mercian by Al, on Flickr
Reuse, recycle, thus do your bit to save the planet.... Get stuff at auctions, Dump, Charity Shops, Facebook Marketplace, Ebay, Car Boots. Choose an Old House, and a Banger ..... And cycle as often as you can......
Ray
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Re: New Bike

Post by Ray »

al_yrpal wrote:The colour scheme you have chosen looks classy IMO. Nicer than my brothers gaudy steed that I inherited.

Al



Is your brother a barber?
Ray
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blinkered
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Re: New Bike

Post by blinkered »

Ray wrote:
al_yrpal wrote:The colour scheme you have chosen looks classy IMO. Nicer than my brothers gaudy steed that I inherited.

Al


Is your brother a barber?


I considered a barbers pole but felt it would look better with the bands.
blinkered
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Location: Nottingham

Re: New Bike

Post by blinkered »

reohn2 wrote:
Brucey wrote:
blinkered wrote: ....This needs more thought.


it could keep you going for ages.... :wink:

cheers



10months at least! :wink:

PS,I couldn't wait that long for a new bike


I know ... not sure how I am going to cope! It might give me time to get components together and find blue cabling.

I think they are trying to recruit but there can't be many people about with the right skills.
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