Spring Has Sprung

Just 3 weeks ago we had 2 feet of snow (deeper in the drifts).  This weekend its been bright and sunny, so the start of the "quick training ride before the family get up for their weekend breakfasts" has kicked off in earnest.

Loving the Infinito - such a pleasure to ride.

Here's the bike at the top of Moel Famau / Bwlch Pen Barras this morning:

A Wheely Weighty Issue

From a wheel perspective the Infinito came with:

Fulcrum Racing 7 rims and hub
Vittorio 700 x 23 white tread tyres
Unnamed inner tubes
Campagnolo Veloce 10 speed cassette

Infinito, as purchased

First ride suggested that the wheels weren't spinning up as well as I was used to on the via Nirone 7 that was fitted with a Xero wheelset (that seems to be no longer available in the UK).
Some hunting around t'Internet suggested that Pro Lite Bracciano wheels were getting good reviews in terms of value for money.  When I found a black set at High on Bikes with a £100 discount, the deal was done.

When they arrived I kitted them with:

Continental Gatorskin (puncture resistant) 700 x 23 tyres
Specialised inner tubes
Campagnolo Centaur 10 speed cassette

Here are the weights for comparison.

FRONT
Fulcrum = 1280g
Pro Lite = 1065g
Difference =  215g

REAR

Fulcrum = 1780g

Pro Lite = 1600g

Difference = 180g

 

That's a weigh saving of 395g - quite significant on an 8.5kg bike!  And no more poser white tread tyres either.

Infinito with Pro Lite wheels and Gatorskin tyres

Riding impressions to come.

What A Machiiiiine

... with apologies to Jeremy Clarkson (it's often you'll hear that eh?).

First 15 miles on the Infinito today - first time that I've been further than the end of the next street.

Bright, crisp, breezy, main roads dry with dusty salt, some of the single tracks had a damp and slippery surface.

Whilst I read bike reviews with some enthusiasm (but not very often), I'm pretty skeptical about how much different each bike rides.  I can see how an hybrid in aluminium can be different to a road bike in steel, but would a full carbon bike really ride that much differently to an aluminium main triangle with carbon forks and seats stays?  From the same manufacturer?  Both built as sportive bikes?  Surely the differences are going to be subtle?

So why bother buying a carbon framed bike if you're skeptical?  Well, I have to admit that I appreciate the technology (even if I think my riding isn't capable of exploiting it), the Via Nirone is now 10 years old and to be very honest, I like the idea of the pleasure of owning a really nice piece of kit that very much looks the part!

I headed off in the 3 deg bright sunshine and quickly started to enjoy riding on the road again - been concentrating on the mountain biking in the Winter weather, so although we're already 6 weeks into 2013, this was my first road ride of the year.  DIY pressures meant that I only had about an hour and a wee bit to spare towards the end of the afternoon, so it was going to be short but sweet - hopefully.  First out of the box is the long steady climb up from Mold through Gwernymynydd



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and whilst I could feel the bike was a bit lighter, it didn't feel particularly special.  But then this is about 3 minutes into my ride, and it takes longer than that to get some warmth into the legs.  On the downhill towards Loggerheads I started to notice some differences - the quietness (and that's weird because the Via Nirone isn't rattly or anything), the responsiveness of the steering (without being twitchy) and I was into top gear somewhat quicker than usual.


Hitting the short sharp climb up from Loggerheads towards Cilcain,



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and I find this one a bit easier than usual - in fact, rather than just getting on with the climb, I feel the need to attack it and find that when I push harder the bike goes up the climb that bit quicker, and when I stand up in the pedals it doesn't make a small difference to forward progress, it makes a major difference.  This road is also suffering somewhat from surface crumbling which revealed another benefit - the ride is incredibly comfortable compared to aluminium, very cushy for my aging frame.  Oh, and the next climb up into Cilcain village felt much shorter than usual, and out the other side I found myself attacking the downhills aggressively too.  What fun!

So there you go.  Very happy.  Or justifying another mid-life crisis.  You choose.