Built and set this up this evening after staying late at work...
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Just got to get out and ride it now! Well... Not now... Tomorrow maybe!
For those interested... Merida Scultura Comp 904, £1500 RRP, 105 running gear, Mavic Aksiums (though probably will be changed soon for something else), and it was only 8.3kg sans pedals on the scales at work! I've since changed the tyres from the slicks it came with to some Durano's, and the saddle to my trusty old Specialized one though. It's well over a kilo lighter than my old bike though, and hopefully should be quite a bit quicker!
coool.
enjoy.
go easy out there as well as the roads are slippery - especially for road bikes!
That looks quite tidy, but is the seatpost clamp on backwards?
Very nice. You can always look at those photos when you want to remember how good the bar tape looked 😉 My new black and white road frame is hiding in the attic till next spring 🙂
go easy out there as well as the roads are slippery - especially for road bikes!
Yeah, cheers don't worry. It's an upgrade rather than a first road bike, and hence also why I've changed the full slicks out for something with a little (albeit not very much) tread.
That looks quite tidy, but is the seatpost clamp on backwards?
I'll admit it does look slightly odd as it is, but the seatclamp is definitely on the right way round. Seat tube split is at the front of the tube.
Very nice. You can always look at those photos when you want to remember how good the bar tape looked
Hehe. As a bike shop mechanic (usually with pretty grubby hands) I'm forever cursing white bar tape! So I'm not in the slightest bit fussed by having it on this. That said, this is at least leatherette in finish so should be a bit hardier than the softer suede type car tapes. But yeah, white bar tape is pants! I scrubbed my hands 3 times this evening before I even pulled the protective wrapping off the bar tape to photo the bike, otherwise there would already be loads of black marks everywhere!
Here's what the bike looks like with the OEM blue tyres and white saddle...
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nice bikes there. i'm waiting for my tarmac to turn up (will be my first proper road bike). december 26th by all accounts (deep snow/arctic winds e.t.c by then 😆
That saddle must be uncomfortable, canted forward like that. Try canting it back by a couple of degrees.
Bang on if needs to be tilted that far forward it's the wrong saddle for you
Quite like the look but my road bikes are mostly black and white too. Slightly picky but the wired computer makes it look less clean
The saddle is dead level, at least to my eyes. Yet to tweak the position here and there (it's only set up roughly as I had just built the bike at this point, not even ridden it), but its pretty much where I want it.
Rode it the 4 miles to work this morning (wow, that far eh!) and probably set a new PB to get to work on it... But I would say that eh! First impressions are its responsive, handles very nicely, stiff in the right areas. But can't really tell a huge amount from such a short ride. Off out on it tonight after work...
Oh and yeah, wireless computer is on the list of to do's in the future, but I've pushed the boat out so far just getting this its gonna have to wait I'm afraid!
Other to do's include buying 105 SPD's and RO87 shoes, a MET Inferno road lid, and a nicer set of wheels. But that's all gonna have to wait so my MTB lid and pedals and shoes will do for now, as will the Aksiums.
Got 30 miles in on it last night after work... Very nice indeed it is too!
Already think I need to lower the front end further (RealMan would approve!) as it feels a touch high even though it's gone down 10mm already. Needs larger rubber spacer thingies in the STI's too as when in the drops, even with my quite long fingers, the levers are too much of a reach for particularly effective braking.