After much deliberation and looking around I finally took the plunge and bought a bike at the weekend.

I though I was all set to buy a Planet X, Merlin Malt-R or a Ribble pro Evo, but to be honest 1 of the suppliers was not very helpful and the others I get were a bit misleading with spec or a bit “we don’t need to try and sell you a bike as they are such great value”.. Anyway I digress!

I had spied a Giant TCR composite 3 in Spokes in Dundee last year, I went in again this weekend to see the Defy bikes and noticed they still had it.. I asked the price and was told he could do it for £900… I was happy with that so bought it! Collect it on Saturday and can’t wait..

Although why does the Giant website and numerous retailers state it has 105 shifters and rear mech when it has Tiagra?

Anyway, glad I went into Spokes now, very happy with service and price and I’ll be there for future business. Can’t wait to get back on a bike.

Cracking frame for the money, it’ll be a good platform to upgrade in future…

Between you and me *** waits until STW is looking the other way *** road bikes are cooler.

Sounds like a good buy. Next, lycra and waxing.

Shibboleth – Member
Cracking frame for the money

Whoops! Poor choice of words…… 🙂

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/new-groupset-needed-warning-roadie-content

Yeah that’s what sold it for me.. Kind of future proofed with the frame. Wheels look much better that the pics aswell and feels a good weight.

Whispers.. I have the Lycra already… But I ain’t shaving.. No sirreeeeee!

Now.. Is it acceptable to just remove the peak from my MTB helmet or do I need to get a roadie specific one? I don’t know the rule on this matter.. I could do with a new helmet anyway mind you. The twist loc is a bit guffed.

First upgrade will be carbon bars..

do I need to get a roadie specific one?

Yes. You have to have all the correct kit for each bike. No crossovers. It’s the law.

Roadie helmet. Preferably colour coded to the bike and (better still) the brand of bike.

* is amazed that anyone can not know this rule *

So, my red and white-frame bike/blue LONG-PEAKED CAP/black Goretex top/olive-brown shorts/black leggings aren’t going to earn me any points, them? 😯 😆

So, my red and white-frame bike/blue LONG-PEAKED CAP/black Goretex top/olive-brown shorts/black leggings aren’t going to earn me any points, them?

How’s anyone going to know you’re riding a Colnago/Pinarello/Bianchi if you don’t brand yourself a in complementary colour scheme?

Suggest you repaint bike/acquire new roadie outfit prontissimo. 😉

First upgrade will be carbon bars..

To be honest, that would be my last upgrade (unless you don’t like the profile)… You’ll spot barely any discernible difference. The Giant ‘own brand’ bars and stem are perfectly adequate.

My advice would be to upgrade the shifters to minimum 105 and sell the Tiagra ones on ebay.

I’d also keep your eyes open for some 105 or Ultegra calipers – those Tektros are heavy as hell in comparison… They work fine though.

Is it acceptable to just remove the peak from my MTB helmet

Actually – a peak on a helmet when on a road bike can be a pain as you’re body position is lower down so may find you strain your neck trying to look up from under the peak. My neck’s stiff today from racing with a cap under my helmet on Sunday (it was snowing at one point)!

Don’t tell anyone but my helmet is actually a MTB one with the peak removed, luckily no-one has spotted it yet…

Enjoy the new bike!

It’s worth building up a relationship with John or Lee at Spokes, they will look after you very well if you give them the chance.

Very nice bikes them TCR’s.

I thought the brakes looked a bit bargaintastic…

I’ll keep the een peeled for some swish new brakes. I did have the roadie law rule book but I must have binned it..

I have seen a nice Met helmet that matches bike actually… Ha ha! Can’t have a white bike and a white helmet tho.. What would Gok say?

I think I’ll see what the have in stock on Saturday.. I need to make a confession tho… Promise you won’t be mad!!!!

I intend to ride it with Crank brother candy C pedals as I like the feel of them..

I think I’ll see what the have in stock on Saturday.. I need to make a confession tho… Promise you won’t be mad!!!!

I intend to ride it with Crank brother candy C pedals as I like the feel of them..

There’s just no helping some people! 😉

Actually, I sometimes ride my roadie wearing a beanie… that’s my confession. Worst of all, it’s green and my Bianchi is dark brown…

Worst of all, it’s green and my Bianchi is dark brown…

You have a brown Bianchi?! Now that is against the rules…

I’ll do that Munrobiker.. Cheers. Always been friendly when I have been in, carry decent stock and always seems to be an offer or 2 on the go. Will see what helmets they have in on Saturday.

You have a brown Bianchi?!

If it makes you feel any better, it’s really, really brown.

That was perfectly within roadie rules in the mid 1980s… My edition of the rulebook might be outdated…

How’s anyone going to know you’re riding a Colnago/Pinarello/Bianchi if you don’t brand yourself a in complementary colour scheme?

Don’t about you but my bike has “BIANCHI” on the downtube in super large letters and I only buy clothes with “CASTELLI” written on with equally large letters.

I try to add to the effect by greeting everyone with “ciao”.

Oh and my Bianchi is Brown also, modern brown carbon though. With Celeste highlights of course.

Holy beanie hats batman… Call the fashion police..

In my defence I did try road specific shoes and pedals.. But it is impossible to look anything other than like you have crapped yourself when walking in road shoes to get to the shop for a mars bar… Or snickers if your posh!

Don’t about you but my bike has “BIANCHI” on the downtube in super large letters and I only buy clothes with “CASTELLI” written on with equally large letters.

You’re presuming your audience is within reading distance and that’s a big presumption. I like to spread my style a little further afield. Plus, a gold BIANCHI on a dark brown frame isn’t visible to those further than 10 metres away.

PSA: BTW I notice you can buy hair removal cream at twice the price of Veet for Men at some bike stores. It does have a more Italian sounding name than Veet.

Not sure if that helps anyone.

Am I allowed to acknowledge mountain bikers when on my road bike? It was a public flogging and the fitting of a frame sandwich bag for a month last time I checked..

camo16 – Member
You’re presuming your audience is within reading distance and that’s a big presumption. I like to spread my style a little further afield. Plus, a gold BIANCHI on a dark brown frame isn’t visible to those further than 10 metres away.

Kryton57 – Member
With Celeste highlights of course.

You see where you went wrong don’t you 😉

How Italian is it?

If it’s proper Italian it sounds like a good investment.

You see where you went wrong don’t you

Damn my habit of only reading the first line of posts, my brown-frame-Bianchi-brother!

1981miked – Member
Am I allowed to acknowledge mountain bikers when on my road bike? It was a public flogging and the fitting of a frame sandwich bag for a month last time I checked..

Don’t be ridiculous.

I find copper grease does the job well enough… Just keep it away from the gentlman’s sausage!

Unless you enjoy coppers down there…

camo16 – Member
How Italian is it?

If it’s proper Italian it sounds like a good investment.

Its called Ozone by Elite. Pronounced “Ouzione” and “Eliteh!” of course.

Ok just thought I’d check.. Are water bottles still banned unless the ride is 3000 miles or more? I was told you had to take a mouthful of water at the start of the ride and it had to last you the duration… Resistance is futile and all that.

I heard all coppers were nympho maniacs anyway!!

You don’t need a water bottle unless your doing the Sunday “round the sun” loop. And if you have done that, you are at the very least metrosexual ( But not in an Italian Espresso quaffing way) and cannot achieve rule#9.

Top tip- as an ex-staff member of Spokes, they are the type of bike shops that will exponentially improve standards of service in return for cheap cakes from up the road.

God Damn.. So much has changed since my absence.
What is rule #9?

What happens if I get caught with a water bottle for say a quick 10 mile evening ride?

I have a trying really hard face already.. Was practicing at the weekend.. I grit my teeth and make my mouth wide (like Wallace), frown my eyebrows a bit and breath/spit through my teeth while grunting and saying “I am Cavendish” over and over.. I’m not by the way!… Oh and for added effort I may have a snotter blowing up my face to look like I was going really fast.

As in Goodfellow and Steven up the road or Gregg’s?

I’m not minted you know!! Nisa is next door and they sell Cafe Noir’s… Biscuits of champions them!

What is rule #9?

rule #9

Rules…

I hereby solemnly swear by almighty STW God (or TJ) to stick to all the rules.. I shall ensure these rules are upheld and policed in a strict but fair manner. Should I break a rule I shall wee in my own shoes and attack oneself with a set of borrowed bombers…

Good to see Spokes getting a thumbs up. Always been good with me in all three branches. Enjoy the new bike.

+1 for Spokes – thoroughly nice, honest chaps.

Bought a pair of shoes & pedals from them recently

Plus they finished of my ss build for me recently – top job boys 🙂