Build up a new bike or save for 2 weeks in French Alps ??????
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Build up a new bike or save for 2 weeks in French Alps ??????
Postby MichaelB » Sat Mar 31, 2018 3:03 pm
Trip of a lifetime. Rode some iconic climbs including Passo della Stelvio (from Prato), Cormet de Roseland, Passo Fedaia, Passo Pordoi, Muro di Sormano, did a lap of the 2009 WRRC course where Cadel won, and numerous non rated climbs and descents. Brilliant !!! Have some fantastic memories of the trip and NOTHING in Aus can compare.
Find myself now in a bit of a quandry. Have a warranty-ish replacement frame for my Volagi Liscio, and to get it going need a groupset, handlebars, and a PM (already have cranks & wheels) and the usual cables, bar tape etc. Would love R8070 groupset (can't seem to find one without cranks) or R785 (Di2), but may have to settle for R685. Maybe $3k required pending what groupset I snaffle.
Feeling torn as to whether to build up this bike (and make my current bike (Kenisis 4 Season Disc) the commuter bike and have the Volagi Liscio as the weekender 2nd bike, or save up again (target would be about $5.5k for 2 weeks incl airfares) to spend another 2 weeks in/around the Pyrenees or similar.
What would you do and why ?
Cheers
Michael
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Re: Build up a new bike or save for 2 weeks in French Alps ??????
Postby Cyclophiliac » Sat Mar 31, 2018 4:16 pm
In fact, I'm doing that in September, this time to spend 4 weeks cycling in the Pyrénées (French side).
Next year, it will probably be just the French Alps, and the year after that probably the Dolomites. Yes, I've been bitten by the Alpine bug, and there's no cure.
Good luck with the dilemma.
--- Victor.
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Re: Build up a new bike or save for 2 weeks in French Alps ??????
Postby g-boaf » Sat Mar 31, 2018 6:40 pm
Agree with you there, if the current bikes are good enough, why need to upgrade? If you are riding the Dolomites, do go down to Vipiteno, ride the Penserjoch and do the descent from there and head down to Brixen. One of the most incredible rides you can do. The roads and scenery are breathtaking.Cyclophiliac wrote:I'd head for the mountains again.
In fact, I'm doing that in September, this time to spend 4 weeks cycling in the Pyrénées (French side).
Next year, it will probably be just the French Alps, and the year after that probably the Dolomites. Yes, I've been bitten by the Alpine bug, and there's no cure.
Good luck with the dilemma.
--- Victor.
Enjoy - that's a very, very nice part of Italy. You go through those tunnels cut into the hills, and the lake is out to the right. If you are near Canazei, definitely do Valles too, that's a great one, Costalunga also has stunning scenery. You can do a loop with them all in a day, but it's some serious climbing.MichaelB wrote:Passo Fedaia
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Re: Build up a new bike or save for 2 weeks in French Alps ??????
Postby Arbuckle23 » Sat Mar 31, 2018 6:50 pm
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Re: Build up a new bike or save for 2 weeks in French Alps ??????
Postby MichaelB » Sat Mar 31, 2018 8:55 pm
We stayed in Canazei when we went. Lago Fedaia was stunning. The descent down the steep side was greatg-boaf wrote:
Enjoy - that's a very, very nice part of Italy. You go through those tunnels cut into the hills, and the lake is out to the right. If you are near Canazei, definitely do Valles too, that's a great one, Costalunga also has stunning scenery. You can do a loop with them all in a day, but it's some serious climbing.
With the two stages in the Giro last year, we saw where we stayed (one of the sprint points was just outside where we stayed) and the route followed part of the ride on Stelvio & Umbrail.
One of our best rides was from Lake Como, across by ferry, up to Montelcino and descent down into Switzerland, into Stabio , lap of the WRC and then back into Como. Some BRILLIANT scenery
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Re: Build up a new bike or save for 2 weeks in French Alps ??????
Postby MellerYeller » Sat Mar 31, 2018 9:39 pm
There will always be something newer and shinier around the corner.
Bikes will come and go but memories from a trip are of far greater value.
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Re: Build up a new bike or save for 2 weeks in French Alps ??????
Postby AUbicycles » Sun Apr 01, 2018 12:27 am
But for pure ownership - you will fare much better to start gathering relatively cheap collectable bikes. The cost less, they ensure that you aren't breaking the n+1 law of nature and you can still travel.
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Re: Build up a new bike or save for 2 weeks in French Alps ??????
Postby cyclotaur » Sun Apr 01, 2018 4:42 pm
But I'm off to my 4th euro trip in 2 months time. And every trip I've ridden some random hire bike anyway. Two of the trips have been soley for the cycling, and the other two have been/will be followed by extended travel with my non-cycling partner.
Take the trip.
My old blog - A bit of fun
"Riding, not racing...completing, not competing"
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Re: Build up a new bike or save for 2 weeks in French Alps ??????
Postby Mububban » Sun Apr 01, 2018 10:20 pm
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Re: Build up a new bike or save for 2 weeks in French Alps ??????
Postby MichaelB » Mon Apr 02, 2018 9:51 am
Just hard having a nice frame set in the shed just sitting there begging to be used ...
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Re: Build up a new bike or save for 2 weeks in French Alps ??????
Postby LG » Mon Apr 02, 2018 1:46 pm
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Re: Build up a new bike or save for 2 weeks in French Alps ??????
Postby MichaelB » Mon Apr 02, 2018 3:42 pm
Can't do that. Long story there.LG wrote:Sell the frame set and go for longer!
Also, have a wife and child, and would like to remain in their life
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Re: Build up a new bike or save for 2 weeks in French Alps ??????
Postby Sharkey » Mon Apr 02, 2018 5:37 pm
My wife and I are off to France in July. I will do a couple of rides in the Pyrenese before staying in Carcassonne for 5 days which includes the day the Tour finishes there and the rest day. We will then spend 5 days in Uzes, our favourite French town (might do Ventoux again) before getting back to Paris on the Saturday to see the finish on the Champs Elysee on Sunday.
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Re: Build up a new bike or save for 2 weeks in French Alps ??????
Postby MichaelB » Mon Apr 02, 2018 10:36 pm
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Re: Build up a new bike or save for 2 weeks in French Alps ??????
Postby find_bruce » Tue Apr 03, 2018 6:23 am
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Re: Build up a new bike or save for 2 weeks in French Alps ??????
Postby Mububban » Tue Apr 03, 2018 11:41 am
I voted for the trip because, let's be honest, over time chances are you'll find a way to rebuild that frameset, so you'll eventually get the bike back in your life, even with family and budgetary restrictions. But the chance to do one of these trips can be much harder to make happen.MichaelB wrote:Yep, that’s what I thought.
Just hard having a nice frame set in the shed just sitting there begging to be used ...
So take the trip and eventually I'm sure the bike will be resurrected somehow
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