Build up a new bike or save for 2 weeks in French Alps ??????

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MichaelB
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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

OK, so I've been lucky enough to spend 2 weeks riding in the Dolomites & Alps in 2016, and even catch a stage of the 2016 TdF with a best mate.

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

Cyclophiliac
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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

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). :D
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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g-boaf
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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

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). :D
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.
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.
MichaelB wrote:Passo Fedaia
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.

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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

Go to the Alps. New bike in another year :)

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MichaelB
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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

g-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.
We stayed in Canazei when we went. :D Lago Fedaia was stunning. The descent down the steep side was great

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

Travel while you still can.
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

As we only get one life, I would tend tending to prioritise 'life experience' and things which contribute to this such as holidays and family events rather than possessions. But the local cycling is also joy and (and healthy) so it is hard because if you feel limited right now and a new bike can get you further, then it also comes with good arguments to consider that as well.

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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cyclotaur
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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

Have only ever bought 2 new bikes, plus a few 2nd hand ones and none with more than 105 groupset. The second hand bikes have been bought rough and maintained back to better nick and all sold for roughly what I paid for them. I owned one of them for 10 years and the other 2 for about 12-18 months each so they cost me nothing much, in real terms. Currently only have one newish bike (2017) and a 'spare' from 2011, plus a couple of extra wheelsets, which probably accounts for about $5k in capital altogether. My current stable would only be worth maybe $3k if I were to sell up.

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. :wink:
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Mububban
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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

I vote for the trip too :)
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MichaelB
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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

Yep, that’s what I thought.

Just hard having a nice frame set in the shed just sitting there begging to be used ...

LG
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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

Sell the frame set and go for longer!
LG = Low Gear

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MichaelB
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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

LG wrote:Sell the frame set and go for longer!
Can't do that. Long story there.

Also, have a wife and child, and would like to remain in their life :lol: :wink:

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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

Why are you asking us, unless you want confirmation that you should do the trip?
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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MichaelB
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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

Because I need to be reminded of the correct decision ....

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find_bruce
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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

You'll need some new undies for your trip
Image

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Mububban
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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

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 ...
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.

So take the trip and eventually I'm sure the bike will be resurrected somehow :)
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