Colnago Master X-Light build - let it shine....

[open roader]

For those wanting to see avail. clearance with a 25mm tyre. I can adjust the axle back another 4.5mm into the dropouts and there is an acre of space under the brake calipers and inbetween the chainstays.

Avail clearance with FMB Paris Roubaix 25mm tyre

I have spare 1" spacers in polished alloy if you're interested, same as in the pic below. PM me your address and I'll drop one in the post

Cheers, I appreciate the offer, however i have one on the way already - still might trim the steerer............or go with a spacer..........

Beautiful looking bike and despite what I said elsewhere about the Master being the harshest riding bike I ever owned, you now have me thinking about finding another one and buildng it up.

Not a fan of those bars on it (but it is not my bike) and your SMP is set up wrong, but otherwise you have done a fantastic job.
I hope that you enjoy it, but if you dont and if it is a 58cm let me know.

Bars are not the prettiest but very close to my other bars and my hands can live with these shaped bars so they are IN..........

The harshest ride I've experienced was a 2010 Giant TCR Advanced frame bike. Buzz factory but uber stiff.

My SMP is set up 'just so' I have 4 bikes (3 road / 1 MTB)all with SMP saddles now, all 4 set slightly different to one another but this setting is where it's at for my undercarriage. How do you suggest a SMP is best set up?

[sumgy]

Put a lethe very back wing" on your saddlebackm back to front.
The curve of the nose should be approx 3 degrees lower than the back.

[open roader]

Put a lethe very back wing" on your saddlebackm back to front.

Not sure what you mean by this.

The curve of the nose should be approx 3 degrees lower than the back.

Yes, the nose does look too downward tilted compared to my other saddles. I simply need to get some miles on the bike and carry an allan key with me to fine tune it........

[singlespeedscott]

Where did you get the FMB tyres from?

[sumgy]

Sorry.
Stupid phone.
Place a level across the saddle from back to front with the level sitting on the very back of the saddle and the section of the saddle that starts to tilt down at the nose.
Adjust the saddle so that the front section is approximately 3-4 degrees lower than the back.

[open roader]

Where did you get the FMB tyres from?

Paul Larkin of Coherent Logistics http://www.coherentlogistics.com/home

[sumgy]

Like this:

[open roader]

Like this:

Gotcha - yes, I'm running my saddles closer to 5 degrees using this method. I began at perfect level with the other bikes and worked my way down in minor increments until I was sliding off the saddle, then back up to find both a comfortable and practical medium. I've still only ridden 34km on this bike - hardly enough milage to eliminate the stupid smile from my face let alone start thinking about how I feel in the saddle.

[sumgy]

You should feel like you are sitting in the saddle rather than on.

[open roader]

You should feel like you are sitting in the saddle rather than on.

I agree, hence swapping to SMP about 4 years ago after trialing Specialized Toupe for the best part of a year but finding it too 'plank like' - Fizik Arione felt even more 'plank like'........

[singlespeedscott]

Some like hammocks others prefer planks. I'm a hammock man myself.

[Velo13]

Some call me Planko.

[munga]

But never a planker

[schroeds]

This thread had me spellbound. I'm in awe of the skill, knowledge, trainspotteryness and final result. All so far beyond my abilities or will. Thank you to the OP for going to the trouble to share. Love the way others dug you out of the poo a couple of times...
Supercool

Sent from my HTC Desire S using Tapatalk 2

[Causidicus]

Do you intend to trim the excessively long cables and lengthen the short chain?

[open roader]

Do you intend to trim the excessively long cables and lengthen the short chain?

I had someone else with sharp observations point these out a while back.

Excessively long cables are a result of :-

1) Switching handlbars post cable fitment

2) I left them all with extra in case I opt for a longer stem.

Only the front (right) brake cable loop bothers me, it has to at least bundle into the others. I need to ride this bike more before I settle on a final fit. Yes, I'm likely to snip another inch off the cables and tad more off the front brake, but not until I'm happy with the build.

The chain is the full 114 links links. Yes, it looks short on the big ring and the 25t cog which is where it's set in my photo. Fortunately I fluffed this detail for my photo (derailleur cage dragged too far forward) - I never use this combo - big ring which is 50t and the 23t cog out back is as close as I ever get to stretching it on the big ring, a gearing combination which results in the cage running 90 degrees perpendicular to the ground. There is plenty of chain length to run the smaller ring (34t) and the 27t cog at the back. I have 3 sections x 3 links from my other 11 sp. chains but I'll not be peening them into this chain, it functions perfectly as is.

[open roader]

Headset now fitted with a 5mm spacer and a quick re-tension of the headset...... I like this addition, it stays. This gives me future cause to abraid the clear laquer coat off the headset lock ring and cap and polish to a high shine to match the spacer.

Another 30km ride today, seat nose needs to come up a tad as suggest by sumgy, stem was also lifted 4mm from original position. A very pleasing plush ride with the 25mm tubs with me weighing in at 78kg and 90psi up front and 100 psi in the rear. At these pressures the rolling of the tyres felt no slower than a 23mm tub so I think there is room to drop the pressures a tad more without a rolling resistance penalty.........

I'd forgotten about the pleasure of staring down at a nice shiny conventional spoke wheel and hub - mesmerising rolling in the afternoon sunshine..........

[singlespeedscott]

I weigh about the same as you. I run my 25mm clinchers at 85psi in the rear and 65 in the front.

[open roader]

I weigh about the same as you. I run my 25mm clinchers at 85psi in the rear and 65 in the front.

Of course every tyre will be different but I hear you loud and clear. I'll have to again go out on 90 front and 100 rear and take my digi pressure gauge with me in order to drop pressures mid ride to see what gives.

I was happiest with my ride on 25mm clincher tyres with 85 front and 95 rear - anything lower on Schwalbe Ultremos was too much resistance......... but after 3 pinch flats in 10 days I gave up on clinchers for road bikes and opted for singles chasing the same plush ride with a better chance of avoiding pinch flats.

[singlespeedscott]

How do you get pinch flats? I've never had one on a road bike. I run all my tyres pretty low.

The 28mm Challenge Paragi Roubaix clincher tyres, that I used on the fitz, were run at 70 in the rear and 50 in the front. No problems with rolling resistance and awesome grip on the descents.

[munga]

How do you get pinch flats? I've never had one on a road bike. I run all my tyres pretty low.

The 28mm Challenge Paragi Roubaix clincher tyres, that I used on the fitz, were run at 70 in the rear and 50 in the front. No problems with rolling resistance and awesome grip on the descents.

pinch flat
Web definitions
A flat tire caused by riding over a rock or pothole and bottoming out the tire and pinching and puncturing the tube against the rim.


we all ride differently.

[fletch62]

I might have missed it, but what rims did you use on this build?
Looks awesome.

[open roader]

I might have missed it, but what rims did you use on this build?
Looks awesome.

Campagnolo Lambda Strada 36h. Initial braking (with regular Campag pads) was average, however, another wipe with acetone saw the second ride with have better power and modulation. There is a slight pulse through the brake levers when the rim join passes through the brakes but again a second ride had me feeling less pulse than the first.......... I'm happy as I did not build these wheels for cutting edge braking performance.

[dayne]

As much as I'm all for low psi 50 is crazy
Surely this is verging on rolling a tyre off when cornering at speed?

[singlespeedscott]

No problem coming down from honeysuckle on the fitz extreme over the weekend. Was doing 80+ on the descents and taking corners at 50-60. Heaps of grip.

I run my front tyre at 25psi on my 29er and never had a tyre roll.