Adding a front disc to a road bike !! And Now Hydro!

[Crittski]

is that a Volagi Liscio???? There is a pretty comprehensive review of that bike in the November edition of Road Bike Action magazine. Got good reviews by the looks of it.

They commented that it was "not for the Racer Crown but exceedingly well suited for the intended market" From the article i gathered this particular model is aimed at long distance riding and has unusual seat stay design aimed at making for a comfortable ride.

Got it in one.

Haven't seen the review in the RBA, but I'm on one when they come to Oz hopefully next year.

Yep, its the ultegra model. I picked it up from a bike shop in New Jersey, unfortunately it has been lost somewhere between LaGuardia, Dallas Fort Worth, Los Angeles and Brisbane along with a suitcase full of christmas presents.

MichaelB - the australian distributor has been listed on their website:

Volagi Australia
Unit 13 58 Belmont Street
Alexandria NSW 2015
Phone: volagiaus@optusnet.com.au

All seems a little preliminary at this stage (e.g. no website, and I couldn't see that they were an established distributor for anything), and I hear it will be about 5-6 months before they have bikes to sell here.

[toolonglegs]

The weight argument still keeps coming up.

Because it is relevant, and of utmost importance in racing. 2 pounds makes no difference to a commuter like you or me, but in a race that sort of weight is a handicap.

On a cyclo cross race bike,yes it is relevant...those guys can do a lot of carrying in some races...if you have to carry it up a big stair climb 10 or 20 times you will notice the difference. But for general road riding or for that matter an average cyclocross racer etc it will make no difference at all...I was only really talking about Tim Johnson and similar level guys.But then they have quite a few bikes at their disposal.

[MichaelB]

cheers Crittski, but what about pics, ride details etc ????

Get your act together man !

Glad to hear that you got it, hopefully you are enjoying it.

[Crittski]

erm MichaelB you seem to have missed the bit about it going missing! I flew back in to Oz on Thursday morning (thanks Qantas for the upgrade to first class!) from NY, and my suitcase and bike in bike box didn't arrive, so after a few panicked days since then, they both turned up today. I have put it back together again, just need to tune the front brake and I am taking it straight up Mt Coottha. I will need to get the brakes swapped over as they are on the wrong side!

Ride report hopefully tomorrow!

[MichaelB]

erm MichaelB you seem to have missed the bit about it going missing! I flew back in to Oz on Thursday morning (thanks Qantas for the upgrade to first class!) from NY, and my suitcase and bike in bike box didn't arrive, so after a few panicked days since then, they both turned up today. I have put it back together again, just need to tune the front brake and I am taking it straight up Mt Coottha. I will need to get the brakes swapped over as they are on the wrong side!

Ride report hopefully tomorrow!

Ah, noticed the bit re missing, but thought that the pic with the jersey meant that you had it in the US.

All makes sense now !! Glad it finally was found. Obviously a quick trip to the states.

Biggest hint is to bed in brakes a bit first before heading up the mountain, and ENJOY !!!!

Looking fwd to hearing and seeing more.

Did you get stung any duty/customs bring bike back in ?

Did you get the carbon wheelset at all ? huh huh huh .....

Lots more Q's and demands for details to come !!!!

[Crittski]

Yeah, the bike shop in Jersey delivered me and the bike back to the hotel in manhattan (meant not having to pay state sales tax!!). So I had it for a few days in NYC, but then lost it in transit coming home (10 day trip) after flight cancellation meant that I was flying on different planes to my gear.

I declared my incoming goods as being greater than $900... however, I will PM you the outcome of that little adventure!!



It currently has a 90cm 17 degree stem which will be replaced with a 6 degree, as it looks ridiculous like that. Also looking to upgrade the 12-25 105 cassette to 11-28 ultegra, as well as changing to a carbon bar. The brakes need swapping sides too so I don't try to grab a handful of rear and get front by accident , I hate it when that happens...

The carbon wheel set wasn't available when I was over there, so may get them on next years trip, unless the Aust distributor has them for not much of a markup on the US price.

Brakes were easy to adjust and tune, looking forward to testing the modulation on a Mt Coot-tha run this afternoon.

[rkelsen]

Looks hot! Enjoy.

[jasonc]

Brakes were easy to adjust and tune, looking forward to testing the modulation on a Mt Coot-tha run this afternoon.

damn it - family duties means I can't come and have a look

[MichaelB]

Yeah, the bike shop in Jersey delivered me and the bike back to the hotel in manhattan (meant not having to pay state sales tax!!). So I had it for a few days in NYC, but then lost it in transit coming home (10 day trip) after flight cancellation meant that I was flying on different planes to my gear.

I declared my incoming goods as being greater than $900... however, I will PM you the outcome of that little adventure!!



It currently has a 90cm 17 degree stem which will be replaced with a 6 degree, as it looks ridiculous like that. Also looking to upgrade the 12-25 105 cassette to 11-28 ultegra, as well as changing to a carbon bar. The brakes need swapping sides too so I don't try to grab a handful of rear and get front by accident , I hate it when that happens...

The carbon wheel set wasn't available when I was over there, so may get them on next years trip, unless the Aust distributor has them for not much of a markup on the US price.

Brakes were easy to adjust and tune, looking forward to testing the modulation on a Mt Coot-tha run this afternoon.

hot !!!

Looks like a 56cm - if so, it's my size !!

[Crittski]

sorry mate, its a 57cm...

[MichaelB]

sorry mate, its a 57cm...

Close enough. When can I come around to have a look [cough], just send me your address....

[jasonc]

sorry mate, its a 57cm...

Close enough. When can I come around to have a look [cough], just send me your address....

I'm closer Michael, I'll go get it
57cm MAY work for me

[baabaa]

it currently has a 90cm 17 degree stem which will be replaced with a 6 degree, as it looks ridiculous like that.

Hey, who give a rats what stems looks like. Try it, ride you may like it.

[MichaelB]

sorry mate, its a 57cm...

Close enough. When can I come around to have a look [cough], just send me your address....

I'm closer Michael, I'll go get it
57cm MAY work for me

My "will" beats your "may" anyday

[Mulger bill]

Damn that's glorious.

[timmcc]

Great stuff!!

[brawlo]

OOOOHHHHH and it come in 60cm!

[Nobody]

UCI on road disc brakes: "this technical innovation was not yet submitted to us."

[MichaelB]

UCI on road disc brakes: "this technical innovation was not yet submitted to us."

I like the last paragrapgh ....

It appears that with purely road-orientated disc brakes not far away if not imminent - let's predict Autumn 2012 launches for the 2013 model year - there is every likelihood that top-end sportive riders will be riding the new brakes on the road before the professionals in the UCI WorldTour peloton and that would be an interesting reversal of the usual state of play. It certainly seems as if the brake manufacturers are happy for customers to drive the demand on this issue.

Oh, and Santa, can I please have a Volagi Liscio with Hydro brakes and Ultegra Di2 please. Size 57cm, and in the carbon/Nude version too.

[MichaelB]

Brakes were easy to adjust and tune, looking forward to testing the modulation on a Mt Coot-tha run this afternoon.

Soooooooo, how is it going ???????????

Report and pics please.

Also, what is the all up weight of the 57cm frame and the alloy wheels ?

[MichaelB]

Some more detailed shots of the full hydro Volagi Liscio here. Still got a tiny bit of cable, but ....





Still not 100% on the Parabox et al solutions, but it's a way of getting in early and fitting the hydro shifters when they finally come out ....

[jasonc]

Still not 100% on the Parabox et al solutions, but it's a way of getting in early and fitting the hydro shifters when they finally come out ....

sram and tubeless? pass

[Crittski]

Pics will have to wait, but I have taken it out a few times since I got back. I swapped the cassette to a 11-28, which made mt coottha possible. I am the biggest chicken when it comes to descending fast, and in the dry the brakes make not a lot of difference to rim brakes in terms of stopping power, but it is easier to modulate that power with this bike. I know the benefit of discs will be profound during my next rainy ride.

A lot is said about the brakes, and appropriately so in this particular thread, but the thing that I am really beginning to appreciate about this bike is the frame, and how they have engineered the seat stays to attach to the top tube, forward of the seat post. This cuts out a lot of the rough road chatter that I had on my other road bike. Bumps bigger than a centimeter it makes no difference to, but on bitumen with larger gravel pieces in it, the ride is much smoother, so is more enjoyable. Volagi quotes that the seat stay configuration provides about 5mm vertical compliance, or suspension to the ride, and it is appreciable.

I was asked at the start of a group social ride yesterday if the wheels were more fleecy when sprinting, and I have noticed that the front rotor rubs a little when I am out of the saddle climbing, so it obviously has some flex, but considering the tolerance between the pads and the rotor, it isn't significant (for me). It may be possible to adjust the pads a little further away from the rotor to avoid this rubbing, but I don't get out of the saddle much anyway, and I am not a sprinter!

I have done about 100km on it, and the rear pads have worn in nicely, with the fronts nearly worn in as well. I have been reluctant to really give the front brakes a good working over in case I end up OTB. Initially both front and back brakes were very squeally, but that has gone now.

The bike has been generating a fair amount of interest whenever I stop, "are they disk brakes on your road bike??".

[jasonc]

The bike has been generating a fair amount of interest whenever I stop, "are they disk brakes on your road bike??".

Hope to run into you on my commute one day Crittski

[MichaelB]

Still not 100% on the Parabox et al solutions, but it's a way of getting in early and fitting the hydro shifters when they finally come out ....

sram and tubeless? pass

Que ?

Tubeless is good. Been there and done that.

You can get Shimano versions of the Volagi Liscio as well (Ultegra & DA).