Anyway, my dilemmer is a peculiar one. As has been written on this oh-so-entertaining website, I have a new Ridley Helium coming. It's pretty bad ass, obviously, will be nigh on 16 pounds, and fit me well, as have all of my previous Ridleys.
I've also had discussions with the fine folks at Hampsten, Steve Hampsten if we're dropping names, about getting a custom steel frame built. Not just any generic steel either. We're talking a tig-welded Columbus Max tubeset, and custom paint based on the famous Molteni Merckx bikes of yore. The plan would be to build it with 7900, or maybe go balls deep and hang Di2 on it. Weight? Around 18.5 pounds. The ride? Sublime...
My Molteni Merckx frame is one that I never should have let go. There was no pressing need to sell it, I just sort of...did. Worst part...I just looked, and I don't think I even have a photo of the damn thing!I'm torn people! On this morning's ride, PD and I talked about the dilemmer, and the discussion only lead to muddier water. Dammit!
Oh, and as an aside, here's the proper fitment of a skinsuit, as modeled by Victoria Pendleton...
And on that note...
4 comments:
Get the fucking Hampsten!
If you're not racing, screw the carbon. Max is the best steel tubeset for a bike, ever, period.
Just get a level top tube....
Level top tube? Meh...
Plus, they can't do the 40.5 chainstays if the TT is level. It's the exact geo as the Ridley.
why can't we do a level top tube with 405mm chainstays? i'm confused...
"level" on a hampsten MAX frame usually means about 1.5 or 2 degrees of slope, which compensates for the taper of the top tube - making it look more level.
make sense?
Sorry Steve...
That was an assumption on my part, and we all know what assuming does...
Anyway, after seeing the bill from my recent surgery, and the fact that I simply cannot sell my new Helium frame for the amount of money I want out of it, the Hampsten will, sadly, remain another frame on my "White Whale" list...
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