Way back when dinosaurs roamed the earth, I used to do 10k's and short triathlons, so I had an entry-level road bike. I love mountain biking, but there are times when I miss feeling the miles fly by under me with body and bike working in smooth zen-like unison. Plus sometimes the trails are too wet or some other reason directs me onto pavement. I needed to get another road bike. The only problem was that I couldn't afford what I wanted, especially in one lump sum. So rather than go to a shop and drop a couple G's on a new bike, I opted to build it myself with pieces scrounged from Craigs, eBay, STR classifieds, the Path take-off wall, or whatever closeout and sale prices I could find. In the beginning, fresh from Craigslist: And the outcome: I had to shoot a few pics someplace besides my garage door, so here are a few detail shots taken during it's first ride: The name means "champion," which may apply to the bike but definitely not its owner! I dig the color scheme's mix of low-key B&W, with a little flash of color. And I'll admit I also like that it's something different from the usual Specialized and Treks that dominate the roads (fine bikes, all). Scandium frame with carbon seatstays and fork. Knowing that scandium rides a bit harsh, I splurged a bit for a carbon seatpost to deaden some of the vibrations (got a killer deal on it though). A few bits are a little wonky for now. I haven't taped handlebars in a long time, and figured I might still be moving the shifters, so I left a little excess bar tape. I'll clean that all up after a couple rides. And yes, that's a Thomson mtb stem for now, since I had it sitting around and figured I might end up with a different length once I have a few rides to sort out the fit. I also had the WTB saddle sitting around, but it seems like a good choice for a road bike so it'll probably stay. The pedals are Eggbeaters that I snagged used for $15. Those will take a few rides to decide if I like them or not, but they let me use my mtb Sidis without investing in road shoes just yet. So the final build is: 2004 Salsa Campeon frame Sram Rival brakes & drivetrain (2009 takeoffs) Shimano Ultegra chain (new) Mavic Open Pro rims on Ultegra hubs (new) Continental GP 4000 black chili tires (new) Misc FSA headset (came with frame) Thomson 100 x 5 steam (temporary - had it sitting around) Easton EA-70 aluminum bars (new) Easton EC-70 carbon seatpost (new) WTB Devo saddle (had it sitting around) Crank Bros Eggbeater chromo pedals (well used) There were so many unknowns for me on this project - learning road parts, building a road bike from scratch, etc. But after it's inaugural ride this evening I am pretty freaking happy with the outcome. It rides nice and looks (mostly) brand new, and I even managed to stay darn close to my budget. Big thanks go to several friends, including Xhuskr, for advice and support - I couldn't have done it without you guys. Stoked! :bang:
cool! ever since picking up my roadie I have new found appreciation for these machines. did you weigh it?
Very sensible build. Great wheelset selection and god job on the SRAM Rival groupo. I am very interested in how much you the groupo cost? And did you get it from The Path?
Yeah I sourced and built my road bike w/ 90% Dura Ace and 10% Ultegra + frame and forks + wheels for about 800-1000
Well, it was nice knowing you. We'll never see your butt back out on the trails. #-o Lost another one to the Lycra crowd... That turned out pretty damn nice. I know zilch about road bikes, but that machine is puuuur-dy. Them Salsa folks build some good looking bikes.
That's a nice bike. Looks like another Bike Path Warrior in the making! You could always skip the lycra and join the baggy revolution as my buddy calls it. It's not what you wear, it's how you wear it. Now go tear some legs off.
Not yet. I didn't have the budget for an ultra-light build, but it's definitely lighter than my Yeti 575! \\/ Neccros, you did better than me if you scored Dura-Ace at that price range. I'm pretty happy with what I've got though. A few odds and ends came from The Path, but the Sram stuff was from eBay. I'm not roadie enough yet to bring myself to call it a "groupo" Ha - I don't think so! Part of the motivation for getting the road bike came from all the people who talked about how much road riding helped in cross-training for mtb riding. And yeah, I did the first ride on it while wearing baggies and a Camelback, and my legs are still hairy. (But I did feel a strange urge to do some blood doping ) My TALAS is due back from Push on Saturday, so I hope to be on the trails on Sunday. I can't freakin' wait!
Yeah I got lucky and bought parts from one of the members here. I originally had 9 speed DA but had some issues with the rear brifter so I had the chance to jump to 10 speed so I did... I'm selling off my 9 speed stuff... And my bike weighs about 18-19 lbs
I love the Salsa road bikes but I'm a carbon slut and can't see myself mounting anything but carbon. If I ever stray it'll probably be to a Salsa, that bike is gorgeous!
Congrats, that's a beautiful bike. I love Salsa frames and you have a quality build that will last many miles. Also, I'm expecting this baby to move you up a few spots in the WLC... :wave:
Wait... You mean there are other ways to get a complete bike besides piecing one together from e-bay and craigslist and old parts lying around? All kidding aside, sweet ride! Looks like a well thought out set-up. I'm mostly a mountain biker but I do have a Serotta Colorado CR that built up from craigslist/e-bay for when I feel like putting my life in the hands of California drivers. Today might be one of those days... I'm feelin' the itch to go for a road ride. Laguna to Seal Beach sounds like a nice, flat, cruise. Any body up for it?
I could meet you at the HB pier and go from there.... Whats your pace like?? I haven't ridden in over a month so not sure what I can handle...
