BikeArmsRace: Venge, 695SR, TCR and more...

[BikeArmsRace]

Frequent lurker, first post time poster.

Just finished this Specialized Venge Project Black...

Frame 54cm S-Works Venge in Project Black
-Cassette/Chain: DA 7900(11/25)/ KMC X10 SL nickel plate
-Crankset: S Works Carbon(53/39)
-Shifters/Brakes: SRAM Red Double Tap/SRAM Red BLACK
-Front/Rear Derailleur: SRAM Red BLACK
-Brakes: SRAM Red BLACK with Zipp Swissstop Pads
-Wheelset/Tires: 2012 Zipp 303 Firecrest Carbon clinchers in Beyond Black/ Michelin Pro Race 3 Lite/ Conti Supersonic Tubes
-Saddle/Seatpost: Specialized Romin Evo Expert/Specialized Venge Post
-Stem/Handlebar: Zipp Service Course SL 120mm/ Specialized S Works Carbon SL/ Deda Foam Tape
-Pedals: Look Carbon Blade Cromo
-Cages: Zipp with ti hardware
-Tape: Specialized
-Brake Cables: Alligator I-link
- Misc: Circus Monkey Skewers, Ti seat clamp hardware

-14.5 Lbs

Then the garage queen...the Look 695SR. All 14.75 lbs. of her.

Just sold the Giant TCR Advanced SL Rabo Di2 bike...only to get the NEW frame in last week. That build now begins...

[743power]

Nice stable. You ride for Westwood? Interesting lever position on the

Edit- did you weigh the new sl? I built one up last week and the size medium frame with nothing but der hangers on it weighed the same as my '10 m/l frame. Pretty disappointed. The fork was 7g lighter, but the giant stem is a minimum of 30g heavier.

[BikeArmsRace]

Nice stable. You ride for Westwood? Interesting lever position on the

Edit- did you weigh the new sl? I built one up last week and the size medium frame with nothing but der hangers on it weighed the same as my '10 m/l frame. Pretty disappointed. The fork was 7g lighter, but the giant stem is a minimum of 30g heavier.

I don't actively race anymore...that was over 10 years ago. Now, I'm strictly a weekend warrior. Westwood Cycle is my LBS and they treat me really well.

Yes, I did weigh the new SL. My old TCR SL (with cut ISP and fork) was actually more than 0.5 lbs heavier than my new TCR SL frame (with uncut ISP and fork), both Med in size. They say that the new frame is supposed to be around 140g lighter, but it's more than that by my weights.

The ISP frame itself (no headset parts with only RideSense sensor) was 1078g. I was expecting it to be less (always reading about the sub-900 and 800g frames), but this will still build up to be a bike in the 14s easy.

[MARLON]

The giants are Nice !
A few spacers too much

[g_doraz]

Great looking Venge. I might have to buy myself one. Just because.

[CSKeller]

Why would the 695 be your "garage queen"? That is the one bike that should be ridden most of the time! i understand that the other bikes need love too...but the Look, in my opinion, is head and shoulders above your other bikes in both looks and performance.

I have one and I absolutely love it!! Probably one of the best bikes I've ever ridden

[Cronulla]

BikeArmsRace:
Compare the ride quality Venge vs 695,please.

[robertg]

Oh, Benny, Benny, Benny.

Too bad my Rabo is my Rabo no more. I will be frameless until I figure something out.

You do have one of the best stables I have seen (great builds on all). Now you need to get a 29er MTB.

[BikeArmsRace]

Why would the 695 be your "garage queen"? That is the one bike that should be ridden most of the time! i understand that the other bikes need love too...but the Look, in my opinion, is head and shoulders above your other bikes in both looks and performance.

I have one and I absolutely love it!! Probably one of the best bikes I've ever ridden

No disagreements from me, CSKeller. The Look 695SR is probably the smoothest riding carbon bike I have ever riden. It's hard to really describe, but it does everything really well. Some would even question if it is worth the premium price of the frame over the commonly produce bikes because you just can't really quantify how the bike really performs over the other frames.

After building and riding the Look 695SR this summer, I started to really enjoy the bike. I didn't have fancy wheels for it, so the Mavics had to suffice. So, my time was split between the Di2 TCR Adv SL and this Look. THEN, the LBS got in the Venge. That screwed up all of the planning. I got confirmation that the new TCR Adv SL Rabo was ordered so I stripped mine to sell on eBay. When the Venge arrived unexpectedly, I had to have it. It just looked too sinister. So, for the next 2 months, I rode the Venge. Then, the Zipp wheels arrived (a set of 101s and 303s both in Beyond Black). Of course, I had to ride the Venge with the 303s, which is what you see now.

Compare the ride quality Venge vs 695,please.

In a few short words, riding the Look is probably like watching an accomplished musician play a violin really well. Riding the Venge is watching the James Hetfield of Metallica playing Enter Sandman.

So, now that it's in the 20s (no snow here yet), it's now too cold to ride outside. The Look now remains hanging like it did before, waiting for the nice weather. By then, the new TCR Adv SL Rabo will have been built up, and of course, I'll want to try THAT one out, too. It's not that I don't like the Look, but I can only ride 1 bike at a time!

Anyone want to buy a gently used Look 695SR?

[stephenkchang]

Your bikes looks familar.

[BikeArmsRace]

Your bikes looks familar.

Wait until you see the Giant in person this season! A few more tweaks (and Spring weather) and it's time to venture out!

How's the hand recovery?

[miltmaster3]

if you need a room mate i am coming..........................................
dream bikes

[BikeArmsRace]

Giant is finally done and ready to ride...



I changed the ISP saddle clamp to an older style (+10mm offset instead of the current +25/-5mm offset). It's also slightly lighter by 25g.

It's pretty much straight up Dura Ace Di2 and at 15.5 lbs., hardly WW territory.