Re: Upgrade wheels on Seven or go Wilier Cento 1
Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2012 7:47 am
Firstly thanks for all the replies. I knew I could count on you lot for a good and varied set of opinions! Exactly what I was after.
The Frame
I'm going to test ride the C59 first to get an impression of the ride quality. There is no point going too much further without a test ride. Going to put my current wheels on it too, so I can get as close to a like for like comparison. However the problem is finding a Cento 1 SR to test ride. Every shop is 'to order' only. So if there is anyone out there who has ridden the 101 SR, opinions would be greatly appreciated.
I considered other frames, but these two just keep coming back into my mind. I'm sure there are lots of great frames out there, but for me there has to be an element of 'heart' in it. You know those days where you can't get up for that training ride - thats where the bike comes in, pulling you out there. So the choice is part research and part heart.
I did ride a Cube Agree over the weekend, which I know is in a different price bracket, but it gave me a small insight. The frame did not have the same spring as my titanium (expected) - it just felt less lively. However it did seem to get up to speed better, the BB was much stiffer and it held speed very well. So a carbon frame with a little more life in it would be just perfect. I'm willing to sacrifice a little liveliness, for the stiffness. Maybe the C59 lugged design is what I'm after.
I did think about altering the Seven to suit my new preferred ride preferences. However it is a very expensive route. If I was to upgrade the fork, mess around with the rear triangle, and paint the frame (so everything felt new again), I'm looking at at about £2,000. Thats close to the price of a Cento 1 SR. It just didn't seem like a viable route to be honest.
I'm not going to sell the Seven. It has been my faithful ride for far too long. I could not sell it. My original plan was to keep the 10sp cassette, replace the crank with a single ring, paint the frame black, no logos and a cheap finishing kit. That way I secretly get to ride an amazing frame forever. Plus if I hate carbon in a year, I can resurrect the Seven.
The Wheels
Someone mentioned Boras and 404's. These wheels are just too deep for my requirements. If I rode Boras in the mountains, I would literally be laughed off the road. My feeling is that they would be just too dangerous in a cross wind on narrow roads. I'm willing to change my impression if I'm wrong! I liked the Enve's because they looked really solid, not too deep and Chris King hubs. There did not seem to be a compromise to them and looked like a wheel I could ride for years. However I'm sure the same could be said of other wheels too.
The Groupset
I'm moving in the Record EPS direction. Why pay more for the same effective performance? I do want to go electronic though. However it is the last element to change. If I run out of cash, I can always move the Chorus 10sp over for a couple more years of shifting. It is still a great performer.
So I will try out the C59 and some Enve's and see what all this carbon movement is all about.
So if anyone wants to chime in on ride impressions of the Cento 1 SR .....
The Frame
I'm going to test ride the C59 first to get an impression of the ride quality. There is no point going too much further without a test ride. Going to put my current wheels on it too, so I can get as close to a like for like comparison. However the problem is finding a Cento 1 SR to test ride. Every shop is 'to order' only. So if there is anyone out there who has ridden the 101 SR, opinions would be greatly appreciated.
I considered other frames, but these two just keep coming back into my mind. I'm sure there are lots of great frames out there, but for me there has to be an element of 'heart' in it. You know those days where you can't get up for that training ride - thats where the bike comes in, pulling you out there. So the choice is part research and part heart.
I did ride a Cube Agree over the weekend, which I know is in a different price bracket, but it gave me a small insight. The frame did not have the same spring as my titanium (expected) - it just felt less lively. However it did seem to get up to speed better, the BB was much stiffer and it held speed very well. So a carbon frame with a little more life in it would be just perfect. I'm willing to sacrifice a little liveliness, for the stiffness. Maybe the C59 lugged design is what I'm after.
I did think about altering the Seven to suit my new preferred ride preferences. However it is a very expensive route. If I was to upgrade the fork, mess around with the rear triangle, and paint the frame (so everything felt new again), I'm looking at at about £2,000. Thats close to the price of a Cento 1 SR. It just didn't seem like a viable route to be honest.
I'm not going to sell the Seven. It has been my faithful ride for far too long. I could not sell it. My original plan was to keep the 10sp cassette, replace the crank with a single ring, paint the frame black, no logos and a cheap finishing kit. That way I secretly get to ride an amazing frame forever. Plus if I hate carbon in a year, I can resurrect the Seven.
The Wheels
Someone mentioned Boras and 404's. These wheels are just too deep for my requirements. If I rode Boras in the mountains, I would literally be laughed off the road. My feeling is that they would be just too dangerous in a cross wind on narrow roads. I'm willing to change my impression if I'm wrong! I liked the Enve's because they looked really solid, not too deep and Chris King hubs. There did not seem to be a compromise to them and looked like a wheel I could ride for years. However I'm sure the same could be said of other wheels too.
The Groupset
I'm moving in the Record EPS direction. Why pay more for the same effective performance? I do want to go electronic though. However it is the last element to change. If I run out of cash, I can always move the Chorus 10sp over for a couple more years of shifting. It is still a great performer.
So I will try out the C59 and some Enve's and see what all this carbon movement is all about.
So if anyone wants to chime in on ride impressions of the Cento 1 SR .....