Enigma Esprit - Titanium - Finished!

Who are you (no off-topic talk please)

Moderators: MrCurrieinahurry, maxim809, Moderator Team

intheshed
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Mar 06, 2014 10:52 pm

by intheshed

Thanks for the info on fit and flex. On quite a nice Cannondale carbon frame at the mo' so the flex might bug me. Probably worth testing as you say.
Cheers

iamalex
Posts: 234
Joined: Sun Oct 30, 2011 5:25 pm
Location: London, UK

by iamalex

Just wanted to revise my initial thoughts on the wheelset; they're actually really very nice!
Running them with 24mm Open Pave tyres they're smooth, fast and fun. I think I was the week link to begin with, getting over an injury I was more run down than I first thought.

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
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michel2
Posts: 1144
Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2005 10:47 am
Location: somewere floating between here and the other side

by michel2

Do u have a bitt hip ?
I had a bitt (well shattered) hip after a bus accident. Waited for about nine years to decided to have it resurfaced with a birmingham hip and now i got a fake but good hip !(;
Should have done that much earlier !(;

iamalex
Posts: 234
Joined: Sun Oct 30, 2011 5:25 pm
Location: London, UK

by iamalex

Michel2, that sounds awful! Glad to hear you got it sorted.
Mine is nowhere near that. It comes and goes but my hip doesn't always seem to seat properly, it pops about the joint when I move it. Got knocked off in the summer which has aggravated it and running the other week really did something to it. Only 31 so shouldn't be knackered just yet, perhaps time for the doctors though.

vektor
Posts: 7
Joined: Mon Aug 26, 2013 11:19 am

by vektor

Nice build!

one question though: how did you remove the decals from the handlebar? aceton, sandpaper?

iamalex
Posts: 234
Joined: Sun Oct 30, 2011 5:25 pm
Location: London, UK

by iamalex

Hello Vektor, I used a product called Carbolift. Took a few goes but did the job. There are posts by other forum users with alternative methods; razors blades, sanding etc etc

vektor
Posts: 7
Joined: Mon Aug 26, 2013 11:19 am

by vektor

iamalex wrote:Hello Vektor, I used a product called Carbolift. Took a few goes but did the job. There are posts by other forum users with alternative methods; razors blades, sanding etc etc

THX for the info... will do some deeper research on this!

iamalex
Posts: 234
Joined: Sun Oct 30, 2011 5:25 pm
Location: London, UK

by iamalex

Hello Vektor, sorry for the short answer earlier, was out riding. I bought 500ml directly from Carbolift's website and postage to the UK was pretty reasonable. There was more than enough for two pairs of bars and a set of forks. I accidentally spilt the rest moving house.

As I mentioned it took a few applications over a few days. I used a plastic scraper to help remove the gunk and agitate the stubborn bits. Used some fine grit paper at the end to remove the last of the stubborn lacquer. After this I resprayed with an automotive varnish with a satin finish. Just from an aerosol. This added back the UV protection.

A word of warning - the raw carbon did not have a perfectly uniform finish, there were some marks and blemishes. Luckily they were all covered by the tape.

In some of the other threads people have used razor blades to scratch off as much of the varnish/lacquer as possible and then gradually finer grit papers. Stop sanding when the dust goes black, that's the carbon. I'm not a composites expert so I'll leave you to do your own research on what might be the best way of UV protecting.

bjj22
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Jun 16, 2014 10:49 am

by bjj22

As a fellow esprit owner, I have to say this is a fantastic build.

iamalex
Posts: 234
Joined: Sun Oct 30, 2011 5:25 pm
Location: London, UK

by iamalex

Thanks bjj22!
Word of warning to a fellow Esprit owner: If you have an aluminium seatpost be sure to regularly remove, clean and reassemble with copper slip. I used Park Tool Anti Seize and that post is now stuck - only took a couple of months.

bjj22
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Jun 16, 2014 10:49 am

by bjj22

Thanks for the heads up, I have a ti post but most of my components get changed around far more often than necessary so not beyond the realms of possibility that I'll have an aluminium one in at some stage.

ryan0380
Posts: 30
Joined: Thu Feb 20, 2014 3:27 pm

by ryan0380

I have a steel enigma but this bike makes me want to have a ti one too, great build

iamalex
Posts: 234
Joined: Sun Oct 30, 2011 5:25 pm
Location: London, UK

by iamalex

ryan0380 - I'm your steel Enigma is plenty good enough!

bjj22 - Start a thread and post some pictures, be good to see your build.

CXTony
Posts: 42
Joined: Tue Jun 17, 2014 2:34 pm

by CXTony

Nice build and love the new wheels too. Personally I would switch the white logos to black to match the components, but that may just be me :)

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

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julesjoseph
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Jul 25, 2014 4:03 pm

by julesjoseph

Lovely bike! Very similar to the one I've just bought - same frame size (57cm top tube) too - just wondering, how tall are you, and what is the seat tube length? Cheers

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