Principia Rex e SX Pro Project

[604carsten]

Hiya,

Just started my next weenie project, I had a SRAM Red group lying under the bed at home so figured I would have a play around with something. So the search started, looking for a frame to start on. Since I had a carbon frame already, I figured why not go with a lightweight Aluminium frame to start things off.

I had intitially looked at CAAD9 frames, but at the time my LBS could not get a frame for me so I started looking around. I stumbled on a brand new NOS Principia Rex e sx Pro frame that suited my needs to cover a few criteria.. namely a flat back colour, high end Alloy frame and light(ish). No bear in mind I aint no flyweight rider (200lbs) so am trying to go lightweight without sacrificing stiffness or safety. Below is my current parts list, the wheels are being buildt and should sit at the 1500gr mark when done..

The current weight of the whole thing is around the 6.6 kg mark... Maybe later I will go with a set of LW wheels, but have to admit I am seeing what Clincher wheelsets can be had for decent weight/price and stiffness ratios.

I pretty much threw all the bits on the Kitchen scale at home, and using a spreadsheet I found on here, I worked the way to the projected Kg figure.

2003 Principia Rex e SX Pro 55cm

Bottom Bracket: RED
BrakeShifter Levers: RED
Rear Brakes: KCNC
Front Brakes: KCNC
shifter cables: RED
Cassette: RED 11-23
Chain: SRAM 1090R
Crankset: RED
Derlr (Front) RED
Derlr (Rear) RED
Fork: Isaac Ellipse Carbon
Tape Zipp
Handlebar: Zipp SL 44cm
Headset: Principia OEM
Pedals Keo Carbon cromo
Quick Releases: Tune
Seat Binder: BBB
Seat: Sellia Italia SLR Ti 135
Seatpost: Principia Carbon 31.6
Stem: New Ultimate 110mm
Tire (Front): Ultremo
Tire (Rear): Ultremo
Tubes: Latex

Wheelset:

--Rims: DT Swiss 1.1
--Spokes: DT swiss Competion 2.0/1.8
--Nipples: Dtswiss
--Front Hub: Dtswiss 240
--Rear Hub: Dtswiss 240


Anyhow... whats the usual weight of cables and housing people use on their bikes?
Also, whats the weight of the standard Principia headset (1/8-1/4 thing)?

I am fully aware that my weight MAY be pushing some item limits, (stupid litigation CYA mentality), but am currently whittling away at my own weight to reach the hallowed 90kg mark so all the bling goodies can be MINE.. hehe..

Comments?, changes? obviously a carbon frame, LW's and a Zipp crankset would change parameters, but I am doing this for the fun of researching bits and seeing stuff in the details.. trying to reach the true weight weenie ethos..
Also everything will be Black, with silver/white logos and a splash of red detailing as per the Red group and other places

anyhoo.. back to my bucket of bits..

[strobbekoen]

Should make a fantastic bike.
I have a principia myself, a revolution 2005 and they made some pretty nice frames.
Now I do think your weight of 6.6 is a bit optimistic

I would change the tires, because I think Ultremo's suck, but that's just a personal opinion! I love the new vittoria 320 TPI clinchers.

[604carsten]

Yeah,
I must admit I am a bit of sucker for early Principias. This is my 3rd one.. I have a MSLe Pro MTB, a Revolution in red/white team colours and now this, a Pro frame.

Well, I'd like to think it will be around the 6.6kg mark.. the wheelset are still not built yet, so they cant be weighed yet, but everything else has been weighed and catalogued.. and the wheel components have been added.. so as lng as its with 5% of that total I am happy... I think.. otherwise I will have to start drilling holes in the frame and fork.. or something

[Razer]

Carsten

That will be like a fantastic bike when finished.

for clincher wheels i will suggest Easton EC90 Aero or the old version Tempest II. around 1500 grams. light, aero and very stiff - can handle your weight. I know as my Tempest II's has carried my 95kgs around perfectly

The Easton colours will fit the bike and Red groupset too.

Jesper

[Klontje]

i think you mean the Easton EA90 or the Tempest II, cause the EC90 are high profile tube carbon wheels;-) not exactly the same as the "normal" Tempest II

[Razer]

i think you mean the Easton EA90 or the Tempest II, cause the EC90 are high profile tube carbon wheels;-) not exactly the same as the "normal" Tempest II

Ups - yes, you are correct.

allthough the carbon ones are nice too

[604carsten]

Heres a pic so far, just got a set of wheels today:



The wheels are a 2nd hand set I sourced here in Denmark, Ultralite hubs and rims buildt with Sapim CX-ray spokes with VeloPlugs, Ultremo R's etc.. ( wheelset and tyres/tubes/plugs are fr: 837gr and re: 947

Also amended is now a Speedneedle saddle and New Ultimate Carbon seatpost, which weigh in at 94gr and 128gr respectively .

Now, the only guesstimate has been the cables and I used 150gr as a ballpark. And according to projections, it should be around 6.2 to 6.3kg all up..

better pics to follow..

[MARLON]

Did you weight the frame and the fork???

[604carsten]

Yep..
I just pulled it all apart just to recheck!

Frame incl. Headset cups and bearings/ hanger : 1176gr

Fork incl. Crown race and Bung : 401gr

Added all up on the spreadsheet it comes to 6273gr.. and thats with uncut/untrimmed cables and housings straight from the box and full length chain from box .. so a little to trim from there..


Amended Buildlist:

2003 Principia Rex e SX Pro 55cm

Bottom Bracket: RED
BrakeShifter Levers: RED
Rear Brakes: KCNC
Front Brakes: KCNC
shifter cables: RED
Cassette: RED 11-23
Chain: SRAM 1090R
Crankset: RED
Derlr (Front) RED
Derlr (Rear) RED
Fork: Isaac Ellipse Carbon
Tape Zipp
Handlebar: Zipp SL 44cm
Headset: Principia OEM
Pedals Keo Carbon Titanium
Quick Releases: Tune 18gr things
Seat Binder: BBB
Seat: Tune Speedneedle
Seatpost: New Ultimate Carbon31.6
Stem: New Ultimate 110mm
Tire (Front): Ultremo R
Tire (Rear): Ultremo R
Tubes: rubber
Wheelset : Ultralite Ultrahub, CX-Ray spokes, Ultralite Rims

[MARLON]

i own the same frame but never weighed the bare frame and fork..mine is the same size....

[604carsten]

Cool,
I got worried so double checked it all again, Only thing I couldnt remove were the headset cups and bearings..

I actually had my eyes on a Caad9 frame but that was a fair bit heavier than the Principia pro frame.
So if you subtract the roughly 77gr for a headset, this leaves you with an 1100gr ali frame.. which is quite respectable and puts some carbon frames to shame.

[MARLON]

Years ago i own the same REX PRO SX in size 57...R.I.P
SOLD IT
BIGGEST MISTAKE EVER !!!
The weight is very good for a Alu one...but the important thing is the geometry...this thing is a pure racing machine!!!
Handling...stiffness.....everything..i love it...

a pic of my old beauty

[TheBugMan]

That is a great looking alloy weenie 604carsten. Nice weight!