@Toad

If I had to modify my seatpost again I'd do it exactly the same way. It is a little fiddly tightening the front bolt, but it was fiddly before I made any changes.

My modifications are as follows;
- M6 KCNC yoke at rear
- M6 KCNC yoke at front drilled out to accept M7 bolt
- Smud carbon cradle
- M6 Ti bolt to rear

I did try one of the M7 bolts without the knurled section but that made it a little too awkward to tighten the bolt so I went back to the standard part. I'd like to get a M7 ti bolt, but as they aren't a standard size they don't seem to be readily available, plus it would make it harder to tighten.

When setting it up it might be easier if the yokes are rounded, with the KCNCs I had to make sure that everything was sitting flush before I torqued it up. This is hardly a challenging task though.

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Giant TCR Advanced

That Smud carbon craddle is a thing of beauty. How can I get my hands on one here in the US?

I took apart my ISP seatpost clamp parts and weighed the individual pieces. Here is what I got:

Giant TCR Advanced ISP Topper parts:
craddle: 19 grams
yoke: 31 grams (the yoke is one big slab of metal)
bolts: 14 grams
Barrel Nut (Front): 4 grams
Anchor (Rear): 1 gram

I didn't pull the body off, because it wears on the ISP each time, and I am not replacing it anyway.

The yoke is kind of a no-brainer weight wise, but here is my only concern: The bolts on the ISP tend to lean. In other words they don't go straight up into the yoke at a perfect 90 degree angle. To keep from damaging carbon rails, I would prefer to get yokes that are rounded (like Parts of Passion). The front yoke will have to be drilled out, but the rear yoke can thread right in. My only concern there is that I will be screwing a titanium bolt into aluminum threads. Should this be a concern? Do you think the rear yoke will hold just fine? I guess I ask because the stock yoke is not threaded at all, but uses an embedded steal threaded cup shaped anchor.

The cradle weight gains are not huge, but that smud craddle just looks great and looks like it will be very carbon rail friendly.

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SkidMap.Com
2011 Cannondale Scalpel
2010 Giant TCR Advanced SL
1943 Sieber Track Bike

There is quite a nice weight saving to be had. The KCNC yokes came in at 6g each and the Smud cradle was 10g, so that would be a 29g saving before touching the bolts. It might be worth considering your saddle position though as you're effectively removing the setback from the stock parts.

It looks like the ISP clamp uses exactly the same parts as the Vector seatpost (the bolts also have a bit of a lean going on). I've not had any problems with the titanium bolt and aluminium threads, I haven't heard of people having problems with seatposts that these yokes were designed for. I'd be inclined to agree that the POP yokes may be better suited especially if using a carbon railed saddle, that may be something I change in the future though it's working perfectly as is now.

For the Smud parts just send Piotr a message (http://smud-carbon.eu/index_eng.html). I've seen a few threads where American members have purchased his parts. I think he's a one man business so it can take a little while for him to respond to e-mails, but the quality of his products and the decent pricing makes up for that.

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Giant TCR Advanced

I have tuned my rear mech. It started at 150g and now sits at 130g.
- Inner plate replaced with Fibre-lyte version (7g)
- Rothshek carbon jockey wheels (8g pair)
- Removed decals from outer plate using Carbolift
- Nylon bolts for limit screws
- Removed circlip from cable tension adjuster
- Aluminium bolt and washer for cable clamp

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Giant TCR Advanced

Mostly aesthetic changes this time, coupled with a general service including new chain, chainrings and inner cables.

I decided to remove the logos from shifters, rear mech, seatpost and crankset using carbolift. I had planned on including the frame and fork in this list but felt that carbolift didn't live up to my expectations as I had to resort to Gum's razor blade technique after the carbolift mearly softened up the paint/lacquer. This following a six week wait with extremely poor communication about the situation has left me feeling very dissatisfied with the company.

I had a few issues using aluminium nipples on the drive side so rebuilt the rear wheel with brass nipples for a bit of piece of mind, this did however add ~20g. Hence why the overall weight doesn't differ greatly since last time.

I've added a few more weights to my build list that I had neglected to weigh first time round.



Frame: Giant TCR Advanced (Medium - 1035g with mech hangers and bottom bracket cable guide)
Fork: Giant TCR Advanced (314g)
Bars: Giant Contact SLR 42cm (200g)
Stem: Kalloy UNO ASA 105 - titanium bolts, logos removed with Nitromors, light sanding to internal of body (100g)
Headset: FSA 1 1/4" to 1 1/8" Integrated, conical headset spacer replaced with a rubber shield to protect the bearings
Spacers: Generic Carbon
Fork Expander: Extralite Ultrastar 2 (7g)
Topcap: Smud Carbon with aluminium bolt (4g)

Wheels: Dati Hubs paired to Planet X 20mm rims with DT Aerolite spokes (Front: 440g, Rear: 608g)
Tyres: Vittoria Corsa SC 23mm (Averaged 249g each)
Glue: Vittoria Mastik 1
Skewers: Planet-X Ti Stick Quick Release with Carbon Levers (44g pair)

Saddle: Smud Carbon (70g)
Seatpost: Giant Vector - Trimmed, titanium M6 bolt, Smud carbon cradle, M6 KCNC yokes (front one drilled to allow bolt to fit through), Carbolift used to remove graphics (160g)
Seat clamp: Giant with titanium bolts (19g)

Crankset: Sram Red 50/34 170mm – Carbolift used to remove graphics
- Sram Red 50t black chainring (111g)
- Sram Red 34t black chainring (28g)
- Sram Red chainring bolts (8g)
- Sram Red driveside arm (311g)
- Sram Red non-driveside arm (175g)
BB: Sram BB86 Pressfit (92g)
Pedals: Bebop with Ward Titanium axles (148g)
Chain: KMC X10-SL – 104 links inc. masterlink (232g)
Cassette: Sram Red 11-23t inc. lock ring (153g)

Shifters: Sram Red – Carbolift used to remove graphics
Front mech: Sram Red Black braze-on (69g)
Rear mech: Sram Red – Rothshek 11t carbon jockey wheels, Fibre-lyte inner plate, nylon limit screws, aluminium bolt for cable clamp, circlip removed from cable tension adjuster, Carbolift used to remove graphics from outer plate (130g)
Brakes: Planet-X Ultralight CNC with Reynolds Blue carbon pads

Brake Cables: Alligator iLink – Gear inner used for rear brake (32g)
Gear Cables: Alligator iLink Mini (24g)
Cable Adjuster: Jagwire inline adjuster for front mech
Bartape: Deda
Barends: Deda - sanded the logos off, removed some material from the body (4g pair)
Bottlecages: Smud Carbon conical cages (6g each inc. bolts)

Total Weight - 5.665kg



It's been short lived though, 50km later and I've got a slow puncture in the front tub and the rear wheel has decided to unscrew two non-drive side spokes leaving the nipples floating in the rim.

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Giant TCR Advanced

Is it an idea to remove the red stickers from the rims? Looks better imho

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Click: My racing bicycle

Annoyingly they aren't stickers and I don't have the patience to take the wheels apart and go through the hassle of removing them with Carbolift.

I agree though it would look much better without them.

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Giant TCR Advanced

I've built an aluminium wheelset for when the weather isn't so carbon/tubular friendly.
Dati hubs (24/28). DT Revolution spokes, brass nipples all round. Kinlin XR-200 rims. Veloflex Master 22mm tyres with Vredestein latex tubes. Planet X carbon/ti quick release skewers. (1340g without tyres, tubes, skewers and cassette)





Frame: Giant TCR Advanced (Medium - 1035g with mech hangers and bottom bracket cable guide)
Fork: Giant TCR Advanced (314g)
Bars: Giant Contact SLR 42cm (200g)
Stem: Kalloy UNO ASA 105 - titanium bolts, logos removed with Nitromors, light sanding to internal of body (100g)
Headset: FSA 1 1/4" to 1 1/8" Integrated, conical headset spacer replaced with a rubber shield to protect the bearings
Spacers: Generic Carbon
Fork Expander: Extralite Ultrastar 2 (7g)
Topcap: Smud Carbon with aluminium bolt (4g)

Saddle: Smud Carbon (70g)
Seatpost: Giant Vector - Trimmed, titanium M6 bolt, Smud carbon cradle, M6 KCNC yokes (front one drilled to allow bolt to fit through), Carbolift used to remove graphics (160g)
Seat clamp: Giant with titanium bolts (19g)

Crankset: Sram Red 50/34 170mm – Carbolift used to remove graphics
Sram Red 50t black chainring (111g)
Sram Red 34t black chainring (28g)
Sram Red chainring bolts (8g)
Sram Red driveside arm (311g)
Sram Red non-driveside arm (175g)
BB: Sram BB86 Pressfit (92g)
Pedals: Bebop with Ward Titanium axles (148g)
Chain: KMC X10-SL – 104 links inc. masterlink (232g)

Shifters: Sram Red – Carbolift used to remove graphics
Front mech: Sram Red Black braze-on (69g)
Rear mech: Sram Red – Rothshek 11t carbon jockey wheels, Fibre-lyte inner plate, nylon limit screws, aluminium bolt for cable clamp, circlip removed from cable tension adjuster, Carbolift used to remove graphics from outer plate (130g)
Brakes: Planet-X Ultralight CNC with Reynolds Blue carbon pads (Soul pads on aluminium rims)

Brake Cables: Alligator iLink – Gear inner used for rear brake (32g)
Gear Cables: Alligator iLink Mini (24g)
Cable Adjuster: Jagwire inline adjuster for front mech
Bartape: Benotto (33g)
Barends: Deda - sanded the logos off, removed some material from the body (3.5g pair)
Bottlecages: Smud Carbon conical cages (6g each inc. bolts)

Total weight minus wheels and cassette: 3900g

Wheelset 1: (Total: 1752g)
Wheels: Dati Hubs (20/24) paired to Planet X 20mm rims with DT Aerolite spokes (Front: 440g, Rear: 608g)
Cassette: Sram Red 11-23t inc. lock ring (153g)
Tyres: Vittoria Corsa SC 23mm (Averaged 249g each)
Glue: Vittoria Mastik 1
Extras: Vittoria Pitstop in front tub after slow flat
Skewers: Planet-X Ti Stick Quick Release with Carbon Levers (44g pair)

Wheelset 2: (Total: 2040g)
Wheels: Soul C5.0 (20/24) with Soul veloplugs (Front: 592g, Rear: 757g)
Cassette: Sram Red 11-23t inc. lock ring (153g)
Tyres: Veloflex Corsa 22mm (197g each)
Tubes: Bontrager Race xXx Lite 60mm (54g each)
Skewers: Planet-X Ti Stick Quick Release with Carbon Levers (44g pair)

Wheelset 3: (Total: 2049g)
Wheels: Dati Hubs (24/28) paired to Kinlin XR200 rims with DT Revolution spokes and Velocity veloplugs (Front: 590g, Rear: 751g)
Cassette: Sram Red 11-23t inc. lock ring (153g)
Tyres: Veloflex Master 22mm (195g each)
Tubes: Vredestien Latex (50g each)
Skewers: Planet-X Ti Stick Quick Release with Carbon Levers (44g pair)

The weight with wheelset 1 is 5.652 kg (12.46lbs).
The weight with wheelset 2 is 5.940 kg (12.95lbs).
The weight with wheelset 3 is 5.949 kg (13.09lbs).

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Giant TCR Advanced

Red tape not a good idea.

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Wilier Cento Uno
Colnago Master X-light
Wilier 18carati

+1

this bike begs for black bartape

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A light bike does replace good fitness.

Remove the red tape, bike looks like a cheap hooker. Get a black one.

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EX Colnago C50
TREK Madone 5.9 SL #7

Maybe I wanted it to look like a cheap hooker!

I had to try Benotto tape as it seemed to be one of the lighter tapes out there, the only colour that was a sensible price and didn't require ordering from America was the red. Personally I quite like it, it stops the bike from being monotone.

Though it turns out that the weight was almost identical to the Deda tape I removed, so unless I find it amazingly comfortable I'll probably switch back.

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Giant TCR Advanced

Please stop posting any further porn.

About the bartape, I believe the Lizard skins bartape is pretty light and good. It's sold in all kinds of colours including black.

22mm tyres seem narrow for this time of year. The TCR frame easily accepts 25mm's, I'm very happy with mine.

How is the C64 saddle by the way? I'd like one for a classy & lightweight build but they're hard to find.

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Ride it like you stole it

If the bartape gets replaced it will be with Deda tape. I've got a couple of rolls of black lying around, it's as light as the benotto that replaced it and really comfortable.

I've not had any problems with 22mm tyres, though when it's really bad out I ride my fixed gear which coincidently is using the C64 you mentioned. Here's a picture of it from the summer.



Whilst the C64 is a completely different shape to the Smud saddle I find it to be of a comparative level of comfort. I'm still putting plenty of miles on it with no complaints and ride my short comute on it without padded shorts. I found mine on ebay, I've seen them pop up a few times so it's just a case of keeping your eyes peeled.
I'm a carbon saddle convert. I recently rode a few bikes with Fizik Arione saddles (which I previously thought were really comfortable) only to be infuriated by not being able to slid into different positions and found that after a short period of time I was really uncomfortable.

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Giant TCR Advanced

On the lightweight MTB I'm running a stripped SLR. I'm quite happy with that, maybe I should try it on my TCR sometime.

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Ride it like you stole it