Okay, let's not look at it, for there aren't any pictures available.
Seems the folks over at Pelizzoli are changing the line up a bit, coming out with two new road frames.
The first one, I guess is sort of a standard frame in standard even sizes with standard paint.
It will be lugged with NOS Columbus SL tubing with chromed drop outs.
I'm not sure whether any custom stuff like extra chrome will be available on this frame as it sort of sounds like it will be an off the rack offering.
Their custom frame will be lugged made with Columbus Spirit tubing, not sure if this is the old Spirit or the newer niobium Spirit.
This frame will have chromed lugs, drop outs, fork ends, and stays.
The fork will also be double crowned and chromed.
The thing about this custom frame is the Spirit tubing.
The top tube and down tube I believe are over sized, something I didn't really want.
The tubing is also really thin, so thin that the tubing comes in two different specs, one for welding and one for lugs.
There aren't a whole lot of frames out there using these tubes, I think because of the thin walls.
Of the two, the custom frame is the higher priced, coming in at around $400 extra.
I'm not sure that's worth the price of admission, so initially I was thinking of the off the rack frame.
The thing is, I don't really know the full story here, my initial contact with them was very brief and not too much info was exchanged.
The way I figure is, I want to see at least some pictures of these frames before plunking down on the Paypal button.
I gotta say, I'd be more than happy with that Corsa GP frame pictured on the website.
More on this as info becomes available.
Now, what do I put on this yet to be named frame?
That's right more gears than you need fans!
I'm thinking of going eleven!
Except eleven may be a bigger chunk of change than the frame.
The thing is, Campagnolo has sort of dumbed down the lower end of their groups to something called Power Shift; you can only shift one gear at a time.
The stuff I got is called Ultra Shift, now only available on Chorus or Record, where you can do multiple shifts with one crank(push? sweep?) of the lever/button.
Veloce, Centaur and Athena now also use Power Torque cranks, sort of like Shimano with outer bearings in cups.
My stuff is all Ultra Torque cranks, with the bearing pressed onto the shafts of the cranks.
Now I've sort of gotten used to dumping multiple gears, especially when changing rings up front, so I kinda like the Ultra Shift stuff.
I'd have no problem going with Centaur again, except new Centaur is black.
In fact, everything is now black and nasty except Athena which can be had in alloy.
Confusing?
You bet!
I really like that classic alloy look, but it's only available in 11 speed Athena, which is only available in Power Shift.
To get Ultra Shift, I'd have to go at least Chorus, but that's all carbon/black too.
If you've been following along at home you, the reader, know that if I'm thinking Chorus, I might as well save up a bit and go Record, cause that's how I think.
To tell you the truth I really don't like the way Record looks, all black and nasty and stealthy like.
Okay, that carbon rear derailleur is pretty:
As you know though, I'm an Italian Alloy Goodness kind of guy.
Now I could find an NOS or used alloy group, but somehow that just doesn't seem right.
If I go used, I might as well use my Veloce.
Boy, this is a bit more difficult than I thought it would be.
I mean now I gotta fret over what I'm hanging on this unknown frame.
So anyways, there it is.
The unknown frame with the unknown group.
I don't even want to get into the Unobtainable Lightness of Roundness.
Hell I may not have any funds left over for wheels.
2 comments:
That's the thing with these obsessions: once you start unpacking the details, they grow in complexity and cost. But also there's that vision of the 11 speed custom Italian alloy goodness unobtainable roundess rolling along, and that's pretty sweet.
Having limited funding doesn't help either.
On the other hand, even with unlimited funds, there would still be some difficult decisions to make.
I wonder if I can grind off all that black and nasty stuff and make Super Record all nice and shiny?
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