Projekt X Ride 1

Bike Porn 1: KNC aluminium 7075 jockey wheels with ceramic bearings. Matching low weight titanium screws. Powered by Wippermann Connex gold chain. Experiments have shown that you can ride an average Paris - Nice stage 5.17 seconds faster with this set up.

Today was the day when I was asked to collect project X from the big bike dealer at the the other edge of the town. Yes, I was supposed to assemble project X completely on my own but I had to give up on some parts.


Well that is actually also the reason why I like to work with old bikes. It isn't that costly if you break something. On the other hand, if you put too much torque on the screws connecting the stem with the carbon handle- easily within milliseconds 10.000 Yen are gone forever.


Never mind that nasty thought. Today I learned that:


a) It is better to shift into highest gear before installing shifting wires as otherwise you can do it again.


b) There is actually another spacer between the wheel and the cassette even if you match a Shimano Dura Ace cassette on a Shimano freewheel.


c) You cannot mount a SRAM crank set in a Shimano specific bottom bracket.


As you may have already guessed, there are smaller and bigger Yen signs behind each bullet point.


I had my thought with Japan today and again. So I decided to take one day of holiday in order and do some riding. Before I rode out, I posted a longer post about elevator safety in case of earthquakes on the TCC blog. I hope it can be of help. This is different from writing hilarious stories.


So I rode out along the river Wuemme where the reed harvest was in full swing.

Project X is a very light bike, the lightest bike I ever had and it behaves pretty nervously. This is also the first time I ever use a bike with tubeless tires and I glued them on by myself so I didn't felt very comfortable on the bike today. But its fast when it goes straight. And climbing trunk road pedestrian overpasses is a piece of cake with this baby.


I thought that I was faster as usual while staying in the lower 140 HRM range. On the way back I also found out why: It was an exceptional windy day and I could hardly ride at 25 km/hr back.


I have a workshop with my students next weekend in a youth hostel about 100 km away from Bremen. Weather permitting I will ride there by bike, but which one?

Bike Porn 2: Syntace 99 stem with titanium screw: less than 100g. Otherwise mostly carbon.

I like the concept of Project X: A cheap, average aluminium frame equipped with nice components. The frame is made by Easton under the name of the Italian brand. Nice orange color. 

Orange Aluminium screws combined with the N of "Faggin". Of course it never works out like that. Too many standards. Think 31.6 mm seat post diameter.

Bike Porn 3: Full carbon saddle. Less than 100g. Less than 10.000 Yen, so even cheaper than my Selle Italia. 

Bike Porn 4: The power train. Blue valve cap brings luck to the owner. SRAM crank from the original Cervelo setup, later replaced by Ultegra 6700. This bike has nothing that isn't necessary. Note the missing front derailleur and smaller chain ring. With a 12 - 28 in the rear never mind in Bremen. By the way, stronglight chain rings don't fit on SRAM cranks. One also need special single speed screws for assembly if only one chain ring is used.