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Post by whippet on Apr 22, 2015 16:44:03 GMT
Today my LBS lent me this to try out...
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Post by stoatie on Apr 22, 2015 18:30:02 GMT
You've got to be getting close to S-1 territory if you add any more to your stable
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Jem
Viscount
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Posts: 3,390
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Post by Jem on Apr 22, 2015 20:46:26 GMT
I like the dog shaped water bottle
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Post by velocipete on Apr 22, 2015 20:58:29 GMT
Don't ride anywhere where there are trees or lamposts! Cheers, Pete.
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Post by whippet on Apr 22, 2015 21:17:08 GMT
Fear not, wouldn't buy it. It's only use us to go very fast, something it is quite good at. Otherwise, uncomfortable and terrible in cross winds.
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Post by triitout on Apr 23, 2015 1:02:20 GMT
As hard as I try (or tri for that matter), I simply can't go as fast for as long on a Viscount as on my carbon Trek. The split personality lives on as long as I keep racing. I'd agree that crosswinds are very unsettling with these "aero" frames and wheels. I believe that last year I had more Viscount miles ridden than Trek miles so that'll tell you something
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Post by 54roadie on Apr 23, 2015 5:30:47 GMT
A friend has one of those. He hated riding it until he swapped out the wheels - it was just too dicey in any cross wind to ride in any traffic, or with other riders. Since he works in Chicago, and rides with a couple of local clubs, that's 95% of his riding.
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Jem
Viscount
?
Posts: 3,390
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Post by Jem on Apr 23, 2015 21:25:47 GMT
A friend has one of those. He hated riding it until he swapped out the wheels - it was just too dicey in any cross wind to ride in any traffic, or with other riders. Since he works in Chicago, and rides with a couple of local clubs, that's 95% of his riding. You certainly got a laugh out of me on this post...cycle not good in wind, he lives in Chicago!
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Post by 54roadie on Apr 27, 2015 2:25:26 GMT
As hard as I try (or tri for that matter), I simply can't go as fast for as long on a Viscount as on my carbon Trek. The split personality lives on as long as I keep racing. I'd agree that crosswinds are very unsettling with these "aero" frames and wheels. I believe that last year I had more Viscount miles ridden than Trek miles so that'll tell you something Michael, how much of that difference is due to the 20 vs 10 or 12 gears and under-your-thumb click shifting, rather than downtube friction messing your wind profile with every shift? Are you positioned the same on both bikes? Sooper8, you're welcome for the laugh. Whippet, sorry for hijacking your original post. it's a nice bike, I'm sure, but it's the highest end version of the one my friend rides. Oh, what the heck - go ahead and buy it. Go fast. Fast will make you happy! Frank
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Post by velocipete on Apr 27, 2015 6:08:36 GMT
If you want to go fast,go recumbet! I know the powers that be banned them,but you can race with the BHPC,or one of the many groups in the U.S. Cheers, Pete.
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Post by whippet on Apr 27, 2015 7:36:11 GMT
No, I'm not buying it. Good for time trials but little else. As Roadie suggests, probably one of the biggest advantages over 70's bikes is the gear shifters and number of gears. My 2000 steel Mercian offers more modern shifting as well as a triple chainring which works better than the compact double of the Giant above. I did a slightly hilly TT on the Viscount Sport a few weeks and the shifters were a bit of a nuisance
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Post by velocipete on Apr 27, 2015 9:54:56 GMT
Bar end shifters Kev,if you can find them at the right price. Cheers, Pete.
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Post by triitout on May 11, 2015 2:49:03 GMT
Frank, I think it comes down to weight, especially in the wheels and probably the crank. Overall weight counts too especially in a longer race. Pick up a 5 lb weight and carry it around for awhile to get the idea of its effect over a longer time interval. I'm also not as adept at quick shifts on the friction down tube shifters as the STI's. I admit it,....I'm just more klutzy now! I've actually setup all my bikes to be very close in reach, handlebar drop and saddle height, nothing too aero anymore. Comfort and breathing at my speed trump aero in my book.
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Post by 54roadie on May 11, 2015 16:03:21 GMT
Michael, the breathing is absolutely spot on - I had the extensions too close and too deep, inhibited my breathing to the point that I spent time on them only on the straighter, flatter sections, the rest of the time I was on the bullhorns, keeping my elbows tucked into the extensions' pads, and huffing like a freight train. But the too-close extensions also made quick shifting more difficult as I was too bunched up to get my hands easily from extension to shift lever. As you and whippet both wrote, the modern shifting makes a difference - paddle shifters or index bar ends mean less movement, more stability, more concentration on making power over remaining stable (at least that was my conclusion, as I was greatly missing the index set-ups from my other bikes every time the road tilted.)
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