#117: TT bike is done….mostly
I finished up my TT build last week and took it out for its first ride on Monday. The bar extensions proved to be too long, so I cut off another 15 mm off each and redid the cable housing (since I had now shorted the cables by about 4cm).
Yesterday night, I did the RB’s ride and finished up the cabling when I got home. After work today, I brought my bike down to ride on CD Smith Road (good low traffic road that is also the TT course for the Memphis Velo race in June) to check out my new extension length/shifter position and my Zipp 900 disc together… It was a good ride but definitely showed some issues…
The biggest issue is that my Fizik Arrione saddle is a terrible saddle to nose ride especially pushed all the way forward. It is not really an issue with the saddle shape, but the flexibility at the front end of the saddle. Since the Kuota Kebel seatpost is a setback seatpost, the saddle is pushed almost all the way forward on the rails. When I am pushing hard (28+ mph) the end of the saddle starts to flex and it is very unsettling. I will have to see about getting a different saddle. I am told that I can get a Kuota seatpost that is non-setback that will fit my Kuota Kebel (from the new K-factor?). I will have to order that as well.
The final build (so far) is this:
- Frame/fork: 2007 Kuota Kebel (XL: 58 cm)
- Seatpost: stock Kuota aero
- Handlebar: Visiontech Trimax integrated bar (aluminum)
- Shifters: SRAM bar end
- Brake levers: Visiontech
- Groupo: SRAM Force
- Crankset: Stronglight Pulsion
- Rear wheel: Zipp 900 disc (Tufo S3 lite tubular)
- Front wheel (not pictured): Zero 038 (Tufo S3 lite tubular)
The other issues that I have to take care of are a stiff rear brake cable (lever does not snap back) and a loose headset (need to get rid of the aero spacer since it is preventing a good tightening of the headset). I will probably lower the bar to expose a bit of steerer tube (it is close). The steerer tube is about 1 mm below the top of the integrated bar clamp which does not allow a good tightening of the headset. I could always use a bit of the of 1-1/8 steerer tube from my Felt as an alignment guide for the pretension stack. I have never been a big fan on the pre-tension setup on this bike. I understand the want to get away from a star nut (and the stress that places on the steerer tube), but this setup does not seem to pull things together in in the correct way. I will have to photograph it and add it to the post….
For now, I have two short TT’s lined up, so I will I fix the headset and the rear brake issue. The saddle I might replace soon, but the seatpost will have to be ordered. This Saturday (Chattanooga GC) is an 8-mile one with a hill and couple of corners. The following weekend is the 4 mile MSGP which typically is a flat straight course (as it probably will be this year as far as I know).
