Nev
captain
Reged: 05/03/04
Posts: 376
Loc: Never where I want to be
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(Except the one with the appreciation for Kirsten Gum  )
It's all over. Done deal. Got me an 02' Vortex -- HA! Ksyrium sl, full dura ace 10, easton carbon post...I think that's all important stuff. I'll be getting the stem on in a few hours during final fit. It's all going together now. Frame's new. Killer deal. I'm good. Now I just need to order me another pair of egg beaters, and then will I be a roadie yet? HORRIBLE thing is I'll only get maybe an hour on it in the morning for the whole weekend, because I have a mtb riding trip planned till Monday. As the world turns...
Thanks for all the insights.
Nev
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TheMightySkunk
journeyman
Reged: 12/26/03
Posts: 82
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Congratulations. NICE bike. Had an '02 Vortex myself. Loved it. Replaced it with an '04 about 6 months ago. Love that one, too.
2002 was the year Litespeed sponsored the Lotto team. Litespeed switched down tube designs halfway through that production year. The early '02s (like mine) had a round down tube, then they switched to a diamond-shaped DT about halfway through the year after McEwen asked them to stiffen up the frame.
Which one do you have?
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"I haven't failed. I've just managed to find 100,000 ways that don't work"
--Albert Einstein
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vaxn8r
contributor
Reged: 12/19/03
Posts: 222
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I think the '02 has a straight HT as well right? I actually much prefer this look and you get to use a standard headset. What do you think TMS?
A friend of mine rides what I thought was an '03 Vortex with straight HT and round DT. I guess it's an '02. He seems pretty happy though he is not a masher by any stretch. He recently took a horrible spill off the side of the road and landed in a pile of rocks shattering his helmet and requiring some shoulder surgery. His frame and Ksyriums were completely undamaged except for the HB tape and rubber shifter covers. Here here for the durability of ti. I bet the same crash would have toasted my Calfee.
Congratulations on your new ride.
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TheMightySkunk
journeyman
Reged: 12/26/03
Posts: 82
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Vax: My 2002 Vortex had an integrated headset. That was probably the only part of the '02 Vortex I wasn't thrilled with.
I don't particularly like the whole integrated headset concept. They look particularly silly on my bikes, because I'm 6'2" and the head tube on frames my size look like smokestacks from the Queen Mary anyway. The integrated head tube looks ridiculous in the larger frame sizes, IMHO.
I'm a Chris King fan, and after reading the anti-integrated headset diatribe on the CK web site ("a cosmetic gimmick"), I had my '04 custom Vortex made with a straight HT.
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"I haven't failed. I've just managed to find 100,000 ways that don't work"
--Albert Einstein
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Nev
captain
Reged: 05/03/04
Posts: 376
Loc: Never where I want to be
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Quote:
TheMightySkunk wrote:
Congratulations. NICE bike. Had an '02 Vortex myself. Loved it. Replaced it with an '04 about 6 months ago. Love that one, too.
2002 was the year Litespeed sponsored the Lotto team. Litespeed switched down tube designs halfway through that production year. The early '02s (like mine) had a round down tube, then they switched to a diamond-shaped DT about halfway through the year after McEwen asked them to stiffen up the frame.
Which one do you have?
Thanks Skunk and 8r,
Yes, has the round down tube. The top tube is, straight, er, not compact design at all -- is that what you meant? It's more diamond shaped. I was really prepared to get a Tuscany, but this bike was in shop, and after taking a look at the design of the vs. the Tuscany, there's not much differece. The 04 vortex being way different than what I just got. I think litespeed says my 02 vortext is maybe 6-8% stiffer than an 04 tuscany. Also, the design and frame lengths are almost identical as well. Pull all that together vs. having to wait over month for a tuscany, I took this 02 vortext. The price was good.
Just got back from an hour ride. I'm not tired at all. But I'm comparing to an hour on a mountain bike getting jostled around. Big smile on my face right now. My mountain biking is going to get way better, and I have a whole new section of life to enjoy to myself. That was a lot of fun just hammering (Nev speed) the entire hour. Passed a couple other riders, too. HA! Dang fun stuff all you gents and ladies -- I assume -- are into. No turning back for me.
Thanks for having me around,
Nev
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Nev
captain
Reged: 05/03/04
Posts: 376
Loc: Never where I want to be
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Quote:
TheMightySkunk wrote:
Litespeed switched down tube designs halfway through that production year. The early '02s (like mine) had a round down tube, then they switched to a diamond-shaped DT about halfway through the year after McEwen asked them to stiffen up the frame.
Which one do you have?
After further obsessive examination, I see that the DT is round at the top, but manipulated at the bottom where it's welded to the bottom bracket cup. Don't think it's diamond-shaped, it's more oval but not rounded. Is this one of the later ones?
So far I'm very happy. I am, however, hearing little "ticks" from the headset area. Hopefully nothing to fret over. Front deraileur needs to be moved outward a centimeter or two.
Here's another question. When I put new chains on my mountain bikes, I clean the sticky factory gunk off them and then lube them up fresh. The factory stuff picks up dirt like crazy which ends up sticking to the chain and casette. They clearly didn't clean the new DA chain. I've heard some folks say to leave it on. Should I get it off there?
If I had a digital camera and some web space I'd post a picture. Very stealthy looking bike I have, black and silver only.
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TheMightySkunk
journeyman
Reged: 12/26/03
Posts: 82
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Nev:
No, the diamond-shaped down tube is very distinctively diamond-shaped, like the DT on the Litespeed Blade or the blade of a dagger. So you got one of the first-half '02s, pre-McEwen.
At that stage, the Vortex was a long-distance, super-comfy all-day cruiser, like the Serotta Legend Ti. Since then, the Vortex has steadily been stiffened, aero-ed, and race-i-fied to the point where the '04 bears very little resemblance to the model you've got. The '04 Vortex is like an Ultimate with a longer wheel base.
Personally, I think the Vortex you've got is probably the best all-around road frame Litespeed ever made. The '04 Vortex is lighter, way stiffer, and way more specialized, it's a quick-dash racing machine. I love the '04, but for long training rides and races > 50 miles, I leave the '04 Vortex in the garage and ride my Legend Ti.
So congratulations, you SCORED!
The ticks from the headset are - I have found - fairly typical of the integrated headset. They're finicky. You'll need to regularly take it apart, schpritz some Boeshield or gear oil on the bearings, wipe it all down, and re-assemble. Make sure your star-nut (aluminum steerer) or expansion plug (carbon steerer) are well-seated and torqued to spec before you re-tighten your stem.
Make SURE the noises you hear are actually from the headset, too. I have had "headset ticks" turn out to be wheel skewers, cable adjusters, wheel hubs, and BBs.
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"I haven't failed. I've just managed to find 100,000 ways that don't work"
--Albert Einstein
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Lon
sage
Reged: 12/20/03
Posts: 595
Loc: Pittsburgh, PA
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Listen to the skunk. He is right on with his comments.
The goop on a D/A chain will lube it to ride. The Sram chains do not have the same kind of goop and need to be cleaned and lubed.
I still prefer to clean a D/A and use a more normal lube. Either works and is a preference.
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Nev
captain
Reged: 05/03/04
Posts: 376
Loc: Never where I want to be
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Quote:
Lon wrote:
Listen to the skunk. He is right on with his comments.
The goop on a D/A chain will lube it to ride. The Sram chains do not have the same kind of goop and need to be cleaned and lubed.
I still prefer to clean a D/A and use a more normal lube. Either works and is a preference.
Thanks a million Lon and TheMightySkunk.
Soon as I decipher "schpritz some Boeshield" I'll be good to go...er, let's just say further along. I've never mucked with headsets. And have to learn all this DA stuff now. But I'm all smiles ready to get into it.
Thanks again,
Nev
Any good sources for the Dura Ace tinkerings?
Didn't find any here: http://dura-ace.shimano.com/
And the regular site has the older stuff:
http://bike.shimano.com/Road/Dura-Ace/index.asp.
Or is it all pretty similar?
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TheMightySkunk
journeyman
Reged: 12/26/03
Posts: 82
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BoeShield:
http://boeshield.com/index.htm
It's a metal protectant. Great for bearings and other parts not fully exposed to road grime, but makes a godawful mess of your chain. Too heavy & waxy for chains.
Good ol' ultra-cheap gear oil works well as a headset lubricant, too. In the old days (before the wondrous D/A 7800 cranks), I used to get really sick of taking my BB apart every few weeks to get rid of the ticking noises. A friend told me his secret trick - pour an eyedropper or two of gear oil into the cable routing hole in the BB, and sit the bike on its side overnight, then on the other side the following day. The gear oil soaks into the BB threads and eliminates any ticking not caused by the crank splines.
Can't store your bike in the living room after that one, though. Gotta let the gear oil drip out gradually onto the garage floor for a few days.
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"I haven't failed. I've just managed to find 100,000 ways that don't work"
--Albert Einstein
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Nev
captain
Reged: 05/03/04
Posts: 376
Loc: Never where I want to be
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Quote:
TheMightySkunk wrote:
BoeShield:
http://boeshield.com/index.htm
It's a metal protectant. Great for bearings and other parts not fully exposed to road grime, but makes a godawful mess of your chain. Too heavy & waxy for chains.
Good ol' ultra-cheap gear oil works well as a headset lubricant, too. In the old days (before the wondrous D/A 7800 cranks), I used to get really sick of taking my BB apart every few weeks to get rid of the ticking noises. A friend told me his secret trick - pour an eyedropper or two of gear oil into the cable routing hole in the BB, and sit the bike on its side overnight, then on the other side the following day. The gear oil soaks into the BB threads and eliminates any ticking not caused by the crank splines.
Can't store your bike in the living room after that one, though. Gotta let the gear oil drip out gradually onto the garage floor for a few days.
Hmmm. Haven't used any oil on my mtb bikes. It's pretty much been Phil Wood's stuff. Haven't have any complaints. I pull cranks, bottom bracket and cups and clean them every 5 months or so, grease all the treads tighten it up. Give the chains a soak and scrub and new lube and go. Quiet, smooth and silent. Looks like I'm going to have to get some new tools for the DA stuff. Too early for your oil tip, new bike still resides indoors in the living room. Haven't finished "pondering" it as I've told the wife.
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Nev
captain
Reged: 05/03/04
Posts: 376
Loc: Never where I want to be
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Quote:
Lon wrote:
The goop on a D/A chain will lube it to ride. The Sram chains do not have the same kind of goop and need to be cleaned and lubed.
I still prefer to clean a D/A and use a more normal lube. Either works and is a preference.
I stayed with it and I'm thinking now it needs to be cleaned off. The teeth on all cogs are almost black with gunk. Touch them and your fingers are black. And the chain feels sticky. I'm going to clean it all off and apply the Rock and Roll Gold, see how it all keeps.
Will attempt chain cleaning with the chain on since I don't have any new DA pins on me to replace and don't like dealing that anyway. Shram needs to come out with a compatible chain to keep my life simple.
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