3T Strada sub 6kg goal with cable disc and mechanical shifting

[takolino]

Sigh, I knew I should have left that thing off.

[takolino]

I decided to experiment a little with the bartape on this build. Since I won't be wrapping the tops, the tape would terminate just behind the hoods. Since this area would be handled more, I wanted to try eliminating the finishing tape. I can do this by starting at the top and wrapping towards the drops. The end caps will secure the bar tape so I don't need to use any finishing tape.

Since this is the first time taping bars in this way, it took me a couple of tries. The problem I was running into was the area where the extra piece covers the lever clamps. The direction of wrap worked out that I would cross over the clamps in the reverse angle and it was creating a larger gap. The extra piece that's usually sufficient was not wide enough so I had to cut two pieces to place in a vertical direction to keep everything under wraps. The bar ends were easier. You have to hold down the loose end while putting the cap on but otherwise no surprises. The plugs that came with the bartape were well matched to the thickness of the tape and went in without much fuss.

I used a bartape brand I have notused before but I was pleasantly surprised. Marque brand bar tape feels like EVA foam with a thin rubbery skin. It has more friction than plain EVA and feels more durable. It also tolerated my multiple tries of wrapping. Uncut, they weighed 70g with the plugs. After wrapping, I weighed the remnants at 20g. The shorter length required for the naked tops saved a bit of weight.

Here's the finished bars. And pay no attention to the mount.

[LewisK]

That's ummmm, quite a lot of spacers!

[MrCurrieinahurry]

U will find when you move your hands onto the drops from the goods and while riding in the drops your weight will want to slide downwards which in turn will unravel the tape or at least be less comfortable

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[MrCurrieinahurry]

That's ummmm, quite a lot of spacers!

I'm assuming it's not yet been cut down yet

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[Klaster_1]

U will find when you move your hands onto the drops from the goods and while riding in the drops your weight will want to slide downwards which in turn will unravel the tape or at least be less comfortable

Last time I used conventional bar tape, I tried this wrap too and it was totally fine. YMMV.

[takolino]

Actually, this is more spacer than I'm used to, visually. The Strada has a low stack and the stem on these bars are near horizontal. I'm also being a little conservative with the spacers because of the unusual geometry. A cone spacer may have looked better but... well, you know.

We'll see how the bartape holds up. Bare handed, I can definitely feel the edges of the tape in the drops. But since I wear gloves, comfort shouldn't be an issue.

I hope to take it out this weekend. hoping that the air will get better here in California.

[takolino]

As it turned out, Saturday morning was decently clear of smoke and a good chance to take the Strada out for a ride. Initial impression is this is a fast bike that’s fun to ride. How do I know? I got two PRs without even trying, albeit on fairly flat sections. Handling wise, no surprises. The bike performed as expected and I did not experience any issues during the ride. Overall, I’m really impressed with this bike. The aero gains are significant.

Regarding the aero gains, I’m comparing it to my trusty 2014 Supersix Evo hi mod. I really like this bike and it climbs and handles superbly. At 5.4 kg, it’s significantly lighter than the Strada and it felt fairly obvious. The Strada feels a bit less responsive on the climbs but everywhere else, it’s as good or faster. I’m sure the tires and wheels contribute too.

Looking at my strava segment times, I wasn’t noticeably slower on the climbs but I was near or matched my PRs on many of the flats and descents and got two PRs. This is a route I’ve been riding for years so it’s not easy to get a PR, especially aging into my mid 50s.

I ran into a couple of technical issues when I took it for a brief shakedown ride on Friday. The seatpost slipped and the saddle tilted back. Both the saddle rail clamps and the seat post binder were torqued to spec. I didn’t hit any pot holes or bumps so I was surprised to see these problems immediately. I’ve heard about these issues but it happened so easily. I knew I should use a non-slip paste for the post (I was too impatient to take it for a spin) so that fixed that issue. For the Charlie saddle rail clamp, I used Loctite 641. I applied primer and 641 to both of the conical surfaces. That seemed to do the trick. If you know your saddle angle, I think this is a good solution. You can still adjust the saddle setback. If you get a new saddle with different rail angles, you should be able to knock the cones out with a mallet.

[takolino]

Good news and bad news.
Good news is the internal cables performed flawlessly on Saturday's ride. I did not notice any excess friction and shifting was ok. So far so good on the internal housing-less cable setup. I'm satisfied with this part of the project. I achieved my objectives.

Bad news is the integrated bar cracked at the stem clamp. It looks like the outer fibers delaminated from the clamping area and it may be ok but I don't want to take any chances here. This could also indicate poor carbon mfg. Torque setting on the Pro wrench was 3Nm. I've contacted the ebay seller and they immediately offered a refund. I have a backup bar that's slightly heavier but this means I have to reroute the cables. Sigh.



I weighed the bike and it came in a little over the spreadsheet totals. I changed the tubes to tubolito road and that should have saved around 20 grams but it didn't reflect on the totals. This scale is not that accurate though. Only measures to nearest 10 grams.

I'll probably stay at this weight until the Darimo post becomes available. Without that, it will be tough to get to sub 6kg. For now, I can trim a few additonal grams here and there. I'll remove a spacer and trim the steerer. I may switch saddles. I have some aluminum backed brake pads on the way. Just minor savings but not enough to make a big difference. Suggestions welcome.

[easyv]

Sorry to hear about your bar/stem combo! But, man, 6.25kg for an aero bike? That there be light!

[takolino]

Continuing on my effort to get to sub 6kg, I managed to get a Selle Italia C59 on ebay for a decent price. A few of them sold for a pretty low price recently. Mine looks new. About 26g reduction compared to SLR Tekno. We'll see if the large slot doesn't make it any less comfortable. I fit the SLR shape pretty well and the overall shape looks similar but time will tell.

Working on a few other fronts to bring the weight down...

After the stem cracked on the ebay carbon integrated bar, I thought about my options and decided to get the Aeolus RSL integrated bar. I put in the special order through my LBS this week. It was a birthday present to myself.
Should be here mid October.

Darimo hasn't got back to me after I asked for an estimated availability for their seatpost. I'm getting a little impatient and the handlebar won't be here for a while so I decided to modify the stock 3T boat anchor. My calculations tell me I can get it down to around 150g. Not anywhere close to what I think the Darimo will weigh but it's still 70g-80g lighter if my calculations pan out. I'll post progress on that later.

The aluminum backed brake pads are clearing customs. Will post weights when they arrive.

Current state as it weighs 6.21 kg, with the C59 installed, still with cracked stem.

[MrCurrieinahurry]

Cutting the steerer will save you a few gssss

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[MattMay]

Curious about the Darimo seatpost...bern looking for a lighter seatpost for my 3T Exploro without any luck. Not sure if the Strada and Exploro use the same post...

I’ve also reached out several times to Darimo about Ellipse handlebars but no response.

[takolino]

Cutting the steerer will save you a few gssss

Every gs count. I'll do it after I get the Aeolus RSL bars.

Curious about the Darimo seatpost...bern looking for a lighter seatpost for my 3T Exploro without any luck. Not sure if the Strada and Exploro use the same post...

I’ve also reached out several times to Darimo about Ellipse handlebars but no response.

From what I read, they are not the same but I don't know what exacly is the difference. Darimo did tell me they are working on it. Last I heared, the mold was being finished. That said, idk if it will fit the Exploro. Rough dimensions of my post are 19.7mm x 34.8mm.
I'm working on a DIY hack to lighten the 3T seatpost. It will involve cutting off the top and attaching a new top. I'm working on a design and will post soon.

[tonytourist]

The Exploro and Strada posts are similar, Zitter (used to work for 3T) says they are interchangeable. I suppose I could try with mine but I'll take his word for it.