Friday, January 5, 2018

Happy with the 2nd hand bike purchase a Mosso ARC 710; no regrets over botched carbon fiber bike deal

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
January 5, 2018





 I finalized a deal for a 2nd hand said to be seldom used Mosso Super Lite Alum Bike with 105 5800 group set, with RS 10 Shimano wheelset.  It was revenge deal that I pushed through after the seller of a carbon fiber bike balked on giving a warranty on the carbon fiber integrity (who wont ask for the warranty knowing that carbon fiber has inherent weakness especially if second hand, is old and used hard.   The bike was owned by who used to be member of racing club in North America)  So it was botched and ditched.  It was a P44,000 deal for a bike that was supposed to be 7 kg in weight.  (The  frame set should be  900 grams)

Fortunately I saw this Mosso bike being sold by by the RBP group for a cousin.

And saw finally got the bike and tried to compute for its weight.  For a P26,000 deal,this was what I got:

                        Frame              -   Alum 705, ARC 710 Mosso                -   1520 grams
                        Alum Fork                                                                             700 grams
                     
                        STI                        105 5800  group set                               2549 grams
                        Seat post                Truvativ                                                   325 grams
                        Seat                                                                                       300 grams

                       Wheelset                  RS 10                                                  1845 grams
                       Tires                        Maxxis                                                   200 grams

                       Drop bar                  Laplace                                                  290 grams
                       Stem                        Laplace                                                  130 grams
                       Pedal                       105 carbon                                             240 grams

                                                       Total weight                                        8,099 grams

                                                                           x   2.2 lbs/kg                     17.81 lbs

  1.       This is a light bike considering that most carbon fiber bikes are 16 to 17 lbs. Compared to my botched cf deal, the price difference of P18,000 was for a mere 1.099 kgs or  2.2 lbs or P16.37/ grams

 2.     In the  UK Cycling Magazine there was comparison of Italian bikes features, weight and price:

         Colnago  CLX Ultegra              7.96 kgs            17.51   lbs       2,799 UK pounds

         Pinarello FP Quattro                 8.36 kgs            18.39   lbs       2,869  UK pounds

          Bianchi Infinito                         7.43 kgs             16.346            2,200 UK pounds

          Basso Laguna                          7.88 kgs             17.336           2,599 UK pounds

          Cinelli  Saetta                             8.20 kgs            18.04              2.579 UK pounds

       That carbons might is light is not true here.   The Mosso bike is lighter than Pinarello and Cinelli

3.    It was suggested that to lighten the bike, I should buy a Fulcrum 7 wheelset. The seller said that he  uses a Fulcrum 7 which seemed to be 2 kgs lighter.  But the facts do not agree with his claim. Both tip the scales at 1845 grams

4. The opportunity for me to lighten the bike would be to get a carbon fiber fork which should tip the scales at  300 grams:

Opportunities for weight savings

         Current weight of alum fork     700 grams    less 400 grams if  carbon    300 grams lighter
                    Cost about P3,000

         Shimano Group set upgrade    2,549          less  2,445 of Ultegra          104 grams lighter
                    to Ultegra     P15,000

                                          Weight savings                                                   404 grams

                                           Estimated weight of Mosso with the upgrade   7,695 grams  
                                                        8099 - 404 grams

                                                                                                                 16.929 lbs

          How about Wheelse?   An upgrade of about P50,000 would save only 300 grams

          Fulcrum 7 weighs   1.8 same as Shimano RS 10  Same for Fulcrum Quattro
          Vision Wheelset would weigh as much and cost P18,000

   So maybe if I buy a new carbon fiber fork, I would save about 300 grams.

   As of now, I have light bike.  I am not 40 kph rider and spending more than P50,000 would not make me a faster rider.  With the Fuji Carbon bike, I am not a faster rider.



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