I wish I had a Sponsor

I used to think one's bicycle and components provided a quantum leap in one's performance. That was when I was new to the sport and saw how the stronger cyclists sported Pinarellos and flagship groupsets with carbon wheels. I was on a Polygon-branded aluminum frame, Shimano 105 gruppo and Aksium wheels. Soon I caught up with them, became faster and stronger than a few, but I felt like I could never equal them with my current equipment. In any case, the groupset, wheels, saddle and frame were irreparably damaged in a race crash - because someone in front panicked and took us all down while he got away scot free.


Then I came to Melbourne. People did the 3 Peaks on steel bikes. 'A' and 'B' graders raced and won on Giant and Cannondale aluminum frames with 105 gruppos and Aksium wheels. I realised that I didn't need better equipment - I needed the right sort of training, the terrain and time to do it, and the patience to understand that improvement came from consistent, progressive training. There is no overnight leap. Now I'm an aspiring D-grade racer. I want to consistently win B-grade races by the time I graduate (incl. Hons.) in another 3 years.


The racers on aluminum bikes I had in mind while writing the previous paragraph are in MUcyc. It's quite inspiring to see their results, then realise they were on sub-par equipment. Not that their equipment is lousy - far from it - but that they do what they do in spite of the field's carbon fibre frames and fancy kit. I told myself that I would get a Cannondale CAAD 10 in my current 6 Carbon Ultegra fails (it already has 4 cracks of uncertain severity). The CAAD 10 is aluminum bike that can contend with many carbon frames on paper in terms of weight and field-tested stiffness. If I were to get one, it would just be the frame - my current components are more than enough for amateur aspirations. An Ultegra 6700 groupset, FSA SL-K BB30 crankset, and Mavic's famed Ksyrium Elite wheels are more than enough for the aspiring racer. In fact, I specifically sought these components because they will be able to accommodate my aspirations as an amateur. These components will be on par with any frame an honest amateur racer could ever need.


But nothing lasts forever. I wish cycling wasn't so expensive. After 11,500+ Km in my 15 months of cycling, my basic Shimano pedals have worn out. The base-plate has been worn though, exposing the shell of the pedal body beneath it. I just noticed it today while cleaning my bike. The black paint on the exposed portion has also been worn through, showing the silver grain of the metal beneath. It must have been there for longer than I thought. These pedals were my 'learning pedals' from my first bike. They have been heavily scratched from falls, over-ambitious cornering, and foiled attempts at cleat engagement. To Shimano's credit, the axle hubs have never needed servicing and I only had to tighten the retention mechanism once. Now, before I focus on training again (tomorrow morning), I need to think of money because nothing lasts forever...


Shimano 105 5700 pedals - SGD $ 86.18 /pair
Worn pedals. This model is the cheapest from Shimano that have replaceable base plates.


Shimano RS 80 wheelset - SGD $646.54
My Ksyriums have odd braking surfaces - screeching despite professional servicing, and silver-coloured dust - presumably the rim's aluminum - rubs off on the green Swiss Stop brake pads. It is not reassuring. In a perfect world, I'd go for another pair of Ksyriums but these Shimanos weight about the same and sound like they do the job just as well, and cost $200 less.


Ultegra 6700 brakes - SGD $197 /pair
Cannondale made a big mistake supplying their frames with Tektro brakes. I've found that, under pressure, the brake arms actually bend towards each other rather than downwards. Aside from lost braking power - not assuring on descents - it also warps the position of the brake arms and positions the brake shoes in the wrong toe-in angle over time. From experience, I'm not confident about Shimano's 105 model either when the roads get wet.


Elite Custom Race Resin bottle cage - SGD $17.93
An old cage from a different brand broke in a crash (two in fact), and the other cages I've tried deform the bottle. The Elites are flexible and adapt to bottle shapes. The material allows it to bend rather than break on impact - it's like a semi-solid 'lace' that holds the bottle snug. It'll be a good long-term investment, as my current one attests to.


That's in excess of $1000 Singapore dollars. I'm just a student. I have no idea how I'm going to find that kind of money... I wish I had a sponsor...