Package Deals: SRAM, Dura Ace, Campy, and Zipp

Fulcrum Racing Zero 2-Way Fit rear wheel

At Asterisk*Cycles, we can offer you a full range of components, from SRAM, Zipp, Enve, to more esoteric manufacturers like AX-Lightness. Here are a few package deals we’ve put together, perfect for upgrading your bike for the coming season.

Campagnolo Super Record 11 + Campagnolo Bora Utlra Two  $5,000 USD
SRAM Red +  Fulcrum Racing Zero 2-Way Fit $3,000 USD
Shimano Dura Ace 7900 + Zipp 404 FCC $4,400 USD
Zipp Vuma Quad crank + Zipp 404 FCC  $3,300 USD
Zipp SL2 bar +  Zipp 145 stem $500 USD
SRAM Force + Fulcrum Racing 3 2-Way Fit $2,000 USD

Send us an email at asteriskcycles at gmail dot com to order your parts, wheels, framesets or complete bikes

Specials and Deals on Bikes, Frames, and Components

Things are going well over here and our e-commerce site will be operational within 2 to 3 weeks. Until then, here are the latest deals we have on components, framesets, and complete bikes. We’ve added a new BH and BMC supplier, which means that we’ve got the Impec. We’ve got good deals on Colnagos, Giants, and Scotts. We’ve got other brands as well, just ask us what interests you.

We are an official AX Lightness and Schmolke reseller.

The Pinarello Dogma/Prince Dilemma

2008 Pinarello Prince in Neon

If you are in the market for a frame from Pinarello, and you don’t want to spend too much money, then you should seriously consider buying a ’08 or ’09 Prince carbon frame. The Dogma is the latest and greatest from Pinarello. It just came out last fall and retails for $5,500 in the US. We have it at a better price, but it’s still quite a bit of money to pay for a frameset, which includes frame, fork, headset and MOst seatpost.

There are many different reasons to choose the Prince. It’s a race-proven frame, very stiff and responsive and, unsurprisingly, it’s actually lighter than the Dogma 60.1 frame. Pinarello, like most manufacturers, tends to quote the weight of their frames unpainted, just when they come out of the oven, without derailleur hangers. The Dogma frame has got a lot of layers of heavy paint on it, quite a bit more than the Prince. The geometry is very similar, but the ride of the Prince is more nervous and lively compared to the Dogma. The Dogma is more comfortable. So, if you’re looking for something lively, you should be looking at the Prince. If you’re looking for a stable ride, they look at the Dogma.

The Ultimate Weight Weenie

AX 4000 handlebars, 135g, $800

Unlike my previous post, this build is a no holds bar try at making an ultra-light bike. Although there could be other options for the frameset, I’ve decided to build upon a Scott Addict R1 frame, which weighs 790g. While the AX Alpha could be used in such a build, it’s not yet available and the frame itself is almost double the price of the Addict. The same goes for the Spin Gato. The Guru Photon usually weighs more than the Addict, depending on the size, from the reports that I’ve seen. It’s also a lot more expensive than the Addict R1.

AX Lightness Will Produce the AX Alpha 580-Gram Frame

AX Lightness ALPHA

It looks like AX Lightness will be jumping onto the lightweight frame bandwagon. This is an interesting development.

Weight: 580 g in size S
Price (frame): 3900 €
Price (frame+fork+headset): 4600 €

This makes deciding upon my German weight weenie an easy choice.

My Parts & Road Bike Wishlist

Giant TCR Advanced SL LTD ISP

Here are some parts, bikes and frames that I would like to get for myself. My list gets updated every few weeks, as I get to know more and more manufacturers and dealers.

AX SRT 42 Premium wheelset[Tune Mig45/Mag150 hubs] (905g)
AX 24 Premium wheelset [Tune Mig45/Mag150 hubs] (820g)
AX Zeus stem (60g)
AX 4000 handlebars (125g)
AX Phoenix saddle (55g)
AX Morpheus crank (375g)
AX 6000 fork (225g)
Giant TCR Advanced SL LTD with Shimano Dura Ace Di2 (6.2kg)
SPIN Gato or Ruegamer Ultralight frame (~700g)

AX Lightness SRT24 Premium wheelset

Although I’d like to get a TIME RXR Ulteam VIP frame, I’ll wait until next year when a BB30 version is released. Also, I’d like to have a Di2-compatible frame for the RXR, and they have yet to release one. The reps have told me that it will be coming for the next year. It’s logical, since Colnago has released their Di2-compatible EPS. I’ve had confirmation that the Giant frames will stay the same for the 2011 model year. I’ve been toying with the idea of ordering a Scott Addict RC frame and transferring some parts over to it, but I don’t think that will happen.

What parts, bikes and frames are you planning on getting? Send us an email at asteriskcycles@gmail.com to find out more.

Asterisk*Cycles Becomes AX Lightness Dealer

AX Lightness Zeus stem

I got some great news today. Asterisk*Cycles has become an official dealer for AX Lightness parts. AX Lightness makes ultra-lightweight parts for road and MTB bikes, from the 60-gram Zeus stem to the 195-gram rims.

Weight Weenie-ism

TRP 960 SL brakes

Over the past couple of days, I’ve been pondering what to do about my premium bike. I’d like to build up a mid 4-kilogram weight weenie. These bikes are somewhat different than the ones that I had previously in my dream stable of road bikes.