Cockpit Completion

Posted on September 6, 2011 by Duke6amer

The final piece of my Wilier GT cockpit puzzle arrived today with a brand new set of Bars.
So it’s a full DEDA Handlebar & Stem combo to keep with the Italian touch so to speak.

I must say they are a fine piece of bent tubing, very light too I might add. With a manufacturer claimed weight of 248 grams for 42cm bars, I weighed my 44cm unscientifically at 246g. Nice!!!

So now all that is left is to work out what levers to hang from them but that’s a decision I’m still trying to come to grips with… hahaha. (sorry just had to go there)

Stay tuned!!!

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Journey to Warny – Week 5

Posted on September 4, 2011 by Duke6amer

Sunday
R&R day for this week but more importantly it’s my payback the “Family Day” given I raced Saturday & was away most of the day. Pity the kids have come down with a tummy bug though… :(

Monday
Oh how I love recovery weeks the training plan called for an easy (E1) commute to work & back which is exactly what I did. Some would say 90k’s of riding is no recovery day but I can tell you after last week this was bliss, even if I followed a rain squall all the way from the City to Broady arriving to work soaked & filthy in the morning. Then like last week, riding home that arvo I saw a guy & his girl hoeing into their takeaway pizza at a time when my tummy was saying get home for dinner. Yummy!!!
Distance: 89kms, Time: 3:13hrs & Elevation Gain of 564mtrs.

Tuesday
Even though it is recovery week it doesn’t mean I miss out on one of my favourite rides of the week, the 6am-ers Hurtbox. Don’t you know, recovery week isn’t all slack with no play (intensity) it is just in moderation.

Little did any of us know how much HURT today’s ride was going to cause for 2 of our riders machines. First it was big Richard “Diesel” Read’s SS frame that well & truly gave up the ghost. Then lastly Brenton “Bighorn” Kaitler’s pedal decided it wanted to “exit stage right”.


Thankfully there was no falls & they could both limp their crippled bikes to the all important coffee stop at the end of the session.

Wednesday
With all the change of routine I just couldn’t fit a ride in today. Oh well an unexpected off-day never hurts.

Thursday
Morning Ride: Given I missed riding yesterday I was determined to do my planned session at the velo for this week. So it was a 5am start so I could get to CCCC’s Paker Park Velo to do 2x10min E3′s. Then have enough time to get back home, shower & into work at a reasonable time. I have to laugh when your fellow work mates joke that your late when arriving at 8:30am given they have no idea you’ve been up for 3.5hrs already & ridden over 40km’s with some intensity thrown in for good measure. Oh bless them!!!
I am happy with the how the stats look for the 2 intervals on a recovery week.


While at the velo it was interesting to see a HPV rock up to also do some laps. Even though I was pushing close to 40km/hr it was able to lap me every 5mins or so.

Man they can really motor along.

Afternoon Ride: Finally got myself organised to commute home from the CBD office. Much nicer only having to do 1hr instead of the old 1.5hrs from Broady much of which was on busy inner city & suburban roads. I just wish I had a descent camera on me tonight as the Sunset was sensational when I briefly looked back when merging into traffic. It was a real blood red sun setting in the distance, so the fisherman will be happy in the morning.
Distance: 71kms, Time: 2:24hrs & Elevation Gain of 314mtrs.

Friday
A E1 commute to work & back today. Stopped by the Hawthorn Velo in the morning to catch up with Nick “Gilmore” Eynon & wait for Jeff “2laps” Shaw.


View Larger Map

Jeff took me to a great little cafe called “Liaison” off Little Collins St where I had a sensational Long Macchiato. Even though the cafe is a bit small it is well recommended.
Distance: 65kms, Time: 2:17hrs & Elevation Gain of 500mtrs.

Saturday
Well little did I know yesterday would be my last day of riding for the week. I arrived home Friday arvo to find my Mother-In-Law had been helping my now very run-down, sore & ill Wife most of the day. So given this weekend is Father Day here in AUS & it was planned that the 6am-ers traditional Sunday ride would be brought forward to Saturday that put paid to any more riding for me this week.

So rightly my weekend plans changed to staying home & doing my best at being the house-wife, ah I mean house-father!
At least I can wear in my Fathers Day present, Thanks Kids. :)

Week 5 Totals
Distance = 294 kms
Ride Time = 9:57 hrs
Elevation Gain = 2,027 mtrs

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The Elusive Seat Tube Clamp

Posted on August 31, 2011 by Duke6amer

The one downside in the purchase of this frame-set was that it did not seem to come supplied with a seat-tube clamp from the advertisement given by the retailer Torpedo7.
It was not going to stop me from buying the frame but I was a little bummed it didn’t come with one.


So after confirming it didn’t have one supplied, I was on a mission to try & get hold of the genuine Wilier Gran Turismo bespoke seat-tube clamp.
As you have to agree that it was going to be worth the effort if I could find one… SEXY!!!

Wilier Gran Turismo - seat tube clamp

So I begun what I thought was going to be a long drawn out saga. First I emailed wilier.it to see if it was possible to purchase one direct from them or through their Australian agent. Maybe it got lost in translation but I got no response so made the next logical move to contact Torpedo7 to see if they could help. My initial email sent to their Sales Department had a promising response with their Customer Service Manager saying “I have contacted our buying team and are finding out when we can supply the Wilier Seat post clamp for you.” The way it was worded got me pretty excited but some 2 weeks later I still had not heard anything further so my hope was fading that I would be able to secure one easily from these most likely of sources.

Then to my surprise last Friday the 19th August I received this from the Torpedo7 returns department, imagine my surprise & then delight after reading it.

Hi There

Thank-you for your recent purchase of the Gran Turismo Frame,

At the time you placed your order, we did not have any of the matching Wilier Seat Clamps, or extra rear derailleur hangers available so the frames were advertised without – however we have since received them into stock and would like to offer one to you at no extra charge.

If you would like us to do this please respond to this email by Thursday 25th August 2011 and we will arrange to have one of each sent out to you freight free.

So obviously I replied thanking them for this generous offer and on Tuesday the 30th August as promised, my Genuine Wilier Gran Turismo Seat Clamp arrived.

Torpedo7 for your outstanding Customer Service you are to be Congratulated!

It is not often you hear the good stories of retail staff going the extra step to satisfy their customers but when you’re on the receiving end it really is appreciated.
That is the reason I wanted to post my experience to ensure the people involved get the recognition they deserve.
So thank-you to all the staff involved at Torpedo7 especially to Customer Service Manager Karen & also Kristian from their Returns Department.

So “The Elusive Seat Tube Clamp” Saga closes before it really began. It was a lot easier than I had expected & I’m wrapped that it worked out just like I was hoping. :) :) :)

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