Torelli Express - A Few Early Thoughts/Opinions

The newest addition to the bike fold is the Torelli Express mentioned here a few weeks ago. In my excitement about new-to-me bicycles, I tend to be a bit hasty in my assessment or opinions, but I also think having a more immediate reaction can be helpful over the long term. So, while I haven't had the bike very long, I have been able to take it on several longer rides, and I feel ready to at least talk a bit more about the bike.

"The bicycle that wins"

I've wrote here in the past about my want for a yellow bicycle, so it didn't hurt when I happened upon this one that it was in fact the color I've been pining over for some time. Perhaps a bit more mustard than I would prefer, it's still easy to spot, bright (but not overly so), and fun to ride. Of course, when one is used to pedaling around on a 45 pound bicycle on a regular basis, anything that's lighter tends to feel sporty and fast (not knocking the Hillborne in any way, because he is my true love - and only that meaty because I have him fairly weighed down). I haven't weighed the bicycle, but it is certainly under 20 pounds, probably closer to about 18 (or so).

Side-by-side view of both sides of the current Torelli pedals

My first ride (other than down the street to test it out) was a fairly short distance (about a 5 mile round trip). I just wanted to make sure that the saddle was in a somewhat decent position, that the handlebars would work and that the pedals weren't going to create a problem. As can be seen in the photo above, there is a "clip" side, and a platform side, making it possible to wear a variety of shoes. It's also easy to see that the pedals haven't exactly been well-cared for, particularly for a bicycle that was ridden only twice. I suspect it may have spent some time getting shuffled around a garage or shed, or perhaps even spent an evening outside due to the grime that has formed.

The inside of the Campagnolo crank isn't looking horribly fabulous either

When I returned from this first ride, my initial thought was, "Holy moly, this thing is quick!" I felt like I was sprinting everywhere and caught myself quickly out of breath, even on this short ride. I guess there is a reason it is called "the bicycle that wins." Made of what Torelli calls Columbus' "top end" tubing, it really is made to race.

Had to stop for a quick pic on my way up Nelson Road

Obviously, I wanted to take the bike out for longer than a five mile ride to truly get a feel for it, and that opportunity presented itself quickly. The first longer ride on this bike took me up one of my least favorite climbs in the area - not because of its steepness, but because of the length of the constant uphill pedaling. I wanted to see how much of a difference the weight of this bike would make on such a climb. There is definitely a difference in average climbing speed. In areas that I'd typically be going about 8mph, I was traveling about 12mph, in typical 3-4mph areas, I was around 5-6mph, and on flatter areas I'd typically be pedaling about 14-15mph, I was able to get closer to 17-18mph. The one area that this bike does not exceed my heavier bikes in is during downhill descents. While it may very well go 30+ mph downhill, I was not comfortable exceeding 25mph for very long. In part, this could be due to my inexperience on this sort of bike, or it could well be that it just doesn't have the weight of the more stout bikes in my herd.

Terry Butterfly saddle

At this point, I was (and still am) trying to get a good feel for the Terry Butterfly Ti saddle that came with the bike. I will freely admit I am not a fan of narrow saddles, and while for many this is actually considered a "wide" saddle, that is not the term I would use to describe it. It has been adequate as long as I use padded shorts/pants to ride, but I definitely feel it the following day(s). I am trying to give it the benefit of the doubt for now and see how it goes over a longer term. I've been on some truly uncomfortable saddles, and I wouldn't say this falls into that sort of category, but it's not easy finding comfort when used to a saddle that is about 55mm wider (that's a little over 2 inches difference, so I understand why it feels so strange). Although I don't want to be in discomfort while riding, it's not yet to a point that I feel the need to change the saddle out for another option.

Campagnolo Daytona shifters

The groupset from Campagnolo on this bike is a dated version. It's actually older than the frame is, I believe. It's my understanding that Daytona was no longer made after 2002(3?) - or was at minimum renamed due to copyright infringements, and I believe the frame was built in 2004 (or 2005). I'm enjoying the shifting on this bike; though I do need to adjust my thinking just a bit from the bar end shifters I've grown used to using. I had a bit of a leg breaking session on a recent ride when I couldn't seem to get it to shift into a lower gear. I believe this is user error, and not the fault of the parts, but I will continue to keep an eye on things as I get to know the Torelli.

Something rather different, or at least that seems to have been done for a brief period during the early 2000's, is the carbon seat stays. I've seen newer bikes that have carbon chain stays, but not the seat stays. From what little research I've done, it seems to have been an experimental thing that kind of died out (though feel free to correct me if this is not valid). I suppose the purpose was meant to keep the ride more comfortable (but again, feel free to add your thoughts if this isn't correct).

What do you think? This picture is slightly angled, but I'm pretty sure the top tube slants down toward the front.

I think one of the more challenging things for me to get used to is the downward (toward the handlebars) slant of the top tube. At first I thought I was crazy and that the top tube was level, but the more I look at it, I'm fairly certain it does drop forward. I couldn't figure out why my shoulders were sore after 20-30 mile rides. At first I thought it was just adjusting to a new-to-me bicycle, but as I looked at it more, I have a feeling it's simply that I'm not used to riding in this sort of position. I'm hoping that in time, and as I ride more, my body will learn to adjust to this position. it's also possible that the top tube is slightly long for me. I can just barely stand over this bike flat-footed, and although the woman who owned it was only slightly taller than me, she may have been proportioned a bit different (or, perhaps this is why she didn't ride it?).

On one of the last jaunts with the Torelli, I went on a group ride with some locals. It was interesting to be able to keep up with them (which is not usually the case), and even though I'd worked out several hours that day (including an earlier bike ride) and was absolutely exhausted, I think I did a fair job of keeping pace. True, we're not a particularly speedy bunch (by comparison to some other groups), but when looking at what and how I'd normally ride, there seemed to be a noticeable difference.

This bike has a feeling of immediate gratification when pedaling. There's no loss of power in the pedal stroke and even though I'm still not going to win any races, there are times when it feels as though the bike wants to go faster than my legs are ready to go...which gives me hope for my future cycling adventures - at least when it comes to picking up speed. It is honestly a nice feeling to realize that I am capable of more when on a lighter bike. While I'm not ready to trade in the comfort of my Rivendell's for long rides, this will definitely be the go-to bike for quicker-paced rides in the foreseeable future.  As for the present, I'm looking forward to seeing what I'm capable of achieving on this bike, and how my opinions may alter as time passes.

If you have interest in the Torelli brand itself, there's an interesting article here about the Mondonico family (makers of many of the Torelli-branded bikes). I am always interested to read or hear about the history of a particular line, so I thought it was worth the read. And, as always, if you have additional information that you'd like to share, please feel free to leave thoughts/comments.

Happy riding!

Winter Time Bike-Dreaming and Drooling

If you happen to have been reading here for awhile, you may be aware of a winter time trend that seems to take place in our household. Each winter, we almost always become fixated on a certain bicycle (sometimes, several bicycles), and generally end up purchasing at least one of these. This winter, I haven't been obsessed with a certain bike, but rather with finding a lightweight, faster road bike.

After last summer ended, I realized how much I was enjoying the longer rides and finding that I might appreciate having a lighter weight option. I test rode a friends' carbon bike to see if that could be a good option, and ultimately decided that, at least for the time being, I am quite satisfied with the ride on steel. But, there are much lighter weight steel bikes than I was riding, and so the search began... quietly, in those free moments that don't happen very often.

Then, just as I was deciding I would leave things be, I suddenly came upon a slew of possibilities. A Yeti road bike presented itself and it took quite a bit to resist. It was a last run of the road bikes the company once made, but I didn't want an aluminum bike because I've had issues with them in the past. Then, a 17 year old Waterford with new components wandered in front of me, and I really had a difficult time walking away. It's hard for me to resist something that is priced to sell and that was certainly in sync with my aesthetic taste. However, I stood strong and said, "No," because I knew that it was similar (though lighter weight) than what I have in the bike arsenal. Next, I came upon a Seven titanium road bike in the perfect size, and I almost had to be physically restrained. One just doesn't find this sort of bike with a price tag under several thousand dollars, so when I saw it priced well below what it should be, it was difficult to say no... and yet, I did. Partially because even at its severely discounted price it still wasn't in the current budget, but also because I was convinced I would be able to get through this season without buying a bike.

A current Yeti road bike for sale locally (here, if anyone has interest)

I was so proud of myself for leaving all the bikes alone and knowing that those I currently have are perfectly fine for the riding I am doing. The Hillborne gets me around everywhere - long or short distances - and the Homer is well suited to most any road ride I am participating in. Even knowing that I have no intentions of competing in bike races, there was still a part of me longing for a lighter weight option. When I tested out the Specialized Ruby mentioned above, there was no denying that climbing was certainly easier on the body. I have big plans for this summer's riding and while the distances are easily covered on either of the bikes I own, hills would be a lot easier to ascend on a different bike.

Just as I was making my peace with riding what I have, another bike began taunting me. I showed a photo of the bike to my "pusher" (aka Sam) and said it looked interesting. He agreed. He followed up by stating that it had some "interesting components" and that it might be "a great option" for my summer plans. Hmm. "You're not helping me," I retorted, but I was determined to stand strong. I pushed it out my mind, but occasionally found myself staring at the photo. After catching me one day glancing at the picture Sam stated, "You know, we could just go and look at the bike." I, however, did not want to be involved with it because I know me and I know what happens when I get around a bike I'm eyeing. I was not going to be responsible for another bike purchase. Instead, I found myself saying things like, "It probably rides just like what I have," or "It can't be that great," trying to convince myself more than anything that I didn't need this bike.

I love the idea of this bike handle, but the bike has to be light enough to pick up one handed
(and as a side-note, I would be holding it on the other side because the crank would tear me up, I'm sure)

Then, one day, Sam had enough of my shenanigans and decided to just go and test ride it himself. I remained confident that he would come home empty-handed. After all, he is the strong one. I even said before he left, "Please don't do anything rash... if it isn't right, it isn't right, and trying to make it work isn't going to help anything." Off he went to see this bike, and a couple of hours later I received a message that he "had my bike" with him. Ugh. I was both excited and sick about this idea. I don't ever think it's a good idea to have someone else test a bike for another person, let alone actually buy it. It just can't end well. People have different ideas about what feels good/right/etcetera, and even though Sam is quite versed in what I find comfortable, I still don't like the idea of someone else determining what a good ride is for me.

When I first saw the bike I thought, "It's GIGANTIC! How am I ever going to ride that?" But, as I got closer, I realized it was about the same height as my Hillborne with a slightly shorter top tube, and when I stood over it, the clearance was fine. I got to hear the story at this point about the guy who'd purchased this custom bicycle for his wife about 8 years ago, which she rode twice. From that point, it sat in the garage getting moved around until he finally had enough and said he was going to sell it. She was just disinterested in cycling of any kind. Again, my theory is proven - don't buy bikes for other people unless they've had a chance to ride it themselves. I could see the writing on the wall... as well as the fate of this bike in our household. The main difference being, we'd spent approximately 20% of the original cost of this bike, while the original purchaser was left with the lion's share of the expense. I couldn't help but feel bad for him, especially because I have been that person (far too many times).

To date, I have taken the bike on a few rides, but nothing longer than about 10 miles. The weather just hasn't cooperated on the days I've had an opportunity to get out. With the thinner tires, I'm also a bit nervous around ice. Our days are heating up slowly though, so I'm sure I'll have more time with this ride soon and can provide a more extensive evaluation and personal thoughts on this bike.  My initial thought is that it really is a lot easier to pedal up hills. It's not so much that I'm faster necessarily (though I cannot verify this as the bike didn't have a functioning computer on it when I was riding and I am horrible at guessing bike speed), but that it requires less effort and I am therefore not as tired allowing me to push through tougher spots on the road.  In addition, it feels "lively" or "sporty" for lack of better terminology at the moment. It feels as though the effort being put into the pedals is evident right away, rather than feeling as though I have to really push to get up to speed. It's an interesting change from my normal rides.

The bike came to me with a Terry Butterfly Ti saddle... I have not had the best luck with Terry saddles in the past, but I'm going to give it a shot for now. I have a couple of Brooks B-17s sitting around, so there is an alternative to try out if I just can't make this one work. I also changed out the bar tape and tires (well, Sam changed the tires for me because he was nice enough to not make me do it), and removed a third water bottle cage from the handlebars. The original pedals remain, though I'm leery about using these. They are double-sided (SPD one side, flat on the other), and I'm still hesitant to use the clip pedals because of my klutziness and my frequent inability to remember that my shoe is attached to the pedal, but I'm leaving these for the time being as well (if you're interested in my past experiment with clipless pedals, you can read about it here).

The "mystery" bike is a Torelli Express. It's made of Columbus steel, has carbon seat stays, Campagnolo brakes and shifters, and a Reynolds Ouzo Comp fork. More details will follow when I have the opportunity to ride it more. I also have to apologize for not having photos of the bike in this post (it's like some sort of cruel teaser without the payoff, right?), but I promise, they will come. I am still trying to feel my way through this bike and figure out what works and what doesn't for me, and because of that, I haven't had a camera with me on any of the rides thus far. It's a bit different from what I understand the current iteration of the Express to be, but I'm sure much remains the same.

In all, I'm looking forward to testing out this bike on a longer ride, and getting the full picture of what a truly lighter bike can do.. If you have thoughts or things I should try out, please feel free to leave comments.