Author Topic: My new Catalyst  (Read 9333 times)

Magnus Thor

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 21
My new Catalyst
« on: February 04, 2005, 02:43:02 pm »
I guess this is the right place for this, so:  Here are a fe pics of my new Catalyst.  Beutiful bike, a lot stiffer in the pedals than my old Trek6700, but seems to be more forgiving on the rear.  Feels to me like the frame absorbs a lot of the vibration and small bumps.  The Rohloff Hub is very nice!
I had to paing the numbers on the shifter white in order to see them.  Used some water resistant white ink.  Now I'll just have to see how long it will last (the ink, that is, not the bike [:D] )
The build quality seems superb, all the welds are even and smooth.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/70951302@N00/
 

Procyon

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 35
  • an old artist man and his bicycle
    • my bio and artist resume and gallery
Re: My new Catalyst
« Reply #1 on: February 27, 2005, 12:40:29 am »
Beautiful bike you have there... I enjoyed the pictures very much.

you mention on the pictures of the inner bar end positions (which SJS, i seem to remember, advocates) that you "think you are going to like them"...

have you been using them and enjoying them ?

are they basically for taking a "aero-bar" like position crouched in and down?

what size and type are those tires ?

Anyway, i've looked at your pictures quite a few times now, and thought i'd drop a note of appreciation and a few questions, if you get the time to respond...

rory
(Procyon)

Magnus Thor

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 21
Re: My new Catalyst
« Reply #2 on: February 28, 2005, 04:44:47 pm »
Well, the bar ends allow you to crouch down for a more aerodynamic position and works rather well on straight sections.  Since all my rides are door to door I have to ride on tarmac for a while before I get to the real stuff, so this position works well for that .
I took the bike out this weekend and found me some decent mud to play in.  The bike works GREAT!  Where my old bike would have been jammed, with a casette full of mud, my Catalyst just kept on going.  The only problem was that these tyres (Panaracer FireXC Pro) aren't really meant for mud, or so it seems to me.  I have a set of Hutchinson Spyders I will try the next time we get a break in the weather.
What impresses me most is how good the frame feels and the absolute beuty of the shifting!  To be able to shift without pedaling is just so versatile.  To be able to stand on the pedals, going over a difficult spot and shift up or down in anticipation of the terrain ahead is a revelation.  To be able to shift down when you're getting stuck in the mud is almost a religious experience!

Guess I can't say enough good things about this bike, but it is great!

Magnus Thor
Iceland