This is the story of the bike build for one of our circuit regulars, Arjun Lall. A lifelong athlete and strong cyclist, he has many cycles in his stable. A recent acquisition, a Tarmac, ended up being the wrong size. He divested himself of it, and decided to get himself a good racing bike. He researched a fair bit and zeroed in on a high-end aluminium road bike: The Specialized Allez Sprint DSW Peter Sagan edition.
The bike frame arrived mid – pandemic, resulting in a build interrupted by lockdown woes and a chronic unavailability of parts. It was worth it though, because the bike was truly beautiful when it came together.
Componentry: Top of the line Ultegra Di2 shifters, Dura Ace cranks, Token tubeless 50mm wheels. Favero Asioma Duo pedals, Pro Stealth saddle. The rainbow bling of the logo was beautifully set off by the coordinated ‘Oil Slick’ Supacaz bottle cages and bar tape.
Probably the most rewarding thing about building a bike is speccing out a set of components, assessing them on both functional and aesthetic grounds, and having them all click together for a solid but beautiful ride. Sometimes, knowing what is in the market, and recommending specific components to add to the jazz factor (like in the case of the bottle cages and handlebar tape) is the cherry on top! The reaction of people walking in and chancing upon the cycle, usually resulting in a long double take, was plenty of validation.
What comes after a great bike build? A Bike fit, of course. That’s documented here.
Crankmeister Bicycle Works 