Saturday, January 17, 2009

Time Vibraser with Super Record

I’ve never been more excited to put a bike together – not even one I was going to be riding myself.

The French have always demanded a high level of quality when it comes to food. Ingredients need to be perfect. When cheap ingredients are used it results in a lesser end product. Us Americans have come to expect less from our cuisine than perfection. The evidence is in the mass amount of fast food that’s popped up everywhere. We don’t expect quality. The French, on the other hand, demand it, and it’s the reason why Le Cordon Bleu trains the best chefs in the world.



Time Bicycles is another example of perfection Just as the French chef demands perfection from his ingredients, Time frame builders demand that same level of perfection from theirs. This is why Time invests a lot of money into manufacturing their own carbon fiber. Some of the most sought after bikes builders in the world buy their carbon fiber in bulk from the lowest bidder, and therefore quality control is not always consistent.  That's not Time's story.  They oversee their own quality control.

The Vibraser has some interesting qualities.   One, it has in integrated seat mast but with a twist.  If you decide you would rather have a Vibraser with a standard seat post, you simply cut the mast, and use the seat clamp with any 27.2 post of your choice.  This works with any of Time's Translink frames.

Also, I've been getting questions about why Time still uses lugs, "Isn't that old technology?" Well yes.  If the new way isn't better, why use it?  A lugged carbon bike can be repaired, and is built start to finish in a jig.  This process of frame building results in a perfectly straight frame. 


This Time was build with Campy's new Super Record 11 speed.  The drive train has a full compliment of ceramic bearings resulting much less resistance to fight against.  


I personally like how they branded the Time on this down tube.  Time masked off the carbon to show through the letters.  When the sun hits it just right, it shoes off a beautiful pattern.  


Finally, these levers fit a had so perfectly both from the hoods and the drops.  In fact they are so comfortable, I would bet the level of fatigue will be much less as the ride progresses.  

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I just got a report back from the owner yesterday.  The Vibraser technology really works.  A smoother ride without any loss of power transfer.  That's exciting.

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