I've just received a bare Zenetik frame. It looks great - I'm regretting that I'm going to get it powder-coated :-( but I think that will protect it best over time. I'm going to have to decide the color, too, not my strong suit!

I weighed the bare frame without headset, fork, etc. at 4.03 pounds on my neighbor's scale at his PYO blueberry farm.

The parts have mostly appeared. I'm intending to use an older Sugino AT triple crank and Phil Wood BB I have. It's a 170mm and I don't know yet whether the CF frame position will have me preferring 165mm cranks as I do on 'bents. I've got some Ultegra/Mavic wheels, R443/XT derailleurs, Dura Ace barcons with Paul Thumbies that I hope will work well on the flat bar, and Tektro RX40 calipers. I have some older DiaCompe SS-5 levers to use. I'm going to set the bike up with the same gearing I used to ride on my DF, except with a 9 speed instead of 7 :-) so I'll have 48-36-24 and 13-28, 23 - 98 gear inches.

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My Zen frame shipped on Monday, so should be here in Japan in a week or so.
My projected spec is coincidentally quite similar to yours in some points:

-Barcons on Thumbies (as on all my bikes)
-Ultegra/Mavic open pro wheels . . .

But diverges after that:

- Shortened 105 cranks 48/38/26 rings
- 105 standard-reach brake calipers
- Avid Single Digit 7 brake levers
- Shimano mechs 105 front Xt rear
- Panaracer Pasela 28mm tires
- 12-27 cluster

A bit understated, but all great stuff. You can't beat Shimano in my book for refinement (an inflamatory statement for many, I know).
Should be a blast. I can't wait to put it together and get going. It's tough living so far away from where all the great bikes are made. It means I have to buy them to try them. Really, really, really tough . . . heh heh.

- John Hopkinson

Hi Marc and John,

Congrats to both of you on your Z frames!

I like the components you've picked for your bikes; they're both going to be sweet rides.

Marc, I was just wondering--have you considered polishing up the frame a bit, and then simply clear coating it? That way you could enjoy the beauty of the aluminum, but still have protective coating on it...like how RANS does it with their V2 Formula....just a thought.

Enjoy, guys! Please keep us posted!

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