You should add that the OCR 2 frame though 6061 is a more advanced and worthy of updating, its the same frame as the OCR1. The same can't be said for the OCR3.

For the Giant text you've got your OCR 2 & 3 mixed up. I've got a 2 and it ain't got Tiagra. Thought that said I'm thiniing about an upgrade next year, maybe to 105 level if the budget will stretch that far. Bought mine from AW Cycles.

Well spotted Sean, we got our 1's and 2's all mixed up;)

Hope so, or its all the way back to AWC to get a refit ;-) So, be honest now. What do you think of the OCR livery? My OCR 2 is never in danger of being lost amongst all the club ribbles and bianchis.

I think the OCR 1 looks the best of the range, the colour of the OCR 3 doesn't work for me, although it is kinda nice.

I agree and had it not been for my budget I'd have gone for the OCR1, but you know when you need dosh for peddles what can you do? The OCR3 is definitely the best looking I think, shame it went on the budget bike. I have only seen one other OCR2 (colour described as Strawberry somewhat ironically in GB cycles). Given the type of bike do you think 105 is a jump to high or would Tiagra be sufficient? Is there a groupset between?

Tiagra is fine. As it's 9 speed it gives you the option to upgrade to a higher group in stages to either 105 or Ultegra 9 speed.

Of course the new 10 speed groups upset the apple cart a little but the new 105 looks set to be a good option...

This does mean that they'll be loads of perfectly good 9 speed stuff going cheap later this year!

Well mine is a triple 8 SORA and as I improve and maybe start racing later on this year its this sort of upgrade I'm looking for. As I live around Crystal Palace I need that triple ;-)

Cheers.

Trips are fine for racing. I'm racing on Pilot with triple Ultegra at the mo. No problems at all.

Starting prices at £400-500...!

I know it's in a different league, but I got a Baraccuda Azzurri for £199 from my lbs in Loughborough. It's 7speed sora double (from this site, you would think there even was a 7 speed option!?).

The gearing is ok for what I do, commuting to and from uni, but the brakes AREN'T a make I've heard of...

Any recommendations on an upgrade around the £30-40 mark??

Go for the shimano Tiagra, got mine for £24.
Dont know if anyone can help, but ive gone through 2 lots of SORA callipers, usually the back comes loose and refuses to release. I blamed a battering from my SKS raceblades commuting on manchesters less than perfect roads

callipers starting to stick...CHECK
SKS Raceblades...CHECK
Commuting on Manchester's less than perfect roads.....Well, London's, same diff.
Thanks for the advice, when I stop wasting money on booze I might get me some!

could always do as my sometimes commuting partner does and use your cleat/sole of shoe to stop......he seems to like it !

Sorry bout the manchester reference, didnt want to stir up any regionalism

how does one waste money on booze?

Hmm...I've only recently starting using looks, and I've already had a couple of near misses when unclipping, and even managed to fall over when I'd stopped, AND my foot was out of the pedal...so might just buy better brakes.

Don't worry about regionalism, I'm a student from Leicester, with parents from Manchester, at uni in London, so it's all much of a muchness to me...

Waste money on booze...

Monthly income = X, monthly outgoing on rent = X/2, monthly outgoing on food etc = X/4, leaving X/4 available for Booze.

Monthly outgoing on booze = X

thats OK, It all becomes clear when maths is applied. Hope there were plenty of witnesses to your fall, it wouldnt be the same if no-one else enjoyed the experience...

Far be it from me to tell a student how to get the most from drinking, but i've found that a sunday afternoon/evening filled with prolonged consumption of a low gas, average alcohol level drink, such as boddies or john smiths makes a welcome return on a particular hill i climb en route to work. the skill is in not spilling a drop...try it , youll love it

You mean you drink it on the go...??
Doesn't the widget cause hindrance!?

And yes, plenty of witnesses, but my fervent anglo-saxon prevented anyone from even looking properly in my direction, or offering to help (I got an ouchy on my knee!!!)

And then all my friends (none of whom cycle) laughed at me.

So did my mum...

Tiagra for £24? From where, or should I say from whom?

Went to CYCLE PROMOTIONS event in manchester, www.cycle-promotions.co.uk, its advertised in cycling weekly, try the on line shopping, sometimes its a bit hit and miss. I got my wheels(Shimano R500) for £75 last year.....i also paid £1.99 for a brake tool...still havent worked out what it does, but hey..less than £2 quid!

Hi - Just found this old thread after a search for SKS raceblades. I'm interested in the posts from Fatso Bortollo and Thomas Sugden in the middle of the thread and the effects on brake calipers (not sure if front/rear or both)

Do the posters (or anyone else) believe that problem with the calipers was caused by the physical hitting of the raceblades against the calipers or the fact that they didn't offer enough protection against the crud and grime coming off the roads.

I ask as I've just bought some raceblades ....

Thanks

Ian,
I found that the rear calliper took a hell of a beating from the rear guard. this may be due to my first time attempt at fitting them, but the signs were there, marks on the calliper and a curled lip on the 'blade.
I have just switched to a Spec' Allez with non branded callipers and its too early to tell if the same problem will arise, but i have resisted the temtation to upgrade the brakes until spring.let me know if you manage to bend either side supports into anything approaching parallel!