Creo makeover

[Jorge M]

I’m interested in remaking (for my specific riding) my Creo carbon comp to a more typical road bike. I don’t particularly enjoy gravel riding (been there/done that) and rather leave the off-road stuff to my analog mountain bike. I ride in North Florida on mostly flat roads with occasional rollers. The stock cassette & chainring offered gearing that was a bad fit for me so I now have a Wolftooth 50 chainring & Ultegra 11-32 cassette. I’ve also replaced the wheels with Roval Terras thanks to great advice from a forum member. They alone make a noticeable difference, especially when riding sans boost. I’d like to save a few more ounces so looking to swap out the crankarms to carbon ones & the rear mech to an Ultegra or Dura Ace, I don’t want or need a mountain bike one. I’ve already swapped the saddle to one with TI rails and will look for a compatible Sworks carbon post. I’d appreciate any ideas about derailleurs that would work or carbon crank arms that would be a good fit. Thanks.

 

[mschwett]

my creo is more in "road" mode most of the time, and the sum of things i've done are as follows:

1 saddle (didn't go super light though; currently on a s-works romin mirror, only saved around 30g but it feels great!!!)
2 carbon cranks - not a massive weight savings (116g in the sizes i used), but meaningful. the only ones that fit, afaik, are the praxis: https://praxiscycles.com/product/carbon-m30-ecranks/
3 speedplay pedals - i have both a set of nano and zero, i'm a few lb above the weight limit for the nanos. i originally had very heavy pedals and shoes on mine, big difference.
4 replaced quick release axles with robert axle project through axles. 59g savings, looks way sleeker, less likely to get a wheel stolen randomly
5 roval terra clx wheels with gp5000 tires, tubeless (you've already done this too!) (400+g savings)
6 replaced chain ring with wolftooth (i do need climb gearing, so i went with a 42t, saved 30g)
7 replaced rear cassette - if you had the sunrace 11-42, that thing was HEAVY. i saved 190g and kept the 42 by going to an SRAM 10-42 cassette. there are also big savings in the driver
8 i replaced the stock "hover" bar and stock stem with a one piece roval cockpit. i just really like the way it looks and feels, probably not worth the $$$ objectively but it also saved over 200g from stock, in a place where you really feel it when turning or picking up the front end

the weight savings of all of the above is only around 3lb, but most of it is in rotating mass, plus reduced rolling resistance on the wheels and tires. it feels like a very different, much nimbler bike. as you know the wheels and tires are the biggest thing you can do. i have my original wheels set up with some 42mm knobbies for gravel, and it seriously feels like you have the brakes on a tiny bit all the time by comparison!

the next biggest "feel" difference was the cassette, and then getting rid of the heavy hover bar and corresponding stem. your bike may have come with a better one.

would love to hear what you find out about changing the rear mech - since i'm using a 10-42 i probably don't have any options but you should be able to go with something else.

for the ultimate in weight reduction on a creo... have your shop take the battery out and run with a range extender only! another 800g. depending on the the other choices you made could get the bike to just a hair under 25lb!!

 

[Jorge M]

Great info as usual mschwett! I’ll let you know when I swap the rear mech, I think a Dura Ace would do quite nicely with my 11-32 Ultegra. My wrench remarked as to the huge weight difference in the Roval rear wheel with the Ultegra compared to the stock wheel with big Sun Race lol, that alone is very noticeable. I ride Look & I’m currently using fairly cheap (& not light) Keos. I’m looking for a deal on a pair of carbon Keo Blades like I use on my Colnago so that will lower rotating weight as well. I’ve ordered the RAP axles & will swap those in when they arrive. One question: is the Roval stem/bar you have compatible with the suspension from the stock stem? I’d assume not but thought I’d ask. Thanks.

 

[mschwett]

Great info as usual mschwett! I’ll let you know when I swap the rear mech, I think a Dura Ace would do quite nicely with my 11-32 Ultegra. My wrench remarked as to the huge weight difference in the Roval rear wheel with the Ultegra compared to the stock wheel with big Sun Race lol, that alone is very noticeable. I ride Look & I’m currently using fairly cheap (& not light) Keos. I’m looking for a deal on a pair of carbon Keo Blades like I use on my Colnago so that will lower rotating weight as well. I’ve ordered the RAP axles & will swap those in when they arrive. One question: is the Roval stem/bar you have compatible with the suspension from the stock stem? I’d assume not but thought I’d ask. Thanks.

yep, nothing in the future shock is changed. the future shock plus all carbon cockpit is very comfy, absorbs bumps but stiff and responsive.

i've actually used a few different stems - the first was a profile 17 degree up stem, when i was getting used to a road bike. then a specialized 110mm, then a zipp 100mm, and now the roval cockpit in 420x100. you will likely need a reducing collar/shim (just an aluminum tube) depending on the cockpit or stem you go with, but it's literally just a metal tube. my LBS had a bunch on hand in different size combinations.

Specialized Future Shock Stem Shim Excel Sports | Shop Online From Boulder Colorado

www.excelsports.com

word of warning on the cockpit - the bar has few/no fully parallel cylindrical sections, so computer mounts or the like will be a little fussy depending on your preference. it has a thread in the front for a roval "out front" mount which will work well with standard bike computers, but for phone, lights, etc, you'll have to be more creative.

 

[jodi2]

Jorge, with wheels, seat post and cassette you have already improved the parts where to get most benefit/weight loss.
So don't make yourself crazy to much, you did the most important things already! Weight reduction is also useful on an ebike (or you end with an 27kg Bosch or something similar...). But the effect of loosing the last 50g is less important than on an organic bike.
For the axle another posibility for free that I did: Take off Screw&Lever and just carry one lever in your "bord tools". As far as I remember only one lever and two screws saves around 35-40g.

for the ultimate in weight reduction on a creo... have your shop take the battery out and run with a range extender only! another 800g. depending on the the other choices you made could get the bike to just a hair under 25lb!!

I would appreciate an optional road version without Futureshock, which would save about one lbs. For me it's fine, but I guess same "Roadies" can get along without and would prefer to save that weight.

 

[Jorge M]

Quick update on my Creo makeover. I’m definitely following mschwett lead, very helpful thanks. My Ultegra 8000 medium cage works flawlessly with the 11-32 cassette, so a winner there for sure. My road remote buttons failed after the first ride, I could turn on the bike and fortunately I’d set the default to “Eco” which is where I’m at 99% of the time. I could not shift to another support mode or turn it off. It turned off on its own after non use for a few minutes. My LBS checked it out & Specialized is sending a new set. Once it was unplugged from the main console everything worked as before from the top tube controls. The also ordered the Roval Alpinist cockpit which is priced identically everywhere, love how it looks and again I’m just copying mschwett, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery lol. My LBS is giving me 20% discount as a member of the local club and they know I‘d always rather support them than just look at Amazon.

 

[covert]

My LBS is giving me 20% discount as a member of the local club and they know I‘d always rather support them than just look at Amazon.

How do I join your local club?