On Faulty Hardware

The core network switch in the office has failed. Ironically, the particular issue, a failed supervisor, could have been avoided but I work for a company in the risk management business and when the idea of a redundant supervisor was suggested to the executives it was decided that the risk of a catastrophic failure of the supervisor was small enough verses the high cost of a second supervisor that should such a failure occur the company would just have to be unproductive until the replacement arrived onsite. Sadly as it is now Sunday at 5:00am, the only person who is unproductive is me! I cannot do anything, without a core switch I cannot work and with a replacement due to arrive sometime in the next four hours I cannot risk falling asleep.

So here I am on my blog, also reading up on recent attempts to get a Nuclear Fusion reactor working, heady stuff if they can make it work.

So since I have nothing better to do I will spec a dream ride:

Specialized Transition S-Works Frame, see picture below.

Zipp 404 Clincher Wheels (You know every time I see or write 404 I think, page not found HTTP error, I really have been working in this industry for far too long.) Anyway you can see the 404 wheels below.
Yes I could attach a power tap, but I'm not exactly rolling in it (money), and although this is a dream Tri-bike, even dreams have to be grounded in reality. (Read power taps are outrageously over priced.)

Since it is a Tri/Time Trial bike, the bars are Aero bars, T2+ Cobra bars by Profile Design, see below for a pretty picture.

Of course that leaves out the group, well mostly, Specialized includes their own "S-Works" crank set, it is a double 53/39, and brake calipers. So I suppose the obvious group is a Dura-Ace. I put in the Shimano image for the 7900 Dura-ace group but notice it includes the standard and compact rings as well as STI, friction downtube and Tri shifters, obviously I'll be using Tri shifters, and where are the brake leavers? (Can not use STI brake leavers on a Tri-bike.)

Now at this point there are two possiblites, for my readers, one you are drooling or two you are Lesley and couldn't care less. If you aren't drooling at the idea of this bike, are you sure you are reading the right blog?

Anyway since the replacement Supervisor from Cisco is not due to arrive for another hour and a half... holy smokes! (I wish I could take a nap) I am going to calculate the weight of this thing based on the specifications on the web sites. (Oh damnit, I don't have the base bars, just the aerobars, well lets suppose, Cobra Wing bars which weigh between 205 and 215 grams.)

So here are the weights:

• Frame, crankset bottom bracket, chain rings and brake calipers: Not published!! Alright, lets just assume 1.5kg, nice Specialized, probably the one thing I'd really like to know and you don't tell me.
• Wheels: 1615g
• Aerobars: 492g
• Basebars: 210g
• Group: Not published! (To be fair there are a lot of variables here, for example do I get a 11-23 or a 12-25 cassette, I do not need a chain ring, but I need both derailleurs.) Lets assume 1kg.
• Tyres, tubes, cables and tape: Assume: 300g

Total: 5.1kg or about 11.2lbs! Holy smokes, did I forget something? That's half the weight of Erin. Damn. Now I'm drooling.