Author Topic: St Martin/ Liberte Opera 2  (Read 4855 times)

Offline i love sharin foo

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St Martin/ Liberte Opera 2
« on: September 05, 2020, 09:54:16 PM »
I've recently started riding again after about 14 years away and just put my new setup together. I started with a new Ares A Plus (which is a fine bike itself). My wrists are in pretty rough shape these days after many years of skating, so the plan is to lighten things up to make it a bit easier on me. I kept swapping parts till not much remained of the A Plus. Its weighing in at 23.325 pounds at the moment. My plans are to build new wheels, using either a KHE Greyhound or an Odyssey Clutch V2 on GSport Rollcage rims. I've noticed those Tubolito tubes also and it looks like there's some nice weight to drop there, too. I would also love to swap cranks for something lighter like a 150mm Profil Mini Magnutanium with the Ti spindle. I can already notice an improvement in my wrists after going from 26+ down to 23.325. A couple more pounds would be great.


Frame: St Martin/ Liberte Opera 2 (19" TT)
Forks: St Martin/ Liberte Champs-Elysees Zero offset & revolver compression bolt
Stem: Madera Mast Top Load 36mm
Bars: Deep/ Autumn Escobars
Bar ends: Armour Bikes Polaris
Headset: Odyssey Conical Pro (and some generic spacers)
Crank: 3 piece 160mm Cromoly (from Ares A Plus complete)
Sprocket: steel 25T Ares
Chain: black KMC 410
Pedals: Odyssey Twisted PC
Wheels: stock from Ares A Plus complete (for now)
Tires: Ares A Class 1.90
Front Brake: Tektro 907 (soon to be an Odyssey Evo 2)
Front Brake Lever: Odyssey MonoLever (short)
Seat: Infinity kevlar Pivotal
Seat Post: S&M
Pegs: Infinity Xa


Apologies that the photos don't look too great. The lens on my phone is cracked.



« Last Edit: September 06, 2020, 07:20:25 PM by i love sharin foo »

Offline Mambocowboy

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Re: St Martin/ Liberte Opera 2
« Reply #1 on: September 06, 2020, 02:29:29 AM »
I've recently started riding again after about 14 years away and just put my new setup together. I started with a new Ares A Plus (which is a fine bike itself). My wrists are in pretty rough shape these days after many years of skating, so the plan is to lighten things up to make it a bit easier on me. I kept swapping parts till not much remained of the A Plus. Its weighing in at 23.325 pounds at the moment. My plans are to build new wheels, using either a KHE Greyhound or an Odyssey Clutch V2 on GSport Rollcage rims. I've noticed those Tubolito tubes also and it looks like there's some nice weight to drop there, too. I would also love to swap cranks for something lighter like a 150mm Profil Mini Magnutanium with the Ti spindle. I can already notice an improvement in my wrists after going from 26+ down to 23.325. A couple more pounds would be great.


Frame: St Martin/ Liberte Opera 2 (19" TT)
Forks: St Martin/ Liberte Champs-Elysees Zero offset & revolver compression bolt
Stem: Madera Mast Top Load 36mm
Bars: Deep/ Autumn Escobars
Bar ends: Armour Bikes Polaris
Headset: Odyssey Conical Pro (and some generic spacers)
Crank: 3 piece 160mm Cromoly (from Ares A Plus complete)

Sprocket: steel 25T Ares

Chain: black KMC 410
Pedals: Odyssey Twisted PC
Wheels: stock from Ares A Plus complete (for now)
Tires: Ares A Class 1.90
Front Brake: Tektro 907 (soon to be an Odyssey Evo 2)
Front Brake Lever: Odyssey MonoLever (short)
Seat: Infinity kevlar Pivotal
Seat Post: S&M
Pegs: Infinity Xa


Apologies that the photos don't look too great. The lens on my phone is cracked.




Your bike looks good. I did the same thing. There is nothing left of my AresAFX. Bike went from 24.9 to about 19.6 lbs. I don't have anything TItanium but I say if you can afford it go for it. I was watching Viki Gomez's instagram and 6 months ago he won't from a chromoly 9kg bike to 6kg all titanium. He said his tendonitis has disappeared and he has no intention of going back to chromoly. But it's pricey. Ti frame is $1500, ti forks $500, ti bars $300,  ti cranks $400, ti fc hub $300...

Offline i love sharin foo

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Re: St Martin/ Liberte Opera 2
« Reply #2 on: September 06, 2020, 07:05:13 PM »
Titanium would be great! But alas, my pocketbook can't do it. I'm hoping to pick up the rest of my weight savings from a careful selection of hubs, rims, and tubes. And finally after that, the crank. I think I can drop somewhere in the ballpark of 2.5lbs between them. Or at least that is the plan!

Offline Mambocowboy

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Re: St Martin/ Liberte Opera 2
« Reply #3 on: September 06, 2020, 08:33:43 PM »
Titanium would be great! But alas, my pocketbook can't do it. I'm hoping to pick up the rest of my weight savings from a careful selection of hubs, rims, and tubes. And finally after that, the crank. I think I can drop somewhere in the ballpark of 2.5lbs between them. Or at least that is the plan!
I think I dropped 3lbs on wheels alone. Tires and rims are easy ways to drop alot of weight

Offline 89schwinnsting

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Re: St Martin/ Liberte Opera 2
« Reply #4 on: September 09, 2020, 02:13:18 AM »
I recommend lighter pedals. I currently run odyssey twisted pedals, but they are on the heavy side for plastic pedals. I'm going to switch to a pair of DMR V6 plastic pedals. Much lighter.

Offline i love sharin foo

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Re: St Martin/ Liberte Opera 2
« Reply #5 on: September 27, 2020, 10:18:31 PM »

I finally build up my new back wheel using an Odyssey V2 Clutch and a GSport Rollcage. Swapped my Ares tires for a pair of folding E Comets and also added the Evo 2.5 up front. I am really liking the tires so far. They're sticky but still roll fast and smoothly. They are pretty soft though and probably won't last that long. I am really happy with how it rides right now. I have a 25T Mission sprocket on the way to replace my steel one.
Frame: St Martin/ Liberte Opera 2 (19" TT)
Forks: St Martin/ Liberte Champs-Elysees Zero offset & revolver compression boltStem: Madera Mast Top Load 36mmBars: Deep/ Autumn EscobarsBar ends: Armour Bikes Polaris and a Heresy Alliance grip stopHeadset: Odyssey Conical Pro (and some generic spacers)Crank: 3 piece 160mm Cromoly (from Ares A Plus complete)Sprocket: steel 25T AresChain: black KMC 410Pedals: Odyssey Twisted PCFront Wheel: Stock Ares A Plus complete
Rear Wheel: GSport Rollcage/ Odyssey Clutch V2/ SS double butted spokes 14/15gTires: Primo E Comet 1.95 (folding beads)Front Brake: Tektro Odyssey Evo 2.5Front Brake Lever: Odyssey MonoLever (short)
Front brake cable: Odyssey Slic Cable (white)Seat: Infinity kevlar PivotalSeat Post: S&MPegs: Infinity Xa






Offline Mambocowboy

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Re: St Martin/ Liberte Opera 2
« Reply #6 on: September 28, 2020, 01:42:44 AM »
Looks good! I recently put that same stem on my bike and like it alot...how you like the st martin frame and forks for front wheel tricks?

Offline i love sharin foo

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Re: St Martin/ Liberte Opera 2
« Reply #7 on: September 28, 2020, 02:30:58 AM »
Thanks! I am really liking the stem. Before I had a frontloader, so the top load and spacers gave me a lot more height which I really needed. I am 6'2" tall and felt really cramped when they were lower. The frame is half an inch longer than my old one and about a pound lighter, too. It feels a lot better to me. The forks are great. The taper at the bottom of the legs makes for a bit more room and a bigger target for my feet. I prefer the zero offset and the steertube is on the longer end. Overall, for the price that you can buy them (frame and forks) at FlatlandFuel.com, it'd be hard to beat in my opinion.

Offline Mambocowboy

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Re: St Martin/ Liberte Opera 2
« Reply #8 on: September 28, 2020, 04:17:55 AM »
Thanks! I am really liking the stem. Before I had a frontloader, so the top load and spacers gave me a lot more height which I really needed. I am 6'2" tall and felt really cramped when they were lower. The frame is half an inch longer than my old one and about a pound lighter, too. It feels a lot better to me. The forks are great. The taper at the bottom of the legs makes for a bit more room and a bigger target for my feet. I prefer the zero offset and the steertube is on the longer end. Overall, for the price that you can buy them (frame and forks) at FlatlandFuel.com, it'd be hard to beat in my opinion.
t
Thanks for the feedback. Turns out we're about the same height too so what's relevant to you is probably to me too lol

Offline Mambocowboy

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Re: St Martin/ Liberte Opera 2
« Reply #9 on: September 28, 2020, 04:20:09 AM »
Thanks! I am really liking the stem. Before I had a frontloader, so the top load and spacers gave me a lot more height which I really needed. I am 6'2" tall and felt really cramped when they were lower. The frame is half an inch longer than my old one and about a pound lighter, too. It feels a lot better to me. The forks are great. The taper at the bottom of the legs makes for a bit more room and a bigger target for my feet. I prefer the zero offset and the steertube is on the longer end. Overall, for the price that you can buy them (frame and forks) at FlatlandFuel.com, it'd be hard to beat in my opinion.
Ah, now I get the benefits of tapered forks!

Offline Voodoo

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Re: St Martin/ Liberte Opera 2
« Reply #10 on: November 08, 2020, 03:58:07 PM »
Nice build.


My friend Wes declared me the Mayor of St. Martin. I've since self-declared myself the Emporer of St. Martin...and I approve of your fully operational battle station.









« Last Edit: November 08, 2020, 04:21:24 PM by Voodoo »
I don't miss old school technology one bit.
But old school style and art? We live in a world of a thousand one color decals. Old school aesthetics win a thousand times over.

Offline Bone

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Re: St Martin/ Liberte Opera 2
« Reply #11 on: July 12, 2021, 04:08:19 AM »
Always love those autum escobars..,,