# Shogun Katana... And Hello!



## SunnyHouTX (Jul 1, 2014)

Hi, thought I'd post on my first ever road bike and also introduce myself.

I'm Sunny, 38 yo male, 6 ft. I started cycling to lose weight and get in better shape after my doc put me on BP meds last year. Starting out I weighed around 235 - 240 lb and as of this morning I'm at 188 lb and BP is now back to normal. Very happy about that.

Started riding seriously last year to help lose weight with a Schwinn Protocol MTB and then to a Trek 8.2 DS. Found out I like riding longish distances so looked around for a starter road bike to see how I took to it and saw this Shogun Katana on Craigslist:



The bike turned out to be in better shape than in the pictures so I paid $180 for it and took it home. Rode it regularly for about 200 miles and really enjoyed it, I love how the ChroMoly (Tange Infinity) frame and fork smooth out the ride! So I decided to do some upgrades to it to get it here:



Upgrades include: Selle Royal Respiro saddle, FSA RD80 front wheel, Vision T30 rear wheel with Dura Ace 12-21 9 speed cassette (shifting with DT shifter set on friction), Kenda Kriterium Endurance tires, KMC chain, Bontrager bar tape, 130 mm stem, RavX carbon bottle cages and a Nashbar cadence bike computer.

Bought most of them on that these on eBay as this is my first road bike and didn't want to spend a lot while I figured things out. Bike is a blast and I put on 100 - 120 miles per week and hope to have a century ride under my belt by the end of the year.

Thanks.


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## Gregory Taylor (Mar 29, 2002)

I'm diggin' it. 

First, congrats on the weight loss. That's a big accomplishment.

Second, I like the bike. Totally Righteous that you are shifting 9 out back with a friction down tube shifter. Downtube Shifters Rule. Great color. Looks wise, I might think about getting a Zefal HPX frame pump to go on that pump peg. Neater looking than the mini that you have zip tied to the top tube. Otherwise, that is a very sharp looking update on a nice bike.

HPX Classic - Zéfal


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## SunnyHouTX (Jul 1, 2014)

Gregory, thanks for the kind words. I'm in awe of how effective cycling and clean diet have been in improving my health. I'm restricted in physical activity due to injuries and cycling has truly been a blessing given how low impact it is on my joints. 

You're absolutely right about the mini pump and thanks for the link! Didn't even know where to look for one like that, and will be getting one sooner than later.


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## Gregory Taylor (Mar 29, 2002)

You are right about cycling being relatively friendly on the joints. I've got arthritis (mild - not a huge deal) and between cycling and swimming (highly recommend it) there is a lot that you can do even with some restrictions. Anyways, keep at it!

As for the pump, they come in different lengths, depending on the size of your bike. The pump fits in between the seat tube and the head tube, and is held in place by a spring. What you do is measure the distance between the head tube and top tube and, based on that measurement, figure out what size you need.


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## SunnyHouTX (Jul 1, 2014)

Already measured it LOL! Need one around 53 cm and I believe there's one made to fit 51 - 55 cm. Will see if my LBS can order one at a decent price and go from there. I'm hoping to have a larger bike related budget soon so at that point I'm probably gonna get the pump and possibly start upgrading the rest of the drive train bit by bit, starting with BB and cranks.

I've recently overhauled the stock race/cup BB but I think there's room for improvement in performance by replacing that with something more modern. I may be mistaken, please correct me if so.


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## Gregory Taylor (Mar 29, 2002)

You know, I might go ahead with a more modern cartridge-type bottom bracket (even though a good old-school cup and cone set up works perfectly well - the downside is that the old set-up needs more maintenance), but I would hold off on a new crank. Frankly, in terms of performance gains, you won't feel much benefit there and your money could be better spent in other places. A trip, perhaps? Or the entry fee in a century. A cool looking jersey. Plus, the old-school crank looks good with the old-school bike.


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## SunnyHouTX (Jul 1, 2014)

Of course, since I love the bike as it is. It's just that I have a tendency to mess around with stuff just because and I don't really care too much about keeping things original. Even with cars, I prefer ogling resto-mods as opposed to a full on restoration. Something about new/modern bells and whistles on an older frame or chassis appeals to me. Of course, I hold on to all the original pieces in case I want to revert it back to old school.


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## SunnyHouTX (Jul 1, 2014)

Just finished a huge round of upgrades. Snagged a Sram Rival 2x10 group minus crank set, a 44cm bar (had a 40cm originally), and Sram S150 crank off eBay and Truvative bottom brancket off Amazon and just got done with the putting everything on and tuning her up. Love the finished product so much more. Brakes are hugely improved, definitely appreciate not having to reach down to shift, more stable with wider bars and cranks feel great with the new bottom bracket. This round cost a hair under $375 including new Selle SL Carbonio Flow seat from Nashbar. Very happy with the results.


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## Gregory Taylor (Mar 29, 2002)

Pretty snazzy! 

Now....go ride it.


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## SunnyHouTX (Jul 1, 2014)

Already did! She's got about 1200 miles on her since I bought her in July. She's still my favorite, although I now own a '14 Defy 1 and a '11 Fetish Panna.


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