Road Cycling

SDK^ · 13 Feb 2016 at 18:41

Does anyone know it it's possible to change the crankset on a new Canyon bike order?
I'm looking to buy an Aeroad CF SLX 8.0 with Ultegra Di2 but I would like it with a 50/34 Compact Crankset, not 52/36 which is the standard spec.

SoliD · 13 Feb 2016 at 18:58

No, canyon are very set. You will soon get used to the 52/36! Barely any difference when you actually look at ratios.

lordrobs · 13 Feb 2016 at 18:58

This is going to sound properly dense but... you are going out for a ride and it is around the 5'C mark. What do you wear?

Head, legs and hand wise I'm ok but as for my torso I'm at a loss. If I wear a thick jersey I feel like my chest is being frozen off. If I put a softshell on top I'm fine warmth wise but there is sweat literally rolling off my back by the time I get home. Is it just that my softshell is no good (cheapie one from Aldi) or are they all like that?

SoliD · 13 Feb 2016 at 19:08

lordrobs said:
This is going to sound properly dense but... you are going out for a ride and it is around the 5'C mark. What do you wear?

Head, legs and hand wise I'm ok but as for my torso I'm at a loss. If I wear a thick jersey I feel like my chest is being frozen off. If I put a softshell on top I'm fine warmth wise but there is sweat literally rolling off my back by the time I get home. Is it just that my softshell is no good (cheapie one from Aldi) or are they all like that?

Depends how windy, but today I had LS compression base, short sleeve, gabba and lightweight jacket. That was for a windy and wet day, if it's dry, then I'd probably shed the jacket once I am warmed up. Swap the Gabba for Rapha Classic jersey, anything that has a zip to open up. Never really suffer with being too warm or cold on my torso. It's more my arms and hands/feet that are problematic.

SDK^ · 13 Feb 2016 at 19:10

SoliD said:
No, canyon are very set. You will soon get used to the 52/36! Barely any difference when you actually look at ratios.

There is a difference, especially when riding up 20%+ hills. Most non-pros don't need the extra gearing of a 52/36. Heck, some pro's even use compact crank sets.

How many times are you blasting along at 35mph and think I wish I had another gear, vs, slogging it up a hill wishing you had a lower gear.

SoliD · 13 Feb 2016 at 19:12

SDK^ said:
There is a difference, especially when riding up 20%+ hills. Most non-pros don't need the extra gearing of a 52/36. Heck, some pro's even use compact crank sets.

How often are you lugging up 20% hills? Very few pros would use compact except on ridiculous lumpy days where they'll be sat in a grupetto just getting through the day.

SDK^ · 13 Feb 2016 at 19:15

SoliD said:
How often are you lugging up 20% hills?

Every Sportive I ride - Tour of the Peaks (Winnats Pass 20%), Cheshire Cat (Mow Cop 25%), Stratford Sportives (Cotswold Hills).

Anyway, I know it's possible to change the crank out myself and re-align the front derailleur, but it's just hassle.

SoliD · 13 Feb 2016 at 19:21

I'd be inclined to just chuck on a bigger cassette for those 3 sportives. Either way Canyon won't swap, so you'd have to sell the chainrings/crankset if you wanted to change to 50/34

oli collett · 13 Feb 2016 at 20:36

A 50/34 on an aeroad? :eek:

On a 20% ascent it is always going to be a grind unless you're a pro with a compact - if you're pushing around 5w/kg you're still going to struggle to hit 60RPM in 34x28 and it won't be that much worse on a 36x28.

A compact does make sense if you've not done much riding before or if you live in a seriously hilly area (e.g. lake district, alps) but for a reasonably fit rider it's overkill really

SDK^ · 13 Feb 2016 at 21:08

I'm a spinner and therefore go for a 34x28 normal riding and a 34x32 on hilly rides on my current bike.
I was around 3.7w/kg last Ocotber but I'm currently in recovery training after 3 months off the bike, around 2.5w/kg now :/

olv · 13 Feb 2016 at 21:19

Wtf is recovery training?

SDK^ · 13 Feb 2016 at 21:23

Training plan to recover to the fitness I was at 3 months ago.

SoliD · 13 Feb 2016 at 21:26

Surely that indicates you're in a build phase? Also 3.7w/kg to 2.5 is a huge drop.

Bear in mind my w/kg for an hour is 3.7 and I have never ever thought about needing a 32t cassette on a compact.

SDK^ · 13 Feb 2016 at 21:34

Re : the power drop. It surprised me too, pretty gutted to be honest and I'm hoping it comes back pretty quick. Putting on nearly 2kg of weight hasn't helped

oli collett · 13 Feb 2016 at 21:52

SoliD said:
Surely that indicates you're in a build phase? Also 3.7w/kg to 2.5 is a huge drop.

Bear in mind my w/kg for an hour is 3.7 and I have never ever thought about needing a 32t cassette on a compact.

Agree with this - I had a lot of time off last year due to a chronic injury and dropped power but that sounds like your 2.5w/kg figure isn't right!

SDK^ · 13 Feb 2016 at 22:04

The below is not a watts/kg comparison, but an example of my performance drop over a very similar route. I actually intended to ride the same route but didn't have the fitness to do it, so I took the flatter route back home

October 2015 : 233watts average, 163 HR average
https://www.strava.com/activities/404679191

Feb 2016 : 124 watts average, 171 HR average
https://www.strava.com/activities/490987659

That's going from riding 100 miles per week to nothing for just over 3 months. (My max HR is 195).

Thomas. PLease. · 13 Feb 2016 at 22:52

124 Watts!!!1

I couldn't even do a recovery ride with that few watts, how much do you weigh!?

FrenchTart · 13 Feb 2016 at 23:08

Are you sure you weren't ill on that ride? Unless you weigh like 40kg or something.

FrenchTart · 13 Feb 2016 at 23:14

Roady said:
Not that bad considering mate! Well ridden, things have got a little more gusty here this afternoon, how did you find it weather wise?

I'm trying to will the rain away tomorrow morning so I can go out...!

Why did you stop in Worcester? Had enough? Traffic? Darkness?

Told you to avoid the Wrekin

EDIT: Bit of a higher average

I could've gone faster but I was trying to pace myself so I didn't feel like death in the evening. I also hit rush hour traffic when I got to Worcester so I thought it might be quicker and less stressful to get a train...it wasn't

All in all it was really laziness that meant I didn't complete the ride. Also, solo rides above metric centuries are really tedious.

oli collett · 13 Feb 2016 at 23:18

SDK^ said:
The below is not a watts/kg comparison, but an example of my performance drop over a very similar route. I actually intended to ride the same route but didn't have the fitness to do it, so I took the flatter route back home

October 2015 : 233watts average, 163 HR average
https://www.strava.com/activities/404679191

Feb 2016 : 124 watts average, 171 HR average
https://www.strava.com/activities/490987659

That's going from riding 100 miles per week to nothing for just over 3 months. (My max HR is 195).

I'm viewing on mobile but I assume this data is from a power meter? 124w really is very low, it doesn't seem right that you averaged that speed