Road Cycling Essentials

[George Hincapie]

So the outcome, he took delivery of a 1,5 triple 2012 model a week or so ago and is over the moon with the result and with treks customer support.

I think this story highlights a few issues really.

Trek are a very good company IMHO. The way they appear to have dealt with this, with the minimum of fuss, is how I'd expect a company to deal with a problem; it's about doing right by the customer.

It's really important to find a good LBS. In this case it's difficult to know why they have underperformed; the store as a whole could be sub-par, the member of staff who dealt with you and your brother could be new and inexperienced, he could have been having a bad day and not giving the problem the time and attention it required, or he could have just been completely incompetent.

Personally, I'd start making some discrete enquiries to identify another LBS locally who are well regarded.

Hope you two enjoy your bikes, and as a Scottish friend of mine says 'Wind at yer back!'

 

[George Hincapie]

I got to work before it started to get bad. I'm dreading the journey home.

Is there much falling there? It started snowing here about an hour ago. Not much of a dump though IMHO. Was expecting like 2 feet the way the media have been going on

 

[platypus]

Not much at all. No snow has stuck.

@memphisto thats a great outcome. There are some good companies around!

 

[Jonny ///M]

Result getting a new bike. None of our suppliers would ever do that!

Most bikes will need a small tweak even after its been assembled and cables stretched as much as possible on the stand.

If you were giving it all he could have shifted up with lots of force,'stretching' the cable which meant the mach didn't want to keep the chain on the big ring. Bike shop guy was a fanny regardless.

My boss was out for half an hour riding up and down a hill showing a guy how to shift gears on a kona lanai.

 

[Jonny69]

Oh yea while we are on the "how heavy are you"

I piled about 3/4 of a stone of weight on when I started cycling regularly. 33, 5'10 and currently settled at just under 11st (69 kg).

Anyone in London need a riding buddy? I could do with the motivation.

I'm in that area of town but I don't do a lot of cycling at the weekend. I do the odd event but generally only cycle on my commute or to get home.

Do any of you do a gym routine to assist cycling? I do weight lifting predominantly and then cycling comes second.

No gym routine, but I run as well. It's very good for strength around the knees and keeps the ITB in check. I find doing both keeps the muscles balanced and stops me getting the typical knee troubles from cycling (edit: well, the typical knee troubles from riding fixed-gear anyway).

 

[Saytan]

i've found squatting to bring real benefits to my sprinting efforts, i can get a really good lunge forward now.

 

[milgo]

Squatting definitely helps as do things like walking lunges for stability.

I've just started a different routine and the first 2 weeks were 2x15 squats and deadlifts twice a week along with upper body etc. Really noticed an improvement after only a couple of weeks doing that. Doing max weight stuff just seems to drain my muscles of any energy when it comes to getting on the bike.

Jonny69 what is the ITB? I should really know, but only recently been interested after hurting my knee loosing form doing high bar squats. Knee cap doesn't feel like its tracking properly at the moment.

 

[platypus]

Your Iliotibial Band. A common problem amongst cyclists and runners.

 

[Saytan]

a few minutes in agony on the foam roller usually sorts that one quite nicely

 

[Mostyn]

Weather beats cyclists always! Nice result from Trek with the new 2012 bike.

 

[Jonny69]

Jonny69 what is the ITB? I should really know, but only recently been interested after hurting my knee loosing form doing high bar squats. Knee cap doesn't feel like its tracking properly at the moment.

Like PP said, it's a long thin muscle that runs down the outside of your leg and across your knee. It controls a lot of the stability in your knee, but you don't really use it for cycling. The glute, thigh and calf muscles really bulk up with cycling, but the ITB remains relatively unused. Essentially, if you have spent a lot of time in the saddle and start running, the ITB is very underdeveloped compared to the rest of the leg muscles and it cannot support the knee properly compared to the strength of the rest of the muscles in your leg. Doing a bit of light running as well as cycling ensures that the ITB stays strong, as well as all those ligaments and support tissues around the knees and ankles and prevents a lot of the ailments you get when you concentrate on either just cycling or just running

I also find that running has added benefits like loosening up my hips, strengthening up my feet and helps my bad back through improved core strength.

 

[George Hincapie]

Package from PBK arrived today. Castelli gloves fit perfectly. The Craft base layer is miles too big. FFS! Why can't manufacturers make their sizes the same as everyone else's?!

 

[Indigo]

Anyone else know why some drivers see fit to speed up when they see the lights at amber / just changing to red?

Cycling to work this morning and saw a guy just in front almost get knocked off his bike at great speed because some idiot didn't want to wait a minute at a red light. Knocks me sick!!!!

 

[InsomniaCalls]

Despite numerous delays, I've been informed that my CX bike is now en route. Looking forward to spazzing round in the snow and hopefully making 3/4 races before the season ends in Jan!

 

[gavsta1981]

my brother owns withington cycles in manchester deals in hi end bikes

 

[InsomniaCalls]

At the risk if infecting the thread with GD...

TFTI_Jesus.jpg?

If that comment was an attempt to strike up conversation, rather than a random statement then welcome!

 

[touch]

deals in hi end bikes

o'rly?

With this taking pride of place on the homepage?

 

[InsomniaCalls]

Where do I sign? That's my next steed for sure!

 

[Fuzz]

Anyone else know why some drivers see fit to speed up when they see the lights at amber / just changing to red?

Cycling to work this morning and saw a guy just in front almost get knocked off his bike at great speed because some idiot didn't want to wait a minute at a red light. Knocks me sick!!!!

Because 50% of them are impatient ****s

Had one tard this evening only about 1/2 a mile from my house, three cars in a row (I'm at the back) that come up to a cyclist.
First car waits until it is clear and passes fine.
Second car doesn't even care there is a car coming the other way, gives the cyclist plenty of room. However the poor driver coming the other way has to drive into the soft verge to miss the ****.
another three seconds and the road would have been clear to overtake safely without putting, me, the cyclist, themselves and the occupants of the oncoming car in any danger whatsoever.

WHY!! ARRGHH

NEXT

 

[Jonny ///M]

o'rly?

With this taking pride of place on the homepage?

I thought we were bad having we whe people BMX on our hompage!

Trying to make the shop looking like a proper shop again with the addition of Felt B16,AR4,F85 and a Z6 rather than all these damn bmxs!

Hate christmas! < Ironic smiley is ironic.

Can't remeber if I asked before, think it was only about Raleigh, is Willier a brand that many of you would consider purchasing? ATB sales sent of a box of celebrations so we must consider taking the brand on next year lol.