Road Cycling Essentials

[touch]

How long have you had it?
Gear cables will stretch over time (especially in the first few months) and that can cause the sort of problems your having with the rear derailleur.
The chain coming off the front when you move to the big ring just needs the limit screw adjusted.
Here is a guide for adjusting the front derailleur. Ignore the bits about setting the height and rotation, just scroll down to the bit about setting the limit screws. It's quite as easy thing to do.

 

[thewanted]

Is there anything I can do to stop the chain "sliding" down the gears on the cassette by itself?

Quite often when I give the pedals a good bit of effort, the chain will jump to the next gear at the back with a loud clunk and it's really disconcerting especially in traffic.

I have Shimano Sora components. Thanks!

 

[Draeger]

Faded - Have you had a look at the Ribble bike builder?. Worth a gander.

Also, I've had a Pinarello FP1 since 2008. I use it for everything on the road including my 35 mile commute which it does with ease. I bought it with my heart, not my head at the time as I just loved the looks of it and the name on the tubes. Sure there were better specced bikes available at the time but I went for this one and I've never regretted it. So buy the best spec bike you can by all means but sometimes you really do deserve to treat yourself and go with first impressions and your heart rather than be completely rational and sensible.

I know some folk will lambast me for that opinion but I really couldn't care less.

 

[touch]

Is there anything I can do to stop the chain "sliding" down the gears on the cassette by itself?

Quite often when I give the pedals a good bit of effort, the chain will jump to the next gear at the back with a loud clunk and it's really disconcerting especially in traffic.

I have Shimano Sora components. Thanks!

How old is your chain? (in terms of miles)
Sounds like the cassette and chain is worn.

 

[Jonny ///M]

I've got to definitely take my new bike back now because the gears are properly buggered.
I took it back twice and to be honest on leaving the shop they were OK and then it all goes belly up.
On Monday I tried to change from inner to outer ring and the chain fell off 3 times so I'm staying on the inner ring at all times.
The rear sprockets are now banging when I change gear like they don't want to go and then suddenly bang onto a gear.
They are the Shimano Sora, FSA Vero Chainset so I'm probably just unlucky (or buggered them up early on because I didn't really know how to use them).

Tell them to do it properly either that or you've bent the outer plate of the front mech with a bad shift which then allows the chain to fall off the big ring. Rear gears is probably just cable tension that needs sorted.

I clipped in to my bike at 8.52am and had to have the shop open for 9.25am 9.4 miles away. Wasn't actually too bad but it annoyed me loads.

 

[Lopéz]

I know some folk will lambast me for that opinion but I really couldn't care less.

Totally agree, my main issue with the Giant and Trek was that I just didn't like the look of them. The Felt said "BUY ME" (as did the Ribble 7005 Sportive, but they haven't got any frames in my size until late August and I didn't want to wait)
The Felt makes me want to get on it and ride, and that's half the battle for someone like me.

 

[thewanted]

How old is your chain? (in terms of miles)
Sounds like the cassette and chain is worn.

It's been doing it since the day I got it The bike has probably done only about 300 miles so far.

 

[Vonhelmet]

Could the tension in the derailleur be wrong? If it's letting the chain get too slack or too tight then the chain might be inclined to jump?

Note: I know very little about how a deraillieur works, so the above might be rubbish.

 

[SexyGreyFox]

How long have you had it?
.

Two weeks today.
The left shifter also gets stuck when I move it from inner to outer ring and I have to physically shove it back.
The black button which goes from outer to inner has to be pressed quite hard.

I've had two other experienced riders having a go and they both shook their heads.

 

[Shimmyhill]

Totally agree, my main issue with the Giant and Trek was that I just didn't like the look of them. The Felt said "BUY ME" (as did the Ribble 7005 Sportive, but they haven't got any frames in my size until late August and I didn't want to wait)
The Felt makes me want to get on it and ride, and that's half the battle for someone like me.

What did you think of the Ribble, its looking like the bike im going to buy but blind as im no where near the shop.

I was measured on a specialzed allez sport 2013 and came up as a 56, checking the Ribble size sheet and 55 looks to be right and in stock but still a slight gamble but similar geometry.

 

[Russinating]

If your commute is entirely on roads or paved cycle paths, get a road bike.


Russ: I saw your ride from today on Strava. It's looking good. On a straight, flat course, you would easily go under 30mins for a 10.

That was an awful ride too. If you look at my speed I drop to zero twice because I got stuck at some traffic lights that I couldn't otherwise get round for about a minute and also got stuck at a junction for a bit. It's really not the best loop but Bristol is so hilly it's all I can think of.

The fact that it's good for cyclists (flat, quiet, wide roads, etc) also means it's good for very beginner learner drivers which I'm constantly getting stuck behind too.

I need to get up there at 7am on a Sunday or something really!

 

[Lakeland]

I've got to definitely take my new bike back now because the gears are properly buggered.
I took it back twice and to be honest on leaving the shop they were OK and then it all goes belly up.
On Monday I tried to change from inner to outer ring and the chain fell off 3 times so I'm staying on the inner ring at all times.
The rear sprockets are now banging when I change gear like they don't want to go and then suddenly bang onto a gear.
They are the Shimano Sora, FSA Vero Chainset so I'm probably just unlucky (or buggered them up early on because I didn't really know how to use them).

Presuming nothing is bent, you need to adjust the upper and lower limit screw on the derailleur.

If something is sticking, it is most likely to be a sticky cable due to a rusty cable sheath, you can take the cable out and check for rust / resistance and then either replace or apply plenty of lubricant in the end and slide the cable backwards and forwards down the tubing and clean off the rusty residue 'till it cleans up.

You can do that if you're working to a budget but tbh if it's rusting I'd just replace it for the sake of £10. I'd also avoid the bike shop you used like the plague if they didn't set up the limit screws as that is shocking, it can wreck your chain and make a complete mess of your frame / chain set.

 

[rogan]

I got me some sidi's!

second hand, quite used but in good working order!

 

[Russinating]

Second hand shoes? Ewww

 

[Vonhelmet]

Second hand shoes? Ewww

I've been keeping an eye on second hand SPDs, but even they are so expensive I may as well go first hand. I'm expecting some second hand jerseys in the post today, but I draw the line at second hand shorts.

 

[Russinating]

A friend is organising this: http://www.unitedresponse.org.uk/support-us/fundraising/challenge-events/surrey-supercycle/. Looks pretty awesome and a bit different to a normal sportive.

The short? It's a "race" around the Top Gear track, ie "complete up to 20 laps of the 5km Top Gear track – for those who want to challenge themselves".

Only £15 and includes a BBQ, free entry for friends and family, fastest lap prizes, medal etc.

Edit: The lap is on Strava already: http://app.strava.com/segments/646166

 

[Kimi]

I fitted my new Grand Prix 4000s to my bike last night, looking forward to giving them a spin later, had massive problems getting the originals off, they weren't very flexible at all!

The new rubber went on so much easier!

 

[rogan]

Meh i got the sidis for £20, similars go for upwards of £50 on the bay so i got a steal

 

[Vonhelmet]

So I'm looking at second hand bikes on ebay, because the plan is to pick one up in the Autumn sometime when there ought to be a glut of people who've bought into the TdF lovefest and want a road bike, but then found that pedalling it up a hill actually requires some effort.

The Carrera Virtuoso 2012 is looking like a strong contender - it retails for £380 at the moment but I've seen barely used ones going for under £200 on ebay, so it looks like a solid bargain for my first bike.

Some of the stories for why people are selling the bikes are quite good...

The intention was to cycle from Lands End to John O'Groats (LEJOG) on it, but through personal circumstances that will no longer be happening.
The bike as only covered 200 miles since I bought it, this is logged on the trip computer that I bought and fitted to the bike.

This is the first road bike I have ever owned and was a bit nervous when I first went out on it, because of the tyre width and it raining, which leads me to explaining the marks shown in the pics. Unfortunatley my front tyre went on wet grass and then continued to throw me over the handle bars. The damage is only slightly cosmetic, some on the seat tube and scuff marks on the left hand part of the brake handle. Apart from that, the bike is like new.

Talk about biting off more than you can chew... Still, it should fill the second hand market up nicely for a bargain hunter like me!

PS Yes, yes, I know that if I was buying a bike that someone had rolled over on I'd have to look it over that bit more carefully.

 

[Faded]

Thanks for all the info so far guys, would you suggest sticking with the current budget of around £700 or could I get away with something in the £500/£600 region like the base model Specialized Allez, Trek 1.5 or Boardman Race (which has already been recommended)?

Are carbon forks really essential for London roads, considering it would be a 12 mile trip each way roughly?