Road Cycling Essentials

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Helmets, on the road they are a must IMO, cycle paths, not so much.. I don't see the problem with headphones though. I cycle and listen to music but I can still hear traffic with headphones on and as long as you are fully aware of your surroundings by looking around as you should anyway there is no issue IMO. Deaf people are allowed to cycle and drive...
 
I wear a helmet, sometimes I get up to 40mph on a good hill, there is zero chance I'd risk that without a helmet.


I'm getting properly back into cycling after a week or not enjoying it/not doing it. I'm actually enjoying smashing it up hills and getting myself knackered out.:D

Next purchase will be a heart monitor methinks.
 
helpimcrap said:
THANK YOU!

People at work go mad at me because i won't wear a helmet - if i get hit by a car at 60mph+ or a lorry at 40mph+ a helmet will be an expensive token gesture as the rest of me will be buggered...
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My mate got hit from behind by a lorry doing an estimated 60mph on the Uttoxeter bypass.
Fair enough he spent 3 months in hospital and then another 6 months in a body cast but his helmet saved his life.
 
saddler said:
I’m in the market for a new bike as I’ll soon be moving house and will be looking to cycle to work. (4 miles each way and some long weekend rides for fitness)

My budget is around £500 and a friend at work recommended the Giant Defy 4 2011 as a good option as it can be had for around £430 at the moment. Does anyone here use a Defy bike as I’m interested in peoples opinions in this or any alternatives.

I'm a bit limited in my choices as I’m only 5'7" so need a small frame size. Most old models and sale bikes aren't available in small sizes.
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I got a Defy 1 2012 about 2 weeks ago and it's been great so far... But it's my first road bike and don't really have anything to compare it too!
 
I had my cleat virginity broken on Monday by getting off my bike without removing my left foot.
I fell back with the bike on top of me and all I can say is 'Thank you helmet'.
 
I was out on my mountain bike with regular pedals for the first time in a month yesterday. I kept trying to pull the pedal up when stopped at the lights and being surprised when it didn't move.
 
Saytan said:
i see a distressing number of fixie-look bikes with freewheels and only one brake.
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this annoys me to no end around london. Fixed = good, gears = good, singlespeed freewheel is the worst of both words.

Especially if you have 1 brake
 
Saytan said:
one brake with a freewheel is NOT ok. It's ok on fixed, but even then, it takes a lot of skill to do well.

http://ukcyclerules.com/2011/05/04/the-rules-of-bike-brakes/
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Unless I'm missing something in the link, you mean it's not fine from a legal standpoint? A single front would still stop your bike?

Either way I'm not advocating not having 2 brakes. I just think 0 brakes is worst of all and it's going to end badly for those guys riding around London like it's a big velodrome.
 
Two brakes is the legal requirement. One of those brakes can be a fixed rear wheel, which you can "stop" using your feet on the pedals.

So a fixie with just a front brake is fine. A single speed freewheel with just a front brake is not fine. A fixie with no front brake is not fine. A single speed freewheel no front brake is retarded, but I'm sure there's someone out there riding one.
 
Fair enough, I meant "fine" more in terms of being able to stop the bike quickly rather than what is legal/illegal.

No braked fixies don't meet that criteria IMO.
 
Shamrock said:
Fair enough, I meant "fine" more in terms of being able to stop the bike quickly rather than what is legal/illegal.

No braked fixies don't meet that criteria IMO.
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A legal fixie will have a front brake, and you can then also use the pedals to stop the rear wheel as though braking. I've not ridden one, but I gather you can stop very quickly with them, though you have to know what you're doing or you're likely to stop all over the road on your arse.

EDIT: Whoa, just noticed I'm over 30k posts :eek:
 
Gribs said:
Do you wear a walking helmet? You should if you're worried about head injuries as I'll quote from a dft report "Pedestrians were more likely to be admitted to hospital with a head or face injury than other road users, 46 per cent having such an injury in 2009 compared to 33 per cent of road casualties overall"

I'm sure you don't view walking as risky and needing a helmet, cycling is safer ffs. I'd also suggest you look up what standard your helmet is tested to and what that actually means.



Link for the dft report - http://webarchive.nationalarchives....blications/accidents/casualtiesgbar/rrcgb2009
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Don't be so utterly retarded. Do you actually think like this in real life or are you trying to be clever* to prove a point?

I walk and ride EVERY day. I have a potential 'situation' on the bike at least once a week and I can't remember the last time it happened as a pedestrian.

Vonhelmet said:
I've not ridden one, but I gather you can stop very quickly with them, though you have to know what you're doing or you're likely to stop all over the road on your arse.
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Good luck with that, but I'll tell you for a fact the you will NOT stop very quickly with leg power unless you're riding something with hipster-esque gearing. If you tried to 'fixie skid' stop mine from 25mph or more (48-16 or 52-18 gearing), it'll rip your feet out your ankles and I'm not exaggerating :eek:
 
Lopéz said:
Faded - the 2012 Allez has a carbon fork, the 2013 is aluminium. I think I got that right anyway!
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I thought you had just solved my problem, but I can't find a 2012 Allez in a 54cm anywhere, if anyone can locate one, preferably in the black colour scheme please let me know!

Edit - Scrap that, I think I'm going to go down the Trek 1.5 route after all, it is more expensive but it means it falls in the 12 months finance option which would be ideal for me at the minute.
 
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I'd say not very. You'll get the chance to view it when you collect and you don't have to buy.

Whatever the buyer will yell at you about "legally binding yada yada" there's nothing that eBay will do especially if your reason for not buying is because it wasn't accurately listed due to damage/not fitting etc.
 
The Defy's are great bikes. I've got a Defy 0, fantastic geometry for long rides, nice and comfortable but if you want to get the hammer down it's more than capable. Bike Radar gave the Defy 1 a rating of 4.5 out of 5. Great machine.

I'm cycling 90+ miles tomorrow from Spondon, Derby to Skegness to raise money for Arthritis Research UK. I haven't got a justgiving page as they take a cut of the money raised but if anyone does want to donate they can PayPal gift nick.lylak[@]ntlworld.com

There is a group of 26, some doing it on BMX's which is pretty hardcore. I'll try and take some pics as we do it, the weather isn't going to be kind!
 
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