Road Cycling Essentials

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Outline said:
I've been really enjoying cycling over the past year, and it's done wonders for my fitness.

Around where I live is fairly rural - bad roads, good opportunities for off-road.
Because of this, I bought a hybrid.

I'm assuming I'm missing out on a lot without a proper road bike?
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Buy a nice carbon frame (or Ti if you're feeling flush) roadie and you'll realise what you've been missing.
 
Vonhelmet said:
Ah, so much nicer riding when it's not horrifically windy. 24 miles this evening. Love it.

My gears are knackered. I really need to do something about them. They're skipping and not shifting and shifting too much and all sorts. It's a nightmare. I was hoping I could get away with it and save up for building a new bike next year but I might go ahead with my original plan of replacing some bits on this one in the meantime.
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They probably just need indexing but I've got that chain tool if you want to borrow it to check the chain. Don't forget I've got a chain whip & cassette unscrewing thing if you need it too.

I'm rapidly approaching 1000 miles! It's looking good for my 8k yearly target :D
 
Anyone doing the Strava Quarq Power Trip Challenge?

Generate some watts and cover 100 miles in one ride.
22/02/2013 — 24/02/2013
 
really nice weather to ride this morning :) can't wait for looong summer days.. ill be going out at 00.00 and coming back early mornings on the weekends - love the empty roads.
 
weta said:
Anyone doing the Strava Quarq Power Trip Challenge?

Generate some watts and cover 100 miles in one ride.
22/02/2013 — 24/02/2013
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The only day I'll be free to attempt that is on the Sun. I'll have to hope for spotless weather and I might give it a go. I'll have to plot a nice flat route because that hilly, windy 90 miler was a killer.
 
platypus said:
Review them please :).
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Put them on and did 5 mins on the turbo just for you! :)

Initial thoughts they seem really decent quality, the pad is a much better fit than the craft bib shorts I'd been using (bearing in mind I've never had any top end kit, assos etc). They are cut really well and fit nicely. I'm 5'10" and 75kg and ordered a medium for reference. The leg grippers are a little tighter than I've had before but no issue at all.

I ordered the top version which I believe has a thinner pad and is more of an athletic cut. I'm in good shape so the fit is good, although if I was any bigger I think i'd want a large.

They are also a lot lighter brown than the pictures suggest with orange stitching and a grey panel down the sides. I actually kind of like the colour, it's pretty cool. Apologies for my appalling review, have some pics!

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Definitely worth £20
 
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As per usual then...

Pete, find out where Wally's planning us going this weekend will you? He never replies to my texts :(

I can sneak out for a couple of hours tomorrow if it's somewhere local like the rake and back.
 
Outline said:
Around where I live is fairly rural - bad roads, good opportunities for off-road.
Because of this, I bought a hybrid.

I'm assuming I'm missing out on a lot without a proper road bike?
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Not necessarily. It depends on your hybrid - some are basically road bikes with flat bars, some are more like a rigid-frame mountain bike with 700c wheels and some are dedicated frames with more relaxed geometry. I have road bikes and I recently started using thicker tyres because of the poor roads. I'm also tiring of drop bars (on my commute) because I have to do too much switching around positions so I'm thinking of swapping on flat bars instead. I can't see it holding me up at all, but you need to ride what's comfortable for you and your journey. If the hybrid is what you like best, then that's the right bike for the job.
 
My Scott bib shorts arrived this morning too! Super quick delivery!!

Havent tried them on yet as I'm at work still, but they look like decent enough. The colour isn't to die for if I'm honest....but for £20 I'm not complaining. They'll make great commuter shorts soon.

And they've got a CyTech pad in them, which are super comfy - as my DHB bib shorts have them too and I've never felt uncomfortable at all in them. So that's reassuring!
 
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Outline said:
Around where I live is fairly rural - bad roads, good opportunities for off-road.
Because of this, I bought a hybrid.

I'm assuming I'm missing out on a lot without a proper road bike?
Click to expand...

You're only missing out if you dont take advantage of the good off-road oppertunities.
If you only ride on roads, a road bike would probably be better.
If you ride on off-road paths/tracks/etc, then you may well have the right bike for it. (obviously, having a dedicated road bike and a dedicated off-road bike would be the best of both worlds, but thats not always an option)
 
Merlin are selling off their Eddie Merckx bikes cheap, almost worth buying them, removing the groupset and buying a new frame!

The Dura Ace and Campy Record ones are gorgeous bikes.
 
Well I waited for the Ride London 100 magazine to arrive this morning and got the confirmation that I didn't get in.

I think what I find most annoying is that I signed up to it as soon as it was possible, which was what, 6 months ago? I'd then been building up the miles and it was ultimately going to be my goal for the year. I now feel a bit lost, as I need a new goal.
 
Nexus said:
Well I waited for the Ride London 100 magazine to arrive this morning and got the confirmation that I didn't get in.

I think what I find most annoying is that I signed up to it as soon as it was possible, which was what, 6 months ago? I'd then been building up the miles and it was ultimately going to be my goal for the year. I now feel a bit lost, as I need a new goal.
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BHF London2Brighton followed by cycling back? I want to do that this year. That's over 100mi.

You can sign up from March I think.
 
Nexus said:
I think what I find most annoying is that I signed up to it as soon as it was possible, which was what, 6 months ago? I'd then been building up the miles and it was ultimately going to be my goal for the year. I now feel a bit lost, as I need a new goal.
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There's no shortage of pricey sportives, or nice cheap audaxes.
 
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