Road Cycling Essentials

[One More Solo]

I guess there is a limit to how light you can make a bike and still have it handle well (and the UCI have no intention of dropping the weight limit it seems) so aero/comfort will have to be the focus of design.

 

[platypus]

I'm sorry.

No I'm not.

Only niggle for me with the softshell so far is that the arms are about half an inch too long, but thats probably because I'm an odd shape. Amazing jacket, really amazing. Worth the price tag? Dunno.

 

[rogan]

My rapha came this morning in the form of a red slip

god dam my broken doorbell.

However the hermes guy delivered my moon lights, so bright, bargain!

 

[grudas]

My rapha came this morning in the form of a red slip

god dam my broken doorbell.

However the hermes guy delivered my moon lights, so bright, bargain!

I so wanted to get them but I don't like the shape of the rear one.. I want one of those long 6 led lights that would fill most of my seat post but I can't find a good/bright one..

any recommendations?

 

[Berger]

First proper road ride after almost 2 weeks off. Did a decent ride, 47k with a few climbs thrown in there. I was slower than my best, but only 10% or so behind, some of which can be accounted for by the mega wind! It was so cold I had my Assos thin winter gloves on, but had to stop and put the full winter gloves on over the top of them!

Only problem is, it's coming into spring which means the male Magpies attack you. One on the route is very aggressive already, he will dive bomb and claw/beak at your helmet/ears.

If you turn and face him and wave an arm around it keeps him at a short distance, but its pretty dangerous as its hard to ride in a straight line at the same time.

Not sure what the procedure is, but in some circumstances the council can exterminate the bird. I won't be the only one getting attacked, but as it's not in town I think its unlikely they will do anything.

Here's a video example from last year:

http://www.news.com.au/national-new...ack-in-australia/story-fndo4eg9-1226503108479

 

[[DOD]Asprilla]

You bought another Ti?

My LBS has Garmin Vector demo peddles I'll be hopefully borrowing soon

8 days until Eurobike, really looking forward to seeing some of the next gen bikes.

New Cervelo's, return of the Scott Addict The new Felt AR FRD looks interesting, think Canyon might give the Aeroad a redesign?

"Aero" really seems to be where it's at, and where bikes are heading now?

The Felt AR FRD looks amazing.

 

[nydryl]

Absolutely LOVE my rollers! An hour of stop start frustration last night and I got the hang of it and stopped collapsing into the wall. Woke up this morning for a twenty minute blast before breakfast and I was far more comfortable. The level of concentration required is ridiculous -- if my form slips at all I feel myself rocking all over the place. Definitely going to be a fun addition over winter.

 

[Calpol]

winter trainer

Well chaps my winter training bike plan looks like it might be bolloxed. In a fit of uncharacteristic generosity I offered the old Peugeot to my brother in law who fancies a road bike but can't afford one at the moment. i was quite looking forward to fettling it a bit and maybe even getting it painted luminous orange!

so what should I do now?
Ride the Wilier over the winter and on the turbo and treat myself to something else in the spring?

Buy/build up something now and keep the Wilier for better weather.

Its a real dilemma because I love that Wilier but it white and I don't want to get it all manky!!! but being a man I am constantly desiring of something better!

i also don't like the idea of riding something that is less nice than the Wilier.
Maybe I should save up and build a Basso astra or an R3 with Chorus!

Damn bikes!

 

[tedmaul]

First proper road ride after almost 2 weeks off. Did a decent ride, 47k with a few climbs thrown in there. I was slower than my best, but only 10% or so behind, some of which can be accounted for by the mega wind! It was so cold I had my Assos thin winter gloves on, but had to stop and put the full winter gloves on over the top of them!

Only problem is, it's coming into spring which means the male Magpies attack you. One on the route is very aggressive already, he will dive bomb and claw/beak at your helmet/ears.

If you turn and face him and wave an arm around it keeps him at a short distance, but its pretty dangerous as its hard to ride in a straight line at the same time.

Not sure what the procedure is, but in some circumstances the council can exterminate the bird. I won't be the only one getting attacked, but as it's not in town I think its unlikely they will do anything.

Here's a video example from last year:

http://www.news.com.au/national-new...ack-in-australia/story-fndo4eg9-1226503108479

My gf used to live in New Zealand and she mentioned this kind of thing to me before. Like you say, if you turn and face them they back off. So apparently a lot of the cyclists out there would have two little eye stickers that they would put on the rear of their bike helmets. That way it looks like you're facing the bird even when you're not and they leave you alone.

Might be worth checking out.

Chain and cassette were ****** so changed them today and decided to go ahead and fit the 105 chainset we had lying around. Realised it's a 52t but it certainly feels better than what was on before.

Love how ruined my fork crown is from the winter.

Nice! You'll be killing everyone even more so heading over to Douglas now with a 52t on the front.

Feel free to let me know if you have any more spare 105 kit just lying around though, right?

 

[uniQ]

so what should I do now?

Picture is worth a thousand words

 

[[DOD]Asprilla]

Well chaps my winter training bike plan looks like it might be bolloxed. In a fit of uncharacteristic generosity I offered the old Peugeot to my brother in law who fancies a road bike but can't afford one at the moment. i was quite looking forward to fettling it a bit and maybe even getting it painted luminous orange!

so what should I do now?
Ride the Wilier over the winter and on the turbo and treat myself to something else in the spring?

Buy/build up something now and keep the Wilier for better weather.

Its a real dilemma because I love that Wilier but it white and I don't want to get it all manky!!! but being a man I am constantly desiring of something better!

i also don't like the idea of riding something that is less nice than the Wilier.
Maybe I should save up and build a Basso astra or an R3 with Chorus!

Damn bikes!

I wouldn't ride the Wilier though the winter, you don't want to treat a nice bike like that.

One year I thought 'I love riding my best bike so I'll just ride it though the winter and clean / maintain it. What's the point in riding a bike I don't enjoy as much?'

It thrashed it. Ruined BB, chain chainrings, cassette, wheel bearings and headset. Not to mention a couple of offs scratching the decals which mean that my Scott is worthless second hand.

Get something cheap and metal with full guards.

 

[rogan]

I so wanted to get them but I don't like the shape of the rear one.. I want one of those long 6 led lights that would fill most of my seat post but I can't find a good/bright one..

any recommendations?

meh, i attach them to the underside of the saddle now so makes no diff

i had a long one that i got free with my cree off ebay but it died after a particularly rainy day.

and i wanted usb charging

 

[touch]

so what should I do now?
Ride the Wilier over the winter and on the turbo and treat myself to something else in the spring?

Buy/build up something now and keep the Wilier for better weather.

Cheap old steel frame from ebay and build it into a singlespeed/fixie.

 

[Calpol]

I wouldn't ride the Wilier though the winter, you don't want to treat a nice bike like that.

One year I thought 'I love riding my best bike so I'll just ride it though the winter and clean / maintain it. What's the point in riding a bike I don't enjoy as much?'

It thrashed it. Ruined BB, chain chainrings, cassette, wheel bearings and headset. Not to mention a couple of offs scratching the decals which mean that my Scott is worthless second hand.

Get something cheap and metal with full guards.

Sensible, but isn't life too short to ride cheap bikes? I do tend to agree though. That Wilier has been like a mistress and I don't think i could bring myself to trash it.

Picture is worth a thousand words

You are a bad man UniQ.
what about picking up something like a Caad10 frame and moving the wilier groupo onto it before revitalising the Wilier with Chorus in the spring?

 

[[DOD]Asprilla]

Sensible, but isn't life too short to ride cheap bikes? I do tend to agree though. That Wilier has been like a mistress and I don't think i could bring myself to trash it.


You are a bad man UniQ.
what about picking up something like a Caad10 frame and moving the wilier groupo onto it before revitalising the Wilier with Chorus in the spring?

Perfect.

Well, almost. Proper full guards make a massive difference to you and your kit in winter and I'm not sure the CAAD10 has mounts.

CAAD10 is a sweet frame, but an 9 or an 8 would be equally as good.

Cheap bikes can be good, but SS is my cheapest by far (apart from the hybrid) but it's currently my favourite.

 

[booyaka]

I am alive.

My first road bike outing ever and spd's to boot.

New bike below

A quick 13 mile blast and coming from a mountain bike background, it's so easy to get blasting along at 20mph plus on the flat. Very enjoyable and only one close comedy moment trying to unclip at a junction but manage just in time.

 

[platypus]

I so wanted to get them but I don't like the shape of the rear one.. I want one of those long 6 led lights that would fill most of my seat post but I can't find a good/bright one..

any recommendations?

Fibre flare and Leyzene femto drive on slow blink are all you need.

 

[uniQ]

The moon rear is amazing. So bright. I find cars give me a wider birth when passing when running the moon shield over less bright be seen lights.

 

[Draeger]

I've got a SMART Polaris 7 LED rear which is incredibly bright, been using it for a while now. But has anyone tried these gimmicky rear Laser beam lights available on the Bay of 'E's?.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-Laser-B...K_SportGoods_CyclAcces_RL&hash=item232e8bb117

 

[platypus]

Looks **** to me.