Road Cycling Essentials

[Squark]

Don't get a hybrid I wish I got a road bike but thought the leap from no bike > road bike was to much.

wind resistance in an upright riding position on a mountain/hybrid bike is awful!

I think everyone on here told me to get a road bike as well

Really?

I was looking at a hybrid, wasn't sure if I wanted a full on roady

 

[touch]

I've said within 5 years

5 years!?
5 weeks will do you fine. Get out on that apr a few more times to get the hang of riding in a fast group and you'll be good to go. Looking at that strava link, you've clearly got the speed required.

 

[Draeger]

That's some effort. Well done Jonny!!

 

[Jonny ///M]

Wish you could have saw me do the Strathaven > Home pedal. Couldn't even call it that.

Topped up with a chicken tikka hoagie, crunchy M+Ms, mars mix things and scotch bonnet crisps. Tour de Farce diet

 

[Vonhelmet]

Really?

I was looking at a hybrid, wasn't sure if I wanted a full on roady

How far are you going to be cycling?

If you're going to be using it for riding on roads, and it's any sort of distance, then a road bike is your best bet. Much faster.

 

[touch]

Wish you could have saw me do the Strathaven > Home pedal. Couldn't even call it that.

So, not only do you have the speed needed for racing, you also already know how to give it everything you've got and be left with nothing after it.

You should have a look at the races on bute on 21-22 september. I think there is a 'novice' Road race on the Sunday. Not sure exactly what that means but it looks like it would be a good first race. See what the boss days about it?

 

[explicit4u]

Really?

I was looking at a hybrid, wasn't sure if I wanted a full on roady

I made the mistake of ignoring advice on here and buying a hybrid. It was a decent bike for a really good price but you'll soon come to realise that the wind ALWAYS blows against you and the upright positioning on a hybrid/MTB really slows you down.

Apart from the added comfort from fatter tyres my Sirrus has nothing on my friends Allez and you could always go cyclocross if that's a problem for you.

 

[topgun06]

Nearly got caught out by the sunset tonight! Depressing how the nights are coming in sooner

 

[Jonny ///M]

So, not only do you have the speed needed for racing, you also already know how to give it everything you've got and be left with nothing after it.

You should have a look at the races on bute on 21-22 september. I think there is a 'novice' Road race on the Sunday. Not sure exactly what that means but it looks like it would be a good first race. See what the boss days about it?

I was thinking trying to get a good winter in and see how I go next summer. Quite late on in the year to start I think.

Boss is off from the 9th Sept for 3 weeks so I'll be pretty busy in the shop.

Any suggestions on how to keep the pace at the front the same? I seem to need a computer to tell me what the bunch is doing and try and stick to that. Going by how my legs feel doesn't appear to work and it's a bit hard to look back to check.

 

[Saytan]

Broke out strava for yesterday evening and this morning's commutes. It seems i've quietly got faster while not using it.

26 segments across the two rides. 21 PRs and 5 2nd or 3rd fastest times. Broke the top 40 on a segment with 850 times as well - and Bristol is FULL of fast riders.

Might get the road bike on the commute next week, see what it does compared to knackered and creaky old MTB on slicks

 

[One More Solo]

Building something up for yourself almost never works out cheaper than buying a complete bike.

Maybe from new parts but even then complete bikes only manage to be cheaper by fitting crap wheels and finishing kit that you will eventually spend to upgrade anyway.

 

[Saytan]

by far the cheapest way to do anything is buy a complete bike second hand. I've made good money stripping complete bikes and selling them as parts.

 

[tedmaul]

Mother of god! My boss decides at about 5pm to annoy me into to going to the club bunch training ride(APR style).

I drove home, ate one mule bar, stuck a bottle on and headed out. Got put in group 3 with group 4 being the scratch group.

I zig zagged home seeing stars a guy in group two said they averaged 22.5mph so we must have been sitting higher to close the 3 and a half minute gap.

Was gutted when a guy double punctured coming a descent which slowed me right up at the bottom of a hill in the big ring, essentially I got ****** right out the back and never caught back on but only had a mile to the finish thankfully.

Spinning a 52/12 and being less than 10 metres off the back of the bunch is heart breaking. Eventually did get back in the bunch and managed to hide and recover only get stuck behind the punctured guy as I said.

My full pedal in and out
http://www.strava.com/activities/76243835

The ride route
http://www.strava.com/activities/76243835#1523669503

Wow! Awesome ride there Jonny. I would've been out the back pretty early on in that i reckon. Can only dream of that kind of speed at this point.

So how does APR work? What's the format? I'd like to start getting involved in some of this kind of thing, and doing some TTs and stuff, but not really sure where to start as a non-member. I guess it's probably coming towards the end of the season now as well.

 

[arknor]

Really?

I was looking at a hybrid, wasn't sure if I wanted a full on roady

yea riding upright is horrible if I lean right down into my handle bars and look like a **** I can easily go from 12>17mph just because of the lack of wind resistance alone. (although I'm only half an inch from 6"4 if your small it wont effect you as much but you will likely learn to hate it either way)

I was out in 16mph winds with upto 36mph gusts the other day and I was really struggling when riding into the wind going about half as fast as I would on a nice calm day.

you say you're only going a few miles commuting and if that is true I guess it won't really matter but I suspect the cycling bug will bite and you will wish you went for a nice road bike. (and you know it's true when I'm not the only person saying they regret getting a hybrid)

 

[uniQ]

If Arnie can do it, why not Jensie?

 

[Shamrock]

RideWithGPS.com definitely works great with the Garmin 800. Much easier than BRT.

Managed to plot my morning commute and it navigated me through the route perfectly with turn-by-turn navigation.

 

[grudas]

Looking to get a cheap SS/Fixed commuter as don't really want to destroy my CAAD8 over the winter

Thinking about building something from the frame up - never done anything like this before, how much you reckon this can be done for and what should I look out for?

Paging grudas to the thread......

depends what you want, I had a frame sitting around waiting to be built with bb/headset/fork so that saved me some money.

Basically to build a bike ground-up you're looking at around 300 IF you get some cheaper/heavier parts you'll be able to fit into that budget...

but genuinely building it on your own will cost more of course it is a lot more fun building your own thing but its up to you.. as always I will recommend one of these -; http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/c...hs-warranty-12-months-free-service/1025334997

cheap, heavy but a perfect winter stead.. I think one other member owns one of these "temans" and its a strong, simple bike and tbh it'll do the job as a winter commuter, actually my brother rode it thorough the winter and nothing went wrong bar consumables.. pads, tyres etc.

IF and I mean IF I had 300 or so to spend i'd pick an old frameset from ebay for 60-80 and build it up but the easiest/quickest and cheapest way is getting that bike of gumtree.

 

[touch]

So how does APR work? What's the format? I'd like to start getting involved in some of this kind of thing, and doing some TTs and stuff, but not really sure where to start as a non-member. I guess it's probably coming towards the end of the season now as well.

In an APR, you split into groups based on ability and the slower groups go off first. If it's timed right, all the groups should come together for a bunch sprint.

Joining a club is the best way to get involved in this stuff. Most clubs will run a TT league (which only club members can enter). It's a good way to get started doing TTs.

 

[ShiWarrior]

Really?

I was looking at a hybrid, wasn't sure if I wanted a full on roady

I have a suggestion for you

instead of a hybrid, look for either
1) a Road Bike
or 2) a Cyclocross

a cyclocross looks like a road bike, but it isn't, its a half roadie half hybrid/mountain bike

it allows more clearance over the brakes for off road, and able to fit mud guards on with the eyelets, be careful though SOME cyclocross bikes don't have mounts like the specialized Crux

I keep looking for a Specizlized Tricross second hand, not for a commute bike, but as a winter / training / do it all bike

 

[tedmaul]

In an APR, you split into groups based on ability and the slower groups go off first. If it's timed right, all the groups should come together for a bunch sprint.

Joining a club is the best way to get involved in this stuff. Most clubs will run a TT league (which only club members can enter). It's a good way to get started doing TTs.

Ah ok, cheers touch. So APR is like a handicap type of thing to allow different riding abilities to all race together? Cool.

Sounds like I should look into joining up with the EKRC then, as i really fancy the idea of giving TTs a go. Just a bit daunted i guess, as when i went on one of the club runs the other week i felt quite off the pace by the end.