Road Cycling Essentials

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Ive not long got my first road bike after riding mtb for years. Im really starting to enjoy it and seem to be riding road more than the MTB at the minute.

I bought a R872 with full 105 and im already looking to upgrade:p

I just cant get my head around wearing lycra shorts/bibs. Ive got a few pairs but being a featherweight measly 10st at 6ft tall it just looks wrong:(

Are there any roadies on here who prefer not to wear lycra and stick to baggies? If so what are you wearing?

Ive seen rapha touring shorts but they are a bit pricey. Im looking for something similar though.

Can anyone recommend anything?

Thanks
 
I recommend lycra, your barse will thank you for it.

If not then look at swrve clothing as a cheaper alternative to Rapha. There is also vulpine.cc which are pricey but I don't think they are as spendy as Rapha.
 
InQ said:
I have Vred Fortezza Quattro Tricomps on my winter/wet weather bike and they must have done 1500 miles at least and zero punctures and not really cut up at all (IIRC, not noticed anything bad about them). Bullet proof!

Maybe they are slightly different as they are the "Quattro".
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/vredestein-fortezza-quattro-tricomp-folding-tyre/
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srsly tyres are so hit and miss
my bike came with shwalbe ultemo something or other, one of them lost a chunk after a few hundred miles (whole bike was 2nd hand so expected) replaced with £10 Conti Ultra Road Race from wiggle, got a puncture after 1st ride but nothing since, that was 3000 miles ago. both tires appear ok still to this day but then I take care not to cycle over broken glass every day....
 
InQ said:
I have Vred Fortezza Quattro Tricomps on my winter/wet weather bike and they must have done 1500 miles at least and zero punctures and not really cut up at all (IIRC, not noticed anything bad about them). Bullet proof!

Maybe they are slightly different as they are the "Quattro".
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/vredestein-fortezza-quattro-tricomp-folding-tyre/
Click to expand...

Think the quattros are a bit tougher, the normal tricomps are pretty weak, think if I looked hard enough I could see through them.
 
I got out for 28 miles this evening, taking in the local cat 3. I'd not climbed it in a while, and wanted to do it again. It wasn't my best time, but I did spend the first chunk of the climb eating a banana... It's probably the first time I could say I didn't find the climb difficult. I mean, sure, it's a hard climb, but it's nothing like the first time I climbed it and had to walk a fair bit of it.

It's getting dark :( By the time I got to the summit it was just gone half eight, and it was getting too dark to descend the other side at the speed it deserves. I took an unlit downhill back road on the way back, that I've not ridden before. It goes through some nice woods and past some beautiful houses, and I'll have to climb it in the light sometime, but the road surface was atrocious, and that's just no fun in the dark. I'm going to have to start planning my routes to take account of the dark and giving more consideration to just riding flatter, better lit roads over the winter...
 
NooBish AbbZ said:
just wanted to post saying hi to you all. I have my first road bike being delivered tomorrow, Viking Peleton from Go Outdoors, looking forward to it :p
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Hi and well done for not asking for advice in this thread.. That bike is quite massive POS even as a first bike ;( for 70 ish more you could have got a triban 3 which is superior in every possible way.. IMO return it AMD get triban 3 seriously the best advice I can give :)


Edit!

Wait! Its 370@go outdoors! WAT return it ASAP and get triban 3! Please? :o
 
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Excellent attitude, grudas. Keep it up - we'll rival the lifters yet.

The bike is 6061 aluminium with a carbon fork, and it's got Shimano's bottom of the range gears. So the red Triban 3, assuming you can find one in stock anywhere near you, has what over it? Better gears? A bit lighter? Yeah, that's about it. If you want to get that fussy about it, nothing at this price range is great, not even the much vaunted Triban 3.

At least he didn't buy the Carrera TDF.
 
Didn't mean to be rude! IMO for the price that bike is pos compared to other offerings :) I'd expect to have shimano groupo for that price! Low end shifters + random chain set is really not good for nearly 400 quid! I'd expect to at least get a 2300 group set for that price. Just sharing my opinion on that purchase and recommending the guy to get a different bike simples!
 
Shamrock said:
I saw this framed in a book shop the other day. I think it would look good on my wall!

http://www.magmabooks.com/content/bookshop/spread.asp?id=7862

Also a jersey one...

http://www.magmabooks.com/content/bookshop/spread.asp?id=7863
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uniQ said:
^ I like that. Gruber has a new site. Some epic cycling photography:

http://www.gruberimages.pro/#!/index
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When/if I ever get my workshop I've got quite a few pictures I want to get framed for the walls. Did wonder about one or two jerseys as well but I guess as I've never won them..
 
grudas said:
Didn't mean to be rude! IMO for the price that bike is pos compared to other offerings :) I'd expect to have shimano groupo for that price! Low end shifters + random chain set is really not good for nearly 400 quid! I'd expect to at least get a 2300 group set for that price. Just sharing my opinion on that purchase and recommending the guy to get a different bike simples!
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LOL.. grudas but if you don't "mean to be rude" then maybe avoid saying things like "bike is POS"? :confused:

Let's just agree that it's not the bike you would have chosen but I'm sure it'll be just fine and it'll do everything that a Triban 3 would have done!
 
Done my first ever commute this morning. I know it doesn't sound like a big deal to you guys, just a measly 8 miles, but it IS a big deal for me.

I have only ever ridden bikes in my native East Yorkshire where there is rarely a car to be seen and open countryside for miles. I now live near Leigh! There is loads of traffic, funny junctions and a rider who really hasn't mastered clip pedals yet!

It was quite an accomplishment today, just got to make it home alive and I've had a good day! Feels good to get some exercise in before everybody wakes up too.
 
physichull said:
Done my first ever commute this morning. I know it doesn't sound like a big deal to you guys, just a measly 8 miles, but it IS a big deal for me.

I have only ever ridden bikes in my native East Yorkshire where there is rarely a car to be seen and open countryside for miles. I now live near Leigh! There is loads of traffic, funny junctions and a rider who really hasn't mastered clip pedals yet!

It was quite an accomplishment today, just got to make it home alive and I've had a good day! Feels good to get some exercise in before everybody wakes up too.
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Distance is relative. Congrats.

Now, the challenge is to do it again tomorrow :).
 
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