Road Cycling Essentials

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Vonhelmet said:
I have a Cree XM-L T6 based torch type light and a Cateye EL-135. The Cateye is good for being seen, and the Cree is good for when I'm on unlit roads and need to see, though I need to get some higher capacity batteries for it as it chews through them.

I got out and did 27 miles in the dark this evening. I took in an unlit cat 4 climb which I knew had a dodgy surface. The Cree did a sterling job of lighting my path. Descending in the dark feels ropy, but that didn't stop me hitting 40 on one descent and getting a PR on another. Felt a bit chancy, though. I think I'll have to stop pushing my luck soon before I run out of talent...
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Cheers for the info. I'll have a look in to them :)
 
tedmaul said:
Nice ride!

I was gonna head down for this tonight as well, but got stuck in work. :( I'm guessing they're pretty much finished for the season, as nights are drawing in a bit?
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There is one next week again at 7. Next week is 30 second intervals rather than a minute as it's getting darker so need to be there sharp.

I may do it again and see what I can pull off. I came from work in EK, home and then back to EK again before it. Sprinting to sit behind a van at 35mph on Hillhouse road didn't help matters either.
 
Appelhanns said:
Speaking of compacts and big cassettes!...

I don't post much here but along with a group of work colleagues will be cycling across the Pyrenees next week (semi following the raid route). I think I'm ready...ish!

If anyone has any tips, they will be gladly received and if anyone is interested, I'll be keeping a blog here.

:)
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I'll be reading. Good luck and have fun!
 
Well depends on whether you consider the easy gears high or low I suppose.

Simply put, the higher number the end cog has, the closer the gearing ratio to 1:1 with the front chain rings, which will make it easier for you to maintain the same speed (with an effecient cadence).
 
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[DOD]Asprilla;24882141 said:
Nope, other way round.

Front and rear tooth numbers have opposite effects on gearing.

Higher number at the front - higher gear
Lower number at the front - lower gear

Higher number at the back - lower gear
Lower number at the back - higher gear
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Fractions innit. Divide the front by the back. Bigger number = harder gear. Multiply by wheel circumference to get gear inches and then you can talk about pushing a tall gear and confuse everyone.
 
Well if you think of it like a bike, high/low depends on whether the gears in a car are in the front rings or the back cogs :p

Pretty sure they are in the front, hence why a low ratio (smaller ring) better for climbing hills in a motor
 
It can make sense to think in ratios. Eg a 32 front and a 16 rear is 2:1. So for each turn of the pedals the wheel goes round twice. The higher the difference between front and rear the more times the wheel goes round and the faster you go at the expense of having to push harder.
 
Jonny ///M said:
There is one next week again at 7. Next week is 30 second intervals rather than a minute as it's getting darker so need to be there sharp.

I may do it again and see what I can pull off. I came from work in EK, home and then back to EK again before it. Sprinting to sit behind a van at 35mph on Hillhouse road didn't help matters either.
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Cool. I might try and make it down as well, but it's a tricky one as the gf works late most tuesdays so i need to be in for the kids if that's the case. Doing the pedal scotland 110 miler again this w/end, but stuffed with the cold right now. So hoping that clears up as well.

On a seperate topic, you still got any of the Wilier Izoard XP in stock in the shop at the moment? Never did get round to going to check one out. Ultegra preferably, but it would be nice to just see one in the flesh tbh.

http://www.cyclelane.co.uk/m4b0s6p6231/WILIER-Izoard-XP-Ultegra-2013
 
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New tyre time. I currently use the cheap cheap Schwalbe Luganos and was considering a step up to a budget of around £50 for a pair. I'd thought about the GP4000S or would the Gatorskins, or anything else for that matter, be better? Also, is there likely to be a noticable difference between these more expensive tyres to the cheaper ones I use now?
 
nydryl said:
New tyre time. I currently use the cheap cheap Schwalbe Luganos and was considering a step up to a budget of around £50 for a pair. I'd thought about the GP4000S or would the Gatorskins, or anything else for that matter, be better? Also, is there likely to be a noticable difference between these more expensive tyres to the cheaper ones I use now?
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I have a pair of GP4000S. Used them over winter last year and replaced the rear tyre at the start of July. I can't say anything bad about them.

Two of my mates have the Pro4s and they seem to love them too.
 
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