Road Cycling Essentials

[ShiWarrior]

I dont think that has the transmitter pod with it, it's just the material strap.

yes that's what I want, as I have a garmin, I just clip the garmin on


http://www.bhipltd.co.uk/heartratemonitor/polar-wearlink-soft-strap-xxxl.html

 

[Razor-BladE]

Thought I'd just risk trying a 57cm, hopefully fits me fine! Nabbed it at £196! Very decent price for a 1 year old red Triban 3. Looks like it needs a little clean, but I can't wait to get it and ride it! Mum's not going to be happy seeing as there's basically no space in the garage, and I should be looking/applying for a job atm xD Now to decide whether to keep or sell the MTB...

 

[Calpol]

Thought I'd just risk trying a 57cm, hopefully fits me fine! Nabbed it at £196! Very decent price for a 1 year old red Triban 3. Looks like it needs a little clean, but I can't wait to get it and ride it! Mum's not going to be happy seeing as there's basically no space in the garage, and I should be looking/applying for a job atm xD Now to decide whether to keep or sell the MTB...

I'll bet its too big for you. Fingers crossed its not

 

[Disco Boy]

PLEASE test ride one first, or a close to it as possible

I bought a 58 framed CAADX and it was too big for me, had to send it back
all online size charts says I should be on a 58, but ITS NOT THE CASE, I should be on a 56 as ive been "Fitted"
my Roubaix is also a 56

You ride a 56 Specialized Rouabix? How tall are you?

 

[physichull]

Just passed another cycling milestone....of sorts. Just changed my very first cassette!

Because I've bought a spare rear wheel for the turbo (that has the turbo tyre on so I don't have to keep switching tyres every 5 seconds). Hence I have swapped the Tiagra 12-28 cassette with a 11-28 105 so my bike is now 100% 105.

 

[ShiWarrior]

You ride a 56 Specialized Rouabix? How tall are you?

6'2
the 58 was too big

 

[SoliD]

Just passed another cycling milestone....of sorts. Just changed my very first cassette!

Because I've bought a spare rear wheel for the turbo (that has the turbo tyre on so I don't have to keep switching tyres every 5 seconds). Hence I have swapped the Tiagra 12-28 cassette with a 11-28 105 so my bike is now 100% 105.

Spent this evening doing exactly this, putting the old cassette on the old wheel and new on, along with cleaning it all up and giving it a good old degrease, chain and jockey wheels included.

 

[Disco Boy]

6'2
the 58 was too big

Thanks. I'm 6' and the 58 was definitely too big. The 56 felt about right, but this is just from standing over one without pedals.

 

[arknor]

not everyone has the same leg length needs more measurements than just height

 

[Razor-BladE]

I have longer legs than torso, so I just measured my inseam and it's about 84cm ish.

 

[Gribs]

Imo the only size that really matters is the reach, ie effective top tube length. Everything else is fairly easy to adjust without upsetting the handling.

 

[Berger]

First Sunday race, handicap 36km.

Worried as I've done FA riding the last two weeks, but smashed it, PB up the climb and we went three minutes faster than my best overall, average of 37.9kmh. Got caught by A grade right on the line. Must have been those GP4000s I stuck on the bike

We caught the fast C grade at the top of the climb, but couldn't lose them on the flat, interrupted our flow, we had a good thing going pulling turns, while they tried to do some turns it just ends up being messy which I think possibly ended up losing just enough time to be beaten at the end.

Had a test setup on my R5 after, just went through the gears on my rollers it's bloody twitchy compared to my Giant which is a relaxed riding style. That and I didn't check the pedal release, set as tight as they can go, nearly ripped my ankle off trying to unclip!

Might go 10 or 20mm longer on the stem, only a 100mm on there, but will ride it a bit first.

Tried my Morvelo bibs, very comfortable once I got them on, but very tight like compression tightness almost around the legs and groin, went for a large which is 32-34 so should be spot on. After 5 minutes didn't notice this, but I ended up with two red stripes on my legs from the sun as they are a little shorter than my Assos ones

 

[[DOD]Asprilla]

Imo the only size that really matters is the reach, ie effective top tube length. Everything else is fairly easy to adjust without upsetting the handling.

Depends on leg length. If you have long legs then you need to know the stack height so you don't end up with a massive saddle / bar drop.

 

[ShiWarrior]

Depends on leg length. If you have long legs then you need to know the stack height so you don't end up with a massive saddle / bar drop.

agreed

I have long legs, short torso, but long arms, because my torso is short, a 58 is too big, I am quite stretched out, 56cm is much better, and way more conftable

 

[uniQ]

I'm at odds what to do about my Ti bike. If you missed it the double tap lever snapped off.

Had a look and the cheapest I can find a replacement is £135 and I really don't want to spend that right now especially after spending the best part of £300 replacing the front end on her. I don't have the luxury of waiting for a used one to show up on eBay or BR as I need it back on the road asap next week. So:

- £135 new lever
- New groupset (probably Ulty 11sp)
- Strip Ti sell frameset and buy a new bike

Of the latter two by time I've bought a new groupset I could have probably just bought another bike and selling the frameset would reduce that cost. My Ti love affair has also well and truly passed.

 

[Disco Boy]

I'm at odds what to do about my Ti bike. If you missed it the double tap lever snapped off.

Had a look and the cheapest I can find a replacement is £135 and I really don't want to spend that right now especially after spending the best part of £300 replacing the front end on her. I don't have the luxury of waiting for a used one to show up on eBay or BR as I need it back on the road asap next week. So:

- £135 new lever
- New groupset (probably Ulty 11sp)
- Strip Ti sell frameset and buy a new bike

Of the latter two by time I've bought a new groupset I could have probably just bought another bike and selling the frameset would reduce that cost. My Ti love affair has also well and truly passed.

Why did the lever break? Any chance of a warranty replacement, or just fixing the lever ather than replacing?(or is it £135 for just the lever and not a new shifter?)

To be honest, spending £135 is the best fix to your problem, anything else is just using it as an excuse to upgrade

 

[uniQ]

Why did the lever break? Any chance of a warrant replacement, or just fixing he lever ather than replacing?

I bought the bike second hand so no warranty come back. From the searching I did it seems a common problem w/ SRAM levers from Apex to Red. Looking on eBay pretty much every single separate lever available is the left because the right snapped off like mine

 

[One More Solo]

Might be worth a cheeky email to SRAM, you never know, they might sort you out given it's a common issue.

 

[Arsey]

So I put a new chain on and it was great for a bit, and then I thought it had stretched so I removed a link. However now it is too small and the rear deraileur is too stretched. However the chain is too loose on the little ring. I think the rear deraileur is not springing back as far as it can go, what would cause this?

 

[One More Solo]

Was it working prior to changing the chain?

Is there any tension in the derailleur when you move it with your hand? Has the b screw fallen out?