Road Cycling Essentials

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Phantom Shadow said:
Over a week without cycling (and visiting parents eating all the tasty food in sight) and I'm already feeling fat and unfit :(

How did I survive with no exercise before I started cycling, can barely imagine how unfit I was back then and I wouldn't say I was particularly fit atm anyway.
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This is why being a runner as well is better than just being a cyclist. Much easier to nip out for a 5 mile run when time is tight or you are away somewhere.
 
booyaka said:
Excuse the crap pictures but you get the idea. (and the tubby frame and hairy arms!)

Slightly longer at the back as well which is great, usual 3 pockets, stitching is superb, can't see any issues there. Material is very nice quality as well. Nice gel strip at the bottom of the jersey to hold it in place.

The black one has slightly baggy arms, the white one is better.

very happy with them for the price.
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I've got the white one and it is a very good jersey. The ONLY downside is that I wish one of the back pockets had a zip. I always get paranoid that stuff might fall out and I wouldn't notice if it isn't zipped up.
 
Ever since my phone and keys fell out of my jersey pocket I rarely ride with them.

Last night was no different, I was leaving before the GF got home so I left my phone, locked the house and put the keys through the letter box. Turned round to my bike and realised I had no Garmin and no lights. Gutted.

Got to the start of the TT and had a bit of a fail. I hate being held up so decided I'd push myself off then couldn't get clipped in properly so that wasted a bit of time. Ended with a time of 26:01. Not ideal but after commuting and two fast rides this week my legs are struggling.

The best bit was catching and overtaking the local chaingang. I reckon I was doing 27-28ish down there which would be a PB on Strava but don't have the evidence :(

Steady commutes today and probably a 3/4 race tomorrow morning.
 
daveski said:
I hate being held up so decided I'd push myself off
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There's nothing to it.
Dont try and balance yourself. Just relax and sit at whatever angle you are being held at - you're not going to fall over. I see lots of people trying to use their weight to balance and it just makes them really wobbly and gives the holder a hard time.
 
I know but makes me feel uncomfortable. I'm a bit strange with being clipped in, I'm always the first one to unclip near junctions and things.

I'll have to be held up next week though just because of the time benefit. I want to be in the 24:something range.
 
daveski said:
Ever since my phone and keys fell out of my jersey pocket I rarely ride with them.
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The other week I set off for a v long ride, was in the middle of nowhere about 30km in, reached into my back pocket to grab a bite and noticed a lump sticking out the back - it was my car keys. I'd got something out of my car just before leaving and had intended to put them inside, but ended up leaving them dangling half way out of my pocket and riding off!

Could have been interesting re-tracing my ride over 220km trying to find them :eek:
 
Maybe this has already been posted but here goes:

tee.jpg
 
[DOD]Asprilla;26144096 said:
My quads ache like a Mother Hubbard.

Was going to bring a geared bike this morning but;

1. flat tyre
2. turbo tyre
3. flat pedals

Recovery rides on 49x17 are not easy.
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49x17 is an easy-ish gear no? I have that on my SS and I spin out all the time!

mind you I don't know what recovery is haha.. I have 1day/week off bike and that's it. :o
 
oli collett said:
Could have been interesting re-tracing my ride over 220km trying to find them :eek:
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I was lucky with mine really, I heard my phone go flying and smash on the ground so picked it up and went home. GF was home so let me in the house, I then had a shower etc and went to go out again. It was only then I realised I no longer had my car or house keys.

They were lying in the middle of the road where my phone was. Thankfully no one had picked them up or ran them over.

EDIT - 26:01 puts me 12th out of 36 people last night, fastest was 22:29
 
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grudas said:
49x17 is an easy-ish gear no? I have that on my SS and I spin out all the time!

mind you I don't know what recovery is haha.. I have 1day/week off bike and that's it. :o
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It's not massive but it's much higher than the 42x16 thats standard for shop bought FGSS, and it's bigger than I'm used to spinning in. 49x18 (which I was on before) has me spinning out at about 26/27mph (125-130rpm).

There is a former Australian National standard track cyclist who commutes on Embankment on around 54x14. Attempting to overtake can be hazardous to your health.
 
My backs been playing up all week.

Managed 1 minute tonight before I had to get off as I knew it was going to hurt.

Got to work all weekend which got dropped on me last minute that I'm ****ed off about. Have Monday and Tuesday off so can try and ride then if the weathers good.
 
[DOD]Asprilla;26144262 said:
It's not massive but it's much higher than the 42x16 thats standard for shop bought FGSS, and it's bigger than I'm used to spinning in. 49x18 (which I was on before) has me spinning out at about 26/27mph (125-130rpm).

There is a former Australian National standard track cyclist who commutes on Embankment on around 54x14. Attempting to overtake can be hazardous to your health.
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really? I always though the stock SS from the shop was 46/18! yeah I maxed out at around 32mph on a 49/17!

54x14 that is crazy.. and a bit pointless around London!

I could commute on 50/11 lol but that would kill my knees and I'd be slower than I am now! :o
 
Vonhelmet said:
Depends how much you like adjusting your brakes every time you replace them ;)
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What do you mean by that? I have old-style Shimano 105 SLR calipers on two of my bikes and use those type brake blocks in them. They don't adjust, they just go on and tighten up.
 
Jonny69 said:
What do you mean by that? I have old-style Shimano 105 SLR calipers on two of my bikes and use those type brake blocks in them. They don't adjust, they just go on and tighten up.
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Do you not have to fiddle about getting the vertical position in the thingy right before you tighten them up? I always found them a pain back in the day, but then I was an inept teenager with a rubbish bike back then...
 
Jonny69 said:
What do you mean by that? I have old-style Shimano 105 SLR calipers on two of my bikes and use those type brake blocks in them. They don't adjust, they just go on and tighten up.
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You still need to line them up correctly against the braking surfaces of the rim though.
Hardly a big job but still not as easy as cartridges, you can do them without even taking the wheel out.
 
I've always been in the habit of taking the cartridge off to replace a pad. Never occurred to me that they're designed to be left on!
 
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