Road Cycling

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SoliD said:
11-25 99% of the year, and was what I took to Cyprus last year, although that was a struggle at times, took an 11-28 to Majorca this year, but didn't ever use the biggest cog. 11-26 would probably nowadays be my biggest requirement. 32s should be reserved for mountain bikes :D
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Yeah usually ride with a 11-25 here, do have a 11-28 but don't use it as much as I much prefer the spacing on 11-25.

Vonhelmet said:
Someone at work asked me a really good question today, which was whether Friday's leg waxing or yesterday's cycling was more painful. I have to be honest, the cycling was far worse. Hitting a cat 3 after 75 miles with no energy left and a cramping leg was just horrendous.
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Probably had the most training effect though. Should be doing repeats up those sort of hills if you ever want to improve/get faster.
 
Thomas. PLease. said:
Probably had the most training effect though. Should be doing repeats up those sort of hills if you ever want to improve/get faster.
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Yeah, I've though of doing repeats up a cat 3 near us, but not got round to it yet, or there's a cat 4 with a decent loop back to the bottom which would do the job.
 
tedmaul said:
That's one way of looking at it. So training to pace yourself on climbs so that you remain reasonably comfortable as your ride goes on.

The alternative if you want to get faster on the climbs would be to work on being able to recover from big efforts like that more effectively and do them repeatedly over the course of a longer ride.

Both are valid approaches depending on what you're trying to achieve.
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You managed to get to a bundy yet? Thinking of going tonight if I leave Oban at 4 as planned.
 
So on friday ill be doing about 10 miles at around 9pm on a b road (aberdeenshire area)

I only really have cycle around city experience.

B roads are generally fine for cycles yeah? obviously lights are mandatory :D
 
Ow, I've got some ITB pain after Tuesday's ride. Looking at my right cleat it is at a pretty silly angle. Maybe it's ok enough for 50-60 miles but 80 was just too much.
 
janp said:
I don't know if anyone remembers; but whilst I was riding, one end of the quick release flew off, and the rear derailleur ended up through the wheel's spokes.

Anywho, my mechanic friend found that the chain had a pin sticking out. He
reckons the pin got stuck in the derailleur and caused it to bend. Pretty lucky I wasn't doing any decent speeds :eek:
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Ouch! Was the derailleur totalled? Had you previously removed pins in the chain? :eek:

I have on my old bikes chain and just cautious of a similar thing happening...!

FrenchTart said:
Strava notification just as I went to bed last night - some bar steward stole one of my KOMs by a single second.

Apparently he's a student at the University where I work too. Time to abuse all my system admin privileges :p
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Hahaha, BOFH style? ;)

Robzere31 said:
I lost one of mine recently, by 48 seconds though!
It's a 1.6 mile section & I'd held it for best part of 2 years, surprised I was beaten by that amount though, as it's not a fast section.
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There's several around here with dodgy speeds on - 18mph up 5% climbs and 31mph along the flats... I tend to only look at 2015 speeds and from local riders I know as real comparisons. Also the NFTO Pro riders have done some fast rides (mostly 2014) with the rest of the NFTO club from here when training for the ToB. No way I'll be beating them! ;)

grudas said:
yup! same here :) not sure why it's off center but tbh over the time Ive had them I haven't noticed it :D until you've told me.. haha
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Numpty! I noticed before I even fitted tyre to the rim! I noted it was the cassette side, along with the spoke pattern I just assumed another 'G3' feature! :p

topgun06 said:
I wouldn't worry. I've been having to replace my headset bearings once a year for the past three years and the same thing happens to me. They begin to corrode, then seize to the cups and eventually rip themselves apart when taking the forks out.

I'd take note of any markings/item numbers on the bearings so they will be easier to find and replace later before they become unreadable. Then get some anti seize grease and apply that to the cups, steerer tube and bearings. This makes them easier to remove if they do eventually seize.

Three years ago I had to get a complete new headset as I couldn't get one half of the bearing casing out of the cup!
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Good info, thanks! For the cost of bearings I'm more than happy to replace them every year if required :)
 
Jonny ///M said:
You managed to get to a bundy yet? Thinking of going tonight if I leave Oban at 4 as planned.
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Nope. Am way off the pace just now, not really done anything other than the odd commute over the last month. Couldn't even be bothered with the APR on Tuesday. Reckon I'd get shelled in a mile on the Bundy right now.

Need to get off my are really but seem to have lost all motivation to cycle. I blame crap weather or something.
 
You were doing a lot as well!

I'm the same, odd commute but it is **** this weather.

Swerved the Apr too but I'd say the bundy is easier. The last Apr I did was harder than any bundy. It's fast ish through the valley and after the turn off for the Morningside Road.

Commuting is probably just draining any motivation to do anything else.
 
got my chinese radarlocks delivered! very MEH tbh, quality is very average, seriously creaky plastic etc.. - case is nice tho! lenses look good too, but the most important bit, the frame is just.. meh?! I'll give them a shot but I can't see my self using them for long/at all.
 
Roady said:
Ouch! Was the derailleur totalled? Had you previously removed pins in the chain? :eek:

I have on my old bikes chain and just cautious of a similar thing happening...!
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Afraid so. It needed a new hanger, rear derailleur and chain. Came to £77, parts only labour was free. Hadn't touched the chain, apart from cleaning. So guess I was just unlucky. The bike is less than 6 months old, although it's done around 1400 miles during the winter.

Just pleased to have it back, hoping it stays dry, keen to do some off road exploring over the bank holiday.
 
Jonny ///M said:
You were doing a lot as well!

I'm the same, odd commute but it is **** this weather.

Swerved the Apr too but I'd say the bundy is easier. The last Apr I did was harder than any bundy. It's fast ish through the valley and after the turn off for the Morningside Road.

Commuting is probably just draining any motivation to do anything else.
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Yeah could be. I still much prefer it to the train though. And I'm faster door to door. :D

I'm commuting 3 days a week usually so its still about 180km each week. But not been really putting any work in since I got sick a few weeks back. Feel slooooow.

And yeah the weather has been garbage. I've worn 3/4 leg warmers on every ride bar one this year. Half the time the temps barely in double figures and don't get me started on all the rain. Got drowned on Monday morning.

EDIT: ps (and apologies for shop talk in the thread, but...) are you guys open on monday? Wee man managed to destroy the brake cables on his mountain bike (don't ask!) so looking to get them replaced. Will pop down then if you're open.
 
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topgun06 said:
Where abouts are you staying again?

I think the first year I went, I had looked so much at Google maps that I knew the island off by heart already :p
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In an area called Son Vida I thin. Parents have arranged it, im just there for the ride, litterally!

No idea where abouts within it.
 
Anybody recommend the best road bike for around £1000 - £1500? Probably looking to take advantage of Evans finance. Around 6ft -5" tall and around 15.5 stone. Many thanks :)
 
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