Road Cycling

[madindehead]

It's possible to set a fast average in places. One of my timing splits has an average speed of 40 km/h. And it should very correct as the diversion had a timing mat. I averaged around 30 km/h for the first 21 miles. And I was solo for that, ie not tagged on a group.

I think if I was fitter just could do it faster. With half the people it would be safer and more fun.

 

[Roady]

Specialized said they would include a different hanger with new bikes so you could fit aftermarket wheels.

Can't find any info on where to buy it separately though.

The Spesh thread you linked before several people post a part number 'non-scs hanger (S162600004)'

the non SCS TA hanger (S162600004) makes it possible for me to mount a standard 135 TA axle hub likes this one?
https://www.dtswiss.com/Components/Hubs-Road/240s-db-en

Rico
MAR 01, 2016 01:50PM PST
The QR, non-SCS, derailleur hanger for the Diverge Expert Carbon, can easily be modified, in order to use a 12x135mm, 11 speed, non-SCS rear wheel, with the stock 12mm thru-axle.
This 'regular' QR hanger was included in a small parts kit, when I purchased my Diverge, in March 2015.
To modify the QR hanger, you simply enlarge the axle hole 2mm in diameter (from 10 to 12mm), so the the stock 12mm thru-axle will fit through. Then install the modified QR hanger, and adjust the derailleur stops and cable tension. An easy solution, for anyone who works on their own bike. Specialized doesn't condone this solution I'm sure (so YMMV), but it works great for me, since April 2015. The stock wheels can indeed still be used, with the modified QR hanger, but you'll need to adjust the derailleur stops and cable tension, since the SCS wheels have a unique drive-side spacing.

I got a box of things with my Diverge I've not looked through yet, will have a rummage later and see if I have another hanger in there!

Roadie.

On my R5 it was the rear derailleur which grenaded. I replaced it with a Force 22, and the shifter with a Force 22 shifter too so I could go 11 speed. I changed the cassette and chain to Force 22 as well.

Ahh fair enough, I thought you'd had a problem with the shifter too! You're right about flogging the 10 speed kit, dump it while you can! A friend sold his 5700 kit and replaced with 5800 and thinks he broke even - he got a S/H deal on a 5800 set which had seen very little miles before someone swapped it out for Di2!

Burger.

I always come down the back road on the way home from work (Swindon direction). There is a cycle path up the main hill however the surface doesn't look too good from what I can see.

I live near Brockworth.

Ahh that makes sense from there, great place to live - right on the edge of the Cotswolds! I've always thought about driving out to Cheltenham and doing a few loops around Stow/Winchcombe.

Someone was asking in here mid-lastweek about routes around the Cotswolds for him & his mrs. No idea if he's still floating around!

 

[ChrisD.]

Ahh that makes sense from there, great place to live - right on the edge of the Cotswolds! I've always thought about driving out to Cheltenham and doing a few loops around Stow/Winchcombe.

Someone was asking in here mid-lastweek about routes around the Cotswolds for him & his mrs. No idea if he's still floating around!

To be honest I don't know any routes, I just go out on roads I know and increase the distance by enlarging loops and connecting different ones. I've mostly stayed away from hills so far!

 

[oli collett]

Does Ride London attract the super pro elite because these times that are being talked about are very impressive! I've only done one 100 mile sportive and we finished with a moving time of just under 6 1/2 hours and we easily passed others vs being passed at a rate of 10 to 1.

I must admit that even a very spread out sportive (helped by us starting 20 minutes late due to an exploding tyre in our group!) got my bum twitching as someone who only rides solo. Random swerving seemed to be the order of the day and I probably looked like a try hard idiot when I overtook some people out of the saddle giving it some beans but there were people who literally were all over the road and whom a call of "on your right" caused them to instantly weave right while looking over their left shoulder I wanted to be alongside them for as little time as possible

If youre in a good group then 4h30 is achievable for a decent cyclist - remember it's closed roads and there's only a couple of short climbs. Sub 4hrs is very very impressive though!

 

[SDK^]

Closed roads makes a massive difference to speed and confidence around corners. No slowing down/stopping at junctions - bliss

 

[Lethal`]

Saw one quite big grass snake which must've been over a meter long! Great weekend but really hampered any more riding on my new weapon. 36 miles riding for the week (lol).

Almost rode over a grass snake lying across a MTB trail the other week. Quite glad I didn't

 

[Shamrock]

The annual Ride100 heart attack strikes again!

http://road.cc/content/news/199400-ridelondon-surrey-100-cyclist-dies-after-heart-attack

 

[Lethal`]

Looks like there was a lot of accidents

http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/ride-london-accident.204786/page-5#post-4392844


A car entered the course when we did the Velothon too. Turned out they had just burgled a house... A closed road cycle event with Police everywhere seemed like a good escape route apparently.

 

[FrenchTart]

God, got utterly soaked at lunch. Flash flood levels of rain :/

 

[Roady]

To be honest I don't know any routes, I just go out on roads I know and increase the distance by enlarging loops and connecting different ones. I've mostly stayed away from hills so far!

You'd still know it more than the rest of us - the number of times I've ended up on some dodgy gravel back road from not checking out Streetview lol

I pointed him towards Stow as I've driven through there a few times and it always looked a nicer place to ride than some!

Looks like there was a lot of accidents

http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/ride-london-accident.204786/page-5#post-4392844

6-8 'big' crashes (ambulances) on a ~100 mile course with ~25,000+ riders. that's not that many in the grand scheme of things really? The fatality sounds terrible (and totally the riders fault) if you can believe one of the comments on that thread.

 

[ChrisD.]

You'd still know it more than the rest of us - the number of times I've ended up on some dodgy gravel back road from not checking out Streetview lol

I pointed him towards Stow as I've driven through there a few times and it always looked a nicer place to ride than some!

I don't confess to be an expert on any local routes around here, as above I just go with what I've driven around so I know the surface/where to go if lost. I also try and stay on main routes in case I have an issue and have to phone a taxi or someone to come and get me. I normally ride up through Upton St Leonards to Brookthorpe on Upton Lane, then back into Gloucester through Tuffley on the A38. Another one I do is up and over Churchdown which is a bit of a hill but nothing too serious (compared to some in here) then over towards Cheltenham via Staverton. There's a few country roads around there that are generally quiet with traffic and have decent road surfaces.

I'm up to around 16 miles now in an hour, I'm the wrong side of 95kg so for me I think it's good, once more weight comes off, I get fitter and I get my spares package together I want to start going up to Painswick/Stroud/Birdlip to get some climbs in. Slowly but surely! Already noticing clothes not fitting properly, baggy shirts, couple of belt loops further in, thighs struggling to get into trousers but they're falling off my arse.

I will at some point get the bike in the car and go around the Cotswolds, up near Cirencester/Fairford etc. I bet there's some lovely rides around there.

 

[physichull]

God, got utterly soaked at lunch. Flash flood levels of rain :/

Its not rained heavily here, but I brought my overshoes today. Can't help but think its a little futile gesture in flash flood conditions but light rain it keeps my feet dry. Fingers crossed it will stay dry-ish for when I go home. I don't really bother with waterproof tops in summer though, there no point! Sweat OR Rain.

 

[grudas]

Hi, cyclists.

paying road tax yet?



itching for a new bike lol, or should I just get deep carbon discs.. for commuting lol.

 

[uv]

itching for a new bike lol, or should I just get deep carbon discs.. for commuting lol.

nothing wrong with deep section wheels for commuting!

 

[FrenchTart]

Annoyed that my Eddington number is only 59. I've done tons of long rides this year

https://swinny.net/Strava/-4691-My-Strava-Eddington-Number

edit: zomgz - You need 6 more days (of 60 miles or more) to achieve an Eddington number of 60

Hi, cyclists.

paying road tax yet?

itching for a new bike lol, or should I just get deep carbon discs.. for commuting lol.

Deep carbon rims with disc for commuting fo lyfe.

Its not rained heavily here, but I brought my overshoes today. Can't help but think its a little futile gesture in flash flood conditions but light rain it keeps my feet dry. Fingers crossed it will stay dry-ish for when I go home. I don't really bother with waterproof tops in summer though, there no point! Sweat OR Rain.

My stuff is still going to be soaked for the journey home so I guess I shouldn't care too much about how it turns out but..blah.

 

[Kimi]

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/teamzwatt/team-zwatt-bike-power-meter

Kickstarter power meter. IN

 

[Roady]

Spoiler

I don't confess to be an expert on any local routes around here, as above I just go with what I've driven around so I know the surface/where to go if lost. I also try and stay on main routes in case I have an issue and have to phone a taxi or someone to come and get me. I normally ride up through Upton St Leonards to Brookthorpe on Upton Lane, then back into Gloucester through Tuffley on the A38. Another one I do is up and over Churchdown which is a bit of a hill but nothing too serious (compared to some in here) then over towards Cheltenham via Staverton. There's a few country roads around there that are generally quiet with traffic and have decent road surfaces.

I'm up to around 16 miles now in an hour, I'm the wrong side of 95kg so for me I think it's good, once more weight comes off, I get fitter and I get my spares package together I want to start going up to Painswick/Stroud/Birdlip to get some climbs in. Slowly but surely! Already noticing clothes not fitting properly, baggy shirts, couple of belt loops further in, thighs struggling to get into trousers but they're falling off my arse.

I will at some point get the bike in the car and go around the Cotswolds, up near Cirencester/Fairford etc. I bet there's some lovely rides around there.

Good info, when I get time I'll look back to see who was asking and let him know.

Cirencester/Fairford is a nice area, some great roads around there but not somewhere I've gone with the bike yet! I don't tend to drop much further south/east than Malvern, Ledbury, Ross & Abergavenny. Once I get as far as the M50/A40 there's nothing to entice further (to warrant tacking crossing either). If I head the same distance North or West there's much better riding/climbing with less traffic! ToB might be the only exception, intending to ride to Gloucester with some club guys

I wouldn't stress too much about your average speed - certainly not the area you're in! Just concentrate on doing some different kinds of loops to keep things interesting/exciting. At 95kg you're heading the right way (trouser woes, tell me about it!), I'm now down to 75kg from around that figure (didn't weigh myself when starting, but I when I did I was 96kg). I've not been that interested in losing any weight since I dipped below 80kg - just been trying to concentrate on improving my riding!

Hill/sustained power is my main aim currently, where I am (Hereford) it's too easy to pick loops with a few short hills but mostly flat A roads. 'Easy' to hammer out a 30 mile @20mph avg. Good for 'easy' miles but not for actual real raw power/balanced riding progression. I wish I'd done more sustained hill power work earlier!

Hi, cyclists.

paying road tax yet?

How's the getting fat, lazy and slow treating you? To be honest I thought you'd gone the whole hog and now drove a white van revving your engine at every cyclist who comes near...

EDIT: Any advice for seriously bad DOMS? My thighs are so bad from all the walking over the weekend I'm groaning to get out of my seat at work... I wanted to get back on the bike and do some hills later!

 

[Shamrock]

Anyone have any recommendations for a single-speed wheelset for commuting? At the moment I can see a cheap option and a pricey option.

£134 for V-Sprint wheels built on Mach1 21mm rims and Miche Primato hubs. LFGSS seems to rate these pretty highly. They are hand built by Jess Varnish's dad.

£350 for H+ Son Archetypes built on Miche Primato. The rim should be better in theory but price seems a bit steep!

 

[uv]

EDIT: Any advice for seriously bad DOMS?

Foam roll. Beat the pain with more pain.

 

[Shamrock]

I had the worst quadricep DOMs I've ever experienced after my Ironman! I could only shuffle around for 2 days after.

What got rid of it was a 1h deep tissue massage and a hot bath with epsom salts. (not sure I believe the salts do anything)