Road Cycling

Group ride tomorrow, early!
I have volunteered to be one of the pace riders for the newbies.
TBF i normally do, as that helped me out a lot when i first started.
Looks like it will be a cold one though, wonder how many cry off :)
 
Question for the Mancheter lot. FrenchTart, Vonhelmet and any others of course.

Live in Stalybridge and want to plan a few routes on Strava heading towards South Manchester / Wilmslow / Tatton Park. Mostly looking for flat routes in the main if you can recommend any for me. Happy with routes anything between 40-80k starting from the city centre.

Also wouldn't mind a few routes ideas towards Macclesfield if you know of any and are there any notable climbs anywhere that arn'tin the Peak District?

Do most of my cycling in the Peak District at the moment so looking for other ideas. Cheers. :)
 
Roady said:
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You see, I tried that and when it was proper cold I found the moisture in my breath condensates on the fabric and I increasingly feel like I'm waterboarding myself!

I set what I thought was a reasonable target for 2017 but with the weather and to a greater extent work getting in the way I've already got Strava helpfully reminding me that I'm 97 miles off pace. 21 days in and I've got one ride under my belt :(

I did bang out a few sessions on the exercise bike at the hotel but I could only do 20 minutes at a time as it wasn't air conditioned. Low thirties when I left Pretoria so if I ever get back to the UK its going to be a bit of a shock to the system!

One of my goals was to do a club ride a month but I'm going to have to bin off the first one already. Working last weekend, getting back to the UK late afternoon today then working the next two weekends. If I spend Sunday on a club ride I might find myself single! That would leave more room for bikes that I don't get a chance to ride though... :D

One of the 100 mile sportives I did last year is running a double event. One in April, one in August and the finishers medals combine to make one uber medal. Sadly that is enough to tempt me to do both :o

EDIT - Ouch... sorry to anyone that follows me on Strava. I forgot that anything I add to my Garmin Connect account gets uploaded as a separate (usually wrongly categorised) activity on Strava :o I've just gone through and marked all my 5 minute attempts at lifting some weights as private :p
 
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Just picked up my Diverge, just rode it too...so comfortable and fast!

Going to replace the pedals though, any suggestions? :D
 
nah. Best to start with MTB type. SL's are harder to get in and out of, and harder to do the initial pedalling from stand still.

Best to take it slow.

I've gone from the MTB to SL, I wouldn't recommend going straight to SL.

Also some other options as well ie Shimano M324, Shimano A520, Shimano A530
 
Sycho said:
Going to replace the pedals though, any suggestions? :D
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PowerTap P1's :p

I'm with Shadowness, just MTFU and go straight to SPD-SL. Unless of course you're planning on doing more walking than a short hobble in which case SPD.

Set them on the lowest tension and practise clipping in & out against a wall/worktop before a proper outing and you'll be fine.

It really isn't difficult :confused: if you struggle that badly or lack confidence just start with one side to begin with.
 
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BennyC said:
PowerTap P1's :p

I'm with Shadowness, just MTFU and go straight to SPD-SL.

Set them on the lowest tension and practise clipping in & out against a wall/worktop before a proper outing and you'll be fine.

It really isn't difficult :confused:
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No it isn't, for me. But if he's a noob, then it's best to be cautious then have a clipless moment due to inexperience, damaging your bike, injuring yourself.

It's a fact that it's harder to pedal with SL's as a regular pedal (to gain speed so you don't fall over, to clip in then start pedalling) as the underside of the SL is smooth, so is the sole of the SL shoe, then it is to pedal with MTB SPD's as those are grippy and rougher SPD side.

More so when it's wet.
 
I've rode bikes for many years(not consistantly as i am not a serious bike rider and i do not really know my components that well) but nearly always a mountain bike with clipless pedals so fancied a change again and was recommended buying the Diverge.

My legs are fairly strong due to weight training if that helps with certain pedal types.What does SL mean? also when people say Shimano 105 is that the 5800 model number pedals?
 
I went from never riding clipless straight to spd-sl - doddle. Fell once, learned fast after that.

I'd recommend just getting stuck in.
 
SL's are Shimanos road pedals, like this

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/shimano-pd-r540-spd-sl-sport-pedals/
5800 is model number. Usually they start with Tiagra going up to Dura Ace.

SPD is for MTB for example this
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/shimano-pd-m540-pedals/

But you have quite a few different sub types of MTB pedal, from dual sided SPD, to single singled SPD, to one side SPD other side flat, different types of flat side, materals, whether the SPD has a cage or not, shape of the cage etc.

For a noob I'd fit Shimano PD-M540, even for road bikes. Dead easy to get in and out, both sides mean far easier than the full on SPD-SL. Plus you can walk with SPD shoes, and pedal safetly with them without clipping in, and can use the SPD shoes with regular flat pedals.
 
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