Road Cycling

SoliD said:
Slightly over ambitious with the distance, but 20% ave for 0.13 miles according to Strava, after a 40ish mph descent and sharp left. Always fun

https://www.strava.com/activities/1035090917/segments/25434231113
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Brutal regardless! :D

I'd trust the average but not the segment details which have the ramp at the base kicking at over 30%. Garmin 500 and 1000 data from riders in the top 10 points to a 20%-ish ramp at the bottom, along with another just over half way up!

DanF said:
anyone else had some bad issues with disc brakes? my Synapse with 140mm rotors has been really %£%$£%£$ me off the last few big rides I've done. On holiday I was having to really hold back on the decents as the front brake would just start screeching leading to maybe 50% braking power.

I've tried cleaning to pristine cleanliness but it'll just start up again in a few hours time
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What pads are you using and what are you cleaning them and the rotors with? I'm using the Muc off one and it works well.

It's well worth checking caliper alignment too, I adjust mine every 4/6 months or so. Usually try that before switching pads over (if the pads are still showing as having plenty of life).

I found my original Shimano pads got noisy when getting near to 5000 miles (changed them at 4900 miles). The uberbike pads I tried next got just as noisy in around 1000 miles, so I changed them before 1500 miles and wouldn't rate them. I swapped them to cheapy Shimano J04C pads and so far so good (but only at 300 miles ridden so far).

#Chri5# said:
Found a Synapse Ultegra Di2 reduced from £3700 to £2700 at lunch. That's put a doubt in my plans for a few test rides over the coming weeks.

{Edit} Cannondale (and Giant) don't publish weights. It's not the be all & end all, but it would be nice to see where it sits against other bikes. Even more so to see what a better set of wheels would knock off.
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You can easily find them by googling forums as many owners post them!

EDIT: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?id=246657485519734&story_fbid=869484376570372

Zwift rider who won the ToC competition to ride the TT course before the Pro's on race day, did the 21.6 mile in 46:03. That would've placed him in 86th place in the Pro's (30 of them slower than him - including Sagan)! :o :D
 
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#Chri5# said:
Found a Synapse Ultegra Di2 reduced from £3700 to £2700 at lunch. That's put a doubt in my plans for a few test rides over the coming weeks.

{Edit} Cannondale (and Giant) don't publish weights. It's not the be all & end all, but it would be nice to see where it sits against other bikes. Even more so to see what a better set of wheels would knock off.
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is it the 2018 model with the stock mavic aksim wheels?

https://www.cannondale.com/en/Europe/Bike/ProductDetail?Id=7dc0be8c-d187-4f8f-8c58-e99c0d52e92a

that's about 8.3~kg, the 2015 was 8.5~kg but this years frame is 200g lighter. The wheels are super heavy and need replaced.
 
Roady said:
What pads are you using and what are you cleaning them and the rotors with? I'm using the Muc off one and it works well.

It's well worth checking caliper alignment too, I adjust mine every 4/6 months or so. Usually try that before switching pads over (if the pads are still showing as having plenty of life).

I found my original Shimano pads got noisy when getting near to 5000 miles (changed them at 4900 miles). The uberbike pads I tried next got just as noisy in around 1000 miles, so I changed them before 1500 miles and wouldn't rate them. I swapped them to cheapy Shimano J04C pads and so far so good (but only at 300 miles ridden so far).
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yeah it was using the Shimano J04c metal pads. I've had a lot less issues with the Mason brakes, they are the same spec but 160mm rotors. Maybe 140mm is too small for huge Spanish descents and my fat 73kg ass :p
 
SoliD said:
Slightly over ambitious with the distance, but 20% ave for 0.13 miles according to Strava, after a 40ish mph descent and sharp left. Always fun

https://www.strava.com/activities/1035090917/segments/25434231113
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Very creepy, I was looking at a route to visit "Turkey Island" and the B2146 climbs earlier for the first time, I was all set to try an 80+ mile 7000+ feet round trip including them this afternoon until my better half looked like death warmed up at 1230ish and really needed a lot of help to do a big food shop... So I'm provisionally planning to visit them on Sunday morning instead now (given Friday "rush hour" starts earlier around now and I need to be up for work tomorrow at ~0515 plus I've noticed I take a good ~2 hours to wind down after a big effort ride)! :eek:

Dell Road in Bitterne Park, which I haven't visited much at all this year so far, hits ~20%. However, due to tree cover, elevation data on all the segments going up it are wonky. https://www.strava.com/segments/2558982 is probably the best representation, the times at the top of the leaderboard are mind-blowing, my best for this is a mere 2min20secs (which I might well be capable of beating after my Zwift hill climb training Jan-Apr, as I'm setting lots of new PBs up the South Downs cat climbs this last month or so) but how those aliens got up there in under 1min50secs is mental!

@Roady Once again, Strava shows its big weakness... It has ~10 cat2 climbs going up to Worcester Beacon, but it doesn't say that the final ascent is a shared footpath. So you clearly need to climb it once a week after dark to avoid the crowds. ;)
 
DanF said:
yeah it was using the Shimano J04c metal pads. I've had a lot less issues with the Mason brakes, they are the same spec but 160mm rotors. Maybe 140mm is too small for huge Spanish descents and my fat 73kg ass :p
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Haha, well add 4-5kg to that and you have me! but no long mountain descents, just lots of dirt and rain.

XT RT86 160mm rotors here, so might be a 140mm thing. Well worth checking you don't have a bent rotor?

Although my front is far noisier than my rear and needs regular bleeding and cleaning. Strange when you consider it's the one exposed to less dirt, spray and oil. Kinda assumed the rear would be the worst for it!

UTmaniac said:
@Roady Once again, Strava shows its big weakness... It has ~10 cat2 climbs going up to Worcester Beacon, but it doesn't say that the final ascent is a shared footpath. So you clearly need to climb it once a week after dark to avoid the crowds. ;)
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Haha yeah some of those popular places are covered in segments. Look how nuts some of the london commutes are! 3 mile commute with 300 segments! :rolleyes:

Thinking about it, local club did go up there not long ago and the weather looked good so it might not be as bad as I'm saying. The only times I've walked up the Beacon have been from British camp (has a large car park) so it always seemed too busy to ride up the paths there. The ride up to British Camp is superb (rode there to watch ToB last year), really long constant gradient and a good wide main road so cars give you loads of room. I've only ridden the Wyche side a couple of times. Can't remember it too much, one ride was with a slow group so very easy, the other was trying to hold a friends wheel and I was in the hurt locker long before that and can barely remember the climb... Just that it went on FOREVER! :o ;)

Hilly club one for me tomorrow, will be good training and just what I need. Have a good weekend all! :D
 
#Chri5# said:
Cheers Dan - stock wheels (2kg!) would be straight off. I keep coming back to Hunt 30 Carbon Aero Disc, or perhaps DT Swiss ERC 1400 Spline which are a couple of hundred quid cheaper.
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I'm using the mason x hunt 4 season disc wheels on the Mason Definition, really nice for the money with good seals. I've abused these things with some winter and gravel riding with no issues, suit gp4000s ii 25c really well.

https://www.huntbikewheels.com/coll...-disc-brake-road-bike-wheelset-tubeless-ready

The 30 carbon aero should be lovely

I'd skip going tubless, had lots of issues last year with messy gunky results. Just use gp4000s ii with std tubes now, they go on without having to use tyre levers
 
Something a little different last night. Every year there is a charity ride at Snetterton race track. Format is very simple, turn up, pay your £10 charity donation and the track is yours from 5:15pm until dark. I floated the idea with a couple of guys at work but they weren't up for it in the end so I rode solo which was fine as it meant I could do my own thing pace wise. Snetterton is flat as a pancake but very exposed to the wind. I've been there dozens of times over the years and can only think of one occasion it wasn't windy! Last night was no exception and was a bit blustery but the nature of a track means that you're only ever in a head wind for half a mile or so at a time.

I decided that I was going to do a couple of warm up laps, a quick(ish) lap, and then ride at a decent pace until my legs gave out/it got dark/I got bored. I did 14 laps of the (near as makes no difference) 3 mile course and it was very surprising how easy it is to get a decent average speed when you don't have to slow for junctions etc. In fact I only had to touch the brakes once in over 40 miles when I came up to a couple of slow riders while being passed by a train of cyclists from one of the local clubs.

Strava or it didn't happen etc. ;) - https://www.strava.com/activities/1580417694
 
Had a fun ride. Punctured, changed the tube. Valve core came out of the new tube when trying to unscrew my mini pump. Valve core stuck in the flexy hose of the mini pump so had to phone around for a lift.

Going away tomorrow morning so wanted to get a decent ride in, only managed about 12 miles.
 
Nursie said:
Had a fun ride. Punctured, changed the tube. Valve core came out of the new tube when trying to unscrew my mini pump. Valve core stuck in the flexy hose of the mini pump so had to phone around for a lift.
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The trick is to let the core cool down after all the vigorous pumping so it doesn't bind to the pump head. I also keep one of these in all my saddle bags...

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/lifeline-valve-core-remover/
 
What's the lowest pressure people are running 25mm's at? I'm 90/95psi (83kg rider weight), but would like to go a bit lower, especially on the front. Frank Berto pressure graph suggests as low at 80psi for the front. I'd probably be happy with 85.

Got carbon frame and forks, but still feel it over some rough surfaces!
 
I generally run them somewhere between 75 and 90. No issues. I've only got one pinch flat but that was when I hit a huge pothole at speed and buckled the rim too.
 
Lethal` said:
I generally run them somewhere between 75 and 90. No issues. I've only got one pinch flat but that was when I hit a huge pothole at speed and buckled the rim too.
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Cheers. Dropped the front to 85 for my ride today and it did feel better. Didn’t seem noticeably slower either.
 
Shamrock said:
Even better, buy tubes that don't have removable cores (unless you use deep wheels and need extensions).
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This. Don't understand removable valve cores on tubes. Surely just buy longer valves in the first place.

Unless I'm being ignorant and they just aren't available long enough.
 
There was nothing on the Amazon listing saying the tubes had removable valve cores, certainly wouldn't have bought them if I'd known.

Needed a pair of pliers to remove the core from my pump in the end. Couldn't move it at all without.
 
Nursie said:
Had a fun ride. Punctured, changed the tube. Valve core came out of the new tube when trying to unscrew my mini pump. Valve core stuck in the flexy hose of the mini pump so had to phone around for a lift.

Going away tomorrow morning so wanted to get a decent ride in, only managed about 12 miles.
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Shamrock said:
The trick is to let the core cool down after all the vigorous pumping so it doesn't bind to the pump head. I also keep one of these in all my saddle bags...

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/lifeline-valve-core-remover/
Click to expand...

Had the same thing happen to me a few months back.

Ended up using the core from another tube and my last gas to get me up to something I could roll to a LBS on. Tried all sorts to get it out including gripping it in my teeth and even standing on it against a kerb but it was futile.

Now I carry a small multitool/pliers (circa 60g). Thing is the valve core key doesn't work on the threaded end ;) :o but is handy for tightening them before pumping.

Letting it cool down does work. The hose was revised and a replacement is available to buy but I think that it's a **** take so bought a multitool instead.

I tend to pack everything else up, flip the bike upright, bottles in, stuff in pockets etc which is usually enough time to let it cool and then pray when unscrewing it that I'm not going to have to do it all again :p
 
Fusion said:
What's the lowest pressure people are running 25mm's at? I'm 90/95psi (83kg rider weight), but would like to go a bit lower, especially on the front. Frank Berto pressure graph suggests as low at 80psi for the front. I'd probably be happy with 85.
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I'm running 70/75 with 25c tyres on wide rims

Really recommend the Topeak Micro Rocket pump, tiny and works really well, just push it on the valve and pump up. No chance of taking valve cores out. I was using a Lezyne but it was well dodgy, would often take out the cores so chucked it in the bin last holiday
 
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