Road Cycling

Such a great day for riding yesterday. Still loving Strava's new routing feature. I've discovered loads of amazing new roads.

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First thing I'd check or change is the cable, they get a bit sluggish and/or fray inside the shifter making the shift feel terrible.

Next would be how old are the chain/cassette/drive train in general?

It looked like there was a coating to the cable that has started to peel off inside the shifter?

The bike is 8 months/400miles old.
 
It looked like there was a coating to the cable that has started to peel off inside the shifter?

The bike is 8 months/400miles old.

Yeah that's the standard fit shimano with its silly coating.

That fluff can clog up any guide pipes on the bike so I never fit them, opting for a stainless steel shimano instead.

It could just be cable stretch as its practically new. A tweak of the barrel adjuster might do the trick.
 
Beautiful day, did a solid metric, plenty of hills. Went out and rode the Rake at Ramsbottom.

I missed the turn on the way and did an extra 10k or so including a 10 minute climb. First time up the rake went a bit too hard and then missed the right hand turn for the hardest/final part.

Looped back and did it again but lost some pop out of my legs and suffered up the steep (25%) section as cadence went through the floor. Pretty much stopped pedalling when I rode over the top and enjoyed the view. lots of parked cars here, the Strava segment is another 100m or so but meh whatever.

Coming back home did some more climbing and efforts, decent power after 3hrs on some little climbs we ride semi regularly here.

Chain is jumping into the little ring if I cross chainring and go big/big. Yes I know it’s not ideal doing this but sometimes it has to be done ;) will have another look at the FD adjustment. Can’t imagine the chain needs to be shortened as I’ve only dropped a few teeth on the crankset.

Edit: bit of an adjustment & checked the angle against the lines. Cleaned it up, bit of WD on the spring and redid the setup. Perfect in the stand so have to ride it again to confirm.
 
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I've been riding a Trek Domane AL for a few years and thought it was time to upgrade. I looked at buying off the shelf but couldn't find a build I wanted for a price I was really to pay. So I started scouring eBay and found an auction for this TCR frameset, I got lucky and also found a barely used Ultegra di2 groupset and a pair of Giant SLR wheels for bargain prices. I'd never built a bike before so it was certainly an experience, but I think it's come together quite nicely.

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Bit of help needed

My chain set is knackered, couple of teeth missing. Looking for a replacement. Don't know if I need just rings or a whole set????

It's on a specialized crux

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Looks great! How did you find the build? I’m building a TT bike but nothing as complex as Di2
To be honest it was pretty straight forward, I watched loads of videos before I started and didn't have too many problems. Using an internal routing guide was very helpful and made chasing the cables easier. The most difficult bit of the build was the brake bleeding, it still isn't 100%, will have to look at it again.

Have to admit I'm loving the di2, the shifting is smooth and the micro adjust feature is great. Overall, I'm very happy with the final build, a few compromises here and there and delays due to missing parts, but worth it considering the total build was £2800.
 
https://www.tweekscycles.com/uk/praxis-works-cx-double-chainring-set-upgpr-4636-0001/

That should have 110bcd stamped on it somewhere.

Those should do the job or source any 5x 110 46/36 rings that you can find.


Shimano rings should fit also.

https://www.tweekscycles.com/uk/shi...vTpSX2IJMwn128Lp8n9FwxcfoSxRMUrUaAmL9EALw_wcB

https://www.tweekscycles.com/uk/shi...vTpSX2IJMwn128Lp8n9FwxcfoSxRMUrUaAmL9EALw_wcB

Haven't fitted that combo but have fitted plenty of shimano rings to FSA etc. As long as the BCD is the same and not hidden bolt style your jamming.
 
Apologies if any uploades pics are massive - hard to tell from mobile uploads.

I'm now on furlough leave after working from home a couple of weeks looking after my little man. My other half is still working (but her usual 3.5 days a week and from home) so although my riding has picked up in the fantastic weather I've kept it sensible (unlike many on my Strava!). Only once riding for any real time over an hour (but it was under 2). Absolutely LOVING the weather and if this is a sign of the summer it will be a great one. Fingers crossed for that and the whole lockdown/not-a-lockdown situation on Thursday to not drastically change into an absolute lockdown (although won't surprise me if they do).

I've had a few issues with neglecting any real maintenance for the last few months... Climax of this was a SRAM chain breaking on me and the sideplate gouging some horrible amounts of paint, lacquer and dare I say it... Carbon out of my frame below the BB/behind the chainset. Probably hard to really tell from pics but what are peoples opinions on this?
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I personally think it's 'safe' to ride as is just ugly surface damage in a non-stress/low-stress area. None of the gouges (there's 2 big ones) are deeper than 1.5mm including paint in that measurement too. How would you cover/protect the carbon below that? I've used nail varnish on my alu I frame but seem to recall that can eat carbon resin.

I rode that segment with a chain link about to break
Wish I'd read this before the above happened as might have influenced me to do something more with what I found! :D:rolleyes:

Did a good clean (well overdue) and noticed when I inverted and took wheels out/off where the chain was lay on the RD that the link there was missing part of the sideplate. Thought it a little odd as although the chain had been abused over winter and spent most of it's life filthy, it wasn't 'old' and feeling ok. So just cleaned it up and put a QL in place of it. Didn't look for other links with problems or think too much of it as just wanted to get out and ride... Bad mistake!
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Also replaced rear RD cable and inner. Also switched my FD from the original 105 5800 to the new style Ultegra R8000. Wow how overly complicated is fitting one of those!? Still followed a good YT video and got it sorted quickly. But such a sequence to fit and do cable routing correctly. Although I am now really pleased how tidy it looks and how well it operates. Got out and rode! But the clean I'd done had obviously upset a front wheel bearing and had to cut things short due to the horrific squeaking/squealing it was making.

Changed front bearing but only had 1 new the right size so ordered 3 more so at least I can pair up and have a spare pair still. Before the next ride changed rear brake pads but in doing so pulled the freehub off the rear axle when refitting the wheel. Dammit! Really annoyed but stripped and cleaned the freehub out. Bearings feeling fine so left them (rear is a couple of years newer than front as popped a spoke). Felt good!

Mildly annoyed by all the sudden maintenance headed out again... Half way around the bar tape on the left drop had popped out the cap and was slowly unwinding every time. Should've taken that as an omen and just headed home...

Didn't and continued with my loop, then under 2 miles from home putting out a bit of power to overtake a mobility scooter on the cycle path the chain just popped and jammed behind the cranks. Annoying. I've never really been one to drop chains, have maybe done it 3 times in nearly 10 years of riding. First of all just thought it was that. On closer inspection ripped apart chainlink! Gutted to see some of my hyper-green paint on the torn metal...

Popped a spare chainlink in and got myself home. Damage is covered above, but basically guys look out for any of this happening to your side plates when running SRAM chains! :eek::mad:

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And a nice deep gouge on my chainring...!
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#wattbombs!

@Roady thanks man

Wee man doing very well. He's lean and long. So we have made a future GC dude.
Good to hear buddy, scary times bringing a wee one into the world at these current times. So please keep them all as safe as you can! :)
 
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How would you cover/protect the carbon below that? I've used nail varnish on my alu I frame but seem to recall that can eat carbon resin.
Hi Roady, I had a similar issue around 2 years ago with a brake rotor bolt slicing into my frame...
https://photos.app.goo.gl/xEtiRpgKoMW6Y6uA6
(the photo is quite a close up lol)

I removed all the loose bits of carbon and used 1500 grit paper to remove the rough parts. I bought 2 part Araldite epoxy, filled the area and then smoothed it out with a light sanding ready for painting (primar and paint).

2.5 years of abuse later it still looks perfect. I was really concerned at the time though as you can imagine.

Disclaimer... I'm not saying it's the right way to do it, but from my Googling at the time it's what I came across.
 
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Hi Roady, I had a similar issue around 2 years ago with a brake rotor bolt slicing into my frame...
https://photos.app.goo.gl/xEtiRpgKoMW6Y6uA6
(the photo is quite a close up lol)

I removed all the loose bits of carbon and used 1500 grit paper to remove the rough parts. I bought 2 part Araldite epoxy, filled the area and then smoothed it out with a light sanding ready for painting (primar and paint).

2.5 years of abuse later it still looks perfect. I was really concerned at the time though as you can imagine.

Disclaimer... I'm not saying it's the right way to do it, but from my Googling at the time it's what I came across.
Thanks. You where lucky that missed the thread! Was the rotor too big or did it come apart?! Looks brutal! Imagine if that was a finger! :D;)

Although yours looks like alloy in that picture? Many thread bosses are on carbon frames.

It's not what I'd call a low stress area, but there's plenty of material there and it's unlikely to let go catastrophically
I'd meant it wasn't in an obvious place where the carbon is under lots of directional stress - like if it where a little higher alongside the chain-stay.

As you say, lots of carbon there. To be fair it might not even be into carbon? Can't actually see any threads so much just be some kinda resin over the carbon or a thick primer. This is a gravel frame so they wouldn't have been too worried about the weight and would probably have over protected around the BB against stone strikes? Maybe I'm just trying to convince myself. Will be keeping an eye on it. I've covered it with some electrical tape and will be checking it before each ride for a while for any signs of cracking. How would you cover it more permanently?

Edit: Crane Creek for headsets or another good brand? Where from in the UK online that's still delivering? Start at CRC/Wiggle/Merlin/Sigma/PX/etc?
 
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Thanks. You where lucky that missed the thread! Was the rotor too big or did it come apart?! Looks brutal! Imagine if that was a finger! :D;)

Although yours looks like alloy in that picture? Many thread bosses are on carbon frames.

Hah yea, the photo makes it look huge but it's around 5mm long. A rotor bolt came loose and inevitably sliced into the lug :(.
I can't say for other manufacturers but the lugs/caliper support on Giant frames are alloy with carbon molding surround.
 
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