Haha yeah, it doesn't help i guess that i make daily posts as soon as something new pops into my head, and without knowing much about different geometry's etc one bike looks very similar to another in that regard.
Issue i seem to have found with wheelsets is my front is a thru axle and the rear is quick release and most wheelsets are matching (as you'd expect)
I've found a guy locally who has a set of wheels for sale at a reasonable price (£20), he also dropped in that he used to be a bike mechanic so can help me with getting things swapped over. I think i'm going to go with this to get out on the road and then maybe in a few months if i'm getting out often enough i'll look to buy something new that's more "matchy matchy"
Have also ordered this to bleed the brakes, i did check the existing pads and to my eyes there's still a lot of life left in them. The only issue is the front one squeaks terribly. Would a lack of fluid cause that?
That sounds like a contaminated pad. By all means take them out and using some glasspaper rub some of the surface off to see if that solves it, but usually just replace them. Lack of fluid you would normally not get enough power through the caliper to really 'brake', although will also make noise.
£20 for a price of wheels does sound a little too cheap... But totally down to you - might be a well looked after, just a bit old and well used set coming from someone who should know what he's doing.
Converting between TA and QR (Thru Axle and QuickRelease) is really down to the wheelset. Most modern off the shelf wheelsets have 'endcaps' you can fit to swap them over from one to another, as they also allow for different hub/frame widths. Older wheelsets (before the advent of TA) the inner axle may not have a wide enough internal to convert so there is unlikely to be endcaps. Due to hub sizing and builds the endcaps tend to be hub specific. Some OEM wheels or those supplied with off the shelf bikes/brands may not come with endcaps or have them available. Some wheelsets they're an 'extra', etc etc.
I've seen a Giant PR2 wheelset including Shimano rotors which are QR fitting. Initially i figured i would just run them mismatched with my existing front wheel and then maybe look to sell on the new front wheel. However now i'm wondering whether to try and change the front fitting so i can use both Giant wheels. I could then fit them with my 32mm road tyres and then keep an eye out for another rear wheel to match my existing wheels to use with the gravel tyres.
If so, could anyone link to an actual product, i'm finding a huge range. Measurements wise it's 12mm in diameter and i've got it at 137mm in length.
However if i take the code off the axle "QR264-F" i get this (Not sure if the F vs the EN makes a difference?)
https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/hub-spares/novatec-qr264renx12-shimano-12mm-thruaxle-m12-x-15-142172mm/
Be careful with Giant 'PR-2' wheels. They may have various different hubs in them depending on the year of manufacture and what model bike they're originally from... You'd likely have to lookup the info on the Giant site to get the specific Giant model/part numbers to be sure of getting the right thing.
That part number has lead you to just a thru axle. That should mostly fit (diameter on road disk wheels has largely settled on 12mm diameter as a standard), but worth double-checking. They're largely cross-compatible, providing long enough and the thread pitch/pattern matches the frame (I've used DT, Specialized, Tacx and now a RobertAxleProject thru axles on my frame, but had to get the specific M12x1.0 threading for my frame).
The majority of new frames with thru axle are 142mm standard width, but there is/was a range of bikes with 135mm (which is the same width as QR), also some 'edge cases' (like my Specialized with SCS 137.5mm width...). Different endcaps for each, but you'd need the specific ones for the hub to make it the right width for the frame.
It's entirely possible Giant are using a Novatec hub on them. But what do you mean by 'axle' - unless you've been able to remove the actual axle from the internal of the hub I'd say that's incorrect (and why you've ended up looking at a Thru Axle and not the end caps you need). The thru axle is almost the easiest bit.
I think I'd want something around 10 minutes so you can get a bit of recovery on the way down.
Maybe this 50 times would do the job
https://www.strava.com/activities/5717666919/segments/2856626119231666258
Yeah same as what I'd really choose. I think anything like a 10-15-20 minute climb which you can settle into a rhythm to pace it to really stay in your Z2/3 is the way. That road as well being where it is, likely to be quiet without too much traffic, has a couple of side lanes you could abandon car/supplies/etc at too.
I’m looking at an upgrade for my old Scott CR1 and want something that will last another 10 years so going the whole hog to electronic shifting. Is it a bad time to be looking at Di2 though if 12 speed is coming any time soon?
It's a 'bad time' to look at anything bike and component related, nevermind just DI2! But it is what it is...
I'm still trying to hunt down a tidy second hand R8050 FD, they used to be £80-90, now closer to £150. Really considering the 6870 route as should be compatible and under £100 for a tidy one...
Not sure what I'm getting at but it's almost like cars these days, have a bike a few years and shift it on for the next owner to deal with any issues.
Pretty much it, the big brands are so sold on selling 'complete' bikes, that any parts tend to be expensive and the deals you used to get on bikes the last few years really meant you replaced rather than upgraded too much. For general riders anyway, for those of us happy to do their own rebuilds/upgrades/servicing then we still do/did, even if it wasn't really much cheaper than selling and buying a new bike on a deal.
Thanks Roadie I'll keep an eye on my trust.
Rode was great we did the same ride as last year and we all had a great time.
My friend struggled 40 miles in but did well to finish the whole route!
Not sure where to head next now!
Good work, got a link to the route? Although you're from Hertfordshire, there's lots of good riding without coming all the way over to wales! Chilterns/South Downs/Cotswolds etc. Unsure how much you've travelled or there are specific reasons why you came all the way over? There's obviously lots more riding around that area which you've only touched on by doing the West side of Wales (like Brecon Beacons to the south). Wye valley around me is superb (also Gospel pass & The Tumble), as well as having Malvern /Monmouth hills in reach. To the north there's Shropshire... I've always said it - I'm in a fantastic place in reach of all of these - now if only I got off my keyboard and actually rode more of them...
It's 34.9. Phew.
