Road Cycling

[Junglist]

@SoliD - Thanks for the info. I'd rather get the GP5000S as I already have experience with the rubber but at least I know that if I can't get the ones I want the Pro Ones will be OK to fall back on. Waiting for confirmation of the new wheels before I buy anything

@Martynt74 - Sounds like you're happy with your new steed! Lets have a look at it then

 

[Martynt74]

@SoliD - Thanks for the info. I'd rather get the GP5000S as I already have experience with the rubber but at least I know that if I can't get the ones I want the Pro Ones will be OK to fall back on. Waiting for confirmation of the new wheels before I buy anything

@Martynt74 - Sounds like you're happy with your new steed! Lets have a look at it then

Only picture so far is from the Facebook advert above. It's all stealthy like in Matt black and i feel like keeping it clean will be tricky! I would've actually preferred something more interesting colour wise, but as with cars/running clothes, colour is always the first thing i'll compromise on.



Will get an "official" one posted soon. Have stuck my old MTB pedals on, but debating whether to use the road pedals it came with and get some new shoes. I do like having recessed cleats for when walking around, and then having the flat side for normal trainers is pretty handy too for when we only do a short ride to the pub.

How are proper road pedals when trying to use normal trainers?

 

[Junglist]

Only picture so far is from the Facebook advert above. It's all stealthy like in Matt black and i feel like keeping it clean will be tricky! I would've actually preferred something more interesting colour wise, but as with cars/running clothes, colour is always the first thing i'll compromise on.



Will get an "official" one posted soon. Have stuck my old MTB pedals on, but debating whether to use the road pedals it came with and get some new shoes. I do like having recessed cleats for when walking around, and then having the flat side for normal trainers is pretty handy too for when we only do a short ride to the pub.

How are proper road pedals when trying to use normal trainers?

I love it! It even looks fast whilst it's parked up, I have a feeling all of your PBs are going to be toast! My bike is also matte black so I'm a bit biased!

I haven't tried cycling with my road pedals in trainers but my friend did once and it didn't take long before he span back around to put his cycling shoes on.

 

[SoliD]

Road pedals ares better for normal shoes than double as they have a much bigger base. Can do a few miles no problem.

 

[Martynt74]

Cheers. I've been reading they can cause less aches/pains on longer rides too, and are generally more suited to constant pedaling vs MTB ones where you will be more erratic.

Guess that's my next purchase. Will try and get some shoes that look less stupid this time too!

 

[OG]

Anyone have the pleasure of riding the Tour of Cambridgeshire at the weekend? I done the 70 mile sportive on the Sunday which was good fun. My first cycling event since pre-covid so was nice to get out in some faster groups on closed roads, the weather was decent apart from a fairly brutal head wind the last 20% or so of the course.
Only thing I found a bit surprising was that the road race started about an hour or so before all the sportives on the same course, it meant that towards the end our small little bunch were a bit startled to hear a bunch of yelling behind only to see a peloton cracking along and telling us all to keep left. I wasn't too phased but we were fortunate to be on a fairly wide road at the time, there were some tiny lanes on the route and so I can only imagine a fast peloton meeting some potentially unconfident cyclists may not have ended well.
As with all sportives the only accidents I saw was in the last few miles, was a chap fairly battered up on the floor being seen to by an ambulance but must have been 2 miles or so from the finish line .

Am doing the White Rose Classic in a few weeks time, just the short route for me

 

[AndyCr15]

Coasting seems to cause a clicking in the hub too, i don't recall this on my other bike, so need to investigate it

This is normal. Some say, the louder the click, the more expensive the wheel

 

[Martynt74]

This is normal. Some say, the louder the click, the more expensive the wheel

Ha these must be worth a fortune then

Guess it's just something to get used to.

 

[Junglist]

Just use it as an obnoxious tool that when you're riding and someone is slow in front of you, rather than shouting 'on your right' you get to just coast and let them hear the ticking!

Ordered my partner some clipless shoes today. We did have a pair turn up yesterday but they didn't fit well so have another pair turning up today. This will be the first outdoor cycle she has been on since finding out she as pregnant last year August. She's done a few Zwift rides but nothing outdoors on this road bike which she bought a few months back. I think I'm more excited than she is.

 

[Invertigo]

I need to get some new clipless shoes as my downhill style mtb ones feel a bit bulky for lighter stuff, but as I use them for commuting too I want something that uses 2 bolt SPDs rather than road style shoes. Local shop has Specialized Recon 1s in for £55 which seems pretty solid considering the £99 rrp and their main use is gravel/road commuting.

 

[AndyCr15]

Just use it as an obnoxious tool that when you're riding and someone is slow in front of you, rather than shouting 'on your right' you get to just coast and let them hear the ticking!

This exactly. I use mine instead of a bell when I'm rolling up behind a pedestrian.

 

[fez]

Ha these must be worth a fortune then

Guess it's just something to get used to.

Depends if its a constant whirring/clicking or a single point in the rotation that is clicking.

Does it sound like this?

I need to get some new clipless shoes as my downhill style mtb ones feel a bit bulky for lighter stuff, but as I use them for commuting too I want something that uses 2 bolt SPDs rather than road style shoes. Local shop has Specialized Recon 1s in for £55 which seems pretty solid considering the £99 rrp and their main use is gravel/road commuting.

Thats pretty cheap for road shoes and the sole will probably go a bit noodley after a while but for a first pair its probably OK.

 

[Martynt74]

Depends if its a constant whirring/clicking or a single point in the rotation that is clicking.

Does it sound like this?

Thats pretty cheap for road shoes and the sole will probably go a bit noodley after a while but for a first pair its probably OK.

I'd say it sounds more like the after 36 points clicking, more separate and audible, that a constant if that makes sense.

It's not too bad when actually riding, it was more obvious when i was carrying the bike and the wheel rotated that i noticed it as something i've not noticed before.

 

[AndyCr15]

It shouldn't happen at all when actually pedaling. It's the kinds of like a zip tie. You hear it clicking through as you pull the cord, the little clip bouncing over the ruts, but once in place, it locks into a rut.

 

[fez]

I'd say it sounds more like the after 36 points clicking, more separate and audible, that a constant if that makes sense.

It's not too bad when actually riding, it was more obvious when i was carrying the bike and the wheel rotated that i noticed it as something i've not noticed before.

Thats fine, as Andy says, most hubs work on a simple ratchet system where in one direction the hub engages and in the other direction it freewheels. The number of points of engagement around 360 degrees dictates the pitch of the sound. Low quality/cheaper hubs usually have a lower number of teeth on them to engage with and therefore you get a more defined clicking as opposed to more of a buzz on higher engagement hubs.

You can work out how many points of engagement your hub has and generally the sort of noise it makes by spinning the wheel slowly forwards and listening to the clicks it makes and see how many times it clicks for one revolution.

You might not notice it much if its quite quiet just due to ambient noise as you are riding. The wind and road noise can drown it out. My wheels are loud enough that it does not drown it out. Unless you are coasting though you obviously won't hear anything.

My MTB hubs are DT Swiss 240s with 36 points of engagement and they are really quiet even when coasting but my road wheels are noisy beasts.

 

[Invertigo]

Thats pretty cheap for road shoes and the sole will probably go a bit noodley after a while but for a first pair its probably OK.

Technically MTB shoes as they're 2 bolt cleats rather than SPD-SL, more XC focused though so a good bit stiffer than the Specialized 2FO enduro style ones I'm using for commuting currently. So they can go back to fun duties only

 

[Berger]

One for our resident bike mechanic.

Are the Chinese copy pullers fine to use, I see no reason why not. I want to remove BBRight press fit from cervelo, measures 50mm OD at the cup. Well firstly I want to pull the bearing from the cup then either press new bearing in, or remove the cup from the frame totally and replace both.

Bicycle Bearing Press Tool Bottom Bracket Shell Fast Install Removal Kit - as described, Professional https://amzn.eu/d/4Lrw03N

 

[Martynt74]

Had a nervy moment this morning, had a few beers last night, felt like i needed to fart, and so got a little out of the saddle and then genuinely thought i had poo'd myself. Even took a detour home. Luckily got home to no signs of poop.

One thing i need to decide though is whether to stick with the saddle that's already on there. The one one it came with is likely "better" than my old one, given the state of the other components to the bike, but it doesn't half cause some pain. Unsure whether to persevere on the basis i'll likely adjust or just use my old one, because how much "better" can a saddle actually be!

Also thinking that sticking with disc brakes might've been better for me. I spent quite a bit of time researching the differences and it seemed that whilst discs performed better, it wasn't massive for someone not chasing records and that the biggest difference was in wet conditions. However, this morning down a few steep hills it definitely felt less capable using the rim brakes. Unsure if it's just a different "feel" and so something i need to change braking technique with, or just that all the things saying there's not much of a difference are 60kg riders and not 100kg lumps like me!

 

[Roady]

Massive reply from me incoming. Just got back from 2 weeks in Florida (Disney). Had an amazing time, but 20 days off the bike! Return to work commuting yesterday along with kiddo trailer really hurt... Then the Zwift TTT was brutal! Blew up on the Hilly KOM with my HR being crazy high for the whole ride. Really a shock to the system and the start to get back on track.

'Only' gained 3.5kg while away (down to just over 2kg yesterday - water retention from flight?)

I did a round of fund-raising for the event and it has done really well. Rather proud of what its got up to.

Well done mate, that really is the spirit of the thing and really should be what drives it - not cyclists smashing 30mph+ averages due to the closed roads.

Is this just required for offical photography? Any other issues with the lack of visbility?

Probably also used to identify riders in accidents, but might also be used at 'checkpoints' to get everyone through to judge progress. I'd like to think they could also judge congestion with it but unlikely to be that advanced.

Doesn't having it there prevent you from holding the bars?

You ride with your hands on the bars most of the time and not the tops & drops?

The new shoes were generally more comfortable, but last night and still this morning to an extent, I'm hobbling around on my left foot, which feels like the soul is bruised to walk on. I went Extra Wide with these Lakes. Is it possible my foot has too much space, which causes the problem?

Possibly, using insolves in there? Also 'new shoes' issue - they feel different, so you over tighten them to feel more fitted, then the feet suffer due to bad circulation/lack of movement. Especially on a long ride - they tend to go numb, so you don't feel the pain until the circulation is improved later when you take them off.

Yet more reasons why I'd never do a big sportive like that.

But a Sportive with 'fuel stops' should have drinks & food at those stops! One of the reasons I like to do them - pickup some bars/gels/stuff you otherwise wouldn't buy to try out! Some of them I finish with full pockets - but then I might be a prime example on why they where empty, but it wasn't me (this time) guv!

I would say I was perfectly prepared. Prepared for them to have some bananas, cakes, biscuits and such, as you would expect from even a simple Sportive.

Exactly! Even a local charity '£5 to enter' ride will have all of the above at every stop.

Would you do it again next year? If there is a big OCUK I'd love to tag along. Though I'd bring the speed down!

Would be better to find another Sportive for it - less busy, better organised, cheaper, better route, better facilities, etc etc.

How much was it?

£90 or £100 wasn't it? Or was that just the ballot for the non-charity spaces?

Can you tubeless guys spec me a decent but not super expensive track pump that'll be good enough to seat a tubeless tyre.

My old trusty that I've had the last 7 years is starting to play up and needs the head held onto the valve to work. So I may as well get a new one but don't really fancy spending the £100 on one unless I need to.

Think you've found it, but the Joe Blow is great. Got one here a few years back and it's the best track pump I've owned (but I've only had 3?4?). Think they're a Topeak brand? A tyre inflator is excellent (and I've got one) but the tyre & rim combo you're using along with the technique will determine how easy things are to mount far more than the track pump you're using.

Topeak Joe Blow and use a CO2 inflator for the occasions tubeless tyres won’t seat properly.

I did make a ghetto tubeless inflator out of a coke bottle at one point. It was a fun project but the CO2 is probably safer.

Agreed. I went the CO2 route, used a bunch of them, then ended up picking up an inflator anyway and it is excellent. But last tyres I mounted (Pirelli P-Zero on Zipp 303 S) didn't need it.

There is something to be said for just doing what you want to do in order to enjoy something. I used to be really into bouldering and would go 3 times a week and if I didn't I would be a bit grumpy and feel like I was missing out, getting weaker etc and I wouldn't enjoy sessions if I wasn't climbing well.

When COVID hit and all the walls closed for months I just got out of the habit and it was fine. I now climb once a week and really enjoy it. I climb about 90% as hard and enjoy it more because there is not pressure to perform or improve at any pace.

If training hard for cycling helps you to enjoy it more and the sacrifice is worth it then go for it but ultimately we generally do all these things to enjoy life. If you are forcing yourself to do something that you don't want to do for some perceived greater value down the road, perhaps you need a rethink. Its not like forcing yourself to train to get a better job where the benefits are forever and don't require constant upkeep. Any exercise gains are borrowed up to a point and if you stopped for a few years you would lose most of them.

Basically, do what is right for you and don't feel pressured to do something because you think you want to do it.

This is an amazing post mate and really really well written. Exactly on the money where I am at right now and have been the last couple of years. I've been even more laid back about it - riding more for fun and zero pressures. I've actually found more increases to my performance(s) from it, than the times I tried to ride (& eat/drink) more structured and strictly while certainly having far more enjoyment.

Thanks for the route help @UTmaniac. Rode it on Friday: https://www.strava.com/activities/7249104627

In the end, I was quite early for the Hythe Ferry. It was literally all closed up when I got there and I think first one wouldn't leave until around an hour later so I rode into Southampton on the annoying shared use path. At least I wasn't on the dual carriageways until that point like last time. Getting out of Southampton was relatively pleasant at that time. It was a long old day in the end and very rolling but nice enough. A little gutted I didn't get the SW/W wind I had hoped for

Great riding mate, chapeau!

Anyone using/used the Schwable Pro One tyres? Any reason to avoid them? Seems the Continental GP5000S are out of stock in most places and Mantel have the Schwalbes for £75 a pair.

Can recommend the Pirelli P-Zero. I ended up with some 'PAS Normal Studios' branded ones from Sigma just to get the price down a bit - £62 a corner rather than £70 back then, but they're no longer available.

 

[AndyCr15]

Unsure if it's just a different "feel" and so something i need to change braking technique with, or just that all the things saying there's not much of a difference are 60kg riders and not 100kg lumps like me!

I've decided I don't think I could go back to rim brakes. As you say, it might be large guys feel it more, but to me there's a pretty drastic difference in performance. Tbh, I can tell the difference to my commuter too, which has disc, but I guess they're not as a good. Not as big a difference, but I think it's noticable.