Road Cycling

Goodluck with Merlin.

Is it sprung at all, or totally dead/floppy? The springs inside can break, but usually the amount of crud inside them just generally gums/gunks them up so the spring itself is ok and it's just a seized mechanism. They come apart and quite easy to do with a hex, all Shimano are mainly the same, I've taken 5800, 6800, R8000 and 6870 apart. So 3 mechanical & 1 di2, they all looked the same and fitted the same. Unsure if the springs are exactly the same size/tension (didn't have them apart at the same times) but fundamentally the same - to take apart, clean and reassemble.
At first it was just stiff. I pushed it back once when I was out and noticed it was slack.. it got better but now it is really stiff. I can barely move it with my hands.

No responses still from Merlin. Pretty annoyed tbh. It's £45 but they respond to sales etc real fast... poor aftersales means I will likely just forget using them in future. Not sure if I can just go to any Shimano dealer and see if they can process a warranty claim? Kinda doubt it...
 
Hmm, that's an interesting idea. Tbh, even just going for a walk yesterday lunch, it was SO cold. I can't imagine pushing through that frozen air at 20+ mph... I think an ear my just snap off or something...
 
At first it was just stiff. I pushed it back once when I was out and noticed it was slack.. it got better but now it is really stiff. I can barely move it with my hands.

No responses still from Merlin. Pretty annoyed tbh. It's £45 but they respond to sales etc real fast... poor aftersales means I will likely just forget using them in future. Not sure if I can just go to any Shimano dealer and see if they can process a warranty claim? Kinda doubt it...
Hope you have some luck from them and at least heard back by now!?

If not and you want some pointers happy to take one of mine apart and take some pics!

Hopefully anyone venturing outside on two wheels in this cold snap is staying upright and maybe using something like https://www.merlincycles.com/schwal...e-winter-compound-rigid-tyre-700c-209235.html (10% off like lots of other stuff there when added to basket, making these ~£27 each).
Good price, these where always 35/40 others years if I recall. Considering most tyres seem to have rocketed up in price quite strange they have not... Oh yeah, we've only gained fair weather cyclists! ;)

Still riding. Picked up a stinking head cold end of last week (probably all the Zwift/FRR in cold garage) but have ridden through it, so is now back of throat phlegm congested feeling junk stuff now. Taken it mostly easy this week as a good recovery week after FRR and to try and shift it. No such luck yet.

But still riding my commute. Only a slight bit of ice spotted this morning. It snowed with us at around 5.30am but was barely freezing. Then when the some comes up the temperature plummets. Saw -3 this morning but only -2 while riding. Windchill is far worse, being the UK that semi-damp cold -5 windchill makes it feel far colder! Other countries with a more 'dry' cold are not quite as bitter. Still brutal, but not quite cold enough here to freeze on you as you ride - it likely will be next week. Several days forecast there the ambient doesn't go over 0. IT IS COMING. :eek:

So be safe all!

Considering seeing if I can blag the other half to get my turbo trainer indoors for a week or so...! I have 2 days booked off next week and then finish on the 21st. Would hate all that extra Zwift riding time to be ruined by cold weather! :cry:
 
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I had been planning to ride indoors today, but a friend posted a ride (with photos of his water bottle icing up!) that persuaded me to 'man up' and get out there! It was actually really nice in the sun. Plotted a route that was mainly main road types, so less chance of ice. Cycled through this weird pocket of mist though, in the middle of the bright, sunny, clear ride...

 
I need to get myself some shoes for this cold weather so I can get out on the bike. We are having some lovely days but I don't have the gear for it.
 
Strava is so rubbish online vs the App. In the Goals section on the app i get a nice Progress graph showing trending over the year. Online it's just a blank page with a Current/Target

Ignore the run bit above, that's a source of major annoyance!

I initially set my goal at 500 miles for the year, then thought that seemed low and updated it to 750. I've been well behind most of the year as the chart shows, however a foot injury stopping running in October caused the gap to get quite close due to increasing Zwift for my cardio.

Probably unlikely i'll hit 120 miles in the next 3 weeks but there's always that bit of hope!

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@Roady I'm not sure how this would work compatibility-wise, but a leftfield option regards rings...


A set of 31/48 rings would be ~£104 less the auto 10% discount when added to basket, plus if there's nothing else you want, you could use loyalty points to get another £5 off a £75-149 basket (or spend £150+ for £10 loyalty discount)... Making them ~£89.
 
I've only skimmed that article, but one thing I've noticed with my Whoop is that my metrics are very bad the day after I've had a few drinks, and I mean very bad (like less than 5%). Much worse than the day after my hardest ride ever (around 40%), for example.
 
I had been planning to ride indoors today, but a friend posted a ride (with photos of his water bottle icing up!) that persuaded me to 'man up' and get out there! It was actually really nice in the sun. Plotted a route that was mainly main road types, so less chance of ice. Cycled through this weird pocket of mist though, in the middle of the bright, sunny, clear ride...

Haha cool little 'frost pocket'! Get lots of them around here. I work 2.4 miles from home, literally less than 3km as the crow flies, but with a river to the south several bits of hills around and a slight lump between them it can be different weather. Usually frost at home, then drop down into foggy/damper conditions at work (towards the river).

Much of where I am is like that - Hereford is in a 'bowl' with different hills and climates around it. Generally where the 'mountain ranges' meet up we're in the flat lands between. Can go out riding a 2-3 hour loop and see 3 different weather systems. So many times ride the hills in the wind, but dry. Get home and it's been pouring with rain!

Where I used to live over the border it was even more pronounced on the drive to work (11 miles) - lived at 850 ft, dropped down to 450ft, climbed up to 1400ft at the head of the valley, dropping back down the head of the next valley. I'd leave home in 6" of snow, climb through the clouds into blazing sunshine, then drop down into rain clouds the other side with not a hint of a freeze! :cry:

I need to get myself some shoes for this cold weather so I can get out on the bike. We are having some lovely days but I don't have the gear for it.
The 'winter boots' are ok, but they're far from comfortable. I've previously owned the SPD Northwave Celsius, then bought the SPD-SL/Keo version the Fahrenheit and am close to digging them out... But they're far from comfortable and really not waterproof. More of an 'off-road' thing than a road shoe replacement in my opinion. They feel clumsy and heavy, without any flex for comfort, while also not really 'heating', then needing an overshoe to give them any waterproofing.

I've actually gone the 'other way' the last couple of seasons, expensive & very good overshoes over just my normal shoes with some warmer socks for the coldest sub-zero. Spatzwear. My Roadman V2 are superb this time of year. But will admit they're expensive for what they are and do wear out easily. Mine I wear more regularly in the rain (early version of the Pro), are gathering more damage and unlikely to last more than 4-5 years.

I initially set my goal at 500 miles for the year, then thought that seemed low and updated it to 750. I've been well behind most of the year as the chart shows, however a foot injury stopping running in October caused the gap to get quite close due to increasing Zwift for my cardio.
Still good miles and always good to feel like you can improve on a goal! Wouldn't be a target unless there was a fairly low chance of achieving!

@Roady I'm not sure how this would work compatibility-wise, but a leftfield option regards rings...


A set of 31/48 rings would be ~£104 less the auto 10% discount when added to basket, plus if there's nothing else you want, you could use loyalty points to get another £5 off a £75-149 basket (or spend £150+ for £10 loyalty discount)... Making them ~£89.
Nice idea but think I would find them far too spinney (coming from 50/34) outside of commuting where it wouldn't really matter. Actually considered going standard for that bit higher front ring, make me use the little ring more to average out the wear! Then go for a 34t on the back as I'll be R8050 ;)

I just got a whole new crank in the end, then sold the old one on and it worked out about £50....
Not a bad idea actually. Cranksets seem to go sales, but chainrings never seem to. Sounds stupid really! People too lazy to even fit their own rings so demand is higher on cranksets so inventory is better for sales to be done on!?

Probably a very relevant article on SIS this morning :p

Pretty accurate. But I do know my performance would suffer WITHOUT alcohol. As I know if I wasn't looking forward to a beer - yet feel like I've got to 'earn it' first! :cry:
 
Roady, even with my low Cadence and 46-30 I find the grx crankset just fine for general road! Rarely struggling for more gears!
 
The 'winter boots' are ok, but they're far from comfortable. I've previously owned the SPD Northwave Celsius, then bought the SPD-SL/Keo version the Fahrenheit and am close to digging them out... But they're far from comfortable and really not waterproof. More of an 'off-road' thing than a road shoe replacement in my opinion. They feel clumsy and heavy, without any flex for comfort, while also not really 'heating', then needing an overshoe to give them any waterproofing.

I've actually gone the 'other way' the last couple of seasons, expensive & very good overshoes over just my normal shoes with some warmer socks for the coldest sub-zero. Spatzwear. My Roadman V2 are superb this time of year. But will admit they're expensive for what they are and do wear out easily. Mine I wear more regularly in the rain (early version of the Pro), are gathering more damage and unlikely to last more than 4-5 years.

Interesting. I have some cheapo overshoes and they are a bit crap so I never really considered "better ones" they look really good. Will see if I can pick up a pair. If they last 4-5 years thats good value for money IMO.
 
I've got the shimano boots after having the northwaves and they're great, rigid enough for riding and flexi enough for clambering as they're the Spd version and keep my feet dry, although obviously they've got a ruddy big hole in the top from your leg, so you need something to stop ingress there! If it's really cold my feet will go cold anyway, but I have raynauds so just struggle full stop. I have contemplated combining with spatz which may be my only hope.
 
Roady, even with my low Cadence and 46-30 I find the grx crankset just fine for general road! Rarely struggling for more gears!
I do quite regularly spin out my 50t x 11t when group riding. Not enough to really cause any issue, but going much lower I think it would...

More interested in how 34 x 32t (current) versus 36 x 34t as like the scope for having a wider range without losing the bottom end (maybe even gaining some).

Interesting. I have some cheapo overshoes and they are a bit crap so I never really considered "better ones" they look really good. Will see if I can pick up a pair. If they last 4-5 years thats good value for money IMO.
Try some better overshoes first! Big difference between the types already out there, certainly around the £15-35 there is a massive difference. Obviously spending £100 on overshoes you have to be pretty sure they're the right thing for you...

One thing I did prior to Spatz was put Toe warmers under overshoes. It worked well, but mostly as being a EU42 I'm borderline M-L in most overshoes, generally going for the L so they where easier to regularly take on & off, so wore less and lasted longer. Also meant I had scope to also put them over toe warmers and the winter boots (or things like 'shoe socks' over the shoe, or even thick socks in shoes making them bigger).

But also because I tried several different overshoes throughout the years. My favourites eventually settled on Sealskinz 'Open Sole' as they just worked well with various shoes, fitted well and although the toe box wears through at the front can ride them pretty much to death. Others like the DHB/PX are thicker, but so poor fitting you wear them more, so they actually wore out quicker!

I've got the shimano boots after having the northwaves and they're great, rigid enough for riding and flexi enough for clambering as they're the Spd version and keep my feet dry, although obviously they've got a ruddy big hole in the top from your leg, so you need something to stop ingress there! If it's really cold my feet will go cold anyway, but I have raynauds so just struggle full stop. I have contemplated combining with spatz which may be my only hope.
Can really recommend the Roadman (or the Gravlr - maybe more flex for various shoes and harder wearing for some offroad). They're probably what you're after - slightly thicker around the shoe than the others but not massively, but lots of extra insulation on the shin makes them significantly warmer around the foot area. They maximise what warmth you have from circulation. But I'd say if I wear mine in 10 degrees they're too hot, my feet don't run hot, but my shins obviously do! These sub zero windchills they've been perfect - I have been wearing thicker socks, but don't really need them. Wore normal socks (PX 'thicky merino') today as all my thicker ones are in the wash. Feet only a little cooler, not enough to feel 'cold' (but I do have a short commute).

Which boots are these? I'd be quite interested in a 'winter boot'.
Probably the MW series:

I don't see any road (3 bolt) ones listed? I'm sure they did them, or used to...

Fizik do the R5 Arctica with a road (3 bolt cleat) version I always liked the look of as they had more waterproofing design than my Northwave.

I previously owned some Sidi Hydro (between the Northwave Celsius & Fahrenheit) and wouldn't recommend them, was very disappointed. Uncomfortable and more 'clunky' than the cheaper Northwaves.
 
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Well this covid sucks. First time with it. It enjoying it at all.

It's weird as I don't have the symptoms which are like a cold so I assumed I was just feeling rub down at first. On Saturday I tried to do a relatively flat route on Zwift and after about 6km I was really feeling the burn. It was only 28km in the end but it felt like I did 100. Got annoyed as I thought I had got unfit over night but then by the evening came around my temperature was up at 40 degrees!

Starting to feel a bit better other than constant nausea feeling but I just want to get back on my bike
 
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