Road Cycling

Surprised more people don't use hydration packs.
You wear it like a backpack? I would much rather a bottle on my frame. I get plenty hot enough without something stapped around me. I would guess it would work opposite to a gilette, which is covered front, vented back... it's open front and covered back?
 
You wear it like a backpack? I would much rather a bottle on my frame. I get plenty hot enough without something stapped around me. I would guess it would work opposite to a gilette, which is covered front, vented back... it's open front and covered back?

Yeh, it's still pretty light, and you save having a couple of bottles of dead weight on your bike.

Would never go back to bottles.
 
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It can't be a weight thing? Just looked up a random hydration pack, one of Decathalon is 140g and might be 5l, so up to another 5kg. I usually take one or two bottles, at 150-200g **EDIT** 92g each and refil at stops if needed. Much lighter with bottles and you don't have something hugging you as you cycle around.

No worries if it's your preference, but I'm just explaining why its might not be most people's choice as you seem confused by this :p
 
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There is definitely an aero penalty to wearing a hydration pack :p

I get very warm on a ride so a backpack would be the last thing I want. I hate having a backpack on when out on the MTB but its pretty vital for days out or even a few hours.
 
I get very warm on a ride so a backpack would be the last thing I want.
This is my main issue. When I used to commute, I remember how hot a backpack made me feel, it really limits the breathability of your torso. (And this was a clever back back that had a vented back and raised... erm... backpack, off your back.)
 
It can't be a weight thing? Just looked up a random hydration pack, one of Decathalon is 140g and might be 5l, so up to another 5kg. I usually take one or two bottles, at 150-200g **EDIT** 92g each and refil at stops if needed. Much lighter with bottles and you don't have something hugging you as you cycle around.

No worries if it's your preference, but I'm just explaining why its might not be most people's choice as you seem confused by this :p

Not confused at all. :p

Should rephrase, the (extra) weight doesn't bother me at all, and it's so convenient being able to take a sip whilst keeping both hands on the bike. :)
 
There is definitely an aero penalty to wearing a hydration pack :p

I get very warm on a ride so a backpack would be the last thing I want. I hate having a backpack on when out on the MTB but its pretty vital for days out or even a few hours.

Yeh, being 15st 11lbs means I've got more to worry about than being aero! :P
 
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Off to a local university on Friday (snow permitting) to complete a vo2 and lactate threshold test on a bike. Quite looking forward to it, I've ran and cycled for years but only recently starting taking it a bit more seriously about not just going out as hard as possible at every opportunity and actually trying to stick on lower zones for the majority of the time.

I've got some big multi sport events coming up later in the year so just want to make sure I'm not being too optimistic with the zones that get auto generated out of things like Garmin/Strava/Zwift. It's been a while since I've done an FTP test as well, although I'm definitely not at my fittest right now (toddler = constant illness) I'm really interested just to see the data that comes out of the test.

Anyone else completed something similar? For the price they are charging (£120) it felt like a fairly worthwhile bit of money to spend to see where I'm at.
Did one a few years back prior to getting a coach. Interesting but unfortunately the numbers are just that unless you train them right.
 
Winter is back! Snow flurries from around 5am here Wednesday. Thankfully they salted a bunch of the roads Tuesday (got pelted by a gritting truck, thankfully was in the car!) and it stayed dry so it kept the roads clear even though it snowed all day. Air is very cold but ground stayed above freezing... Continued snowing over night but didn't freeze, so although woke up to another 3-4" of snow this morning, no ice and drove in to work quite cautiously... Has turned to rain now, so although lots of standing water around will continue to clear. Got close to a foot of snow in many of the hills around us and into Wales. Heard they had more south yesterday, then west midlands hit worse today. Waiting for the local flooding now! :cry:

Well that's kind mate. Drop me a trust I'll send you my address and ill sort the postage costs.
Try as I can have not been able to figure out where Trust went since the forum change. Not sure if it's the Style I'm using but turning it off can't see it either... So prob best to email me is that's ok?

Congratulations on the mortgage @Roady! That’s the dream.
Really didn't think we would mate, all the scare about energy bills and such but we're been pretty frugal and kept ours to <3 per day (gas & electric). Did see a similar house to ours sell on the estate for +150k more than we paid for ours (6 years ago) so even considered down-sizing to drop the mortgage if we needed and things bill wise got far worse. Something to consider for any others - check local house pricing, the markets in some places are still crazy and have continued to climb even with energy bill increases so houses must still be selling well.

strange question… what bottles are you all using?
Tacx Shanti Twist. They're kinda ok, quite a solid bottle so feel like they're going to last for years. The twist top is nice (for someone like me with rubbish teeth which always hurt pulling them) but does mean grit can get in behind it and make the twist hard to operate and they're a pain to take apart to clean behind. Quite a tight neck to clean inside without a brush to get in there. Black/smoke was a bad colour choice as they get extra warm in the sun! Think I prefer the Elite Fly ones I've got a couple of, they feel much lighter and have a large top so easier to clean inside. But they don't feel solid enough to last for many years like the Tacx.

Getting ready to fit these for Spring just as the snow is due! New wheel day!

Lots of deliberating between different options, price points etc but have settled on matchy matchy Roval Rapides. These are the CL IIs rather than the CLX but I’m sure I’ll survive.

F2-D7688-C-1-A89-4-BF8-804-A-089-E0-C7-B0-D37.jpg
Glorious bike & build mate! #jealous

Yep. two more done. In fact #88 Penbarra is supposedly the hardest I've done yet (in the UK. I know I've done harder in Europe). I was honestly quite worried, thinking I might have to walk up it as I'm not at the top of my game at the moment and then throw in the rain, would I be loosing traction with some wheel spinning? It wasn't as bad as I had thought, although the first third was really tough, then it settled into a more steady rate to the top.

iEmWfGs.jpg

From the top of #88 Penbarra
Amazing photo and some great riding, saw you where back over this direction! Timed it just right before the rubbish weather returned! :D

It was some basic Endura jacket. It was all caught up round my wrist and I pulled it too hard so wrist tore.
Ahhh easily done. To be honest I've dug out some older DHB jackets I own rather than carrying 1 raincoat with me all the time. Packable in the commuting bag is standard, then just 1 jacket at home and 1 at work if it turns biblical so I only have to use the packable in a real emergency (on my <10 minute commute!). Realised just how well made these old DHB's are (EQ2.5 & Commuter)! Quality jackets!
 
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Amazing photo and some great riding, saw you where back over this direction! Timed it just right before the rubbish weather returned! :D
Ha ha, yeah it wasn't toooo bad. Kind of annoying though, I had a week of in January that I was allowed to push back, so I moved it to this week... the nicest day was Tuesday, which I spent on the M6 and M1... Wednesday morning... covered in snow... this morning... rain all morning.

I think tomorrow I'll just put a shakedry on, suck it up and ride.
 
What's everyones thoughts on Hookless Wheels... My Cycle2Work Voucher will be going to wheels this year so looking for a set from a place that take the horrible Halfords voucher - Zipp's are top of the current list at around 1600 for 404's
 
What's everyones thoughts on Hookless Wheels... My Cycle2Work Voucher will be going to wheels this year so looking for a set from a place that take the horrible Halfords voucher - Zipp's are top of the current list at around 1600 for 404's

Not much to say. Seem to work really well. Main downside is that you are a little more limited on tyre choice. I'm very happy with my Zipp 303 firecrests.

Think @Junglist might have the 404s
 
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On the drive down to Spain I’ve mostly driven in rain/snow.

As such all bikes have some mild surface rust on the rotors/cassette etc from being wet overnight.

Is it just best to use something like GT85 and a cloth and then re-lube?

Edit - and disc brake cleaner for the rotors.
 
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On the drive down to Spain I’ve mostly driven in rain/snow.

As such all bikes have some mild surface rust on the rotors/cassette etc from being wet overnight.

Is it just best to use something like GT85 and a cloth and then re-lube?

Edit - and disc brake cleaner for the rotors.
Probably find they’ll clean themselves with use. At least that’s what I find for cassettes on my gravel bike.
 
Off to a local university on Friday (snow permitting) to complete a vo2 and lactate threshold test on a bike. <snip>

Anyone else completed something similar? For the price they are charging (£120) it felt like a fairly worthwhile bit of money to spend to see where I'm at.
Not a bad price for that info really, but as with anything like this you need to use it for the right reasons to justify it - which does sound like another test in future to judge how well any training has gone...!

Are you signed up at https://intervals.icu/ ?

Would interesting to compare the VO2max figure in the power section from recent weeks compared to what you get from the lab test. ;)
Great idea!

What's everyones thoughts on Hookless Wheels... My Cycle2Work Voucher will be going to wheels this year so looking for a set from a place that take the horrible Halfords voucher - Zipp's are top of the current list at around 1600 for 404's
Totally happy with my Zipp 303 S and the Pirelli PZero's I fitted.

Even rode some hooked tyres on them a few months. Few burps but didn't blow off the rim, but probably not a good thing to recommend. :o

On the drive down to Spain I’ve mostly driven in rain/snow.

As such all bikes have some mild surface rust on the rotors/cassette etc from being wet overnight.

Is it just best to use something like GT85 and a cloth and then re-lube?

Edit - and disc brake cleaner for the rotors.
GT85 and elbow grease should solve Chain/Chainrings/Cassette.

Disc brake cleaner on rotors, but you can also give them a light sand with a fine grit glass paper to remove if it's stubbon. Actually works really well to 'roughen' up rotor surfaces to increase braking performance, or more specially for me to help clear crud/contaminants off them. Also worth giving the pads a light rubbing too - they tend to pick up more than rotors so if the rotors are showing they'll be worse. Might even need to replace them if the amount of salt from the road spray has wrecked them. So do a careful test ride to check how they're performing before you do a massive mountain descent and realise you have no brakes! ;)

Bet it is glorious there after fighting through all that 'weather' in the UK to get there - enjoy! :cool:
 
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